2018 Hyundai Tucson Sel Plus on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-Up: LAPD gets Zero MMX, Chevy's new inverter, Hyundai Tucson's new powertrains

Some police in Los Angeles will be riding Zero MMX electric motorcycles on duty. The LAPD is adding the fully electric police/military all-terrain bikes to its patrol fleet. According to Officer Steve Carbajal of the department's off-road unit, "It costs less than 50 cents to charge compared to using gallons of gas, maintenance is simple, and the community appreciates how quiet they are." The electric bikes, with their lack of noise and a headlight the rider can turn off, also have the benefit of stealth, giving the officers what Carbajal calls "an added tactical advantage." The MMX also has swappable batteries, is designed for quick ignition and has power reserve capabilities so the rider won't be caught with a dead battery while chasing down a perp. Read more at Ride Apart. Remember when it seemed like we'd never run out of oil, and giving your buddy five bucks for gas was actually a worthwhile gesture? Drivers of classic cars in Detroit were able to fill up their tanks at gas prices corresponding to their model year, thanks to a promotion by Hagerty Insurance for National Collector Car Appreciation Day on July 11. That meant prices from 21 to 90 cents a gallon, as the cars that showed up ranged from the years 1929 to 1989. That's about as affordable as charging your EV. Head over to Autoweek for more details and some photos from the event. The next-generation Chevrolet Volt will likely benefit from a new inverter being developed by General Motors. GM is about two-thirds of the way through the development of the new inverter, which should be ready in January 2016. The inverter, which has a peak output of 55 kilowatts a continuous output of 33 kilowatts, will be adaptable for use in other GM vehicles. Chevrolet is working to reduce the Volt's production costs by $10,000 per vehicle, which should make it more affordable, and the new inverter could help reach that goal should it make its way into the car. Read more at Green Car Reports. Hyundai is likely planning some interesting powertrain changes for the 2016 Tucson, says Green Car Reports. Plug-in hybrid? Maybe. Diesel? Probably not. "We are covering the waterfront on all alternative fuel strategies, from standard hybrid, to plug-in, battery-electric, and fuel cell," says Hyundai's US Chief Dave Zuchowski.

Nissan Titan Pro-4X, Hyundai Kona and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV | Autoblog Podcast #621

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. They talk about cars they've driven recently, including the 2020 Nissan Titan Pro-4X, Hyundai Kona and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Then they talk news, starting with Volvo's new pick-up and drop-off service. Then they talk about Q1 U.S. sales figures. Lastly, they discuss the possibility of new styles of motorcycle from Harley-Davidson, including a flat-track bike and a cafe racer. Autoblog Podcast #621 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving 2020 Nissan Titian Pro-4X 2020 Hyundai Kona Ultimate AWD 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Volvo Valet U.S. car sales plummet Harley-Davidson cafe racer and flat track motorcycles Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Are old airbags killers?

Takata airbags may not be the only ones with some very serious problems. A new report from TheDetroitBureau.com claims that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened its second investigation into bad airbag inflators, and this time, they aren't from Takata. The focus of this latest case is on the airbag inflators in some 500,000 older Chrysler Town and Country minivans and Kia Optima sedans, all of which come from ARC Automotive. While the Takata case looks at problems stemming from the engineering and production process, the ARC investigation focuses on the age of the inflators. As TDB explains, airbag inflators are essentially what the military refers to as shaped charges, sort of like Claymores (for fans of the Call of Duty series). In combat, they blow up in a specific direction, protecting those behind the explosion, although in the case of airbags, the explosion "[creates] a precise rush of hot gases" that inflate the bags. NHTSA's worry is that with the increased average age of today's vehicles, years and years of being bounced, jolted, and shaken about and exposed to often-radical temperature changes have altered the nature of the explosives in these vehicles, causing too big of an explosion. "It may be a reasonable assumption that as these things age they deteriorate." – Analyst George Peterson "It may be a reasonable assumption that as these things age they deteriorate," analyst George Peterson told TheDetroitBureau.com. NHTSA boss Mark Rosekind backed up aging angle. "Cars are lasting on the road a lot longer than ever before," Rosekind told TDB, adding that seals could start breaking down. "Is aging now an issue? That's part of the investigation going on." NHTSA has only identified two "incidents" so far, although according to Center for Auto Safety Director Clarence Ditlow, there's genuine concern that there could be additional unidentified cases. "Could we have missed more? That could be the case," Ditlow told TDB, citing the misidentified deaths in the Takata investigation. Ditlow was quick to point out that, even in older vehicles, airbags are much more likely to protect than harm. "No one is saying you should disable your airbags," the safety advocate told TDB. "You're far more likely to be helped than hurt by one if they go off." At least one automaker, meanwhile, has already been advised of the investigation by NHTSA and is checking its airbags.