Speedy growth of electric cars will challenge automakers

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV pre-production vehicles at Orion Township Assembly Plant, March 2016Estimates of electric-car market share over the coming decades vary wildly, but certain trends seem to be working in their favor. Battery prices should continue to fall, and tougher global emissions standards may put increasing pressure on automakers to build larger numbers of electric cars. But can automakers handle a sudden increase in...

2015 Nissan Leaf: one year later, owner offers pros and cons

2015 Nissan Leaf in front of Prudential and Hancock Towers, Boston [photo: John Briggs]Sometimes being a revolutionary requires a lot of personal sacrifice, and sometimes it doesn’t. After one year of driving of a 2015 Nissan Leaf electric car, I was surprised to find that daily driving with a gasoline car requires more sacrifice than with my electric. Like most people, before buying the Leaf, I had concerns about owning an...

What is a self-driving car?

Chevrolet Bolt EV self-driving prototypeSelf-driving cars are a popular topic in both the auto industry and general media coverage these days, with several makers testing vehicles and promising fully autonomous cars at some future point. But when it comes to self-driving cars, different automakers may not be talking about the same thing. Some vehicles on sale today offer...

Is 2019 Cadillac XT3 crossover the next plug-in hybrid for luxury brand?

Section of 2019 Cadillac XT3 spy shot  [image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien, as used on Motor Authority]Spy shots are continually fascinating, for both future buyers and auto journalists. They can reveal hints about the shapes, design aspects, and powertrains of vehicles that may not hit showrooms for as much as two years. Some recent spy shots of the 2019 Cadillac XT3 small crossover utility vehicle have a very distinctive feature that tells a lot...

Will 2018 Hyundai Accent be limited to Canada, or come to U.S. too?

2018 Hyundai AccentIn a U.S. where all the new-vehicle buzz seems to be about light trucks—especially crossover utilities and SUVs—is there even a place for a new subcompact sedan? That's the question posed by the launch of the 2018 Hyundai Accent, the latest generation of the Korean maker's smallest North American vehicle. It was unveiled last week at...

BMW i3 plug-in hybrid recall to fix fuel-vapor problem, fire concerns

2017 BMW i3BMW is recalling more than 19,000 i3 REx extended-range electric cars due to concerns over the potential for fires to be started by fuel vapors. The REx uses a small gasoline engine to charge its battery pack, offering a longer range than the all-electric i3 when both gasoline and electric power are used. According to the National Highway Traffic...

Toyota has now sold 10 million hybrids in 20 years, globally

2017 Toyota PriusToyota has reached yet another significant milestone in global hybrid sales. The Japanese automaking giant has surpassed 10 million hybrid sales globally since the launch of the first-generation Prius in 1997. That total includes hybrids sold under Toyota's Lexus luxury brand, as well as sales of two plug-in hybrid models. CHECK OUT: Toyota at 9...