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Recharge Wrap-up: Lexus CT 200h is NWAPA's favorite hybrid, 'No Charge to Charge' in LA

The Northwest Automotive Press Association (NWAPA) has given the Lexus CT 200h its Favorite Hybrid title. It named the compact luxury hybrid its favorite of 2014 at its Drive Revolution in Portland (where it also named the new Volkswagen Golf TDI the Northwest Green Car of the Year). According to NWAPA president Nik Miles, the CT 200h earned the honor for "impressive combination of state-of-the-art small car luxury and hybrid technology." For 2014, the Lexus CT200h got an updated front end, including the spindle grille we've been seeing on new Lexus vehicles, plus a redesigned steering wheel and sliding sun visors. Read more in the press release below. Chevrolet credits the Malibu for helping make stop-start mainstream. Chevrolet started including stop-start technology standard in Malibus equipped with the four-cylinder engine. Chevy has sold about 83,000 of that model, so 97 percent of 2014 and 2015 Malibu sales include stop-start. Now, that technology has made its way into the 2015 Impala. With drivers idling an average of 16 minutes a day, stop-start can significantly reduce harmful emissions and save fuel. According to Navigant Research, we can expect annual sales of cars equipped with stop-start technology to surpass 55 million by 2022. Read more in the press release below. Nissan Leaf customers in Los Angeles will get access to free charging beginning August 15. Nissan is extending its "No Charge to Charge" promotion to LA, which will allow customers to charge at public charging stations at no cost. Leaf customers - including those who bought or leased their car from the participating dealerships on or after July 1 - will get an EZ-Charge card, allowing them to use ChargePoint, Blink, CarCharging, AeroVironment and NRG eVgo chargers for free. Rapid chargers can charge the Leaf's battery to 80 percent in 30 minutes. Nissan plans to offer the "No Charge to Charge" in at least 14 more markets in the US, bringing the total to 25, within the next year. See the press release below for more details. California will get six all-electric school buses for three school districts as part of a demonstration program. The California Energy Commission awarded a grant of $1.4 million for the program to National Strategies LLC; this is in addition to a $2.2-million grant from the South Coast Air Quality Management District. The EV buses use vehicle-to-grid technology, allowing them to sell energy back to the grid when it is needed.

First 2016 Chevy Volt commercial rocks us to sleep

The 2016 Chevrolet Volt, with its thorough restyling and increased all-electric range, is an exciting evolution of Chevy's groundbreaking plug-in hybrid, so it's only fitting that the commercial campaign to sell it to the masses also be engaging and vibrant. Well, the first ad has just been officially released and it rocks... us to sleep. Now, we get that General Motors didn't want to repeat past Volt-commercial mistakes. No one wants to see dogs licking feet or dumb (and weirdly horny) aliens again. Nor would it be smart to slam all-electric vehicles, since it now sells the Spark EV and has just revealed its 200-mile Bolt concept. So, what does that leave? How about a mostly computer-generated spot that relies on cliche images and an upbeat synthetic soundtrack to communicate that the Volt is now as boring as other four-door appliances? An intro, featuring a lightly-bearded gentleman peering at his tablet through designer glasses launches us into the action as the Volt makes its way across a city bridge, then a curvaceous country road. Chevrolet doesn't include voiceover to inform you that the new Volt has a 50-mile battery-only range. There's no mention of its gas mileage once its electric charge is depleted – items that just might be of importance to hybrid buyers. The ad also makes no attempt at establishing an emotional connection, either through drama or comedy. There are, however, lots of fast cuts of the new, normalized interior, including a two-second detail shot featuring the windshield wiper switch. We imagine that this is only the first in a series of spots that will tell the Volt story and motivate potential buyers to run down to their local dealer, hopefully the next spots will be more interesting and informative. View 16 Photos

Recharge Wrap-up: Tata unveils tiny H2 vehicle,Volt's new drivetrain explained

A new video explains the second-generation Voltec drivetrain in the 2016 Chevrolet Volt. The new Volt uses two planetary gear sets, a big difference from the first-gen Volt, which used just one. This opens up a multitude of various drive modes, and allows the engine to drive the wheels as well as the motor-generators. See the video above for the full, in-depth explanation, and read more at GM Authority. Coal power plants need to be retired to achieve air quality benefits from EVs. According to a study, EVs charged in coal-heavy regions produce more lifecycle emissions than gasoline vehicles. Depending on when they're charged, EVs with high-capacity batteries can be responsible for two to three times the amount of emissions as a hybrid car. In the near future, though, as coal plants are retired, this is expected to change. "When EV charging load is added to a power system, wind and solar plant output can't be turned up to respond because they are typically already fully utilized," says Jeremy Michalek, Professor of Engineering and Public Policy and Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. "Fossil fuel plants are the ones dispatched in response to new charging load. That's why the shift away from coal is so important for EVs." Read more at Green Car Congress. Tata has debuted the Magic Iris Ziva fuel-cell microvan at AutoExpo India. Replacing the Magic Iris' single-cylinder engine with a hydrogen-powered unit gives the Ziva 5 kW (6.7 hp) of power for normal driving, with a maximum output of 9 kW (12 hp) and 31 lb-ft of torque. It has room for five passengers, and features an eight-inch touchscreen display. Learn more at Green Car Reports. Related Gallery Tata Magic Iris News Source: GM Authority, YouTube: Alex on Autos, Green Car Congress, Green Car Reports Green Chevrolet Tata Motors Alternative Fuels Emissions Electric Hydrogen Cars Videos recharge wrapup