Bolt EV Details, Chrysler Plug-In Minivan, VW Blunders, Detroit Show: The Week In Reverse

Which new and startling function has Tesla added to its electric cars?

And, what did GM CEO Mary Barra say flat-out the company won't do?

This is our look back at the Week In Reverse--right here at Green Car Reports--for the week ending on Friday, January 15, 2016.

As we wrote last week, our regular "Week In Reverse" readers may notice there's no longer a video accompanying the weekly roundup.

2015 Tesla Model S P85D, May 2015 [photo: George Parrott]

While these articles continue to be popular, our data showed that few people who read the articles also watched the video--only about one in four some weeks.

So we're redirecting that budget to other videos. Now, on to the past week--which brought us, among other news, several new green cars at the Detroit Auto Show.

Friday, we asked if you knew what carmaker sold the most plug-in electric cars in the world during 2015.

Hint: It's not Tesla, or Nissan. Nor is it BMW or General Motors or Ford. The answer is here.

Volkswagen logo

On Thursday, we wrote about one facet of the Volkswagen diesel-emissions cheating scandal that hasn't much been covered by the media even as its sales slide.

That would be VW's self-inflicted wounds from denials, confrontation, and muddled messaging in its communications--when it talks at all.

Its TDI diesel owners, meanwhile, continue to exist in limbo, with only two $500 gift cards to assuage them. One of those cards can only be used at VW dealers. Ahem.

Wednesday, we published an exclusive story on GM's plans to fund DC fast-charging infrastructure as it plans the rollout of its 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV 200-mile electric car.

GM executive panel, CES 2016: Pam Fletcher, Alan Batey, Alicia Boler-Davis, Mary Barra, Mark Reuss

Or, more accurately, GM's lack of plans to do that. Straight from CEO Mary Barra, GM isn't going to fund any charging infrastructure.

On Tuesday, we described and showed video of features from Tesla's latest software update, Version 7.1.

It includes the ability to have a Tesla park itself, even in a garage that's too narrow for its doors to open, and then for users to "summon" it with the key fob to come get them.

We are, concluded our Tesla-owning author George Parrott, creeping closer to KITT.

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV - 2016 Consumer Electronics Show

Monday, we wrote about the new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show during press days on Monday and Tuesday.

It's actually a plug-in hybrid that's expected to offer 30 miles of range from its 16.4-kilowatt-hour battery.

At the same show, GM released (some) specifications for the 2017 Chevy Bolt EV, including its 60-kWh battery pack and more.

For all of our 2016 Detroit Auto Show coverage, head over to our show news page.

California Citrus State Historic Park

Finally, we updated our December article on the catastrophic leak at an underground methane storage well in southern California.

Governor Jerry Brown has now evacuated more than 30,000 people from the nearby Porter Ranch suburb, and controlling the leak will take several more months.

Hydrocarbons: Handle them with care.

We'll see you next week. Until then, this has been the Green Car Reports Week in Reverse update.

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