John Voelcker, Contributing Editor

John Voelcker avatar
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

  • Coming Up: Toyota Prius To Be Sold In Multiple Body Styles

    Since it was launched in 1997 in Japan, and 2000 in the US, the Toyota Prius has only been sold as a single body style. From 1997 to 2003, it was a subcompact four-door sedan. Since then, it has been...

  • First Look: 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid

    • What is it?: The first-ever hybrid version of the big Mercedes-Benz sedan • The basics: All the S-Class virtues, much better gas mileage • On sale: This fall • Price: $87,950 This weekend, GreenCarReports.com will be one of...

  • Preview: 2011 Mazda2

    Mazda will launch its global subcompact, the Mazda2 five-door hatchback, in the US market roughly a year from now. Its first appearance in North America will be at December's 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. Price is likely to be around $16,000. It is based on the same platform as the eagerly awaited...

  • Clean Diesels Cost More, But Will Americans Pay For Them?

    It's well known in the car industry that a diesel engine costs 10 to 20 percent more to build than a gasoline motor of equivalent output. That's because diesels have to be sturdier, and these days all US-bound diesels are fitted with turbochargers to boost their power. Now a European executive has...

  • Frankfurt: Ah, the French! Renault's 4 Electric Car Concepts

    French carmaker Renault, whose partner Nissan recently unveiled its 2012 Nissan Leaf compact electric hatchback, showed no fewer than four separate electric-car concepts at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show. All labeled ZE for "zero emissions", they are: Twizy ZE: A tandem two-seater with performance...

  • Frankfurt: Volkswagen's Radical 170-MPG Diesel Two-Seater

    Covering all the green-car bases at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, Volkswagen unveiled not only the E-Up electric city car concept but also the L1, a radical 170-mpg tandem two-seat diesel hybrid streamliner it says it will sell by 2013. The L1 name refers to the European concept of a "1-Liter" car...

  •
    Full Details: Audi e-Tron Electric Supercar, Competition for Tesla?

    Yesterday we brought you the first images of the Audi e-Tron concept car from the Frankfurt Auto Show. Now, we have all the technical details of this stunning supercar propelled purely by electrons.

    ...
  • Frankfurt Auto Show: Is VW's E-Up Electric Car the Next Beetle?

    With the Frankfurt Auto Show now underway, Volkswagen came out with both guns blazing to underscore its green-car credentials. The latest VW concept is the E-Up, a battery electric version of its Up mini-car, with 80 miles of range. It follows the L1, an ultra-high-mileage diesel two-seater that...

  • Drag Race Video: 2010 Toyota Prius vs 2009 Toyota Prius

    Which is faster, the 2010 Toyota Prius or its predecessor, the 2004-2009 Prius? On paper, the 2010 should win. Its engine is larger (1.8 liters vs 1.5 liters) and more powerful (134 total horsepower vs 104 hp). It's even got a lower coefficient of drag, the very respectable 0.25. This morning we...

  • GreenCarReports: 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show Coverage

    It's time: the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show is upon us, and High Gear Media is live at the biggest, hottest Messe in the world to bring you the latest on green cars, diesels, electric cars, hybrid electric vehicles, E-REVs, and NEVs right here at GreenCarReports.com. We've previewed the Frankfurt show...

  • Want To Be An Editorial Intern at High Gear Media? Talk To Us!

    High Gear Media, the parent company of AllAboutPrius.com and more than three dozen other automotive websites, is now looking for editorial interns. They'll do a mix of writing, publishing, and editing content across our entire network car-related sites. Here's what we offer to our interns: stories...

  • Frankfurt Auto Show: Plug-In Hybrid Mercedes S-Class Concept

    Every other year, Mercedes-Benz unveils a "Vision" concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show that points the way to cars it will launch in future years. This year's concept car looks just like a standard 2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Instead, it's the mechanical parts that are remarkable: It's a...

  •
    Algae-Powered Prius Plug-In Helps Hybrid Go Even Greener

    We've written before about Prius plug-in conversions, but here's a new wrinkle: a 2008 Toyota Prius plug-in that's also running on biofuel derived partly from algae grown specifically as a source of...

  • Turn Your Clunker Green: Four Electric and Diesel Upgrades

    Now here's one we totally wish we'd thought of ourselves. Since it takes 70,000 miles for a clunker replacement to compensate for the carbon emitted in its manufacturing, why not just convert a clunker into something greener? Two diesels, two electrics Kudos to our colleagues at Popular Mechanics...

  • Want To Go Even Greener? Power Your Prius on...Algae ?!?!?

    There's something about the Toyota Prius that makes people want to modify it. Maybe it's the Hybrid Synergy Drive system, maybe it's the electric running, maybe it's even the car's shape. We're not quite sure. Now, joining the growing parade of Prius plug-in conversions (whether professional or...

  • Most Popular August Posts: 2010 Prius Reference Guide Romps, Again

    We're a bit late on what's usually an end-of-month recap of the five most popular posts on AllAboutPrius.com. But, hey, we had a long Labor Day too ... and now we're back in business. So here they are for August. Unusually for us, compared to July's most popular posts, three of our Top Five are...

  • August's Most Popular Green Car Posts: What About That 230 MPG?

    We usually recap our five most popular posts on GreenCarReports.com at the end of every month. We're a bit late for August but, hey, we had a long Labor Day too ... now we're back in business. We replaced most of July's most popular posts, with three new winners in our Top Five. Here goes: # 1: How...

  • 2010 Fisker Karma: 67 MPG AND 0-to-62-mph In Under 6 Seconds

    The 2010 Fisker Karma will be the world's first production series hybrid, or extended-range electric vehicle, when it comes off the line late this year. Customer deliveries will start next May. Just prior to the Karma's German debut at next week's Frankfurt Auto Show, the company released emissions...

  •
    Let the Range Extender Wars Begin: Lotus Unveils Tiny Engine

    We've written before about upcoming tiny, powerful engines that perform like much bigger versions but get far better gas mileage. Now, British sports-car maker Lotus has used those lessons in an...

  • 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI: 36-39 MPG in Real-World Use

    Hybrid vs diesel: It's a longstanding green-car conundrum. Which is better, a hybrid-electric vehicle that recaptures wasted energy in a battery and uses it to assist the gasoline engine, or an efficient modern clean diesel that goes further on a gallon of fuel? The answer depends in part on your...

  • We're Looking For Editorial Interns; Know Anyone?

    Green Car Reports--or, more accurately, our parent High Gear Media--is looking for editorial interns who want to write, publish, and edit content for our network of 39 automotive sites. Here's what our interns get: a broad array of web publishing skills and experience published under their own...

  • Volt Buyers 'Idiots'? Audi President Is The One Who's Wrong

    We were going to let it slide, really. Just because the U.S. president of a major automaker calls the buyers of another carmaker's product "idiots" is no reason for us to sink to name calling. But the hoohah has continued, and the misunderstandings seem to be growing. We thought it was time to...

  • Fast Forward: Mercedes-Benz Updates 1992 Diesel

    Now, this is cool. You've likely seen the Mercedes-Benz diesels of the 1980s and 1990s chugging along somewhere or other. But how much better are today's clean diesels than the solid old oil-burners of 20 years ago that still power those sturdy survivors? Back to the future: 1992 to 2009...

  • Final Version of Production Prius Plug-In For Frankfurt Auto Show

    While literally hundreds of Toyota Prius owners have laid down thousands of dollars (in some cases, tens of thousands) by now for plug-in conversions, Toyota has proceeded slowly. Now it is showing what it says is the final version of its prototype Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid at the Frankfurt Motor...

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