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REPORT: Toyota plans to trim trucks, focus on hybrids, improve quality

Stick with what you know. That seems to be Toyota's new mantra going forward, as the Japanese automaker has reportedly diverted its attention away from large trucks like the largely unsuccessful and slow-selling Tundra pickup and back to hybrid vehicles – possibly all wearing the Prius badge, including a minivan and something smaller than the current Prius – and returning to its previous levels of unquestionable quality. Atsushi Niimi, executive vice president for North America and global manufacturing, tells Automotive News ... Read more →

Toshiba to build second plant for automotive lithium batteries Sam Abuelsamid

Toshiba, like most other battery manufacturers, has decided that the market for automotive grade lithium ion cells is going to be huge in the next decade. As a result it has decided to build a ...

REPORT: Toyota develops its own flower species for cleaner air at Prius plant Jeremy Korzeniewski

Automakers make cars and trucks, no surprises there. Some even make other interesting things, like Honda, which also builds motorcycles, jets, robots and solar cells. But up until now, we haven't ...

Officially Official: Fisker buys GM's Wilmington Delaware plant Sam Abuelsamid

In Wilmington, Delaware this morning, Governor Jack Markell was joined by Vice President Joe Biden and Henrik Fisker for the official announcement about the purchase of General Motors' closed ...

Daimler launches €600 million small car investment, A-Class BEV in 2010 Sam Abuelsamid

After at least two years of trying to determine what it was going to do about its next-generation Mercedes-Benz A and B-class compacts, Daimler has announced that it will commit €600 million ...

Reva's New York factory plans firming up 16 days ago on Autoblog Green

Seems like that plan to build Reva electric cars in New York State is gaining some traction. Apparently, there is now an exclusive licensing deal for North America between the Indian company and Bannon Automotive. If you've never heard of Bannon you're certainly not alone. Although they've ...

Fisker reportedly chooses U.S. location to build lower-cost plug-in hybrid, will announce soon 17 days ago on Autoblog Green

Henrik Fisker, co-founder and chief executive of the automaker that bears his name, has said that the company has chosen a location for the U.S. plant to build its next eco-friendly automobile, but he's not yet ready to announce the location. According to the LA Times, Fisker seemed to rule out ...

BMW opens emissions-free alloy foundry in Germany 19 days ago on Autoblog Green

When you look at the total life-cycle of "zero-emissions" vehicles like battery or fuel cell vehicles, the environment is not left untouched. The process of making all the parts of a car requires energy and chemicals are released into the atmosphere. The casting process used to make metal parts ...

Coskata's new Lighthouse cellulosic ethanol plant, in depth 21 days ago on Autoblog Green

Coskata's newly-opened semi-commercial flex ethanol facility in Madison, Pennsylvania is as small as it can possibly be. Co-located at a Westinghouse facility that also in some fashion uses nuclear energy, the Lighthouse project, as it's called, is running 24/7 to turn wood chips into ethanol. ...

Opel planning a new minicar for Europe, looking for development partner 21 days ago on Autoblog Green

According to Alain Visser, Opel's head of sales and marketing, Opel needs a minicar to compete. However, developing a new minicar is a huge expense, and even though Opel has set aside €250 million for this car, the company would like a partner. It's not unusual: Ford and Fiat share the Fiat ...

REPORT: Vauxhall unsure whether Ampera will be built in UK 23 days ago on Autoblog Green

Just the other day, reports from the British motoring press indicated that the Vauxhall Ampera wouldn't be built in the UK as initially planned. Instead, the extended-range electric vehicle would reportedly be shipped over from America where the Ampera would presumably be built alongside the ...

REPORT: Tata increases Nano production to keep up with strong demand 23 days ago on Autoblog Green

Tata Nano - Click above for high-res image gallery According to Autocar in the UK, Tata has a success story on its hands in the form of the diminutive Nano microcar, which is currently for sale in India and is the least expensive new automobile in the world. Says Rajiv Dube, head of Tata's ...

Last pre-production Volt comes off the assembly line 24 days ago on Autoblog Green

The saga of the Chevrolet Volt's run from concept to production reality has taken yet another step as the 80th and final pre-production car has just rolled down GM's assembly line in Warren, Michigan. Just like all the other Volt engineering mules built up to this point, this car is headed for a ...

GM investing $230M in Flint area facilities to support Chevrolet Cruze, Volt 24 days ago on Autoblog Green

General Motors announced today that it will spend $230 million on four facilities in the Flint, Michigan area that will support the production of the new Chevy Cruze compact and the Volt extended-range EV. The biggest chunk of the money ($202 million) is being spent on the Flint South Engine ...

Smith Electric Vehicles starts U.S. production in Kansas City 25 days ago on Autoblog Green

Smith Electric Vehicles has just launched low volume assembly of its Newton plug-in delivery truck in Kansas City. However, it's not clear how long Smith will keep building trucks there. Smith currently has 14 people working in a former aircraft maintenance hanger at Kansas City International ...

Porsche goes green with an all-new paintshop 29 days ago on Autoblog Green

Porsche headquarters in Stuttgart will soon have a new paint-shop that, according to the company, is going to be one of the most environment-friendly in the world. The facility will be opened in 2011 and will be in charge of up to 170 Boxter and 911 models per day. How does a paint-shop become ...

REPORT: V-Vehicles waiting for DOE response, looking for future workers 29 days ago on Autoblog Green

V-Vehicle Co., the ambitious start-up that's received backing from T. Boone Pickens (among others), is moving forward with its plan to build a "fuel-efficient car for the U.S. market." The company has put in a request to the DOE for $250 million in low-interest Advanced Technology Vehicle ...

Renault plant in Valladolid to build Spain's first mass-produced EV 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

Renault's plant in Valladolid, Spain, will some day be one of the factories where Renault will manufacture electric cars. To make sure everything goes as planned, the Spanish government has awarded the French-based manufacturer a €70 million subvention to produce the EVs in country. Which ...

Opel will offer two factory-installed LPG models, Meriva and Corsa, in France 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

The least alternative of the alternative fuels – LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) – has received some good news in the expanding market in France: Opel has decided to sell two factory-converted models there. The chosen models are the Corsa and the Meriva, even though the latter will be ...

Pininfarina Bluecar confirmed for sale next year 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

2008 Pininfarina B0 concept, the basis for the Bluecar - Click above for high-res image gallery Bolloré has reportedly decided to hurry up and get the Bluecar ready for 2010, which is when France plans to start subventing the purchase of electric vehicles. Speaking at a press conference ...

GM India and Reva announce electric vehicle partnership 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

2009 Reva NXG - Click above for high-res image gallery GM India and Reva have announced a partnership to develop an affordable electric car for the Indian market. Both companies have started feasibility studies that would use GM small car platforms to host co-developed drivetrains and control ...

REPORT: Citroën preparing low-cost brand 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

Citroën C-Cactus prototype - Click above for high-res image gallery Citroën is apparently going in both directions with its new range of upscale models, the DS series, and a new rumored line called "essentiele" (essential). The essential line could take the concepts in the C-Cactus ...

Audi hiring 100 young engineers for ePerformance project 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

Before we forget, the address where you should send in your resumé, if you want to try out for any of these positions, is here. There. Now that that's done, what job openings are we talking about? Audi has announced they are hiring 100 young engineers for ePerformance, a project house to help ...

Ford finds buyer for Wixom plant, will be used as renewable energy park 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

It's official. Negotiations are reportedly complete and Ford's abandoned plant in Wixom, Michigan, is getting a new lease on life. The factory originally opened way back in 1957 during the glory years of the American automotive industry and it encompasses a massive 320 acres (4.7 million ...

REPORT: Prius sales take off in Japan; Toyota hires 800 new workers 1 month ago on Autoblog Green

It seems hard to believe that Toyota, the World's Largest Automaker, hasn't had to hired any new contract workers in over a year, but it's apparently true. That unenviable record is about to be broken, though, as the Japanese automaker is reportedly set to hire 800 new contract workers at its ...

Tesla looking at Long Beach and Downey for Model S electric vehicle plant 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

The birthplace of the upcoming Tesla Model S will likely be one of two Southern California cities near/in Los Angeles: Long Beach or Downey. Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk told the Long Beach Press-Telegram that the two sites in contention for the Model S' assembly and engineering plant are a former ...

Former Ford factory in Wixom could be used by alternative energy companies 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

A former Ford plant in Wixom, Michigan may get another lease on life now that a Senate committee has paved the way forward with a series of tax credits to two alternative energy companies interested in utilizing the factory space. The plant has been closed since 2007. Clairvoyant Energy of Santa ...

Nissan to deploy methanol fuel cell material handling equipment 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

Nissan's Smyrna, Tennessee assembly plant will soon be cutting its CO2 emissions and improving productivity. The plant is retrofitting 60 material handling tugs that are used to move parts around with new methanol fuel cells. The tugs are currently fitted with lead acid batteries that have to be ...

Australian Premier lobbying for Volt built Down Under 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

As has been reported in the past, GM's Australian arm is waiting in eager anticipation for a Holden-badged version of the Chevy Volt to hit the market Down Under in 2012. That car will be assembled here in the United States and is little more than a standard Volt minus the Bowtie emblem on the ...

Toyota to ramp up 4-cylinder engine production in Alabama 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

Toyota is preparing for the expectation that fuel prices will continue to climb in the next several years and demand for smaller engines will increase. To that end, the company's Huntsville, Alabama engine plant will add a new line to build four-cylinder engines. The 2.5-liter and 2.7-liter ...

Toxco gets $9.5 million DOE grant for battery recycling 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

With lithium ion batteries expected to play an ever increasing role in future transportation, the problem of dealing with the batteries at end of life is now starting to come to the fore. Multiple battery companies are planning on building manufacturing facilities in the U.S. in the next few ...

Tesla moving HQ, building powertrain plant in Palo Alto 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

Tesla has announced that it's moving from its current digs in San Carlos, CA a few miles down the road to Palo Alto. The EV start-up will take over a three-building complex in the Stanford Research Park formerly occupied by Silicon Valley pioneers Hewlett-Packard and its spin-off Agilent ...

REPORT: GM mulling Tata Nano competitor in Asia 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

2010 Chevy Spark - Click for high-res image gallery What will the world's cheapest car, the Tata Nano, do to the auto market? Bring friends. We're hearing that General Motors could be planning a Tata Nano competitor that would go on sale in Asia for under $4,000. GM's new executive vice president ...

Toyota: Prius solar sunroof much more popular than expected 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

The undeniable success of the 2010 Prius surely has Toyota breathing a sigh of relief. Still, even good news sometimes comes with a caveat, and that's reportedly true of the Japanese automaker's latest fuel sipper. According to Wards Auto, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. President Jim Lentz ...

Officially, official: GM lithium ion battery plant goes to Brownstown Township, MI 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

As was speculated several weeks ago, General Motors announced this morning that it will build a factory to manufacture lithium ion battery packs in Brownstown Township south of Detroit. The plant will produce the packs for the Chevrolet Volt and other upcoming vehicles using the Voltec powertrain. ...

REPORT: GM to build its own electric motors, control systems 2 months ago on Autoblog Green

Sure, General Motors has outsourced production of the individual battery cells to LG Chem, but the American automaker isn't willing to give up much control over the Volt's extended-range EV powertrain. According to a report on Automotive News (sub. req'd), GM plans to focus in on three EV ...

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