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Recharge Wrap-up: Volvo's efficient truck concept, Tesla's updated mobile charger is cheaper

Mercedes-Benz plans to equip its gasoline-powered cars with particulate emissions filters, just like its diesel vehicles. Claiming to be the first automaker to apply the technology to gasoline motors, successful testing in the S500 led to the decision to expand the use of these filters. This announcement coincides with a $3.35 billion investment in clean diesel technology, including a new four-cylinder engine that adheres to strict emissions guidelines. It's not clear when Mercedes will begin including the filters on its gasoline vehicles, or if it intends to use them outside of Europe. Read more at Green Car Reports. Tesla has updated its mobile charger and given it a lower price. The 40-amp "Mobile Connector Bundle" – which used to sell for $650 – is now priced at $550 with two adapters and a storage bag, with an available $520 version offered without the adapters. Tesla's product description reads, "The Corded Mobile Connector has an integrated 240 volt 50 amp rated plug for high power output. A seamless design provides a low profile connection, allowing for use with covered outdoor outlets." Read more at Electrek. Volvo has developed a new truck concept that reduces fuel consumption by more than 30 percent. The modified Volvo FH 420 long-haul truck, simply called the Volvo Concept Truck, features 40 percent better aerodynamic efficiency, a weight reduction of about 4,400 pounds, and tires with lower rolling resistance. The truck's rear view mirrors have been replaced by cameras, which, in addition to reducing drag, also improve safety through better visibility. While the research vehicle won't reach market as-is, some of its aerodynamic features have already been included in real-world applications, with more to come as Volvo aims to improve the efficiency of its trucks by 50 percent. Read more at Green Car Congress, and in the press release below. Volvo Trucks' new concept truck cuts fuel consumption by more than 30% Almost one-third lower fuel consumption. Volvo Trucks' new concept vehicle shows how it is possible to drastically boost productivity in long-haul operations. Among the secrets behind these remarkable fuel savings are aerodynamic design and lower kerb weight. With support from the Swedish Energy Agency, Volvo Trucks has developed a new concept vehicle, the Volvo Concept Truck. It is the result of a five year long research project aimed at creating more energy-efficient vehicles.

Daimler names Bernd Pischetsrieder to supervisory board

Some executives in the automotive industry stay with one company for their entire careers, while others bounce from one to the other, often leaving their indelible mark on each automaker at which they serve. Bob Lutz is certainly an example of the latter. So is Lee Iacocca, having presided over Ford and later charing the Chrysler board. Carlos Tavares was chief operating officer of Renault before being nominated as chief executive at PSA Peugeot Citroën. But as far as the Germans go, nobody's jumped from the leadership of one automaker to the next quite like Bernd Pischetsrieder - especially now that he's been named to the supervisory board of Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler.
An engineer by training, Pischetsrieder started his career at BMW in 1973, eventually rising to the office of CEO after twenty years. There he remained until 1999, only to be dismissed after orchestrating BMW's takeover of the Rover Group (of which only the Mini brand remains in the company's portfolio, the other brands having been sold off after his dismissal).
The next year he was named chairman of Volkswagen's Seat brand, and rose to the chairmanship of the entire Volkswagen Group two years later. Despite a largely successful four-year tenure (that gave birth, incidentally, to the Bugatti Veyron), disagreements with supervisory board chairman Ferdinand Piëch saw him leave the helm at VW AG, focusing his attention on the Scania truck division. He's since been touted as a potential chief executive for Opel and for Continental, but neither potential was apparently realized.

US buyers show little interest in big hybrids

The idea of producing large, luxury-vehicle hybrids is turning into a "what were they thinking?" exercise in futility, USA Today reports. General Motors is discontinuing hybrid versions of the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon SUVs, while Mercedes-Benz and Toyota's Lexus division are doing the same with their S-Class hybrid and LS hybrid sedans, respectively. The culprit? Big price increases for fuel economy improvements that border on the unimpressive. Granted, the Escalade hybrid gets 31 percent better fuel economy than the standard version, but that still maps out to a combined fuel-efficiency rating of just 21 miles per gallon. That can be seen as a worthwhile increase, if it didn't cost over $8,000 extra. The 2014 Escalade Hybrid, for example, starts at $74,425 while the non-hybrid can be had for $66,295. Meanwhile, the Lexus full-size hybrid costs $6,000 more than the regular version but only gets 1-2 mpg better combined fuel economy. The result of all these high costs? Low sales. Through April, GM sold 82 of its hybrid SUVs and pickups, down from 541 a year earlier. And the LS hybrid sales were in single-digit territory for April. That isn't stopping Lexus from promoting its hybrids as the right solution (with the wrong facts), though. There are still automakers giving big hybrid vehicles a shot, though. Nissan's Infiniti division is selling a hybrid version of its QX60 and says an impressive 10 percent of QX60 buyers choose the hybrid, which costs just $3,000 more. Looks like money talks. Featured Gallery 2015 Cadillac Escalade: First Drive View 35 Photos News Source: USA TodayImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Brandon Turkus / AOL Green Infiniti Lexus Mercedes-Benz Hybrid lexus ls gmc yukon mercedes-benz s-class infiniti qx60 chevrolet tahoe