plug-in cars
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The second-generation Chevy Volt set a single-month Canadian plug-in electric vehicle sales record in July with 385 sales, the equivalent of about 3500 sales in the American market. That's more than August 2013, the Volt's best-ever month in the United States, when dealerships moved 3,351 units. With this achievement, the Volt not only surpassed its 320 sales in June, but outpaced the previous single-month record of 325 Tesla Model Ses sold in March. DON'T MISS: U.S. Plug-in electric car sales in July: Volt passes 100,000 with strong numbers Canada's five best single-vehicle single-month...
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Tesla Gigafactory energy: no solar panels yet, but no natural gas at allTesla plans to make the gigafactory a net-zero facility.
Stephen Edelstein -
Plug-in electric car sales in July: Volt passes 100,000 with strong numbers (more updates)Last month marked a major milestone for U.S. sales of plug-in electric cars: the 100,000th Chevrolet Volt was delivered. It's the first car with a plug in any segment to reach 100,000 units, and Chevy's justified in celebrating the occasion with a press release and a bit of fanfare. Both the Volt...
John Voelcker -
Chevy Corvette plug-in hybrid performance monster coming, Lutz speculatesThe next-generation Corvette could get a plug-in hybrid powertrain, says Bob Lutz.
Stephen Edelstein -
BMW ChargeNow by EVgo electric-car charging rolls out in 25 cities, for a feeCharging cards offered by electric-car makers to potential buyers act as a combination of sales tool and spur to regional and national charging networks. They get new drivers over the hump of worrying about what happens if their car runs low on battery charge. And they make the process of charging...
John Voelcker -
Automakers 'not even trying' to sell electric cars, Tesla saysTesla's vice president of business development believes other carmakers aren't taking electric cars seriously.
Stephen Edelstein -
Following the launch of the latest Smart Fortwo hatchback, it was only a matter of time before the trendy German brand would introduce an evolution of its Fortwo Electric Drive version as well. While some electric vehicles remained desperately uncool or overpriced, the Fortwo "ED" (as Germans insist on calling it) bucked the trend, thanks to a low price and a relatively capable powertrain. We joined Smart development engineers for a first look at the next-generation Fortwo ED at a testing facility in Arizona, getting to experience the car from the passenger’s seat. DON'T MISS: How much...
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How much do electric cars really pollute, even without tailpipes?Personal automobiles have given hundreds of millions of people the great luxury of a convenient and comfortable mode of transportation. But there's no escaping that manufacturing these vehicles, driving them for 10 years or more, and then disposing of them creates pollution that has a wide range of...
John Briggs -
Now there will be a Tesla 'SpaceBus' too, Musk saysElon Musk says Tesla is developing a Model X-based minibus.
Stephen Edelstein -
Mercedes explores ways to turn its Sprinter van all-electricMercedes-Benz is reportedly planning an all-electric Sprinter model as part of an upcoming redesign of the van.
Stephen Edelstein -
Tesla Gigafactory tour photo gallery: one engineer's reportLast Friday, Tesla Motors opened the doors of its battery "gigafactory" outside Reno, Nevada, to an invited group of Tesla owners. They toured the plant and heard presentations from CEO Elon Musk, among others. It was a celebratory occasion, marked by many photos and lots of deep Tesla gossip and...
John Voelcker -
Electric-drive cars should fuel, charging is 'dead end,' says NanoFlowcellWell, here's a novel idea for electric-car fans to kick off the week with. Zero-emission cars powered by electric motors shouldn't use batteries that can be recharged, because a public charging network is "a dead end." Instead, they should use flow-cell batteries that can be "refueled" in minutes...
John Voelcker -
Tesla Motors has made an indelible mark on the global auto industry, launching the first volume electric cars with few if any compromises in design, performance, or features. Both the Model S in 2012 and the Model X in 2015 remain the sole such cars with more than 200 miles of range. But they're also expensive, following the industry maxim that technology advances generally begin at the high end and percolate downward. DON'T MISS: Tesla 'Master Plan' update defends Autopilot; electric SUV, pickup, autonomous bus coming Amid debate over Tesla's delivery volumes and sales projections, the...
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Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid delayed again, now three years lateThe Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid will now launch in Summer 2017.
Stephen Edelstein -
Suit says '13-mile' range for Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid was deceptiveA lawsuit filed in Michigan claims Toyota did not properly represent the Prius Plug-In Hybrid's limitations.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV to ship to dealers before end of yearGeneral Motors has always had an aggressive schedule for launching its 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, the industry's first mass-priced electric car with 200 miles or more of range. It was revealed as a concept just 18 months ago at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, with a production version unveiled at this...
John Voelcker -
Camera supplier Mobileye drops Tesla as customer, citing Autopilot crashMobileye will stop supplying Tesla when its current contract expires.
Stephen Edelstein -
Jaguar to prioritize all-electric sedan, SUV over sports carsJaguar is reportedly prioritizing two electric models over a planned replacement for the XK, and a supercar based on the C-X75 concept.
Stephen Edelstein -
By now, the Tesla Supercharger network has provided a superb case study showing the importance of a comprehensive nationwide network of DC fast-charging sites to make electric cars practical for long-distance trips. While the competing CHAdeMO and Combined Charging System (CCS) standards are presently limited to 50 kilowatts, Superchargers operated at up to 125 kw. Now, Tesla Motors has quietly boosted its DC charging rate even higher—allowing it to claim hands-down that it currently has the fastest electric-car charging system in the world. DON'T MISS: CHAdeMO DC fast-charging to run...
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California bought more electric cars than rest of U.S. combined in JuneSales of plug-in electric cars are not evenly distributed across the U.S. by any means. California, with its pioneering zero-emission vehicle sales requirements, has always occupied an outsize place in the sales charts. Not only is it the most populous state in the union, with 39 million residents...
John Voelcker -
Tesla battery gigafactory opens as pace ramps up to ludicrousIf it's built out to the full size in the original plans, the Tesla gigafactory outside Reno, Nevada, will cover 10 million square feet. That's the equivalent of more than 260 U.S. football fields, which would make it one of the largest buildings in the world. Yesterday, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk...
John Voelcker -
VW likely to build electric cars in North America by 2020: executiveVolkswagen may build an electric car in North America beginning in 2020.
Stephen Edelstein -
Two more electric cars to follow Audi e-tron SUV by 2020, maker saysWe know that Audi, along with BMW, is convinced that the luxury car market must include high-performance battery-electric vehicles. And we know that VW Group's luxury brand will launch a sporty and all-electric crossover utility vehicle, to be called simply the Audi e-tron, for 2018. What we hadn't...
John Voelcker -
Lyft drivers to get bulk of early 2017 Chevy Bolt EV electric cars? Updated reportThe first 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric cars will go to Lyft drivers.
Stephen Edelstein