plug-in cars

Revived battery maker A123 Systems says it has no interest in returning to the U.S. electric-car market.

If you haven't heard of the all-electric, all-wheel-drive Tesla Model S P85D--and you're reading about green cars--you may not have been paying attention. Tesla Motors claims the P85D is the fastest four-door sedan on the market, at least from 0 to 60 miles per hour. To date, no other automaker has...

Advanced battery technology startup Sakti3 has received a further round of investment capital to help bring its solid-state cells to market. A new investor, British vacuum-cleaner maker Dyson, invested a total of $15 million and signed a joint-development deal with the company. Existing funders...

Hybrid powertrains used to always tag vehicles as optimized for fuel efficiency. But that’s changed in very pronounced ways the past several years, as the fastest supercars in the world--from McLaren, Ferrari, and Porsche--have all adopted some form of hybrid technology that helps with...

If there were ever a brand-reset button in the automotive business, the BMW i3 electric car is it. It's both a compact hatchback and an all-electric car, from the brand that claims to build ultimate driving machines. How does it measure up to that lofty standard? Hi, I’m Joel Feder, and...

The 2016 BMW X5 xDrive 40e is the production version of the Concept X5 eDrive from the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.

The 2015 Kia Soul EV is being recalled for an accelerator pedal that could break when pushed hard.

Last summer, I wrote an article patting Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk on the back for being so responsive to Model S electric-car owners. Of whom I am one. But in 2015? Not so much. I ended that article with a plea to Musk for a safety upgrade on the Model S: a firmware change to cut off power to the...

GM is recalling older Volt models for a software fix that will limit idle times.

It has not been easy going in China thus far for electric-car maker Tesla Motors. Among the many challenges of selling its cars in that country are a lack of public-charging infrastructure and a Chinese charging standard that differs from any other standard in the world. Even more challenging, far...

Tesla Motors has been opening its Supercharger DC fast-charging stations at a dizzying pace lately, with 175 U.S. sites operating, and almost two dozen more either in construction or permitted. Globally that total is almost 400 sites, which likely represents more than 2,000 separate outlets. But...

No diesel hybrids are now sold in North America, but diesel enthusiasts have lately been salivating over the Audi Q7 e-tron quattro diesel plug-in hybrid formally launched at the Geneva Motor Show. Sadly for those TDI fans, Audi will limit that model to European sale. Both North America and China...

The distinguishing feature of the Chevrolet Volt has always been that as long as it has charge left in its battery, it runs solely on electricity. The gasoline engine doesn't switch on even under maximum acceleration (except in certain cold-weather situations, to provide heat for the cabin and...

Tesla is prioritizing Model S P85D deliveries.

With the all-new 2016 Audi Q7 now launched at last week's Geneva Motor Show, and a diesel plug-in hybrid model to follow, luxury maker Audi can turn its attention to its next utility project. That would be a stylish all-electric crossover SUV that takes direct aim at the Tesla Model X, which is...

The topic of Tesla Motors and its direct-sales model continues to roil state legislatures, with bills for and against the practice under debate in several states. In May 2009, the U.S. Justice Department issued a paper that looked at the economic effects of state bans on such direct sales. Now it...

San Francisco is the top U.S. city for electric cars, according to ChargePoint.

Is a plug-in version of the Rogue compact crossover joining the Nissan U.S. lineup anytime soon? Based on comments made by Nissan officials this week at the Geneva Motor Show, it’s a distinct possibility. As part of his speech presenting the Sway Concept, which points to the design direction...

Oregon will test a system that tracks vehicle mileage to determine taxes.

One of the main advantages of the Tesla Model S is its relative freedom from “range anxiety,” at least in the 85-kilowatt-hour battery pack of the higher-end versions. Rated by the EPA at 265 miles, that range compares to ratings of 62 to about 90 miles in less expensive plug-in...