2014 Hyundai Elantra Limited on 2040-cars

Auto blog

The world's first fuel cell car sharing program launches in Germany

As EVs become increasingly mainstream, they seem to have found a natural home in carsharing services. BlueIndy has left its mark on Indianapolis, Ford has been testing its own EV sharing programs, Japan and China have seen their share of programs pop up, electric carsharing is helping low-income neighborhoods in Los Angeles, and more models continue to emerge. On the flip side, Car2go made news recently when it pulled EVs from its fleet in San Diego. Absent from the carsharing scene, though, have been hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. But even that is changing. In Munich, Germany, industrial gases company (think hydrogen) Linde has launched BeeZero, a carsharing service comprised completely of fuel cell vehicles. The fleet is made up of Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell crossovers (called the ix35 Fuel Cell in Europe). It's the first hydrogen-powered carsharing service in the world, and Bavaria just happens to be a hub for hydrogen research and technology. Beezero, a new subsidiary of Linde, begins public service this summer with a fleet of 50 Tucson Fuel Cells. It offers users on-demand access to zero-emissions driving, but without the range limitations of battery electric vehicles. These H2-powered Hyundais can travel over 370 miles on a single tank, offering more flexibility to travel to the surrounding areas. If users want to visit the nearby lakes or mountains, they'll also have room to cart their gear with them. Drivers will be able to reserve a car online or through a smartphone app, and vehicles will be available in various zones in and around the city of Munich. As for the hydrogen used to fuel the fleet, Linde creates it from sustainable sources, promising carbon-neutral voyages. While the public gets access to hydrogen-powered mobility, Linde gets to learn from the experience. "We expect to gain valuable information from day-to-day fleet operations which we will use to further develop our hydrogen technologies and to help expand the hydrogen infrastructure," says Linde Executive Board member Dr. Christian Bruch. "BeeZero synergises two mobility trends that are gaining a lot of ground at the moment – car sharing and zero emissions – and will bring the benefits of fuel cell technology to a wider group of potential users." Read more in the press release below.

Hyundai mulling four-door coupe model, V8 or V6 turbo for next Genesis Coupe

Hyundai is showing no signs of slowing down, with plenty of new product in the pipeline. This, according to a recent Automobile magazine interview with John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai Motor America.
Krafcik admits the Korean automaker is considering adding a four-door coupe to its lineup, possibly sharing some design elements of the HCD-14 Concept (shown above in Detroit). The brand's flagship Equus luxury sedan will receive a mild refresh, bowing at the New York Auto Show, and an updated Sonata is expected to follow on its heels. The executive dismissed suggestions of an upcoming current-gen V8 Genesis Coupe, saying the present platform cannot accommodate a V8, but an eight-cylinder engine or a turbocharged V6 is a possibility for its eventual successor.
Check out what the CEO had to say about Audi, why the new Honda Accord has Hyundai reconsidering a technology, and read a followup on the company's fuel-economy fiasco in the full interview at Automobile.

2017 North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year entries announced

Over 40 vehicles will compete for the 2017 North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year awards. If that name looks a little strange, it's because the competition added a third category. In years past, pickup trucks, crossovers, SUVs, commercial vans, and minivans competed for the same award. That's why there were occasionally weird comparisons, like last year's competition between the Volvo XC90 and Nissan Titan XD. The new format separates pickups and commercial vans into the truck contest and CUVs, SUVs, and minivans into the utility competition. A complete list of eligible vehicles is below, but here are a few highlights. For one, the entire list of entries has a luxurious lean. Of the 43 vehicles, nearly half of them are from premium brands. There are two eligible Bentleys – the Bentayga and Mulsanne – the Rolls-Royce Dawn, Jaguar F-Pace, Audi Q7, and the Mercedes-Benz GLS-, E-, and S-Class Maybach. The performance ranks are lofty, too, with the Audi R8, Acura NSX, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Mercedes SL- and SLC-Class, Porsche 718, and F-150 Raptor. The mainstream entries are just as comprehensive. From the Chrysler Pacifica to the Chevrolet Cruze to the Fiat 124 Spider to the Mitsubishi Mirage, NACTOY has covered an enormous price range with this year's contestants. Of course, these are only the eligible vehicles. They'll need to run through three rounds of judging, starting in September at NACTOY's traditional Hell, MI, test drive. The Canadian and American journalists involved in the judging will announce this year's nine finalists – three in each category – on December 6. Cars Acura NSX Alfa Romeo Giulia Audi A4 Audi R8 Bentley Mulsanne Buick Cascada Buick LaCrosse Cadillac CT6 Chevrolet Bolt Chevrolet Cruze Fiat 124 Genesis G90 Hyundai Elantra Infiniti Q60 Jaguar XE Kia Cadenza Lincoln Continental Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan Mercedes-Benz S550 Maybach Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Mercedes-Benz SLC-Class Mini Clubman Mitsubishi Mirage/G4 Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman Rolls-Royce Dawn Toyota Prius Prime Volvo S90 SUVs Audi Q7 Bentley Bentayga Buick Envision Cadillac XT5 Chrysler Pacifica GMC Acadia Infiniti QX30 Kia Sportage Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Jaguar F-Pace Mazda CX-9 Nissan Armada Trucks Ford F-Series Super Duty pickups Ford F-150 Raptor Honda Ridgeline Nissan Titan half-ton Related Video: Featured Gallery Bentley Bentayga View 23 Photos News Source: Automotive News - sub.