All Civics have front-wheel drive and are well-served by smooth-running four-cylinder engines. The powertrain lineup segues into 2010 intact. A 140-horsepower 1.8-liter does duty in the three main Civic models: base DX, volume LX, and upscale EX. These cars come with manual or automatic transmission, both of which have five speeds. The sporty Si coupe and sedan have a 197-horsepower 2.0-liter linked exclusively to a six-speed manual. The Honda Civic Hybrid comes as a sedan only and combines a 1.3-liter gas engine with an electric motor for a total of 110 horsepower. The electric motor can propel the Civic Hybrid for very short distances on battery power alone but mostly acts as an assist to the engine. This helps save fuel and lower emissions by allowing use of a smaller gas engine and by enabling the engine to shut off at stops and then restart automatically as the driver depresses the accelerator. The Hybrid employs a continuously variable transmission, or CVT. A CVT acts like an automatic transmission but dispense with set gear ratios in favor of a rheostat-like delivery of power. The Civic GX sedan has a 113-horspower 1.8-liter powered exclusively by natural gas. This near-zero-emissions car is available to retail customers in California, Utah, and New York.

The 2010 Civic Hybrid comes only as a sedan equipped similarly to the EX models, though it excludes the sunroof and split fold-down rear seat. The 2010 Civic Hybrid starts at $24,510. It’s $25,710 with leather upholstery, $26,510 with a navigation system, and $27,710 with both leather and navigation. The natural-gas-powered GX sedan is priced at $26,050.

Features of Honda Civic 2010:

• EPA fuel economy ratings for the 2010 Honda Civic DX, LX, EX, and EX-L models are 26/34 mpg (city/highway) with manual transmission, 25/36 with automatic. The 2010 Honda Civic Si models rate 21/29 and are the only Civics for which Honda requires you use gas with an octane rating of 91 or higher.
• Fuel economy ratings for the 2010 Honda Civic Hybrid are 40/45 mpg (city/highway). Note that Honda’s hybrid system favors highway fuel economy because it’s not designed to maximize the amount of electrically powered propulsion. Rather, it uses battery power to supplement the gas engine. By contrast, the hybrid system in rival Toyota models, including the Prius, returns better mileage in the city than on the highway. That’s because they’re designed to propel the car on battery power away from a stop and around town for as long as possible before the gas engine kicks in.
• The Honda hybrid technology integrated motor assist IMA system consists of a super-efficient 1.3 liter, 8 valve i-VTEC 4- cylinder gasoline engine paired with a lightweight, high-output electric motor,  which adds extra power when needed.
• The Civic Hybrid is outfitted with a smooth continuosly variable transmission (CVT) which combines the ease of an automatic with the efficiency of a manual. An idle-stop feature automatically shuts off the hybrid’s gasoline engine when you stop, so you help keep the air cleaner while saving on gas.
• There’s no ala carte selection of options. Every Civic comes with antilock brakes, a tilt/telescope steering wheel, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, and power windows. Notable features include antiskid control to stabilize the car in changes of direction; it’s standard on the Civic EX-L, Hybrid, and Si.

For more info click here

Not only did the Prius help to prove that hybrid gas-electric powertrains can be feasible, reliable and desirable, the car has become the object of cultlike affection and a social statement. In the decade since the first Prius was introduced in the United States, more than 1.2 million have been sold worldwide. According to Toyota, 8 out of 10 Prius owners say they would buy another.

In keeping with its plans to increase hybrid sales to one million a year in the next few years (from 241,405 in 2008), Toyota is introducing a third-generation Prius in May. Will the new version of this iconic vehicle sustain the respect of its admirers? Will making the 2010 Prius slightly bigger and slightly faster add to the appeal, or will the upsizing backfire?

Toyota says the new car completed the government‘s test cycle with an economy rating of 51 m.p.g. in city driving and 48 m.p.g. on the highway. Combined mileage came out at an industry-leading 50 m.p.g. In much of the nation these days, you can fill the Prius’s 11.9-gallon tank for less than $20.

The new Prius offers three alternative driving modes. EV-Drive Mode allows driving on battery power alone at low speeds for about a mile, if conditions permit. There is also a Power Mode, which increases sensitivity to throttle input for a sportier feel, and an Eco Mode, which helps the driver achieve the best possible mileage.

Other energy-saving features include available LED low beams and taillights, a more efficient air conditioning system, and a unique ventilation fan that promises to reduce the need for air conditioning in the first place.

The air circulator — which is powered by solar panels — prevents the interior air temperature from rising while the vehicle is parked. This, in turn, makes cool-down time shorter when the driver returns to the vehicle.

The air-conditioning system is also capable of running with the engine off, so the driver can adjust the interior temperature for comfort before getting in the car — an industry first.

Toyota says it listened to customer feedback, and sharpened handling, reduced road noise, increased interior volume, and improved acceleration. The zero to 60 mph sprint takes 9.8 seconds now — an improvement of over one second. Disc brakes are now used on all four corners, replacing the front disc/rear drum brakes in the current model.

Interior space has increased considerably, both by making the car larger and making the cabin design more efficient. The car is 0.4 inches longer and 2.2 inches wider. The battery cooling unit also takes up less space, providing more room for passengers. Rear legroom is further improved thanks to thinner front seats.

Dynamic Radar Cruise Control system is now an available option. The system also enables Lane Keep Assist, which helps the driver stay safely within the lane, and the Pre-Collision System, which retracts seatbelts and applies the brakes in certain conditions when a crash is unavoidable.

The next-generation Intelligent Parking Assist features simplified settings to help guide the car into parking spaces. A backup monitor, which provides a view of rear obstacles when reverse is engaged, is available with an optional voice-activated navigation system. Safety Connect, Toyota first safety and security service, is also available.

for more complete overview of the Prius 2010 click here

Official web Prius 2010

Honda said it has received 4,500 pre-sale orders in Japan, or 4-½ times its monthly sales target. It aims to sell 40,000-50,000 units annually worldwide.

Facing stiff competition from Toyota’s newest Prius, Honda’s Insight model has fallen short of an original global sales target of 200,000 in the first year of sales. Cumulative sales at the end of January stood at 136,000 units, although the model was rolled out outside Japan in stages from March.

Honda has announced that its lightweight hybrid sports car, the CR-Z, is going into production. By February of 2010, the CR-Z hybrid will available in Japan, and by the Fall of 2010, the CR-Z hybrid will hit the US market.

According to Honda the CR-Z hybrid, which stands for Compact Renaissance Zero, will offer a “unique value” as a sporty hybrid coupe.

So, is a two-seat sporty hybrid coupe just what the American market needs? We’ll soon find out!

Although Honda has not yet released a lot of details regarding the CR-Z hybrid, it is expected utilize Honda’s current Integrated Motor Assist powertrain, and it will probably pair a 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, like the rest of Honda’s hybrid vehicles.

Still, the third generation of the Honda Civic hybrid will probably begin hitting the streets in 2011 and whatever updates Honda makes to the Integrated Motor Assist will probably make their way into the CR-Z hybrid as well. Nonetheless, Honda has not indicated any serious updates to its current hybrid system.

In any case, the Honda CR-Z hybrid should be one of the first hybrid sports-cars.

Early reports indicate that the CR-Z will have a price tag of more than $20,000. In fact, it seems there is a good chance that the CR-Z will be Honda’s most expensive hybrid vehicle.

for more info click here

Previewing a future D-segment contender from Hyundai, i-flow boasts sleek, elegant lines which not only create a bionic, futuristic shape, but also contribute to exceptional aerodynamics. The drag coefficient of 0.25Cd helps to reduce the car’s CO2 output to just 85g/km and fuel consumption to only 3l/100km.

Hyundai’s first diesel-electric hybrid powertrain is a key factor in delivering such an environmentally-conscious return. The exciting new U2 1,7-liter engine is augmented by two-stage turbocharging and Hyundai’s Lithium Ion-Polymer battery, to give a very efficient and advanced combination, partnered with a six-speed, dual-clutch transmission.

The interior of i-flow redefines the perception of space in a sedan bodystyle, and sees the application of next-generation materials and technologies developed in cooperation with leading chemical company BASF. Fundamental elements, such as the seats and center console, have been crafted in collaboration with BASF for minimal weight and volume. The cockpit’s main interface centers around an expansive, contoured screen, which recognizes not only touch but also gestural inputs along its fascia-wide display.

Entering mass production in March this year, the i30U takes over from the well-established i30, and incorporates a wide range of improvements in design, specification and competitiveness, as well as even cleaner powertrains. To complete the upgrade, i30U comes with the Hyundai ‘Triple5′ package, consisting of an enhanced five-year, bumper-to-bumper unlimited warranty, five years’ roadside assistance, and an annual vehicle seasonal health check for five years. The package reflects the quality and reliability of the Europe-built i30 family and gives added peace of mind to consumers.

Through innovations such as a stop-start system, low-rolling-resistance tyres and modified aerodynamics, the first four of these cars have CO2 emissions below 100g/km. The ix35 blue, meanwhile, boasts an impressive 135g/km ?a benchmark figure for a C-segment SUV. These improvements are achieved without compromising performance, reliability or driver satisfaction, making all Blue DriveTM models a realistic solution for motorists.

Looking one step beyond the blue-badged models, the ix35 FCEV moves Hyundai closer to the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. Debuting at Geneva, it features several important innovations over the previous-generation Tucson FCEV, and will lead to production volume of Hyundai FCEVs in the thousands by 2012. Among the developments implemented on ix35 FCEV are steps to reduce the cost and complexity of fuel-cell manufacturing and new approaches which simplify final assembly.

More information about Hyundai’s star cars and the latest corporate news will be made available on the stand, where media can request press kits. The company’s press conference will take place in Hall 1 at 14:15 (CET) on Tuesday 2nd March.

The Official Announcement

Google is announcing Google PowerMeter, which will ultimately become an open platform for home energy information. The initiative is led by Ed Lu, a former astronaut with a background in electrical engineering and astrophysics.

PowerMeter is currently in internal beta testing. About four dozen Google employees have home energy monitors to record their power usage (as proxies for the smart meters of the future). A Home Energy gadget on their iGoogle home pages shows them how much energy they are using. The gadget tracks historical data and forecasts future trends (similar to the displays available for some of Google’s finance applications).

The PowerMeter Platform

Underneath the PowerMeter gadget is an open systems platform that Google equates to Google Maps, the highly successful geospatial system that has become the foundation for thousands of applications.

Although the company uses the Maps comparison, PowerMeter may actually have more in common with Google Android and Google Health. Android is a platform for building mobile phone applications. It deals not just with data, but also with hardware. In a similar fashion, Google PowerMeter will ultimately need to interface with smart meters, thermostats and other devices.

Google Health is a platform that stores sensitive private health information that users can then choose to share with doctors and hospitals. In that regard, it must deal with privacy concerns, something that will haunt PowerMeter as well.

To understand more about the intricacies of a full-blown platform, visit Google’s overview of its Android mobile phone platform. And to understand how Google may try to get home users to sign up to PowerMeter, visit its tour of Google Health.

And google brings you:

• Scalability. Today’s utility pilots serve (at best) a few thousand people with (at most) a few dozen logged on at any one time. Future systems will need to serve millions of users.
• Anywhere access. The ability to get information from any Web browser (today) or any smart phone (coming soon).
• Robust programmability. Google is a master at building software stacks, open APIs, programming tools, and core applications that can act as the base for an entire “ecosystem.”
• Security. Google understands the complexities of authentication, backups, and privacy as it applies to millions of simultaneous users.
• Standards savy. Google understands the ins and outs of specifying the protocols and formats that allow data sharing at scale.

If the initiative succeeds, it will also bring some much needed leadership to the Smart Grid sector. If we are to get the Smart Grid we need, and in time to help with our many energy problems, we must have both robust platforms and a sense of urgency – two things that Google could bring about if it is willing to spend the effort and money.

Take a look here

http://www.google.com/powermeter

Toyota Prius
Honda Civid Hybrid
Nissan Altima Hybrid
Toyota Camry Hybrid
Ford Escape Hybrid
Mercury Mariner Hybrid
Mazda Tribute Hybrid
Lexus RX 400h
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
Lexus LS 600h L
GMC Yukon Hybrid
Chrysler Aspen Hybrid
Dodge Durango Hybrid
Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
GMC Sierra Hybrid

Engineers at GM are working on a new hybrid drivetrain they plan to install in the next-generation Opel Astra (current model pictured), scheduled to hit the streets in 2010. GM is working on its new E-Flex plug-in technology but is also planning to launch a new range of more conventional hybrid vehicles, where both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor drive the wheels.

The next Astra is a crucial model for GM as its launch in Europe will coincide with a launch in the U.S. where the car will be sold as a Saturn.

A GM engineer revealed the new car will be based on the latest version of the Delta FWD compact platform, which will eventually spawn 13 different models including a new baby saab.

The hybrid system GM will use for the Astra is a conventional two-mode hybrid, similar to the set-up used in the Toyota Prius. As for the E-Flex system, the GM insider said this won’t arrive on the market until the end of 2010, possibly in a production version of the Volt concept.

We’re hoping battery power is part of the general’s North American plans, but since the US is much more receptive to hybrids than Europe, the green powerplant makes too much sense not to duplicate here in the States.

Running on lithium phosphate batteries, the electric motor pushes the car to 60mph in 5.7 seconds but the trade-off is a lower top speed of 90mph. The car’s acceleration is significantly faster than the petrol Saturn Sky thanks to the electric motor’s ability to utilize maximum torque instantaneously but by the same token top speed is hampered in order to maximize driving range.

According to AMP, the car can be charged to give a range of 150 miles – significantly more than GM’s upcoming Volt which has been set a target of only 40 miles of electric-only driving. Production of the electric Saturn Sky will be limited to just 300 units and will set you back around $50,000 – about double the price of the base petrol model.

AMP now plans to carry out its engine-replacement approach in several other Saturn models, including sedan and SUV models.

U.S. driving levels have decreased in every month since November 2007. From November to June, Americans drove 53.2 billion miles fewer than they did over the same period last year, the study of more than 4,000 highway traffic recorders showed.

The recent 8-month drop surpasses the total 49.3 billion-mile driving decline seen from 1971 to 1980, when an oil embargo, high inflation and recession took a toll. Of course, Americans also drove about one-third as many miles in 1971 as they do today.

“It’s interesting that in just a few months, we’ve surpassed an entire decade typified by oil shortages and driving declines,” said Doug Hecox, a spokesman for the Department of Transportation.

Driving declined as the price of gasoline continued to soar in June. Although gas prices have now fallen for 27-straight days to a national average below $3.80, at the end of June, U.S. drivers had to shell out a then-record average $4.086 for a gallon of gas, according to motorist group AAA.

June’s soaring fuel prices led to a nearly 2% drop in demand for gasoline vs. June 2007, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In the first quarter, Americans used 1.3% less gas than they did during the same period last year.

As a result, the Transportation Department said highways are not receiving enough revenue from the existing gas tax.

“We can’t afford to continue pinning our transportation network’s future to the gas tax,” said Mary Peters, U.S. Secretary of Transportation. “Advances in higher fuel-efficiency vehicles and alternative fuels are making the gas tax an even less sustainable support for funding roads, bridges and transit systems.”

Peters presented Congress with several measures for transportation reform in July, saying the government needs to move away from the 18.4 cents per gallon gasoline tax and 24.4 cents per gallon diesel tax. Congress plans to take up highway and transit legislation in 2009.

“It really makes little sense to try to upgrade our infrastructure using a revenue source as ineffective, unsustainable and unpopular as the fuel tax,” Peters said.

source CNNMoney

The Escape Hybrid has a 133-hp four-cylinder engine linked to a 70-kilowatt electric motor. The net result is 155 horsepower and acceleration similar to that of the V6, but with enhanced fuel economy and reduced emissions. As a full hybrid, the Escape Hybrid can run only on electric power in low-load conditions.

Market Price: $27,445 - $29,215

$26,825 Hybrid Version 4WD

Engine:

• 2.3-liter 4-cylinder

• 133 hp, 6000 RPM
• 34 mpg city / 30 mpg hwy
• 29 mpg city /27 mpg hwy (4WD version)

some features:

• sunroof
• air conditioning
• leather seats
• power seats
• cd player
• navigation system
• side airbags