Electric Cars

Early demand for BMW's i3 electric car in Europe looks set to continue when it debuts in the United States, according to the company's North American CEO. Despite plans to produce just 10,000 units in its first year, BMW has considered expanding production after 8,000 reservations were made on the...

The claim that race car development helps road car development is getting harder to uphold these days, but there are still some engineers willing to have a go. Look at the Nissan BladeGlider electric car concept for example, and it's hard to argue that the design and engineering hasn't been...

VW has hinted for some time that the diesel-electric drivetrain from its XL1 eco-supercar would appear in something a little more humble and affordable. Now, writes Autocar, it's revealed the result of such a concoction, in the shape of the Twin-Up. As the name suggests, it's based on the...

Today, California buys the largest number of plug-in electric cars by far of any North American state or province. But the many civic benefits of electric cars--from zero emissions to greater energy efficiency--are inspiring other locales to step up to the plate. Last Friday, the government of...

What do you call an all-electric minicar that has elements of the Chevy Volt, can spin its drive wheels if you have a heavy foot--and still ranks as the most efficient plug-in car sold in the U.S. this year? We'd call it the 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV. And it's one of our five nominees for Green Car...

Tesla held its third-quarter earnings call yesterday evening, and CEO Elon Musk stayed pretty much on message. He reiterated that Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] continues to produce its Model S electric luxury sedan, at a current rate of 550 cars per week, and that it is working steadily to reduce the...

Six degrees of separation: The theory that every person on the planet is connected to every other person in six steps or fewer--Elon Musk perhaps, or his polar opposite, Jeremy Clarkson. The automotive world is similar. A new technology partnership between the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Mitsubishi...

This one just isn't going to go away, is it? A member of the UK parliament is set to raise concerns that electric cars are "a new threat" to pedestrians due to their low levels of noise. Mary Glindon, Labour Party constituent in North Tyneside, cites statistics from the Guide Dogs charity that from...

A few weeks back at the opening of a Tesla Motors service center in Munich, Elon Musk told a room full of fans and journalists that Tesla would offer a special tuning package for high-speed Model S driving. It makes a lot of sense--sections of Germany's Autobahn network are among the few roads on...

In October sales of plug-in electric cars, both Chevy and Nissan improved on their September results, but didn't come close to beating their record August sales numbers. The month as a whole rebounded toward August's record-breaking level, improving on September's slump--but the Tesla sales may...

For the second month in a row, the best-selling car in Norway is powered by electricity.

Look closely enough at the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive, and there's probably a little 'Tesla Motors' sticker hiding within its drivetrain. Likewise, eagle-eyed car-buyers may spot the occasional Mercedes-Benz interior component in the Tesla Model S. This curious cross-pollination is a result of...

Yesterday we listed the nominees for Green Car Reports' Best Car To Buy 2014 award: two battery-electric vehicles, one hybrid, one diesel, and one very fuel-efficient gasoline car. But what do our nominees say about the state of green-car design this year? Overall, they highlight four trends to...

Ford has announced that it's to recall 2,600 Focus Electric models to rectify a fault that could lead to a loss of power while driving. According to The Detroit News, the fault is caused by a software flaw in the powertrain control module. This fault can result in a loss of power to the wheels...

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has had his eye on a Model S electric car for some time.

BMW surprised its traditionalist owners when releasing the X5 SUV back in 1999, but there's no risk of the same happening in its new electric brand. The automaker has confirmed that the cleaner, greener side of the its range, BMW i, won't get an SUV option, even though a range of other vehicles is...

The West Coast "green highway" will expand from Oregon and Washington states into British Columbia, under a plan announced today that will site DC quick-charging stations for electric cars along heavy-traveled roads and at popular destinations. BC Hydro, the province's electric utility, said it...

The 2012 Fisker Karma remains a stunning car, regardless of its range-extended electric powertrain. While the struggling-though-not-yet-bankrupt company remains in limbo, with a purchase reported but not yet confirmed, it hasn't built cars since July 2012. MORE: 2012 Fisker Karma - full review The...

Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] and technology company Panasonic have been working together for several years now, and that relationship is set to expand as Tesla seeks to meet its future battery needs. The two companies have reached an agreement for future automotive-grade lithium-ion battery supply...

Like many countries, Germany has set itself some pretty tough targets for encouraging electric vehicles. The government aims to have a million plug-in electric vehicles on the country's roads by 2020. While electric-vehicle sales in Europe are increasing, that's quite some work to do by the end of...