Electric car pages on Wikipedia in danger of disappearing— Autoblog Green

How big a battlefield is Wikipedia? It's a big one, even if we ignoreall that Sarah Palin stuff. The latest round of edits v. counteredits comes on the hybrid car pages. AutoblogGreen was sent the an anonymous message through a friend (reprinted in whole after the jump) that describes the ongoing disappearance of Wikipedia articles about hybrid vehicles like theToyota CamryHybrid,Toyota AccordHybrid andFord EscapeHybrid. Why are these pages disappearing? Is it a giant conspiracy against green vehicles? It's not easy to get clear answers from thejargon-filled Wikipedia"talk"history pageon the issue, but the answer seems to be"no."But people certainly disagree with each other about what's important.

What appears to be happening is that some Wikipedia editors are making the case that certain hybrid models aren't different enough from their standard gas-burning counterparts to warrant separate pages. Others say, no, they should, because automakers shouldn't get a ton of credit for making a slightly greener version of their old cars. Give us something new that represents a serious change, and the world will pay attention. The"disappearing"model pages have just been merged, so a lot of the info is still there.

What's more interesting is that discussion is also taking place to merge articles about pure electric or plug-in versions of existing models, like theToyota Prius Plug-in,Mini EandMitsubishii MiEV. In these cases, isn't the new powertrain a big enough deal for its own Wiki entry? Our tipster writes:

Reading through the long discussion is amazing, info related to the environmental and social impacts of automobiles is called green fancruft, Wikipedia jargon for information relating to a particular topic that is only of interest to other fans. ... And we thought that electric-drive powertrain cars and their relationship with mitigating greenhouse emissions and contributing to reduce dependence on imported oil were already mainstream. It could be that the glider is more important that what is under the hood, or that fueling from a pump or a plug is the same? Please, wake up, we are in the 21st century!

Make sure to check out the full submission after the jump, then head over to Wikipedia and contribute if you've got some clout there.

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Mitsubishi i-MiEV submits to its crash test fate {w/video}— Autoblog Green

Mitsubishi i-MiEV crash test– Click above to watch videoafter the jump

We've witnessed thetype of carnagethat can occur during acrash testand how the overall safety of some small cars– for example, the Indian-built G-Wiz– isquestionable. For some people, these fears carry over to small electric cars, but it doesn't need to be this way.

As Volvo has shown us, onmore than one occasion, buyers needn't worry about thesafety of its C30 Electricvehicle. Volvo put the C30 through extensive crash tests, but its robust battery protection system was easily up to the task.

Now, it'sMitsubishi's turn to show off. The German auto club ADAC recently put the electrici-MiEVthrough a string of safety tests. One might jump to the conclusion that a small electric wouldn't fare well in crash tests, but the i-MiEV survived the carnage in fine form. There was no stress to the battery pack, no damage to the high-voltage system and, most importantly, the passenger compartment remained intact.Hop the jumpto watch a video of the diminutive i-MiEV getting smashed.

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Mazda Minagi concept showcases Skyactiv fuel-saving technology— Autoblog Green

Mazda Minagi Concept– Click above for high-res image gallery

Mazda'sMinagi Concept, a sleek CUV which will make its official debut at theGeneva Motor Showthis March, showcases the automaker's multi-facetedSkyactivtechnology. The Minagi will feature a fuel-savingSkyactiv engine, though Mazda hasn't announced if the CUV will debut with either a diesel (Sky-D) or gasoline (Sky-G) mill under the bonnet. The engine will transfer power to the tarmac via a Skyactiv transmission.

In addition, the Minagi concept will employ Mazda's Skyactiv body and chassis technology. Mazda claims that this technology merges a significant reduction in overall vehicle weight with increased rigidity and safety. Finally, the Minagi hints at Mazda's design theme called Kodo, meaning the soul of motion. Look for more on the Minagi concept soon and keep your eyes peeled for our live shots once the vehicle takes the stage in Geneva.

Gallery:Mazda Minagi Concept

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Detroit automakers strive for improved fuel efficiency— Autoblog Green

Ford Focus Electric– Click above for high-res image gallery

Are the Detroit Three–General Motors,FordandChrysler– fully committed to increasing the fuel efficiency of all vehicles in their respective model lineups? New federal mandates, whichgo into effect in 2016, require automakers to raise the bar, at least in terms of overall fuel efficiency, but the Big Three's push to improve gas mileage started prior to the announcement of the upcoming CAFE standards. So, are they serious?

Recently,Hybrid Carsoutlined five signs that indicate that Detroit's automakers are committed to long-term improvements in overall fuel efficiency, which we've summed up below:

• Automotive execs have laid out plans based on the possibility that gas prices will rise.
• Vehicles are currently being designed to accommodate gas, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric drivetrains. This flexibility allows for models to be adapted based on consumer demand and fuel costs.
• Factories that previously built trucks and SUVs have been retooled to produce compact cars. Since 2004, the Big Three have shuttered 17 factories that previously built pickups, SUVs and vans, while at the same time investing millions to ready facilities for production of cars.
• The Big Three have cut production costs, allowing them to profit from the sale of compact vehicles.
• GM, Ford and Chrysler fully realize that fuel-efficiency standards will continue to rise. All three automakers have committed to launching additional advanced technology vehicles to meet mandated improvements in fuel efficiency.

With all of these changes happening, the bigger question should be: does it matter why they're getting greener, as long as they're doing so?

Gallery:CES 2011: Ford Focus Electric

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Live photos copyright©2011 Damon Lavrinc / AOL

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Report: Hybrid power headed to Mercedes-Benz AMG models— Autoblog Green

2008 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG– Click above for high-res gallery

Mercedes-Benz' AMG models pound the pavement. The AMG lineup consists of vehicles that can dash from 0 to 60 miles per hour in a flash and exceed legal speed limits with ease. In short, AMG models have always been, and will continue to be, focused on performance. However, it appears as though even they aren't immune from the drive to improve fuel efficiency that's sweeping the automotive industry.

According to a report fromAutocar, M-B's AMG lineup will become hybridized. Apparently, upcomingAMGmodels will combine torquey gasoline engines with some sort of undisclosed hybrid powertrain. Daimler's head of future mobility and advanced engineering, Herbert Kohler, reportedly toldAutocarthat it's a"given"that AMG-badged vehicles will feature a gas-electric setup, at least as an option, in the near future. There's no indication that M-B's upcoming AMG vehicles will sacrifice even an ounce of performance by being hybridized, but we'd expect to see EPA fuel economy ratings of all future AMG models creep up, at least slightly.

Gallery:Review: 2008 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG

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Photos Copyright©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / AOL

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Latest Audi toy is a"Auto Union Type C e-tron study"with electric drive— Autoblog Green

"Auto Union Type C e-tron study"with electric drive

Once again,Audiis bringing a sweet-looking electric car to the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg, Germany. While this thing is branded with the e-tron name, it's more toy than car– but the little prototype can get going at speeds of up to 18.64 miles per hour.

Called the Auto Union Type Ce-tronstudy with electric drive, the toy is based on the limited-edition pedal car model, the Auto Union Silver Arrow Type C race car,that was shown last year. The new, electric version uses a lithium-ion battery that can spin the 1.5 hp rear-wheel drive electric motor to generate 29.5 pound-feet or torque (peak at 44.25) and has a range of just over 15 miles. Also, it has a reverse gear. Recharging from a 230V European socket takes around two hours. The best news: adults up to 5'11"can fit inside. Beats the heck out of one of those silly toy Escalades.

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Hitachi, Ube Industries to establish lithium-ion battery JV— Autoblog Green

TheNikkei,a Japanese news outlet, reports that Hitachi Ltd. and Ube Industries Ltd. will establish a joint venture to manufacture separators for lithium-ion batteries bound for use in the automotive industry. Apparently, both firms are looking to bolster their position in the battery market and hope to do so by joining forces and achieving economies of scale.

The joint venture between Hitachi subsidiary Hitachi Maxwell Ltd. and Ube Industries will focus solely on battery separators, handling all aspects, including development, production and sales. Ube Industries will continue to manufacture electrolyte materials for li-ion batteries without assistance from Hitachi. However, Hitachi Maxwell will provide Ube Industries with its microscopic integrated processing technology, which the firm will utilize to produce li-ion separators. Hitachi's long-term goal calls for production of lithium-ion cells to soar to a level that will provide for 700,000 vehicles per year by 2015.

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Did China really overtake U.S as world's largest energy consumer? Looks like it— Autoblog Green

Last July, theWall Street Journalreportedthat China had overtaken the U.S. to become the world's largest energy consumer. According to theWSJ, data gleaned from the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA) confirmed that China's energy consumption surpassed all other nations. The IEA's report showed that China had consumed 2.252 billion tons of oil equivalent in 2009 (a metric that's used to represent all forms of energy consumed, including crude oil, nuclear power, coal, natural gas and renewable sources. Think of it as mpge for a country). For the sake of comparison, the IEA claimed that the U.S. had burned through 2.170 billion tons of oil equivalent in 2009.

However, China immediately disputed the IEA's claim, but failed to offer sufficient data to prove that it was not the world's largest energy consumer. Now, there seems to be additional evidence suggesting that China leads way. According to data released by the General Administration of Customs of China Monday, China imported 239 million tons of oil in 2010. This is a 17.5 percent increase over its crude imports in 2009. Furthermore,China Business Newsindicates that the increase in imported oil reflects the nation's growing energy demand and reinforces the notion that China has overtaken the U.S. in the position of biggest energy consumer in the world.

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Report: 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid to hit dealerships this spring— Autoblog Green

2012 Honda Civic Sedan– Click above for high-res image gallery

The all-new2012 Honda Civicis set to launch this April. A coupe is coming, a four-door sedan is slated for debut, the sport Civic Si will get in on the action, as will a hybrid version. FollowingHonda's tradition, all variants, excluding the natural gas GX model, will reportedly launch in rapid sucession. Apparently, the Japanese automaker will space out the launches of the Civic variants within mere weeks of each other, instead of waiting for months to pass between the debut of one model and the next.

If the reports hold true, then we'd expect to see the Honda Civic Hybrid, packing an all-new lithium-ion battery, hitting dealer lots by late spring.Green Car Advisorcontacted a undisclosed source within Honda for confirmation of the Civic's launch schedule and received this response,"Knowing that demand is high at the point of launch, we've pushed very hard to have the models launch at the same time."Additionally, GCA's inside source revealed that due to production priorities, the natural gas-burning Civic GX model, which isset to go on sale nationwide, won't launch until"later in the year."

Gallery:2012 Honda Civic Sedan

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Nissan Leaf deliveries crawling along in Japan— Autoblog Green

Nissandelivered its firstLeafto aU.S. customer back on December 11thof 2010. By the end of last year, the Japanese automaker had reportedly handed off the keys to 19 Leaf buyers in the States. While there's beensome talkofNissan delaying deliveries of its electric hatchhere in the U.S., not much has been made of what's going on over in Japan.

Japan Today reports that, via info obtained from informed sources, Nissan has delivered 60 battery-powered Leafs in Japan. Apparently, the automaker has recorded 6,000 orders for its electric hatch in Japan and expects to fulfill all of those requests by the end of March. Apparently, the slow initial roll out is, according to Nissan's chief operating officer Toshiyuki Shiga, part of the plan:

We want to launch the Leaf entirely free of troubles. We are making the cars a bit slowly while taking thorough care. We might make our customers wait.

Meanwhile, Japan Today quotes an undisclosed Nissan official, who claims that:

As it is our first major project to mass produce EVs, we began building them with caution... Production lines are working fine, so we expect to fill the orders as planned.

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Video: SARTRE autonomous vehicle in action shows road train is possible— Autoblog Green

SARTRE Road Test– Click above to watch videoafter the jump

Looks like things are progressing nicely with projectSARTRE, theroad train that can help cut emissions. We last wrote about them in December when the team announced that they would bemoving from simulation work to actual vehicle testing. The technology was successfully demonstrated at the Volvo Proving Ground in Sweden recently. A single Volvo S60 sedan following the lead truck was used in the test. In the video released, the driver, once attached to the road train lead vehicle, is able to completely let go of the controls and does not use his hands and feet during the test. Watch the videoafter the breakto get a taste for what its like to sit in the passenger seat while SARTRE takes care of the driving duties. The way things are going, drivers in the near future will yet again have reason to say,"Look Ma, no hands!"

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Hyundai readying plug-in hybrid Sonata?— Autoblog Green

2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid– Click above for high-res image gallery

Back in August,Hyundaichief executive officer John Krafcik boldly claimed that the Korean automaker will shoot for a50-mile-per-gallon fleet average by 2025. Reaching that lofty mark has Hyundai rethinking its model lineup. In the near future, Hyundai willwheel out a Prius-like dedicated gas-electricvehicle and aims to launch more hybrid versions of its current gasoline-fueled models. What we want to know is: what's the chance of seeing a Sonata plug-in hybrid?

According to Mike O'Brien, Hyundai's head of product planning, a plug-in Sonata is definitely doable and, in fact, is significantly easier to develop than one might think. On the sidelines of this year'sDetroit Auto Show,Plugin Carscaught up with O'Brien and prodded him about the automaker's plug-in plans. O'Brien responded:

Our technology development in hybrids was specifically to address the issue of future plug-in deployment. Other manufacturers' hybrid systems were developed in such a way to not allow them to easily develop plug-in hybrids. For the Sonata Hybrid to become a plug-in hybrid, really all we need are bigger batteries. The basic technology platform is already designed to support a plug-in variation

While Hyundai trails some automakers that have alreadyventured down the plug-in hybrid path, O'Brien explained that Hyundai doesn't intend to lag behind for long:

Look for something very soon, potentially one of the upcoming auto shows in the next six months to a year.

Oh, we will.

Gallery:2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid: Second Drive

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Photos copyright©2010 Zach Bowman / AOL

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Rumormill: Subaru hybrid headed to U.S. in 2013— Autoblog Green

Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept– Click above for high-res image gallery

Subarufinally appears ready to enter the hybrid segment. This conclusion stems from numerous rumors and reports that the Japanese automaker, which has strong ties withToyota, aims to launch it first hybridized vehicleby the end of 2012. However, Subaru's tight-lipped approach prevents us from confirming what vehicle the automaker will use to introduce its hybrid to the world. Initial speculation puts the fuel-sipping technology into either theLegacyorImprezaplatform. Additionally,Reutersclaims that Subaru's hybrid is coming in 2012 and will be U.S.-bound sometime in 2013.

On the sidelines of this year'sDetroit Auto Show,Reutersprodded Tom Doll,chief operating officer of Subaru of America, seeking insight into the automaker's hybrid plans. Doll stated,"We're going to need something at some point, even (only) to say we have it because that enhances our brand image in the market."Subaru is, of course, not officially confirming the launch of any hybrid vehicle, so we'll just have to stay tuned.

Gallery:Subaru Hybrid Tourer concept

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