Study: Jump in electric vehicles may not stress California’s power grid

Tesla PowerpacksElectric-car critics have said that more EVs on the road could stress already overburdened electric power grids past the breaking point. Now, a study released this week by a California nonprofit suggests that may not be true. San Francisco-based think tank Next 10 published reports this week that said Governor Jerry Brown's proposal to increase...

New Subaru Crosstrek plug-in hybrid coming for 2019

2018 Subaru Crosstrek first driveSubaru announced Friday that its long-awaited Crosstrek plug-in hybrid will go on sale as a 2019 model. Last month, Car and Driver reported that Subaru filed the trademark name Evoltis with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office, leading to speculation that the name could be applied to the expected plug-in hybrid version of the Crosstrek. Subaru...

Automakers may not want to roll back fuel-economy standards after all

General Motors CEO Mary Barra provides an update on the ignition switch recall investigationAverting a showdown between 17 states and the federal government may take priority over industry-friendly fuel-economy targets. At least, that's what they're saying. Reports leading up to a May 11 meeting between leaders of America's automotive industry and President Donald Trump indicate that automakers may lobby the federal government to scale...

PG&E offers new $3,000 rebate to Nissan Leaf buyers

2018 Nissan Leaf with EVgo fast charger at NJ Turnpike Molly Pitcher travel plaza, Feb 2018California is already by far the No. 1 state for sales of electric cars, and the state's biggest utility apparently wants to add to that momentum. PG&E (formerly Pacific Gas & Electric) announced yesterday a new $3,000 purchase incentive for new Nissan Leafs. The utility company rebate is taken off the purchase price and comes on top of a...

Deal between EPA, California on auto emissions may still be possible

National Plug-In Day 2012: San Francisco, with 60 Nissan Leafs in front of the Golden Gate BridgeOver the many months EPA administrator Scott Pruitt signaled his intention to revisit the Obama administration's emission limits for 2022 through 2025 vehicles, California warned that it would not go along with any reductions. The state has been allowed to set its own emission standards for decades, it noted, and it has every intention of sticking...

What China learned from California about getting electric cars on its roads

2014 Tesla Model S in ChinaIn the U.S., California has long been viewed culturally as the crazy, free-spirited cousin. As Californians like to point out, their state of 40 million people is also the world's sixth-largest economy all by itself. Resolutely progressive, it has regulated vehicle emissions for five decades and worked to get zero-emission vehicles onto its roads...