Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield, Contributing Writer

Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield is a self-confessed petrol head. She grew up in a carless family but was able at a very early age to name cars passing her on the street while other girls her age were more interested in Barbie Dolls. Although she trained as a classical musician she’s now a full-time broadcaster and journalist, covering green fuels and tech. After passing her driving test she’s owned a wide selection of cars, including a 1962 Morris Minor Woodie Hotrod; a single seat electric bubble car; a ’92 Honda Prelude; a ’91 Volvo 240; a ’04 Toyota Prius Plug in Hybrid (which she converted herself); an ’85 VW electric factory built rabbit; and a ’09 Smart ForTwo CDI Nikki specializes in electric vehicles, but also enjoys clandestine gas-guzzling, working on the rule that the larger and noisier the better. She is also loves riding motorcycles, but currently doesn't own one. Nikki also hosts the TransportEvolved podcast. She lives in Bristol UK with her wife, their two daughters and their Border Collie.

Articles

2012 Volvo C30 Electric: European Test-Drive Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield February 9, 2011
At six years old, the Volvo C30 has come of age. Popular in Europe as Volvo’s safety-conscious answer to the hot hatchback.

With a range of engine options available, the four-seat hatchback...
BREAKING Geneva Motor Show 2011: Nissan ESFLOW Concept Sneak Peak
Just weeks ahead of the 2011 Nissan Motor Show, Nissan has released pictures and videos of its latest all-electric car: The 2011 ESFLOW concept, something we’d heard was in development a while ago. Built from the ground up from scratch, the all-electric two-seat sport coupe concept car...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield February 9, 2011

A Tale of Two Countries: How The U.S. and U.K. Sell The LEAF
Like many customers in the U.S., our own Marty Padgett got to reserve his 2011 Nissan LEAF in April last year. And now, like so many of the expectant 20,000 who have signed up for a place in the queue to buy NIssan’s first mass-produced electric car, he’s been saddled with an...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield February 7, 2011
Now Free With Every Tesla: Tempting Tangerine Tutu
Here’s a task for you. Think of the most unusual thing you’re likely to see in a Tesla dealership. Whichever strange and bizarre places your imagination took you, (no, we don’t want to know) we’re pretty sure it didn’t take you to the Munich Tesla Showroom earlier this...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield February 4, 2011
My Hummer Isn’t Electric? IRS Details False Tax Credit Claims
During the first half of 2010, nearly 13,000 U.S. taxpayers wrongly claimed a staggering $33 million under the electric tax credit incentive scheme, a Treasury Department inspector general report has revealed. The credits, designed to encourage the uptake of plug-in hybrid and electric-only...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield February 4, 2011
Three is a Magic Number: One Family Gets Volt, LEAF and Prius
If you’re in the market for an electric car one of the biggest decisions to make after you’ve decided to buy a plug-in vehicle is which one to choose. For one family in California, however the choice was far easier: Get one of each. And with good reason. Ten years ago marketing...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield February 4, 2011
Enterprise Offers Another Way to Drive The 2011 Chevy Volt: Rental Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield February 3, 2011

If you’re like us and find yourself flying too much you probably feel pretty guilty about that gas-guzzling rental car you have to use at your destination.

But thanks to Enterprise Rent-a-Car,...

The Jay Leno Show Has New Life, And The Ford Focus Electric Does Too
There’s something terribly fickle about the bright lights and flashy sets of the TV talk-show genre. But while Jay Leno’s chat show on NBC may have failed to receive positive viewing figures the bright orange 2009 Ford Focus electric prototype used in the show has just found a new home...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield February 3, 2011
Volvo’s Upcoming Plug-in Vehicles: What do YOU Want to Know?
Let’s be honest: Volvo isn’t the first company that comes to mind when thinking of electric vehicles. In fact, until the display of a crashed C30 Electric at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show earlier this year we’ve seen very little from Volvo’s plug-in fleet except a few...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield February 2, 2011
Virginia Utility Tests Cheap Rates for Electric Car Owners
Dominion Virginia Power announced yesterday that is waiting for Virginia State Corporation Commission approval to offer two electricity tariffs exclusively to electric vehicle owners in a bid to encourage customers to make the switch to electric cars. As we’ve discovered before, more and more...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield February 2, 2011
Electric Pickups: When Will We See Them Again?
Think back to the late 1990s. While the EV1 was making waves smoothly whirring down the freeways and highways of Arizona and California, an altogether more rugged fleet of electric utility trucks were living a less obviously electric lifestyle. Enter GM’s S10 Pickup and Ford’s Electric...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield February 1, 2011
2012 Ford Focus Electric Won’t Charge as Fast as Nissan LEAF
One of the biggest drawbacks to electric car ownership today is the time it takes to recharge the car when the batteries are depleted. So it comes as no surprise that the time it takes a car to charge from empty is a big selling point. A few weeks ago, Ford seemingly pulled ahead of its rivals...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield February 1, 2011

Electric Car Charging Station Gets Smart, Networks With Home Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield January 31, 2011

Imagine a future where your electric car could talk to your home and chose the best time to charge itself based on use predictions, electricity costs and home energy demands.

Except it is no-longer...
Buyer Beware: 'Fake' Electric Car Charging Stations?
You’ve ordered your electric car and like many, you’ve been put off by the seemingly extortionate quote given to install a level 2 electric charging station at your home. As we’ve discussed before, sourcing your own Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) can save you hundreds of...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield January 31, 2011
Will Winter Storms Spell Disaster for Your Electric Car?
Is it really all doom and gloom for electric car owners when winter weather comes, and will electric car owners be stranded in the snow as many columnists have suggested? That's the suggestion we've seen time and time again over the weekend as another band of heavy winter storms is poised to hit...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield January 31, 2011
Life After The Road: Tesla’s European Electric Car Battery Recycling
It may be the largest battery pack available in any electric car on the road today, but what happens when it is no-longer able to provide enough kick to push the 2011 Tesla Roadster Sport 2.5 from 0-60 in under 4 seconds? That’s the question answered by Tesla Motors this week as it announced...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield January 28, 2011
Chevrolet Shows Nissan How It’s Done, Speeds Up Volt Rollout
Nissan may still be aggravating customers patiently waiting for their 2011 LEAFs with no news of delivery dates, but Chevrolet has just announced that it will be delivering its 2011 Volt plug-in hybrid to all 50 states by the end of 2011. Spurred on by massive consumer interest and a stream of...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield January 27, 2011
Is Mercedes Ignoring Electric Cars in 125 Birthday Exhibition?
This coming Saturday, January 29, Mercedez-Benz will be celebrating its 125th birthday. One-hundred-and-twenty-five years after Carl Benz received the first patent for his Motorwagen, the German automaker will open its latest exhibition: New Start-The Road to Emission-Free Mobility. Sadly, however...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield January 27, 2011

Why Custom Rims Won’t Go Down With Your Electric Ride Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield January 26, 2011

Customization has been a part of car ownership ever since Henry Ford told customers they could have any color “as long as it’s black.” But while lightning bolt graphics and a...
Obama Sticks With 1 Million Plug-Ins by 2015, Cuts Oil Sweetheart Deals
His party may be under increasing pressure from the Tea Party movement as it fights conservative attempts to stifle everything from healthcare reform to government spending, but President Obama is still keen to push the electric car revolution. Speaking at last night’s State of the Union...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield January 26, 2011
Pre-Reserved a 2011 Nissan LEAF? Here’s What Happens Next
We know it may seem like an age since pre-reservations started for the 2011 Nissan LEAF, but unless you’re one of the lucky few who already either has a car or knows when to expect you probably don't know what should be happening after your first $99 has been taken to secure you a place in...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield January 26, 2011
Electric Car Espionage: Now With Secret Swiss Bank Account
Every good spy film has a smattering of illicit love, sexy cars and covert operations. Suspending disbelief, such films make for good entertainment. But for one former Renault employee the real world has taken a turn towards the covert world of James Bond or 24 with accusations that he had an...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield January 25, 2011
Nissan: 2011 LEAF Will Reach Full Production By March
If you’re one of the many thousands of would-be Nissan LEAF customers that have had their orders delayed due to a surprising lack of cars then you’ll be pleased to hear that Nissan has a plan to remedy the backlog. So far, around 3,000 LEAFs have been built at Nissan’s Oppama...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield January 25, 2011
Audi Toys With New Electric Car, Pedals Future in Nuremburg
After initially appearing skeptical about the electric car, Audi has been busy over the past few years with a selection of plugin hybrid and fully electric-powered concepts, showing them off at prestigious events such as the Le Mans 24 hour race. But unlike the R8 e-tron, R4 e-tron spyder and A1...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield January 21, 2011