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

Cadillac Ciel Concept: GM's Next Hybrid, Maybe, Or Not? (Updated) John Voelcker August 19, 2011

Last night at an event before the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in Carmel, Cailfornia, Cadillac unveiled its Ciel concept car, which it calls "an open-air grand touring car."

Under the sleek,...
Mazda To Launch Hybrid Version Of Mazda6 Mid-Size Sedan Soon
While Mazda prepares to unveil its new CX-5 crossover and launch its new SkyActiv engine and transmission technology, it's also quietly developing a hybrid model as well. In March 2010, Japan's small but scrappy maker of "Zoom Zoom" cars signed a deal to license Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive...
John Voelcker August 18, 2011

Cadillac ELR Plug-In Cost: Less Than Tesla Model S, More Than Volt
When the Cadillac ELR extended-range plug-in car goes on sale, probably in 2013 as a 2014 model, it's a given that it will cost more than the 2012 Chevy Volt. But how much more? In the spate of reports late yesterday covering GM's announcement yesterday that its 2009 Cadillac Converj concept would...
John Voelcker August 18, 2011
Volt-Based 2014 Cadillac ELR Electric Car Confirmed By GM
General Motors has just confirmed what this site reported last week: The Cadillac Converj concept car from 2009, based on the running gear of the Chevrolet Volt electric car, will go into production. Cadillac's electric sports coupe will be called the ELR, joining the current CTS mid-size sports...
John Voelcker August 17, 2011
It's Official: We Now Have One Billion Vehicles On The Planet
How many vehicles are there on Earth? We'd ask you to guess, except the headline above gives away the answer. According to industry trade journal Ward's, which added up both reported vehicle registrations and historical trends, the total crossed 1 billion sometime last year. The vehicles include...
John Voelcker August 17, 2011
Redesign Advice: If Our Font Looks Lousy, Here's A Suggestion
We're rather proud of our redesign, and our readers' response to the new GreenCarReports look couldn't have been better: We got several compliments, and not a single complaint. Which is pretty unheard of, in our experience. However, if you like the redesign but the font looks funny--as it did on...
John Voelcker August 17, 2011
2012 Honda Fit Updates: More Noiseproofing, Bluetooth Option John Voelcker August 16, 2011

We've always viewed the Honda Fit as one of the best all-around subcompact choices on the market.

While the little five-door hatchback, last redesigned for 2009, faces increased competition from the...

This Monstrosity Will Be Your Next Electric-Car Charging Plug
It's almost the size of a misshapen softball, but it may be the charging combo you will have to use for quick charging on future electric cars. The U.S. Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) is in the process of expanding its J-1772 standard for an electric-car coupler from the current round...
John Voelcker August 16, 2011
Forget The Planet: Electric Cars Are Energy Security, Lobbying Group Says
Fresh off our piece yesterday looking at different motivations for buying plug-in cars comes more proof that it's not just early adopters and uber-greens who think driving electric makes sense. Industry trade journal Automotive News (behind a paywall, unfortunately for our readers) has published a...
John Voelcker August 16, 2011
Remember GM's Autonomous Pod Cars? GPS Has To Catch Up First
We've always been intrigued by the EN-V autonomous pod cars proposed by General Motors. Maybe they harken back to the happy futurism of the Fifties, or maybe it's just that they're the first total reinvention of wheeled personal transit in quite a while that makes inherent sense. Prototyped more...
John Voelcker August 15, 2011
Green Car People: Who Buys Electric And Plug-In Vehicles?
Once upon a time, people who bought (or built) electric vehicles were often science-minded, forward-thinking, eco-conscious drivers who sometimes had a hippie past. Times have changed. Today, there are several motivations for buying a car that plugs into the electric grid to recharge its battery...
John Voelcker August 15, 2011
Outdated Tests Skew CAFE Gas Mileage Ratings: 48-MPH Freeways?
It's widely accepted in the auto industry that all manufacturers game the test cycles used to establish emissions and gas-mileage ratings. Ask auto engineers about the topic, and they tend to get a faraway look and go silent. But the test cycles established in 1978 and used ever since are far from...
John Voelcker August 15, 2011

Futuristic Electric-Car Dream Dead? Aptera To Refund Deposits John Voelcker August 13, 2011

It was great while it lasted, but the dream of being able to buy a sleek, three-wheeled Aptera 2e electric car seems to be receding into the distance.

A month ago, the company stopped taking deposits...
Fuel-Cell Vehicles Are Likely Coming (A Few): Who's Winning?
We're on record with the analysis that electric-car production will far, far outweigh that of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles built over the next decade, and perhaps longer. Still several carmakers are pressing ahead with plans to build hydrogen-powered vehicles, and now Pike Research has ranked them...
John Voelcker August 12, 2011
2012 Lexus CT 200h Hybrid Hatch: Now Louder, With More Noise!
You may or may not be happy to know that the new 2012 Lexus CT 200h compact hybrid hatchback will come with a new feature not found on the 2011 model. It will make more noise. For 2012, in addition to an optional F Sport package and a new color (Nebula Gray Pearl replaces Smoky Granite Mica, if...
John Voelcker August 12, 2011
Secret Tesla Video? Model S Sedan, Roadster Shown On The Road Together
Tesla Motors has now released a few videos (here and here) of the all-electric 2012 Model S sports sedan it plans to launch next year. But we haven't yet seen one showing the Model S driving together with the equally all-electric 2011 Tesla Roadster. That's what the video below shows. According to...
John Voelcker August 12, 2011
Cadillac's Volt-Based Converj Electric Car Gets Green Light: Exclusive
Sometimes, like Lazarus, dead cars rise again. We've learned from an inside source at General Motors, a person close to the project, that the electric Cadillac Converj luxury coupe is now back in the GM product plan. The Converj was recently approved for production by GM product executives. It will...
John Voelcker August 11, 2011
A123 Gets Lithium-Cell Deal For Unspecified GM Electric Car
Another shoe dropped today, revealing one more little piece of General Motors' electric-car strategy. GM said this morning it had awarded a production contract for nanophosphate lithium-ion cells to A123 Systems, to be used in "future GM electric vehicles" that will be "announced at a later date"...
John Voelcker August 11, 2011

Audi Trickles Out Urban Concept Info: Now, Content-Free Video John Voelcker August 11, 2011

If you're going to shoot a teaser video of a radical new concept car, maybe it's not such a good idea to do it in a gigantic plaza in the middle of a large European city.

Audi has now released the...
Discuss: Tesla's Elon Musk Is The New Steve Jobs (Merrill Analyst Says)
Will the auto industry change more in the next decade than it has in the past century? We think that's hyperbole. There will be big changes, including the arrival of electric cars in volume, but to say the cars of 2020 will be as different from today's as the cars of today were from those in 1911...
John Voelcker August 10, 2011
GM Launches World's Second-Smallest Car Diesel, In Indian Beat
It must be the Chevrolet Spark minicar's moment in the sun. Last week, GM confirmed that the smallest Chevy ever sold will come to the U.S. as a 2013 model. Then we put two and two together to wonder if Chevy's first all-electric car might be a converted Spark. What we forgot to mention--until...
John Voelcker August 10, 2011
Which Cities Spend The Most On Gasoline? Infographic Maps It
As we've noted before (here and here, for instance), we love a good infographic. So we're pleased that Mint has allowed us to use their map of how much their users spend on gasoline--showing which U.S. cities spend the most and the least on gasoline at every fillup. Their map shows four quadrants...
John Voelcker August 10, 2011
Welcome To The All-New, Redesigned Green Car Reports!
It's here! It's done! It's live! Yes, you are now reading the all-new, totally redesigned Green Car Reports, with our sister site All Cars Electric incorporated to provide the in-depth electric car coverage it's always been known for. As always, our goal is to provide the best, more comprehensive...
John Voelcker August 9, 2011
Europe Gets Chevy Volts In 2012, Most In Drag As Opel Amperas
So far, the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric car has been sold only in North America. That's about to change, as the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant restarts after a month of retooling that raised Volt production capacity to 5,000 cars per month. While the Volt will go to China (despite...
John Voelcker August 9, 2011