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

Smart ForTwo minicar: 15 years later, has it made a difference? John Voelcker November 30, 2016

Minimal cars are often an appealing idea: why should one person drive a two-ton vehicle with five or more seats on local journeys of 10 miles or fewer?

Then there's the crushingly difficult parking...
BMW, Ford, Mercedes, VW Group to build electric-car fast-charging network in Europe
With a slew of 200-mile electric cars planned for 2018 and later, the question of how their drivers will be able to make long-distance trips is coming to the fore in a big way. Silicon Valley electric-car maker Tesla Motors laid out the template with its Supercharger network, which now numbers 327...
John Voelcker November 30, 2016

Trump names Elaine Chao as U.S. Secretary of Transportation
President-elect Donald Trump nominated former labor secretary Elaine Chao to be his secretary of transportation yesterday. She will follow current DoT secretary Antony Foxx, who himself succeeded Ray LaHood in 2013. Foxx has focused on safety recalls following the GM ignition scandal, as well as...
John Voelcker November 30, 2016
Emissions collusion between VW and German agency runs deep: magazine
As the Volkswagen diesel scandal lumbers onwards, German media outlets have often broken the latest news and revelations from deep inside VW Group. While the German auto giant had hoped at first to have the issue largely wrapped up by now, the scandal first publicly revealed in September 2015 shows...
John Voelcker November 28, 2016
Toyota battery R&D will allow all-electric car in 'a few years,' likely 2020
The signals are now unmistakable: Toyota will offer a battery-electric car for sale in 2020. After a decade of condemning electric cars as suitable only for the smallest vehicles in around-town use, the world's largest car company is changing its tune. Yet another news story out of Japan has...
John Voelcker November 27, 2016
CA dealer offers Fiat 500e electric car at $49 a month, $0 down in Black Friday weekend deal
While Fiat Chrysler Automobiles refuses to say how many electric Fiat 500e cars it's sold over the past several years, there are likely more than many people think. We know the number is at least 7,000 from recall notices, for instance. And FCA is continuing with aggressive efforts to sell the...
John Voelcker November 26, 2016
Electric-car range, Prius Prime vs Volt, Hyundai beats Toyota, Tesla on T'au: The Week in Reverse John Voelcker November 26, 2016

Which 2017 car set a new record for energy efficiency among passenger vehicles on sale this year?

What is Tesla doing on a tiny island way out in the Pacific Ocean?

This is our look back at the Week...

2017 Ford Focus Electric preview
The 2017 Ford Focus Electric has been one of last electric cars remaining in the current model year for which we haven't had information. Now Ford has released a few specifications, and a photo of a 2017 Focus Electric window sticker sent by a reader fills in more of the gaps. The good news: after...
John Voelcker November 23, 2016
Which electric car will history view as most important? Poll results
It wasn't even close. When we asked our Twitter followers which electric car they thought would be judged by history as most important thus far, it was a slam-dunk. Fully four out of five survey participants voted for the same vehicle out of the four choices we offered. DON'T MISS: Tesla Model S...
John Voelcker November 23, 2016
2017 Toyota Prius Prime vs 2017 Chevrolet Volt: plug-in hybrid video test
They're two high-volume plug-in hybrids, but they take different approaches to energy efficiency. The Toyota Prius Prime, new for 2017, is the plug-in version of the world's best-known, and best-selling, hybrid car. The 2017 Chevy Volt was new last year, a greatly improved version of the pioneering...
John Voelcker November 23, 2016
Mazda diesel to arrive fall 2017, it says, in new CX-5 crossover (updated)
The 2017 Mazda CX-5 compact crossover is an entirely new design, Mazda says, although you might not see it at first glance. The small Japanese maker unveiled the new generation just four years after it launched the vehicle that now represents fully one-quarter of its global sales volume. But the...
John Voelcker November 18, 2016
What will Tesla Motors be in 2025? Poll results
Ah, Tesla Motors, source of hope, dreams, visions, contempt, dismissal, hilarity, frustration, and so much more. The Silicon Valley startup automaker, now in its ninth year of making electric cars, has built close to 150,000 expensive battery-powered luxury vehicles and defied critics numerous...
John Voelcker November 18, 2016

250,000th plug-in electric car to be sold in California alone this month John Voelcker November 18, 2016

It's long been obvious that California is the epicenter of emission reduction and electric-car adoption in the United States.

And its outsize influence on U.S. environmental policy has global...
2017 Volkswagen e-Golf: 124 miles of range, more motor power, LA Auto Show debut
Later this morning, the 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf will be unveiled at the second of two Los Angeles Auto Show media preview days. Along with the many updates made to other models in the 2017 Golf lineup, VW's electric car gets a 50-percent boost in battery capacity and a more powerful electric motor...
John Voelcker November 17, 2016
Is Trump presidency the real market test for electric cars?
One week ago this morning, the U.S. and the world woke up to learn that Donald Trump would be the next president of the United States. The shockwaves of that election are still reverberating, and will do so for quite some time to come. Among the groups concerned are environmentalists, clean-energy...
John Voelcker November 16, 2016
2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid: first drive of plug-in hybrid minivan
The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid wraps a number of firsts into one innovative package. The Pacifica minivan, launched this year, has received positive reviews for its combination of stylish design, comfortable interior, easy-to-use infotainment, and capacious carrying capacity for up to eight...
John Voelcker November 15, 2016
Jaguar I-Pace electric SUV concept breaks cover at LA Auto Show
Luxury electric cars: seems like everyone's doing them, doesn't it? The latest to join the growing pool of pricey battery-electric sedans and crossover utilities is the Jaguar I-Pace, revealed tonight as a concept at a splashy event before the Los Angeles Auto Show. But the British maker has...
John Voelcker November 15, 2016
Chevrolet Bolt EV: Green Car Reports' Best Car To Buy 2017
Each year, Green Car Reports chooses a new car, or a family of cars, as the best green car introduced in that model year. In 2011, our very first award, we picked the first-ever modern electric car to be sold in high volumes. Six years later, we've picked the spiritual successor to that car, one...
John Voelcker November 14, 2016

Past Green Car Reports Best Car To Buy winners: the recap John Voelcker November 11, 2016

On Monday, Green Car Reports will name its 2017 Best Car To Buy.

It will be the seventh time we've given the award, and it's worth looking back to see how far green cars have progressed in those...
2017 Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid: video road test
The 2017 Toyota Prius Prime is a new plug-in version of the fourth-generation Prius hybrid launched last year. It succeeds the previous Prius Plug-In Hybrid, but it's a much better—and considerably more electric—vehicle than that discontinued model. We've driven the new Prius Prime in...
John Voelcker November 8, 2016
GM ramps up 2017 Chevy Bolt EV electric-car production; how many can it build?
With anticipation of the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV launch growing, General Motors has started to ramp up production of its groundbreaking 200-mile electric car. (It's actually rated by the EPA at 238 miles combined, but it joins a segment of the electric-car market with 200 miles or more of range that...
John Voelcker November 7, 2016
Electric-car sales, VW diesel deals, new Nissan hybrid, Fisker EMotion: The Week in Reverse
Which electric-car naysayer may have relented, at least just a tiny bit? What will Volkswagen do with the TDI diesel cars it's about to start buying back? This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending on Friday, November 4, 2016...
John Voelcker November 5, 2016
Plug-in electric car sales for Oct: steady before Bolt EV, Prius Prime arrival (more updates)
Sales of plug-in electric cars in the U.S. continued at roughly the same pace as in previous months, at least among vehicles for which sales were reported. The Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid continued a strong if not spectacular year, with 2,191 sales in October for a 10-month total of 18,517. The...
John Voelcker November 4, 2016
Should Tesla report monthly sales like other carmakers? Poll results
To those of us who cover the world of electric cars, Tesla's refusal to release its sales data in the conventional format is a continual irritant. Starting in June 2012, when the company said it didn't plan to release monthly sales because its backers didn't care, Tesla Motors has provided only...
John Voelcker November 4, 2016