2017
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There are just nine days to go before the much-hyped Tesla Model 3 is unveiled to the world. But it appears that the makers of a different affordable 200-mile electric car wanted to point out that their car will actually precede the Model 3 into production by at least a year. Chevy said today that pre-production units of its 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car are now rolling off the line at the assembly plant in Orion Township, Michigan. DON'T MISS: Is Chevy Bolt EV's Main Mission To Marginalize Tesla Electric Cars? What's known as "retail production"—cars that can actually be sold to...
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2017 Chevrolet Sonic updated with CarPlay, new styling
The 2017 Chevrolet Sonic will debut at the 2016 New York Auto Show.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric to offer 110 miles of range: company
As electric-car range moves above the 100-mile mark in EPA ratings, one of the more interesting models to watch will be the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric. That car uses essentially the same 28-kilowatt-hour battery pack as the low-volume Kia Soul EV, a blocky tall wagon that's rated at 93 miles. Can...
John Voelcker -
2017 Audi A4 won't offer 2.0-liter TDI diesel in U.S. after all
While the 2017 Audi A4 is an entirely new vehicle, its shape isn't strikingly different from the car it replaces. The innovations come largely in a broad suite of comfort and electronic assistance features that will take the car into the 2020s. Now, however, Audi has decided that the A4 won't be...
John Voelcker -
2017 Kia Optima Hybrid, Plug-In Hybrid on sale this fall
The 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-In Hybrid go on sale this fall.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid, Electric: more notes from Geneva Motor Show
The 2017 Hyundai Ioniq lineup was largely downplayed by European media that focused more on local makers, along with the supercars and high-end luxury vehicles debuts, at this week's Geneva Motor Show. Korean maker Hyundai was the 19th press event of the morning, almost three hours after media days...
John Voelcker -
By virtually all accounts, the second-generation Chevrolet Volt is a handsome, enjoyable, efficient, and comfortable plug-in hybrid hatchback. This site named it our Best Car To Buy for 2016, and it's won plaudits from reviewers across the spectrum. But as we wrote last summer, "We worry most about GM's ability to explain what the Volt is, why it's better than other plug-in hybrids, and how it blends the benefits of all-electric drive with the security of a range-extending engine when you need it." DON'T MISS: Chevy Volt: Nationwide Rollout In Spring For 2017 Volt GM says it's taking a...
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Hyundai Ioniq: most important car at the Geneva Motor Show?
The Geneva Motor Show is stuffed with cars, both European volume cars we don't see in North America and a huge number of pricey and high-performance supercars and customs. So despite the fact that it was a global debut, the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq didn't seem to get the buzz it might have if it had been...
John Voelcker -
2017 Chevy Volt Now At (Some) Dealers; First Incentives Released
The 2017 Chevrolet Volt is arriving at certain dealers.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 Hyundai Ioniq Lineup Specs, Details Emerge For Geneva Motor Show (Video)
The 2017 Hyundai Ioniq will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week, with the full global lineup--hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric versions--in attendance. Ahead of that event's media days, the company has released some additional specifications on the three vehicles. For one thing...
John Voelcker -
2017 Mitsubishi Mirage Sedan Unveiled At Toronto Auto Show
The 2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 sedan debuted at the 2016 Toronto Auto Show.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 Kia Niro Hybrid Crossover Utility Vehicle Debuts At Chicago Auto Show: Live Photos & Video
The 2017 Kia Niro "hybrid utility vehicle" revealed this morning at the Chicago Auto Show marks the South Korean brand's ambitious entry into dedicated hybrids. While dedicated hybrids have traditionally been hatchbacks--think Honda Insight, Toyota Prius, even the plug-in hybrid Chevrolet...
John Voelcker -
Kia aims for a 25-percent increase in its U.S. fleet-wide fuel efficiency by 2020; and the new 2017 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), introduced today at the Chicago Auto Show and due later this year, are key additions to the brand’s lineup to achieve that. Although the new Optima Hybrid and Optima PHEV are new models, they’re not mechanically unique. They have the same 154-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, the same six-speed automatic transmission packaged with a 38-kW (or 50-kW for the PHEV) single electric motor, and the same 1.62-kWh (or 9.8-kWh)...
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Chevy Bolt EV To Be Sold In Europe As Opel Ampera-E Electric Car
The Opel Ampera-e should be mechanically identical to the Chevrolet Bolt EV.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 Hyundai Ioniq: Dark-Horse Competitor For Prius AND Bolt EV?
The new 2016 Toyota Prius is now arriving at dealers all over the country, and while gas prices--and hence hybrid sales--are down, it's expected to boost sales of the quintessential hybrid, now ranked at 52 or 56 mpg combined. Meanwhile, anticipation is building over the first deliveries of the...
John Voelcker -
Bolt EV Powertrain: How Did GM And LG Collaborate On Design, Production?
In last fall's runup to the launch of the production 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV 200-mile electric car, GM discussed working together with Korean corporate giant LG on the Bolt's development. Mark Reuss, GM’s head of global product development said in October that the company's partnership with LG...
John Voelcker -
Is Chevy Bolt EV's Main Mission To Marginalize Tesla Electric Cars?
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV may be the most eagerly awaited electric car since the original Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt (plus everything Tesla). Its claimed 200-mile range and pre-incentive price of $37,500 will make it unique if it launches this December as expected. And there's been much press...
John Voelcker -
2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell Priced 'Around $60,000,' CA Launch Before End Of Year
Honda says it will begin leasing the Clarity Fuel Cell in California later this year.
Stephen Edelstein -
Chrysler last week revealed the completely new sixth-generation version of its minivans—including, at long last, the first full-hybrid minivan for the U.S. market. That model, to be called the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, is slated to go on sale around September 2016. And while it’s only badged a hybrid, the charging port just ahead of the driver’s door hints that it's a lot more than that (yes, blame the marketers for the badging): It’s a plug-in hybrid good for 30 miles of all-electric driving and a projected EPA 80 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe). DON'T MISS...
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Carlos Ghosn's Face Shows Nissan's Reaction To 2017 Chevy Bolt EV
Carlos Ghosn has never really been known as a man with frequent warm and ready smiles for all comers. Under most circumstances, the man who runs not only global automaker Nissan but the Franco-Japanese Renault-Nissan Alliance displays a serious, thoughtful countenance. But as he inspected the 2017...
John Voelcker -
2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid, Energi: Software Tweaks For Drivability Improvements
The 2017 Ford Fusion, unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show, enters its fifth model year with what the industry calls a mid-cycle refresh: a few styling updates, some new standard equipment, and changes to trim levels. The mid-size sedan's hybrid and plug-in hybrid models too benefit from those...
John Voelcker -
Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid, Electric Models To Be Sold In 50 States
The Hyundai Ioniq will be sold in all 50 states, but not at every Hyundai dealer.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 Hyundai Ioniq: More Photos, Details Of Hybrid Model (UPDATED)
The 2017 Hyundai Ioniq will debut first as a hybrid.
Stephen Edelstein -
GM Won't Fund CCS Fast-Charging Sites For 2017 Chevy Bolt EV
The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV has received largely positive reviews for the production version unveiled last week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. And as the first affordable 200-mile electric car, expected to go on sale before the end of this year, it will likely reset consumer...
John Voelcker