Best deals on electric, plug-in, and hybrid cars for April 2019

Honda Clarity Electric at Honda R&D Center, Tochigi, Japan, June 2017Just because tax credits are winding down on some of the most popular plug-in cars doesn't mean there are no deals to be found. Green Car Reports' carbuying partners at CarsDirect.com scour automakers' rebates and incentives every month and have found some great lease and sales discounts on electric, plug-in, and hybrid cars for April, starting as...

Report: EPA backs off plans to freeze fuel economy rules–slightly

EPA Acting Administrator Andrew WheelerEPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced Thursday that the agency will delay and revise its plan to freeze emissions and fuel-economy rules, which was expected to be released early this month. The proposed rule, the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient Vehicles Rule, would freeze fuel-economy standards at 2020 levels through 2026 and reverse...

2019 Audi E-tron ads take aim at electric myths

Audi e-tron quattro ad: One reason that electric-car adoption hasn't taken off faster is that, while automakers market the heck out of the benefits of SUVs and crossover vehicles, they launch EVs with nary a peep. Now Audi is on the cusp of launching its first all-electric model and is taking direct aim at many of the concerns that potential buyers have about electric...

Tesla Model 3 updates: Leasing, Autopilot standard, base model limited

Tesla Model 3 bought [Photo by reader AH]Tesla announced major changes to its model lineup Thursday, especially the Model 3, in an effort to shore up sales. After the federal tax credit available on its cars halved Jan. 1, Tesla has dropped prices, added features, streamlined its model lineup, and introduced new lower-priced options for the Model 3, including the long-promised $35,000...

Report: Panasonic pumps brakes on Tesla Gigafactory expansion plans

Tour of Tesla battery gigafactory for invited owners, Reno, Nevada, July 2016Battery-giant Panasonic put a damper its planned investment of hundreds of millions of dollars to expand Tesla's Gigafactory site in Nevada, raising concerns that slowing investment could slow the pace of progress for EVs. Media reports indicated that Panasonic was reportedly considering investments of up to $1.3 billion for battery production to...

EV batteries give new jolt to old lithium mining in North Carolina

Fisker flexible solid-state battery materialOne of the biggest challenges for building electric-car batteries has been sourcing enough lithium, which is mostly mined overseas. Though the world has no shortage of lithium, mining and processing operations haven't yet met growing demand for lithium batteries for cars and electronics. Now, a new lithium mine is working to get permits to open...