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Used Car Market Changing With Times

Larry Bell — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:40:35 +0000

Used Cars (pictured: Tesla Roadster)

Used car prices in the U.S. are beginning to come down for the first time in five years. Lower production in 2008 and later, as well as the federal “cash for clunkers” program in 2009, depressed nationwide inventories. From 2010 through 2012, automakers upped production, and now those cars are landing in the used vehicle marketplace, slowly ending the shortage of previously owned automobiles. Experts say fresh data shows prices coming down in all but the SUV and pickup segments.

Used Cars: Video

Buyers in the market for used cars tend to look at mileage as a good indicator of overall condition, provided there are no major problems with the engine or body. Because so many people rely on odometer readings before making a bid on a used vehicle, all 50 states have strict rules regarding odometer fraud. The short clip above focuses on Arizona’s state office of the Inspector General, who is tasked with enforcing and monitoring car sales in the state. Though not widespread, experts say odometer fraud does exist nationwide, but can be defeated by alert consumers. Obtaining an online vehicle history report is the simplest way to verify a car’s actual mileage.

Used Car Market

Arizona’s department of the Inspector General offers five tips to prevent odometer fraud. First, be alert. Realize that in rare cases sellers will try to roll back mileage on for-sale vehicles. Second, do your own VIN verification. Third, take the car to a licensed mechanic for a complete inspection before you give any funds to the seller. Fourth, scrutinize the title to make certain it is in the sellers name and that none of the information has been altered or forged. Finally, pay extra attention to cases where a car’s mileage is extremely low compared to the average. Ask the seller why the vehicle has such low usage. If the explanation sounds false or suspicious, back away from the purchase.

http://www.myperfectautomobile.com/classified/
http://www.nhtsa.gov/

Larry Bell

Larry Bell + is My Perfect Automobile’s Genius Author, but we call him ‘The Expert‘. Here is his full Blog: My Perfect Automobile. Larry lives in San Jose, CA and is also the Expert Author. Larry is a lover of the Automobile as well and shares a passion for Concept, Hybrid and Electric Cars…

Tesla Repays DOE Loan Nine Years Early

Larry Bell — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:38:02 +0000

Tesla Model X electric car

Tesla Motors repaid its federal DOE loan nine years ahead of schedule. The company wired $452 million to the U.S. Treasury on Wednesday, becoming “the only American car company to have fully repaid the government,” according to an official Tesla statement. CEO Elon Musk announced the payback plan on Tuesday, adding that the company would be releasing a major statement about its charging stations next week. Money from last week’s stock offering provided more than enough funds to repay the entire DOE loan balance.

Tesla: Video

For those who missed the debut of Tesla’s Model X at the Detroit Motor Show earlier this year, the video clip above features highlights from the event. The seven-passenger, all-wheel-drive Model X is the company’s third vehicle. The X features a 17-inch touch screen just like its Model S sibling, a perfectly flat floor, and unique falcon doors. The company intends to produce the car in Fremont, Calif., where the Model S is made. While Detroit was the Model X’s auto show debut, the vehicle first saw the light of day at Tesla’s California design shop in February of 2012. When the X finally goes on sale, production models will weigh about 10 percent more than Tesla’s Model S and offer a 0-to-60 mph time of around 4.4 seconds. In addition, the X will be available in 4-wheel-drive and offer a choice of two battery-pack sizes, 60 kWh and 85 kWh.

Tesla Motors

Tesla took out the loan in 2009 primarily to build the Model S electric car. Consumer Reports magazine gave Model S a 99 out of 100 ranking in its latest issue. The Model S has already amassed numerous awards for design, engineering and overall quality. The first quarter of 2013 marked a financial turnaround for Tesla Motors with the automaker ending the period in the black for the first time since its founding.

For more about the U.S.-based electric automaker, see the official Tesla Motors website:
http://www.teslamotors.com

Larry Bell

Toyota Switching to Lithium Batteries?

Larry Bell — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:18:08 +0000

Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid car

Japanese media sources are reporting that Toyota Motor Co. will soon ramp up its production of lithium batteries by at least six-fold. The company apparently wants to use the packs in its Prius hybrid automobiles. Eventually, a jointly owned Panasonic-Toyota battery facility will build 200,000 packs per annum and will cost almost $200 million to build. In order to reduce vehicle size and weight, and to improve mileage, Toyota will likely be replacing the current nickel-metal hydride batteries in Prius cars with the new lithium units. Exact timing for the change has not been announced.

Toyota Prius: Video

While there is no specific word on how the eventual battery switchover will affect Prius range and charge time, the video clip above offers a nice overview of how the current version of the plug-in works. The 15-mile all-electric range in today’s Prius plug-in is sourced from a battery pack that can be recharged from a 220-volt outlet in about 90 minutes. The car’s dash display shows progress of the charge.

Toyota Batteries

Japan’s influential Nikkei Business Daily newspaper reported the basic facts about Toyota’s apparent switch to lithium power, but did not cite sources for the information. It is possible that Toyota is intending to sell the batteries to other carmakers, or offer them for sale on the open market. However, rumors have been adrift in the auto industry for several years that the maker of the best-selling Prius hybrid would soon switch to lithium battery packs for reasons of efficiency if nothing else.

Toyota sold more than 1 million hybrid cars last year, and its popular Prius typically makes up about 70 percent of the company’s total hybrid sales. Since 1997, Toyota hybrid sales have exceeded 5 million units.

For more about Toyota, see the Japanese carmaker’s official corporate website:
http://www.toyota.com

Larry Bell

Renault Zoe EV Sales Booming

Larry Bell — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:13:42 +0000

Renault Zoe electric car

Sales of electric cars in France doubled during the past year, with Renault’s best-selling Zoe leading the way. The new EV accounted for nearly 80 percent of all electric vehicles sold in France in the first four months of 2013. French auto dealers have witnessed a boom in EV sales even in a year that has suffered economic slowdowns and industry sluggishness. Nevertheless, Zoe and other electric vehicles are extremely popular with drivers. The French government’s $9,000 incentive package deserves much of the credit, say some European automotive analysts.

Renault Zoe: Video

From drawing-board to prototype to test track to assembly line to showroom, follow Renault Zoe from its inception. The two-minute clip, above, takes viewers on a captivating journey from the car’s early design days to its current reign as a consumer favorite in the dealerships of Europe. Zoe wowed the 2013 Car of the Year Award judges, finishing in the top three of that competition. Now, the EV is a big seller in Spain, Italy, Germany, the UK, and of course in its home nation, France. As of January 2013, Zoe was the best-selling electric car in France and has kept its sales level high enough to retain the top spot in EV sales.

Renault Zoe Sales

The first production model of the Zoe electric car showed its face at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. Prior to that, the Zoe name had been used on several Renault concept cars dating back as early as 2005, when the Zoe City Car appeared at auto shows as a concept model.

Odd factoid about the Renault Zoe: In late 2010, a French court ruled that Renault could indefinitely continue using the name it gave to its new EV. That ruling came after a challenge by a French citizen who happened to have the same first name as the EV model, and the same last name as the manufacturer.

For more about French carmaker Renault, see the company’s official website:
http://www.renault.com

Larry Bell

Toyota Prius V a Top-Ten Family Car

Larry Bell — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:25:40 +0000

Toyota Prius V

Kelley Blue Book’s list of the top ten best cars for families includes the Prius V hybrid in the number-three slot, just behind number two Honda Accord and top choice Nissan Pathfinder. In fact, Toyota notched two of its models on the prestigious list. The company’s Avalon placed sixth on KBB’s ranking. While the Prius V shows an average sticker price of $28,752, the Avalon’s price comes in at $35,610.

Toyota Prius: Video

For a substantive, though humorous, car review, watch the clip above, where Ford’s C-Max hybrid faces off against the Toyota Prius in a tandem road test of sorts. Each driver makes the case for the car he drives, with a total of five points at stake. Without spoiling the ending, know that the C-Max wins the mileage category, though only by a slim margin. Toyota’s Prius is a hands-down victor when it comes to rear cargo space, which is one factor that helped it snag a position on the KBB Best Family Car listing. Overall, the review delivers a lot of laughs but also much substance about the two cars.

Toyota Prius V

Fourth and fifth on the KBB Best Family Cars list were the Volkswagen Passat and the Honda Odyssey, respectively. Places seven through ten were, in order, Ford Fusion, Honda CR-V, Nissan Altima and Chevy Suburban. A spokesperson for KBB noted that all cars on the list ranked high in the categories of comfort, value, spaciousness and of course safety. The annual listing typically includes vehicles in a wide range of prices and sizes. This year’s selections covered the pricing spectrum and featured several multiple corporate entries; three Hondas, two Toyotas and two Nissans. Chevy, Volkswagen and Ford each had one car on the list.

For more about Toyota Motor Co., and the Prius V in particular, see the official corporate website for Toyota below, plus a specific site for the Prius V hybrid.
http://www.toyota.com
http://www.toyota.com/priusv/

Larry Bell

Ford Fusion Energi Gets Five Stars for Safety

Larry Bell — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:25:17 +0000

Ford Fusion Energi

Ford Motor Company’s plug-in hybrid Fusion Energi scored a powerful double play in safety, earning the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) highest rating, as well as being named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. NHTSA tests frontal, side and rollover impact, and then calculates an overall rating based on those three scores. The Fusion Energi plug-in scored a perfect five stars in each of the three crash categories.

Ford Fusion Energi: Video

The video footage above shows NHTSA frontal crash testing on a Ford C-Max Hybrid. The meticulous documentation of the controlled crash is typical of the organization’s thoroughness. Results of the frontal tests showed the C-Max scoring four out of five stars, while the vehicle notched a full five stars in the side testing. Rollover results came in at four stars, giving the C-Max an overall four-star safety rating. The Ford Fusion Energi scored a perfect five-star safety rating in its most recent testing. NHTSA crash simulations are scientifically designed to mimic real world conditions, and have been perfected over several decades. Carmakers spend huge sums of money in an effort to earn four- or five-star safety results. Marketing surveys show that at least half of all car buyers purchase a vehicle based at least partly on its safety ratings, from NHTSA and others.

Ford Fusion Energi

Concerning the NHTSA ranking for Fusion Energi, a Ford spokesperson noted that the vehicle’s fuel efficiency, along with its top-ranked safety performance in the testing, are the two factors that modern day car buyers look for when considering a purchase. Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid is EPA-rated at 100 MPG-equivalent.

For more about Ford Motor Co., and the Fusion Energi in particular, see the official corporate sites below:
http://www.ford.com
http://www.ford.com/cars/fusion/

Larry Bell

Chinese EV Coming to U.S.

Larry Bell — Mon, 20 May 2013 12:04:57 +0000

BYD e6 electric car

Chinese carmaker BYD will sell its e6 electric car to U.S. fleet buyers, but not to individual consumers, the company has announced. The Chinese city of Shenzhen has agreed to purchase a fleet of electric taxis and buses from the company, which only recently cut back its assembly of gasoline models. The automaker still produces hybrids and electric cars for the Chinese passenger and fleet market, as well as electric fleet cars for the city of Bogotá, Columbia, and will soon offer its aforementioned e6 EV to U.S. fleet customers.

BYD e6: Video

The short clip above provides an overview of BYD Auto, which is a subsidiary of manufacturing giant BYD Company, based in Shenzhen, China. The company produces about 600,000 vehicles per year, placing it in or near the top-ten auto firms in China. Founded in 2003, BYD Auto offers a diverse lineup, which includes people carriers, small sedans, compacts, hybrids and electric cars. The company’s hometown of Shenzhen has agreed to purchase 500 e6 electric cars that will work as taxis in the busy city. In addition, Shenzhen plans to buy 1,000 electric city buses from BYD.

BYD Auto

BYD is currently going through a phase of rapid international expansion, even though it has stopped making combustion vehicles for the time being. Already the Chinese carmaker exports its products to Africa, the Middle East, Bahrain, the Dominican Republic, Ukraine, Moldavia and South America. There are plans underway to bring BYD cars to Israel and Europe. Having already opened a U.S. office in Los Angeles, which serves as North American headquarters for the firm, BYD intends to begin offering its electric e6 to American fleet buyers later this year.

For more about one of China’s rising auto companies, see the BYD official corporate website, English language version, below:
http://www.byd.com/na/index.html

Larry Bell

Toyota Camry is Top Hybrid on Consumer Reports List

Larry Bell — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:01:08 +0000

Toyota Camry Hybrid

The recent Consumer Reports car quality list ranked an all-electric car at the top for the first time ever. Tesla’s Model S sedan notched an almost perfect score and made automotive history in the process. Lost in much of the media coverage was the fact that Toyota’s Camry Hybrid placed fourth on the list, and was the highest-ranking hybrid among the candidates. In fact, the top ten cars on CR’s list included just one with a base price under $30,000. That honor also went to Camry Hybrid, which carries a sticker of $29,052 (the price of the model that Consumer Reports tested).

Toyota Camry Hybrid: Video

For a thorough review of the Camry Hybrid, view the short clip above. Notably positive, the reviewer offers up interesting factoids about the car. For one thing, most owners are finding they get better mileage than the listed 40/38. Camry is Toyota’s best-selling mid-sized sedan for a reason; year in and year out, Camry delivers a wealth of standard features that people want, need, and enjoy. In addition, this particular hybrid features 10 airbags on the base model, two of which are knee-airbags, one of the more high-tech safety amenities in modern automotive design.

Toyota Camry Hybrid

Technically, there was a three-way tie for fourth place in the CR rankings, with Audi’s A6 and Infiniti’s M37 joining the Camry Hybrid with statistical ratings of 93 (out of a possible score of 100). Note, however, that both the A6 and the M37 cost almost twice what Toyota’s hybrid model does. No matter how one does the math, Toyota’s Camry Hybrid provides more quality per dollar than any vehicle among the CR top ten.

Among the top three, Tesla’s Model S costs $89,650, second-ranked BMW 135i carries a price tag of $37,650, and third-place Infiniti G37 sedan is $37,225. Those three cars scored 99, 97, and 95, respectively.

http://www.toyota.com

Larry Bell

Tokyo Motor Show Set for Nov. 22 Opening

Larry Bell — Thu, 16 May 2013 23:39:43 +0000

Smart Electric Drive will be at the Tokyo Motor Show

The 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, one of Asia’s most important industry events, will run from Nov. 22 until Dec. 1. The first day for public attendance will be Nov. 23. The event will occupy every hall in the city’s enormous exhibition center, nicknamed Tokyo Big Sight. In addition to 18 non-Japanese car brands, the host nation will be represented by all 14 Japanese manufacturers. The 2011 show drew upwards of 850,000 attendees and media representatives from more than 70 countries. The Tokyo Motor Show is held every two years.

Tokyo Motor Show: Video

The short video clip above features some sights and sounds from a recent Tokyo Motor Show, when Toyota unveiled its unique Fun Vii concept car. The world’s only Smartphone on wheels, the Fun Vii’s body panels are computer screens that can display whatever the driver wishes. The show has always billed itself as offering “weird and wonderful” cars to the public, and the debut of the Fun Vii certainly lived up to that promise.

Tokyo Motor Show

The 2013 event has already booked a VIP list of exhibitors, all of whom will display their wares in Japan’s largest convention hall, a venue known commonly as Tokyo Big Sight, and formally as the Tokyo International Exhibition Center. The massive, and stunning, center is one of Asia’s most recognized structures. It opened in 1996.

The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) sponsors the event, which has gained a reputation for concept car debuts and is considered one of the world’s “Big Five” automotive exhibitions along with Frankfurt, Geneva, Detroit, and Paris shows. The first Tokyo Motor Show was called the All Japan Motor Show, and was held in 1954. That year, the event centered on commercial vehicles rather than passenger cars.

For all the details about Asia’s premier automotive event, the Tokyo Motor Show, see the official TMS English language website:
http://www.tokyo-motorshow.com/en/

Larry Bell

Audi Plans EV Debut for 2015

Larry Bell — Tue, 14 May 2013 23:11:23 +0000

Volkswagen’s e-Up

Automotive media sources in Germany are reporting that Audi is planning to create a competitor to Volkswagen’s e-Up and hopes to have the new vehicle on the market by 2015. Audi is also hoping to outdo the e-Up in terms of range and power, intending to offer 125 miles of range and 114 horsepower on its prospective premium EV. Other reported specs include a 0-62 mph time of 9.3 seconds and a maximum speed of 93 mph. Volkswagen’s e-Up has a 93-mile range and an 81-horsepower rating. Pricing estimates put the VW e-Up around the $23,000 mark and the Audi EV at approximately $39,000, though both figures are unconfirmed.

Audi vs VW: Video

For a quick photomontage of Volkswagen’s e-Up, see the video clip above. The electric variation on VW’s popular Up will land in UK showrooms in 2014. Though the car is set to debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show, Volkswagen revealed it ahead of the official unveiling. The e-Up’s lithium-ion battery pack is situated under the floor and offers 155-pound-feet of torque. With the ability to replenish the pack up to 80 percent of capacity in just 30 minutes, the car delivers an impressive 93 miles per charge. Other than minor insignia and badging, the electric version of Up is almost visually identical to the combustion model. One change is the front bumper on the e-Up, which is aerodynamically contoured and features LED running lights.

Audi vs VW e-Up

While the proposed Audi EV and the Volkswagen e-Up appear to be potential competitors, their distant price points will likely place them in non-competing demographics, with the VW model going head-to-head with Nissan’s Leaf and other moderately priced electric vehicles. Audi’s electric sedan, if indeed it lands in the $39,000 sticker range, will have an entirely different set of rivals for consumer affection.

For more information about Audi and Volkswagen, see the carmakers’ official websites:
http://www.audiusa.com
http://www.vw.com

Larry Bell

Chevy Cruze Diesel’s Shocking Mileage Experiment

Larry Bell — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:06:31 +0000

Chevy Cruze Diesel

A GM engineer who drove 5 mph below the speed limit on a road trip was able to travel 900 miles on one tank of fuel in the Chevy Cruze Diesel passenger car. Officially, the Cruze, which posts a 46 mpg highway rating, can routinely squeeze 715 miles from a tank of diesel fuel. The car is also able to operate on B20 biodiesel, though standard diesel propellant notches slightly better mileage.

Chevy Cruze Diesel: Video

The video clip above authenticates the facts of the 900-mile trip taken by one of GM’s engineers. The short film answers the questions most viewers have when they hear that someone drove that far on one tank of fuel in a non-hybrid, non-electric car. As the driver/engineer herself explains, the Chevy Cruze Turbo Diesel already offers the best fuel efficiency of any non-hybrid on the market, but the 900-miles she squeezed out of one tank required careful driving. Rather than hyper-mile all the way, she chose to drive the Michigan to Arkansas route at approximately 5 mph below the speed limit. That’s it! Heading back to Michigan, she drove with the flow of traffic, as usual, and was still able to achieve a respectable 800 miles per tank.

Chevy Cruze Diesel

Chevy can’t promise that every driver will do what their engineer did, milking 900 miles out of a single tank of diesel fuel, but the low rolling resistance tires, air dam spoiler, tire deflectors, diesel emissions fluid tank, auxiliary heater and rear-view camera come standard on the car. This recent feat by GM’s engineer is not the first time a driver has gotten well over the stated EPA fuel efficiency rating. In the last several years, various GM cars have been in the news for posting much better mileage stats than official EPA numbers would indicate.

For more about the highest mpg, non-hybrid car in the market, see Chevy’s specific web page for the Cruze Diesel:
http://www.chevrolet.com/cruze-diesel-reveal.html

Larry Bell

Barcelona Motor Show Set for May 9

Larry Bell — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:50:25 +0000

Barcelona Motor Show: Twizy Sport F1 will debut

In the same week as the Extreme X Games and the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Barcelona Motor Show will open its doors to the public. Set to run from May 9 to May 19, the event will feature at least a pair of electric cars, namely the Volkswagen e-Up! and the Renault Twizy F1 Sport Concept. Other than those two, there will be 22 different carmakers’ goods on display, including about a half-dozen regional debuts. In order to keep expenses within a reasonable range, the event’s organizers decided to downsize a bit this year. Even at that, the Barcelona Motor Show always draws plenty of international media attention for its exclusive lineup of vehicles from elite manufacturers like Ferrari, Bentley, Aston Martin and Maserati.

Barcelona Motor Show: Video

The Twizy Renault Sport F1 is a strange mixture between electric scooter and car, according to those who have logged miles on the French carmaker’s oddity. The short video clip above is a walk-around of the tiny EV. Don’t miss the spoiler, mounted high on the rear. Of course, as Renault designers say, the car merely borrows ideas and styling flourishes from F1 racers, but is more suited to city driving and weekend errand-running.

The F1 Twizy concept uses two motors. One is a 13 kWh unit that is used on the standard Twizy EV. In addition, the F1 model contains a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) electric motor, just like the ones on Renault F1 race cars. Because of the huge power burst provided by the KERS motor, the Twizy F1 concept is able to reach 68 mph. The car’s 0-60 mph time is a mere six seconds.

Barcelona Motor Show

Among this year’s brands at the event will be Dacia, Honda, Jeep, Kia, Lancia, Renault, Peugeot, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, and many others. For all the latest details about the Barcelona Motor Show, visit the event’s official English language website:
http://www.firabcn.es/en/home

Larry Bell