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Cars for College: AutoWeek's list of the best rides for campus cruising

High school seniors across the country have long since moved their graduation tassels from right to left. And before they start buying mini-fridges and extra-long bedsheets for their dorm rooms, prospective undergraduates need an affordable, safe and mpg-friendly ride that will leave Mom and Dad stress-free during trips to and from school. Here is a look at AutoWeek's top cars in which to send a kid off to college.

Fisker, Energy Department face tough Congressional hearing on federal loans

Struggling Fisker Automotive took a bludgeoning Wednesday on Capitol Hill from top congressional Republicans who compared Fisker to failed automotive startups of the past and lambasted the Department of Energy for allowing the electric-car producer to draw down nearly $200 million in taxpayer-funded loans. House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., told Fisker founder Henrik Fisker that he will be remembered fondly for his design work for BMW and Aston Martin. But he compared Fisker to Malcolm Bricklin, John DeLorean and Preston Tucker -- three entrepreneurs known for their failed startup car companies.

Ford electrifies the Focus

Don't be fooled by the Aston Martin-like grille and the stretched headlights--the Ford Focus electric has some serious green-car ethos. The Focus five-door hatch will be Ford's first-ever all-electric passenger car when it launches in late 2011. It can travel at speeds up to 84 mph and takes three to four hours to charge on a 240-volt outlet.