Archive for the ‘Eco-conscious’ Category

Honda's reputation as a manufacturer of green automobiles is about to get a little greener: the company is retooling much of its product line, including the popular Honda Civic, to boost fuel economy and keep auto prices low. Given the lingering financial crisis plaguing most of the world and oil prices that have shot from $30 to $80 a barrel in a handful of weeks, Honda's strategy of efficiency-meets-economy seems a smart one.

Honda's guiding principle seems to be refining production in the areas it knows best and limiting expansion of its lineup. Accordingly, Honda has nixed plans for some larger, sportier models with eight-cylinder...

Speaking of marketing campaigns, DDB Stockholm recently launched an interesting one for Volkswagen called "The Fun Theory". The campaign encourages people to alter lazy behaviors by showing that acting responsibly can be -- yes -- fun. The best stunt so far involves a subway station, where DDB transformed steps into working piano keys. Not surprisingly, commuters have begun taking the stairs instead of the adjacent escalator. We're pretty sure this will segue into a full-on campaign for Volkswagen's environmentally friendly cars, but for now, it just looks kind of, um, fun. [PSFK, Creativity-Online, via JV]

Hot on the heels of Fisker's announcement about fuel efficiency for its Karma sedan comes word of a new luxury vehicle from Jaguar that bears a few technological similarities to the Karma. Based on the Jaguar XJ, the new plug-in hybrid/extended-range electric concept has been dubbed the Limo-Green.

Not many specifics have emerged about the Limo-Green, but we do know something about its drivetrain. Created in conjunction with the British government, Caparo, MIRA, and Lotus, the Limo-Green derives power from a lithium-ion battery pack, which runs an electric motor capable of 195 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque. The vehicle has a projected...