Plug-In Hybrids

Nissan might be investing heavily in its electric car program, but the automaker hasn't forgotten hybrid vehicles completely. In fact, the company is set to launch one hybrid or plug-in car per year for the next few years, allowing it to compete in a market where hybrid vehicles are gaining...

The 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid has now reached dealerships throughout the country, selling 3,182 units in October. But Ford had an "October surprise" in store: The company sold 144 of the plug-in hybrid C-Max Energi version as well. That car hasn't been driven by any members of the automotive media...

The good news for plug-in electric car sales just keeps on keeping on. In October, Chevy sold 2,961 Volts--the highest-ever single-month total--and Nissan continued a recent resurgence, selling 1,579 Leafs. Those numbers compare with 2,851 Volts sold in September and 984 Leafs the same month. That...

Yesterday, General Motors announced it will be running a ‘customer satisfaction program’ for some 4,000 2013 Chevrolet Volts to fix a software glitch that could cause the car’s electric motor to power down while driving. In other words, GM is asking all 2013 Chevy Volt owners to...

Last week, the Chevrolet Volt became the first production car to drive from the U.K. to France, using the service tunnel of the Eurotunnel underwater railway line between the two European countries. What’s more, the stunt was orchestrated by Top Gear Magazine, the more measured, printed...

Less than three weeks ago, Fisker Automotive announced it has successfully closed its latest round of funding, netting a total of $100 million more in funds to develop its next plug-in hybrid car, the mid-size Atlantic Sedan. Hopes of driving one any time soon were dashed yesterday, however, when...

It had been almost two years since we'd driven a Chevrolet Volt range-extended electric car, and the new 2013 model has been slightly modified to boost its electric range. We took a new 2013 Chevy Volt on our usual weekend test route, which covered 360 miles that included about two-thirds freeway...

It’s official: the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi is the most efficient plug-in hybrid to date, achieving a cool 100 miles per gallon equivalent combined in official EPA fuel economy tests. Announced last night by Ford, the $33,745 2013 Ford C-Max Energi has beaten both the 95 MPGe rating of the 2012...

For eco-minded commuters with electric cars, getting a place to charge their electric car while at work can effectively double their car’s daily range. Getting your employer to install a charging station can be far from easy, even if the company you work for is keen to support electric cars...

Ask owners to give you a list of fears associated with their electric cars, and a few charging concerns are bound to be on the list. Usually, they include not finding somewhere to charge, or that a charging station isn’t accessible for some reason. Now a new one can be added to the list: not...

It's probably not much fun being Tony Posawatz, the latest CEO of Fisker Automotive, these days. Consider the list of challenges he faces: Fisker appears to have built only 2,000--perhaps 3,000--of its Karma range-extended electric luxury sedan, not the 15,000 it projected for its first year The...

Sales of plug-in electric cars surged in September, after setting a new record in August. And this month's notable event was the projected delivery of 200 or more 2012 Tesla Model S all-electric luxury sport sedans to buyers. Tesla refuses to release monthly sales figures, as every other automaker...

The 2012 Paris Auto Show is currently underway, but with press days now done and dusted, it's time to take a look at the green vehicles which made the headlines. Between concepts and production vehicles, several manufacturers offered something fuel efficient--and many previewed vehicles that didn't...

Infiniti is clearly proud of its Emerg-E plug-in hybrid supercar, wheeling it out at several auto shows and even driving it up the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Sadly though, for anyone hoping the concept would eventually be produced, Infiniti has confirmed it has no plans to make a...

In April, Tom LaSorda--then CEO of Fisker Automotive--said the company was raising additional capital. Today, Fisker announced that it had closed a new round of financing, with more than $100 million coming into the company's coffers. It will use the money, it says, for "continued product...

As far as plug-in cars go, the 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) has to be one of the most important vehicles making its debut this year at the Paris Auto Show. The first vehicle to launch under Mitsubishi’s ambitious goals to offer plug-in hybrid or all-electric versions of...

For as long as we can remember, BMW has ignored the pull of front-wheel drive cars, preferring to stick with the performance-oriented rear-wheel drive setup that has served it well for decades. But at this year’s Paris Auto Show, the German automaker has unveiled a car that we once described...

After a brisk run-through of new models from all of its many brands, Volkswagen Group closed last night's preview event before the Paris Auto Show with a few words on its plans for plug-in hybrids. "Many companies are reducing their plans for electric vehicles," said VW Group chief Martin...

Owners of plug-in vehicles like the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt, and even the new Tesla Model S may be paying too much when they charge their car. Why? Because they haven’t signed up with the right utility plan. According to a recent survey from the California Center for Sustainable Energy...

The same day Consumer Reports released its devastating review of the 2012 Fisker Karma, the makers of the range-extended electric luxury sedan put out their own press release. Covering the $106,000 car's fuel economy, it reported on the real-world gas mileage achieved by a group of more than 30...