Thanks to PriusChat forum members cwerdna and JSH, we now know that GM has elected to kill off the Saturn two-mode hybrid Vue that was slated for production last November (but delayed).  GM has also decided to rid its lineup of the Chevy Malibu Hybrid, a model that increased fuel efficiency by a pretty pathetic 1 MPG highway.

Isn't it about time for GM to kill off all of their silly "half" hybrids and focus their wasting of government money on the Volt?

Japan's Nikkei business daily is reporting that Honda has pushed up the schedule on the Fit Hybrid by a year and half - coming out in the Fall of 2010 instead of the Spring of 2012.  With a target price of $15,800, maybe this will finally be a "hybrid for everyone".  That is if Honda actually does something to the IMA system to bump MPGs by more than a measly 5 MPG over the current 33 MPG.

What would be a reasonable fuel economy rating that you would like to see on the 2011 Honda Fit Hybrid?

Reuters article:

Newsweek, the same magazine that features a column by noted hybrid-hater, George Will, has posted an article on "Why Traditional Hybrid Cars are Becoming Obsolete".  The argument is that hybrids like the Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid are already seeing the sunset on their product life cycles thanks to upcoming plug-in technology.  Nevermind that Toyota is already planning on coming out with a PHEV Prius

Latest post on Green Car Congress via autobloggreen:

"The Nikkei reports that Toyota and Honda are both making estimated profits of about ¥300,000 (about US$3,100) each on every hybrid they sell, similar to what they make on small, gasoline-engined vehicles.

The Chevy Volt Deathwatch continues...

Toyota's PR team has been live-Tweeting today while the Toyota HCHV-adv is being delivered to the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) for long-term evaluation.  They left early this morning and are undertaking a 400-mile trek with no re-fueling opportunities.

At least they found an In-N-Out Burger along the way.

Here is a list of the Tweets so far (starting with the earliest):

Takeo Fukui, Honda Motor Co. President, said in a report from the Automotive News that Honda has decided not to proceed with its plans to put clean diesel engines in its large cars. He cites the cost of clearing tough emissions regulations in the United States and Japan as the reason. The more cost-effective solution will be a modified or possibly new hybrid drive system which will instead become the future green drivetrain for big vehicles.

Hybrid Drivers Stay Free at Ithaca’s Eco B&Bs

Ithaca, N.Y. (March 31, 2009)—Hybrid vehicle drivers can reduce their carbon footprint and save money this spring with free lodging at four eco-friendly B&Bs in Ithaca.

The green properties, which range from a luxury garden yurt to a repurposed 1850s barn, are offering hybrid drivers a free night’s stay to reward them for choosing an alternative vehicle while encouraging other motorists to travel green.

Shamelessly stolen from CleanMPG news.
Basically 15 San Francisco hybrid Escapes have been forced into retirement at 300k miles. They've saved drivers an average $9000/year and are still going strong, but law requires that cabs be retired from service at 300k miles no matter what condition they're in.

A day after the US government's auto task force told GM that the Volt was "too expensive to be commercially successfully in the short term," and that the Volt was too little, too late, GM has asked the federal government for $2.6 billion in low interest loans to finish developing the Volt along with 2 other variants of the Volt PHEV.  This $2.6 billion request raises to $10.3 billion the amount in aid GM has requested under a Department of Energy program designed to support the development of fuel-efficient vehicles.