GM and Honda Join Forces to Co-Develop Next-Generation Fuel Cell Technology

General Motors and Honda will collaborate in developing next-generation fuel cell system and hydrogen storage technologies, the two companies announced on Tuesday. The first products of their collaboration will appear from 2020. The U.S. and Japanese companies will share expertise, economies of scale and common sourcing strategies.

An important part of their agreement is the development of refueling infrastructure, a critical component for the long-term viability and consumer acceptance of fuel cell vehicles.

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VW Says Passat TDI Set World Record Fuel Economy Across 48 States at 77.99 MPG

Volkswagen informed us today that a Passat TDI Clean Diesel set a new Guinness World Record for the “lowest fuel consumption - 48 U.S. states for a non-hybrid car” category returning 77.99 mpg US, which is equal to 3.01 l/100 km.

Ze Germans state that the diesel-powered Passat managed to beat the previous record for a car with a conventional powertrain by more than 10 mpg (0.45 l/100 km), while also breaking the hybrid vehicle record of 64.6 mpg (3.64 l/100 km).

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Drive of Hydrogen-Powered Honda FCX Illustrates Lack of Refilling Stations in the US

We haven’t heard much about the fuel-cell Honda FCX Clarity since its launch in 2008, despite it being a very important car for the future of motoring, in terms of concept and the way it produces power.

However, in a recent organized drive which was attended by Autonews, one problem became very obvious – there are nowhere near enough hydrogen filling stations in the U.S. in order to make driving such vehicles at least marginally more practical than a battery powered EV, or any other vehicle, for that matter.

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Bob Lutz Says When EVs Become Competitive, Gasoline Cars Will Be Made Obsolete

It’s always nice to hear Bob Lutz speaking out about the auto industry, as the former top level GM exec always has a keen insight into certain matters.

While previously, he was widely known as an advocate for gasoline-powered vehicles, in recent years, he has dramatically changed his views on the matter, ever since he brought about the creation of the reasonably-popular Chevy Volt – now he is a board member for VIA, which electrifies pick-ups.

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High Fuel Prices Threatening Scottish Jobs, Says Survey

The ever-rising fuel prices we are confronted with have many negative implications, ranging from those we totally understand, to others that are a little more complicated.

In Scotland, for instance, many local businesses are considering laying off some of their staff due to rising fuel costs, and 6 percent of those asked for a recent survey by the Energy Saving Trust said they had actually already started taking action, while 45 percent said energy costs were the most influential negative factor plaguing their business.

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Hydrogen-Powered Audi A7 Could Begin Trials and Testing in August

Hydrogen fuel cells have always presented an interesting alternative to conventional battery-powered EVs. They offer the advantage of having an on-board power station that mixes stored hydrogen with oxygen from the air, creating water and a small electric charge that is captured and used directly to propel the vehicle. Nothing harmful is emitted, aside from water vapor.

Now, according to British magazine Autocar, Audi will begin trials this August for a fuel-cell-powered A7, though, it is not the first manufacturer to have done so.

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Discrepancy Between Real-World Economy Figures and Manufacturer Data On the Rise

We are all aware that the advertised economy figures for new cars are nearly impossible to match or surpass under normal driving conditions. It is something you factor in when looking for your next purchase, especially if you want it to be a particularly efficient one.

Now, according to a study published by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), the discrepancy between the declared and real-world numbers has risen to around 25 percent, up considerably from 10 percent a decade ago.

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Despite Poor Sales, Angela Merkel Still Wants 1 Million EVs on German Roads by 2020

Germany’s chancellor Angela Merkel said in 2010 that she wanted to see 1 million electric cars on German roads by 2020. However, the market did not seem to take her words seriously. On January 1 2013, only 7,114 of Germany’s 43.4 million passenger vehicles were EVs. Even if hybrids are added to electric car sales, the number is still unconvincing – just 72,109.

“Our plans and projects are ambitious, but we have a good chance of fulfilling them,” Merkel said on Monday at a government conference on electric vehicles.

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Atmospheric CO2 Levels Surpass Symbolic Threshold of 400 PPM

The question of what is causing the temperature of the Earth to rise is a very tricky one, and you’ll probably get as many answers as there are knowledgeable and informed people – everybody thinks they are right.

Some correlate the heating up of the planet with the high level of CO2 in the atmosphere, and the depletion of the ozone layer, which lets more of the Sun’s radiation seep through and down to ground level.

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Opel Looking to Reduce CO2 Emissions by 27 Percent by 2020

Opel, GM’s main European branch, has announced that it plans to reduce its carbon emissions footprint by 27 percent with the introduction of a multitude of new powertrains, which will help them comply with the increasingly-stringent EU laws.

The idea is to launch a total of 13 new engines, and achieve an 80 percent renewed powertrain range by 2016. With a planned investment of €4 ($5.24) billion, GM wants to release a total of 23 new models by the same 2016 deadline.

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VW to Reduce Average Emissions of Entire European Range to Under 95 G/Km CO2 by 2020

Whenever the Wolfsburg Leviathan sets out to get something done, it is like having a go at moving the Moon – it takes a lot of preparation and it’s hard to get things going, but once it’s underway, there’s little one can do to stop it, and the desired result is almost always achieved.

We therefor thoroughly believe them when they say that they will reduce the average combined emissions figure for their entire European range down to 95 g/km of CO2, by the year 2020.

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Toyota Says its 2015 FCV-R Fuel-Cell Car will Cost Between $50,000 and $100,000

While we still have many years ahead of us for fuel-cell vehicles to become a practical and affordable alternative to gasoline- and diesel-powered models, automakers are edging closer and closer to that goal.

On Tuesday, during the Fortune Brainstorm Green conference in Laguna Niguel, California, Chris Hostetter, group vice president of strategic planning for Toyota USA, told Automotive News that the brand's production version of the 2011 FCV-R fuel-cell concept should cost between $50,000 and $100,000 when it goes on sale in the States in 2015.

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Tesla Model S Surpasses GM's Volt and Nissan Leaf in EV Sales Race

You may be surprised to learn that Tesla and its new Model S battery-powered sports sedan is the sales leader in the North American rechargeable car segment this year.

Company spokeswoman Shanna Hendriks told the Detroit News that Tesla expects to report at least 4,750 deliveries of the Model S in the States and Canada when it releases its first-quarter (January through April) on May 8, which compares to 4,421 Chevrolet Volt and 3,695 Nissan Leaf deliveries, according to their respective carmakers.

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Volvo Develops New Flywheel Tech that Can Boost Economy by Up to 25 Percent

Whenever we hear bold claims like a 25 percent reduction in fuel consumption brought about by a very innovative idea, we’re always skeptical, as one needs to be in these situations, as discernment is important and it needs to stay balanced for us to make the best decisions.

However, when a big name like Volvo makes such a claim, and backs it up with reasonably detailed information, one has to pay closer attention, right?

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Nissan Adds Leaf to Fleet of EV New York Taxis [w/Video]

Nissan has just started a pilot program in New York City, and will be testing out six Leaf EVs that are to assume the role of taxis for the next year. It is a small-scale action designed to give the Leaf a shot to prove itself. However, to taxi drivers in London, Amsterdam and Sao Paulo, it has been a trusted companion for over a year.

In fact, the Dutch EV taxi service racked up more than 155,000 miles (250,000 km) in its first six months of operation.

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Composting Methane Fusion-Drive Subaru BRZ Takes Us Back to a Stinky Future [w/Video]

If you thought that what the Subaru BRZ needed was a complicated and seemingly unfeasible hybrid system, then this article will be right up your alley. This BRZ from 'Planet Subaru', a Hannover Massachusetts, dealerships, has been fitted with a composting Methane Fusion Drive hybrid system, which as its name suggests is a very ingenious way to power a sports car – it's exactly what Dr. Emmett Brown from the Back to the Future trilogy would have done, had he been given a BRZ to fettle with. Read more »

Chevy Volt and Cadillac ELR May Get Three-Cylinder Engine in 2015

The Chevrolet Volt, and its clever range-extender plug-in hybrid system marked a turning point in the way GM viewed green cars, and while the American giant may have tested the market in the past, it is the first of its kind to actually make an impact.

However, one can't help but wonder if the 1.4-liter petrol engine used to recharge the battery was chosen for its efficiency credentials, or due to cost constraints - the Volt is quite expensive, as it is.

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Obama Wants $2 Billion Invested in Green Vehicle Research

US president Barack Obama, a strong advocate of alternative means of power and propulsion since the very start of his first mandate, has announced that he wants to ask Congress to approve a $2 billion funds injection for green vehicle technology research. Read more »

Seat Announces Geneva Auto Salon-Bound Mii Ecofuel

If the Seat-badged counterpart of the Volkswagen Up!, the ultra-compact Mii, isn't frugal enough for you, the Spanish manufacturer has now announced an even cleaner and cheaper to run version called the Ecofuel. Read more »

First Fuel-Cell Hyundai ix35 Rolls Off the Production Line in Korea

All alternative means of propulsion for automobiles have their advocates and critics, and fuel-cell EVs have their fair share of the latter. To prove them wrong, Hyundai has been developing a fuel-cell version of its popular ix35(or Tucson) crossover, and now the company announced that the first production-spec examples of the zero-emissions vehicle have left the production line. Read more »