Why did we test a $71,000 luxury sedan with an EPA rating of just 25 mpg?

What did a top Volkswagen executive say that riled up Tesla fans?

This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending on Friday, May 12, 2017.

Friday, we wrote about spending several days with a 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid, which delivered real-world gas mileage that impressed us.

We also laughed at a low-budget dealership ad for the Chevy Bolt EV that we suggested proves electric cars continue to move slowly into the mainstream.

Image from 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric-car ad by Ourisman Chevrolet, Rockville, Maryland

Image from 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric-car ad by Ourisman Chevrolet, Rockville, Maryland

On Thursday, we noted that 10 years have passed since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the EPA not only could but must regulate carbon-dioxide emissions.

After a hiatus during April, we brought back our best green-car deals roundup for May.

Wednesday, we suggested the death of diesel has been greatly exaggerated (although Mercedes-Benz has given up trying to sell them for 2017, at least in the U.S.).

And an Oregon reader discussed his family's life owning two Chevrolet Bolt EV electric cars—and no other vehicles—and how that works for trips.

On Tuesday, we reported that administrator Scott Pruitt axed members of the EPA's Science Board, intending to replace them with representatives of industries the EPA regulates.

EPA administrator Scott Pruitt [photo from 2014]

EPA administrator Scott Pruitt [photo from 2014]

While a $71,000 Mercedes-Benz E300 luxury sedan isn't exactly green, its real-world gas mileage demonstrates considerable progress over 10 years among the breed.

We kicked off the week on Monday with a statement by Volkswagen brand chief Herbert Diess, who basically told electric-car maker Tesla, "Anything you can do, we can do better."

China has licensed nine electric-car assembly plants, against only four in the U.S. building plug-in cars today; we asked what that really means.

Over the weekend, we noted that Fremont, California—home of Tesla's assembly plant—now requires new homes to have solar panels, and electric-car charging provisions too.

Finally, on the electric-car incentive front, California plans to test point-of-purchase rebates (rather than a check in the mail weeks later) later this year in San Diego.

Chevrolet Bolt EV being charged outside Go Forth electric-car showroom, Portland [photo: Forth]

Chevrolet Bolt EV being charged outside Go Forth electric-car showroom, Portland [photo: Forth]

Meanwhile, Oregon is considering a $250 bonus for every salesperson who sells an electric car at a dealership—if it also sells gasoline cars, that is.

Those were our main stories this week; we'll see you again next week. Until then, this has been the Green Car Reports Week in Reverse update.

________________________________________________

Follow GreenCarReports on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.