Green Test Drive: 2013 Kia Rio SX
May 2nd, 2013
Those who doubt evolution just need slide behind the wheel of a Kia Rio – a dramatically different car than it was 10 years ago, shaped by the survival-of-the-fittest business model of the automobile industry. The 2013 Kia Rio SX – the highest of three available trims – may have you ponder what constitutes a luxury car.
Tags: · eco cars, Green Test Drive, high mileage, Kia Rio SX
What’s Next for Electric Cars?
April 8th, 2013
Are electric cars really the future? Tesla is innovating not only the electric vehicle, but the way we think about energy. They’re working to revolutionize the automotive industry and reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels.
Tags: · Electric Cars
Green Test Drive: 2013 Kia Soul
March 22nd, 2013
The 2013 Kia Soul shows hip can be practical. The distinctive styling and interior mood lighting of the four-door hatchback is designed to draw Gen Y hipsters, but the utility and value of this nice little car will appeal to every generation.
Tags: · eco idling, Green Test Drive, Kia Soul, Soul+
A spritely, solar-powered ELF is coming to town
December 19th, 2012
Its creators call it an Organic Transit Vehicle (OTV), a “new class of velomobile” that’s positioned somewhere between a bike and a mini-car.
The game-changing aspect of this newfangled vehicle, one model of which is called the ELF, is that its carbon footprint is near zero.
Tags: · Durham, electric bike, ELF, North Carolina, Organic Transit, OTV, solar powered vehicle, zero emissions vehicles
Electric car enthusiasts get charged up at Plug In Day
September 24th, 2012
Say what you will about the high costs and short ranges of electric vehicles , a good many people who’ve had the privilege of driving or owning one are awestruck in love with them.
We caught up with members of the unofficial EV admiration society at a National Plug In Day celebration in Frisco, Texas on Sunday. The event, one of dozens around the country, showcased commercially available EVs like the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf, as well as cars just entering production, such as the elegant Karma by Fisker, the popular Prius Plug-In Hybrid (available in selected states) and the petite Mitsubishi MiEV.
Tags: · Blink Network, EV cars, eVgo Network, Fisker, LEAF, MiEV, North Texas Electric Auto Association, Tesla, Volt
French report: Fuel use of new cars can be halved by 2030, mostly with existing technology
September 19th, 2012
With advanced technologies and innovative government policies, fuel consumption in new vehicles can be cut in half by 2030, saving billions of dollars in fuel costs worldwide and significantly reducing CO2 emissions, a new report by the Paris-based Int…
Tags: · car fuel savings, efficient cars, Electric Cars, fuel economy, fuel use, International Energy Agency
Is the Chevy Volt surging or sinking?
September 14th, 2012
GM’s Volt has endured a lot of skepticism. It’s often been criticized for being too expensive, not having enough range and for that darn backseat that just cannot accommodate three people. Ever.
Tags: · Bob Lutz, Electric Cars, GM, plug-ins, production of electric cars, Volt
Environmental groups say new fuel economy standards will reduce US oil dependence and air pollution
August 29th, 2012
New gasoline standards for cars and light trucks set by the US Department of Transportation and the US EPA won final approval on Tuesday after several months of public review and hearings.
The new mileage standards will require that American cars get an average of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. The EPA touted the change as a near doubling of fuel efficiency for cars, and predicted the effect on consumers would be like lowering the price of gasoline by $1 a gallon. Overall, the measure will save consumers more than $1.7 trillion at the gas pump and reduce U.S. oil consumption by 12 billion barrels, according to the EPA.
Tags: · 54.5 miles per gallon, Cars, Climate Change, DOT, EPA, green transportation, new mileage standards, Obama Administration, oil dependence, Trucks
Don’t hesitate to quit idling — here’s why
August 17th, 2012
As conservation tips go, the suggestion to quit idling might seem like small stuff.
Indeed, it is more meaningful to give up your car for a day and take the train, car share or bundle errands and drive a lot less.
Tags: · Climate Change, green tips, Idling, pollution, reduce carbon emissions, save gasoline, stop idling, when to idle
Green Test Drive: Scion iQ
July 4th, 2012
The 2012 Scion iQ – a micro-subcompact designed for city drivers – is easy to park and…well, that’s it.
The Scion iQ is slow, a bit skittish and not at all cheap. If you pay a bit more than $19,000 for a car, it should come with a glove compartment.
Tags: · city driving, Clint Williams, green cars, micro cars, Scion iQ
Green Test Drive: Kia Rio Ex, frugal but not plain
June 11th, 2012
There was a time – not so long ago, actually – when driving a car getting 30 mpg on the highway earned you bragging rights among the thrifty. Now, not so much.
Forty miles per gallon is the new 30 mpg. A growing number of cars now boast of EPA fuel economy estimates of 40 mpg…
Tags: · 30 mpg, 40 mpg, Green Test Drive, Kia Rio EX
Efficiency, baby, efficiency: NRDC report touts better cars as solution to oil woes
April 19th, 2012
Consumers looking for relief from high gasoline prices are finding solutions in the US car market, according to a new report by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
US car buyers can choose from among 57 models of energy-efficient cars and trucks in showrooms today. That’s more than double the 27 efficient models that were available in the spring of 2009.
Tags: · auto efficiency, auto standards for 2025, gasoline engine, high mileage, improved mpg, new mileage standards, new standards for 2016, NRDC



Barbara Kessler
Andrew Winston
Danielle Nierenberg
Anthony Swift