Sean Szymkowski, Contributor
Articles
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Earlier this month, the 30th World Solar Challenge kicked off in Darwin, Australia, with 42 competitors vying for victory.
At the end of the 3,022-kilometer (1,880-mile) race from Darwin to Adelaide,...
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European bans on vehicles with engines should exempt collector cars: studyNumerous European countries have rolled out target years in which they plan to ban the sale of new cars powered by internal-combustion engines. At the same time, many European cities have introduced car-free zones in highly congested or polluted areas—which has led to worries that...
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Honda's second electric-car concept is Sports EV coupe unveiled in TokyoFollowing Honda's hit electric-car concept at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Urban EV, the company brought a second all-electric concept to the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show with more sporting intentions. The Honda Sports EV coupe concept debuted one show after the Urban EV concept, and this one's a...
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EPA to axe rule banning older, dirtier diesel engines in new trucks: reportThe EPA recently announced it will roll back the Clean Power Plan, one of former President Obama's milestone efforts to fight climate change, and now the agency plans to axe another rule limiting emissions. Next on the chopping block is a regulation that limits emissions from large trucks and their...
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Oklahoma Supreme Court rules state's electric-car tax unconstitutionalWhen the Oklahoma Legislature passed a bill earlier this year that imposed new fees on owners of hybrid and electric cars only, it was swiftly sued by the Sierra Club. Now the Oklahoma Supreme Court has rendered its verdict in that suit, filed in August. In a 6-3 decision, the state's highest court...
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Electric cars are some of fastest-moving used vehicles in the U.S. (updated)Not every car buyer can afford a brand-new vehicle, which often makes gently used vehicles an appealing alternative. But while cars that plug in take only a small share of new-vehicle purchases today—about 1 percent—they apparently move quite fast off dealer lots once they're used. In...
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Before production of the Tesla Model 3 began, company CEO Elon Musk promised Tesla would offer owners some sort of free Supercharger use.
Specifically, Musk said, "free long-distance charging is...
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Toyota Fine-Comfort Ride fuel-cell concept targets 600 miles of rangeToyota continues to experiment with and develop various types of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles despite not yet offering a single production battery-electric car. The Japanese automaker now sells the Mirai, has announced it will begin studies of the Project Portal fuel-cell semi truck, and reportedly...
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Polestar's second, third cars will be all-electric, one to challenge Tesla Model 3While Tesla works out the production bottlenecks that plague the Model 3, rivals continue to gear up to challenge the Silicon Valley maker's more affordable electric car. Specifically, Tesla's latest announced competitor comes from the new brand at Volvo Cars Group, named Polestar, which has become...
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Who sold 10,000 plug-in vehicles last month? (Not Tesla, Nissan, or Chevy)When consumers think of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, most likely conjure thoughts of Tesla, or perhaps Nissan with its Leaf and Chevrolet with its Volt and Bolt EV. However, none of those three brands managed to sell 10,000 plug-in cars during the month of September. That sales honor...
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EU announces launch of battery alliance to boost cells for electric carsAs it stands today, Asia dominates the production of electric-car battery cells globally, with Japanese and Korean companies representing the bulk of the industry outside of booming Chinese makers. Europe, however, lacks a single major player in the fabrication and assembly of lithium-ion battery...
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ABB electric-car charging station bills automatically: no cards or RFID tagsActivating any given public charging station to recharge an electric car can pose something of a hassle. Yes, plugging it in is simple enough, but public charging infrastructure in the U.S. is run by multiple independent companies—meaning electric-car owners are essentially required to carry...
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Arizona joins 7 Western states in deal to expand electric-car charging networks (update) Sean Szymkowski
The Western United States will soon see an electric-car charging network that covers 5,000 miles of roadways.
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper announced on October 4 that he and six other...
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Even luxury launches can go all-electric; Hinckley shows howElectrification is starting to surge through the automotive industry as countries implement emission regulations and the cost of batteries and associated technology drops. While the automotive sector will clearly affect a larger group of people, numerous companies have shown that boats too can go...
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Cummins buys Brammo electric-drivetrain group for future electric semiCummins has long been known for its diesel engines, but the company recently revealed its first concept truck using an all-electric powertrain. The Urban Hauler Tractor debuted last month and Cummins said it previewed a production model that could arrive by the end of this decade. Now, the...
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Nissan e-NV200 Fridge Concept: electric refrigerated van at Tokyo Motor ShowNissan will roll out a new electric van concept at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show, one that it believes will help solve urban delivery congestion. The e-NV200 Fridge Concept adds a refrigerated compartment to the existing e-NV200 electric small delivery van to keep various perishable goods fresh while...
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Proposed ethanol cuts bring EPA up against Iowa's powerful politicianFollowing years of debate, the EPA said earlier this month it will study the possibilities of cutting the amount of ethanol in the United States' gasoline supply. Since 2007, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has required growing amounts of ethanol to be blended into U.S. fuel supplies, with...
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Toshiba claims 6-minute recharge for new electric-car battery cellElectric cars pale in comparison to gasoline or diesel-powered cars when it comes to the time presently required to add energy for more driving distance. Although automakers have begun to curb "range anxiety" with longer-distance electric cars, battery charging times on lengthy road trips remain a...
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Mercedes-Benz has already laid out its plans for a portfolio of electric and electrified vehicles, and now parent company Daimler has announced further strategy refinements for Mercedes-Benz and its...
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UAW wakes up to job threat posed by electric cars, as German unions have alreadyWith an evolving shift to electrified and plug-in electric cars, the changes that will bring to the auto industry are far from limited to the powertrains. The entire mass-production and vehicle assembly process the industry pioneered a century ago will require major restructuring, it appears...
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Volvo's new Polestar electric-car brand to launch 600-hp model in 2019Polestar, formerly Volvo's in-house tuning division, was recently separated from the Swedish brand; Volvo plans to turn it into a standalone brand. Polestar announced plans to build electric and electrified performance cars in the near future, and the brand revealed its first attempt with what it...
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VW plans for electric trucks and buses, starting production next yearVolkswagen Group has now detailed its aggressive electrification timeline for every part of its vehicle operations, including heavy trucks, setting lofty goals for zero-emission vehicles in the future. While Volkswagen works on the passenger car side of things, VW Group's commercial-vehicle...
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Ikea invests in hybrid-vehicle builder XL HybridsXL Hybrids carved its niche in the vehicle-electrification segment by offering hybrid conversion kits for regular gasoline-powered vans, commercial trucks, and pickups. Thus far, the Boston-based start-up has found success and a recent round of venture capital funding raised another $22 million...
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Shell buys its first electric car charging station firm in EuropeEven oil companies have begun to realize the future will not be nearly as reliant on fossil fuels, and Royal Dutch Shell is moving to safeguard its future business. The Dutch oil company acquired NewMotion, an electric-car charging station firm, for an undisclosed price. DON'T MISS: Shell fuel...
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