Cheap Gas Car Blog

Ford Gets Eco Grant

Ford receives $10 Million for Plug-in hybrid Development

Ford Motor Co. will receive a $10 million dollar grant from the US Energy Department to continue a $20 million dollar development program for plug-in Hybrid automobiles.  This consists of 20 plug-in Hybrid Auto's, and the steps needed to convert the fleet from prototypes to comercialization.

Ford is working on a fleet of Escape plug-in hybrids in a partnership with Southern California Edison, the Electric Power Research Institute, Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions LLC and DTE Energy.

California Company Rents Hybrids

New company will rent you a Prius, Camry Hybrid, as well as other electric hybrid vehicles.

The company, named EQO, has gotten into the car rental game, with a twist.  It will only rent electric hybrid vehicles.

They are targeting more affluent customers, inlcuding celebrities, eco-conscious groups, and concept car afficionados.  The vehicles they plan to carry in their rental line-up include the Toyota Prius, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, Lexus LS 600h L, GMC Yukon, Chevy Taho, Nissan Altima, and Toyota Highlander Hybrids.  It will cost you fifty nine dollars for the Prius, and climb all the way up to six hundred and fifty dollars for the Lexus. 

They have stated to have plans to broaden their electric vehicle line-up to include hybrids such as the Chevy Volt, Cadillac Escalade, Smart car, and Porsche hybrids.  This new company plans to expand into more high-end hybrids as well.  This would be a great way for peple who have never driven a hybrid to get out there and spend the day in one before they make a plunge to buy.

The Top Fuel Saving Vehicles for 2008

Of the top fuel-efficient vehicles, eight are hybrids, the remaining 22 are not.

JD Power has released a report containing the top 30 fuel-efficient vehicles of 2008.  Topping the list are hybrids including the Ford Escape Hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid, Honda Civic Hybrid, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Lexus RX 400h, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Mercury Mariner, and Toyota Prius.

The remaining 22 vehicles on this list were not hybrids, but reflected widely the top cars purchased the previous year, as fuel costs surge.  The 22 others include models such as the Chevrolet Aveo, Chevrolet Aveo5, Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Rio, Kia Spectra, MINI Cooper, MINI Cooper S, Nissan Sentra, Nissan Versa, Pontiac G5, Pontiac Vibe, Saturn Astra, Smart Fortwo Convertible, Smart Fortwo Coupe, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Matrix, and the Toyota Yaris.

Also in the report, there was a poll that asked 4000 people whether they were willing to consider purchasing a hybrid-electric vehicle, whereas the respondents agreed in favor at 62%, up from a response of 50% a year ago.

While the willingness to purchase electric-hybrids has increased, most people are feeling more reluctant to purchase vehicles based on flex-fuel ethanol systems, considering that these systems use wheat to create fuel, driving food prices through the roof.

Less people are willing to buy diesels because of the increase in fuel costs, and e85 vehicles because of the increase in food costs, so hybrids are becoming a viable alternative.