Green
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Today, we've got coverage from the weekend's Formula E race, some context on why China really doesn't care what non-Chinese automakers think, and the latest sales figures for Europe's best-selling electric car. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Over the weekend, we ran down the top green-car news stories of the previous week. We also covered a request by several states for the EPA to reduce diesel-truck emission by a factor of 10, starting seven years hence. Today, we covered a complaint by global automakers that China's electric-car rules are "impossible" to meet—and explained...
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11 things you need to know about Formula E electric-car racing
We've just spent a packed, very hot weekend at the New York City ePrix, the first time the FIA Formula E electric-car racing series has come to the country's media capital. It was our first Formula E race, and like many who follow electric cars, we learned a lot. More than that, we got a better...
John Voelcker -
Renault Zoe still dominates Europe electric-car sales; longer range boosts sales
Ask a North American driver to name companies that make electric cars, and you'll probably hear Tesla, maybe Nissan, and perhaps Chevy or BMW or Toyota. Chinese drivers may be more likely to say BYD (and perhaps Tesla), but Europeans will likely name Renault. (And Tesla.) The Renault Zoe, now in...
John Voelcker -
2018 Chevy Equinox Diesel pricing to start just above $31,000
Every now and then, resourceful journalists dredge up automotive news before it emerges in a sanitized press release from the maker in question. So it is with the pricing on the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox Diesel, one of two diesel-powered compact crossover utility vehicles expected to hit the U.S...
John Voelcker -
China electric-car rules 'impossible,' say carmakers; more deference to regulators needed?
It may be human nature to avoid doing things that are for the long-term good but impose short-term costs. Exercising more, giving up smoking, or paying more for a car that is better for the environment all challenge many otherwise responsible citizens. And it's abundantly clear that the emergence...
John Voelcker -
Several states want far cleaner diesel trucks; EPA to start rulemaking?
Almost one-third of the heavy trucks on U.S. roads now use the most stringent emission-control systems, which radically reduce their emissions of nitrogen oxides, soot, and other pollutants. Commercial trucks log much higher annual mileage than passenger cars, especially the semi tractors that haul...
John Voelcker -
How's the Chevy Bolt EV electric car doing in sales after six months in the market? What was missing from President Trump's speech on U.S. energy policy? This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending on Friday, July 14, 2017. Friday, we had some rare good news on diesel engines: while the Volkswagen diesel scandal may have permanently set back diesels for passenger cars, the much larger diesel engines in heavy trucks continue to get cleaner. The new 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid will have the same trunk space as any other version of...
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Good news on diesel trucks, 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid, Tesla to rule the world? Today's Car News
Today, we've got news on an important new hybrid mid-size sedan, some good diesel news for a change, and a skeptical look at why one German analyst's enthusiasm for Tesla could be misplaced. All this and more on Green Car Reports. We published yesterday's green-car news roundup later than usual (in...
John Voelcker -
2018 Honda Accord Hybrid: more trunk space, higher fuel economy promised
Over three sporadic model years, the hybrid version of the Honda Accord mid-size sedan has led a peripatetic life. The 2014 and 2015 Accord Hybrid was built in Marysville, Ohio, along with almost all the rest of the Accords sold in North America, its largest market. It skipped 2016 altogether, and...
John Voelcker -
Tesla will rule the world, says German analyst; skepticism may be warranted
There's no denying Tesla has accomplished a lot since the Model S was introduced in 2012. It pioneered the luxury electric car segment and put an unrivaled charging network into place through its Supercharging stations. On one side, it certainly seems like Tesla is poised for electric vehicle...
Sean Szymkowski -
Diesel trucks with latest emission controls displacing dirtier, older ones on U.S. roads
The phrase "clean diesel" has largely fallen into ill repute after it was associated with Volkswagen's diesel emission deceit, but the latest diesel technology can honestly be described with such a phrase. Semi trucks using the latest-generation diesel technology have reached a new...
Sean Szymkowski -
Another Bolt EV road trip, best green-car deals, BMW electric-car sales, child seats: Today's Car News
Today, what lessons did a Chevy Bolt EV electric-car driver learn from his 1,300-mile road trip? Do you know what to do if your car seats are in a crash? And how many plug-in electric cars did BMW sell over six months? All this and more on Green Car Reports. You may recall some previous Chevy Bolt...
John Voelcker -
Tesla may garner much of the buzz surrounding electric cars, but BMW has quietly become a significant challenger in the electric-vehicle sales race. Nissan, General Motors, and Tesla have all 100,000 to 300,000 plug-in vehicles globally, but this year, BMW and its Mini brand are on track to deliver its own 200,000th plug-in vehicle later this year. For context, BMW does not count traditional hybrids in what calls its "electrified" lineup, only cars with a plug—so those figures are based on plug-in hybrid models, along with the all-electric i3 and an electric SUV in China. DON'T MISS...
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Best deals on hybrid, electric, fuel-efficient cars for July 2017
The month of July brings plenty of juicy deals on battery-electric, plug-in hybrid, conventional hybrid, and fuel-efficient vehicles. Much like last month, many of the deals remain. However, there are a few newcomers to the list for July—including one vehicle that may startle a few consumers...
Sean Szymkowski -
Electric-car road trip: lessons learned in Chevy Bolt EV over 1,300 miles
Launched in December, the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV is the first mass-priced electric car to go on sale with a rated range of more than 200 miles: 238 miles combined, according to the EPA. Most owners use their Bolt EVs for daily commuting and trips, just like any other car. But road trips are an...
John Voelcker -
Tesla sales plateau revisited, Lucid Air assessed, German plug-in hybrids, retro rides: Today's Car News
Today, we've got upcoming plug-in hybrids from German luxury makes, another look at Tesla's sales plateau, and an educated assessment of the Lucid Air all-electric luxury sedan. All this and more on Green Car Reports. After our piece a few days ago on Tesla's first-half sales, we took another look...
John Voelcker -
Lucid Air electric luxury sedan: a Tesla Model S owner's take
It’s a cool spring morning in Menlo Park, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley. In a two-story concrete-and-glass building on Constitution Avenue, just down the block from Facebook’s vast fortress, a group of automotive engineers and designers is working to create the...
David Noland -
2019 Audi A8 to offer plug-in hybrid version; 48-volt mild hybrid on all models
Audi may have taken an evolutionary approach to the design of the newest, largest luxury sedan, but it is positioning the car as a technical force to be reckoned with. The 2019 Audi A8 ushers in a new era for the German luxury brand—starting now, every single model will soon feature a...
Sean Szymkowski -
Often there seems to be no middle ground in discussing electric-car maker Tesla Motors. The challenge of reading large volumes of Tesla coverage is that it tends to be either sharply negative or rabidly positive. And the California company's stock is so obsessively analyzed both by supporters and detractors that sober analysis is often hard to come by. DON'T MISS: Tesla Model 3 prices: reader makes his guesses, via spreadsheet Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk are remarkably adept in issuing positive or interesting new developments on top of less favorable news as well. A single Tesla Model 3 that...
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VW needs gigafactories, 2018 Leaf pricing poll, CA rebates halt, 235-mph electric car: Today's Car News
Today, our followers speculate on the price of a 2018 Nissan Leaf, Volkswagen says it'll need dozens of battery gigafactories, California electric-car buyers wait for cash, and Faraday Future's future looks grimmer. All this and more on Green Car Reports. We asked our Twitter followers what they...
John Voelcker -
VW says it needs '40 gigafactories' for electric-car batteries by 2025
VW Group remains one of the world's three largest carmakers, along with Toyota and General Motors, but the German automaker foresees challenges ahead. Specifically, Volkswagen believes the industry will face a shortage of lithium-ion batteries if new investment is not made soon for additional cell...
Sean Szymkowski -
Combustion engines: high emissions from short commutes a huge challenge
Drivers in the U.S. have longer commutes than those in Europe and Asia, on average. In the U.K., short commutes in vehicles with combustion engines—whether gasoline or diesel—pose particularly tough emission problems. That's because the exhaust aftertreatment systems have to warm up...
John Voelcker -
California electric-car rebates out of cash again; legislature neglected to fund them
Incentives for the purchase of a plug-in battery-powered vehicle continue to be a powerful motivation to get new buyers to consider electric cars. The federal income-tax credit of $2,500 to $7,500 has long been supplemented by various state programs, including a purchase rebate in the crucial...
John Voelcker -
Can we have fully carbon-free electricity by 2100? Predictions vary
The future of energy production remains in considerable debate, but some new research provides a more optimistic view for a lower-carbon future. Sources for new and replacement energy production remain uncertain, especially the degree to which renewable sources can replace those based on fossil...
Sean Szymkowski