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

Big Crash, Small Electric Car: 2012 Mitsubishi 'i' Barrier Test John Voelcker January 18, 2011

It's both true and not-so-true: Small cars are dangerous in a crash.

It's true, in that the laws of physics indicate a heavier object will have more momentum than a lighter object when they collide,...
Now We Know: This Will Be The New 2012 Ford Escape Hybrid
Ford was clearly one of the stars of last week's Detroit Auto Show, launching green vehicles and concepts across a wide range of fuel-saving technologies. The company unveiled just a single concept, the Vertrek crossover, but it's an important one. The production version of the Vertrek will be the...
John Voelcker January 17, 2011

Hybrids Redux: Chrysler 300 Hybrid Sedan To Launch In 2013
Chrysler's got bigger problems right now than whether or not it builds hybrid cars. After quickly spiffing up of its line of aging, unappealing cars and crossovers for 2011, the company's engineers are deep into designing modern, fuel efficient compact and midsize Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles...
John Voelcker January 17, 2011
Want To Waft In Eco-Friendly Fashion? Electric Rolls-Royce May Be On The Way
If Bentley is all about seamless low-end torque from V-8 engines (or the odd W-12), then Rolls-Royce is about 'wafting'. That's the word used to describe the experience of riding in an utterly silent, totally effortless conveyance that sets one above the common man. Which might, if you think about...
John Voelcker January 14, 2011
Five Questions: Peter Rawlinson, Tesla Motors Chief Engineer
If Tesla Motors had a single message to convey at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, it was this: We're a real car company. Rather than show a completed prototype of its Model S all-electric luxury sports sedan, scheduled to launch by the end of 2012, the company showed the car's shell. That allowed other...
John Voelcker January 14, 2011
Next Dodge Caliber To Go On Sale In Jan 2012, But As A Sedan
The new, post-bankruptcy Chrysler Corporation is busily renovating every model in its lineup under the direction of its soon-to-be owner Fiat. While it had buffed up its Dodge Caliber compact hatchback for 2010, the company is hard at work on an all-new replacement for the Caliber. And it's likely...
John Voelcker January 14, 2011
Washington State Pioneers Electric-Car Scenic Tourism Route John Voelcker January 13, 2011

The Pacific Northwest is a remarkably scenic corner of the continental United States. The striking coastal ranges of Washington and Oregon offer dramatic vistas, temperature (if often damp) weather,...

Electric Car Crashes? Just As Safe As Any Other Volvo
Despite thousands of automotive gasoline fires in the U.S. every year, we've pretty much normalized the risks of the highly explosive liquid that we use to fuel our cars. But for electric cars, there's a whole new set of potential fears. One may be driving through water--it's not like tossing a...
John Voelcker January 11, 2011
Confirmed: Toyota Could Consider Prius-Based Pickup Truck
Auto shows are a great place to get rumors--or even wild fantasies--confirmed. (Or, occasionally, dismissed contemptuously--but that's a different story.) Following today's Toyota press conference that introduced the Prius V multipurpose vehicle that will go on sale as a 2012 model, and unveiled...
John Voelcker January 10, 2011
2011 Detroit Auto Show: Toyota Prius C Compact Hybrid Concept
As part of the family of four Toyota Prius hybrids that the carmaker unveiled at the today's Detroit Auto Show, it showed a concept for a new, compact Prius hatchback. Low, edgy, and relatively sleek for a highly aerodynamic Kamm-tailed car, the Prius C concept is actually Toyota's second concept...
John Voelcker January 10, 2011
2011 Detroit Auto Show: 2012 Toyota Prius V, Photo Gallery
Auto show press conferences sometimes resemble mosh pits, but savvy photographers know how to get the best angles while protecting vulnerable body parts. Photographer Joe Nuxoll got most of these shots from the event where Toyota launched its 2012 Prius V multi-purpose vehicle (or, for those of us...
John Voelcker January 10, 2011
2011 Detroit Auto Show: 2012 Toyota Prius V, Wagon / Minivan
At 50 miles per gallon, the 2011 Toyota Prius five-door hatchback is the most fuel-efficient car sold in the U.S. But, says Toyota, its customers told the company they needed more room--for people, for stuff, for stretching out. So the quintessential Prius hybrid is becoming not just a vehicle but...
John Voelcker January 10, 2011

2011 Detroit Auto Show: Ford Focus, C-Max, Vertrek Photo Gallery John Voelcker January 10, 2011

From the moment Ford CEO Alan Mulally drove onstage in a 2012 Ford Focus ST, the first of half a dozen new compact Ford models, it was all about small cars.

There were small fast cars (that Focus...
2012 BYD e6 Electric Crossover To Cost $35,000, 200-Mile Range
Later today at the Detroit Auto Show, Chinese carmaker BYD will take the wraps off a new incarnation of the e6 crossover it's shown twice before. This time, however, it comes with an upgraded interior, a more powerful drive motor, and a price: $35,000 before incentives. The company hopes to offer...
John Voelcker January 10, 2011
2011 Chevrolet Volt Electric: North American Car of the Year
It's been quite a year for the 2011 Chevy Volt, GM's range-extended electric car that went on sale last month. It garnered a slew of awards from various car magazines and other auto media, and now it's capped the year by winning the prestigious North American Car of the Year award. Voted on by...
John Voelcker January 10, 2011
2011 Detroit Auto Show: Ford C-Max Hybrid & Energi Plug-In Concepts
While Toyota dominates global hybrid production, Ford was the first company to launch a hybrid SUV: the Ford Escape Hybrid, in 2004. Now, Ford is pioneering another hybrid model: the small minivan, or as Europeans call it, the people carrier. Hybrid mini-minivan Between 10 and 10:30 am today at the...
John Voelcker January 10, 2011
2012 Ford Focus Electric NYC Debut: What You Need To Know
As you may have seen by now, the 2012 Ford Focus Electric was officially launched today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas by Ford CEO Alan Mulally. At the very same time, another notable executive--Bill Ford--unveiled it in New York City. He covered the same production details that were...
John Voelcker January 7, 2011
Spy Games: Renault Electric Vehicle Work Riddled With Moles?
Monday morning opened on an anxious note for French automaker Renault. The company said it suspended without pay three executives, who have not yet been named. It fears that details and intellectual property connected to its comprehensive electric-vehicle program were leaked to unnamed parties...
John Voelcker January 6, 2011

Electric-Car Startup Coda Gets $76 Million in Venture Funds John Voelcker January 6, 2011

Last year was a rough one for electric-car startup Coda. The company replaced its CEO, along with its marketing chief, and announced a delay of up to nine months in the launch of its first car, the ...
Toyota Prius Ad We'll Never See: Animals Worse Than Hybrids
Some of the first emissions regulations in the world came about because of the way the Los Angeles Basin is shaped. Reports of smog in southern California started with the Conquistadors, and by the Sixties, LA was notorious for its foul air. California began regulating auto emissions before the...
John Voelcker January 5, 2011
House Republicans Ask Automakers Which Regulations To Kill
The U.S. Congress began its 111th session this week, and the new Republican majority in the House clearly wants to change the regulatory tenor of the U.S. government. Automakers and their trade groups were among more than 150 entities who have already received a letter from Representative Darrell...
John Voelcker January 4, 2011
VW Vexed By 'Anarchic' Audi A1 E-Tron Electric? Nein, Says Audi
We've loved the concept of the Audi A1 e-Tron concept since its launch at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show last March. It's a range-extended electric vehicle (like the 2011 Chevy Volt) that uses a tiny Wankel rotary engine to run a generator that produces electricity to power the car once its lithium-ion...
John Voelcker January 4, 2011
Who Killed the Electric Car? Subaru To Slay Plug-In Stella EV
Back in July 2009, two Japanese automakers launched electric cars within weeks of each other. (And neither one was Nissan.) One was Mitsubishi, which put its i-MiEV five-door hatchback microcar on sale after several years of consumer tests. That car is now the best-selling electric car in the...
John Voelcker January 4, 2011
What Would You Do Differently If Gas Hit $5 A Gallon In 2012?
This video clip, now six months old, has been making the rounds yesterday and today. Still, it's worth pondering. What would you do if gasoline rose to $5 a gallon in two years? How would your driving, and car buying, behavior change? Two days after the BP drilling rig blowout in the Gulf of...
John Voelcker December 30, 2010