Transitions at Green Car Reports

Honda Clarity series with Green Car Reports editor John Voelcker at Honda R&D Center, Tochigi, JapanIf you can get them to admit it, many reporters and writers consider editors’ notes to be self-indulgent. Sometimes they’re necessary, however—and this is one of those times. Regular readers of Green Car Reports may have noticed that our writing staff has changed in the last few weeks. DON'T MISS: 7 things we learned in 9 years...

Canadian electric-carmaker Electra Meccanica delivers first vehicle to U.S.

Electra Meccanica SoloWe haven't heard much news about new all-electric models, especially from independent carmakers in a while. Now tiny Canadian startup automaker Electra Meccanica has announced that their tiny electric 3-wheeler has been certified for sale in the United States, and the first one has been delivered. READ THIS: Teslas will start paying to drive in...

7 things we learned in 9 years, and where green cars are headed

Chevrolet Bolt EV being charged outside Go Forth electric-car showroom, Portland   [photo: Forth]More than four years ago, this site looked back at its first five years of coverage to assess what had changed—and what we'd learned. Now, we're repeating the exercise. In February 2014, Green Car Reports had published about 9,800 news articles. The number is now up to more than 16,800. Much has changed since then, however. We've broken down...

How often do you want to read about plug-in car sales? Take our Twitter Poll

Electrify America 350 kw chargers at Home Depot in Chicopee, Mass.Last week was our monthly sales extravaganza at Green Car Reports, where we endeavor to report the sales of every plug-in (and hydrogen fuel-cell) vehicle sold in the United States, and publish a separate report for Canada. It's an endeavor we've undertaken every month since production plug-in cars went on sale in 2012. Like politics and quarterly...

Toyota may let mechanics repair faulty recall inverters on older Prius

2012, 2013, and 2014 Toyota PriusToyota may supply independent mechanics with parts and instructions for repairing, but not replacing, potentially faulty inverters on certain 2014 Prius models, Green Car Reports has learned. According to Automotive Career Development Center founder Craig Van Batenberg, Toyota for the first time has released parts for mechanics to potentially fix...

A Tesla with a candy dish? Musk plans new confectionery

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk at Tesla Store opening in Westfield Mall, London, Oct 2013Running Tesla, Space X, the Boring Company, and others apparently isn't enough. . Elon Musk, the famed CEO of Tesla who says he hasn't had time to shower while ramping up production of the company's critical Model 3, now says he plans to start another company. In a war of words with fellow billionaire Warren Buffett on Twitter,Musk said, "I'm...

Battery shortage interrupts Hyundai Ioniq Electric sales

2017 Hyundai Ioniq ElectricJust when it looked like sales might take off for a variety of electric cars, a global battery shortage has put a damper on sales of models from Hyundai. We got a heads up from a Canadian reader that customer orders for the Ioniq Electric in Canada have been put on hold due to a global shortage of battery supply. We confirmed the memo with Hyundai...

Tesla reportedly locks out contractors in midst of Model 3 ramp up

Tesla factory, Fremont, CaliforniaLast Wednesday, during Tesla's earnings call, we learned that CEO Elon Musk planned to restructure the company and to cut the number of contractors used at Tesla's factories. That day came suddenly this morning. Electrek reported this morning that it had obtained an internal memo from Musk noting that contractors' time was up, and that a Tesla...

2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI SportWagen driven: Fixed, but does it matter?

Brown 2011 Volkswagen TDI Sportwagen listed for sale after emissions repairsThe gentle rumble under the brown station wagon’s hood brings back memories of not too long ago as I sneak its 6-speed manual through the gears. So, too, the way it accelerates down a highway on-ramp—like warm maple syrup, the brown wagon moves substantially with just enough verve. From the driver’s seat of this 2011 VW Golf TDI...

1912 electric truck: Take that Tesla Semi!

1912 Commercial Truck, Curtis publishingThis month, it seems like electric trucks are coming coming off the drawing boards and onto the roads, right and left. But Nikola, with its hydrogen trucks, and Tesla with its all-electric models, are hardly the first truck makers to turn to electricity. Commercial Truck company of Philadelphia built 5-ton electric trucks as far back as 1912. We...

Tesla’s future, going to court over diesels and emissions, collectible Prius, ‘Lexus lanes’ and Autopilot stunt: The Week in Reverse

Martin WinterkornWhat's the latest type of vehicle to go electric? And what's likely to deliver your next case of Budweiser? This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending on Friday, April 20, 2018. On Friday, we learned that federal investigators, are still tightening the noose on Volkswagen executives...

Winnebago builds electric campers—to tow your electric car

Winnebago custom electric RV on Motiv power electric chassisWe have electric cars, and electric trucks, why not an electric RV? Winnebago industries, perhaps America's most iconic RV manufacturer, has signed a deal with Motiv Power Systems, which converts medium-duty truck chassis to electric power, according to RV newsletter RV Pro. (Hat tip to reader Tony Jenkens for the tip!) Winnebago is selling zero...

Kia Niro electric car debuts in Korea

Kia Niro EV conceptKia displayed a new Niro EV electric car concept at the Consumer Electronics Show last January, and the production car just made an appearance in South Korea at the Fifth International Electric Vehicle Expo. Based on the Niro hybrid and plug in hybrid already sold stateside, the Niro EV takes the concept one step further by dispensing with the gas...