There are some new electric vehicles coming on the market that sure are interesting.  The first one that caught my eye by Tecca’s Mark Wehner, is an “Electric school bus (that) will make field trips greener than ever before.”  Trans Tech has created the eTrans all-electric school bus.  It looks similar to your typical school bus, but has two 278-volt lithium ion batteries to power its engine.  The bus can go 130 miles on each charge and can drive 60 miles per hour.  It takes around 10 hours to fully charge the battery, which would work out well since the school bus could charge all night.  The company expects to start producing the electric school buses at full capacity later this year.

Electric cars change the landscape of the entire automobile industry, including car insurance rates and how car insurance companies handle the evolution of vehicles.  Fuel costs are cut to almost nothing for electric vehicles, but people need somewhere to charge them so electric “fueling” stations are popping up around the world.  While you might not have cheaper car insurance premiums with an electric car, it is always a possibility so check with your personal insurance company.  Many electric cars are smaller and more compact, which does lead to cheaper car insurance rates.

One example of this is with Volkswagen’s E-Bugster, an all-electric version of their Volkswagen Beetle.  It was introduced at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show and has a more mainstream design than some other futuristic-looking electric vehicles.  It’s Li-ion battery can get you 100 miles before it needs a charge.  Producers of electric vehicles are pushing for them to become more mainstream and the government and some states are working on that as well.  President Obama’s administration is using 100 EVs and Oregon is placing multiple charging stations on their main interstate.  We’ve been talking about this “wave of the future” for a long time, so manufacturers and car insurance companies are closely following EV developments.

Allstate’s car insurance rates are going up in Illinois, according to Crain’s Chicago Business.  In Steve Daniels’s article, “Allstate hits the gas on car insurance rates,” it says that the Illinois car insurance rates will be increasing anywhere from 3 to 5%.  Back in 2009, Allstate started offering a 5% hometown discount to Illinois residents who purchased car insurance through their company.  This hometown discount essentially becomes a wash after the rate hikes take effect May 17.

The whole reason Allstate started offering the hometown car insurance discount was that they had lost some of their market share to another Illinois company, State Farm, and to Geico.  Geico is actually increasing their car insurance rates in Illinois as well.  New customers will see a 2.5% increase from Geico almost immediately, while current customers won’t see an increase until the end of June.

State Farm car insurance actually lowered car insurance rates in Illinois by around 2% in December.  This came after the company had numerous increases over the past three years.  State Farm, based out of Bloomington, is the top car insurance company in Illinois.  Allstate is in second place and is still hoping to regain some of the market share it has lost to companies like Geico who operate without insurance agents.  After the 3-5% premium hikes this month, it remains to be seen if there will be any changes in positioning for car insurers in Illinois.

The cost of just about everything is rising, so we’re all looking to save money when it comes to our cars and car insurance.  Neal Pollack of Motoramic gave a review of Dodge’s new compact car, the Dart, in “2013 Dart: Motoramic Drives.  Not only is the Dart affordable with its price tag ranging from $16,790 to $23,290, car insurance companies charge less for insurance on compact cars than they would for the sports cars that the Dart imitates.

It is the first collaboration between Chrysler and Fiat since Fiat purchased Chrysler.  Based on Italian designs, the Dart is basically an Americanized version of the Italian Alfa Romeo Giuletta.  Some of you might remember the Dart being around from 1960-1976; this new Dart has minor similarities, but the reviewer thinks it is a far cry from the old version.

There are five trim levels from which to choose, along with three different types of engines.  All of these choices will change the prices of your new Dodge Dart, along with the mpg you get while driving.  The Dart is cooler looking than most of the other compact cars on the market because of its exterior and interior stylings.  The reviewer liked driving the car best when it was switched into manual mode, but overall thought that the driving was average.

The best parts of the Dodge Dart are its Italian styling, interior amenities, and great value for the price.  While Dodge advertises the mpgs at anywhere from upper 20s to lower 30s, the reviewer found them to be a bit less.  Overall, this reviewer thought that the driving experience was just mediocre and thinks selling it could be an uphill battle for Dodge, Fiat and Chrysler.  But if you are looking for a car that will be cheaper to insure and offers value for its price and styling, the Dodge Dart may be for you.

State Farm Insurance works hard to protect teens new to driving, as well as those driving on the roads with them.  They have multiple pages on their website dedicated specifically to teens and teen driving related issues.  Sadly, motor vehicle accidents are the top cause of death for teenagers.  Safer driving habits and better preparation for the roads can really make a difference in saving the lives of teens.  Some of the information given by State Farm car insurance includes learning how to drive, information to help parents teach teens to drive, staying safe, information on state laws, as well as car insurance and finance information.

One of the most important programs run by State Farm car insurance is called Project Ignition.  State Farm funds this grant program, which is coordinated by the National Youth Leadership Council.  They help teens and their schools get better informed about safer and smarter driving habits.  Project Ignition gives grants to schools so that high school students and teachers can make safe driving programs and share them through the school and out in the community.  Each fall, there is a competition where the 25 schools with the most creative plans to inform receive a grant from Project Ignition.  At the end of the school year, the ten best projects share their programs at a National Convention where they have the potential to win additional scholarship money.  State Farm has a goal of making the roads safer for teens and those on the road with them.

If you are shopping for a new car right now, whether you are looking to buy or lease, True Car’s Shadee Malekafzali compiled a list of the best deals right now.  In the article “Top new car lease and finance deals for April,” it says that there are great deals to be had right now if you’re looking for a new car.  Since the 2013 car models are entering the market, now is the time to find good financing on 2012 models.  The best deals on the most popular cars are listed, but there are even more deals to be found with individual manufacturers.

The Toyota Camry is one of the best lease deals right now, with a monthly payment of $199 after putting $1,999 down.  There are many reasons why the Camry is the best-selling car in America, not the least of which is its popularity with car insurance companies.  With top safety features and excellent reliability, you can get good deals on car insurance driving a Toyota Camry.  Also for $1,999 down, you can lease a Kia Rio or a Volkswagen Jetta for $159 per month.  If you prefer an SUV, a Honda CR-V can be leased for $239 per month and $2,799 down.  All of these leases are for 36 months and allow for 12,000 miles each year.

Your top four financing deals are all offering 0% financing, the first two for 60 months and the other two for 36 months.  The Chevrolet Malibu is both solid and a great value for a family sedan.  It has better value than it’s top competitors by Ford and Hyundai.  Toyota’s Sienna is one of the best in the minivan marketplace and 0% financing for this roomy and safe vehicle is a big draw.  The Nissan Murano not only looks good, it also offers great performance and functionality along with its 0% financing.  In addition to the 0% financing, Hyundai is offering $500 cash back when you purchase its Sonata in April.  You’ll save money on gas and get a nice sized interior with the Sonata.  Check out the great deals in your area online or through your local dealership.

A State Farm car insurance quote for a male teenager is going to be around 39% higher than that for a female, despite the fact that teenage girls are driving much worse than they were in the past.  There used to be a large gap between the mistakes made by male teenagers and those made by female teenagers, but that gap has been closing throughout the years.  According to a U.S. News & World Report article, teenage girls are more likely to drive under the influence and drive distracted than they were ten years ago.  They are doing it at almost the same rate as male teenagers now, so there is a good chance that State Farm may be making those car insurance quotes more similar soon.  AAA has actually found that teen girls are 10% likelier to engage in dangerous distracting behaviors like putting on makeup, reading, texting, and eating.

Young women now have almost the same likelihood as young men to drive under the influence of drugs and alcohol, according to the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.  Overall crash rates are decreasing for both men and women, but the gap between the sexes is closing overall in this category as well.  The fatal crash rate for men was 217% higher than women in 1988, but had lowered to 180% in 2009.  While that is still a big difference, it is worth noting because eventually women may not be able to find cheaper car insurance than men as behavior changes.  The gap was also cut in half for injury crashes and crashes where there was only damage to property.  Overall, for the three categories of accidents, men went from being 62% more likely to have an accident than women down to 31%.  Keep following the trends to see how soon males close the car insurance gap with females.

It is actually kind of an old-fashioned idea to change your oil every 3,000 miles, even though fast change oil locations would like to have you believe differently.  Some cars are manufactured now to go 15,000 miles between oil changes, according to “How often do you really need to change motor oil?” by Brandy Schaffels of TrueCar.  Auto manufacturers and car insurance companies want you to take care of your car to avoid breakdowns and accidents, but that doesn’t necessarily mean changing your oil quite so often anymore.  We started changing oil every 3,000 miles in the 1970′s when it was necessary to do so.  Between car and engine advancements and changes in oil components, it’s rarely necessary anymore.

Your car’s owners manual should have a recommendation for how often you need to change your oil.  This may vary from 3,000 to 15,000 miles driven.  There are some extenuating circumstances where your oil should be changed more often.  These include a lot of idling time, mostly car trips of less than 5 miles or in stop-and-go traffic, driving in extreme cold or heat and humidity, and a few more.  If you drive weekly in a more extreme situation, you may need to have that oil changed every 3,000 miles still.  If you don’t change your oil when necessary, it is similar to using dirty mop water over and over again while mopping a floor.  It’s pretty much doing more harm than good.

Another reason not to change your oil until it is necessary is the huge amount of oil waste created in doing so.  In California, if everyone were to only change their oil when the car manufacturer said they should, 10 million gallons of oil would be saved every year.  Not only are we wasting oil and creating unnecessary waste by changing car oil too frequently, we are also wasting money that could be spent elsewhere.  Everyone is looking to reduce car related costs by trying to save money on gas, find cheaper car insurance rates, and purchasing less expensive vehicles.  By only getting your oil changed when the manufacturer suggests, you can save your wallet along with the environment.

Almost everyone is strapped for cash right now and two ways they’ve been looking to save money are finding cheap car insurance and gas for their vehicles.  It’s easier to find cheap car insurance right now than it is to find cheap gas, but according to CNN, gas prices are close to hitting their high.  Matt Smith talks about this in his article “Gas prices up but may be peaking, Lundberg survey says.”  In the past year, the price of gas has increased by 36 cents a gallon in the United States.  Just in the past couple of weeks, gas has gone up 11 cents a gallon to $3.93.

The price of crude oil has been steady in March and as long as this continues, the Lundberg survey says that gas prices should hit their high very soon.  It is possible that the average will not go above $4/gallon, something that has been a concern for many people.  Right now demand in the United States is fairly low and 20% of the refinery capacity is currently idled.  The United States gas market is very well supplied and looks to remain that way for quite awhile.

Chicago had the highest gas prices in the United States at $4.56/gallon.  You can find the cheapest gas prices in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  But $3.58/gallon doesn’t really sound that cheap unfortunately.  In order to save some money, many consumers have been purchasing vehicles based on their gas and car insurance costs.  Hybrid cars and those with traditionally low car insurance premiums have been desirable to help consumers save money.  It’s also important to shop around for the best car insurance rates and get any kind of gas discounts available in your area to help save more money.

Floridians can expect to see a decrease in their car insurance rates soon because the legislature has finally made changes to PIP insurance.  According to the Sun Sentinel’s Kathleen Haughney, the no-fault auto insurance changes will take effect over the next year.  In the article, “Will revamped car insurance rules cut your rates?,” the opinion is that it surely won’t happen right away, but it should work down the line.  Governor Rick Scott will sign the law into effect and changes will be made starting July 1, with additional provisions taking effect October 1 and January 1 of next year.

Many experts think it will be closer to two years before significant savings are seen by car insurance companies, but they must cut rates by 10% by October 1 or have a good explanation why they aren’t doing so.  The no-fault PIP insurance program pays for the first $10,000 of medical treatments after a car accident no matter whose fault the accident was.  PIP rates have more than doubled since 2008 as claims payments have skyrocketed, mostly due to fraud in the system.

The major change this new bill enacts is a time limit on seeking medical treatment after a car accident.  You have to seek medical attention within 14 days of the accident.  They believe this will cut down on the fraud where someone is injured after their car accident, but blames it on the accident for “free” medical care.  Some of the treatments that are commonly abused will now be banned from PIP coverage.  Two examples are massage and acupuncture.  Chiropractic care that is not for emergencies will now be limited to $2,500 of coverage.  The state will also become stricter with medical clinic licensing and create an organization that fights fraud in the PIP insurance program.

We will continue to watch the effects of this new law fighting no-fault PIP insurance fraud in Florida.

A man from Lakewood, Ohio just spent two years and a whole lot of money to fight a $13.99 charge from Budget rent-a-car.  According to the Wall Street Journal’s Steve Eder in the article “Small car-rental fee leads to big court fight,” plaintiff Michael Salling has just lost his two year battle.  He rented a Hyundai Elantra from Cleveland Hopkins airport’s Budget rent-a-car counter.  After driving for 64 miles, he filled up the car’s gas tank and returned it to Budget.

Unfortunately, he didn’t read the fine print in his contract that said he not only needed to fill up the gas tank, but he needed to produce a receipt for the gas that he put in the car.  Salling was charged $13.99 under the company’s EZFUEL program.  This definitely isn’t the first time that someone has been unhappy with their car rental company, as people have been unhappy with the car insurance and many other issues related to car rental contracts.

A Northern District of Ohio judge ruled after Salling’s lawsuit in August 2009 that Budget did not breach its contract or commit any type of fraud.  The Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals also sided with Budget and said that Salling’s payment of the $13.99 fee was voluntary, even though he said it was forced.  Unfortunately, we do see a lot of companies making money off of their added fees rather than their original business.  This lawsuit will not make any changes in that harsh reality though.