Those fuel-efficient diesels? Actually worse on lifetime CO2, study says

Mercedes BlueEfficiency four-cylinder dieselDiesel-powered cars have enjoyed a comfortable market share in Europe for decades, but their decline in popularity continues following numerous diesel-emission cheating scandals and regulatory crackdowns. As if diesel cars hadn't already had enough negative press, a new study says "fuel-efficient" diesel vehicles actually produce more lifetime...

Could automotive subscription services boost electric-car use?

2018 Hyundai IoniqAs automakers commit to more electric and electrified cars in the near future, many hurdles remain that can make owning an electric car more difficult than a conventional vehicle. Meanwhile, as electrified cars become more common, automakers and brands will also continue to introduce new models for vehicle ownership, many of them subscription...

Mercedes parent Daimler launches E-Fuso electric truck sub-brand

E-Fuso Vision One conceptDaimler, parent company of Mercedes-Benz and Smart, also owns the Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation—which it used last week to preview major shifts coming to its Daimler Trucks business. It all took place at the reveal of E-Fuso, a new sub-brand of Daimler's Fuso operation that will focus on electrified and electric trucks and buses...

New entry-level 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid LE model starts at $28,100

2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, Catskill Mountains, NY, Feb 2016Toyota's popular RAV4 crossover utility vehicle will gain a new entry-level hybrid trim for the 2018 model year, offering a remarkably good price against a gasoline-only RAV4 crossover. The 2018 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid LE trim lets buyers choose the greater fuel efficiency of a hybrid powertrain for only $1,325 more than an equivalent gas-powered RAV4...

Energy Dept to award $15 million for very fast electric-car charging

AeroVironment DC fast charger, part of West Coast Electric Highway  -  Centralia, WAThe United States Department of Energy has announced a new funding initiative to accelerate the development of what it calls "Extreme Fast Charging" (XFC) systems. In total, the DoE will award $15 million for the development of electric-car charging systems as well as batteries capable of very fast charging. Each area of interest has specific...

Stella Vie ‘family sedan’ wins long-distance solar car race

Stella Vie Dutch solar car winner in World Solar ChallengeEarlier this month, the 30th World Solar Challenge kicked off in Darwin, Australia, with 42 competitors vying for victory. At the end of the 3,022-kilometer (1,880-mile) race from Darwin to Adelaide, one team emerged victorious in the highly contested Cruiser class. Solar Team Eindhoven, from the Netherlands, placed first with its Stella Vie...

Honda’s second electric-car concept is Sports EV coupe unveiled in Tokyo

Honda Sports EV concept, 2017 Tokyo Motor ShowFollowing Honda's hit electric-car concept at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Urban EV, the company brought a second all-electric concept to the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show with more sporting intentions. The Honda Sports EV coupe concept debuted the Urban EV concept, a design wrapped in a sleek and retro-looking sports car body. If Honda bet on retro...

Oklahoma Supreme Court rules state’s electric-car tax unconstitutional

2018 Mini Cooper S E Countryman All4 plug-in hybrid, Catskill Mountains, NY, July 2017When the Oklahoma Legislature passed a bill earlier this year that imposed new fees on owners of hybrid and electric cars only, it was swiftly sued by the Sierra Club. Now the Oklahoma Supreme Court has rendered its verdict in that suit, filed in August. In a 6-3 decision, the state's highest court struck down the bill as an unconstitutional tax...

Tesla Model 3 fast-charging at Superchargers will not be free

Tesla Supercharger for city centersBefore production of the Tesla Model 3 began, company CEO Elon Musk promised Tesla would offer owners some sort of free Supercharger use. Specifically, Musk said, "free long-distance charging is [included]," which led many reservation holders to believe they would receive free Supercharger credits, just as owners outside of the Model S and Model X...

Toyota Fine-Comfort Ride fuel-cell concept targets 600 miles of range

Toyota Fine-Comfort Ride concept, 2017 Tokyo Motor ShowToyota continues to experiment with and develop various types of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles despite not yet offering a single production battery-electric car. The Japanese automaker now sells the Mirai, has announced it will begin studies of the Project Portal fuel-cell semi truck, and reportedly plans a fuel-cell luxury sedan for its Lexus brand...

Who sold 10,000 plug-in vehicles last month? (Not Tesla, Nissan, or Chevy)

2018 BMW i3, 2017 Frankfurt Motor ShowWhen consumers think of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, most likely conjure thoughts of Tesla, or perhaps Nissan with its Leaf and Chevrolet with its Volt and Bolt EV. However, none of those three brands managed to sell 10,000 plug-in cars during the month of September. That sales honor belongs to BMW, which announced sales of its i3...

EU announces launch of battery alliance to boost cells for electric cars

European Union battery alliance announcementAs it stands today, Asia dominates the production of electric-car battery cells globally, with Japanese and Korean companies representing the bulk of the industry outside of booming Chinese makers. Europe, however, lacks a single major player in the fabrication and assembly of lithium-ion battery cells for cars that plug in. Now European leaders...

Even luxury launches can go all-electric; Hinckley shows how

Hinckley Dasher electric yachtElectrification is starting to surge through the automotive industry as countries implement emission regulations and the cost of batteries and associated technology drops. While the automotive sector will clearly affect a larger group of people, numerous companies have shown that boats too can go all-electric. That now extends to luxury launches...

Cummins buys Brammo electric-drivetrain group for future electric semi

Cummins Urban Hauler Tractor conceptCummins has long been known for its diesel engines, but the company recently revealed its first concept truck using an all-electric powertrain. The Urban Hauler Tractor debuted last month and Cummins said it previewed a production model that could arrive by the end of this decade. Now, the diesel-engine maker officially diversified its portfolio...