We Obsessively Cover the Green Scene…

Stellar fuel efficiency is still the name of the game when it comes to our long-term Volkswagen Jetta TDI, as it's averaging well over its EPA-estimated 30 city and 42 highway miles per gallon in our hands. In fact, with a deft throttle foot, it's not terribly difficult to crest the 50-mpg plateau on long, steady-state trips.

The oil-burning steed recently made the trek from Southern California to the Phoenix, Arizona area so that our resident photographer, Drew Phillips, could make sure we got all the right shots as we lead-footed our way around the Bondurant circuit with the Chevy Camaro ZL1.

Parking the Jetta TDI next to the Camaro ZL1 was an interesting exercise - it's hard to imagine two vehicles more diametrically opposed than these. And, needless to say, moving directly from 580 supercharged horsepower in the ZL1 to just 140 horses in the VW took a bit of right-foot recalibration.

The good news is that, with 236 pound-feet of torque on tap, the Jetta TDI is fun to drive in its own right. Short-shifting the six-speed manual gearbox to keep the diesel mill in its sweet spot produces the most satisfying experience in the Jetta, and it allows you to feel the rush of torque as the turbocharger gets a hold of the spent diesel fumes, pushing your body into the seatback.

Owning an electric car with a reasonable range could be a very practical solution for many drivers. After all, pulling into the garage at the end of the day and plugging in your car can be a huge time saver if it means you can forgo the gas pump, not to mention the potential environmental benefits. That is, if you have access to a plug.

As we recently found out after driving a 2011 Nissan Leaf for a week, the availability of electrical outlets can be a major downer on EV ownership. Our test car spent a week in the Phoenix, AZ area, and was parked overnight in a covered parking garage. No problem, since there were indeed unused outlets in the structure, so we could plug it in. Except that we couldn't.

It seems the property management company that oversees the garage decided that electric cars were not allowed to draw power. The problem, as so often is the case, came down to monetary concerns. It seems that, without having a way to measure how much power was being consumed by the electric car, management decided it could not accurately charge the driver for any electricity consumed. This is despite the fact that the garage serves a building with tenants that pay the electricity bill.

We understood the monetary aspects involved, so we offered to pay the property management company a fee of their choosing (after jointly considering local rates) to use an outlet for a week, which was declined. The end result? We charged the Leaf at the nearest local Nissan dealer free of charge.

It turns out ours wasn't an isolated issue. According to a report from TheTruthAboutCars.com, at least one Chevrolet Volt owner in Ontario, Canada has been blocked from charging his car in his unit's parking garage unless he installs his own separate charging system. Interestingly enough, something similar also happened to Derek Kreindler, who wrote the story for TTAC.

We don't really see an easy solution to this problem, so we suggest speaking to your property management company, if applicable, before signing on the electrified dotted line... or at least know where your nearest fast charger is located.

Less than a year after everyone with any sort of say in the matter seemed to agree that 54.5 miles per gallon by the year 2025 was a properly attainable goal, the California Air Resources Board has decided to change things up a bit.

In addition to CAFE requirements of a 54.5-mpg fleet average (using the government's formula, not what you see on window stickers), at least 15.4 percent of all cars sold by any major automaker doing business in California will have to be either fully electric, a plug-in hybrid or be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell by 2025. There are questions about the "over-compliance" section of the bill, which we'll be investigating further.

According to Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board, 15.4 percent is "actually a relatively modest goal, but that's all that we're mandating." Most automakers are on board, says Nichols. "Probably the most heartening aspect of this whole rulemaking was the level of cooperation that we received from the industry... Overall, the degree of support for the package was just extraordinary."

Even if automakers are on board, though, there's still a question of who will actually buy the vehicles. While everyone wants better fuel efficiency, not everyone is willing to pay for it, counters the California New Car Dealers Association, estimating that the plan would add about $3,200 to the average price of a new car or truck. Perhaps to help dissuade such fears, Nichols added that "direct incentives to people who buy these cars (like) rebates and credits" are also in the works.

At least 10 more states are likely to follow California's lead, reports Automotive News. That would put the total number of advanced green vehicles (either with a plug or powered by hydrogen) at around three million total units by 2025, 1.4 million of which would be in California.

We don't imagine that many new-car buyers are cross-shopping their local Infiniti and Porsche dealerships, but there's at least one segment of the automotive industry where the two automakers both play ball: high-performance hybrid luxury sedans, which may be the single most conflicted niche of the automotive sphere in the known universe.

In any case, here we are with the Infiniti M35h and Porsche Panamera S Hybrid. Each one is marketed as both a somewhat greener luxury vehicle and a performance sedan. We'd guess it's the performance side of the equation that would be most interesting to the majority of buyers, leaving fuel efficiency a welcome bonus.

So, which one is faster? That's an interesting question. Usually, we equate that term with top speed, as "fast" connotes velocity. When acceleration is being contested, we generally ask which machine is quickest. And, if it's quickness you're after, Infiniti wants you to know that its M35h will out-accelerate its competitor from Germany. How quick is it? According to Motor Trend, the hybrid M goes from 0-60 in 5.1 seconds, but that's not the stat Infiniti is claiming. According to the post-jump press release, the M35h is "faster" than the hybrid Panamera from 0-100 (11.54 seconds) and in the quarter mile (13.41 seconds).

As for the rest of the relevant statistics, the EPA estimates that the M35h will manage 27 miles per gallon in the city and 32 on the highway, for a combined rating of 29. The Porsche Panamera S Hybrid is rated at 22 city, 30 highway and 25 combined. Seems the M hybrid takes both the acceleration and economy awards. Check out a video released by Infiniti after the break, where you'll also find the press release, if you're into that kind of thing.

As any Acura diehard would be quick to tell you, a revival of the iconic NSX is long overdue. In true Honda fashion, the automaker decided that, if it was going to go to the trouble of producing a legitimate sportscar, it was going to take on the very best in the industry. Suffice it to say, the NSX delivered the goods.

We now have a new concept to drool over. While the last conceptual sportscar Acura showed off left NSX purists with a sour taste in their mouths – a V10 engine mounted up front was a far cry from the lightweight and high-revving mid-engine V6 of the original – we have a strong feeling that nobody is going to turn their noses up at this new NSX Concept.

Like its forebear, this latest take on the NSX promises to shed excess weight through the use of a high-tech platform made from the latest lightweight materials. Power, as with the original, will come from a V6 mounted behind the two occupants that sends its power to the rear wheels; except this time, it will be augmented by an electric motor.

Acura's latest SH-AWD incorporates one electric motor in a dual-clutch transmission, forming a hybrid setup. Additionally, two more motors can instantly send negative or positive torque to the front wheels during cornering for improved handling and efficiency, and the whole package can be tailored via software. Acura says the new all-wheel-drive system will provide "supercar acceleration while offering outstanding efficiency."

We're not so sure environmentalists are ready to accept the notion of an eco-friendly supercar, but it's clear Acura's parents at Honda are keen to keep emissions and fuel usage in check. "In this new era, even as we focus on the fun to drive spirit of the NSX, I think a supercar must respond positively to environmental responsibilities," says Takanobu Ito, president and CEO of Honda Motor Co.

Acura isn't saying how much horsepower its V6 engine and three electric motors will amount to, but we're not expecting outlandish figures. The automaker says it's aiming for an "extremely favorable power-to-weight ratio." We like the sound of that, and hope the production version, which is expected within the next three years, delivers on this laudable promise. Check out the complete press release after the break.

Don't call it a Ragster. Though it shares its basic body shape with the slammed New Beetle that debuted at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show, the Volkswagen E-Bugster is a completely new concept that's based on the latest version of VW's iconic Beetle. And it's electric.

That electric motor puts out 114-horsepower (85 kW) and 199 pound-feet of torque, which out to be plenty to get this squashed Bug down the road with a quickness. Range is listed at about 100 miles, courtesy of a 695-pound lithium ion battery pack that resides both under the rear seats and trunk floor. A charging port is located under the VW logo at the car's nose, and, depending on the charger being used, an 80-percent charge can happen in just 30 minutes.

The electric drivetrain is only half of the story. The E-Bugster's most distinctive styling element is no doubt its chopped roof, which, when combined with the wide, flat windshield, makes the E-Bugster look like a 2012 Beetle that's seen a California-based plastic surgeon customizing shop. Also take notice of the 20-inch wheels, which remind us a bit of the Fuchs wheels seen on many retro Beetles all around the country.

But you don't have to take our word for it. Check out our high-res image gallery of live photos from Detroit, and then read the full press release after the break.

Before we go any further, let's just acknowledge the obvious: The Nissan e-NV200 Concept has a face only its mother could love. As far as styling goes, what we see is basically the Japanese automaker's NV200 with the fascia of the electric Leaf grafted on up front. To top it all off, the e-NV200 is painted in the Leaf's familiar shade of Aqua Blue.

Inside, the e-NV200 features two foldable rows of seating for passengers. The driver is treated to a unique instrument cluster that Nissan calls a flat C-cluster display. There are also some so-called EV Meters, which we assume must bean battery gauges and telematics.

Moving past its unfortunate exterior aesthetics, we see plenty of good in the electric van's conceptual design. Nissan says that the e-NV200's laminated 24 kWh lithium-ion battery will provide similar range as the Leaf. That means an estimate of between 47 and 105 miles. Like the Leaf, the e-NV200 is powered by an 80kW electric motor that's rated at 207 pound-feet of torque.

Because it's based on the NV200, there's plenty of room inside for passengers, cargo or both. Nissan figures its electric van would be suitable for both commercial and passenger use in large metropolitan areas. The fact that Nissan's small van is also slated for taxi use in New York offers one potential usage scenario. Under that kind of scenario, the fact that it doesn't burn gasoline could turn into significant cost savings.

Though the e-NV200 is being shown in concept form at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, Nissan is calling the electric van a potential mass-production vehicle. Check out all the images in our high-res gallery above, and be sure to click past the break for a video and the official press release.

Close your eyes and concentrate for a moment. Imagine that you're driving in a car, and over the course of the trip, you accelerate, travel at a specific speed and eventually stop. Done? Good. Now, what did it sound like?

Naturally, the answer to that question depends on a number of factors, such as how fast you were traveling and, perhaps more importantly, what kind of vehicle you were driving. As such, when it comes time for a movie studio to add a soundtrack to a motion picture, there are a slew of variables that will ultimately dictate what sounds to include.

Interestingly enough, this exact scenario played out at Universal Studios, and the action was captured on both the sound recorder and the video recorder. First up is a Chevrolet Corvette, which, as you might expect, sung a high-horsepower tune of screeching tires punctuated by the bass staccato of a large-displacement V8. You must admit, it sounds good.

But what if the movie plot calls for something a little less... petroleum powered? According to Universal Studios, such a sound recording is a little bit more difficult to achieve, as the sounds of an electric motor are quite a bit more subtle than the combustion of hydrocarbons in a cylinder. Check out the video after the break to see how it's done, as demonstrated by the Chevy Volt.

Surely you're hip to the Diet Coke and Mentos phenomenon of a few years ago. When an enterprising duo realized that the hard-coated candies interacted with the soda in an explosive way, an internet meme was instantly born. Over the last couple of years, though, interest in the parlor trick seemed to wane. Until now.

Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz, the two men who helped kick off the fun in the first place, are back, claiming a new record for the longest distance traveled in a car powered by Diet Coke and Mentos: 239 feet.

No, that doesn't seem very far to us, either, though Mark II of their machine is a marked improvement over Mark I. The Mark II vehicle is more aerodynamic and seems to have less mass than its predecessor, which positioned the rider way out in front over a bicycle-like contraption. That said, we think Grobe and Voltz do even better... especially since they used just half the fuel this time 'round.

After dissecting the video, we believe there's a lot more power in the Diet Coke and Mentos recipe to be had, and there must be a better way to stop so much of the fuel from leaking out instead of providing forward thrust. Duct tape, perhaps?

Until they try again with Mark III, feel free to check out the latest Diet Coke and Mentos-powered car in the video after the break.

Spontaneous combustion concerns weeks after a crash may prompt General Motors to spend about $1,000 per Chevrolet Volt to fix, according to a report from Reuters. The proposed fixes, which would cost a total of $9 million, would likely include reinforcements around vulnerable areas of the car's battery pack, lamination of electric circuitry and better protection for the coolant system to stop leaks.

After a severe crash that causes damage to the Volt's battery pack, coolant can leak out, and if the battery is not discharged, a fire may start. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration discovered the fire danger this past summer when one of its crashed Volts caught fire three weeks after testing. Two more batteries later caught fire when put through simulated crash testing by NHTSA.

Despite the fire risks, both NHTSA and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have said they have no plans to change their safety ratings for the Volt. Both organizations gave Chevy's electric car top marks for safety after initial crash testing.

GM has repeatedly said that the Volt is safe to drive and poses no immediate risk of fire after an accident. Yesterday, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood echoed that sentiment. Buyers have been offered loaner cars while the automaker investigates a solution and has vowed to buy back Volts from any owners who no longer want the car due to safety concerns. So far, a "couple dozen" Volt owners have taken GM up on the offer.

Fed up with the price of gas? We feel your pain. Depending on what state you live in, gas is likely to be found for somewhere between three and four dollars per gallon – and make no mistake, that figure is enough to amount to a sizable chunk of the average American's monthly paycheck.

A new Pentagon report obtained by The Wall Street Journal suggests that American motorists should consider themselves lucky to have such affordable fuel: U.S. military operations stationed in Afghanistan are paying a lot more than that... up to $400 per gallon of fuel delivered to troops on the ground – 100 times what we are asked to shell out. Yikes.

The astronomical cost of fuel is due in part to how it must be delivered: by parachute. Huge military cargo planes operated by the Air Force fly to a remote drop zone and send dozens of pallets to the ground, containing items like food, water and, of course, fuel.

There's more bad news. Due to the dangers of setting up ground-based supply convoys, the military fully expects that air-drops will be increasingly necessary in the coming months and years. And that means our military's fuel bill is only going to get more and more expensive.

Check out a couple of video reports explaining the issue after the break.

Regardless of what you may think of Honda's current styling direction or the excitement level of its latest models, we have the utmost respect for the automaker's engineering talent. So, when Honda sets itself a goal to achieve "top-of-industry fuel efficiency in every vehicle class within three years", it catches our attention.

Honda's so-called Earth Dreams Technology will encompass everything from gasoline and diesel engines to transmissions (including a CVT that will supposedly be both fun to drive and highly fuel efficient) and, of course, hybrids and fully electric vehicles.

Acura will get knee-deep in the efficiency game as well, as parent company Honda is also promising an hybrid SH-AWD system that will feature two 20kW electric motors that will independently drive their own wheels along with a 30kW electric motor to assist the 3.5-liter V6 engine and seven-speed automatic gearbox.

Of course, Honda will have some stiff competition to that end, as both Hyundai and Ford have made similar overtures over the last few years. That said, all it takes is one look at the comprehensively outlined plan in the press release after the break to realize the seriousness with which Honda is making this pledge.

"Considering all factors (price, reliability, comfort, enjoyment, etc.), would you get this car if you had it to do all over again?"

Perhaps no other question could produce a result as indicative of overall vehicle satisfaction, and so it's no surprise that's the query Consumer Reports poses to its subscribers every year, and for 2011, the Chevy Volt scored highest of all with 93 percent of respondents indicating they definitely would buy GM's plug-in sedan again.

It's not all lollipops and rainbows with the Volt these days, though, as Consumer Reports points out in the press release pasted after the break. For one thing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had not yet opened its investigation into the Chevrolet Volt and other plug-in cars for spontaneous combustion after an accident. Plus, owners of the Volt had only been in possession of the keys to their PHEVs for a few months when the survey was sent out.

Second and third place went to the V8-powered Dodge Challenger and Porsche 911, respectively, each with a rating of 91 percent. Somewhat paradoxically, CR says its readers tend to give higher scores both to cars with fuel-saving powertrain technology and those with high-powered engines, which helps explain the top three finishers.

Audi, Chevrolet, and Ford each had four models earning scores of 80 percent or higher. A total of 27 vehicles scored in that 80th-percentile group. Cars receiving the lowest scores were the Chevrolet Aveo (37 percent), all-wheel-drive Toyota Matrix (43 percent), and Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck (47 percent). Read more in the press release after the break.

Batteries aren't the only technology mankind has invented to store electricity, and Mazda is working on a solution to the energy storage needs of electrified vehicles with a new system it's calling i-ELOOP. While we wish it didn't have such a cumbersome moniker, the technology behind i-ELOOP is intriguing.

Mazda claims that its i-ELOOP system will be featured in the first production passenger vehicle with recaptured energy from regenerative braking stored in a capacitor. The rest of the bits and pieces behind the tech include a variable voltage alternator and a DC/DC converter that sends energy otherwise lost to heat in the brakes at up to 25 volts to the Electric Double Layer Capacitor, where it's stored for later use.

There's no electric motor in the i-ELOOP drivetrain, so the capacitor releases its energy to recharge the car's battery and to help power electric components like the heating and air conditioning systems. All in all, Mazda promises fuel savings of up to 10 percent over cars not equipped with regenerative braking. Read all about it in the press release after the break.