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A small Bellevue company says it’s got the technology to build plug-in hybrid cars that can drive 250 miles on a single gallon of gas.

AFS Trinity Power Corp., working with United Kingdom-based automotive engineering company Ricardo PLC, expects to see about 150 demonstration vehicles on the road in two years and commercially available cars in three years.

A plug-in hybrid is essentially a combination between an electric car and a conventional hybrid. If a commuter plugged in a car with AFS Trinity’s technology at night, the batteries could be charged enough to drive 40 miles per day without burning any gas at all. After the battery’s charge is used up, the car works like a conventional hybrid engine.
That kind of mileage has obvious benefits for the environment and air quality, particularly if the electricity is generated by something other than coal.

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Though there’s a waiting list for a compact Honda Civic hybrid, the midsize Accord hybrid is struggling and shipments from Japan may be cut, according to Dick Colliver, executive vice president of Honda.

“The Civic hybrid is no problem and selling very well, but we’re going to re-evaluate our posture on the Accord hybrid,” Colliver said in an interview.

The hybrid Accord went on sale late in January, and only a handful were sold the first month. In February sales were 500 units and in March 700 units. Honda didn’t issue a sales forecast.

The problem is that while Honda bills the Accord as “the fastest hybrid” in the market, consumers buy hybrids for mileage, not speed.

The V-6 engine and battery pack in the hybrid Accord provide nearly the power of a V-8 while delivering the fuel-economy of a 4-cylinder engine - 29 mpg city/37 mpg highway.

By Jim Mateja, see more

With its distinctive exterior design, powerful 4-cylinder engine, sport-oriented suspension and spacious interior, Altima would seem to have it all. Now, Nissan has found one more attribute that completes the Altima’s line-up - superb fuel economy from a state-of-the-art hybrid gasoline-electric powertrain.

The Altima Hybrid continues Nissan’s best-selling car’s performance tradition in a new variation - a hybrid powertrain mates the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and Xtronic(TM) CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) with an electric motor and generator that increases fuel economy while maintaining low tailpipe emissions.
The Altima Hybrid will be available in eight states. The vehicle has been certified to meet California emissions requirements and will be sold beginning in early 2007 in those states that have adopted California emissions regulations: California, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, Maine and New Jersey. These states are among the strongest markets for hybrid vehicles.

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A bill that would give consumers a state income tax credit for purchasing hybrid cars passed a House subcommittee Tuesday.
The $500 to $700 tax credit also would apply to automobiles powered by bio-diesel, hydrogen fuel cells and other alternative technologies under an amendment lawmakers hope to put in place before the full Ways and Means committee considers the bill Wednesday.

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The completely redesigned 2006 Honda Civic hybrid, the most economical and environmentally responsible gasoline-powered Civic ever, has won the World Car of the Year Award for greenest car, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today. A jury of 46 international automotive journalists selected the 2006 Civic Hybrid, which achieves an EPA estimated city/highway fuel economy of 49/51 miles per gallon, as the winner of the 2006 World Green Car.

“Honda continues to be a leader in producing environmentally responsible vehicles that set the standard for fuel economy and low emissions,” said John Mendel, Senior Vice President, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “The award-winning 2006 Civic Hybrid is the latest embodiment of Honda’s long-term commitment to the development of environmentally friendly technologies that are also fun to drive.” More

Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s largest seller of cars powered by a combination of gasoline and electricity, will build a hybrid model of its Lexus LS sedan in 2007. It will be the luxury brand’s most expensive model to date.

The Lexus LS600hL will arrive in the U.S. in early 2007 with a V-8 engine and electric motor that produce more than 430 horsepower, the company said. Its price hasn’t been set. Gasoline-only models of the car, typically $10,000 cheaper than the equivalent hybrid, will cost about $60,000.
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A Gallup poll released today shows that nearly half of all Americans have cut back “significantly” on their driving due to high gas prices–and in a surprise, 57% say they will consider buying a hybrid car when replacing their current vehicle.

About half of Americans report economizing in general in order to compensate for the increase in gas prices over the past year.

Those favoring hybrids show little gender or regional differences, but “hybrids appeal much more to younger and middle-aged Americans than to seniors,” Gallup reports. Upper-income Americans are slightly more likely than lower-income Americans (62% vs. 55%) to say they would seriously consider buying a hybrid when purchasing their next car.

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The 2008 Dodge Durango was unveiled at the Dallas Auto Show this week. It will be available as a hybrid. That’s right, this SUV will have an electric motor that will be paired with the monster 5.7 liter Hemi V8. The gas-electric hybrid engine will be combined with a variable displacement system that will achieve mileage much better than you would expect from such a road beast. Dodge hasn’t revealed exactly what the mileage will be, though they have hinted that it will be 25% better. More:

Here’s a question: What’s the fastest car on the road?

The answer may surprise you. It’s not a BMW, a Porsche or a Corvette.

If you live in Petaluma and work in Oakland or San Francisco, the car that’s going to get you there the shortest average time each morning is a hybrid vehicle. One of three hybrids, actually, the Toyota Prius, the hybrid Honda Civic and the Honda Insight.

This is due to a California law that went into effect last August, allowing participating vehicles that get more than 45 miles per gallon and have emissions below a certain level to use the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane, aka carpool lane, when driven alone.

The bill limits participation to the first 75,000 applicants, and Californians have wasted no time in signing up. To date, more than 50,000 vehicles have been issued the mandatory little yellow stickers.

Additionally, all Bay Area hybrid applicants must also obtain a special FasTrak transponder to qualify, because although the carpool lane is free for these hybrids, the bridge fees are not.

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While the new tax credit, which offers up to $3,400 for taxpayers who buy an eligible car, phases out once a manufacturer sells more than 60,000 hybrids, even the most popular manufacturer isn’t expected to hit that mark for at least a few months.
Through March 31, Toyota, sold about 22,123 of the Prius, according to data from WardsAuto.com.
Counting all Toyota models — since the 60,000 limit applies to all of a carmaker’s hybrid models combined — Toyota sold 35,754 hybrid vehicles through March 31.
The next-closest in terms of hybrid vehicle sales is Honda, with a total of 9,102 sold in the first quarter this year.
Many industry watchers expect Toyota will surpass the 60,000 limit before the end of the year. Toyota sold just under 108,000 of its Prius alone in 2005, and a total of 146,512 hybrid vehicles, counting the carmaker’s Lexus RX400 and the Highlander, according to WardsAuto.com.
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