Michigan says selling Tesla electric cars in state is illegal, again

Tesla Store opening in Westfield Mall, London, Oct 2013Tesla 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...

Koreans add to Chevy confusion chorus over Bolt, Volt names

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EVThere'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'...

European electric and plug-in hybrid sales for Jan-Jul 2016

2016 Renault Zoe electric carOnce 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...

Maybe Apple and Google won’t take over the car industry after all?

Google's autonomous Lexus RX450hOver 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...

Small cars leave U.S.: Ford to build next Focus in Mexico (Model E too)

2016 Ford FocusThey 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...

IIHS names 2017 Chevrolet Volt a Top Safety Pick+

2017 Chevrolet VoltIn 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...

CAFE rules should stay as they are, auto-industry suppliers agree

Gas pumpThe 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...

VA to deny Tesla a store license; dealers say they want to sell Teslas

Tesla Store Los Angeles [photo: Misha Bruk / MBH Architects]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...