test
-
Within the last week, we wrote that not one major automotive media outlet had independently tested the less-expensive and higher-volume Tesla Model 3. That changed on Monday, when Motor Trend published the first instrumented test of Tesla's affordable electric car. This gives us the first independent look at the performance and specifications of the Model 3 Long Range, the version tested. DON'T MISS: Tesla Model 3 video review compares lower-priced electric car to Model S The first test took the Model 3 Long Range through a standard battery of tests: acceleration, braking, roadholding on a...
-
Utility V2G test with BMW shows electric cars can aid the grid
As the demand for electric cars grows, utility companies are considering their effect on local power grids—both positive and negative. Recently, California's PG&E and BMW wrapped up a pilot program testing experimental vehicle-to-grid technology to see if electric cars could actually aid...
Sean Szymkowski -
EPA's internal watchdog to check vulnerability to emission cheating
Even with a new leader apparently at odds with its mission, the Environmental Protection Agency continues to function on some level. On Thursday, EPA administrator Scott Pruitt said carbon dioxide released by human activity is not a major cause of climate change, directly contradicting the...
Stephen Edelstein -
Are 'Clean Diesels' Actually Not Nearly As Clean As Claimed?
The only region where diesel passenger cars sell in equal numbers to gasoline-powered vehicles is Europe. And until the advent this year of tougher Euro 6 emission standards, new European diesel cars were significantly dirtier than those sold since 2008 in North America. But one European transport...
John Voelcker -
EU To Toughen Emission Testing, Replicate 'Real-World' Driving
New EU emission testing rules are set to take effect in 2017.
Stephen Edelstein -
Should EPA Gas-Mileage Ratings Tests Change? What You Need To Know
Your mileage may vary. We've heard it for years, we all know it's true, and yet we put our trust in the EPA's fuel-efficiency ratings as a guide to what kind of gas mileage a car will really get. Now, two cars--the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid and the 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid--have brought the failings of...
John Voelcker -
Within a few weeks, a handful of New Yorkers each day will ride in a new kind of taxi: an all-electric Nissan Leaf. On Monday, to celebrate Earth Day, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg joined with Nissan officials to announce that six Nissan Leaf taxis would go into service this spring. The plan, Bloomberg said, will help the city "answer important questions about incorporating electric taxis into the fleet, so that we can achieve the goal of a one-third electric taxi fleet by 2020." Included in the test will be the installation of several DC fast-charging stations in New York City, which...
-
Nissan’s New London Taxi Cab Could Be Electric Too
They’re as well-known as The Houses of Parliament or Harrods luxury department store, but soon London’s iconic black taxi cabs could be getting an all-electric makeover courtesy of an electric taxi being tested by Nissan. The news was announced at the London launch of the NV200 taxi...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Mazda To Offer All-Electric Mazda2, In Japan, For Lease Only
Electric cars can be split into three basic groups. There are the few models carmakers intend to sell in volume (e.g. Nissan Leaf), those that are only "compliance cars"--built solely to satisfy regulatory requirements--and, lastly, the "test fleet" cars, with which manufacturers gather real-world...
John Voelcker -
Audi Commences A3 e-tron Electric Car Test Fleet In U.S.
Last week, Volkswagen officially started its latest all-electric test program in the U.S., with the delivery of the first eGolf to its Californian test facility. Yesterday at the annual TED conference, sister company Audi followed suit with the announcement that it too would be testing limited...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Volkswagen Plugs In, Starts eGolf Test Fleet In California
On Friday last week, Volkswagen officially marked the start of its U.S. electric car test program by shipping an all-electric Golf to its Electronic Research Laboratory in Belmont, California. Called the eGolf in the U.S. the all-electric hatchback is essentially the same as the Volkswagen Golf...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
Audi Launches Pilot Project In Munich With A1 E-tron Electric Car
Earlier today, Audi launched the latest part of its plug-in electric vehicle program, commencing a public trail of its A1 e-tron range-extended electric car in Munich. Announced in September 2010 after Audi unveiled the A1 E-Tron concept car at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, the 20-strong test car...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
A few months after BMW and MINI's electric car study ended in the United States, a similar scheme run in the U.K. has also come to a close, and the results are in... ...and if you've read the results of the American tests, the figures coming from the U.K. will all look very familiar. Basically, all the drivers loved driving the MINI E, as you might expect from a small, fun, 204 horsepower electric hot hatchback. The results are about more than just whether people enjoy driving EVs though, and for BMW the focus is on collecting data for its current and future EV projects, the 2011 BMW ActiveE...
-
2011 Chevy Volt Gets Five Stars For Overall Safety From NHTSA
Well, log another notch in the bedpost: One more safety myth--that electric cars will be more dangerous than regular ones in a crash--has now been slain. Five weeks ago, the Insurance Industry for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave top ratings for crash safety to both the 2011 Nissan Leaf and the 2011...
John Voelcker -
2011 Geneva Auto Show: Electric Car Preview
It’s the end of February, which means that winter is almost over for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, and Geneva’s prestigious autoshow is just days away. This year we’ve been given unprecedented access to many of the cars due to debut at this year’s show, but in case...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
GM Electric Meriva Van Tests Vehicle-to-Grid Charging in Germany
Last summer, Karl Stracke, the vice president of global vehicle engineering of General Motors, said the company planned to test three battery-electric vehicles in different global regions. This morning, the company's Opel unit announced that it would test a fleet of Opel Meriva small minivans...
John Voelcker -
Do Electric Cars Make You Worry About Toasters in Bathtubs?
As we move toward the December launch of electric cars from real automakers--the 2011 Nissan Leaf and the 2011 Chevrolet Volt--there are many myths and fears that will have to be dispelled among consumers. One of them is the old toaster-in-the-bathtub fear: If you get an electric car really wet ...
John Voelcker -
Does BYD’s Ultimate Taxi Roadtest Hold Company’s Future?
What does a pizza delivery teen, a taxi driver and a courier have to do with EVs? Not much right now, but could these and other professional drivers hold the key to truly prove that EVs have what it takes to hit the big time, or do they risk condemning EVs to the history books forever? Chinese auto...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
It's always good to be suspicious when an automaker sends out a press release saying customers are "delighted" with its products. In the case of the Mini E, BMW offered data to back up the claim. At the Washington Auto Show today, BMW released early results from a study of 57 customers who leased its Mini E electric vehicle, conducted with the University of California-Davis. Among the conclusions: The Mini E's stated 100-mile range is enough for most daily usage. Home charging is much more important that availability of public charge points. Driving electrically is fun, and the Mini E more or...
-
And Then There Were Three (Names For the Chevy Volt's Signature Paint Color)
On October 22, Chevy issued a challenge via the Chevrolet Voltage Blog: come up with the best name for the Volt's signature silvery-greenish color, and you'll get a free trip to the LA Auto Show, not to mention a test drive of the pre-production extended-range electric vehicle. Each name...
Robert Scardino -
Infrastructure Hurdles Hinder Mini E Trial
Being a pioneer isn't easy. Just ask BMW North America CEO, Jim O'Donnell. As the German automaker continues to test 450 electric Minis (aptly called Mini Es) in New York, New Jersey and L.A., creating the charging network has proven challenging. "We are learning a heck of a lot just about the...
Robert Scardino -
2010 Toyota Prius Gets Top Safety Rating
It's almost sold out in some areas, the solar sunroof is smashing sales projections, and now the 2010 Toyota Prius had added a further laurel to its overflowing cap: The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has awarded the 2010 Prius its "Top Safety Pick" designation. That award goes to vehicles...
John Voelcker