2005 Toyota Prius Back Up Battery on 2040-parts.com

Civic hybrid tests Honda's new strategy

Despite being the first to sell an electric-gasoline car in the United States and making hybrid technology a centerpiece of its fuel economy push, Honda Motor Co. has yet to have a hybrid hit. But the redesigned Civic Hybrid, launched April 20, is the first test of whether Honda's new strategy of tapping lithium ion batteries and, later, two-motor systems can break the streak.

Forecasters see slow auto-sales recovery through 2011

U.S. auto sales in 2010 and 2011 will continue to crawl -- not walk or run -- out of last year's recession, according to forecasters at the Auto Industry Hot Topics Conference here. “It's going to be a long crawl out of this, but we're crawling in the right direction,” said David Wyss, chief economist for Standard & Poor's, which co-sponsored the conference along with J.D.

The big prize awaits on the Autoweek America Adventure

It is the last morning of the Autoweek America Adventure, as I write this. Our traveling circus heads toward the big top in an hour or so, and we should be in Las Vegas before noon. There is anticipation in the air, unlike other rallies I've attended, as this one has a significant main prize: a 2011 Mopar Charger will be given to one lucky contestant on the stage at the Specialty Equipment Market Association convention.