TOYOTA YARIS HSD BRINGS HYBRID TECH TO SUBCOMPACT HATCH

As part of its plan to offer a hybrid version of each vehicle in its European lineup,Toyota unveiled a hybrid version of its all-new Yaris hatchback today at the Geneva Motor Show.

Based on the standard European-market Yaris model, Toyota says the Yaris HSD concept “incorporates hybrid-specific styling cues and new, forward-looking design elements.” A new front fascia with larger inlets and larger 18-inch aerodynamic wheels are the biggest differences over the standard Yaris. Like most concept cars, this one is also swathed in a unique paint scheme and has some non-production styling items like LED lamps and camera rearview mirrors. Hit read more for details and pictures.

Video - Fulton Innovation blows our minds with eCoupled wireless Tesla, Wireless Car Charging Boxes embedded in the floor!

Wondering what your future kitchen looks like? Take a gander at what Fulton Innovation is showing at CES this year. They're also giving a peek at the future of retail shopping, and even parking lots. It's all the magic of inductive charging, and now that the Qi standard has been finalized it seems like things are coming together. Really together, in everything from cereal boxes with blinkenlights to Tesla Roadstersthat charge almost as quickly as with a wire but, quite obviously, without the wire. Would you like to know more? Click on through.

Audi rolls out updated hybrid e-tron Spyder

It's looking rather more polished since it first appeared the Paris Auto Show earlier this year, having been given a lovely coat of red paint (embarrassingly almost exactly the same hue as the Tesla Model S that's here) but keeping the some gorgeous, turbine-styled wheels. It's the Audi e-tron Spyder, a hybrid with a twin-turbo V6 and dual electric motors as well capable of 0 - 60 times of 4.7 seconds, and we thought you might want to see. Still no price or availability, though. Audi Chairman Rupert Stadler also took the time to show off the company's latest MMI system, with its character-recognizing touchpad, and also spoke a little bit about the future -- vaguely, anyway. He refuted our thoughts on the car of the future, replacing the dash with a mobile device, saying that those devices are designed to draw your attention which is, of course, a bad thing while you're driving. However, we can't help but think that there are ways to eliminate that problem with the right software layer.

The Chevrolet Volt!

The Chevrolet Volt is the first plug in hybrid vehicle announced by General Motors in July 2007. This announcement fundamentally changed the landscape of hybrid cars! It got all the other auto companies into a race that was basically for the benefit of the consumer in the end!

It got all the companies to release highly efficient versions of their existing models and when that was not enough, they started using Hybrid ( battery plus engine) technology to improve fuel efficiency even further. In the meantime all of them were developing plug-in hybrids of their own. As history has it, the Nissan Leaf, the Tesla Roadster and other cars beat GM to the finish line but the most anticipated car was the Volt due to numerous press releases as well as unofficial news leaks made by the company which kept the car in the spotlight for so many years.