Auto Shows
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If concept cars are meant to grab attention, then the BMW i Vision Dynamics Concept—an all-electric sedan that debuted Tuesday at the Frankfurt motor show—may have fulfilled its mission. With the huge, vertical twin-kidney BMW grille also seen on the BMW X7 SUV concept, the smaller four-door sedan concept grabbed viewers' attention from the very first glance. But a few things have become clear now that the concept is out in the open. CHECK OUT: Electric BMW X3e to come in 2020, but BMW i5 defunct: what happened, and why? First, the BMW i sub-brand will continue to live on, and as...
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Mercedes-Benz Concept EQA small electric hatchback debuts in FrankfurtFollowing various teaser images, the Mercedes-Benz EQA concept for a compact all-electric hatchback made its debut on Tuesday at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. It's a preview of what will become a volume production car around 2020, competing against numerous 200-mile hatchbacks of the same size...
John Voelcker -
Latest image shows shape of Mercedes EQA compact electric car for Frankfurt showGerman luxury maker Mercedes-Benz has released another teaser photo of the electric-car concept it will reveal next week at the Frankfurt auto show. That vehicle will be the Mercedes EQA Concept, a compact electric hatchback that's one of several concepts that preview future products as the company...
John Voelcker -
Green car concepts, production models at Frankfurt auto showAlthough a handful of automakers have opted to skip the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, there are still plenty of new green concept cars and production models confirmed to make their debut. Leading up to the media days of the 2017 Frankfurt show, we will continue to update this running list of what is...
Sean Szymkowski -
All-electric Mini E for 2019 to appear at Frankfurt show in concept formThe first Mini E, cobbled together by putting a battery pack where the rear seat used to be, was BMW's very first attempt at building a modern electric car. Only a few hundred were built, back in 2009, but the quick project gave the German company real-world experience on how electric-car drivers...
Zach Bowman -
Shanghai auto show roundup: China plugs into electric cars in a big wayChina has long aimed to be the global leader in battery cells, solar power, and electric vehicles. But with more carrots and stronger sticks, electric-car sales started to rise in the country a couple of years ago. With close to a fifth of the world’s population starting to consider cars...
Green Car Reports -
Finally joining the bandwagon, Swedish manufacturer Volvo has confirmed that it will introduce its first all-electric vehicle to the market in 2019. The announcement was made last week at the 2017 Shanghai auto show. That proved to be an appropriate stage, as the Chinese-owned maker plans on having the model produced in China. DON’T MISS: Volvo's next plug-in hybrids: 3-cylinder engine, smaller cars The decision will allow the company to take full advantage of the country’s technological advancement and growth, but will also allow it to tap into the world's largest market for...
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Jeep Yuntu Concept for Shanghai may have plug-in hybrid powertrainThe Jeep Yunto Concept made its debut Wednesday at the Shanghai auto show, and it appears to be a plug-in hybrid. The automaker has been tight-lipped about the concept's drivetrain, but the vehicle on display in China clearly shows "PHEV" badges on the front doors. No surprise there, as the Chinese...
Zach Bowman -
Chevrolet FNR-X plug-in hybrid crossover concept debuts in Shanghai: live photosAfter being teased last week, the Chevrolet FNR-X Concept crossover made its debut yesterday at the Shanghai auto show. The new shape, which sports a plug-in hybrid powertrain, is intended to showcase the design talents of Chevy's Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center in Shanghai It's the second...
John Voelcker -
Audi e-tron Sportback Concept: full electic-car details, photos from Shanghai auto showAudi has injected a dash of sporting character and a look at the future of electric-vehicle design into its latest e-tron concept car, which made its debut at the 2017 Shanghai auto show. The Audi e-tron Sportback Concept previews a coupe-esque electric utility vehicle to come following the...
Sean Szymkowski -
2018 (?) Honda CR-V Hybrid all but confirmed for U.S. sale after Shanghai debutIt's one of the more frequently asked questions on consumer car sites: why aren't there any hybrid crossover utility vehicles? The Ford Escape Hybrid reigned alone in that segment from 2004 through 2012. Then Ford simply walked away from the segment, replacing it with the underwhelming C-Max Hybrid...
John Voelcker -
What's the best Porsche Panamera? It's a plug-in hybrid nowThe top 2018 Porsche Panamera that money can buy now comes with a plug. That’s according to Porsche Cars North America’s Chief Operating Officer Joe Lawrence, who said as much to Green Car Reports last week during the 2017 New York auto show. “I think what we have with the (2018...
Aaron Cole -
The Chinese government wants more plug-in electric cars sold in the country—and quickly. The Shanghai auto show this week demonstrates that multiple global automakers are stepping up to the plate, both with production cars and concepts. The Volkswagen ID Crozz Concept shows what a future all-electric compact crossover utility vehicle might look like. DON'T MISS: Volkswagen teases electric crossover for Shanghai auto show A so-called four-door coupe crossover, it's a relatively streamlined and low version of an all-wheel-drive utility vehicle powered entirely by a large battery pack. And...
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All-electric Audi e-tron Sportback concept teased for Shanghai auto showThe Shanghai auto show is shaping up to be a showcase for all the green cars and concepts that were absent from last week's New York auto show. Among them is a concept for a "four-door coupe" version of the Audi e-tron all-electric SUV that'll go into production sometime next year. The Audi e-Tron...
John Voelcker -
Volkswagen teases electric crossover for Shanghai auto showVolkswagen appears to be quite clearly committed to an ambitious program of electric cars following its diesel emission scandal. But aside from two adapted models launched a few years ago—the VW e-Golf and e-Up hatchbacks—and a few low-range plug-in hybrids, it doesn't yet have much to...
John Voelcker -
Genesis GV80 fuel-cell concept SUV at NY auto showThese days, it's all but de rigeur that concept cars from major global automakers be shown with some form of alternative propulsion. They may preview future production vehicles powered by plain old conventional gasoline engines, but a plug-in hybrid or other greener powertrain shows the automaker...
John Voelcker -
Honda Clarity Electric, Plug-In Hybrid sedans revealed at NY auto showAt the New York auto show this morning, Honda revealed the second and third powertrains for its Clarity mid-size sedan, now offered only in California with a hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain. The 2017 Honda Clarity Electric and 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid are powered by a battery pack and a...
John Voelcker -
Lyft ridesharing service, part-owned by GM, said to raise half a billion dollars moreLyft has reportedly raised a new round of funding to support its on-demand ride hailing service. It’s believed that investors have put $500 million more into the company’s coffers, probably invigorated by its recent market growth and Uber’s stumbles. A Lyft spokesperson declined...
VentureBeat's GreenBeat -
New natural-gas passenger cars from major carmakers have disappeared from the U.S. Natural-gas options are available for large pickup trucks and vans but only exist for cars through aftermarket conversions offered by specialty firms. In Europe, though, the German luxury maker Audi remains committed to natural-gas powertrains. DON'T MISS: Renault Zoe e-Sport Concept at Geneva highlights electric-car performance (live photos) At the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, the German luxury automaker launched a "g-tron" compressed natural-gas version of its A5 Sportback five-door hatchback. The A5 Sportback...
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Hyundai FE Fuel Cell Concept previews hydrogen-powered SUV coming in 2018The Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell was actually the first hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle offered to U.S. drivers in recent years. The 2016 Toyota Mirai that followed it has now outsold Hyundai's hydrogen-powered SUV, but it's been known for a couple of years that the Korean maker will replace that model. At...
John Voelcker -
All-electric Bentley convertible concept shown at GenevaThe Volkswagen Group can't seem to get enough luxury electric cars. The Audi e-tron SUV and Porsche Mission E sedan will go into production over the next few years, with an electric version of the VW Phaeton sedan expected as well. Following that up, at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show Volkswagen...
Stephen Edelstein -
Renault Zoe e-Sport Concept at Geneva highlights electric-car performance (live photos)The Renault Zoe, a subcompact hatchback, has little in common with the Tesla Model S besides a battery-electric powertrain and five doors. But the maker of Europe's best-selling electric car seeks to underscore the idea that "electric cars can be fun and fast," perhaps hoping that some of Tesla's...
John Voelcker -
Looking at Lexus multi-stage hybrid system in new LS sedan, LC coupeThe Lexus LS 500h luxury sedan that debuts this week at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show will use the same "Multi Stage Hybrid System" as the LC 500h coupe. It's a somewhat different—and arguably more complex—setup than the powertrain of the LS 600h, the previous-generation hybrid version of...
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 Geneva auto show: green car previewThe 2017 Geneva Motor Show marks the next stop on the annual auto-show circuit. With press days beginning March 7, we aren't expecting an overwhelming number of green cars at the Swiss show this year. A smattering of production and concept cars with some green elements will debut there, though...
Stephen Edelstein