The 2010 Geneva Motor Show this coming March will be the venue for BMW’s third hybrid car. The new model will be a mid-hybrid version of the recently unveiled 2011 BMW 5-Series set to hit the stores this June.

The ActiveHybrid 5 is expected to be inspired by the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 which is its full size sports sedan on the hybrid luxury class. The 7-Series uses a 3-phase electric motor which is linked to the crankshaft of the car’s V-8 gasoline engine paired with new 8-speed automatic transmission.

The 5-Series will be a mild hybrid. This means that the car will not run relying on the electric engine alone like the 2010 BMW X6 ActiveHybrid. What it will do is utilize the electric motor to restart the gasoline engine after it turns off during stops. The electric motor will also add more torque to help the gasoline engine.

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If you have been following the moves of carmakers, Toyota rarely does anything if it doesn’t see any market value or if it will not serve to improve their image.

The Japanese car maker showcased a Camry running on CNG or compressed natural gas during the Los Angeles Auto Show back in 2008. Insiders told everyone that the unit is just a study.

The Camry CNG disappeared somehow until we saw it in the recent 2009 SEMA auto show redesigned as a savvy green buggy coined as the Camry CNG Hybrid. The recent version of the Camry couples the natural gas propulsion system with the Hybrid Synergy Drive technology.

Maybe the Japanese carmaker has more plans for the CNG than we expected with legislations in countries like the United States giving tax incentives for the consumers who will prefer natural-gas cars.

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A Japanese newspaper revealed in one of their issues that Suzuki might release a hybrid version of their 2011 Kizashi sedan. The Kizashi is expected to compete for sales with the likes of Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and the Ford Fusion, among other cars of the segment.

The first versions of the Kizashi will sport a four cylinder engine with 2.4L of displacement that will be coupled with a six-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable gearbox. Consumers will also have an all wheel driver option for the Kizashi.

The hybrid Kizashi being developed by Suzuki is done in close tie-up with General Motors. The American car maker has a long history working with the Japanese brand since they had a twenty percent stake with Suzuki back in the 1980s. These shares were sold last year when the recession forced a lot of businesses to do some maneuvering to stay afloat.

The hybrid version of the Kizashi is expected to have a 20% better fuel mileage compared to its internal combustion siblings.

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The production form of the Fisker Karma has only been seen by the public in photos and auto shows. The plug-in hybrid will be first seen in flesh and galloping around the track during its debut at the Monterey Historic Automobile Races during the Concours D’ Elegance at Pebble Beach California.

The Fisker Karma is set to take the spotlight mid-August. The car transformed to reality from the drawing boards only in a short span of 19 months. During its debut, Fisker will also be boasting about their new concept, the Karma Sunset which is a convertible hardtop. The Sunset was recently awarded the 2009 Production Preview Car of the Year by the SEAMO or the Southeast Automotive Media Organization.

The debut in Pebble Beach will have the Fisker Karma show what it has in its arsenal around the 11-turn course of Mazda Raceway. Fans and car enthusiast will witness the power of the 201 horsepower electric engines serving as the hearts of the plug-in hybrid.

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IntelliChoice.com which has been looking into how environmental issues reshape the auto industry recently released its annual study about environment-friendly cars. The survey concludes that a better and much superior value is being offered by diesel and hybrid vehicles to owners compared to that provided by standard vehicles.

The 2009 study put into in depth consideration the real value of 2009 hybrid models and clean-diesel powered vehicles. Ownership cause was based on factors like licensing fees, taxes, insurance, retained value, maintenance, and fuel over a 5-year period or about 70,000 miles.

The proponents of the study found out that among the 51 hybrid vehicles subjected to the survey, 35 of the models has lower cost of ownership compared to their gasoline variants. In the past years, the sticker price on green cars have been the turn off factor to consumers but the agency points out that fuel is not the only thing to consider.

The implementation of stricter CO2 emission guidelines in the future also gives spotlight to the vehicles that were put under the microscope. Most of the hybrid vehicles meet and even exceed the standards that nee to be met by 2016.

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While I have never driven any of the Toyota hybrids and I certainly do not know the specific mechanics of the models. I am puzzled by the fact that in order to use the electric motor, the vehicle still relies on gasoline. According to Toyota’s Myths and Misconceptions section, although the Hybrid Synergy Drive system cars are capable of running on electric alone, it cannot be done without gasoline in the fuel tank. The material further states that running the cars in electric mode only without gas in the tank can lead to severe damage of the hybrid system.

Moreover, these electric mode vehicles should not be confused with other electric models that require charging by plugging into an outlet. The electricity used to power in electric mode is ”an ingenious regenerative braking system that converts otherwise wasted kinetic energy into electricity and the ability to reclaim excess energy when driving at a sustained pace, the battery is automatically recharged”.

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