We Obsessively Cover the Green Scene…

General Motors appears to be looking to spur sales of its Chevrolet Volt by offering potential California customers a chance to lease the $40,000 extended-range plug-in vehicle with no cash down, GreenCarReports.com said, citing a California Chevrolet dealer.

GM is offering a so-called "Quad $0" lease program on the Volt, in which leasing the car requires no down payment, no security deposit, no first-month's payment and no cash due upon sale, the website said, citing Randall Baum at Quality Chevrolet in Escondido, CA. That program gives those interested in driving the car a chance to lease one for as little as $369 a month with no cash down.

General Motors spokesman Robert Peterson confirmed the lease program, though said it would apply only to the Volts already produced and not the ones that GM's making this year. The latter Volts will qualify for stickers that let solo drivers in high-occupancy-vehicle lanes, whereas the older Volts under the "Quad $0" program do not. Peterson also said there were no plans to make that program available outside of California.

GM appears to be looking to spur Volt sales in the most populous U.S. state in the wake of a January where sales totaled 603 vehicles, down 61 percent from its monthly-record December 2011. Last year, GM sold 7,671 Volts, down substantially from its 10,000-unit target and 2,003 units less than the Nissan Leaf battery-electric vehicle.

In addition to trying to sell a car with a pricetag that's about $7,000 more than the Leaf, the U.S. automaker is also dealing with safety concerns related to the Volt. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash test last summer of a Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in resulted in a fire three weeks later, though NHTSA said last month that its probe into the incident proved that electric-drive vehicles were no more a fire risk than conventional cars. GM also recently launched an ad campaign vouching for the car's safety.

When you drive a plug-in vehicle for the first time, it's common to get the "EV grin" that advocates have talked about for a long time. But, once that initial thrill quiets down a bit, something else can happen – you start to think about the bigger picture.

That's the road that Mini E (and now BMW ActiveE) driver Peder Norby is on, and so he did a few calculations to extrapolate his particular set-up – driving electric cars that are powered by the solar panels on his roof – to a lifetime of driving and wanted to share it with AutoblogGreen. We can argue the pros and cons of gasoline cars and the limitations of EV all day long, but Norby's numbers are impressive. His bottom line: just for the fuel, a gasoline-car driver will pay $275,000 over 50 years while a solar-powered EV driver will pay just $12,000.

This can be, of course, highly variable. Norby uses a 20-mile-per-gallon gas car and an average price of $3.50 as his fossil-fueled example. We all know that 20 mpg cars will not be available much longer. Still, the exact numbers don't matter as much as the gist. And Norby could have included other costs in the chart. He writes:

[The chart] does not include external cost such as the protection of oil, propping up oil supplying countries, clean up of oil, environmental or healthcare cost, nor does it include the cost of grid electricity at night when an electric car normally charges. ... Nor does the graph include the price of the cars themselves. A reasonable argument can be made for both the gasoline car and the electric car as to which one will be cheaper to own and maintain for the next 50 years. I'm betting on the electric car :)

We imagine that if our readers apply the math to their own situation, they'll also find it makes sense to put money down on EVs. Does it?

For the first time in ages, the Honda Civic Natural Gas is not the "greenest" car in the U.S. This year, it's the Mitsubishi i. At least, it is according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), which takes it upon itself to rank these sorts of things.

The CNG-powered Civic has made the top of the list for the past eight years (last year, the Nissan Leaf shared the No. 1 spot) but it drops to second place this year. Last year, ACEEE gave the Civic Natural Gas a score of 54, a number that takes into account "unhealthy tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and emissions of gases that contribute to climate change." This year, the i managed to rake in 58 points, which ACEEE says is the "highest Green Score awarded since the rankings began in 1998." That deserves a golf clap or two, even if the methodology for calculating the score changed for 2012 (details in the PR after the jump).

The ACEEE also figures out which vehicles are the dirtiest for its "Meanest" list. This year, the Chevrolet G3500 Express/GMC G3500 Savana cargo vans, Ford E-350 Wagon and Bugatti Veyron can claim this dubious honor.

More than three-quarters of the American public say limited driving range is a point of concern when considering an electric vehicle, while almost 30 percent indicated that they thought EVs were more dangerous than conventional vehicles, Consumer Reports said, citing responses to its 2012 Car Brand Perception survey.

Pedestrian risk stemming from the nearly silent motors on EVs and crash protection were also areas over concern. Still, many of those polled cited concerns over possible EV fires either stemming from the recharging process or from a crash, the publication said, after a phone survey of more than 1,700 U.S. adults it did in early December.

The concerns of possible fires likely stems from a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash test last summer of a Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in that resulted in a fire three weeks later. NHTSA said in January that its two-month investigation revealed that EVs pose no more of a fire risk than conventional vehicles. And late last month, Chevy parent General Motors started an ad campaign touting the Volt's safety.

That leaves single-charge range, which continues to be a sticking point with many potential car buyers, given that battery-electric cars such as the Nissan Leaf have a range that's just a fraction of what people are used to from a full tank of gas. Last summer, Deloitte's Australia-based Motor Industry Services released a survey stating that about 80 percent of Americans expect an electric car to have a range over 100 miles. This is also known as about 30 miles further than the Nissan Leaf can go (officially) on a full charge.

According to a number of reports, BMW has given up on diesel power for the 3 Series in the United States. Why would BMW turn its back on the torquey and efficient 335d? The reason is supposedly two-fold. It's no secret the automaker is bringing an ActiveHybrid 3 Series to market in the fall of this year. Given America's insatiable, if not illogical, thirst for hybrids, reason would have us believe BMW has switched sides in the diesel versus hybrid fight. Then there's the fact that the turbo four-cylinder gasoline engine in F30 328i now nearly matches the outgoing 335d in both efficiency and power. Those circumstances seem to be a curtain call for any return of the 335d in America.

When we spoke to BMW about the supposed demise of the 335d, the automaker made it clear the ActiveHybrid 3 Series is in no way meant to replace the diesel. While the automaker doesn't plan to release a new 335d during 2012, the company is currently evaluating the case for a successor. Odds are, that means finding a way to make the vehicle a worthwhile investment for both consumers and the automaker.

When asked if that meant a turbo 2.0-liter diesel was an option, Tom Plucinsky, BMW product communications manager, said, "The F30 328i has the same EPA rating as the 335d. We need to up our game if we're going to continue to offer a 3 Series diesel in the U.S. It's a possibility."

So, don't go throwing dirt on the 3 Series diesel's coffin just yet.

Because nothing says environmental sustainability like a per-mile tax on electric vehicles.

That's what some Arizona legislators are proposing as a way to raise funds on the backs of those not paying taxes usually associated with fuel purchases.

Arizona Representative Steve Farley is proposing HB #2257, which would tax drivers of electric vehicles as much as 1.43 cents per mile. GreenCarReports.com notes that the Oregon legislature is reviewing a similar plan, while Washington State and Kansas are also looking at special electric-car taxes.

The Arizona proposal isn't exactly onerous – at an average fuel cost of $3.50 a gallon, a driver taxed at 1.43 cents a mile would have to drive about 244 miles to rack up taxes equivalent to a gallon of gas, making the tax about half as costly as the electricity needed to propel a Nissan Leaf.

Still, the proposal marks another effort by some Arizona legislators to take away some incentives for buying electric-drive vehicles. Last month, Arizona repealed an emissions program designed to cut vehicle emissions just one year after it was enacted. Arizona's Clear Cars program, which was approved in 2008, was voted down by a 5-1 margin by the Arizona Governor's Regulatory Review Council, according to CronkiteNewsOnline.com. On top of this, any time a tax based on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) was discussed in the past, people were opposed to the idea.

Buick launched its mid-size Regal sedan in late 2010 as a 2011 model, with the Turbo, high-performance GS and eAssist models following suit over the past year. Now, General Motors' tri-shield arm has announced a couple of powertrain updates that will go into effect for the 2013 model year, namely the discontinuation of the naturally aspirated 2.4-liter inline-four in the base Regal.

For 2013, the Regal's standard engine is the 2.4-liter eAssit powerplant – a mill that, according to the EPA, is good for up to 36 miles per gallon on the highway. Buick pulled a similar stunt with its larger LaCrosse, killing off the base 2.4 in favor of the eAssist powertrain with a V6 available as a no-cost option. That said, Buick has not announced pricing for the updated 2013 Regal line, but we'll be interested to see if the 220-horsepower 2.0-liter inline-four of the Regal Turbo will be available at no additional cost.

The 270-hp Regal GS carries over largely unchanged, though as initially promised, a six-speed automatic transmission will now be optional. Buick states that the self-shifting unit will not hinder performance (well, except for that whole shift-on-your-own-terms thing), citing that the automatic-equipped Regal GS will sprint to 60 miles per hour in 6.7 seconds, just like manual-equipped cars.

Buick will release full pricing and availability for the 2013 Regal line later this year. In the meantime, read the full details for yourself in the press release below the fold.

This isn't good. The Associated Press is reporting that Fisker Automotive has stopped production of the Fisker Karma (*UPDATE: Not true, says Fisker PR: "We are currently producing 20-25 Karmas a day and will continue to do so.") and laid off 26 Delaware employees and 40 contractors in California. The carmaker is reportedly looking to conserve cash while attempting to renegotiate loans granted by the Department of Energy. *UPDATE: We have gotten a statement from Fisker about the situation, which you can find after the jump. The Karma is not mentioned, just work on the Delaware plant, which is supposed to one day build the Nina.

Fisker originally signed on for a $529 million loan, of which only $193 million has been received. Fisker reportedly cannot get at the remaining funds, which are earmarked for the delayed Nina project, because the automaker failed to meet Karma sales targets that were a condition of the loan. A few days ago, Fisker lowered its sales expectations for the $100,000 Karma to a still very lofty 10,000 units in 2012.

Fisker spokesman Roger Ormisher told the AP that the automaker is hoping for a speedy resolution to its cash crunch. We hope so too, or Fisker could be in a heap of trouble.

When it came to January alt-fuel sales, there was Toyota, and then there was everyone else.

While the world's biggest maker of hybrids appeared to get back on track and get its supply chain in order after last year's Japan tsunami hampered production, most advanced-powertrain models other automakers sold in the U.S. experienced a substantial dropoff despite the fact that gas prices were up about 10 percent from a year earlier.

Other automakers weren't so fortunate.

Toyota, whose Prius generally accounts for about half of the hybrids sold in the U.S., sold 11,555 units of the model, up 8.7 percent from a year earlier after sales fell 3.2 percent for all of 2011. Meanwhile, Toyota, which didn't disclose figures for any other individual hybrid models, boosted sales of its non-Prius hybrids by 54 percent from a year earlier to 3,087 vehicles, indicating that buyers appear to be taking to the Camry Hybrid that debuted late last year. And Toyota's Lexus luxury badge increased January sales by 60 percent to 1,963 vehicles, likely a reflection of demand for the Lexus CT 200h hatchback that launched last year.

Other automakers weren't so fortunate. Honda, whose 2011 hybrid sales fell 5.9 percent from a year earlier, continued to see lagging demand for its models. January hybrid sales plunged 58 percent from a year earlier to just 1,304 vehicles, with Honda's best-selling hybrid – the Insight – moving just 492 vehicles. The Honda CR-Z sport-coupe hybrid had a 59 percent drop in sales to 363 vehicles, while the Honda Civic Hybrid sales fell 31 percent.

Meanwhile, Ford didn't fare much better, taking a 35 percent hit in hybrid sales from a year earlier to 1,209 vehicles in January. The U.S. automaker, which will start selling the Ford Focus Electric this year, saw all three of its hybrids – the Escape, the Fusion and the Lincoln MKZ – have sales declines north of 30 percent.

The only other bright spots, aside from Toyota, were General Motors and Nissan.

The only other bright spots, aside from Toyota, were General Motors and Nissan. Nissan, whose Altima and Infiniti M-Series Hybrids sell in very limited numbers, boosted January sales of its battery-electric Leaf almost sevenfold from a year earlier to 676 vehicles.

GM also boosted alt-fuel sales from a combination of more demand for the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in, and from sales of the new Buick LaCrosse eAssist. The latter model moved 803 vehicles and accounted for about 20 percent of all LaCrosses sold in January, while the Volt almost doubled year-earlier sales to 603 vehicles.

Still, a closer look indicates a potential tapering off in interest for some electric-drive technology, at least for now. Leaf sales fell 29 percent from the 954 vehicles sold in December, which may just as well reflect the overall drop in car sales between January and December (Prius sales in January were down 32 percent from a month earlier). Volt sales, on the other hand, plunged 61 percent from December, which was a monthly record for the vehicle. And the Mitsubishi i battery-electric vehicle, which debuted in the U.S. in November, moved just 36 units last month, less than half of the 76 vehicles sold in December.

As for diesel-powered models sold by German automakers, the results were split. Volkswagen in January boosted diesel-vehicle sales by 30 percent from a year earlier to 4,789 units, while Audi's diesel sales fell 10 percent from a year earlier to 703 vehicles.

Heather Peters, who last week was awarded almost $10,000 in a California court in damages over claims that Honda falsely advertised the fuel economy of its Civic Hybrid, is delivering a petition to the 50 state attorneys general urging that class-action plaintiffs against the automaker bargain for a better settlement. As of today, almost 1,150 people have signed the petition.

Peters, who was awarded $9,867.19 in small claims court, said in a press release that Honda's offer of as much as $200 in cash and as much as $1,000 off a new Honda was "ridiculous," and that the plaintiffs could do better by opting out of the current class-action complaint. Peters said that the deadline to object to Honda's current settlement offer is February 11.

Last week, the small claims court commissioner in Torrance, CA, ruled that Honda misled Peters by estimating that its Civic Hybrid could get as much as 50 miles per gallon, according to the Los Angeles Times. Honda said it would appeal the decision.

In her case, Peters alleged that her 2006 Civic Hybrid never reached more than 42 miles per gallon and that the car's fuel economy dropped to less than 30 miles per gallon after Honda performed a software update on the car. Honda was the defendant in a class-action lawsuit stemming from the automaker's estimates of fuel economy for the 2003-07 model years, which were 49 miles per gallon city and 51 highway. Honda settled that lawsuit out of court in 2009, after which 26 state attorneys general called the settlement unfair because attorneys made more from the case than the defendants did.

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.

When Toyota announced its return to endurance sports car racing with the new TS030 Hybrid this season, the plan was to enter a handful of races, like Le Mans and Spa-Francorchamps, on an invitational basis.

Plans change, though, and Toyota has now upgraded the program to a full manufacturer entry, paving the way for it to compete in the entire FIA World Endurance Championship schedule. Now, with budget constraints, it's likely that Toyota will still pick and choose which races to contest, but it does open the door.

The change was apparently made in order to support endurance racing as a motorsport discipline. As part of its arrangement with the FIA, organizers at the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) need at least two manufacturers in the LMP1 category. With Peugeot's withdrawal, the series lacked the requisite level of participation, so Toyota stepped up to fill the void. Follow the jump for the full announcement.

Nissan is headed to the Geneva Motor Show in March with a brand new hatchback concept. Called Invitation, this five-door should give us an idea of what the Japanese manufacturer has planned for its next B-segment contender. The concept borrows a bit from the likes of the Honda Fit, though that's no bad thing. With a clean, athletic design, the Invitation is a refreshing break from some of the automaker's more questionable exteriors.

Nissan hasn't divulged any drivetrain details as of yet, though the company has said each of the Invitation derivatives will be eligible to wear the company's Pure Drive badge. That means the production-version Invitation will be among the most efficient and economical vehicles Nissan produces. We do know the hatch will boast the ever-cool around-view monitor system along with a full slate of tech goodies. Hit the jump for the full press release and be sure to keep an eye open for our Geneva show coverage of the concept's official unveiling.

Pennsylvania, one of the last states holding out against legalizing neighborhood-electric vehicles (NEVs) – such as those from Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), pictured – for street use, may change its laws to allow NEVs on some streets with speed limits as high as 35 miles per hour, according to AOL's Patch website for Warmister, PA.

The State Senate passed a bill that would allow NEVs on any street with a posted speed limit of no more than 25 mph and on some roads where the speed limit is as high as 35 mph. The bill, which was sponsored by the appropriately -named Senator Stewart Greenleaf and which doesn't include golf carts, will go before the state's House of Representatives for possible approval.

NEVs have long been popular with governments and operators of entities such as college campuses and planned communities because of their relatively small footprint, rechargability and lower pricetag – their lead-acid batteries keep the cost of a typical NEV at about $9,000.

NEVs are also gradually gaining favor as on-street vehicles. Green-technology research firm Pike Research estimated last year that global annual NEV sales will increase to almost 55,000 vehicles in 2017 from about 37,000 last year, with North America accounting for about half those totals. Global sales of NEVs, which are street-legal in 46 states, could surge further if China makes them street-legal.