plug-in cars
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The average vehicle on U.S. roads these days is more than 10 years old, despite three successive years of record new-vehicle sales. That's a result not only of the 2008-2010 recession but also vastly more durable and reliable vehicles compared to those of previous decades. All of those vehicles provide a ready stream of service revenue to dealerships, especially while they're still in warranty. DON'T MISS: How do you service a hydrogen fuel-cell car at a dealer? Data from dealer trade groups shows that servicing is one of the two most-profitable lines of business for franchised dealerships...
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Tesla Model S racing is now a real thing, approved by FIA sanctioning body
It's formally called the Electric Production Car Series, but for the moment it may come to be known as "the Tesla Model S series" by electric-car fans and racing followers alike. After being unveiled almost two years ago, it's now officially a legitimate racing series: On Wednesday that the FIA...
John Voelcker -
When do electric-car tax credits expire? (updated for 2018)
In less than three months, personal income-tax returns or 2017 will be due for most U.S. adults. Some of those taxpayers will have bought a plug-in electric car last year, knowing that the Federal government offers an income-tax credit to help reduce the effective cost. But as more and more...
John Voelcker -
2019 Jaguar I-Pace to debut before Geneva; cold-weather testing video released
Jaguar Land Rover was a relatively late arrival to the luxury electric-car game, revealing its plans in the form of a concept car only at the 2016 Los Angeles auto show. But it's now planning the launch of what will likely be the 2019 Jaguar I-Pace electric crossover just four weeks hence. What is...
John Voelcker -
Nissan and partners have now sold 540,000 plug-in electric vehicles
Of the 90 million or so new vehicles sold globally last year, plug-in electric cars made up only a tiny proportion, roughly 1 percent. But the auto industry works on long product cycles and buyers tend to be conservative, only changing the types of cars they buy if life circumstances change or...
John Voelcker -
Used Fiat 500e electric cars outside California: is service an issue for buyers?
So you've always wanted to drive a battery-electric car, but you're a frugal and sensible shopper who's noticed that prices of used electric cars are remarkably low. And you always through the Fiat 500 was kind of interesting; the idea of a tiny three-door all-electric hatchback appealed to you...
John Voelcker -
Most highly fuel-efficient dedicated hybrids are compact five-door hatchbacks, the most popular vehicle segment globally. When Korean maker Kia was drawing up plans for its first dedicated hybrid vehicle, it took a different path. The wagon it came up with—it calls the Kia Niro a crossover, we disagree—has been a success in the U.S., selling at rates more than twice those of the Hyundai Ioniq that shares the same underpinnings. DON'T MISS: 2018 Kia Niro Review In its second year, the 2018 Kia Niro adds an alternative to the sole conventional hybrid powertrain offered in 2017. In...
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US climate action requires electric cars; utilities doing their part already
The subject of carbon dioxide emissions is hardly a simple one, especially when it comes to electric cars. They may not have tailpipes, but the electricity generated in order to keep them going has to come from somewhere. Electric utilities, it turns out, are doing their bit to reduce carbon...
Andrew Ganz -
Chevy Bolt EV electric car range and performance in winter: one owner's log
The arrival of the first affordable long-range electric car on the market has naturally led some owners to push the car in a way that they might not do with a plug-in car offering just 80 miles of battery range. The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, EPA-rated at 238 miles combined, removes most daily range...
John Voelcker -
What percent of US full-size pickup trucks will plug in by 2025? Twitter poll results
If the U.S. is serious about reducing carbon emissions from road vehicles—under the current administration, the jury remains out—pickup trucks are key. More than half of the reduction in fuel consumption in pickup trucks projected under corporate average fuel economy rules comes from...
John Voelcker -
GM suggests Congress fund EV charging, Toyota asks for hydrogen fueling support
It's now abundantly clear that Tesla has created the roadmap on how to build a widespread DC fast-charging network that lets electric-car drivers travel long distances, even across the country. The Tesla Supercharger network can only be used by Tesla cars, however—and it remains entirely...
John Voelcker -
CA needs 5 million zero-emission cars by 2030; will it reach 1.5 million by 2025?
Last Thursday, Governor Jerry Brown said in his annual State of the State address that California would need 5 million zero-emission vehicles on its roads by 2030 to meet its goals for reducing carbon emissions. An executive order on Friday laid out new state actions toward that goal, including a...
John Voelcker -
Possibly no German carmaker was more shocked by the emergence of the Tesla Model S in 2012 than Porsche. Each of Porsche's models was a top performer in its segment for power, handling, and features, and sold at highly profitable prices. Then came the Tesla Model S, a five-seat hatchback sedan that offered striking looks and stunning performance in its top-end versions, soon accompanied by the Supercharger fast-charging network that now blankets the U.S. DON'T MISS: Porsche Mission E electric sedan to offer 300 miles of range, 400 hp, at minimum Porsche's understanding of that car's...
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Georgia to take second try at electric-car tax credit after killing first one
Several years ago, Georgia offered a generous state-tax credit for purchase of a zero-emission vehicle, and its sales of electric cars boomed. When state politics interceded to kill that credit in 2015—and add a new tax specifically on those same vehicles—the state became a case study...
John Voelcker -
2018 Nissan Leaf electric car gets 151-mile EPA range rating
When the 2018 Nissan Leaf electric car was unveiled last fall, the company said it would have a range of "140 miles or more." That had risen to "150 miles or more" by the end of last year, and now we have the final confirmed figure. The EPA combined range rating for the second-generation Leaf is...
John Voelcker -
NHTSA to investigate Tesla Model S on Autopilot that hit parked fire truck on freeway
Investigators from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are scheduled to examine the crash of a Tesla Model S that hit a fire truck parked on a California freeway. The driver claimed the Model S was operating with Tesla's AutoPilot functionality turned on, according to a tweet sent by...
Mark Stevenson -
LAPD's unused electric cars gather dust sitting in garage, but why?
Anyone who remembers the epic, metallic-tasting, technicolor smog in the Los Angeles Basin found into the 1990s understands why air quality matters there. While the worst of the uncontrolled tailpipe emissions have now been greatly reduced, and the air is cleaner, the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide...
John Voelcker -
Why everyone leases electric cars rather than buying (and maybe you should too)
Leases are a minority of overall car sales in the U.S., though the numbers soar for pricier luxury vehicles versus the less expensive, plain-Jane vehicles that serve as daily transport for most drivers. That rule flips for electric cars: Most pricey Teslas appear to be purchased outright, while...
John Voelcker -
As the auto industry plans more electric cars in higher volumes for the 2020s, one of the great debates is whether they will need to be designed from the ground up solely for battery power. Doing so allows designers to offer larger cabins due to the more compact drive motors and electronics. One of the best examples of that idea is the upcoming Jaguar I-Pace electric SUV. DON'T MISS: BMW will have 25 electric cars, plug-in hybrid models by 2025 The I-Pace design is clearly that of a Jaguar, but its proportions include a shorter nose and longer cabin than would be possible in a...
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What's the right ratio of public charging stations to plug-in electric cars sold?
Electric vehicles still make up just a tiny slice of the vehicles on the road across the United States. Still, with impending regulations and more longer-range electric vehicles soon to arrive, governments far and wide recognize the need to encourage the installation and growth of public charging...
Mark Stevenson -
Colorado moves to put more electric cars onto state roads faster
A state at the forefront of U.S. electric-vehicle adoption has set an ambitious goal of nearly 1 million plug-in electric cars on its roads by 2030. Colorado, which counted 13,000 electric vehicles on the road at the end of 2017, rolled out an aggressive plan this week to achieve that goal. Its...
Mark Stevenson -
Changing tires on Chevy Bolt EV electric car: your range, grip, and noise may vary
One of the many tactics used by carmakers to boost efficiency in their vehicles is fitting low-rolling-resistance tires. Specially designed to reduce the energy wasted as heat from the friction between the tire and the road, these tires can boost efficiency by a few percentage points in an electric...
John Voelcker -
2020 Jaguar XJ luxury sedan to be reborn as all-electric Tesla Model S competitor
Almost since the two legendary British brands were brought together in 1998, Jaguar has played second fiddle to its sibling Land Rover. The maker of traditional, sporty British sedans was left in search of a mission as increasingly upscale Land Rovers and even pricier Range Rovers proliferated...
Mark Stevenson -
Volkwagen ID electric cars need names, but do these two work?
Volkswagen continues to invest heavily in a future of plug-in electric vehicles as it attempts to clean the diesel soot from its face following its emissions-cheating scandal. Part of that initiative is coming up with new names for upcoming all-electric models to be sold under its ID electric...
Mark Stevenson