Jim Motavalli Blog

A lead foot learns the joys of eco-driving
I'm a lead foot, but it turns out I could be saving a lot of gas if I adopted European green driving techniques. Who knew? The only problem is that it isn't much fun.
Car battery swapping in Israel
Better Place is set to launch an audacious electric car option: buy the vehicle but lease the battery, and pay for 'electric miles' like you would a cellphone contract. Today Israel and Denmark; tomorrow the world.
Ultra-green Europe slow to buy electric vehicles
Cargo bikes are catching on in Germany, France and England, and everybody loves public transit. But so far, despite generous subsidies, electric cars have failed to make a dent on the market.
The incredible, half-sized Chevy Spark
The Big Three won't get fooled again, trying to sell huge SUVs when gas is $4 a gallon. The $13,000 Spark is Chevrolet's smallest car ever: It's tiny, but offers the same interior space as a typical 1973 gas-guzzler.
Should I buy an electric car?
It depends on where you live, says a new report because some states force you to charge up from a dirty coal grid. But that's just a snapshot, and the long-term outlook favors EVs.
Holy smokes, Batman, it's the Batmobile
Our blogger drives one of America's great automotive icons, which is scheduled to be auctioned next month. You can bet this car turns heads!
It's a gas: Propane car sets speed records
The Maxximus LNG 2000 can do zero to 60 in less than 2 seconds, and can run on propane, CNG, LNG or even gasoline. It's a showcase for the vast potential of natural gas, currently running around $2 a gallon.
Park and pedal: Bike commuting made simple
Want a cool way to combat expensive gas? Take your bicycle at least part of the way. (We can't all live in Portland, where bicycle commuting has become a religion practiced by more than 5 percent of the population.)
From the New York Auto Show: The cool ones
Some of the most interesting vehicles in New York were in the basement. I checked out an electric DeLorean, a natural gas wheelchair van, and a flying car.
Happy days at the New York Auto Show
Even the big cars are fuel misers these days, as buyers with cash in their pockets cast a wary eye on $4 gas. Did GM really roll out a 35-mpg Chevrolet Impala? Yes, indeed.

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