4dr Sedan V6 Cvt 3.5 S Low Miles Cvt Gasoline 3.5l Dohc 24-valve Smpi V6 Engine on 2040-cars

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North Carolina now charging $100-per-year EV road-use fee

Tobacco Road just got a little more expensive for drivers of electric vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model S. This year, North Carolina started instituting an annual $100 road-use fee for electric-vehicle drivers in order to close at least a little of the budgetary shortfall for road maintenance in the Tar Heel State, the News Observer reports. North Carolina legislators failed to green-light a hybrid-vehicle fee of $50 a year, which may have made a little more of a dent in the state's road funding. As it is, about 1,600 EVs are registered in North Carolina, meaning that the state will collect about $160,000 in such fees this year. And while some in the state are concerned that the fee could hurt EV adoption, others say it's fair because of the $7,500 in federal tax credits EV buyers get. Oh, and the fact that EV drivers don't pay gasoline taxes. Either way, the fees are a proverbial drop in the bucket, as North Carolina's transportation shortfall is estimated to average about $2 billion a year during the next three decades or so. Other states are starting to charge EV drivers a road-use fee as well. Last February, Washington State began instituting its own electric-vehicle fee of $100 per annum, and a number of other states are considering similar policies. News Source: News Observer via EV WorldImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Sebastian Blanco/AOL Government/Legal Green Nissan Electric north carolina

Nissan-Renault mule teases mysterious subcompact

There's always something intriguing about a mystery, especially of the automotive kind, and that's exactly what we have here. Our spies recently spotted this Nissan-Renault test mule on the road in Southern Europe. But what, exactly, are they testing? From the front end, it's clear this mule started life as a Nissan Versa Note, but check it out in profile to see the cut down rear doors. They're significantly shorter than on the production car, and the wheelbase isn't as long here, either. The tacked on fender flares suggest a wider track than stock, too. Making things even more complicated is the bizarre cladding this subcompact hatch is wearing. The odd tumors on the hood and blistered side panels indicate that the automaker is trying to keep the design underneath a secret. Given Renault and Nissan's tight relationship, it also isn't clear which company is testing this model. While the body comes from the Note, this one is wearing French license plates. According to our spies, the vehicle was also spotted leaving a Renault testing location. There are some possibilities, though. Renault already has the new Twingo out, and the next-gen Megane has an imminent release. The French brand could now be at work on a future Clio. Alternatively, Nissan is reportedly using the Sway concept as inspiration for the upcoming Micra, and we could be getting a preview here. Give us your best guess in Comments. Related Video:

Asian automakers still reluctant to use more aluminum

There's a logical progression of technology in the auto industry. We've seen it with things like carbon-ceramic brakes, which use to be the sole domain of six-figure sports cars, where they often cost as much as an entry level Toyota Corolla. Now, you can get them on a BMW M3 (they're still pricey, at $8,150). Who knows, maybe in the next four a five years, they'll be available on something like a muscle car or hot hatchback. Aluminum has had a similar progression, although it's further along, moving from the realm of Audi and Jaguar luxury sedans to Ford's most important product, the F-150. With the stuff set to arrive in such a big way on the market, we should logically expect an all-aluminum Toyota Camry or Honda Accord soon, right? Um, wrong. Reuters has a great report on what's keeping Asian manufacturers away from aluminum, and it demonstrates yet another stark philosophical difference between automakers in the east and those in the west. Of course, there's a pricing argument at play. But it's more than just the cost of aluminum sheet (shown above) versus steel. Manufacturing an aluminum car requires extensive retooling of existing factories, not to mention new relationships with suppliers and other logistical and financial nightmares. Factor that in with what Reuters calls Asian automaker's preference towards "evolutionary upgrades," and the case for an all-aluminum Accord is a difficult one. Instead, manufacturers in the east are focusing on developing even stronger steel as a means of trimming fat, although analysts question how long that practice can continue. Jeff Wang, the automotive sales director for aluminum supplier Novelis, predicts that we'll see a bump in aluminum usage from Japanese and Korean brands in the next two to three years, and that it will be driven by an influx of aluminum-based vehicles from western automakers into China. Only time will tell if he's proven right. News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Sean Gallup / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing Honda Hyundai Mazda Nissan Toyota Technology aluminum