The Nissan Versa does not seem to get as much press coverage as the Honda Fit and the Toyota Yaris in discussions about low-priced yet fuel-efficient vehicles. I am also guilty of leaving the Versa out of a few of my best buy lists here. Nissan North America published a press release today announcing its pricing on the 2009 Nissan Versa – the vehicle will start at $9,990. This definitely got my attention so today I would like to introduce the readers of The Green Motorist to the 2009 Nissan Versa.

“The new high-value Versa Sedan 1.6 model features a smaller displacement 1.6-liter engine (versus the standard 1.8-liter), standard 5-speed manual transmission and simplified content. It is also available with a 4-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy is rated at 26 mpg city/34 mpg highway with the 5-speed manual and 26 mpg city/33 mpg highway with the 4-speed automatic.” (Source: PR Newswire)

If you are in the market for an inexpensive and fuel-efficient car, the 2009 Nissan Versa will be available at your local Nissan dealership beginning November 18, 2008.

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The issue of the safety of hybrids being used as taxicabs has been discussed twice on The Green Motorist in recent weeks: Hybrid Use as Taxicabs Questioned and More on NYC Hybrid Taxis. In summation, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) required that all NYC cabs be a hybrid model or a non-hybrid model that can maintain a 25 mpg average. In stop and go city traffic, 25 mpg is a lofty goal.

The Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade (MTBOT) took the issue to court and in a press release published today; the MTBOT has been successful in its goal of seeking an injunction against the TLC mandate.

“The Court finds that Plaintiffs have standing to bring this action; that they will be irreparably harmed; and that Plaintiffs have demonstrated a likelihood of success on the issue of preemption. The City’s counterarguments are unconvincing. Accordingly, Plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction is GRANTED.” (Source: PR Newswire)

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The Green Car Journal will be announcing its selection for the 2009 Green Car of the Year at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show on November 20, 2008. One of the following vehicles will receive the 2009 Green Car of the Year award: BMW 335d, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Saturn Vue 2-Mode Hybrid, smart fortwo and the Volkswagen Jetta TDI.

“The five models are important milestones for their manufacturers. The VW and BMW clean diesels are leading edge models signaling the advent of highly efficient, advanced diesel sedans that meet emissions certification in all 50 states. Ford’s Fusion Hybrid, a full hybrid, is this automaker’s first hybrid sedan. Saturn’s Vue 2-Mode is GM’s first application of its two mode hybrid system in a V-6 front-drive platform. The smart fortwo is a new-for-the-U.S., fuel efficient micro car with a small eco footprint.” (Source: PR Newswire)

Back in August, the Green Car Journal first released the date for this year’s Green Car of the Year announcement. At that point, the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid was getting a lot of press release. I went out on a limb and figured it would not make the list for Green Car of the Year and surprise, surprise – I was right. In the two months since that prediction, Chrysler has gone on to announce that it will cease to produce the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid as of the year-end.

On that same post, one of The Green Motorist’s readers (from ZapWorld.com) commented, “I would think that if the award is to be presented “to recognize environmental achievement in the automotive industry.” the award should rightly go to an pure electric car rather than a hybrid.”

Unfortunately, there are no purely electric cars on the list. The zero-emissions Honda FCX Clarity also failed to make the top five. Honestly, I am a bit surprised that the Ford Fusion Hybrid makes the list. I am not too surprised to see the others on the list, even though I think there may be better choices available.

My guess is that the Volkswagen Jetta TDI will ultimately be named the 2009 Green Car of the Year. I am basing this purely on the media attention that the Jetta TDI has been receiving lately including the inclusion of the vehicle on the EPA’s most fuel-efficient cars for 2009 list and the fact that a Jetta TDI was used to set the Guinness record for fuel consumption.

I would like to hear from you, the readers of The Green Motorist. If you had to choose from one of these five cars, which would you choose and why? Do you think a different vehicle should have made the list?

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Ford has several years of hybrid vehicle production under its belt with the Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner Hybrid line. The company has plans for a hybrid version of the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans for model year 2010. The company has recently announced its plans for the use of a SmartGauge with EcoGuide as part of the vehicle’s instrument cluster.

“SmartGauge with EcoGuide gives the customer real-world feedback to make the most of their hybrids,” said Gil Portalatin, Hybrid Applications Manager. “Unique to Ford and Mercury hybrid sedans, this instrument cluster acts as a good ‘coach,’ engaging drivers real-time to help them achieve maximum fuel economy.” (Source: Ford Media Site)

If a customer utilizes the SmartGauge as intended, they can expect to see increased fuel efficiency. While exact figures are not available, Ford is stating that the mpg ratings should be about 5mpg higher than those seen on the Toyota Camry Hybrid.

“Ford’s next-generation hybrid propulsion system builds upon the proven success of the Escape and Mariner hybrids, delivering class-leading fuel economy for the all-new 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids that debut later this year.” (Source: PR Newswire)

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A few weeks ago, news of merger talks between General Motors and Chrysler begun to make its way around industry publications. There have been bits and pieces of the discussions since then but today brings some updates. In an early morning story by Automotive News, the publication is reporting that “General Motors is postponing nearly all of its spending on product development in 2009 and 2010 — a cost-cutting move that could delay the introduction of key vehicles such as the Chevrolet Cruze.”

When merger talks were first mentioned, I was curious about the fate of the Chevy Volt. The vehicle is expected to be available as a model year 2011 vehicle alongside the Chevy Cruze. The Automotive News article goes on to say that the Chevy Volt as well as the new Chevy Camaro are not going to be included in these cutbacks – whew!

Fast forward to this afternoon and Reuters has released updated information on the GM/Chrysler deal; evidently, there were several key points that were holding up the GM buyout of Chrysler from Cerberus but those both parties have reached agreements on these few issues.

“General Motors Corp and Cerberus Capital Management have resolved the major issues in a proposed GM-Chrysler merger, but the final form of any deal would depend on the financing and government support available, sources familiar with the talks said on Wednesday.” (Source: Reuters)

Stay tuned to The Green Motorist for more information on the GM and Chrysler buyout/merger plan.

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Earlier in the month, the Environmental Protection Agency released its list of the ten most fuel-efficient vehicles for model year 2009 (plus a list of the least fuel-efficient vehicles). We know that the ten vehicles on the EPA’s most fuel-efficient list will save you money at the gas pump and have reduced emissions over other vehicles in the class, but how will these vehicles fare in an automobile accident?

2009 Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius took the top spot in the EPA’s list of most fuel-efficient vehicles for 2009. In testing done under the oversight of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the United States Department of Transportation, the 2009 Toyota Prius received four and five stars in all of the categories. In a frontal crash, both the driver and passengers were rated as four stars. In a side crash, the front seat was rated at five stars and the rear seat at four. Rollover rates were also evaluated; the 2009 Toyota Prius has a 13% chance of a rollover in a single vehicle crash.

2009 Honda Civic Hybrid

The Honda Civic Hybrid is the second most fuel-efficient car for model year 2009. Like the Prius, the Civic Hybrid received four and five star safety ratings across the board. In a frontal crash, both the driver and passenger positions were rated at five stars. In a side crash, the front seat position was given four stars while the rear seat position was rated at five stars. The 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid has a 10% chance of rolling over in a single vehicle accident.

2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid

The 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid scored out higher than the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrids in safety ratings. The Altima Hybrid received five stars in the four categories included in the front and side crash ratings. Like the Civic Hybrid, the Altima Hybrid also has a 10% chance of a single-vehicle rollover.

While these three cars and several others in the top ten most fuel efficient vehicles list performed above average in safety tests, not all on the list did. The Smart Fortwo scored three stars in the frontal passenger rating and although it scored five stars in the side driver rating, there was a safety concern noted (no details of the specific concern were available.) In addition, the Smart Fortwo has a 21% rollover chance during a single vehicle accident. For more information on safety ratings visit the safercar.gov website.

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Alex Severinsky emigrated from the Soviet Union in 1978 and on October 30, 2008, he will be inducted into the Innovation Hall of Fame at the University of Maryland for his Hyperdrive power-amplified internal combustion engine power train. So what exactly is the Hyperdrive device that Severinsky designed? To put it in basic terms, it was the very first electric internal combustion engine design.

“Engineers at U.S. and Japanese automakers were interested in Severinsky’s invention, but top management resisted. A staff engineer at Toyota later developed the same idea as Severinsky for hybrids. When the Toyota Prius was introduced, Severinsky fought to protect his patent rights. After a protracted legal battle with Toyota, he won the civil case in 2005. (Additional litigation is in progress.)” (Source: PR Newswire)

Severinsky’s interest in automobile technology continues to this day; in 2005, he started a new company – Fuelcor. The purpose of Fuelcor is to “make fuel instead of hunting for it by synthetically manufacturing hydrocarbon compounds from their ultimate products of decomposition – carbon dioxide and water.” (Source: University of Maryland website).

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The 2009 Jetta TDI is on the EPA’s list of most fuel-efficient vehicles and is eligible for a $1,300 federal tax credit as an advanced lean-burn technology vehicle. The 2009 Jetta comes in a 2.0L TDI Sedan model as well as a 2.0L TDI SportWagen; both of these models qualify for the tax credit. If you are shopping for a new, greener, vehicle – consider purchasing a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI.

“We’re proud to be the first manufacturer to offer a clean diesel vehicle for sale in all fifty states,” said Stefan Jacoby, CEO/President, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “We believe our Jetta TDI’s truly offer a no compromise alternative fuel driving experience, that provides the customer the best of both worlds—excellent fuel efficiency combined with a dynamic driving experience.” (Source: Volkswagen Media Site)

The Jetta TDI has an EPA fuel efficiency rating of 30 in the city and 41 on the highway. However, Volkswagen hired a third party (AMCI) to test the Jetta TDI in real-world conditions and the results were significantly higher. The company was able to obtain a 38 mpg average in city driving and 44 mpg on the highway.

The Volkswagen Jetta TDI sedan has an MSRP starting at $21,990. The Jetta TDI SportWagen will start at $23590.

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Although the majority of discussions regarding fuel-efficient vehicles these days are about hybrid cars, not everyone is in a position to fork over $20,000 for a new hybrid. Even the 2009 Honda Insight Hybrid priced at $18,500 is still out of many people’s budget for a daily commuter. The official EPA fuel efficiency ratings have been released and several model year 2009 vehicles have respectable mpg ratings but cost several thousand less than a hybrid.

2009 Toyota Yaris

The 2009 Toyota Yaris has a starting MSRP of just $12,205 and EPA mpg ratings of 29 miles per gallon in the city and 36 on the highway for the 4-cylinder, 1.5L manual model. Based on the averages set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency, the annualized fuel cost for the vehicle is $1,366 and the Yaris’ carbon footprint score is 5.7 (measured in tons of carbon dioxide emitted in a year.)

2009 Toyota Corolla

Toyota has a second reasonably priced and fuel efficient alternative to its Toyota Prius Hybrid – the Toyota Corolla. The MSRP for the Toyota Corolla starts at $15,350 and the annualized fuel expenses is estimated to be $1,454. The carbon footprint of the Corolla is higher than the Yaris coming in at a 6.1. However, it still falls in the above average range. Toyota is also running a finance special on the Corolla with a 0% financing offer for well-qualified buyers.

2009 Honda Fit

Fans of Honda vehicles can now purchase a 2009 Honda Fit; with an MSRP of $14,550 and a 28 city/35 highway mpg rating, the Fit is a nice alternative to the Honda Civic Hybrid. The estimated annual fuel expenses on a Fit are $1,410. The Honda Civic Hybrid’s annualized fuel cost is $1,039 but the starting price is $9,000 more than the fit - $23,550.

2009 Chevrolet Aveo

Japanese makers do not have the corner on well-priced and fuel-efficient vehicles. General Motor’s Chevy Aveo also fits the bill with a 27 city/34 highway mpg rating and a carbon footprint of 6.1. The Aveo starts at $12,625. The all-new Pontiac G3 Wave is the Aveo’s cousin and shares the same fuel efficiency stats as the Aveo. Both vehicles have an estimated annual fuel expense of $1,454.

If you’re in the market for a new car and want to green up your ride without emptying your bank account, one of these models are worth a test drive.

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News on upcoming electric vehicle initiatives is not just limited to the United States, Europe and Japan; Australia is jumping on the map with a planned electric vehicle network. Better Place, a United States-based company, is collaborating with AGL (an Australian power company) and Macquarie Capital to raise AUD $1 billion for an electric vehicle network.

This new partnership has its eyes on building EV networks in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane; the power for these networks will come from a renewable energy source via AGL.

“Under the plan, the three cities will each have a network of between 200,000 and 250,000 charge stations by 2012 where drivers can plug in and power up their electric cars. The points would probably be at homes and businesses, car parks and shopping centres….

In addition, 150 switch stations will be built in each city and on major freeways, where electric batteries can be automatically replaced in drive-in stations similar to a car wash.” (Source: AFP)

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Filed Under: Australia, Eco Friendly, electric vehicles