Electric Cars

Portland's Electric Avenue Relocates, Adds DC Fast Chargers
Bengt Halvorson July 31, 2015

It’s already been four years since Portland really charged ahead in its commitment to electric cars with Electric Avenue, a project that designated a city block of parking spots plug-in-only, peppered the block with a variety of charger hardware, and let EV owners have at it. That original project, a partnership between Portland General Electric (PGE), Portland State University (PSU), and the City of Portland, was supposed to be just two years long; yet it became a popular place for EV owners and enthusiasts alike—as well as automakers and hardware-makers testing...
Even The Oil Industry Asks: Does Tesla Mean The End Of Hydrocarbon Fuels?
A new book predicts massive growth in the electric-car battery industry.
Stephen Edelstein July 30, 2015
Who Buys Used Teslas? Younger, More Middle-Class Buyers, Analysis Says
It's now pretty clear that used electric cars in the mass market depreciate more rapidly than their gasoline counterparts, even after netting out the effect of financial incentives. Early data shows the 200-mile-plus Tesla Model S, on the other hand, holds its value as a used car much better. But...
John Voelcker July 30, 2015

Youxia Electric Tesla Clone From China: So Bad It Makes Us Laugh
The Youxia X is part Tesla Model S, part KITT.
Stephen Edelstein July 29, 2015
Tesla Model X Spy Videos: Dirt Indicates Off-Road Tests, But What Do Sensors Do?
Two new spy videos add to the Tesla Model X mystery.
Stephen Edelstein July 29, 2015
Fiat Chrysler CTO: Fuel Cells Are The Future, Batteries Are Not
The head of Maserati says that brand will not sell a battery-electric car.
Stephen Edelstein July 28, 2015
Volkswagen's Lineup Of Electric, Plug-In Hybrid Models To Expand
Stephen Edelstein July 28, 2015

Volkswagen may build a plug-in hybrid Phaeton and all-electric Polo.
Life With Tesla Model S: Does Supercharging Cut Battery Capacity?
Last month, my wife and I took my 2013 Tesla Model S on a day trip from our home in New York’s Hudson Valley to Brattleboro, Vermont, a distance of 180 miles. We picked up our daughter, charged the 85-kilowatt-hour battery up to 98 percent at the Brattleboro Supercharger, and returned home...
David Noland July 28, 2015

Refuting Selective, Slanted Coverage Of Electric Cars: The Pioneer's Never-Ending Task
It's a hard-wired human response to be wary of new or changing things. In past millennia, it may have kept us alive longer. And when you're talking about a household's second-most-expensive purchase, it's not surprising that most car buyers are cautious, letting others be pioneers first. But for...
John Voelcker July 27, 2015
Los Angeles Gets State Grant To Test Electric-Car Sharing Program
Los Angeles will start an electric-car sharing pilot program in working-class neighborhoods.
Stephen Edelstein July 27, 2015
Tesla Model 3, To Be Revealed In March, Might Have 300-Mile Range: Report
The Tesla Model 3 could have a much greater range than originally discussed, a new report says.
Stephen Edelstein July 27, 2015
AWD Electric Car Beats Tesla P90D Acceleration, Built By German Student Team (Video)
Electric-car advocates know that a seamless rush of maximum torque from 0 rpm is one of the secret advantages of using an electric motor to power a vehicle. And that fact--most publicly shown off by the Tesla Model S P85D performance model, and now by its even faster successor, the P90D--has pretty...
John Voelcker July 26, 2015
Apple Wanted To Use BMW i3 As Basis For Its Own Electric Car: Report
John Voelcker July 24, 2015

BMW and Apple have long cooperated on advanced technology. The German carmaker was the first in the world to incorporate iPod recognition into a car, more than 10 years ago. And the BMW i3 battery-electric car is not only highly advanced technologically--with its carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic body shell--but the most energy efficient vehicle sold in the U.S. today. DON'T MISS: BMW i3: First Drive Of BMW's Radical New Electric Car (Oct 2013) Now, according to the German business magazine Manager, it appears that Apple proposed to BMW that the i3--or parts of it--could form the basis of...

Illinois Bill To Fine Car Owners Who Park In Electric-Car Charging Spaces Waits For Governor's Signature
The Illinois legislature recently passed a bill that would fine drivers who block electric-car charging.
Stephen Edelstein July 24, 2015
2015 Nissan Leaf: Discounts, Deals On Leases, Financing Increase
The 2015 Nissan Leaf gets more discounts as sales remain flat.
Stephen Edelstein July 23, 2015
Porsche's All-Electric Tesla Competitor Coming To Frankfurt As Concept: Report
Porsche may show an all-electric concept version of its "Pajun" sedan at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Stephen Edelstein July 22, 2015
Toyota: Negative On Batteries Because It Has More Experience Than Any Other Maker
A Toyota executive says the company's experience with hybrid powertrains legitimizes skepticism about batteries.
Stephen Edelstein July 22, 2015
California Ends Electric-Car Rebates For Wealthy Buyers, Boosts Them For Poorest (UPDATED)
California institutes income caps for its electric-car rebate program.
Stephen Edelstein July 21, 2015
Canadian Plug-in Electric Vehicle Study: 1 Percent To 30 Percent Is The Challenge
Matthew Klippenstein July 21, 2015

Even two years ago, about a third of Canadian car buyers were open to buying a plug-in electric car--but they need a lot more practical and real-world information about the options than they're getting. And without sustained and coordinated policy support, those potential buyers may dwindle to the point that electric cars only represent 1 percent of Canadian car sales. Those are the findings of two recent surveys that have now been analyzed in a new study, Electrifying Vehicles: Insights From The Canadian Plug-in Electric Vehicle Study. DON'T MISS: Plug-In Electric Cars & Politics In...

Nissan Leaf Battery Capacity Lawsuit: Court Approves Settlement
Nissan and Leaf owners appear to have reached a final settlement in a lawsuit filed almost three years ago.
Stephen Edelstein July 20, 2015
Faraday Future: Startup Promises Long-Range Electric Car In 2017
Over cocktails, two former Lotus colleagues met up in Irvine, California, the mecca for car design. They realized they shared a common dream: to create a next-generation electric vehicle... With a photo of a drink on a bar napkin, so begins the creation myth for Faraday Future, the secretive...
John Voelcker July 20, 2015
Best Deals On Hybrid, Electric, Diesel Cars For July 2015
Here are the best green car deals for July 2015.
Stephen Edelstein July 20, 2015
Do BMW, Mercedes, Volvo Plug-In Hybrid SUVs Compete With Tesla Model X?
We've known they were coming for more than a year, and now they're within weeks or months of landing in dealerships. In this case, "they" are the first plug-in hybrid SUV models from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and other luxury makers. Large, luxurious, plug-in ... almost sounds like a description...
John Voelcker July 20, 2015
Tesla Model S Versions: What Are Your Different Options?
A guide to all of the available Tesla Model S versions.
Stephen Edelstein July 19, 2015