Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler is pushing for more electric cars, and that has the company's labor leaders thinking about how such a shift might affect its workers. Electric motors and drivetrains require far fewer components than internal-combustion engines, meaning fewer workers are needed to assemble them. The technical knowledge needed to design... Electric cars necessary to protect Mercedes jobs, says labor leader
Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler is pushing for more electric cars, and that has the company's labor leaders thinking about how such a shift might affect its workers. Electric motors and drivetrains require far fewer components than internal-combustion engines, meaning fewer workers are needed to assemble them. The technical knowledge needed to design...
The term "range anxiety" is commonly associated with electric cars because of relatively short ranges for many of them, along with a lack of charging infrastructure in many regions. But at the moment, many drivers of gasoline cars in the southern U.S. may begin feeling exactly the same thing. A pipeline rupture in Alabama has led to fuel shortages...
The automaker that sold the most plug-in electric cars last year wasn't a U.S., Japanese, or European firm. It was BYD, the Chinese carmaker notably backed by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. BYD sold just over 60,000 battery-electric cars and plug-in hybrids last year, with the vast majority going to customers in its home country. DON'T MISS...
It's been a year since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revealed that Volkswagen used illegal "defeat device" software that allowed its diesel cars to cheat emissions tests. The VW diesel scandal may be just the beginning, though. Because while Volkswagen continues to negotiate with regulators and customers in the U.S., it seems that...
Today, Tesla loses a fight to sell electric cars directly to customers in Michigan, California removes the limit on "green stickers" that allow plug-in hybrids solo access to carpool lanes, and Chevrolet's Bolt EV and Volt names create confusion for Koreans. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Read about the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV's 238-mile...
Of California's many incentives for green cars, one of the most popular is solo access to the state's carpool lanes for drivers of electric cars, plug-in hybrids, and certain other vehicles. But while California will distribute an unlimited number of "white stickers" for electric cars—as well as vehicles using hydrogen fuel cells and...
When it debuted late in 2014 as a 2015 model, the Kia Soul EV boasted an impressive range for an electric car with a mainstream price. At an EPA-rated 93 miles, its range exceeded that of any electric car on sale at the time without a Tesla powertrain. But two years after its introduction, it appears the Soul EV is about to be surpassed by a new...
All countries have to deal with emissions from diesel vehicles, but African nations have it worst than most. They often have few emissions regulations, something Swiss trading firms take advantage of by importing fuel that's too dirty for sale in other regions. These firms often serve as both producer and distributor for fuels in Africa, according...
Tesla Motors has, once again, been blocked from selling its electric cars directly to customers in Michigan. Over the past couple of years, Tesla has been engaged in a battle with Michigan's franchised car dealers who—like dealers in several other states—view Tesla's direct-sales model as a threat. Most recently, Tesla submitted an...
There's no getting around the fact that the words "bolt" and "volt" sound similar. So Chevrolet was likely inviting confusion when it decided to name its 238-mile electric car the Bolt EV, while continuing to offer the Volt plug-in hybrid. It's easy for English speakers to confuse "B" and "V" sounds on occasion, after all. DON'T MISS: Why 'Bolt'...
Once more, the Renault Zoe has maintained the title of best-selling electric car in Europe now that sales reports have been compiled through July. As has been the case all year, the subcompact hatchback's only real competition for the top spot came from the Nissan Leaf, built by Renault's Japanese alliance partner. The Leaf still vastly outsells...
Over the past few years, a common refrain among analysts and pundits has been that the future of the U.S. car industry lies not in Detroit, but in Silicon Valley. With their nimbleness and more aggressive attitudes, as well as expertise with emerging technologies related to autonomous driving and connectivity, tech companies will soon give...
Modern electric cars have now been on sale long enough that they are starting to appear on used-car lots in significant numbers. For buyers, this may offer a more affordable option than purchasing a new electric car. But how well with current owners do financially when they start looking to sell their electric cars? DON'T MISS: Tesla cancels...
Today, Tesla Motors experiences a setback in its plan to open a second retail store in Virginia, a General Motors executive says the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car proves the automaker can compete with Silicon Valley, and U.S. production of small cars dwindles as Ford announces plans to build the next Focus in Mexico. All this and more on...
They may be known as the "Detroit Three," but the biggest U.S. automakers are exporting production of small cars elsewhere. Ford confirmed yesterday that it will move small-car production to Mexico, joining Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) in eliminating small passenger cars from its U.S. factories. Two years hence, only General Motors will still...
In the most recent round of crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the 2017 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid performed quite well. The institute designated this year's Volt a "Top Safety Pick+"—the highest rating available. The current, second-generation Volt debuted as a 2016 model. DON'T MISS: Why I leased...
The lobbyists for automakers have made their views on Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards through 2025 quite clear. The majority of carmakers would prefer to see those standards relaxed, delayed or altered. Today, they call for a fleet average of 54.5 mpg (or about 38 mpg on window stickers) for vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2025. DON'T...
Tesla Motors recently had another setback in its fight with Virginia's franchised car dealers over direct sales of its luxury electric cars. Over the past several months, Tesla has battled dealers and their lobbyists in the state over plans to open a second company-owned store. Now, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is recommending against...
Today, Tesla CEO Elon Musk claims recently-unveiled changes to Tesla Autopilot could have prevented the fatal crash that occurred in May, the 2017 Nissan Rogue Hybrid crossover debuts at the 2016 Miami Auto Show, and an Audi executive claims significant progress is being made toward a settlement for V-6 TDI diesel vehicles with illegal "defeat...