Tag Archives: fuel efficient

HIRIKO Cars and the Future of City Driving

Earlier this week, we told you about a survey rating the worst cities in America when it came to time wasted in traffic. New York City came in second place, beating out Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. As bad as traffic is, though, parking in New York City might possibly be worse. Finding a parking spot can be a frustrating experience, and drivers wish their cars could fold in half and squeeze into those small spaces.

As it so happens, the HIRIKO Project wants to make the dream of a fold-able car into a reality. The HIRIKO is a fully electric car built for city driving. Based on MIT’s citycar concept, the vehicle comfortably seats 2 people. When the driver is ready to park, the front egg-like section slides back, and the car becomes half of its normal length and smaller than the tiny Smart Cars currently on the market now.

For anyone who has ever driven in a big city like New York, this is a game-changer. HIRIKO might not be practical for families or people who need trunk space, but it is perfect for a couple going out for a night on the town or someone who has to do a lot of city driving on a daily basis. Besides that, I get such a kick out of watching them fold up. It is like watching a sci-fi movie coming to life. I almost expect to see characters from Tron climbing out of the car with the black jumpsuits and neon stripes.

Check out the HIRIKO in action below.

The HIRIKO won’t be on the market for awhile yet, but Approved Loan Store can help you find the right car for your needs. City driving, country driving, couple, single, family, we can find the right car for you! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and we will set up an appointment with a Special Finance Representative. Also, keep up with the latest from Approved Loan Store by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube.

Parents Magazine, Edmunds Find a Car for Every Family

The mini-van might be the classic family car, but new mom and dad drivers have more options open to them in 2012. There are vehicles on the market today that offer comfort, more space, and different styles than the typical “family car.”

Of course, not every car shopper knows what it available on the market to meet their needs, and as a result, they might miss the opportunity to find what they want and what they need all in the same car. For this reason, Parents magazine and Edmunds.com teamed up to make a list of the 15 most family-friendly cars.

Their list was based on numerous factors including safety, price, and the features offered in the vehicle. Additionally, they spoke with everyday parents who “drive these vehicles every day” and know all the advantages and disadvantages personally. Also, they broke the list down into High Mileage, Budget, Crossovers, Sedans, and Large Vehicles, 5 categories total, with 3 vehicles in each category. The least expensive car listed was the Chevrolet Sonic starting at $14,600, and the most expensive was the Dodge Durango starting at $29,990, so there is a car on the list for every budget.

Here is the complete list:

High Mileage

Toyota Prius V
Honda Civic Hybrid
Chevrolet Cruze Eco

Budget

Chevrolet Sonic
Ford Focus
Hyundai Elantra

Crossovers

Mazda 5
Kia Sorento
Honda CR-V

Sedans

Volkswagen Passat
Toyota Camry
Kia Optima

Large Vehicles

Dodge Durango
Toyota Sienna
Honda Odyssey

Are you looking for a new family car? Approved Loan Store wants to help! Good credit, bad credit, big family, Approved Loan Store will find the right car for you! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here. Also, keep up with the latest from Approved Loan Store by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook, following Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube.

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

New Battery Could Change Future of Electric Cars

Electric cars have yet to catch on with American car buyers, but a new battery coming out of Massachusetts could make electric cars better and cheaper.

The Nanophosphate EXT is a lithium ion battery that can handle a wide range of extreme temperatures. Most electric car batteries cannot handle these temperatures, so electric cars have to be equipped with heating or cooling systems. According to a press release from the battery’s producers A123 Systems, these batteries can “significantly reduce or eliminate the need for heating or cooling systems, which is expected to create sizable new opportunities within the transportation and telecommunications markets, among others.”

Additionally, the new battery lasts much longer than other batteries currently on the market. This chart shows how the A123 Nanophosphate EXT compares to competing batteries. After 1700 cycles at 45° C, all three competing brands have dropped to below 75 percent discharging capacity while the A123 Nanophosphate EXT hovers around 93 percent capacity.

With longer lasting batteries that can take the heat and cold, electric cars can be more affordable and more powerful with lower maintenance costs. Consumers that have written off the electric car could be convinced to give it a second look. At any rate, it is a huge leap forward in electric car technology and very promising for the future of automotive.

Low-cost electric cars are still a ways off, but Approved Loan Store can help you get into an affordable car today! Fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and keep up with the latest auto news by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook and following Approved Loan Store on Twitter.

Car Shoppers Ready to Buy, Willing to Spend Extra on Perks

Recent reports from Edmunds.com indicate what we have seen first-hand over at Approved Loan Store, which is that car shoppers are eager to buy in 2012.

Thanks to relaxed credit standards, more people are buying cars, but the picture is much bigger than that. Car shoppers are also buying vehicles with more perks and added features, and they are more comfortable considering trucks, SUVs, or other vehicles that go through more gas. They aren’t just looking for cars to get them where they need to go; they want to get the cars that they want.

Over at Approved Loan Store, we get people into every make and model of car every day. Whether you are looking for your first car or your dream car with all the perks, the reps over at Approved Loan Store want to help you get the car you want with the terms you can afford. If it seems too good to be true, take a minute to browse through our customer testimonials. Check out the cars that real people like you have gotten through Approved Loan Store, and hear what they had to say about our service.

“They met my needs, they worked with me and my budget, and everything. They found me the exact car I wanted, and I’m very happy!”

“Approved Loan Store helped me get this beautiful black BMW. Thank you, Jarell and Charles, you were the best!”

“Approved Loan Store helped me get a car, a Toyota 2009. Had a very, very good experience here at the car dealership. Everybody was so nice and kind. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“I’m driving home in my dream car, a Camaro 2011…They made it happen with no problem. I had a great experience!”

To find out what Approved Loan Store can do for you, fill out our secure online auto loan application here, and keep up with the latest from Approved Loan Store by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook and following Approved Loan Store on Twitter.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Reuters: Lose Weight, Improve Car’s Fuel Efficiency

If you want your car to be more fuel-efficient, Reuters has a novel idea: lose weight.

A recent statistic shows that gasoline consumption has gone up along with the needle on American’s scales. According to the study, Americans in 2012 compared to Americans in the 1960s are wasting 1 billion gallons of gas in their cars.

Where are those 1 billion gallons going? Well, Americans in 2012 on average weigh more than Americans in the 1960s, and it takes 1 billion gallons more to power their cars. Across the country, Americans could be getting a better gas mileage on their cars and spending less at the pump by getting their weight down to the average American’s weight in the 1960s.

Of course, you can’t turn a gas-guzzler into a hybrid just by dropping a dress size, and Approved Loan Store can help you find a more fuel-efficient car in your price range. Fill out an auto loan application online here, and keep up with the latest news from the auto industry by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook and following Approved Loan Store on Twitter.

Image: dream designs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Paul Ryan Budget Would Cancel Loans to Auto Industry

In the midst of the partisan bickering in Washington D.C. over the budget recently, the auto industry has been put on the chopping block by Paul Ryan’s Republican-backed budget.

Right now, there is a loan program in place for green energy efforts called the Advanced Technology Manufacturing Program. It was signed into law by President George W. Bush back in 2007, and part of the $25 billion program includes $16 billion which would go towards modifying auto factories. In Ryan’s proposal “The Path to Prosperity,” he was highly critical of President Obama over green initiatives, apparently forgetting that President Bush had signed it into law, and he claimed it “blocks proven domestic energy sources while spending recklessly on uncompetitive alternatives.”

Now, there should be debate over government spending in this country, and both Democrats and Republicans need to be willing to compromise. However, it is unfair of Paul Ryan to pin this program on President Obama and label it as “spending recklessly.” Alternative energy sources are the future, and we need car manufacturers making hybrid and electric cars now. If hybrid and electric cars start selling now, we will get early adapters in the next few years, and by the time we need to switch completely to hybrid or electric cars, America will be ready. Manufacturing fuel-efficient cars should not be a partisan issue; it should be common sense.

Looking for a new or more fuel-efficient car? Fill out Approved Loan Store’s car loan application here, and keep up with the latest new and trends from the auto industry by liking Approved Loan Store on Facebook and following Approved Loan Store on Twitter.

Image: nuttakit / FreeDigitalPhotos.net