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

2012 Fiat 500 Cabriolet: Best Gas-Mileage 4-Seat Convertible You Can Buy John Voelcker April 27, 2011

It's springtime, which means tornadoes for some of us, showers and muggy weather for others.

It also means putting the roof down on convertibles after the long winter hiatus. Which led us to wonder:...
Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf Get Top IIHS Crash-Safety Ratings
Among the many things that confuse or worry potential buyers of plug-in electric cars is whether they'll be safe. One concern is car washes or even deep pools of water, but another is whether the battery pack will be damaged or dangerous in an accident. Well, now you can chalk that last one off the...
John Voelcker April 26, 2011

44-MPG 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid At NY Auto Show: Drive Review
The Honda Civic Hybrid was only the third hybrid model sold in the U.S., starting way back in 2003, and it was the brand's first mainstream hybrid. It's been a solid member of Honda's Civic lineup ever since, consistently returning the best gas mileage of any Civic model. Now in its third...
John Voelcker April 25, 2011
Electric Cars: How They Work, What You Need To Know (Video)
Driving the 2011 Chevrolet Volt leads all sorts of people to ask you questions: passers-by, the guy at the parking garage...and sometimes, even museums. A few weeks ago, we had a Chevy Volt for review. At the time, we were asked by the Forward Thinking Museum in Manhattan not only to show its staff...
John Voelcker April 25, 2011
Elon Musk, Bob Lutz On Red Carpet At 'Revenge of Electric Car' Premiere
Every movie has to have a premiere, and every premiere has to have a red carpet. When the red carpet is on a Manhattan sidewalk, with plenty of passers-by stopping to gawk, and many of the celebs are arriving in electric cars, things get a little more complicated. Still, last night's premiere of...
John Voelcker April 23, 2011
Review: 'Revenge Of The Electric Car' Optimistic, Accurate, Lacks A Villain
From Michael Moore's Roger And Me in 1989 to Chris Paine's 2006 Who Killed The Electric Car?, there's no shortage of documentaries that portray auto-industry executives as incompetent, bumbling, short-sighted, arrogant fools. So it may be a surprise that merely five years later, two global...
John Voelcker April 23, 2011
Why Californians Need A Parking Permit To Charge Electric Cars John Voelcker April 22, 2011

No one knows the ins and outs of electric-car usage like the early adopters, especially those who've already taken delivery of a 2011 Nissan Leaf or a 2011 Chevrolet Volt. (Or both.)

So when a thread...

Five Things We Don't Like On The 2011 Hyundai Elantra (Video)
Finally, here's our last video in the series we did on the new 2011 Hyundai Elantra. Since we tested that car a few weeks ago, the compact segment has only heated up. There's a new 2012 Honda Civic, an entirely redesigned all-wheel-drive 2012 Subaru Impreza, and the highly competitive 2011 Chevy...
John Voelcker April 22, 2011
'Who Killed The Electric Car?' Sequel Premieres Tonight (Video)
It's taken as gospel by many of the people who have seen it since its 2006 release, and there's no denying its influence. "Who Killed the Electric?" seemingly stung General Motors enough that the company unveiled the Chevrolet Volt concept in 2007 and then, startled by its popularity, decided to...
John Voelcker April 22, 2011
Mitsubishi Prices 2012 'i' Electric Car At $27,990 Before Tax Breaks
Driving electric just got cheaper, as Mitsubishi announced that its 2012 'i' electric car would be priced at just $27,990 before incentives when deliveries begin in California next January. That makes the 2012 Mitsubishi 'i' the least expensive plug-in car on sale in the U.S. market. It qualifies...
John Voelcker April 21, 2011
2012 Porsche Panamera S Hybrid With 111-Year-Old Ancestor (VIDEO)
Did you hear? Last night, Porsche showed a series hybrid vehicle (analagous to the Chevy Volt) with a radically different design from any of its latest line of hybrids. Its pair of 1.7-liter single-cylinder engines powers a generator that flows electric power to a pair of front wheel motors, each...
John Voelcker April 20, 2011
Nissan Leaf Nismo RC Concept: New York Auto Show Live Photos
Blue light bathed the concept car in the corner before Nissan launched its 2012 Versa sedan at the 2011 New York Auto Show today. The images were so striking we thought we'd bring you a photo gallery of Nissan's electric race-car concept, just so you can see it from all angles, looking like nothing...
John Voelcker April 20, 2011

Suzuki Kizashi EcoCharge Concept Hybrid: 2011 NY Auto Show John Voelcker April 20, 2011

Suzuki has had a rough time of it lately, with its only new product being the well-received but still low-volume Kizashi sports sedan, halfway between a compact and a midsize car.

But for this...
Want A 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid? Register Online Now
It's been a long time coming, but by June of next year, the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid will go on sale in the U.S. If you're eager to be one of the very first on your block to own the world's most popular hybrid vehicle--but you insist on being able to plug it into grid power--now is your...
John Voelcker April 19, 2011
Five Things We Like About The New 2011 Hyundai Elantra (Video)
The 2011 Hyundai Elantra compact sedan, entirely redesigned for this model year, has won rave reviews and is selling like gangbusters. We found many things to like in the stylish little Hyundai, and as part of our series of quick road-test and review videos, we listed the top five. Check out the...
John Voelcker April 19, 2011
Is This The 2012 Nissan Versa Hatchback? Photos From Shanghai
At 10:40 am tomorrow, Nissan will kick off its press conference at the New York Auto Show. We already know it'll display the Leaf Nismo RC Concept electric racer, but that's a sideshow. The real interest will be in the new 2012 Nissan Versa subcompact. Today, at the Auto Shanghai show in China...
John Voelcker April 19, 2011
Buick Envision Concept: Plug-In Hybrid SUV From Shanghai
The guessing games continue, with General Motors releasing more details about its Buick Envision concept car that give tantalizing hints of a concept stuffed with technology, but without the benefit of too many metrics. Following the release of a sketch two weeks ago, now GM has released a whole...
John Voelcker April 18, 2011
Attention, Shoppers: Infiniti QX56s, Diesels Are NOT Hybrids
It will come as a horrible shock to the driver of the pale green Infiniti QX56, but the 2-ton-plus full-size sport utility vehicle is not actually a hybrid. Nor, for that matter, is a Volkswagen Passat TDI--though it at least has a diesel engine, which gives higher gas mileage than the QX56's...
John Voelcker April 18, 2011

BMW ActiveE Electric Car Priced At $499 Per Month, $2,250 Down John Voelcker April 18, 2011

Electric cars, at the moment, cost more to buy than gasoline cars of similar size and with similar features, powertrain excepted.

Leases on electric cars from mass-market brands like Nissan and...
2011 Hyundai Elantra: Two-Minute Road Test Review (Video)
The 2011 New York Auto Show is kicking off this week, with new compact car entries that include the all-wheel-drive 2012 Subaru Impreza, among others. But a strong new contender this year that's already selling fast is the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, which we recently road-tested over our usual route of...
John Voelcker April 18, 2011
Electric-Car Charging Stations Pop Up All Over, Hotels Included
While AllCarsElectric posts are regularly written from at least three countries, occasionally we get to cover electric-car events in our own back yard--specifically, Palo Alto, California. On Friday, we attended a ceremony to inaugurate the first electric-car charger installed at any hotel in very...
John Voelcker April 18, 2011
Electric-Car Fire: Flaming Garage Shows Media Ignorance
A garage caught fire, destroying the two cars inside. That's what we know. One of the cars inside was a brand-new 2011 Chevrolet Volt, and the other was a home-converted electric car. But because of that, what we've gotten from various media is inaccurate at best, and potentially quite misleading...
John Voelcker April 16, 2011
EcoCar2 Will Challenge College Teams To Build Greener Cars
The winning team for the third and final year of the first EcoCar Challenge has yet to be announced, but the next three-year competition has already been unveiled. On Wednesday, representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy and General Motors officially launched EcoCar2, whose tagline will be...
John Voelcker April 15, 2011
2011 Hyundai Elantra Vs 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco (Video)
Two of the newest compact cars on the road today are the 2011 Hyundai Elantra and the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze. Now we've driven both of them, testing each car with a six-speed manual transmission. In the case of the Chevy, we drove the 2011 Cruze Eco model, which gets the highest EPA gas mileage...
John Voelcker April 15, 2011