Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Make like a tree and Leaf: We drive Nissan's coming electric vehicle

From behind the wheel, the production version of the Nissan Leaf electric car is smooth and silent, feels nearly friction-free and offers all the prodigious torque inherent in an electric car. That's what we found after a short drive around Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday. The body you see in the photo is a Versa.

ZAP electric car

California-based ZAP has completed the initial concept phase for a new electric vehicle claimed to hit a top speed in excess of 100 mph with a range of 100 miles per charge.  "With ZAP's experience over the past 12 years and the groundwork we have already laid, we know that electricity is the future of the auto industry," said ZAP CEO Steve Schneider.  "At the same time, we believe we have a design that will serve a niche no other manufacturer in the auto industry is seeking to fill." More details of the car will become available at the end of the month.

2014 Jeep Cherokee delayed?

Chrysler Group late today took the unusual step of postponing a planned media drive of the 2014 Jeep Cherokee scheduled for early next month but vowed that "vehicles will still be in showrooms in September." The media event -- in which waves of national and foreign journalists were to gather in Seattle between Aug. 8 and 14 to drive the Cherokee for the first time -- was delayed until at least the first half of September, according to an email from the automaker. "Over the last couple of weeks during final quality and durability testing, we have discovered the opportunity to further improve powertrain calibration" in the Cherokee, the company said.