1 Series Convertible Very Low Miles Navigation Best Color 25888 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Tesla only 8th greenest automaker, BMW is best, says Newsweek

We imagine some readers will be surprised by this. Newsweek has just put out its rankings for the top "green" companies in the world, and while Tesla Motors chief Elon Musk can crow about how green his electric vehicles are, the company as a whole apparently falls behind some traditional automakers. Quite a few of them, actually. In Newsweek's Global 500 list of the greenest 500 largest publicly-traded companies in the world, BMW ranked best among automakers at Number 26. Not surprisingly, Toyota was close behind at 35, while Nissan came in at 152. What's a little more puzzling is that Tesla fell behind Ford (178), and General Motors (289). That's a lot of pickups versus a few Model S EVs. Go figure. Then came Hyundai (306) and Honda (316), which are a little more palatable. Tesla? It came in at 431. Newsweek's measurement standards include eight categories that include a lot of verbiage and involve things like energy productivity (which is defined as revenue in US dollars divided by total energy consumption), greenhouse-gas emissions productivity (revenue divided by GHG emissions), water usage, waste levels and something called "green revenue" (revenue derived from products that "contribute positively" to the environment). Newsweek says that its results are reproducable by a third party. Take a look at the list here and find the details on how the numbers are compiled here. Featured Gallery 2014 BMW i3: First Drive View 33 Photos News Source: Newsweek via Torque News Green BMW Tesla

Translogic 189: 2015 LA Auto Show

The LA Auto Show has become known for its green cars and concepts, and 2015 was no exception. Translogic host Jonathon Buckley gets all the details on BMW's 330e plug-in hybrid straight from BMW President of North America Ludwig Willisch. Then we get up-to-date on Honda's latest FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell car. We round out our tour with a stop at the Elio Motors booth for a look at their updated, three-wheel P5 concept and a chat with CEO Paul Elio. But first, we jump in a time machine at the Volvo booth to discuss Concept 26, an interpretation of how car interiors might evolve in the era of self-driving cars. "The reason why we talked about it as a time machine [is] because, really, Concept 26 is giving you back something that is so precious," explained Volvo senior director of design Tisha Johnson. "We're letting you delegate driving to the car, so that you can then have that time to yourself." Click here to learn more about our host, Jonathon Buckley.

BMW readying Spartanburg expansion for X7 production

Prior to the debut of the original X5 in 1999, the idea of a BMW crossover might have seemed like heresy. But here we are, fifteen years removed from the Frank Stephenson-penned design, and the Bavarian automaker has expanded its crossover lineup to include the X1, X3, X4 and X6, and it's showing no sign of slowing down.
We recently reported that BMW is planning on slotting an X2 in at the bottom of the range between the X1 and X3, but now it's being widely reported that it's got an even larger one to put in at the top of its utility line. That, of course, would be the X7, a long-rumored three-row model that would give BMW a large family hauler to challenge the Mercedes-Benz GL.
According to The Wall Street Journal, BMW is expanding its assembly plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, to accommodate production of the X7 alongside the X3, X4 and X5 that it already builds there for local consumption.