Green Car News
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Electric-car charging is going through a growth spurt. Volkswagen is spending big money through Electrify America to set up high-speed charging stations, as a result of the settlement terms of the Dieselgate emissions cheating scandal. Northeastern states are banding together to coordinate a rollout of electric car chargers. New York and Maryland have passed new charging initiatives, and California has passed a record incentive for utilities to expand charging infrastructure. What type of charging do you rely on for your electric car? — Green Car Reports (@GreenCarReports) May 29, 2018...
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After Tesla's federal tax credits expire, which electric car would you buy?Last week, we reported that Tesla is close to reaching the end of its allocation of federal tax credits for those who buy its cars. The credits amount to a $7,500 discount for most buyers. The credits were passed after the 2007 federal Energy Independence and Security Act to promote the sale of...
Eric C. Evarts -
Study shows 23 percent cancellations on Tesla Model 3 depositsTesla has staked a lot on the number of reservation deposits it has received for the Model 3. When the company first opened reservations for the car two years ago, it said that more than 400,000 people had put down a $1,000 deposit for what Tesla billed as a $35,000 car. That number eventually rose...
Eric C. Evarts -
Tesla Model 3 refunds, Toyota Prius Prime award, and Texas electric car rebates: Today's Car NewsTesla has reportedly refunded 23 percent of Model 3 deposits. The Toyota Prius Prime has been recognized for its low environmental and social impact. Texas has reinstated rebates and incentives for electric cars. And we ask what electric car readers would purchase after Tesla's federal tax credits...
Sean Szymkowski -
Texas reinstates incentives for electric and alternative fuel carsAfter a three-year hiatus, Texas has reinstated purchase rebates for plug-in electric and other alternative-fuel vehicles. Texans who buy electric cars after Sept. 1 can get a $2,500 rebate from the state, according to a report in the Dallas Morning News, in addition to the $7,500 tax credit from...
Eric C. Evarts -
2018 Toyota Prius Prime, Tesla Model 3 take awards for lowest environmental and social impactRating cars isn't just about acceleration times—or at least it shouldn't be. Unlike other car rating organizations, the Automotive Science Group rates cars according to their life-cycle CO2 emissions, based on a combination of their fuel economy and weight, as a proxy for the materials...
Eric C. Evarts -
Last week we listed seven of the most bizarre "green" cars (and some not-so-green) of the 20th century, most of which were rolled out in response to depression, war recovery, or out-of-control gas prices. This week, we'll look at seven more from the 21st century, which seems to have had a concentrated share of attempts at innovation in response to war in the Middle East, high gas prices, and deep recession. One notable difference is that this century's cars mostly run on electricity, or at least offer an electric option. They're hardly any more normal, though. Most are answers to a question...
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FCA's five-year master plan, more EVs on the road, Tesla Model 3 "recommended": The Week in ReverseWill the future for one of America's biggest automakers finally turn to electrified powertrains? What are some of the weirdest green cars ever proposed? Will BMWs act like the latest smartphones? This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week...
Aaron Cole -
Report: Trump EPA plans to cancel California emissions waiverThe EPA is planning to cancel the special waiver that California has relied on since 1970 to set its own emissions standards, according to a Bloomberg report. As part of its plan to reverse a program to steadily tighten fuel economy standards that it coordinates with California and the National...
Eric C. Evarts -
FCA electrification push, crowdfunded electric car, and California charging incentives: Today's Car NewsFiat Chrysler Automobiles will charge ahead with an electrification strategy beginning with the Jeep brand. An Estonian electric car may come to life thanks to a crowdfunding campaign. California has approved record incentives for charging infrastructure. And Washington state has lost its...
Sean Szymkowski -
Washington State electric car credits expire, agencies miss mandatesOn the same day that Washington State's electric-car tax exemptions expired on June 1, an advocacy organization issued a report that said state agencies have done very little to meet a deadline to buy electric cars. The state passed a law in 2007 requiring that all public agencies meet 100 percent...
Eric C. Evarts -
Jeep Grand Commander EV leads FCA electrification pushAn all-electric Jeep may clamber to life as soon as 2021—at least in China. The Jeep Grand Commander will arrive in 2021 with an all-electric powertrain, according to a sweeping presentation by Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne in Italy Friday. The company didn't reveal any more details...
Eric C. Evarts -
Want to get in on the ground floor of a new electric-car startup? Crowdfunding seems to be the latest rage for automotive startups in Europe. The latest is an Estonian startup called Nobe, which hopes to raise funding to build a small, electric three-wheeler. The company officially launched the vehicle Wednesday along with a crowdfunding drive looking to raise just over $1 million to build the car. (Another effort is the German Crowdcar, which is planning to compete in the Wave electric car rally in Switzerland next month.) Nobe's designers aren't the only ones who figure if you're going to...
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California utilities commission passes record incentives for chargersThe California Public Utilities commission on Thursday approved the largest public electric vehicle charging package in U.S. history, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. NRDC senior attorney Max Baumhefner, who lobbied for the program, says it is designed to set electricity up as a...
Eric C. Evarts -
Battery tech may be getting a big solid-state boost soonA Woburn, Massachusetts, company may be attracting big name attention for its solid-state technology that it says can withstand higher temperatures and offer higher capacity. For battery makers, producing a stable solid to withstand the rigors of charging and discharging has proved elusive. Ionic...
Aaron Cole -
Tesla Model 3 gets CR OK, Audi e-tron cameras, and electric car predictions: Today's Car NewsThe Tesla Model 3 has now earned a recommendation from Consumer Reports. The Audi e-tron electric crossover will introduce the first production cameras to replace side mirrors. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts more than 100 million electric cars will hit the road by 2030. And both...
Sean Szymkowski -
Camera mirrors could add range to Audi e-tron electric SUVAudi is pulling out all the efficiency stops on its upcoming electric e-tron SUV. It's currently slated to be the first production car to offer cameras in place of exterior rearview mirrors. Exterior mirrors have always been a bane to automotive engineers trying to improve efficiency (not to...
Eric C. Evarts -
International Energy Agency forecasts 125 million electric cars on road by 2030The International Energy Agency, an advisory council to energy-consuming countries, released a new report forecasting that by 2030, the world will have 125 million electric cars on the road. That would amount to 10 to 12 percent of the world's cars running on electricity in a little over a decade...
Eric C. Evarts -
A week after Consumer Reports announced that it could not recommend the Tesla Model 3 because of poor braking performance, a software update improved its performance sufficiently to earn the magazine's recommendation. Consumer Reports announced the update to the Model 3's ratings Wednesday. In the organization's updated emergency braking tests, the car stopped from 60 mph in 133 feet, on par with the BMW 3-Series, and earned the Tesla a good score. Prior tests measured the braking distance at 152 feet. READ THIS: Consumer Reports won't recommend Tesla Model 3 (Updated) Since braking is an...
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BMW 530e wireless charging, Tesla Model 3 electric issues, and EPA program review: Today's Car NewsBMW says it will be first to lease a wireless inductive charging system in the U.S. Edmunds' Tesla Model 3 is still brought down by various electrical problems. The EPA watchdog says overturning fuel-economy regulations requires a review. And the results are in for our latest Twitter poll asking...
Sean Szymkowski -
Problems dog Tesla Model 3 in Edmunds testsHundreds of thousands of people waiting to order their Tesla Model 3s are also anxiously waiting for word of the car's reliability and build quality. Now Edmunds.com has released its second update on the early car that it bought, and the news isn't good. DON'T MISS: Some Tesla Model 3 cars haunted...
Eric C. Evarts -
Which Tesla Model 3 would you order or have you ordered? Twitter poll resultsBragging rights don't rank high on the priority lists of Green Car Reports readers. At least, they don't if you consider the number of our Twitter respondents who hope to buy a Performance version of the Tesla Model 3. In the results of our latest Twitter poll, which asked the question: "Which...
Eric C. Evarts -
EPA overturning of fuel economy increases requires review, agency watchdog saysThe EPA's Science Advisory Board, tasked with agency oversight, is taking issue with at least three of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's signature decisions. First, according to a Bloomberg report, is Pruitt's decision to freeze fuel economy standards and eliminate increases that had been approved...
Eric C. Evarts -
BMW 530e will be first "plug-in" car with wireless charging this summerWhen will charging your electric car be as convenient as charging your phone? This summer, if BMW has its way. The company says it will be the first to lease a wireless inductive charging system in the U.S. for its 530e plug-in hybrid. Customers can order the system now, and BMW says it will be...
Eric C. Evarts