Green Car News

  • W116 Mercedes-Benz S Class (1972 to 1980)

    Numerous European countries have rolled out target years in which they plan to ban the sale of new cars powered by internal-combustion engines. At the same time, many European cities have introduced car-free zones in highly congested or polluted areas—which has led to worries that collector-car owners would be left on the sidelines as more of these bans take effect. Now a new study from the European Commission has urged that collector cars be exempted from any emission and engine bans, and from car-free zones. DON'T MISS: UK to ban diesel, gasoline car sales by 2040; follows France...

  • 2017 Tesla Model 3, in photo tweeted by Elon Musk on July 9, 2017
    Parts order for Tesla Model 3 cut by 40 percent starting in December: report

    Relatively few auto-company CEOs would publicly mention sleeping on the roof of one of their factory buildings. But Tesla CEO Elon Musk is not like most other chief executives of auto companies. Most also don't break news via tweet, for instance. A tweet by Musk Thursday evening referred to the...

  • Yamaha Cross Hub concept 2017 Tokyo Motor Show
    Niro Plug-In Hybrid coming, VW vs Tesla, OK hybrid owners win, EPA for dirtier diesels: Today's Car News

    Today, we've got good news from Oklahoma and bad news by a former Oklahoman, VW attacking Tesla, the incipient plug-in model of the Kia Niro, and an update on used electric cars. All this and more on Green Car Reports. We updated an earlier article on fast-moving used electric cars to add a nuance...

  • 2018 Kia Niro Plug-In, 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show
    2018 Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid to launch in U.S. at end of year

    Last month, the Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid went on sale in the United Kingdom, offering British buyers a mass-priced compact wagon with 25 to 30 miles of electric range. While it shares its underpinnings with the Hyundai Ioniq Plug-In model, the Niro has more of a wagon shape than Hyundai's five-door...

  • Honda Sports EV concept, 2017 Tokyo Motor Show
    Honda's second electric-car concept is Sports EV coupe unveiled in Tokyo

    Following Honda's hit electric-car concept at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Urban EV, the company brought a second all-electric concept to the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show with more sporting intentions. The Honda Sports EV coupe concept debuted one show after the Urban EV concept, and this one's a...

  • Semi trailer
    EPA to axe rule banning older, dirtier diesel engines in new trucks: report

    The EPA recently announced it will roll back the Clean Power Plan, one of former President Obama's milestone efforts to fight climate change, and now the agency plans to axe another rule limiting emissions. Next on the chopping block is a regulation that limits emissions from large trucks and their...

  • 2018 Mini Cooper S E Countryman All4 plug-in hybrid, Catskill Mountains, NY, July 2017

    When the Oklahoma Legislature passed a bill earlier this year that imposed new fees on owners of hybrid and electric cars only, it was swiftly sued by the Sierra Club. Now the Oklahoma Supreme Court has rendered its verdict in that suit, filed in August. In a 6-3 decision, the state's highest court struck down the bill as an unconstitutional tax on electric- and hybrid-vehicle owners. DON'T MISS: Norway proposes electric car tax that could affect Tesla significantly The court said the tax was untethered from a regulatory purpose and simply sought to impose a new financial burden and raise...

  • 2017 Fiat 500e
    Electric cars are some of fastest-moving used vehicles in the U.S. (updated)

    Not every car buyer can afford a brand-new vehicle, which often makes gently used vehicles an appealing alternative. But while cars that plug in take only a small share of new-vehicle purchases today—about 1 percent—they apparently move quite fast off dealer lots once they're used. In...

  • Mazda Kai concept, 2017 Tokyo Motor Show
    Nissan electric SUV, emission-defeat devices, no free Model 3 charging, Tokyo show cars: Today's Car News

    Today, we've got news from the Tokyo Motor Show press days, including a new Nissan electric crossover concept and a Toyota luxury fuel-cell car, plus bad news for Tesla Model 3 buyers and a bill before Congress to allow emission-defeat devices. All this and more on Green Car Reports. The Tokyo...

  • Tesla Supercharger for city centers
    Tesla Model 3 fast-charging at Superchargers will not be free

    Before production of the Tesla Model 3 began, company CEO Elon Musk promised Tesla would offer owners some sort of free Supercharger use. Specifically, Musk said, "free long-distance charging is [included]," which led many reservation holders to believe they would receive free Supercharger credits...

  • Toyota Fine-Comfort Ride concept, 2017 Tokyo Motor Show
    Toyota Fine-Comfort Ride fuel-cell concept targets 600 miles of range

    Toyota continues to experiment with and develop various types of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles despite not yet offering a single production battery-electric car. The Japanese automaker now sells the Mirai, has announced it will begin studies of the Project Portal fuel-cell semi truck, and reportedly...

  • Bugatti Chiron Scale Engine and Gearbox
    When will the U.S. ban sales of new cars with engines? Take our Twitter poll

    To many, many drivers and car owners, the idea that the internal-combustion engine could go away is almost beyond comprehension. It's been with us for a century, it's vastly expanded both freedom and economic opportunity for hundreds of millions of people worldwide, and it's wrapped into our daily...

  • Nissan IMx concept, 2017 Tokyo Motor Show

    The long-awaited all-electric crossover utility concept from Nissan finally made its public debut Wednesday morning on the first press day at the Tokyo auto show. Dubbed the Nissan IMx, the compact crossover concept includes both fully autonomous driving and an electric range given as more than 370 miles (600 km). That range is likely on a Japanese test cycle that might translate to a U.S. equivalent of 300 miles or so, although Nissan did not specify a battery capacity for its concept. DON'T MISS: Will Nissan have an electric SUV concept at Tokyo Motor Show? The shape of the IMx is that of a...

  • 2014 BMW i3 REx, scenic New Jersey, Apr 2015  [photo by owner Tom Moloughney]
    Tesla Model 3 future, death of the engine, 10K plug-in sales, Dieselgate modifications: Today's Car News

    Today, a death in the family, a future competitor for Tesla's Model 3, 10,000 plug-ins from one maker in one month, and some Dieselgate engine updates. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Regulators have approved modifications to certain VW Group 3.0-liter V-6 TDI diesel engines used in Audi...

  • Polestar 1
    Polestar's second, third cars will be all-electric, one to challenge Tesla Model 3

    While Tesla works out the production bottlenecks that plague the Model 3, rivals continue to gear up to challenge the Silicon Valley maker's more affordable electric car. Specifically, Tesla's latest announced competitor comes from the new brand at Volvo Cars Group, named Polestar, which has become...

  • 2018 BMW i3, 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show
    Who sold 10,000 plug-in vehicles last month? (Not Tesla, Nissan, or Chevy)

    When consumers think of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, most likely conjure thoughts of Tesla, or perhaps Nissan with its Leaf and Chevrolet with its Volt and Bolt EV. However, none of those three brands managed to sell 10,000 plug-in cars during the month of September. That sales honor...

  • Clunkers
    "Death of the internal combustion engine" is now a thing

    The very first working four-cycle internal-combustion engine was invented by Niklaus Otto in 1876, and in due course it changed the world. A quarter of a century later, gasoline engines, steam-powered vehicles, and electric drive competed on an equal basis, but by 1915, it was clear the gasoline...

  • 2017 Tesla Model 3 "first production" car, in photo tweeted by Elon Musk on July 9, 2017
    How will Tesla Model 3 do over the next year? Poll results

    If ever a car were in "production hell"—to use Tesla CEO Elon Musk's memorable phrase—the Tesla Model 3 is, right around now. From the first hand-built Model 3s delivered in late July through the end of September, fewer than 300 cars have gone to buyers—far short of the 1,500...

  • 2015 Audi Q7 TDI

    State and federal environmental regulators announced Monday they had approved modifications to illegally polluting Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche SUVs fitted with VW Group's 3.0-liter V-6 TDI turbodiesel engine The EPA and California Air Resources Board sent a letter Friday to VW announcing the approved modifications for the 3.0-liter TDI models. The fixes apply to 2013-2016 Volkswagen Touaregs, 2015 Audi Q7s, and 2013-2016 Porsche Cayenne SUVs that were equipped with diesel engines. DON'T MISS: Fix for Audi, VW, Porsche V-6 diesels closer to approval: report (May 2016) Altogether, the updates...

  • Cadillac Super Cruise
    Western fast charging, Tesla in China, 2019 Prius V spy shots, Best Car winners of the past: Today's Car News

    Today, we've got reports of what Tesla will do in China, spy shots of the next Prius V hybrid, more fast-charging for electric-car drivers in Western states, and some Best Car To Buy history. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Over the weekend, we ran down last week's top green-car stories. We...

  • European Union battery alliance announcement
    EU announces launch of battery alliance to boost cells for electric cars

    As it stands today, Asia dominates the production of electric-car battery cells globally, with Japanese and Korean companies representing the bulk of the industry outside of booming Chinese makers. Europe, however, lacks a single major player in the fabrication and assembly of lithium-ion battery...

  • 2012 Toyota Prius V station wagon, Half Moon Bay, CA, May 2011
    Seven years of Green Car Reports Best Car To Buy winners

    As we head into final deliberations for the Best Car To Buy 2018 award, it's worth looking back over our first seven years of winners. The list of seven different models or lineups gives a sense of just how far green cars have come—and how fast they've evolved since 2011. Our first award that...

  • ebee streelight charging station
    ABB electric-car charging station bills automatically: no cards or RFID tags

    Activating any given public charging station to recharge an electric car can pose something of a hassle. Yes, plugging it in is simple enough, but public charging infrastructure in the U.S. is run by multiple independent companies—meaning electric-car owners are essentially required to carry...

  • 2019 Toyota Prius V spy shot excerpt - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
    2019 Toyota Prius V to shift from wagon to SUV design, but will it have AWD?

    With gas prices remaining cheap and all vehicles getting better fuel economy these days, utility vehicles are all the rage among U.S. buyers. Whether smaller crossovers or bigger SUVs, utilities have not only ended the market for traditional wagons but are eating significantly into sales of...

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