Syndicate
-
The stories abound: A car buyer walks into a dealership, educated about the electric car she wants to buy...and the salesperson tries to convince her she doesn't want that car after all. She really wants a gasoline car, he argues. MORE: Why Some Dealers Are Inept At Selling Plug-In Electric Cars Hundreds of cases have been reported of customers walking into a Nissan or Chevy dealer to buy a Leaf or Volt, then being aggressively steered toward a Sentra or Cruze. Doom, danger, dire predictions A buyer will run out of charge and be left stranded at the side of the road, he hears, or that very...
-
Did You Know There's Now A 'Tesla Lifestyle'? Neither Did WeTesla Motors continues to rack up achievements, it seems. The company has built more than 30,000 of its sleek Model S electric sport sedans, it's expanding into Europe and China, and it continues to get buzz and set stock-price records. In other words, the brand is HOT. MORE: Elon Musk Talks Tesla...
John Voelcker -
Ohio Dealers Renew Assault Against Tesla Motors SalesOhio car dealers are once again trying to force Tesla Motors out of the Buckeye State through legislation.
Stephen Edelstein -
Tesla Patents Prepare For Common Cross-Country Electric-Car Travel Via SuperchargerThis past week–almost exactly 500 days after Tesla Motors announced the first six stations in its Supercharger network–a father-daughter team in a Tesla Model S electric car became the first to cross the country by Supercharger alone. MORE: Elon Musk Talks Tesla Model X Details, Model S...
Matthew Klippenstein -
2014 Kia Optima Hybrid Updated: Aerodynamic Tweaks And MoreThe 2014 Kia Optima Hybrid was unveiled at the 2014 Chicago Auto Show.
Stephen Edelstein -
2015 Tesla Model X Will Have All-Wheel Drive Only, Company ConfirmsWith less than a year to go before the first production Tesla Model X all-electric crossover utility vehicles are scheduled to roll off the assembly line, the company has confirmed that every Model X will come standard with all-wheel drive. Previously, four driven wheels were listed as an option...
John Voelcker -
In the first month of 2014, sales of the two most popular plug-in electric cars were lower than they've been in many months. Sales levels likely fell victim both to the predictable winter slowdown in electric-car sales (which we saw in 2012 and 2013 too) and to particularly bad weather last month throughout much of the U.S. MORE: FINAL UPDATE: Plug-In Electric Car Sales For 2013 Near Double Previous Year's The Nissan Leaf logged 1,252 deliveries--its highest-ever January, although its lowest single-month total since February 2013. Nissan sold 22,610 Leafs in the U.S. last year, more than...
-
2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Pickup Fuel Economy: 23 MPG CombinedThe 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel's EPA fuel-economy ratings are in.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 Chicago Auto Show: Green-Car PreviewChicago isn't as big as some annual auto shows, and at this year's show green vehicles are a little thin on the ground--March's Geneva Motor Show will provide more to that effect. Nevertheless there are a few significant vehicles set to appear in Chicago, so we've pieced together a green car...
Antony Ingram -
Five MORE Big Myths About Green Cars And Gas Mileage, DebunkedYep, Big Oil is definitely scheming and plotting to destroy the electric car. Everyone knows that. Right? [sigh] Time for more mythbusting, it seems. The surprising success of our first debunking of five green-car myths led us to look at five more relatively common ideas and explain ... well, as...
John Voelcker -
Obama Promotes Natural-Gas Fueling Stations In State Of The Union AddressOnce again, President Barack Obama used the State of the Union Address on Tuesday night to raise the issue of natural gas vehicles as a way of promoting energy independence and cutting the impact of climate change. In his talk, Obama urged the U.S. Congress to support the construction of...
Antony Ingram -
Chrysler Hybrid Sedan And Minivan: Missing, Presumed Dead?Pretty much every carmaker offers at least one hybrid model these days, even if they're notably unenthusiastic about it. (Have you ever seen an Audi Q5 Hybrid? Ahem.) But one carmaker is missing from a list that now numbers more than a dozen. And that maker is Chrysler-Fiat. Back in January 2011...
John Voelcker -
Big cars with adequate gas mileage are hard to come by, but one of the best options at the moment is diesel power. At its best, the BMW 7-Series is a bit of a gas-guzzler. With a turbocharged, 3.0-liter inline six, the best it can attain is 29 mpg highway. Throw in a diesel engine though and it should improve--so goes the theory behind the latest addition to the range, the 740Ld xDrive. ALSO READ: Should Everyone Lease Cars All The Time? Elon Musk Says Yes The name is a bit of a mouthful--the 'L' stands for BMW's long-wheelbase chassis, and 'xDrive' is BMW-speak for an all-wheel drive...
-
Tesla & China: Priced At $121,000, Country Could Be Biggest Market, Musk Says$121,000 sounds like a lot of money for the Tesla Model S, considering you can pick up the 85 kWh car in the U.S. from $80,000 or so, before incentives. And it is a lot of money, but in China, where that price tag will be attached, Tesla promises it represents good value for buyers. CEO Elon Musk...
Antony Ingram -
Electric Cars & Solar: Will They Make Gasoline & Utilities Obsolete?These are interesting times in the automotive and electric-utility businesses. While the reasons are different, it turns out they may intersect. It's been quietly discussed among electric utilities that increasing amounts of distributed solar power and other renewable energy may destroy their...
John Voelcker -
Electric Car Prices: Less Important Than Buyer Awareness They Exist?Back in December, we covered a survey by Navigant Research that suggested most car buyers were hoping to spend $25,000 or less on their next vehicle--a figure that many modern electric cars find themselves on the wrong side of. It led us to wonder whether, with many consumers setting themselves...
Antony Ingram -
2014 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive: What It's Like On The RoadWith minimal changes from the model launched last year as the least expensive electric car in the U.S., the 2014 Smart ForTwo Electric Drive remains the smallest and shortest plug-in electric car sold in the U.S.--as well as the only one offered as a convertible. The two-seat electric Smart comes...
John Voelcker -
Five Big Myths About Green Cars And Gas Mileage, DebunkedEvery now and then we get a reader question that reminds us how many myths about green cars are out there. In the interests of helping you actually save money by using less gasoline, here are five of our favorites--with explanations as to why they're myths. (1) Boosting gas mileage from 33 to 50...
John Voelcker -
This year, 2014, is going to be the big test for diesel engines in U.S. passenger vehicles. It's the first full year in which two popular cars--the Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan and the Jeep Grand Cherokee--are offered with diesel engines as optional equipment, complete with higher EPA fuel efficiency ratings. MORE: Volkswagen Jetta TDI: Much More Mileage Than EPA Admits? And they're joined by additional diesel vehicles, too, among them the Audi Q5 TDI and Mercedes-Benz GLK 250 BlueTEC, both luxury compact crossovers. Chrysler refuses to say how many Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel models it sold...
-
How Many Tesla Model S Electric Cars Have Been Built So Far?Car production data may cause some eyes to glaze over, but the numbers are closely followed in the auto industry. Electric-car maker Tesla Motors doesn't report its exact sales, nor its precise production, so a cottage industry has sprung up to track its alleged production. MORE: Tesla's Next...
John Voelcker -
Value Of Bankrupt Fisker Soars From $25 Million To $55 Million With New BidHybrid Technology Holdings raised its bid for Fisker Automotive, and announced plans to build cars in Delaware.
Stephen Edelstein -
2014 Toyota Prius Safety Rating Lowered To Four Stars From FiveA change in Federal crash-test procedures downgraded the safety rating of Toyota's iconic hybrid.
Stephen Edelstein -
UPDATE: Green Car Preview: 2014 Detroit Auto Show Concepts & Production ModelsThe important global auto shows tend to go in waves, and this year's Detroit Auto Show isn't looking particularly notable for its green cars. Barring surprises, there will be no global debuts of new plug-in electric cars, hybrids, or even new diesel vehicles. Instead, the most popular introductions...
Antony Ingram -
With Demand Soaring, Nissan Leaf U.S. Production Could Double This YearWith the 2014 Nissan Leaf going on sale this week and next, Nissan is poised to expand production and dramatically boost sales of its U.S.-built battery-electric hatchback. And if its CEO has his way, sales will double in 2014, from the 22,610 Leafs delivered in 2013 to 40,000 or more, perhaps as...
John Voelcker