Blogs

Driving Notes

Knowing about a vehicle is one thing; driving it is quite another. Getting behind the wheel gives you greater insight into a vehicle's performance, fuel economy, safety and comfort. With the Driving Notes blog, Bobit Business Media FleetGroup editors will get behind the wheel of today's fleet vehicles and give their unbiased views.

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV

Photo by Paul Clinton.

General Motors may just have a game-changer on its hands with the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, a lithium-ion-powered hatchback that's fun to drive and provides enough charge to meet most commutes.

2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e Plug-in Hybrid

Photo by Vince Taroc.

Many companies have implemented fleet sustainability programs to achieve self-imposed reductions in CO2 and GHG emissions. However, the one segment that is sometimes the least compliant with corporate sustainability goals is the executive fleet. It is important for management to lead by example when initiating a fleet sustainability program to generate corporate-wide acceptance. The 2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e plug-in hybrid provides management with the ability to do so.

2016 Toyota Mirai (Fuel Cell)

Photo by Vince Taroc.

The 2016 Mirai arrives as the first hydrogen-powered vehicle offered for sale in the U.S. market. Toyota's gambit is a bold one, especially considering the fact that fueling infrastructure remains in its infancy.

2016 Chevrolet Volt

Photo by Mike Antich.

Okay, I’ll admit it. I suffer from range anxiety; however, I found an antidote after driving the 2016 Chevrolet Volt. I spent four days driving the Volt in a variety of road conditions, primarily in the all-electric mode, and found that it met all my driving needs. When trips exceeded the battery capacity, the gasoline engine range extender kicked in seamlessly, which gave me another 350-plus miles of travel.

2015 Chevrolet Bi-Fuel Impala (CNG)

Photo by Mike Antich.

Alternative-fuel vehicles have come of age and a perfect example is the bi-fuel 2015 Chevrolet Impala that can run on either gasoline or compressed natural gas (CNG). If not told in advance, most everyday drivers behind the wheel of a bi-fuel Impala would not know they were driving a CNG-powered vehicle.

2014 BMW i3

Photo by Vince Taroc.

Just about everything that goes into BMW's 2014 i3 may seem impractical, such as its broad use of exotic materials, bulbous shape with coach doors, and range limit. Yet, this vehicle is an automotive engineering marvel that's also a fun, smooth drive.

2015 Volkswagen e-Golf

Photo by Vince Taroc.

The e-Golf drives and handles exactly like its gasoline and diesel cousins — meaning smoothly and efficiently with the kind of get up and go that modern drivers expect and the handling and solidness that fleets need.

2015 Audi A3 TDI

Photo by Vince Taroc.

Audi has brought back its A3 TDI sedan for the 2015 model year with a redesigned 2.0-liter diesel that provides impressive range in an entry luxury sedan that won't crack open a fleet budget.

2015 Toyota Camry Hybrid

Photo by Vince Taroc.

Instead of a gauge showing RPM, the Camry Hybrid displays three states: “Charge,” “Eco,” and “Power.” I assume if you want to improve your MPG, you can try to stay in the Charge and Eco modes for a long as possible.

2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid Sedan

Photo by Vince Taroc.

I recently had the opportunity to test drive a 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid. Although the model I drove was the Titanium trim level, a level higher than the SE model typically ordered by commercial fleets, my primary interest was in evaluating the vehicle from both the fleet manager and company driver perspective.

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