While fuel prices continue to skyrocket and a credit crisis is curbing consumer spending, more drivers are looking for ways to cut back on their fuel expenses. There are actually several ways to help drivers save up on fuel costs. These can range from choosing to walk or take the bicycle instead of driving, to installing modifications and devices that promise to help increase gas mileage.

There have been a slew of devices introduced into the market that are touted to have a positive effect in the effort to save gas. The Tornado Fuel Saver is one of these. It is basically a stainless steel, non-mechanical, turbine shaped device that is inserted into the either the air intake hose (if the vehicle is fuel injected) or the air filter housing (if the vehicle is carbureted). Its function is to change the flow of the air coming into the combustion chamber.

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In what could be a glimpse of the automotive industry’s future, electric cars grabbed the limelight at the ongoing ‘Mondial de l’ Automobile’ (Paris Motor Show) 2008 with several automakers unveiling a slew of new hybrid electric models. Most of the models, such as Renault SA’s Z.E. Concept, are still prototypes and could be several years away from production. Others, like Daimler AG’s all-electric Smart ED have entered the test phase.

Several automakers debuted new ready-for-production hybrid electric models. General Motors Corp. plans to get ahead of the pack with its rechargeable electric Chevrolet Volt, which is slated to go on sale by late 2010. “General Motors is betting an awful lot on the Volt, and I think it’s more than just an image issue, so we are all very interested in that,” said Finbarr O’Neill, head of international operations for J.D. Power & Associates.

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Chrysler makes a big jump into electric-hybrid technology with the announcement of three new production-intent vehicles that feature advanced electric-hybrid technology – one each for its brands Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep. The automaker also launched a new enclosed GEM low-speed neighborhood car. The new vehicles are the Dodge EV, an all-electric performance sports car; the Jeep EV, a range-extended electric vehicle based on the Jeep Wrangler; and the Chrysler EV, a Town & Country range-extended electric vehicle.

From this line up, Chrysler will select one electric-drive model to be produced in 2010 for the North American markets and after 2101 for European markets. The development of Chrysler’s line up of electric vehicles and range-extended electric vehicles is spearheaded by ENVI, an in-house organization that was created to focus on developing electric-drive production vehicles and related advanced technology.

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General Motors officially unveiled its much-anticipated production version of the Chevrolet Volt, its extended-range electric vehicle, just in time to kick off its next 100 years. The automaker is celebrating its one hundredth year this year. “Revealing the production version of the Chevy Volt is a great way to open our second century,” said Rick Wagoner, GM Chairman and CEO. “The Volt is symbolic of GM’s strong commitment to the future … just the kind of technology innovation that our industry needs to respond to today’s and tomorrow’s energy and environmental challenges.”

The Chevrolet Volt production version is redesigned from the original concept revealed at the 2007 North American International Auto Show. The new Volt now features a sleeker and more aerodynamically efficient design with rounded and flush front fascia, tapered corners and grille, sharp edges and streamlined spoiler as well as an aggressive rake on the windshield and back glass. Design elements from the original concept still endure such as the closed front grille, athletic stance, rear design graphics, outside rearview mirrors and more.

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General Motors announced that it will invest half a billion dollars to build and develop a new compact sized car, the Chevrolet Cruze. The Cruze is set to be officially unveiled at the Paris Motor show this October. It will be built at GM’s Lordstown, Ohio plant which also assembles the Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5.

GM chief executive Rick Wagoner said the Cruze would be a significant step toward ending the automaker’s reliance on big trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUV). The Cruze will replace the Cobalt, the most fuel-efficient compact car in the US and one of GM’s top selling vehicles.

GM says the Cruze will get 46 miles per gallon, a good 9 miles more than the Cobalt. It will go on sale in Europe and Asia by 2009, with a North American debut slated for 2010.

Via Forbes

Aiming squarely at the market-leading Toyota Prius, Honda Motor Co. will introduce a new gas-electric hybrid by April of 2009. Honda already has the most fuel-efficient lineup in the US. “We’re targeting sales of 100,000 units of this new vehicle in North America,” said Richard Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co. in a speech at the Center for Automotive Research Management Briefing Seminars.

The new Honda dedicated hybrid model will be priced lower than the Prius while offering superior performance in the hope of cutting through the market share of Toyota’s popular hybrid. It will also be priced lower than the hybrid gas-electric version of the Civic. Smaller than the Honda Civic, the new five-door car will feature a hybrid powertrain. Colliver further added that Honda wants to make the hybrid affordable to a new generation of buyers and it is not specifically trying to match Prius sales.

The automaker has not yet released fuel economy figures for the new hybrid. It will sell the new Prius competitor in the US, Japan and Europe. A new hybrid version of the Honda Fit has also been announced.

Via International Herald Tribune

The groundbreaking BMW Hydrogen 7, the first hydrogen-powered luxury sedan will join other hydrogen-powered cars in the 2008 Hydrogen Road Tour. The tour will take the convoy of environment-friendly cars across the country from Portland, Maine to Santa Monica, California. The goal of the tour is to call on congressional leaders to support the creation of nationwide hydrogen fuelling station infrastructure.

The BMW Hydrogen 7 stores liquid hydrogen to power its internal combustion engine, the only car on the tour to have this functionality. Since hydrogen produces zero emissions, it is one of the cleanest energy sources available. In fact, the Hydrogen 7’s tailpipe emission is water vapor, which recent studies confirm to be safe enough to drink as it is well within the limits set by the US Environmental Protection Agency for safe drinking water standards.

The tour will also include a mono-fuel version of the BMW Hydrogen 7 that features a V12 internal combustion engine which runs exclusively on hydrogen. The mono-fuel Hydrogen 7 was created to demonstrate the zero CO2 and low emissions potential and feasibility of a dedicated hydrogen internal combustion engine. The Hydrogen 7 mono-fuel doesn’t only produce close to zero emission; it actually helped clean the air.

The 2008 Hydrogen Road Tour will run from August 11 to 23 and is in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Energy, the California Fuel Cell Partnership and the National Hydrogen Association. In addition to BMW, participants include Daimler, GM, Honda, Hyundai-Kia, Nissan, Toyota, and VW. Also part of this broad coalition are hydrogen fuel providers Linde, BMW’s hydrogen fuel partner for the Tour, and Air Products.

Via The Auto Channel

Over the past two years, Ford has achieved significant improvements in vehicle quality, making its vehicles some of the best in the industry in terms of quality. Now that the domestic auto industry is in a slump, Ford isn’t taking any chances. The automaker has set an aggressive new target – best-in-class initial quality for compact cars the company will launch in North America by 2010.

“We aim to launch our new compact vehicles at 800 things gone wrong per 1,000 vehicles,” said Bennie Fowler, Ford’s group vice president, Global Quality. “That’s more than 500 TGWs less than the predicted industry average — and we believe these levels will ensure our upcoming small cars will achieve industry-best initial quality.”

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As the population of Americans 65 years and older is projected to double in the next twenty years, General Motors responds to the need for more elderly-friendly vehicles by developing a new windshield technology that will help drivers with vision problems see more clearly. The technology is still in the research stage but is expected to be very useful in the near future.

Although it will not improve the driver’s vision, it will make objects that could otherwise go unnoticed by aging eyes stand out more. The high-tech windshield will feature a combination of lasers, infrared sensors and a camera to enhance the road view. For instance, during foggy days, a laser projects a blue line into the windshield that follows the edge of the road.

Infrared sensors will also detect objects, such as a person or an animal, in the driver’s path during night time driving; it will project an outline of the object on the windshield to highlight its location.

Other devices track the driver’s head and eye movement so that the image on the windshield isn’t skewed. Aside from GM, only Chrysler is currently working on similar windshield technology.

Honda revealed a low-emission sports car study model at the British International Motor Show in London. The new concept, dubbed the OSM (for Open Study Model) features a lightweight roadster design that highlights Honda’s core engineering values – designing stylish, exciting cars that are also environmentally responsible. The concept for this project is ‘Clean and Dynamic’.

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