weight

Americans have gained weight over the last thirty years, and not just around the midsection. American garages and driveways have also put on pounds as cars have become larger and more powerful. A new study from MIT says that, if not for the increase in vehicle weight, we could already be ...

Americans, on average, have gained enough weight during the past 40 years to cancel out automakers' vehicle-lightweighting efforts such as using lighter components or removing spare tire, reflecting an additional challenge automakers face to meet progressively more strict fuel-economy and ...

Hybrid models don't just have the advantage of fuel economy over their gas-only siblings – it appears that batteries and electric motors make them safer as well. To find this out, the Highway Loss Data Institute studied 25 2003 to 2011 vehicles that featured both conventional and hybrid ...

The 2012 Fisker Karma is officially rated by the EPA at 52 MPGe and 20 miles per gallon when its battery runs out of juice. In addition, the plug-in boasts 32 miles of electric-only range. Though these numbers can feel disappointing, there's a reason for the Karma's less than stellar EPA numbers. ...

News outlet Nikkei reports that Japan-based steelmakers and chemical firms are developing materials and components that will make vehicles significantly lighter. The reason? Putting an end to Japanese automakers procuring components from rivals overseas. These innovative lightweight materials ...

Stringent fuel economy guidelines unveiled by the Obama administration in late July will force the automotive industry to explore cost-effective lightweight materials for use in future vehicles, ...

At its annual technology day in Ingolstadt yesterday, Audi revealed more information about its redesigned 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel engine. The refreshed powerplant will be appearing in an array of products from the Volkswagen Group this year, including the new Touareg, Cayenne and the Porsche Q7 ...

Over the last few decades, the average weight of a vehicle sold in the U.S. climbed steadily after we got over the oil embargoes of the 1970s. Today, though, auto companies are putting a lot of effort into reducing weight – Lotus set up an entire lightweight structures division, BMW is ...

The next generation of BMW's 3-series looks like it will get some major revisions when it arrives in about two years. The new model is expected to be the first in the range to get new turbocharged three cylinder engines in both gas and diesel variants. The three-cylinder engines will likely be ...

Hyundai is already near the top of the fuel economy ranks in the U.S. market, but that's not enough to meet future requirements. Currently, Hyundai trails only Honda and Toyota in the CAFE race. Going forward, Hyundai plans to upgrade its powertrains and reduce mass to get its conventional vehicles ...