How much does wireless charging matter for electric cars? Poll results

2018 BMW 530e iPerformance wireless chargingThe announcements by BMW and Mercedes-Benz that they would offer wireless charging as an option next year raise a question for electric-car advocates. How important is the ability to recharge a vehicle without plugging in a cord? On the pro side, wireless charging may be easier for owners and drivers, who don't have to remember to plug in the...

One of these 3 vehicles will be Green Car Reports’ Best Car To Buy 2018

Green Car Reports Best Car To BuyFans of green cars have spent much of the past year eagerly waiting for a pair of electric cars to be revealed to the public and then to go on sale. By far the most attention and hype has been focused on the Tesla Model 3, the Silicon Valley carmaker's lower-priced and much higher-volume vehicle, with more than 200 miles of range for a starting...

One of these 3 vehicles will be Green Car Reports’ Best Car To Buy 2018

Green Car Reports Best Car To BuyFans of green cars have spent much of the past year eagerly waiting for a pair of electric cars to be revealed to the public and then to go on sale. By far the most attention and hype has been focused on the Tesla Model 3, the Silicon Valley carmaker's lower-priced and much higher-volume vehicle, with more than 200 miles of range for a starting...

If Toyota and Mazda make electric cars together, where’s Subaru?

2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited Tail LightAt the end of September, Toyota and Mazda announced they would form a joint venture with parts maker Denso to design, test, and build components for a shared electric-car platform. Earlier interviews with Mazda indicate that the small Japanese maker will create its first all-electric model for volume production by putting a unique body on top of...

Don’t be fooled: only some electric cars are sold nationwide, even now

2018 Nissan LeafAlmost seven after modern electric cars entered the mass market, there are now more than two dozen battery-electric and plug-in hybrid models on sale in the U.S. But that impressive number shouldn't disguise a fundamental truth about those vehicles: only about half of them are widely available nationwide. Those include the BMW i3 electric car and...

Nissan e-NV200 electric van gets longer-range battery; still no U.S. plans

2018 Nissan e-NV200 electric delivery van (European version)While U.S. buyers eagerly await the arrival of the 2018 Nissan Leaf electric car at dealerships early next year, the company has updated another of its electric vehicles as well. Unfortunately, it's one that the company has no current plans to sell in North America. That's the new longer-range version of the Nissan e-NV200 small delivery van...

Wireless charging or plugs for electric cars? Take our Twitter poll

2018 BMW 530e iPerformance wireless chargingAsk an electric-car owner how long it takes to charge the car, and you may get an answer you didn't expect. "Oh, five or 10 seconds," is a common response from experienced drivers of plug-in vehicles—meaning the time it takes to plug in. Statistically, that happens most often at night, so the car is fully charged and offers maximum range by...

Ford to cut engine funding by one third, invest in electrics, autonomy

Jim HackettWhen Ford fired Mark Fields in May, it was widely seen as a rebuke to the CEO's inability to offer a convincing argument about how Ford would handle the future. Every car company is attempting to figure out that future, in which electrified vehicles, increasing autonomy, pervasive connectivity, and car-sharing all blend together in unpredictable...

Plug-in electric car sales for Sep: Bolt EV hits new high

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EVThe world has changed since last month's report on U.S. sales of plug-in electric cars. China has officially said it is considering dates for ending sales of new vehicles with gasoline or diesel engines. Even if that date proves to be 15 or 20 years in the future, the country's government has spoken—and the world's carmakers will have to...

Tesla Q3-2017 deliveries: Model S, Model X strong; Model 3 misses goal

2017 Tesla Model S 100D   [photo: David Noland, owner]The quarterly delivery and production figures from Silicon Valley electric-car maker Tesla are eagerly followed when they emerge a few days after the end of a quarter. On Monday, Tesla said it had delivered 26,150 electric cars, its best quarterly total yet and 4.5 percent higher than the third quarter of 2016, its previous best quarter. Of those...

GM to launch two new electric vehicles within 18 months, 20 by 2023

Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car with future GM electric and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, Oct 2017 General Motors said on Monday it will unveil two new battery-electric vehicles within the next 18 months, and will offer 20 electric and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles globally by 2023. The news came in a conference call for reporters with Mark Reuss, GM's executive vice president of global product development. GM's announcement follows similar...