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

BMW i5 In 2018 To Have Very Electric Plug-In Hybrid: Why It's Important John Voelcker April 13, 2015

Of the four prestige German auto brands, BMW is clearly the most aggressive in its plans for plug-in electric cars in various segments.

Last year it launched the BMW i3 battery-electric small...
Honda Accord Hybrid Production Relocates From Ohio To Japan
The topic of the press release issued late last Wednesday was not the sort of thing to set green-car fans' hearts racing: "Statement...Re: North American Production Portfolio". But buried in several paragraphs of detail from John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda, was one...
John Voelcker April 13, 2015

2016 Chevrolet Spark EV To Be Sold At Retail In Canada
It may not have too many more years to live, but the Chevrolet Spark EV will be sold in some new markets starting with the 2016 model year: three Canadian provinces. While General Motors had offered the Spark EV for fleet purchase in parts of the country, it wasn't available to retail...
John Voelcker April 13, 2015
Third Recall For Fiat 500e: 5,600 Electric Cars To Be Checked For Software Fault
Roughly 5,600 Fiat 500e electric cars will be recalled by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to fix a potential software problem with the cars' Limp Home mode. In a notice issued Saturday, the company said that, "incompatible software between Electric Vehicle Control Unit and Battery Pack Control Module may...
John Voelcker April 13, 2015
New Tesla Model, Elio Three-Wheeler, Plug-In Hybrid Porsche: The Week In Reverse (Video)
Why did winter hurt the performance of one Porsche we drove? And what surprise did electric-car maker Tesla drop on us Wednesday morning? This is our video look back at the Week In Reverse--right here at Green Car Reports--for the week ending on Friday, April 10, 2015. Friday we wondered what the...
John Voelcker April 12, 2015
When Will The Presidential Limo Become A Tesla Electric Car?
Forgive us a Friday fantasy, if you will. We're looking forward a few years to a Request For Proposals issued by the Secret Service for a future presidential limousine. There's already a proposal out to replace the current limo, known as "The Beast," that's been used by President Barack Obama since...
John Voelcker April 10, 2015
Electric Volkswagen Bus Teased Again: Will It Be Real This Time? John Voelcker April 9, 2015

The idea is as cool as it is durable: An all-electric reincarnation of the classic Volkswagen Bus, beloved people carrier of the Sixties and Seventies.

It was first mentioned fully five years ago,...

Shell Project M Concept City Car: Huge Efficiency Gains Possible, Designer Gordon Murray Says
Famed car designer Gordon Murray will team up with former Honda engine specialist Osamu Goto and oil company Shell to develop a concept for "an ultra-compact, efficient car for city use based around the internal combustion engine." It's not intended for production. Instead, the project's ambitions...
John Voelcker April 9, 2015
Are 'Clean Diesels' Actually Not Nearly As Clean As Claimed?
The only region where diesel passenger cars sell in equal numbers to gasoline-powered vehicles is Europe. And until the advent this year of tougher Euro 6 emission standards, new European diesel cars were significantly dirtier than those sold since 2008 in North America. But one European transport...
John Voelcker April 9, 2015
The Challenges Paul Elio Faces To Launch A Three-Wheel, 84-MPG, $6,800 Car
Startup Elio Motors, which needs $230 million to begin production of its radical lightweight, two-seat, three-wheeled fuel-efficient vehicle, is still about $165 million short. CEO Paul Elio, speaking at last week's New York Auto Show, said it has taken more than 41,000 deposits from eager...
John Voelcker April 8, 2015
Aluminum-Ion Battery Cell Is Durable, Fast-Charging, Bendable: Stanford Inventors (Video)
Researchers at Stanford University demonstrated a new type of aluminum-ion battery cell last week that is flexible enough to be bent without damaging it. The chemistry team claims its design charges faster, and is both safer and more durable, than today's lithium-ion cells. It could recharge a...
John Voelcker April 8, 2015
Nissan Rogue Hybrid Launched In Japan, U.S. Sales Uncertain
More than four years after launching its Leaf electric car, Nissan is by far the leading maker of electric vehicles globally. In hybrids, however, it was late to the game and has struggled to package products that will prove compelling to North American buyers. Its announcement this week that it...
John Voelcker April 8, 2015

BREAKING: $75,000 Tesla Model S 70D: AWD, 240-Mile Range Is New Base Version John Voelcker April 8, 2015

Leave it to electric-car maker Tesla Motors to spring another surprise on the world.

This morning, it announced a brand-new version of the base model in its signature battery-electric luxury sedan...
2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid: Gas Mileage Review Of Plug-In Hybrid
The 2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid is a comfortable, relatively fast, and fairly fuel-efficient luxury sport sedan. It's rated at 16 miles of electric range, but we didn't achieve that in cold and snowy upstate New York "springtime" weather. We strongly suspect that very few people who've driven...
John Voelcker April 7, 2015
New Fisker Karma Details May Come As Soon As This Month
The planned relaunch of the Fisker Karma range-extended electric luxury sedan isn't likely to happen until at least the middle of next year. And when it does happen, new owner Wanxiang will probably sell the car under a new brand name: Elux. But we may learn more detail about the phoenix-like...
John Voelcker April 7, 2015
Elio Motors: First-Ever Auto-Show Press Event In NYC Touts '84-MPG' Three-Wheel Car
Startup automaker Elio Motors put on its first-ever car-show press conference last week, taking the last slot on Thursday's media schedule at the New York Auto Show. Founder and CEO Paul Elio appeared at a simple podium in front of a bright-orange prototype Elio three-wheeled vehicle. He spoke...
John Voelcker April 6, 2015
Insult To Injury? GA Kills Electric-Car Incentive, Adds Last-Minute Luxury-Car Tax Break
It hasn't been a particularly good year so far for electric-car purchase incentives. As feared by advocates, last week Georgia passed a highway-funding bill that killed its $5,000 income-tax credit for purchase of a battery-electric vehicles. Illinois suspended its own rebates to close a gaping...
John Voelcker April 6, 2015
Plug-In Electric Car Sales In Mar: Leaf Surpasses Volt In Total Sales Since 2010: UPDATED
For more than four years, the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt have been the highest-volume plug-in electric cars sold in the U.S. Last month, for the first time in roughly three years, the Nissan Leaf's total U.S. sales surpassed those of the Chevrolet Volt. With March deliveries of 1,817 Leafs...
John Voelcker April 3, 2015

Tesla Motors Releases Quarterly Sales: 10,030 Cars Sold Globally Jan-Mar John Voelcker April 3, 2015

Tesla Motors started deliveries of its all-electric Roadster more than six years ago.

Since then, the Silicon Valley electric-car maker has released its sales data in various ways at various times,...
47-MPG Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid: Volt's Sibling Without A Plug May Be First Of Several: MORE UPDATES
It's rare that a carmaker entirely replaces a car after just three model years, but the all-new 2016 Chevrolet Malibu is remarkable in more ways than that. Chevy will offer a full-hybrid model of the new 2016 Malibu that goes head to head with hybrid mid-size sedans from Toyota, Ford, Honda...
John Voelcker April 1, 2015
Decades Of Promises: 'Dude, Where's My Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Car?'
Designing, engineering, testing, producing, and selling cars run by anything other than gasoline engines is hard, expensive, and challenging. Carmakers routinely lose money on the first generation of new technologies--Toyota, for example, with its first-generation Prius hybrid. But while hybrid...
John Voelcker March 31, 2015
2016 Chevy Volt In Pre-Production; Prices To Come Next Month
The 2016 Chevrolet Volt was officially unveiled at January's Detroit Auto Show, so there won't be a lot of focus on the new plug-in hybrid with the 50-mile range at this week's New York Auto Show. Instead, it'll be all about the new 2016 Chevy Malibu mid-size sedan, including the new Malibu Hybrid...
John Voelcker March 31, 2015
Which States Have The Most Diesel Vehicles? New Data Gives Results
Just as diesel fuel isn't available at every single gas station, diesel vehicles are unevenly distributed in the United States. And despite double-digit rises in registration numbers, the preponderance of diesel engines in North America remain in trucks--especially heavy-duty trucks--rather than...
John Voelcker March 30, 2015
You Shouldn't Want To Buy A Kia Soul EV, Says Kia Dealer
It's often said that one of the bigger impediments to sales of electric cars is car dealerships. Among plug-in car shoppers, stories abound of salespeople who know little or nothing about electric vehicles, misrepresent their abilities, and aggressively steer shoppers away from them toward gasoline...
John Voelcker March 30, 2015