by Gabrielle DeSantis

There are still a few small cars on the market crowded with SUVs and trucks. Small cars are still hard to beat when it comes to fuel efficiency. The all-new 2021 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid is among the most efficient small cars available today.

What makes the latest Elantra such a fuel-efficient hit? How well does it match up with the competition? 

What powers the 2021 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid?

Recently, the team at MotorTrend put together a list of new small cars in 2021 with the best gas mileage. The list is made up of smaller vehicles with smaller engines and less curb weight which typically makes them more fuel-efficient. To make a list, each compact and subcompact car had to get at least 35 mpg combined per EPA estimates.

The EPA explains that the combined fuel economy as the weighted average of city and highway miles per gallon values determined by taking 55% of the city mpg value and 45% of the highway mpg value.

All 2021 Hyundai Elantra models get at least 35 mpg combined, except the N-Line performance models. The Blue trim hybrid model takes fuel economy to another level. According to EPA estimates, the hybrid models get 53 mpg city, 56 mpg highway with an impressive 54 mpg combined.  

What is the powertrain behind those numbers? A turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine powers the new Hyundai Elantra Hybrid. It also gets an electric motor, a lithium-ion battery, and a  six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. It weighs less than 3,000 pounds and has smaller 16-inch wheels wrapped in environmentally friendly tires only makes it a more efficient system.

The 2021 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid is a top 5 pick

It’s not surprising that the top five small cars on the MotorTrend list are hybrids. The Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid, Toyota Prius, Toyota Corolla, and Honda Insight round out the top five on the list, with the Elantra in the middle at number three. 

The Hyundai Ioniq tops the list with an impressive 59 mpg, exceptional handling, and a highly comfortable cabin. Right behind it in second place is the popular Toyota Prius with 56 mpg and a lot of cargo space. It also has an optional AWD. 

The new hybrid model of the 2021 Hyundai Elantra isn’t far behind with its 54 mpg and huge available 10.3-inch touch screen. The MotorTrend team appreciated the responsiveness of its continuously variable transmission and the competence of its handling. They felt it offered a quality ride. The only con that the Motor Trend team cited was that its styling might be too bold for some. 

Specs and pricing

The newest Hyundai Elantra got a redesign complete with the hybrid model that’s already a winner on gas mileage. It also got new styling with a bold exterior look and a cabin with a more upscale vibe. The combination makes it more of a match for top competitors like Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, and Toyota Corolla.

The latest Elantra offers several driver-assist features as standard, like automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. Adaptive cruise control with lane-centering technology along with more advanced technology options are available with upgrades. Its compelling balance of features, value, and performance put it on the Car and Driver‘s Editors’ Choice list.

The 2021 Hyundai Elantra ranges in price from $20,655 for the base model to $26,455 for the top-shelf Limited model. The new hybrid model is the best choice if fuel economy is your priority. With a powertrain borrowed from Ioniq, the 2021 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid offers exceptional value.

RELATED: 3 of Consumer Reports’ Most Comfortable Compact Cars You Can Buy In 2021

The post Already a Fuel-Efficient Hit — the 2021 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

by Gabrielle DeSantis

There was much buzz when it was first revealed that Oshkosh would be making the replacement for the old and dirty Grumman LLV postal vans. But this isn’t the first time an attempt was made to electrify the postal service. In the early 1980s, electric car company ComutaCar teamed up with USPS to build a small (and I do mean small) fleet of EV postal vans.

The Vanguard ComutaCar was a wacky electric wedge

Starting its life in Florida, the Comutacar (originally called the Citicar) was first built in 1974. Two variants were made, the SV36 and SV48. One had a 36-volt battery capacity, the other had 48-volts. Try to guess which variant had which battery.

They were fitted with a monstrously powerful 3.5 horsepower electric motor and boasted a blazing top speed of 28mph. That was eventually bumped to 6.5 horsepower, which increased the top speed to 50mph, but regardless of engine size, the car could run for 35 to 40 miles on a charge. Exhilarating, right?

By today’s standards, it’s awful in almost every way. But back then the technology was revolutionary. According to Hemmings, the slab of steel started at $6,495, and over 4,000 of them were built up until 1981. Then, in 1991, the design patents were purchased by Norwegian company Kewet and produced as recently as 2013. It’s the simplest an electric car could get. But in order for it to be a postal van, it needed a few tweaks.

The ComutaVan was upgraded for postal duties

Starting with the name, ComutaVan, the body was made much larger than the original ComutaCar, which meant it got heavier. To supplement that, the government required that the vehicle had a larger battery and more power. What manifested was a 72-volt battery powering a 12 horsepower motor. An absolute screamer in comparison to its commuter-car counterpart.

Vanguard was originally commissioned to build just 500 of them starting in 1981. A small-scale test of the potential electric postal van. However, due to largely unknown legal complications, only 367 of the EVs were built before the partnership ended in a lawsuit. The ones that were registered were done so as 1981 and 1982 vans, but the rest were sold off to the public.

The remnants of the ComutaVan

With less than 500 ComutaVans ever made, one could say they’re a rare specimen. But the elusiveness of ComutaVans is balanced out by the fact that very few people want to drive an EV that only goes 40mph at its absolute best. While very few of them are out there, they’re out there, such as this ComutaVan on sale for $12,000. It’s no Tesla, but it’s also cheaper than a Tesla.

The more common ComutaCars, on the other hand, can go for as little as $5,000. They plug into the outlets you have at home, and they go 30-some miles a day. If you can live a very simple life, and never need to go above 40mph, a ComutaCar could be the perfect vehicle for you. And while it wasn’t the perfect postal van (part of me doubts it ever would’ve been), it’s fun to know that government-funded electrification efforts have been around a while.

RELATED: 8 Electric Cars You Can Buy For $25K or Less

The post The ComutaVan: An Odd Electric Postal Van From the 80s appeared first on MotorBiscuit.