Nissan Leaf: The Details

We are all familiar with the abundance of hybrid vehicles that you can purchase from Liberty Honda, but how much do you know about the upcoming Nissan Leaf electric vehicle?  It has been widely publicized but sometimes you can use a good refresher about all the specifics.  Plus, because it hasn’t been released yet to dealerships, there is a lot of misinformation out there.  You are still able to buy hybrid vehicles at Ford Dealers Kingston, but the electric vehicles will come to us from Chevrolet and Nissan.  Also, the Civic GX from Hollywood Honda runs on compressed natural gas, which is also very green for the environment.
 
The looks of the 2011 Nissan Leaf are quite attractive, and Nissan was able to add style to their eco-friendly vehicle.  While the Prius sticks out in the Toyota line up, the Leaf fits in nicely with the Nissan family and even with the Infiniti brand.  Plus, the LED lights are a nice upgrade that you might not expect.  Inside the Leaf you will find comfortable seats for four or five people; that comfort level goes for any compact car.  You can always fit five in the vehicle, but four is a bit easier!  Other thoughtful touches include cruise control, auto climate control, a solar panel on the higher SL trim, and the technology to heat the seats and steering wheel rather than the whole cabin.  After all, these parts of your body sense cold first, so if you can warm them, then you really don’t need to heat the whole cabin.

Under the hood of the car you will find electric batteries; actually, they are under the floor between the wheels.  The technology is advanced enough to produce 80 kilowatts of power and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in ten seconds, which is just enough time to get on a freeway onramp.  The speed tops out at 90 mph, which is done solely to preserve driving charge.  Nissan estimates that you can go between 60 and 120 miles per charge and the factory will install a charging station in your home. 

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The Latest on the New Hybrids.

The new redesigned 2011 Touareg Hybrid at Phoenix Vw Dealers has a new sharp exterior, and luxurious, and spacious interior. The Touareg Hybrid is estimated to achieve 21 miles per gallon in the city and 25 miles per gallon on the highway, which makes it one of the most fuel efficient Suv's in its class.

Along with that, test drivers say its transition from gas to electric is incredibly smooth. The even say its fun to drive. though it's significantly improved, the 2011 Touareg is expected to cost about the same as the 2010 model. With it priced around $41,000, the Touareg is one of the most affordable Suv's in its class, unlike the Suv's you find at Chevrolet Dealer Louisville.

As Part of its redesign, the Touareg has lost its permanent four wheel drive system. While the previous model was an off roader, the new Touareg gets an all wheel drive system that makes it more of a soft roader. All models now come with a new eight speed automatic transmission.


The impression of the 2011 Chevy Volt at Chevrolet Auto Body, is what you would call mixed. Especially the Volt’s drive train, inspires great engineer reviews, all the more so because its operation is so seamless and simple for even inexperienced drivers. The fact that it salvages know how from the disastrous Two-Mode Hybrid program makes it all the more appealing.

Still, it’s clear that the Volt’s revolutionary drive train and hefty battery dominated development, leaving such details as design, quality impression, backseat accommodations and user interface for non-driving controls short of money and attention.

On the other hand, those who appreciate the Volt’s unique ability to drive 40 miles on electricity with unlimited range will not be overly vexed by these compromises.

2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid

The new redisgned 2011 Touareg Hybrid at Volkswagen Dealer, has a new sharp exterior, and luxurious, and spacious interior. The Touareg hybrid is estimated to achieve 21 miles per gallon in the city and 25 miles per gallon on the highway, which makes it one of the most fuel efficient SUV's in its class. Along with the, test drivers say its transition form gas to electric is extremely smooth. they even say its fun to drive.

Though its significantly improved, the 2011 Touareg is expected to cost about the same as the last model of Touareg you could find at Oil Change Bradenton. With it priced around $41,000, the Touareg is one of the most affordable SUV's in its class. Unlike SUV's you would find at GMC Pittsburgh. As part of its redesign, the Touareg has lost its permanent four wheel drive system. While the previous model was an off roader, the new Touareg gets an all wheel drive system that makes more of a soft roader. All models now come with a new eight speed automatic transmission.

The 2011 Volkswagen Touareg comes in three trims including the base VR6 FSI, the diesel powered TDI, and the all new Hybrid. If you prefer the old Touareg, don't worry, there are still plenty of the 2010 models on dealer lots. You can also get a great deal on one of these, especially with the 2011 model sitting right next to it.

All New 2011 Chevy Volt Hybrid!!

Located near Phoenix VW Dealers, and soon to be at Chevrolet Dealer Louisville, are the new 2011 Chevrolet Volts. This vehicle is not a hybrid nor is it a purely electric car. It is actually an electric car with a gasoline powered generator which will kick in when the battery becomes low. You are able to charge the vehicle from a wall outlet at your home and you will be able to travel up to 40 miles on electric power alone. That's further than most people drive in a single day. The Volt battery also will carry an eight year/100,000 mile warranty and would be carried out at Chevrolet Auto Body.

The Volt has not yet been through any crash tests performed by the Federal Government of National Traffic Safety Administration or The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. We do know that the vehicle will be equipped with anti-lock disc brakes, a regenerative braking system that uses friction from the electric motor to help recharge the battery pack. By 2012 though, Chevrolet intends to include a brake override system. The brake override cuts the signal from the gas pedal when the brake is depressed, so that if both pedals happen to be pressed at the same time, only the brake pedal will work.

All the 2011 Volts that have been shown to the media have featured a white or silver dash with a center stack and leather seats. The center stack is covered with a touch sensitive panel rather than actual buttons. A Large touch screen controls various climate and entertainment functions.

The exterior looks kind of like something from the future, but it's not nearly as bad as the concept they showed in 2007. The vehicle will be a five-door hatchback that's larger than most small cars but smaller than most midsize cars. The shape was defined by aerodynamic requirements. Engineers say that wind resistance proved more important than weight in getting maximum efficiency, per US News.

The only bad things that have been said about the 2011 Chevy Volt is that it only will seat four, has a tiny trunk and will cost you at least one arm and a leg.

Honda CR-Z: Mean and Green

It really was only a matter of time before an auto brand would find a way to effectively compete with the great deals at Cheap Used Cars in Lamesa.  Honda is proud of their brand new 2011 CR-Z hybrid, a small and sporty addition to the hybrid world.  Plus, the price is low enough (starting out at only $19,950) that you won’t have to go into debt with a Boston Bad Credit Auto Loan.  This small hybrid is smaller than their Insight hybrid, a car that was brought back to the market after dwindling sales.  Its new facelift, however, still isn’t stealing away business from the Prius as quickly as Honda had hoped.  Honda is hoping that the nostalgic appearance resembling the CR-X from the 1980s will help sell the new hybrid.  Many drivers are loyal 1980s Honda drivers and seek occasional repairs from places like Body Shop Cape Girardeau. 

All of the 2011 CR-Z hybrids are front wheel drive and seat two passengers with a rear hatch third door.  Under the hood you will find an inline four cylinder engine coupled with a brushless DC electric motor.  There is an option for a six speed manual transmission or a CVT (continuously variable transmission), both of which produce relatively high fuel economy.  Drivers are going to get 122 horsepower plus 128 pound feet of torque.  That seems like plenty of power, but the CR-Z weighs 2,700 pounds while its muse CR-X only weighed around 1,800 pounds; that extra weight can be attributed to modern safety features plus the weight of those heavy hybrid engine parts. 

Drivers can choose from three different trim levels, ranging from $19,950 all the way up to $23,960.  The base model comes nicely equipped with LED taillights, power accessories, stability control, a steering wheel that tilts and telescopes, the choice of driving in sport, normal, or eco mode, cruise control, auto climate control, and USB auxiliary ports for your audio.  There is limited room in the back for cargo, but that is to be expected.  Immediate competitors include the Toyota Prius, Scion tC, and Honda Insight. 

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Hybrids, Are They Better For The Economy?

Chevrolet Dealer Cleveland is offering the 2010 Silverado 1500-Hybrid. This vehicle combines improved fuel economy with truck capabilities. It is perfect for stop and go drivers because this truck can run on electric power alone at slow speeds and the engine will automatically shut off when stopped in traffic. And compared to gas only vehicles, this hybrid has a 40% increase in the city which gives it the gas mileage as a midsized vehicle.

The Silverado hybrid also has a 3 year/36,000 mile basic warranty and a 5 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty. The electric components of the hybrid (batteries, motors and computers) are covered by a 8 year/100,000 mile warranty.

Located near Mazda Service Center are the new 2011 Chevrolet Volts. This vehicle is not a hybrid nor is it a purely electric car. It is actually an electric car with a gasoline powered generator which will kick in when the battery becomes low. You are able to charge the vehicle from a wall outlet at your home and you will be able to travel up to 40 miles on electric power alone. That's further than most people drive in a single day. The Volt battery also will carry an eight year/100,000 mile warranty.

The only bad things that have been said about the 2011 Chevy Volt is that it only will seat four, has a tiny trunk and will cost you at least one arm and a leg.

Now the all new 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, which can be found at any Volkswagen Dealer, is another great hybrid SUV. It's transition from gasoline to electric power is hardly noticeable. This vehicle has the ability to coast after the engine has shut down. And even though the engine has shut down all the systems, like power steering, will still work using solely electric power.

The Touareg hybrid is going to be equipped with a 3.0 supercharged V6 engine paired with an electric motor. The Touareg is also estimated to get 21 miles in the city and 25 on the highway. This vehicle is expected to come with three years/36,000 miles basic warranty and a five year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty. They also provide a no-charge scheduled maintenance program for three years or 36,000 miles.

EPA Raises Ethanol to 15%

Right now, any of the cars at Fredericksburg Toyota Dealer can go to the gas station and use any of the fuel types available.  But, if the EPA has their way, then only new vehicles could use the E15, or 15% ethanol gas mixture.  Currently there is only 10% ethanol in our gasoline, and that is satisfactory for the car engineers at Alexandria Mercedes-Benz Videos.  Ethanol is a fuel additive that is derived from corn, and its main claim to fame is that it is a renewable resource, so we have hopes of becoming less reliant on fossil fuels that have a limited quantity. 

The people who work at Ford Repair Service in San Diego caution people against using E15, and many auto makers agree that the higher percentages could damage your vehicle’s engine.  There are already warnings in place about the 10% ethanol gasoline, so we can only imagine that 15% would be even worse.  There are studies that show that the ethanol in the gas increases fuel lines to rot, and that over time, engine damage is definite.  Older vehicles can’t use the low-grade 10% ethanol fuel, and they have to pay more for the premium levels.  The same is true if you are buying gas for a lawn mower, your motorcycle, a chain saw, or any type of recreational vehicle like a boat or ATV.

This new endeavor by the Environmental Protection Agency again raises the question of whether or not using ethanol in our gasoline is even a green practice?  The amount of water, land, and resources used to produce all the corn is likely to outweigh the reduced amount of emissions that it eventually creates.  Plus, farmers are having a hard time keeping up with the demand and consumers are seeing higher prices on other items like meat that require corn to feed the livestock.

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Obama Challenges Auto Industry: 62 mpg Standard

President Obama and his administration have recently announced their challenge to the auto industry: raise your fuel average to 62 mpg by the end of 2025.  Seems simple enough, right?  Hopefully the luxury line up from Manchester Mercedes-Benz will be able to comply with such high standards.  Remember that this change won't happen over night and the increase in technology to make that goal attainable will happen over time.  Before that happens, keep your current vehicle running as long as possible by visiting places like Richmond Body Shop Dealers.  The motto in America is leaning towards "reduce, reuse, recycle," so do your part and keep your car running and out of junk yards.

Even Portland Volvo Coupons are in effect right now to encourage the purchase of their new fuel efficient vehicles.  If the average fuel economy of vehicles is in the 47-62 mpg range by 2025, then we will have seen a 3-6% increase in fuel efficiency annually over that length of time.  When you break it down that way, the growth sure does seem completely possible.  Auto makers are excited for the challenge, but the fuel bill hasn't been made final yet.  Given the overwhelming positive response it would be unlikely that the bill wouldn't pass.

For people still in doubt that all the cars on the road will have that kind of fuel economy by 2025, remember that it is an average among the fleet.  CAFE is the acronym standing for Corporate Average Fuel Economy.  All vehicle's within an auto maker's brand that weigh less than 8,500 pounds are taken into consideration.  The fuel economy among the entire fleet must meet the current CAFE goal.  Right now, the current CAFE goal is 27.5 mpg, which it has been since 1989; before that it was 18 mpg.  By 2016 the fuel economy ratings must be up to 35.5, and with the introduction of more electric vehicles and hybrids, that should be readily attainable. 

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