Electric Cars
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Ford opened an investigation into the way it conducts fuel economy tests. The EPA quit speaking to California in their dispute over emissions rules. Half of Consumer Reports top picks for 2019 include hybrids or plug-in cars. And Audi makes good on advertising the performance benefits of an electric car. All this and more on Green Car Reports. After employees expressed concern in an internal tip-line, Ford opened an investigation into the way it conducts a key portion of federally mandated fuel-economy tests. If it finds problems, it could lead to revising fuel economy numbers of some of its...
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E-tron follows original Quattro to the ski slopes in Audi's latest adYou asked, now you've received. In our Twitter poll last week, readers told us that they think automakers should quit focusing on electric cars' green credentials in ads and start advertising their performance. Apparently Audi was reading their thoughts. After spending as much as $5 million (or...
Eric C. Evarts -
Satisfying, but not so reliable: Tesla Model 3 joins ranks of enthusiast carsThis article has been updated to include a response from Tesla. Consumer Reports pulled its recommendation for the Tesla Model 3 again, after new survey data from its subscribers showed the car has below-average reliability, the organization announced today. CR surveys its subscribers annually...
Eric C. Evarts -
Volvo batteries, California superhighways, more efficient motors: Today's Car NewsFalling reliability costs the Tesla Model 3 its Consumer Reports recommendation. Could high-speed rail be replaced with high-speed highways? Volvo is pulling depleted batteries out of electric buses to use as energy storage for solar in a large apartment complex in Sweden. Argonne National Lab has...
Eric C. Evarts -
Argonne develops lighter, cheaper, more efficient motor for EVs, chargingSaving weight and increasing efficiency and power are among the most common goals for electric-car engineers. The biggest breakthroughs in those specs generally come in batteries. But it's not the only place. Now scientists at Argonne National Labs have developed a lighter, cheaper, and more...
Eric C. Evarts -
VW emissions, Honda Tomo, Ford Fusion Energi recall: Today's Car NewsHonda teamed with student designers for its latest EV concept. VW is cleaning up its emissions act, not just in cars, but in its factories. Ford is recalling 2019 Fusion Energis for an electric-shock hazard. And readers weigh in on the Green New Deal in our latest Twitter poll. All this and more on...
Eric C. Evarts -
If the goal of the Green New Deal proposed by Democrats in Congress is to get people talking about a transition to renewable energy, then it looks to be gaining traction. The Senate generated controversy on both sides of the aisle by proposing to hold a token vote on the proposal. Studies have arrived on both sides and in the middle of the political spectrum assessing the feasibility of generating all the electricity in the U.S. from renewable energy. The tough questions for everyone surround how keep such an electrical grid affordable and reliable. It's not yet clear how much of a real...
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Ahead of electric-car production, VW demands suppliers cut carbon emissionsAs Volkswagen ramps up to build a new generation of mass-market electric vehicles in the aftermath of its diesel scandal, regulators and environmental groups will likely be paying close attention to their emissions—especially the emissions created in making them. The Financial Times, in a...
Bengt Halvorson -
2020 Ford Explorer Hybrid, Bill Gates, GM e-bikes: Today's Car NewsMicrosoft founder Bill Gates weighs in on electric cars. General Motors launches a pair of compact electric-bikes. Ford prices its 2020 Explorer Hybrid—high. And our latest Twitter poll asks about wireless charging. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Ford released pricing for the 2020...
Eric C. Evarts -
Do you look forward to wireless charging at home? Take our Twitter pollLast week, news came that could make finally help bring wireless charging to more electric-car drivers. Qualcomm, one of the biggest players sold its Halo wireless charging business to one of its biggest rivals, WiTricity. Not unlike DC fast charging, one of the biggest problems bringing the new...
Eric C. Evarts -
Bill Gates calls Tesla “an amazing product,” doesn't see electric trucks working quite yetElectric cars may be seen by some as part of a seemingly unstoppable, powerful technological wave that will disrupt not just the auto industry but most other forms of transportation. Don’t count on Bill Gates as one of those bright-eyed EV cheerleaders; on the other hand, don’t dismiss...
Bengt Halvorson -
Porsche Taycan testing, Ford electric SUV: Today's Car NewsNew spy shots reveal quite a bit about the new Porsche Taycan. And on an abbreviated holiday schedule today, we run down what we know about Ford's upcoming 300-mile SUV. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Spy photographers caught a Porsche Taycan undergoing winter testing with a bare minimum...
Eric C. Evarts -
Porsche's first electric car, the 2020 Taycan sedan, is sold out for a year—with a significant chunk of reservations held by Tesla owners. Now those buyers can get the best look yet at the new car, with photos from a spy photographer at our sister site Motor Authority, who caught the car cold-weather testing. The photos show the Taycan with minimal camouflage, looking trimmer than many previous, heavily shrouded photos. They show two Taycans driving on snowy roads and charging, with elegant, flush charge-port doors on both front fenders (a feature Porsche has said will make it to...
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2021 Ford Mach E: What we know about 300-mile electric SUVGrab some of the pony-car attitude and affordability of the Ford Mustang. Put it into a fully electric vehicle that channels some of what makes the Tesla Model 3 Performance so much in demand, versus other EVs. Support it and nurture it. On a much-simplified level, that’s the recipe behind...
Bengt Halvorson -
Rivian deal, Corolla Hybrid, Tesla dog mode, charging tech: The Week in ReverseWhich non-automotive company just made a big bet on electric vehicles? What car just got safer for dogs? This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending Feb. 15, 2019. This week's headlines had a lot to say about new (and potential)...
Eric C. Evarts -
Best deals, Kia Soul EV, Toyota ad, Tesla dog mode: Today's Car NewsIt's official on Rivian and Amazon. Tesla introduces a new Dog Mode to keep dogs cool in parked cars. Final EPA range estimates are released for the 2020 Kia Soul EV. We run down the best deals on hybrid, plug-in, and electric cars for February. And Toyota falls back on an old advertising theme...
Eric C. Evarts -
Prime time: Amazon invests in electric-truck hopeful RivianRivian on Friday announced that Amazon will invest in the company, as it pushes ahead to bring its lineup of electric pickups and SUVs to market. Although the amount of Amazon’s investment wasn't disclosed, Rivian said that the Seattle-based technology, goods, and services giant led a $700...
Bengt Halvorson -
Commentary: Toyota Corolla Hybrid ad brags about not plugging inIn Toyota's latest ad for its new Corolla Hybrid in Britain, it's 2002 all over again. The ad shows the new Corolla Hybrid (in non-U.S. hatchback form) bypassing all kinds of road transportation alternatives from different eras—from a stagecoach and an early brass-era car to 1950s hot rods...
Eric C. Evarts -
Presidents' Day Weekend typically brings deals in car showrooms. And this month is no exception. As electric-car fans wait for a slew of new models to hit the market this spring, some of the same cars that have made up recent months' best deals appear again. Two, however, are recent entrants. Our partners at CarsDirect who come up with our list of best deals every month note that this weekend could bring out some even better deals, as Presidents' Day weekend has historically been the Black Friday of car shopping. Here are the best deals they found this month: Electric car Until the new Kia...
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2020 Kia Soul EV rated for 243 miles, improved efficiencyIn just one model year, Kia has more than doubled the rated driving range for the Soul EV. The 2020 Kia Soul EV, which is expected to reach dealerships this spring, will go 243 miles on a charge—four more miles than the Kia Niro EV—according to the EPA, in ratings that were released...
Bengt Halvorson -
Dogs are cool, especially in Teslas with new Dog ModeJudging from recent news reports, it's all too easy to focus on the limitations on electric cars—range, recharge speeds, and most recently, their cold weather performance. Some things, though, electric cars can do that others can't. Take Tesla's new Dog Mode, announced by CEO Elon Musk on...
Eric C. Evarts -
VW auto shows, EV shoppers will pay more, Chrysler fines: Today's Car NewsAs Volkswagen and other automakers dial back from auto shows, in the U.S. it sees them as a way to explain electric cars to shoppers. A new survey reveals that most car shoppers are willing to pay extra for alternative fuel. A new bill in Washington could add the state to the roster of those that...
Eric C. Evarts -
An old tradition, auto shows, could give electric cars a boostLast summer, Volkswagen Group chairman Dr. Herbert Diess said that he doesn’t believe new-car shows will exist (in their present form) a decade from now, and that “motor shows are dead.” You might think Volkswagen of America didn't get the memo. This year it's investing more of...
Bengt Halvorson -
Bill could add Washington state to roster of California EV adopteesJust as the Trump administration is attacking California's right to require electric cars to be sold in the state, California may be gaining support elsewhere. A new bill introduced in Washington state on Monday would add the state to the 10 others that follow or are in the process of adopting...
Eric C. Evarts