2014 Hyundai Sonata Limited 2.0t on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: Uber app for Apple Watch, Hyundai brings ix35 Fuel Cell to Australia

Uber has updated its app to support the upcoming Apple Watch. Users will be able to hail a car with a single tap directly from the wearable device. The Uber app for the Apple Watch will also let the user check on the driver's progress. The Apple Watch launches on April 24. Read more at iPhone Hacks. The Place at Terracina in Austin, Texas will offer Car2go services onsite. Through a partnership with real estate group MC Companies, the carsharing service will have six dedicated parking spots at the community's entrance for residents and other nearby users. "We know our residents will benefit from the Car2Go service and hope it helps them share the good life with others," says MC Companies Vice President of Marketing Eric Brown. Read more in the press release from MC Companies below. Hyundai has debuted the ix35 (Tucson) Fuel Cell in Australia. Along with giving Australia its first hydrogen vehicle, Hyundai is also unveiling a solar hydrogen refueler. The refueling station, located at Hyundai's Sydney headquarters, uses solar power to run the electrolyzer to make hydrogen from water onsite. Hyundai's Bill Thomas told 3AW that a future where most vehicles on the road are powered by hydrogen is "a way off. We're working on our next-generation fuel cell vehicle which we're hoping to bring out in 2018, but even at that stage, we're only talking in small numbers." Listen at 3AW, and read more at RenewEconomy. MC Companies Partners with Car2Go Brings Innovative Service to The Place at Terracina with Car2Go SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 31, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Cars are a costly investment. We can't all buy our own and we understand that life can get in the way of being financially stable enough to purchase one. Living expenses, bills and unexpected costs pop up all the time. Car 2 Go is making it easy to have access to a car no matter what life throws at you. MC Companies is teaming up with Car2Go to bring this convenient service to The Place at Terracina. Car2Go now has six spaces for cars to be dropped off and picked up at the entrance of the community and this is the furthest North location that Car2Go has in the city. This provides residents, and people in the area, with shared vehicles to help them navigate through their days with ease. "We are excited to have Car2Go on our property and can't wait to share it with our residents," says community manager Rachel Sypho.

Is it time for the car-based trucks to return?

Back in 1957 Ford began producing the Ranchero. In 1959 the El Camino made its debut. In time, other manufacturers would execute their own version of the "Car Truck" anomaly. Dodge, Subaru, and Volkswagen would all join in the category before eventually ceasing production for the United States. Although production ran longer overseas, including Australia, where the "utes" were very well received, in the United States the last ute offering, the Subaru Baja, would cease production in 2006. The manufacturer offerings were very diverse. Powerplants ranged from 4 to 8 cylinders. The number of driving wheels were also diverse. Some were 2 wheel drive, others 4 wheel drive. Even more differentiation could be found in how the manufacturers decided to pursue the utility portion of their vehicle by providing either a unibody architecture for improved mileage, or a solid chassis for extra load bearing capacity and better towing ratings. Here's a brief (not comprehensive) production history of ute history in the United States... Chevy El Camino/ GMC Caballero: 1959-1960 then 1964-987 Dodge Rampage/ Plymouth Scamp: 1982-1984 Ford Ranchero: 1957-1979 Subaru Brat: 1978-1987 Subaru Baja: 2003-2006 Volkswagen Rabbit Sportruck: 1978-1984 That brings us to 2017. Trucks are huge sellers for manufacturers. However, miles per gallon ratings are huge concerns for those same manufacturers. So, automakers are looking to increase the efficiencies of their products to make them more palatable to the increasingly green conscience buying public. Enter a ute revival. A reborn unibody ute would meet that need as it would have the mileage numbers more closely tied to a car than a truck. It seems that I'm not the only one thinking this way. Hyundai has identified the emptiness of this car truck niche, looked at its own portfolio, and recognized the lack of pickup trucks. Fixing that emptiness is one of their concerns. So, they have viewed the active traditional pickup market, while also watching the unibody Ridgeline sales over in the Honda camp and determined that the niche needs to be filled with their own twist. They are rumored to have green lighted the 2019 Hyundai Santa Cruz for sales beginning in 2018. Hyundai's twist however, is that their vehicle would be based on a crossover chassis, possibly the Tucson. Remember, this is a rumor. So, it could change to a red light from the manufacturer or just as easily change to a Genesis chassis overnight.

Weekly Recap: Hyundai scores NFL sponsorship after GM exits

Hyundai replaced General Motors as the official automotive sponsor of the NFL with a four-season deal that was announced this week. Hyundai gets exclusive sponsorship rights for mainstream and luxury cars, though not for pickups – as it doesn't have one in its current portfolio. "There may be another automotive truck sponsor, but not one that competes with our vehicle lineup," a Hyundai spokesman said in an email. That leaves the door open for another truckmaker to enter the fray. GM used the NFL to promote its GMC division, which makes pickups and sport-utility vehicles. The Detroit automaker decided to quit the sponsorship, which it had held since 2001, a GM spokesman said. Financials were not released, but ESPN said the sponsorship will cost Hyundai $50 million a year, double what GM paid. It gives Hyundai access to NFL trademarks for use in its marketing and advertising, and Hyundai will provide promotional vehicles to the league for the Super Bowl and other events. Hyundai celebrated the agreement by lighting up its Fountain Valley, CA, headquarters this week with a football field and the NFL logo. Hyundai's sister company, Kia, is the official automotive sponsor of the NBA. "We are huge football fans at Hyundai and feel there is no better venue to reach consumers, increase consideration, and tell the Hyundai brand story," Hyundai Motor America CEO Dave Zuchowski said in a statement. Hyundai will officially kick off its sponsorship when the NFL season begins on Sept. 10 with a primetime game featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. OTHER NEWS & NOTES Toyota Mirai rated at 67 mpge, 312-mile range The Environmental Protection Agency gave the Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric car a 67-miles-per-gallon-equivalent rating. The figure is for city, highway, and combined driving. The EPA also said the Mirai will have a 312-mile range. The sedan will arrive in dealerships in California this fall and will cost $57,500, though incentives can drop the price significantly. The Mirai will also be offered as a $499-per-month lease. Both come with three years or $15,000 worth of free fuel. Toyota plans to expand sales to the Northeast United States later. Toyota's top female exec resigns in wake of arrest Meanwhile, in other Toyota news, the automaker's communications chief and top female executive, Julie Hamp, resigned.