2012
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Plugging an electric car into a charging station might seem like a simple process, but sometimes even the simplest of processes can go wrong. Over the weekend, we heard reports of several cases of Nissan Leaf owners whose Leafs had sustained damage after charging at GE WattStation Level 2 charging stations. It is believed that a voltage spike occurred during connection to the charging station. Yesterday, we reached out to Nissan and GE for official comment on the story. Today, we have heard from both firms. “We are aware of several isolated instances of Nissan Leafs sustaining damage...
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2012 Tesla Model S: Will Winter Weather Ruin Its Range?
The first two 2012 Tesla Model S all-electric sport sedans to roll off the Tesla production line last month were shipped to Chicago, where they're presumably now tooling around in the Midwest's record-setting summer heat. But how will the cars' impressive EPA range of 268 miles hold up six months...
David Noland -
2012 Tesla Model S: Is Aluminum Its Secret Weapon?
Colin Chapman is remembered for many things in the automotive world, but if there's one thing auto journalists have to thank him for, it's an endless stream of column inches dedicated to the weight of cars. All the calls for lighter vehicles aren't based solely on theory, but a back-catalog of...
Antony Ingram -
Nissan Leaf Electric-Car Sales Slump: What's Happening Here?
Last year it was the Chevy Volt, which went through several months of slow sales before rebounding in the spring. This year, it's the Nissan Leaf, the world's highest-volume battery-electric car, whose U.S. sales have slumped to just 600 a month or less--and stayed there since early this year. Just...
John Voelcker -
Outgoing 2012 Nissan Altima: Could It Be A Bargain?
Right now, Nissan dealers across the U.S. are preparing themselves for the launch of the 2013 Altima. In order to clear their inventory of old stock, dealers are likely to be offering some great deals on the outgoing 2012 Altima -- the second best selling car in the U.S. last year. But should you...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2017 Nissan Leaf: Will It Cost The Same As A 2012 Golf?
As battery technology improves, the cost of producing battery packs drops, and the number of electric cars on the road increases, it’s pretty reasonable to expect the sticker price of electric cars to drop in the coming years. But how much will they drop by, and how quickly? How much, for...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
With at least a dozen 2012 Tesla Model S all-electric sport sedans now in the hands of buyers--and, Tesla says, 5,000 more to follow by the end of the year--attention is likely to turn to the car's real-world range. The high-end Model S that makes up the bulk of early production is rated by the EPA at 265 miles of electric range, with lower-range models to start production by the end of the year, Tesla says. Reports will start to filter in from early Model S owners that should offer some sense of whether the EPA number is optimistic, pessimistic, or about on target. As for recharging, though...
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2013 Lexus LS600h L Hybrid Luxury Sedan: Coming Soon
It’s one of the least popular luxury hybrids in the world, but at six years old, the current 2012 Lexus LS600h L -- just like the rest of the Lexus LS family -- is starting to show its age. Which is why Toyota has been working hard on a complete redesign of the Lexus LS range, which it will...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2012 Toyota Prius C: Yes, Your Gas Mileage Will Vary
Whenever a new car hits the market, there’s always a website somewhere on the Internet keeping track of how real-world gas mileage differs from the EPA’s official quotes. So it’s no surprise that owners of the 2012 Toyota Prius C have started to keep track of the gas mileage of...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2012 Tesla Model S Tests: 1 Hour Or Less Is Not A Review
Following its launch of the 2012 Tesla Model S, the Silicon Valley startup is now giving test drives to depositors who've put down $5,000--or more--for the all-electric luxury sport sedan. What Tesla hasn't done, as far as we're aware, is to provide Model S cars to automotive media outlets for...
John Voelcker -
How Much Space IS There Inside A 2012 Tesla Model S Anyway?
It can be hard to work out which cars the 2012 Tesla Model S electric sport sedan competes with. Would it be largest German luxury sedans, which it roughly matches in price with the longest (265-mile) range and the introductory limited-edition Signature Series models? If so, those would be the...
John Voelcker -
2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid: Now By Royal Appointment
As every automaker knows, getting Royal endorsement for a particular car or brand can help boost its image. Normally, such Royal endorsements are limited to luxury or prestige brands, but earlier this week, the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid received its official royal appointment courtesy of His...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
How far can your electric car travel before you need a recharge? For most electric car owners, that question is answered with a mixture of (usually inaccurate) on-board computer software and a good dose of past-experience behind the wheel of his or her car. But two planned updates to Nissan’s telematics and route-planning system for Nissan Leaf owners promises to reduce the guesswork and eliminate range anxiety for good. Announced today, the first consists of an update to the Carwings route-planning system. The update adds new algorithms based on real-world driving experiences which...
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Elon Musk Wins His 2012 Tesla Model S Bet, Dan Neil Pays Up
It may be that no one has been happier to lose a bet and write a check for $1,000 than Wall Street Journal auto writer Dan Neil. The bet he always said he wanted to lose was over the date Tesla Motors would deliver its first production 2012 Model S electric cars to paying customers--which it did at...
John Voelcker -
2012 Toyota Prius: Most Researched Car By Green-Car Buyers?
Thanks to data published by most automakers every month, it’s pretty easy to find out which cars sell the most. But before any cars are sold, which cars are the most researched by buyers? According to our own data, and some observations we’ve noted from the U.S. Department of...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2012 Tesla Model S Owner: 10 Things I LOVE About This Car! (Video)
Normally, when a new car launches, it takes a few weeks before owners start posting their own thoughts and ownership experiences online. But although official deliveries of the 2012 Tesla Model S Sedan started less than a week ago, it hasn’t taken long for Model S owners to evangelize online...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Senators Question DoE Loans To Fisker, Cite Qatar Investment
It's fair to say Silicon Valley start-up Tesla Motors is on a high at the moment. The first owners finally have their brand new 2012 Tesla Model S cars, and the company is receiving plenty of positive media attention. Meanwhile, its rival Fisker has been much quieter--and when there has been news...
Antony Ingram -
2012 Nissan Leaf To Re-Attempt Reversing World Record At Goodwood
Because electric cars are generally powered by an electric motor via a single gear reduction gearbox, they can theoretically move as quickly backwards as they can forwards. It’s no surprise then that as part of the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed due to take place this week, Nissan says its...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
The 2012 Tesla Model S has launched, short drive reviews are coming in, and new owners are taking delivery every day. So what's next for Tesla? We know what the company plans to launch for its future vehicles--the 2014 Model X crossover, a Roadster replacement, and down the road, a smaller, less expensive third model range. But to get there, Tesla has to sell enough Model S cars to keep itself in business and generate the cash to fund those ambitious plans. So how many Model S cars can Tesla sell? 20,000 next year? CEO Elon Musk has said confidently, several times, that Tesla Motors...
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2012 Tesla Model S All-Electric Sedan: Drive Reviews Roundup
On Friday, Tesla Motors delivered its first production Model S electric sedans to retail customers, an event the company webcast live. Watch the 26-0minute video above if you want to relive the glorious event. While Green Car Reports wasn't there, we've watched the deluge of coverage and read the...
John Voelcker -
2012 Tesla Model S Electric-Car Deliveries To Start Today
They said it couldn't be done, but it looks like Tesla Motors has indeed pulled it off. If all goes to plan, at 3:30 pm Pacific today, CEO Elon Musk and other Tesla executives will hand over the keys of a new 2012 Tesla Model S to the first retail buyer to take delivery of the all-electric luxury...
John Voelcker -
2012 Volkswagen Beetle: Quick Drive
It's not all that fuel efficient, but it's more fun to drive than we expected. That's our reaction to a quick drive last month in a blue 2012 Volkswagen Beetle. It's the entirely redesigned follow-on to the former New Beetle model that was perhaps best known for its dash-mounted flower vase--which...
John Voelcker -
What's On A 2012 Tesla Model S Screen Display? First Owner Shows His
While the first official 2012 Tesla Model S deliveries start tomorrow, a few individuals have been lucky enough to get theirs early. One, perhaps unsurprisingly, is Elon Musk. The other, and owner of Model S number one off the production line, is Tesla board member and venture capitalist Steve...
Antony Ingram -
2012 Tesla Model S: EPA Range Of 265 Miles, 89 MPGe Efficiency
Friday will be a big day for startup electric carmaker Tesla Motors. On that day, it will deliver its first 2012 Model S luxury sport sedans to retail customers in a big webcast event at its Fremont, California, assembly plant. But a couple of days beforehand, the EPA has issued the eagerly awaited...
John Voelcker