New electric-car ads to hit the other half of California drivers

Chevrolet Bolt charging at Electrify America 350 kw charger at Home Depot in Chicopee, Mass.One problem with electric cars is that they may be invisible. Despite proliferating charging stations, multiplying car models, and extended range for many new electric cars, fewer than half of California drivers are even aware they exist, says Mary Nichols, head of the California Air Resources Board. For electric-car advocates and automakers, it's...

Algae blooms could be a boon for eco-diesel under DOE-funded project

University of Michigan algae biodiesel projectAlgae-based biodiesel has been hyped in the past as a renewable fuel that can be produced here in the U.S., lowering greenhouse-gas emissions without displacing food crops or taxing water supplies. And yet it still hasn’t arrived in any significant way. There’s no single factor to blame for that, rather a combination of hurdles that no...

UCS report shows electric cars get even cleaner in 2018

UCS 2016 EV emissions mpg mapElectric cars keep getting cleaner, despite efforts by the EPA and NHTSA to roll back pollution standards on cars and powerplants. That's the conclusion of the latest report from the Union of Concerned Scientists which annually measures the environmental impact of driving an electric car. The study rates the environmental impact relative to gas...

2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 makes public debut at Paris auto show

2020 Mercedes-Benz EQCAfter hosting a private introduction for the car last month in Stockholm, Mercedes-Benz formally introduced its EQC electric crossover to the public at the Paris auto show on Tuesday. The EQC, which is about the same size as the gasoline-powered Mercedes-Benz GLC crossover, albeit with separate styling and a unique interface, will go on sale in...

California overrules EPA emissions freeze for cars sold in the state

Smog over Los Angeles, courtesy Flickr user steven-bussAt its meeting on Friday, the California Air Resources Board officially confirmed that it will stick with planned increases in emissions and fuel economy standards for cars sold in the state. The move was expected after CARB said in August that it would not follow the Trump Administration's move to freeze federal emissions and fuel economy...

Kia smothers plans to bring Sorento diesel to America

2018 Kia SorentoThe Kia Sorento may not get a diesel version for the U.S. after all. On the eve of the Paris Motor Show and the introduction of the production-spec Kia Niro EV, company officials have confirmed that it’s shelved plans to bring any diesel model Stateside for now. The hold is officially temporary, but it's hard to see how it changes anytime...

Mazda announces electric lineup, rotary range extender

Mazda 2 RE Range Extender conceptThe electric-car revolution may give new life to an old gas engine. On Tuesday, timed to coincide with the Paris auto show, Mazda announced it will add plug-in capability and electric power to all of its models by 2030. Some will be plug-in hybrids or range-extended electric cars—with a twist. The company formally confirmed what it had...

2019 Honda Insight recalled for rearview camera failure

2019 Honda InsightThe 2019 Honda Insight hybrid hasn't been on sale for long; and yet Honda is already recalling more than 6,000 of them for a rearview camera failure. The problem affects another 226,000 vehicles—2018 Accord models, possibly including some Accord Hybrids. The screen may show up blank, with only lane guidance lines appearing under certain...

How fast is fast enough for charging? Take our Twitter poll

EVgo charging station in Union City, California with resused BMW i3 battery backupAutomakers are launching a race to build electric cars that can charge as fast filling a gas tank. When the first electric cars launched in 2011, buyers and fans were clamoring for CHAdeMO fast charging that operates at about 50 kilowatts and could recharge a short-range electric car (to 80 percent capacity) in about a half hour. When Tesla's...