Range-Extended Electric Vehicle
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Forget about a plug-in hybrid; Ram will add class-leading real-world range with a gasoline range extender. And it's considering hydrogen fuel-cell heavy-duty trucks for the near future.
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Why GM has put hybrids—and the Chevy Volt—in its past
The automaker has faced plenty of questions about why it's not embracing hybrids before its electric vehicles arrive in significant volumes.
Bengt Halvorson -
Batteries won: BMW confirms i3 REx range extender is on its way to extinction
BMW isn't seeing a future for its range-extender solution for electric cars, although it could be on offer for several more years for the U.S.
Bengt Halvorson -
Mazda aims its new MX-30 EV at the European market
Mazda has revealed its first "mass production" EV at the Tokyo Motor Show; more on a rotary range-extended version is to come later.
Byron Hurd -
Mazda to reveal first EV in October, at Tokyo auto show
The first electric car from Mazda is mere months away, although a U.S. timeline hasn't yet been confirmed.
Bengt Halvorson -
Mazda range-extended electric car may help the rotary live on
The Wankel rotary, the peculiar pistonless internal combustion engine design that Mazda built so much of its heritage around, may see a resurgence after all. Earlier reports and remarks from Mazda executives have suggested that while the rotary will make a comeback, it will be relegated to...
Bengt Halvorson -
Electric trucks are getting more attention now than they did eight years ago, as the world prepared for the launch of the first modern electric cars to be sold in volume. The Tesla Semi tends to draw enormous amounts of attention, while less glamorous fleet buyers are ever more favorable toward plug-in electric trucks for known urban routes within their battery range. But one company that's been around for many years has been relatively quiet of late. DON'T MISS: Via Motors 100 MPG Electric Pickup Launching At Detroit (Dec 2011) That would be Via Motors, founded eight years ago to sell...
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More ways to get $10K off BMW i3 electric car: new utilities add discount
How badly do you want to buy a BMW i3 electric car? Initially, it looked like you'd have to move to areas of California where Southern California Edison would be your electric utility. But soon enough, those areas expanded to other parts of California, some areas of New Jersey where PSE&G...
John Voelcker -
Mazda rotary engine may find new life in self-driving Toyota e-Palette project
Mazda's famed rotary engine may spin once again. The automaker confirmed the development of a range-extending rotary engine with Toyota for use in a shared future project. Toyota revealed the e-Palette concept on Monday at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The vehicle, a...
Sean Szymkowski -
2017 BMW i3 REx: drive review of range-extended electric car
When the history of modern electric cars is written, the BMW i3 will likely go down as something of an anomaly. Its carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic body shell, aluminum underpinnings, and battery-electric powertrain with an optional range extender are a combination not offered by any other maker...
John Voelcker -
Ford Transit van with range-extended electric powertrain revealed
As European countries continue to crack down on emissions from road vehicles, automakers are stepping up with solutions to reduce levels of smog-causing nitrogen oxides, especially in city centers. Ford identified the commercial vehicle segment as one it believes is ripe for electrification, and...
Sean Szymkowski -
2012 Chevy Volt has now crossed 400,000 miles, range remains steady
As more battery-electric cars are sold and more drivers become aware of them, the question of battery life recurs among pretty much every potential buyer. How long will the battery last? Will I have to replace it every 18 months as I do in my smartphone? Data on the liquid-cooled battery packs of...
John Voelcker -
While the 2018 BMW i3 will formally debut next week at the Frankfurt auto show, the company has released details ahead of time on the updates to the lineup of its compact electric car. While battery range stays the same as last year, a new i3s model (for Sport) has been added, with revised suspension and a Sport mode added to its drive-mode options. All 2018 i3 models get very mild styling updates, including full LED headlights as standard, plus the updated Version 6.0 of the iDrive interface and some new paint color and interior trim options. DON'T MISS: 2017 BMW i3 electric car...
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2018 Karma Revero: first drive of reborn luxury plug-in hybrid sedan
The 2018 Karma Revero remains as much of a head-turner today as the low, sleek four-door sedan was when it debuted a decade ago under another name. It also happens to be a range-extended electric luxury sedan, though we tend to think that the Karma would sell just as well if it ran on coal dust and...
John Voelcker -
BMW i3 REx: owner's 3 years with range-extended electric car
This week, my 2014 i3 REx turned three years old; I picked it up on May 21, 2014. For the most part I’ve been very pleased with the car. It’s definitely not perfect, but then again no car is. It has fit my needs and driving demands perfectly and I only needed to drive on the range...
Tom Moloughney -
Mazda's electric car gets patents for rotary range-extender engine
Recent patent filings suggest Mazda’s next Wankel engine will equip a battery-powered car, not a rear-wheel drive heir to emblematic sports coupes like its RX-7 and RX-8. Mazda has invested more time and money into the rotary engine than any other automaker, so executives are reluctant to let...
Green Car Reports -
What does a Chevy Volt do when it runs out of gas and battery charge?
Unlike conventional hybrids and many plug-in hybrids, the first-generation Chevrolet Volt makes extensive use of both electric and gasoline power. With a fully-charged battery pack, it will drive on electric power alone until the charge is depleted, at which point the onboard gasoline engine...
Stephen Edelstein -
Fuel-cell range extender for Nissan e-NV200 electric taxis announced by Symbio
Advocates of battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell cars are often at odds over which powertrain technology is the more practical solution to reducing emissions. But French firm Symbio continues to experiment with ways to combine the two. It fits hydrogen fuel cells as range extenders for...
Stephen Edelstein -
This year's updated BMW i3 electric car is only just arriving at U.S. dealerships after a battery-capacity boost that gives it longer range. But already some details of the 2018 BMW i3 have leaked out, in the form of spy photos and further rumors about more battery capacity yet. Unlike our usual previews based on manufacturer releases, then, consider this more of an educated guess at what the 2018 i3 will look like. SEE SPY SHOTS: 2018 BMW i3 spy shots And bear in mind that some changes, perhaps a higher-capacity battery, may be held over to the 2019 model year for U.S. buyers. The first...
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Chevy Volt to become Buick Velite in China? Concept car hints at new style (updated)
The Chevrolet Volt may be sold in China as the Buick Velite.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 BMW i3 preview
The 2017 BMW i3 gets a larger battery pack and estimated 114-mile maximum range.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 BMW i3 REx: 97-mile electric range, lower efficiency for range-extended model
The 2017 BMW i3 REx has an electric range of 97 miles, and total range of 180 miles, according to its window sticker.
Stephen Edelstein -
2017 Karma Revero (nee Fisker) launch: updates, new infotainment
The 2017 Karma Revero (nee Fisker Karma) was formally unveiled to the public and to Fisker owners tonight at an event in the canyons of Laguna Beach, south of Los Angeles. Executives of the company formed from the bankrupt wreckage of Fisker Automotive pledged that they've fixed the car's 2012...
John Voelcker -
BMW i3 REx range extender: owner assesses pros and cons of limited-power engine
The BMW i3 electric car may be the most ambitious small car of recent years, bristling with new technology and innovation. Its carbon-fiber reinforced plastic body shell rides on an aluminum platform, and its all-electric powertrain may include an optional small engine. The battery-electric i3 also...
John Voelcker