2010-2015 Toyota Prius Hybrid Battery on 2040-parts.com

Volvo wants to deliver stuff right to your car

If you've missed deliveries of items you've ordered online because you weren't home when the delivery person showed up (who knew they have the same working hours as you?), then you may be interested to hear that Volvo has a new system in development that could enable logistics companies to deliver things right to your car, whether you're there or not. The cost of missed parcel deliveries amounts to 1 billion Euros per year according to Volvo. This week at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the automaker showed off a system that would notify car owners, via a smartphone or tablet, when a delivery company wants to drop off or pick up something from their car.

Aston Martin V12 Zagato rolled out for the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este

Aston Martin has rekindled its association with famed Italian design house and coachbuilder Zagato on a rebodied and re-engineered version the V12 Vantage. Set to be one of the stars of this weekend's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este on the shores of Lake Como in Italy, the Aston Martin V12 Zagato commemorates the 50th anniversary of Aston Martin's first collaboration with Zagato, the DB4GT Zagato. Like that car, the Zagato V12 is planned to be sold in limited numbers, both in road-going form and as a race car--the latter of which is set to make its debut at the N

Ford software maximizes hybrid efficiency

Ford will use a little navigation wizardry on two of its hybrids: the C-Max Energi plug-in and Fusion. The system will use GPS data and an algorithm to predict when a driver is close frequented destinations. The car will adjust powertrain controls to maximize efficiency.Ford calls the feature EV+, which is part of SmartGauge, standard on the Fusion Energi and C-Max Energi plug-ins and on hybrid models.