Electric Cars

Until now the words electric, car and Mercedes have had an uncomfortable union. While Mercedes' cheapest car, the diminutive Smart ForTwo, has an electric version, its 62.5 mph top speed is hardly enough to get car buyers excited about converting to electric. But Mercedes super-sexy, bright yellow...

The 2011 Nissan Leaf has been a runaway success for Nissan, with the Japanese automaker already taking in 14,000 reservations for the cute electric vehicle and order books filled out well into next year. The first Leafs--or is it Leaves?--will hit the streets in December and the big surprise is...

Tesla has previously hinted that its electric powertrain technology could be applied to a number of vehicle platforms and that the company would eventually expand its lineup beyond the current Roadster and upcoming Model S sedan. In fact, at Tesla’s announcement of interest in acquiring a $465...

What happens when you're the first mainstream automaker to bring an EV to market after an eight-year absence of highway-capable, mass-produced EVs? Accolades a-plenty, lots of media attention and test-programmes worldwide. But what do you do when rival companies bring out a more versatile, more...

A few years back Chrysler was working on all manner of electric vehicle and plug-in hybrid technologies, even going so far as to release a number of concepts as well as establish a separate division called ENVI to develop them into production models. Ever since Chrysler’s bankruptcy and eventual...

 GM's answer to the 2011 Nissan Leaf, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt is nearing production readiness. But a European badged Volt is taking part in a publicity long-distance drive in the U.K., GM's Detroit engineers are still tweaking the software responsible for ensuring the 40 mile-per-charge range...

Ford is at the forefront of the alternative power push, having been one of the first on the market with a hybrid vehicle and now less than a year away from launching its first all-electric model. However, we are still at the start of the alternative power revolution but in as little as a decade we...

The ink's barely dry on the Tesla - Toyota deal that gives the startup electric-car maker a new manufacturing home. But today, Tesla's going public with some details on how it plans to use the former NUMMI facility in Fremont, California, to build its mainstream 2012 Tesla Model S sedan. The former...

We've told you about the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid awaiting an on-sale date later this year. Now, Ford's confirming that its ritzy cousin to the Ford Fusion Hybrid will hit the same 41-mpg city fuel economy rating. The MKZ Hybrid's EPA fuel economy will be 41/36 mpg when it goes on sale later this year...

The most anticipated electric car of 2010 has it all: a world-wide following, over 30,000 pre-orders, television advertising, and even a virtual appearance at Apple's prestigious WWDC. Even though it has even been spotted in the wild in Arizona,  the one thing Nissan hasn't given many of are test...

The British have a long history of improbable and unlikely quests. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they fail. So the attempt by a group of 20-something engineers to boost the image of electric cars in the public eye by driving the length of the Pan-American Highway in an electrically powered...

When most people think of electric vehicles, they think of low cost and environmentally friendly vehicles that are about as much fun to drive as the Flintstones’ car. Automakers like Audi and Mercedes-Benz, however, are hoping to alleviate that stigma by targeting the top end of town and...

What does a pizza delivery teen, a taxi driver and a courier have to do with EVs? Not much right now, but could these and other professional drivers hold the key to truly prove that EVs have what it takes to hit the big time, or do they risk condemning EVs to the history books forever? Chinese auto...

Electric cars like the 2011 Nissan Leaf require lots of lithium and other precious heavy metals to make them go. Today's sources of lithium are far and few: Bolivia has something like 40 percent of the world's deposits, while Russia, South Africa, Chile and Argentina have some. This weekend, the...

Chevrolet and Nissan both have electric vehicles set to hit the streets this Fall.  But unless you're extremely lucky the chances are you won't be driving one until at least the middle part of 2011. Why? Because of limited production runs, demand is outstripping supply. Is it part of some big...

 Forget the 2010 Nissan Leaf or the 2010 Chevy Volt. A small, chic electric vehicle is set to be trialled in the U.S. this fall that has the potential to redefine inner city commuting. But are consumers ready to drive around in an electric car smaller than most people's closets? Smart U.S.A. has...

They may have struck a deal to transfer control of the old NUMMI manufacturing facility, but as of yet, Toyota and electric-car manufacturer Tesla have no firm deal to produce vehicles together. The Wall Street Journal says a recent stock filing reveals the companies haven't yet inked a deal that...

Ever wondered how car companies make money fast? Sexy electric sports car creators Tesla motors have figured it out: sell off its excess zero-emission vehicle credits for much-needed hard cash to Honda, the only mainstream automaker to not yet fully commit to making an EV. In 2008, a revised...

Building hundreds of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at its dealerships across the UK is Mercedes-Benz’s (and Smart’s) way of welcoming a new era of motoring. Expecting a rapid roll-out of plug-in hybrid and EVs in coming years, the automaker is rapidly preparing to build a welcoming...

 The 2010 Tesla Roadster is seen by many as the ultimate boy's toy. But Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs added another car to his garage today by walking through the Nissan Leaf signup process live at the Apple WorldWide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2010 live on stage. In photos snapped by Apple...