Mercedes-Benz Brings a New Model (of Battery) to U.S. Homes
In a partnership with Vivint Solar, the automaker will market a storage device that can help power lights, appliances — and even electric cars.
Hyundai Ioniqs: pitting hybrid vs electric on video
Road trips have been a staple of automobile culture for decades, but with the rise of electric vehicles, charging infrastructure has thrown them a curve ball. Unlike gasoline-powered vehicles, which can refuel almost anywhere in a populated area, electric vehicles require a little more planning to ensure things go smoothly. So, how easy is it? The... Shift to electric cars will cost money, may lack excitement: Toyota CEO
Every automaker is now working on one or many electric cars, but some are at the head of the pack and others lag behind. General Motors already sells the 238-mile Chevrolet Bolt EV, and Volkswagen has firm plans for multiple electric cars by 2020 and as many as 30 by 2025. That leaves Toyota, the third of the world's three largest carmakers and by... Mini E to return, Mercedes electric SUV driven, diesel NOx emissions bad, Karma redux: Today’s Car News
Today, two cars with plugs return—one luxury plug-in hybrid, and one all-electric minicar in a couple of years—plus grim news about diesel emissions, an ambitious electric motorcycle ride, a phone app for British electric-car drivers, and a scary IIHS video. All this and more on Green Car Reports. It's 380 miles from San Francisco to... British magazine gets ride in all-electric Mercedes EQ Concept
![Mercedes-Benz EQ electric car concept [photo: Axel Harries]](http://images.hgmsites.net/tmb/mercedes-benz-eq-electric-car-concept-photo-axel-harries_100597897_t.gif)
Mercedes-Benz has big plans for electric vehicles in the future, but its main nod to what those plans will bring thus far is the EQ Concept. Shown at the Paris Motor Show last year, the vehicle represents a conceptual version of the first of many electric vehicles to come from the Germany luxury marque. In fact, parent company Daimler has already... New all-electric Mini E to launch in 2019 as halo for brand
The first Mini E, cobbled together by putting a battery pack where the rear seat used to be, was BMW's very first attempt at building a modern electric car. Only a few hundred were built, back in 2009, but the quick project gave the German company real-world experience on how electric-car drivers used their cars, recharged them, and otherwise... Chargie app connects electric-car drivers, UK homeowners; ‘AirBnB’ for charging?
The internet has transformed how many perceive property, allowing the rental of other peoples' personal vehicles, apartments, and other spaces when owners are not using them. Now, the idea is being applied to charging stations across the United Kingdom with the introduction of the Chargie smartphone app. Chargie aims to redefine how electric-car... Real-world diesel emission study shows latest standards must be applied to heavy trucks
When a major lobbying group issues a statement replying to an academic study before that study even hits the media, you know it's major. On Monday, the Diesel Technology Forum responded to an article in Nature with a statement that supported "improved real-world testing" of diesel emissions. Those more stringent tests, the group's executive... San Francisco to LA on one charge? Lightning Motorcycles to give it a go
Lightning Motorcycles is known for pushing the boundaries of electric motorcycles. In 2013, it set the record for the fastest production electric motorcycle, at an adrenaline-pumping 218 mph. Now Lightning CEO Richard Hatfield has plans to make a prototype bike that can travel 400 miles on a single charge, which would be a remarkable feat for an... GM electric-car goals, EPA test worries, 5-minute battery recharge, Google vs Uber: Today’s Car News
Today, uncertainty over EPA emission testing, GM's electric-car goal, concern over the fate of more capable start-stop systems, and a 5-minute battery recharge? All this and more on Green Car Reports. Romania has doubled its electric-car purchase incentives; they're now more than $10,000 for a new car. Someday, one carmaker will sell affordable... Israeli firm StoreDot claims battery with 5-minute charging time
![StoreDot shows fast-charging battery cell, Cube Tech Fair, Berlin [via Periscope: Gruendermetropole]](http://images.hgmsites.net/tmb/storedot-shows-fast-charging-battery-cell-cube-tech-fair-berlin-via-periscope-gruendermetropole_100606667_t.gif)
It's one of the Holy Grails for battery researchers and electric-car advocates alike: a battery that could recharge in the same amount of time as it takes to stop for gasoline. Some of that can be provided by charging at higher rates, as Porsche's proposed 800-volt system for 15-minute fast charging would. But most of the change has to come deep... Would weaker EPA rules kill advanced start-stop hybrid systems for U.S.?
Today's political climate has made for fluid motion in regulations, and corporate average fuel economy targets haven't been left out. Suppliers and automakers have already begun investing heavily into vehicles to be sold in 2022 through 2025, which will include various fuel-saving and emission-reducing technologies. However, that unsettled... GM goal: profitable, affordable electric cars built in big numbers
Automotive innovation rolls out over many years, usually decades, and usually only a few companies lead. Others hang back, waiting to see if buyers will accept new features, new powertrains, and new types of vehicles. More than six years after modern electric cars hit the market in volume, many automakers are only now deciding on their strategies... EPA’s Ann Arbor test lab threatened; emission tests in the balance
![The White House, Washington, D.C. [Creative Commons license by dcjohn]](http://images.hgmsites.net/tmb/white-house_100170583_t.gif)
The 436 scientists who spend their days testing new vehicles and enforcing environmental rules at the National Fuel Emissions Lab in Ann Arbor, Michigan, face a very uncertain future. The lab sits in the crosshairs of President Trump's proposed budget, which eliminates 99 percent of its funding, as part of a 31-percent cut to the overall... Romania doubles electric-car subsidies, adds ‘cash for clunkers’ program
In recent years, governments have increasingly worked to encourage the sales of plug-in electric vehicles. Incentive programs for the purchase of a low-emission vehicle have been adopted across the world. The amounts granted and the mechanisms vary according to the individual program, but the goal is the same: reduce emissions. DON’T MISS... Trump vs California, Honda Clarity explained, Tesla Roadster redux, VW diesel V-6 pact: Today’s Car News
Today, a Lotus powered by Tesla that recalls the legendary Roadster, another VW diesel settlement, a look at California's emission status and whether it'll stay that way, and why the Honda Clarity lineup emerged the way it did. All this and more on Green Car Reports. As always, the Renault Zoe topped the charts for plug-in electric vehicles sold... Will Trump EPA target CA electric-car, emissions rules? Not yet, maybe; here’s why
California began regulating vehicle emissions within its boundaries before the Environmental Protection Agency was even a gleam in President Richard Nixon's eye. Since that agency was founded in 1971 with an executive order by Nixon, the state has retained the right to set its own—more stringent—emission rules. Now, under President... Assessing the Honda Clarity range: how electric cars fit in, and why
The 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell is the only model presently on sale, though the all-electric version will arrive later this year. The hydrogen-powered mid-size sedan with a rated 366 miles of range is the one that's gotten by far the most publicity from Honda, as its technology halo vehicle. Last month, at the New York auto show, Honda unveiled... Judge approves VW diesel V-6 settlement, last major piece of scandal
The Volkswagen diesel cheating saga has closed another chapter as a U.S. judge approved a proposed settlement for V-6 powered vehicles, the final major U.S. piece of the entire scandal. In total, Volkswagen will pay $1.22 billion in settlements with owners and to modify or buy back 88,500 3.0-liter V-6 TDI powered vehicles in the United States... European electric and plug-in hybrid sales for Jan-Mar 2017
The first quarter of 2017 is now behind us, which means we get to take a peek at the European plug-in electric vehicle sale numbers. The year-to-date numbers show a significant growth in sales for most electric models, according to the recent European Alternative Fuels Observatory report. The Renault Zoe remains the top seller across the continent...