Tag Archives: fuel efficient

Earth Day: Nissan, New York City Launch Plan for “Taxi of Tomorrow”

April 22 is Earth Day, and to celebrate, New York City is teaming up with Nissan to put the Taxi of Tomorrow on our city’s streets.

Nissan has donated six Nissan Leafs to the city of New York as part of the city’s plan to transition all taxis to electric vehicles. Over the next few years, they will test out the Nissan Leafs, pinpoint any needed adjustments, and find the best way to transition one-third of the fleet to electric vehicles by the end of the decade.

Nissan executive Joe Castelli was optimistic about the future of the program, stating, “Following the selection of Nissan NV200 as New York City’s Taxi of Tomorrow, our relationship with the city provides us the ultimate proving ground to conduct this Leaf taxi pilot to help optimize the use of electric vehicle technology for future application.”

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Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Chevrolet Spark Upgrades With New DC Chargers

Ever since electric cars hit the market, they have had a tough time taking off. At first, it was the price hindering sales, but recent discounts and tax incentives have made them more affordable. When they became affordable, people started questioning their safety, and rumors still persist that electric cars are significantly more dangerous than gas-driven cars despite automakers’ steps to make them safer. Yet another real problem plagues the electric car, however, and that is how long it takes an electric car to charge.

Right now, alternating current (AC) energy has to be converted to direct current (DC) before the energy can be stored in car batteries. The conversion process slows down battery charging, and it takes longer to charge up electric cars. If a car could power up with a DC charger, it would speed up the charging process.

With that in mind, General Motors announced this week that the new Chevrolet Spark will have the standard AC port as well as two DC ports. Since DC chargers are not as readily available, a number of companies are stepping up to make them more available, though Eaton and Fuji Electric do have DC chargers available on the market at this time.

Readers, we want to hear from you! Does GM’s announcement make you more likely to test-drive the Spark? Would a faster charging time make you consider checking out other electric cars? Leave a comment below, and let us know what you think!

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New 1.5-Liter EcoBoost Engine for 2014 Ford Fusion

Changes are coming for the 2014 Ford Fusion including a new engine and six powertrain options.

Currently, the Ford Fusion is equipped with a 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine, but soon the engine will be replaced with a 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine. This might not seem like a major change, but it has two big advantages. First, Ford will side-step a tax which affects Fusion sales in China, improving their bottom line. Second, it will improve fuel efficiency in the Ford Fusion. As an added bonus, Ford can also use the 1.6-liter engines in the Escape and other vehicles.

Last year, Ford announced other changes to engines in some of its more popular models. The 2014 Ford Fiesta will be getting a 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine, Ford’s smallest EcoBoost engine yet, and this trend towards higher fuel efficiency is expected to continue.

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U.S. News & World Report Rank Top Family Vehicles for 2013

If you’re looking for a new family car in 2013, you might be surprised at the sheer variety that automakers are offering.

Last month, U.S. News & World Report named 19 vehicles as their 2013 Best Cars for Families in a variety of categories ranging from Best Compact Car to Best Luxury Full-Size SUV. Winners were judged based on safety, reliability, interior space, seating capacity, and the inclusion of “family-friendly” features like keyless entry and back seat entertainment systems.

GM dominated the list with six winners. The Chevrolet brand took home two awards with the Chevrolet Suburban winning Best Full-Size SUV and the Chevrolet Cruze winning Best Compact Car. Buick also took home two award with the Buick Verano taking Best Upscale Small Car and the Buick Lacrosse taking Best Full-Size Car, and the Cadillac Escalade rounded out GM’s wins with Best Luxury Full-Size SUV.

Here is the full list of winners:

Compact Car – 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
Upscale Small Car – 2013 Buick Verano
Hatchback – 2013 Toyota Prius
Midsize Car – 2013 Ford Fusion
Upscale Midsize Car – 2013 Acura TL
Full-Size Car – 2013 Buick LaCrosse
Luxury Full-Size Car – 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Hybrid Car – 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid
Wagon – 2013 Subaru Outback
Compact SUV – 2013 Honda CR-V
Luxury Compact SUV – 2013 Audi Q5
2-Row Midsize SUV – 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee
3-Row Midsize SUV – 2013 Chevrolet Traverse
Luxury 2-Row Midsize SUV – 2013 Lexus RX350
Luxury 3-Row SUV – 2013 Lincoln MKT
Full-Size SUV – 2013 Chevrolet Suburban
Luxury Full-Size SUV – 2013 Cadillac Escalade
Hybrid SUV – 2013 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Minivan – 2013 Honda Odyssey

No matter what kind of car you are looking for, Approved Loan Store wants to help YOU! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we will work with you to get a car you want at terms you can afford! Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and for more auto news and buying tips, like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Volvo’s New Fuel Injection Puts Other Engines to Shame

This week, Volvo made a bold statement about their new upcoming engine, claiming that it will make V8s look like “dinosaurs.”

The Volvo Engine Architecture engine family won’t be available until later this year, but Derek Crabb, the VP of powertrain engineering at Volvo Car Group, is already talking it up to the press. When their new fuel injection technology is integrated, Crabb claims, “Our four-cylinder engines will offer higher performance than today’s six-cylinder units and lower fuel consumption than the current four-cylinder generation.” Crabb also stated that the new engines will be “smaller” and “more intelligent”

How does this new fuel injection work? According to Volvo, the new engines will have individual pressure feedback sensors on each cylinder. The pressure in each cylinder will be monitored separately, and fuel injection will be adjusted accordingly. Right now, engines have a common sensor on the cylinders, so they cannot adjust the fuel injection for each individual cylinder.

There hasn’t been an official launch date announced for the new engines yet, but they will be available sometime in autumn 2013. Stay tuned to Approved Loan Store, and we will let you know if the new engines live up to this early praise.

Are you ready to get into a new or used car today? Approved Loan Store wants to help YOU! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we will work with you to get the car you want at terms you can afford! Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and for more auto news and buying tips, like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Electric Vehicles Outsell Plug-In Hybrids in March

March was a fantastic month for car sales in the U.S., but more notably, it was the best month for electric vehicles ever recorded.

Last month, there were 4,553 battery electric vehicles sold, outselling electric hybrids for the first time ever. There were 3,079 electric hybrid vehicles sold that month and an additional 46,327 hybrid units, bringing the total of electric and hybrid vehicles to 53,959 units.

By comparison, there were 2,616 battery electric vehicles sold in February and 2,022 vehicles sold in January. According to EV World News, the Nissan Leaf did quite well in March selling 2,236 units, and they outsold the Chevy Volt which sold 1,478 units in March. Nissan and Chevy both dropped their prices on the Leaf and Volt considerably last year after sales for both models were lagging, and March might be a sign of those discounts really paying off.

Whatever kind of car you are looking for, Approved Loan Store wants to help YOU get it for the best rates possible! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we will work to get you into a new or used car at terms you can afford! Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and for more auto news and buying tips, like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribing to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

Image courtesy of Victor Habbick / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Audi Slims Down 2014 A4, Adds New Features

Automakers in the past year have made an effort to trim the extra weight off their most popular vehicles, but Audi took a huge step this week by promising more features and a slimmer figure on the 2014 Audi A4.

According to a report from AutoBild, Audi is planning to cut approximately 220 pounds off the 2014 Audi A4 and give the interior a full upgrade including a new infotainment system. Additionally, insiders are predicting that Audi will offer a plug-in hybrid and diesel-powered versions of the A4, increasing the fuel economy substantially.

If Audi delivers on these promises, they will set the bar very high for other automakers. Any automaker can make a lighter vehicle, but it is incredibly tough to build a lighter vehicle that also offers more than the previous heavier model. Besides that, Audi is making major changes to an award-winning vehicle, so this is a risk for them. It will be a long time until the world will get a look at the 2014 Audi A4, but until then, we will keep you updated on any new announcements or rumors on the A4 and other new models coming in 2014.

Buick Shows Off New Regal, LaCrosse at New York Auto Show

Today was the first day that the New York Auto Show was open to the public, but automakers were already showing off new vehicle models earlier this week including Buick’s premiere of the updated Regal and LaCrosse.

2012 was been Buick’s best sales year since 2006, and they are hoping that the New York Auto Show will give them an early sales boost in 2013. The Buick Regal had not performed as well as hoped in 2012 despite Buick’s otherwise good sales numbers, and Buick is hoping that the upgrades to the Regal will improve its sales in 2013.

Upgrades in the new Regal include a new 4.2-inch color display, LED daytime lamps and taillights, and a new grille. Buyers will also have the option of all-wheel drive as well as the choice between a new 2-liter turbocharged engine or a 2.4-liter engine and Buick’s eAssist technology. As for the LaCrosse, Buick focused less on changing up the exterior and more on updating the interior look and features including an eight-inch color display instrument panel and next-gen IntelliLink.

For more from the New York Auto Show, stay tuned to the Approved Loan Store blog!

Are you ready to get into a new or used car today? Approved Loan Store wants to help YOU! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we will work with you to get you a car you want at terms you can afford! Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and for more auto news and buying tips, like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!

March Record Month for Nissan Leaf

If sales trends continue, March might be the best month ever for the Nissan Leaf.

The Nissan Leaf has struggled since its initial release to pull in big sales numbers, mostly due to its price, but Nissan has rolled out a number of discounts and incentives over the past year. Back in October, Nissan dropped the price for the Leaf, and drivers whose cars were destroyed by Hurricane Sandy were able to purchase the Leaf as well as other Nissan models using the typical employee discount. President Obama has also rolled out tax credits on qualifying hybrid, natural gas, and electric cars which includes the Nissan Leaf.

Across the board, electric cars saw a boost in November thanks to these discounts, but now the Nissan Leaf is looking to have its best sales month ever, selling more than 1,900 units in March. While Nissan leadership is pleased with the numbers, though, they are already pushing ahead. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn was quoted, “Our ambition on the Leaf is not 2,000 a month. The target is much bigger than that. But we will have to be patient and resilient.”

Readers, we want to hear from you! What do you think of the Nissan Leaf? Have Nissan’s incentives and discounts made you consider taking the Leaf for a test drive? Leave a comment below, and let us know what you think!

Are you ready to get into a new or used car today? Approved Loan Store wants to help YOU! Good credit, bad credit, no credit, we will work with you to get you a car you want at terms you can afford! Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and connect with Approved Loan Store on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube!

The Geneva Auto Show and the Industry’s “Green” Problem

The Geneva Auto Show wraps up this Sunday, and auto journalists are already asking what the show says about the future of cars, specifically “green” vehicles. Is the auto industry making progress in hybrids and electric cars, and will people buy them when they hit the market?

There is an odd disconnect between what people involved with the show and the auto industry are saying and the reality at the auto show. In a piece for the New York Times, writer Christopher F. Schuetze highlights the dissonance at the show, pointing out that only 10 percent of the cars at the show are eco-friendly and then quoting politicians and the president of the Geneva Auto Show who praise the auto industry’s integration of green technology. 10 percent is hardly complete integration, especially at an auto show meant to show the best and latest in automotive technology.

Unfortunately, there is a good reason why the auto industry is praising green technology while quietly relegating electric car technology to the concepts. The truth is that the auto industry still relies too much on big car sales, cars that scream “real man” in their advertising. The auto industry will never move past gas-guzzlers to electric and hybrid cars until they wean themselves off of this outdated idea of a manly car and learn how to properly market green cars.

No matter what kind of car you might be looking for, Approved Loan Store wants to help YOU! From hybrid compacts to trucks and minivans, we will work with you to get a car you want at terms you can afford! Get started today by filling out our secure online auto loan application here, and for more auto news and buying tips, like Approved Loan Store on Facebook, follow Approved Loan Store on Twitter, and subscribe to Approved Loan Store on YouTube!