John Voelcker, Contributing Editor

John Voelcker is an accomplished automotive journalist with a diverse background in the industry. As a cofounder of Tempting Fate Tours, he has delved into the world of adventurous car experiences, providing enthusiasts with unforgettable journeys for a year and a half. With a passion for automotive journalism, Voelcker's expertise extends to his tenure as a Contributing Editor at Internet Brands. During his stint, he has contributed valuable insights and engaging content to one of the most respected automotive publications in the industry. Previously, Voelcker served as the inaugural Editor of Green Car Reports under the Internet Brands Automotive Group. For over nine years, starting in 2009, he played a vital role in reporting, editing, and providing news coverage and new-car reviews. His contributions also extended to sister sites, including The Car Connection and Motor Authority, solidifying his reputation as a trusted source in the automotive community. In addition to his editorial work, Voelcker has actively covered advanced auto technologies and energy policy for a multitude of esteemed publications. Wired, Popular Science, Tech Review, IEEE Spectrum, and HybridCars.com are among the platforms that have featured his articles. Recognized for his expertise, he was appointed as one of the jurors for the prestigious North American Car and Truck of the Year Awards in 2015. With a wealth of experience behind the wheel, Voelcker has driven electric and hybrid cars from dozens of automakers, along with countless other vehicles. His firsthand experiences provide a valuable perspective in his automotive reporting. Voelcker's editorial journey has taken him through various notable magazines, including This Old House, Metropolis, Psychology Today, Exposure, Mother Earth News, Budget Living, and IEEE Spectrum. His diverse background showcases his versatility and ability to cover a wide range of topics. Voelcker holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University, which adds a unique analytical lens to his automotive reporting. Splitting his time between the picturesque Catskill Mountains and vibrant New York City, he finds inspiration in both the tranquility of nature and the dynamic urban environment.

Articles

Toyota Decides Europeans Design Better Small Cars Than Asians John Voelcker December 21, 2011

For decades, Asian small cars have been considered the best of the bunch in the U.S. market.

Toyota Corollas, Honda Civics, and various models from Nissan--and more recently, Hyundai--sell hundreds...
How Much Did The Average American Household Spend On Gas This Year?
Filling your tank in the average car these days often runs north of $50, and for full-size pickup trucks, it can be a multiple of that number. But how much do you spend on gasoline a year? Do you actually know? Sure, you can back-figure: Divide the mileage covered for the year by each of your...
John Voelcker December 21, 2011

2012 Tesla Model S Prices, Options, Specifications Released
The car won't reach Tesla Stores until at least next fall, but Tesla Motors has just released pricing and options for the various trim levels and models of its 2012 Model S all-electric sport sedan. Unlike various other plug-in cars, the base prices of the 2012 Tesla Model S have not risen. They...
John Voelcker December 20, 2011
Mercedes-Benz To Show Two New Hybrids At Detroit Auto Show
Well, looks like Volkswagen won't be the only carmaker unveiling a new hybrid sedan at next month's Detroit Auto Show. Yesterday, Mercedes-Benz revealed a pair of hybrid E-Class sedans in Germany, the first with a gasoline V-6 engine and the second with a turbocharged diesel four. According to...
John Voelcker December 20, 2011
2012 Fisker Karma In 3 Days? eBay Seller Wants It Gone--For Charity
Just can't wait for a 2012 Fisker Karma, the first examples of which are now finally arriving at dealers? Well, you can always turn to eBay, that massive online repository for all things of all kinds. The auction site currently carries a listing for a 2012 Fisker Karma, one of two the seller says...
John Voelcker December 19, 2011
A Brief History Of Smog, Which Led To Electric Cars: Recommended Reading
Daniel Yergin is one of those authors who writes major works. His Pulitzer Prize-winning The Prize is nothing less than the definitive history of the rise of the petroleum industry, and his latest, The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World, starts where that book left off...
John Voelcker December 19, 2011
2013 Chevy Sonic RS: Detroit Auto Show Debut For Sporty Trim Package John Voelcker December 19, 2011

The 2012 Chevy Sonic subcompact launched this year to largely favorable reviews, including our own (here and here).

For next year, Chevy is upping the ante, with a turbocharged 2013 Sonic RS model...

All Taxes Are Automatically Always Bad; Are Potholes Worse?
We've written before about the growing shortfall in gasoline tax revenues versus the highway and bridge repairs those taxes are supposed to fund. The Federal Highway Trust Fund now has an estimated backlog of $400 billion in repairs between now and 2015 just to bring the complete national highway...
John Voelcker December 16, 2011
Nissan To Show Electric Van Concept At Detroit Auto Show
As we count down the days to the Detroit Auto Show media preview (24 days from today), the announcements of new cars and concepts are now coming in regularly. Or should we say announcements of announcements? Evoking Honda's logo release yesterday, Nissan says it will show off an "innovative...
John Voelcker December 16, 2011
MPGe Showdown: Ford Claims C-Max Energi Will Beat Volt, Prius Plug-In
When they're feeling confident, automakers boast about their specs, ratings, and performance with direct comparisons to the competition. It's horsepower for specialty cars like the perennial Camaro-Mustang duel, but increasingly for mainstream and green cars, it's miles per gallon. Yesterday, we...
John Voelcker December 15, 2011
Chevy Volt Electric Car, Age 1: Can It Survive Toddler Years?
One year ago today, the very first 2011 Chevrolet Volt range-extended electric car was delivered to a retail buyer, in Denville, New Jersey. The Volt was intended not only to be the first production plug-in electric car from General Motors--erasing memories of the ill-fated EV1--but to serve as a...
John Voelcker December 15, 2011
2013 Honda Accord Coupe Concept Previews Hybrid: Detroit Auto Show
As teaser photos go, it's laughably minimal: two strips of white letters, on a black background, that spell "Accord Concept". Oooooooooohhhhhhhhh. Nonetheless, that's what Honda issued last Sunday with the news that it will show an Accord Coupe concept vehicle at the upcoming 2012 Detroit Auto...
John Voelcker December 15, 2011

Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid, Electric Concept At Detroit Auto Show John Voelcker December 14, 2011

Volkswagen is on a roll in the States these days, with sales of its redesigned Jetta sedan and its all-new mid-size 2012 Passat surging.

The only mass-market German automaker intends to keep the...
2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid, C-Max Energi Plug-In: More Details
The new Escape crossover arrives at dealers in mere months, minus the hybrid model of its predecessor. That means it's now time to talk about the new 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid, which will serve as the company's hybrid entry in the compact segment. The 2013 C-Max is a five-passenger small minivan or...
John Voelcker December 14, 2011
2012 Fisker Karma: Price Goes Up Again, To $106,000 Or Higher
With the 2012 Fisker Karma now, finally, arriving in volume at dealerships, Fisker Automotive should finally begin to record some retail sales this month. Still, we're not sure that raising your prices right as your first customers return to their dealers to take delivery is particularly gracious...
John Voelcker December 13, 2011
2013 Dodge Dart: More Teaser Photos, Now The Instrument Panel
One week ago, we got the first teaser photos of the 2013 Dodge Dart, the all-new compact sedan that will replace the unloved and obsolete Dodge Caliber hatchback. Now, we've got more. Chrysler has released two more photos, in this case of the instrument cluster and touchscreen center stack in the...
John Voelcker December 13, 2011
Aptera Collapse: How & Why It Happened, A Complete Chronology
It's not the best photo, but it means a lot to the 19 people in it. Posed in front of a mirrored glass office building under a colorful logo, they are the final employees of the now-defunct Aptera Motors on the last day of its existence: Friday, December 2. Now we can bring you the inside...
John Voelcker December 12, 2011
First Production 2012 Mitsubishi 'i' Delivered In San Francisco
December seems to be the month when new electric-car makers manage to squeak their first deliveries in under the wire. Last year at this time, Nissan delivered its first Leaf electric car in San Francisco on December 12, with the first Chevrolet Volt following on December 18. This year, it's the...
John Voelcker December 9, 2011

True Or False? The U.S. Now Imports More Gasoline Than Ever John Voelcker December 9, 2011

Smart people who read true and false questions know to go for the non-obvious answer.

So we'll make it easy: The U.S. is importing less and less gasoline and, as highlighted by the Wall Street...
CA To Require Zero-Emission Vehicles On Top Of Gas-Mileage Rules
The NHTSA and EPA are closing in on their final rules for 2017-2025 corporate average fuel economy regulations, but there's a wild card in the pack. California, which has the authority to set its own emissions laws, is going along with the proposed gas-mileage levels, which will take 2025...
John Voelcker December 8, 2011
Why The 2013 Dodge Dart Sedan HAS To Get 40 MPG Highway
It's a magic number, 40 mpg, a nice big round figure to tout in big print every time gasoline prices go up. Most makers have at least one car that achieves 40 mpg, but for the new 2013 Dodge Dart, it's not an option--there has to be one model of the Dart that's rated by the EPA at 40 mpg or better...
John Voelcker December 8, 2011
New Ford Transit Coming In 2013: Even Big Vans Get Greener
The impact of new gas-mileage rules on passenger cars gets all the attention, but proposed increases apply to commercial vehicles too. That means that automakers will be redesigning their commercial vans for better fuel efficiency too. In 2013, Ford will start building its full-size Transit van in...
John Voelcker December 8, 2011
GM Said To Be Close To Design For Volt Battery Pack Modification
Engineers at General Motors are close to finalizing a set of design modifications to the Chevrolet Volt battery pack to prevent later fires in packs that have been severely damaged in accidents. The updates come in response to two fires in lithium-ion Volt battery packs that were compromised during...
John Voelcker December 7, 2011
2012 Buick Lacrosse With eAssist: Mild Hybrid Weekend Drive
We drove the prototype, and liked it. Now we've driven the real thing. We still like it. In this case, "it" is the 2012 Buick Lacrosse with eAssist, the only four-cylinder model that Buick offers in its Lacrosse large luxury sedan. While large Buicks aren't known for their gas mileage, this one is...
John Voelcker December 6, 2011