More VW court misery: Jetta Hybrid braking suit won’t be arbitrated

2013 Volkswagen Jetta HybridVolkswagen has some legal troubles that go beyond the ongoing "Dieselgate" scandal. While VW waits for approval of a settlement for 2.0-liter 4-cylinder TDI cars with illegal "defeat device" software, it faces a class-action lawsuit related to another model. That would be the Jetta Hybrid compact sedan, which was removed from Volkswagen's U.S...

Military hydrogen-powered Chevy Colorado ZH2 launches

Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 hydrogen fuel-cell vehicleAlmost a year after it was first announced, General Motors and the U.S. Army will soon begin testing their jointly-developed hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle. Called the Chevrolet Colorado ZH2, it is based on a stretched version of the Chevy Colorado mid-size pickup truck chassis, with radically-different bodywork and numerous other modifications...

New Kia Rio subcompact debuts at Paris Motor Show

2017 Kia Rio (European spec)After multiple teases, the next-generation Kia Rio made its global debut at last week's media days for the 2016 Paris Motor Show. While the subcompact Kia model isn't a particularly big seller in the U.S., it's part of a segment that's hugely important in the rest of the world. With this latest redesign, Kia has tried to make the Rio more stylish...

2017 Chevy Bolt EV review consensus: car is good, range is real

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EVThe 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car isn't on sale yet, but quite a lot of useful information is already available to potential buyers. General Motors recently confirmed the $37,495 base price (before Federal, state, and local incentives), and an EPA-rated 238-mile range—meeting its original promises. Several media outlets, including this...

Tesla and China: why an obvious match isn’t as simple as it seems

2014 Tesla Model S in ChinaChina is not just the world's largest overall new-car market, it's also now the largest market for plug-in electric cars. With its ambitious plan to build 500,000 electric cars per year beginning in 2018, it would seem to make sense that Tesla Motors would make China a priority. But Tesla has struggled in China since it launched the Model S there...

Mitsubishi GT-PHEV concept at Paris Motor Show

Mitsubishi GT-PHEV concept, 2016 Paris auto showMitsubishi unveiled the latest in a series of plug-in electric SUV concepts at the 2016 Paris Motor Show. As with other recent concept from the Japanese automaker, though, it is unclear whether this one will translate into a future production model. The Mitsubishi GT-PHEV concept is a large and fairly luxurious plug-in hybrid utility vehicle...

Tesla delivered 24,500 electric cars in Q3, holds firm on 2016 goal

2016 Tesla Model STesla said late yesterday that it delivered roughly 24,500 electric cars during the third quarter, including 15,800 Model S sedans and 8,700 Model X utility vehicles. That total slightly exceeds estimates by at least half of the financial analysts who had projected deliveries from the Silicon Valley maker before their release. The third-quarter...

Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid discontinued for 2017 model year

2016 Subaru XV Crosstrek HybridYou can scratch one model off the list of hybrids available in the U.S. The Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid will be discontinued for the 2017 model year, marking the end of the line for Subaru's first production hybrid car. The rest of the Crosstrek lineup will continue with minor changes as Subaru prepares redesigned Impreza and Crosstrek models for...