Austria to let drivers of electric cars go faster

2019 Jaguar I-Pace SAustria is offering would-be electric-car owners (and current ones) a tempting incentive to go tailpipe-emissions-free: permission to drive faster than those with gasoline, diesel, or hybrid vehicles. Under a recently approved amendment to the country’s speed limits, aimed at rewarding those who choose electric vehicles, they will be given a...

Tesla ‘Starman’ stunt commemorated by Hot Wheels

Hot Wheels Tesla 'Starman' car (2018)Tesla’s chief executive officer Elon Musk has pulled off some elaborate visions—and madcap stunts—for future mobility, often with multiple levels of nerdy references to be found within. If that appeals to you and you’ve ever been a Hot Wheels collector, there’s something you would probably like to have in your display...

Blink charging network joins interoperability push

ECOtality Blink DC fast charger plugged inBeginning in early 2019, all 135,000 users of the Blink charging network will soon be able to use other charging networks as part of their membership, while Blink’s chargers will be open to easy access by a wider range of drivers with other charging-network membership cards. The cross-compatibility, which was announced last week, comes via a...

Sources: GM manufacturing revamp could signal faster lane-change to EVs

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV pre-productionLess than a week after speaking out in favor of a national electric vehicle mandate, and in the shadow of Tesla reporting a profitable quarter, General Motors might be on the verge of announcing a radical change to its plans for future electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in the U.S. The automaker is anticipated to make a major business...

Fisker gets Caterpillar investment for solid-state battery tech

Fisker EMotionHenrik Fisker has been sketching out big plans—well beyond cars—for the solid-state battery technology being developed by a Fisker Inc. team. And now it appears that the heavy-equipment maker Caterpillar has given it some vote of confidence. On Oct. 22, both companies announced that a Caterpillar-owned venture group invested in the...

Hyundai unplugs its electric-car subscription plan

2019 Hyundai Ioniq ElectricHyundai’s “Unlimited+” electric-car subscription plan, which was only offered in Southern California but originally destined for wider rollout, won’t be coming back at all on the 2019 Hyundai Ioniq Electric, the automaker confirmed last week. When the program was first offered on initial 2017 Ioniq Electric models it...

Volkswagen XL1 eco halo already a sound investment?

2015 Volkswagen XL1  -  Silverstone Auctions sale, November 10, 2018It’s been less than five years since Volkswagen produced its limited run of just 250 XL1 plug-in diesel hybrid coupes, of which only 200 were sold to retail buyers. The Volkswagen XL1 has all the makings of an instant collectible, with its combination of low production volume (just 200 sold), advanced materials, futuristic design, exotic-car...