The first new dedicated hybrid vehicle, due in 2009, will be offered as a 5-door hatchback with seating for five passengers and will employ an exterior design concept that evokes the FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle. With the new hybrid, Honda is aiming to produce the most affordable hybrid on the market. Fuel economy for the new car is expected to exceed 40 miles per gallon. Hopefully much more than 40 mpg. 65+ mpg would be a great target and would definitely help surpass the sales of the Prius.

In an interview Monday, Carlos Ghosn, Nissan’s chief executive, said Nissan decided to accelerate development of battery-powered vehicles because of high gasoline prices and environmental concerns, not just because of the need to meet stricter fuel-economy standards.

“What we are seeing is that the shifts coming from the markets are more powerful than what regulators are doing,” he said.

Mr. Ghosn said Nissan envisioned a broad range of electric vehicles, starting with small cars, and adding: “It’s not only about a small city car or a small minivan. It can also be about a small commercial vehicle and a small crossover.”

The race to the mass produced electric car is on! Chevy is claiming a 2010 release of their hyped Chevy Volt by 2010 and Toyota also has said to be working on their own Plug-In hybrid also to be released around the same time. With ‘09 models just around the corner, we will just have to wait it out and see how many roll back their release dates to 2011.

The engine will be smaller than the current 5.4-liter gasoline V-8 used in Ford’s truck line. The diesel option would deliver 9 percent more power (310 horsepower) and 15 percent more torque (430 foot-pounds) while providing similar acceleration and most importantly 20 percent better fuel economy.

Ford may have off-loaded its Land Rover and Jaguar divisions, but it plans to use some of those former divisions’ diesel engine technology to keep its big trucks competitive with rivals using a mix of hybrids and diesels. The auto industry’s shift to greater efficiency is occurring throughout entire product lines—including the largest vehicles on the market.

While Ford previously said it would use the 50-state diesel engine in its F-150 lineup and Expedition SUV, the company told its dealers that the engine would also find a home in the Lincoln Navigator, full-size vans and Super Duty pickups. The engine could boost the F-150’s fuel economy about 20 percent, into the low 20-mpg range—but won’t be able to get the SUVs much above 15 mpg. That still puts Ford at a disadvantage compared to General Motors’s 20+ mpg hybrid Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade. Dodge also plans to offer both a Dodge Ram Hybrid and Dodge Ram Bluetec Diesel.

The Ford engine is derived from the European turbocharged 3.6-liter used in Land Rovers and Jaguars. While significantly smaller than the current 5.4-liter gasoline V-8 used in Ford’s truck line, Ford told its dealers that it would deliver 9 percent more power (310 horsepower) and 15 percent more torque (430 foot-pounds) while providing similar acceleration—and 20 percent better fuel economy. Ford will use urea injection to control nitrogen oxide emissions, making it legal for sale in all 50 states.

The Th!nk City, due out in 2009, will have a top speed of 65mph and will have a range of 110 miles on a single charge, and designed to meet all U.S. federal motor vehicle safety requirements. It will be equipped with ABS and dual front airbags. The price is estimated to be below $25,000.

Th!nk, the Norwegian electric carmaker, secured funding from two U.S. venture capital firms to bring its business to North America. The financial backing—from Silicon Valley-based Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Boston-based Rockport Capital Partners—will allow Th!nk to set up shop in Menlo Park, California under the banner Th!nk North America. The company’s first production car will be the Th!nk City, a small all-electric vehicle capable of reaching 65 miles per hour and traveling up to 110 miles on a single charge.

AUSTIN, Texas—The University of Texas at Austin and Gas Technology Institute (GTI) have introduced a joint technology program that features the first hydrogen fuel cell bus to be licensed and operated in Texas.

In this program, The University of Texas at Austin, Center for Electromechanics and GTI will operate and evaluate a 22-foot shuttle bus powered by a hybrid electric drivetrain that combines energy provided by both advanced battery electronics and a 20 kilowatt hydrogen-powered fuel cell. The fuel cell hybrid system is expected to give the bus a range of up to 200 miles, three to four times farther than with batteries alone.

Ebus Inc. designed the bus, built specifically for the university and GTI. The bus has full highway capability and has features, such as regenerative braking, that make it exceptionally fuel-efficient.

The partners have also begun installation of the first permanent hydrogen fueling station in Texas at the J.J. Pickle Research Center in Austin.

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The consumers spoke and Toyota has listened. In a couple years Toyota will be releasing a new option with their Prius – a wagon! That’s right. The primary purpose of the wagon will be to “attract more commercial customers looking for a green delivery vehicle that may save on fuel costs.” The wagon option is scheduled to be available on the 2010 or 2011 model Prius, a year or two after the new redesigned, roomier, more powerful, and fuel efficient 2009 model shows up on the showroom floor.

We’ve picked 10 places — in no particular order — that we think are doing a great job at putting residents first. That means they’re obsessed with clean air and clean water, renewable energy, reliable city buses, trams, streetcars and subways, a growing number of parks and greenbelts, farmer’s markets and, very important, opportunities for community involvement.

Portland, Oregon
Austin, Texas
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Boulder, Colorado
Burlington, Vermont
Madison, Wisconsin
New York, New York
San Francisco, California
Santa Monica, California
Chicago, Illinois