Sean Szymkowski, Contributor
Articles
-
It's getting close to two years since Volkswagen admitted it had installed "defeat device" software on hundreds of thousands of diesel vehicles sold in the U.S.
The fact that VW carried out the...
-
Advocacy group takes electric cars to Capitol Hill to inform lawmakersThe best way to change perceptions about electric cars is to put novices in the driver's seat—quite literally in this sense. The advocacy group Plug In America went to Capitol Hill recently, with a barrage of plug-in electric and pure battery electric vehicles, in an effort to educate...
Sean Szymkowski -
Best deals on hybrid, electric, fuel-efficient cars for May 2017It's time to take a look at the best deals on hybrid, electric, and fuel-efficient cars for the month of May, and as new-vehicle sales slow, there are plenty of deals to be had. As always, Cars Direct has compiled the best deals for the month, using deals available in Southern California unless...
Sean Szymkowski -
Reports of diesel's death are greatly exaggeratedThe fallout from the Volkswagen diesel scandal has cost the fuel plenty of not-so-great headlines, but the idea that diesel will soon die off entirely for passenger vehicles simply isn't true. A report in The Car Connection compiled the proof to show diesel is far from its deathbed. There remain...
Sean Szymkowski -
If autonomous electric cars are coming, why not ships too?Vehicle engineering and development focuses heavily on passenger cars and light trucks, but what about other forms of transportation? In an effort to cut congestion on its roads, the country of Norway is experimenting with the idea of autonomous, electric ships to replace large semi trucks, reports...
Sean Szymkowski -
Oregon mulls bonuses for salespeople who sell electric carsThe Beaver State, otherwise known as Oregon, may implement an intriguing solution to spur higher sales of electric vehicles. A new piece of legislation introduced in the state senate calls for a $1 million fund to provide $250 bonuses to salespeople each time they sell an electric vehicle...
Sean Szymkowski -
Ethanol wasn't killed by Prohibition at Rockefeller's request: another alt-fuel myth busted Sean SzymkowskiFor almost a century, many people have blamed oil magnate John D. Rockefeller for the demise of ethanol as a viable fuel for internal-combustion engines.
He fought its use, the theory goes, to...
-
First TV ad for Karma Revero drops as sales to start next monthEverything old is new again, including the 2017 Karma Revero, a reborn 2012 Fisker Karma. Now its maker has released the first-ever television advertisement for the car, a spot that debuted during the 2017 U.S. Open Polo Championship, sponsored by Karma Automotive. Simply titled "Delivery," the...
Sean Szymkowski -
Workhorse W-15 range-extended electric pickup truck revealed (video)Workhorse may have the ultimate proposal for commercial fleets with the reveal of its W-15 pickup truck, the first range-extended electric pickup truck to be built from the ground up with fleets in mind. While Tesla says it is developing an all-electric pickup, which will supposedly be revealed in...
Sean Szymkowski -
Why BMW uses Tesla electric cars to scare its staff into the futureWhen Tesla arrived on the scene 10 years ago, no major automaker took it very seriously—let alone thought it would cause the disruption it has in the market for luxury cars. At the same time, BMW, once the harbinger of performance and luxury, worries that it may be falling behind when it...
Sean Szymkowski -
2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric: how 'Unlimited' subscription really worksTo dig its teeth into California's crowded electric vehicle market, its Korean maker has rolled out an "Unlimited+" lease program for the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric. The plan mimics a subscription service, and adds unlimited mileage allowance, vehicle-charging reimbursement, and a cohesive...
Sean Szymkowski -
Could water be the secret to faster electric-car battery technology?Electric vehicles aren't always associated with speed and performance, but researchers at North Carolina State University may have discovered a breakthrough to change those qualities inside their batteries. Of all things, water may hold the key to faster electric-car battery technology. Researchers...
Sean Szymkowski -
It's no secret Tesla CEO Elon Musk is an ambitious man, but he continues to fuel the hype surrounding the company by recently teasing the first Tesla semi truck.
In typical Tesla fashion, the semi...
-
Manufacturing expert says Tesla Model 3 plan to skip beta testing is riskyTesla is taking a major gamble regarding the production of its upcoming Model 3 sedan in skipping prototype tooling and jumping straight to permanent production tooling, says a noted auto-manufacturing expert. "He's pushing the envelope to see how much time and cost he can take out of the process,"...
Sean Szymkowski -
Alt-fuel history: Ford Model T wasn't designed for multiple fuels, reallyThe myth surrounding the car that's credited with putting America on wheels simply isn't true: the Ford Model T was never meant to run fuels other than gasoline. The myth has circulated throughout the car's history, most recently thanks to the internet. It has mostly taken the form of a legend in...
Sean Szymkowski -
All-electric Fisker EMotion luxury sedan to debut in AugustThe low, sleek Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid luxury sedan had a stunning design but numerous problems, and Tesla mopped the floor with it. Now designer Henrik Fisker is ready for a rematch, this time with an all-electric sedan promising 400 miles of range (and unusual doors). The Fisker EMotion is...
Sean Szymkowski -
Even oil companies now acknowledge electric cars are comingAdvocates have long suggested that electric vehicles will begin to take over daily driving duties, slowly but surely, from the internal-combustion engine. Now, even oil companies are starting to acknowledge that there may be reality in that dream of the future. France's Total SA, one of the world's...
Sean Szymkowski -
Lilium all-electric vertical takeoff and landing jet: first flight videoThe promise of flying cars has been around for decades, and companies continues to show off their interpretations of what the public may expect in the future. Lilium is one of many companies promising a world of efficient, speedy, and personal air transportation—and now the project has...
Sean Szymkowski -
Nissan is making it easier for electric-car owners to travel between the Boston area and Washington, D.C.
The automaker has partnered with EVgo to add a network of nine charging sites along...
-
AAA says interest in electric cars rivals pickups: so where are the sales?Although fuel prices remain relatively cheap in most areas of the United States, it seems that interest in electric vehicles may be growing. According to a new survey from AAA, interest in electric vehicles among American consumers now rivals that for full-size pickup trucks. However, if that's the...
Sean Szymkowski -
Genesis to offer high-end electric luxury coupe; so long, V-8Tesla has made an unexpected success out of its pioneering luxury electric vehicles, which offer a healthy dose of performance for good measure. Hyundai's Genesis luxury brand, while taking a couple pages from Lexus for its launch strategy, may be following a similar path to Tesla for a future...
Sean Szymkowski -
Audi e-tron Sportback Concept: full electic-car details, photos from Shanghai auto showAudi has injected a dash of sporting character and a look at the future of electric-vehicle design into its latest e-tron concept car, which made its debut at the 2017 Shanghai auto show. The Audi e-tron Sportback Concept previews a coupe-esque electric utility vehicle to come following the...
Sean Szymkowski -
Modified 'new' 2015 Volkswagen TDI diesels come with big discountsIf you're itching to climb into a brand new, 2015 Volkswagen TDI, the german automaker wants to sweeten the deal for you. Volkswagen has begun selling its fixed, 2015 model year TDI diesel vehicles and the marque has given dealers a bit of firepower to help move cars from dealerships to driveways...
Sean Szymkowski