Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., will launch a fuel-efficient hybrid at a more accessible price when the Prius c joins the Prius Family of vehicles in the spring of 2012. The U.S. debut of the Prius c will be next January at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

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The 2012 Toyota Yaris is better than the car it replaces – evidence that increasing competition in the small car market benefits drivers.

The redesigned Yaris looks less cute – and that is a good thing. Earlier versions of the Yaris looked like a big bubble. The more aggressively styled (relatively speaking) 2012 Yaris is longer and lower. The wheelbase is now 98.8 inches, two inches longer, while the overall length of the car is nearly three inches longer at 153.5 inches.

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Though its animal avoidance system may still be a few years away, Volvo’s safety engineers have been collecting data in zoos and safari parks in Sweden in an attempt to overcome the difficult task of making a camera and computer recognize large animals…

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Here is a list of some of the more notable electric cars that are now available or coming soon:

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Did you know that electric vehicles are so reliable because they have 10 times fewer moving parts than a gasoline powered car?
That’s right, there’s no engine (OK, you knew that already) and no transmission, spark plugs, valves, fuel tank, tailpipe, distributor, starter, clutch, muffler or catalytic converter.

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Across the country, Americans are finding ways to build a greener future and create immediate employment for workers who desperately need good jobs.

One such project, ready to move from the drawing board to execution is the Chicago-Quad Cities-Iowa City passenger rail line, slated to be funded with $230 million in federal grant money

What High Speed Midwest Rail could look like, if states join regional plans that have won federal funding (red) and complete other routes (blue).

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Ford will offer customers a rooftop solar system with its new Focus Electric that goes on sale later this year. Ford said its “Drive Green for Life” option will provide buyers with enough clean, renewable energy to offset the electricity used to charge the vehicle.

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America’s cars and trucks will average about 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025 under the second phase of the Obama Administration’s national vehicle program, which is backed by 13 automakers.

Ford, GM, Chrysler, BMW, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar/Land Rover, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota and Volvo — which represent more than 90 percent of the cars and light trucks sold in the US, all back the plan, which was formally announced today.

“We’ve set an aggressive target and the companies are stepping up to the plate,” said President Obama, who called the plan the single most important step the nation has taken to reduce its oil dependence.

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ust as the EPA keeps tabs on companies that use green energy for buildings and stamps out Energy Star labels for efficient appliances, the Department of Energy has begun recognizing companies that are greening their vehicle fleets.

GE announced in 2010 that it will buy 12,000 Volts, and later, other electric cars.

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Americans love their cars. There are more cars, per capita, in the United States than in any other country – more than eight cars for every 10 Americans, according to recent government figures. But most of the time, those vehicles sit idle, parked in a driveway or on the street. Now, several startup companies on the U.S. West Coast are helping people rent their personal car to someone else when they don’t need it.

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Want to know what tomorrow’s automobile engineers have been up to?

Virginia Tech's winning car.

They’ve been designing cars that get gas mileage or gas mileage “equivalents” that raise the bar for vehicles not just in America, but worldwide.

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The 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid is the first gasoline-electric hybrid to make me say, “Wow,” and “Boy, howdy.”

The 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid "sails" to save fuel.

The hybrid driving experience is typically cerebral, as in “What efficient technology. The long-term fuel savings will be beneficial to both the environment and my wallet.” The Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid driving experience is visceral, as in “Woohooooooooo.”

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