Hybrids and green

Apple, Ferrari in talks to broaden in-car infotainment pact

Ferrari is in negotiations to expand its in-car entertainment partnership with Apple, the luxury-car maker's chairman revealed today as the company unveiled a car with Siri and two iPad Minis.

The companies will be "more precise" about their partnership in the coming months, Luca Cordero Di Montezemolo said today at the Geneva International Motor Show, according to a Bloomberg account of his comments. CNET has contacted Apple for more comment and will update this report when we learn more.

The partnership apparently began last November when Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president for Internet software and … Read more

Tesla's Elon Musk flames Times review in Geneva

GENEVA--What started out as a routine press conference on Tesla's presentation of the Model X and Model S at the 2013 Geneva auto show became turbulent as a reporter questioned CEO Elon Musk on a recent New York Times article critical of Tesla's new sedan.

The reporter seemed to be taking the side of New York Times' reporter John Broder, who ran out of electricity while driving a Model S. Musk responded repeatedly and forcefully that the Times article was false, citing the car's own logs as proof. As the reporter at the Geneva show continued the … Read more

3D-printed car saves money, energy

It wasn't long ago when 3D printing was a really cool concept we liked to daydream about. Now, it's gearing up to change our lives. We've seen 3D-printed buildings, portraits, organs, prosthetics, food, couture, a moon base, and even a pen for all your creative and repair needs. What's missing?

3D-printed transport, of course.

That, however, could change if engineer Jim Kor has his way. Heading up the team behind 3D-printed electric car Urbee, Kor has more than 35 years of experience in designing automotive, bus, rail, agricultural and heavy mobile equipment, as well as civil … Read more

2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid misses its fuel economy mark

Aesthetics may be subjective, but I believe the 2013 Ford Fusion is the best-looking midsize sedan of the current crop. Despite its trout-mouth grille, the Fusion exudes premium-car style. The only other midsize sedan that comes close in looks is the new Honda Accord.

But a midsize sedan must do more than look pretty. This class of car tends to be a multipurpose vehicle for a majority of Americans, a comfortable car for the daily commute that can also take the family to the relatives' on holidays. It is the weekend errand runner and road-trip vacationer.

The Fusion, with its … Read more

Tesla CEO: NYT review cost us $100M in value -- Bloomberg

The New York Times/Tesla debacle may have cost the car maker $100 million in value, Tesla's CEO told Bloomberg.

Elon Musk, speaking on Bloomberg TV, said "a lot" of people canceled orders for Tesla's Model S following a scathing New York Times review.

"It probably affected us to the tune of tens of millions, to the order of $100 million, so it's not trivial," Musk said. "I would say that refers more to the valuation of the company. It wasn't as though there were 1,000 cancellations just due to … Read more

2013 Ford C-Max Energi moonlights as an electric car

For those not ready to jump feet-first into the electric-vehicle pool, the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi offers a toe-dipping experience, a chance to check the water temperature before committing to the deep dive. And after experiencing the C-Max Energi, any reservations about electric cars should be erased.

The C-Max Energi is a variant of Ford's C-Max Hybrid, a funky European-derived car abounding in sheer practicality. In our testing, the C-Max Hybrid achieved consistent low-40s fuel economy, while offering a large amount of versatile interior space.

Due to a larger lithium ion battery pack, the C-Max Energi sacrifices some of … Read more

McLaren P1 supercar to debut as plug-in hybrid

When McLaren showed off its P1 supercar as a concept at last year's Paris Motor Show, I predicted it would have a similar engine to McLaren's other car, the MP4-12C. Turns out I was half right.

McLaren announced that the P1, which receives its production debut at the International Motor Show in Geneva the first week of March, will host not only a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V-8, but an electric drive motor as well.

The P1 will be a plug-in hybrid, joining other production cars such as the Toyota Prius Plug-in and the Ford C-Max Energi. Crazy, right?… Read more

Tesla, the Times, and how to drive an electric car

This week's Tesla versus The New York Times flap came to a climax yesterday when Tesla released the logs it promised on its Web site, and the newspaper responded with a point-by-point refutation.

Tesla's post says that New York Times environmental reporter John Broder misrepresented the Model S' performance. Broder argues that he was simply following advice from Tesla personnel during the drive.

The original New York Times story painted the Model S with a negative brush, but as I wrote Wednesday, a close reading of the article shows that the Model S operated exactly as you'd … Read more

Tesla releases logs on disputed NYT car review

Tesla, the electric car maker, has made good on its promise of releasing logs connected to the contested New York Times' review of its Model S.

In the review, published Sunday, the Times' John Broder criticized the Model S for range issues and for problems in low-temperature environments. Tesla's founder and CEO, Elon Musk, has wasted no time trying to discredit the review, claiming that Broder's account of what happened was not factual.

Here's a brief list of issues Musk gleaned from the logs:

Despite Broder saying that he called a flatbed truck after the Model S … Read more