Pilot production of Tesla Model 3 to start Feb 20: report

Tesla Model 3 Driving on a Public RoadTesla said yesterday it would shut down its production lines for one week this month to prepare for the launch of its upcoming Model 3 electric sedan. The Silicon Valley carmaker said the "brief, planned pause" was to add paint-shop capacity and do general maintenance at its assembly plant in Fremont, California. An exclusive Reuters news service...

2017 Subaru Impreza: first drive of AWD compact sedan, hatch

2017 Subaru Impreza, La Jolla, California, Dec 2016The 2017 Subaru Impreza is one of the most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive vehicles in the U.S. market, and has been for many years. The entirely redesigned 2017 Impreza rides on new underpinnings, but it's easily recognizable as an evolution of the company's popular compact sedan and hatchback. One of a few firsts for this year's Impreza, however...

Why aren’t there more hybrid crossover utilities and SUVs?

2017 Nissan Rogue HybridIt's one of the most frequent questions asked by shoppers interested in utility vehicles with better gas mileage: why aren't there more hybrid SUVs and crossovers? Following the 2012 demise of the much-loved Ford Escape Hybrid, it took four years for the 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid to emerge. This year, we have the 2017 Nissan Rogue Hybrid to compete...

3 California battery storage sites come online, one from Tesla

Tesla and SolarCity energy storage array on Ta'u, American SamoaLong a leader in the push to reduce vehicle emissions and switch to renewable energy, California marks another milestone this week. The last of three battery energy-storage sites will come online in Southern California, providing storage and buffering for unpredictable renewable energy. Together, the three sites add up to capacity equal to fully...

VW suggests engine downsizing is done; emissions rules are the reason

2018 Volkswagen Golf SportWagenWhen it comes to improving fuel efficiency, simply making an engine smaller is a fairly direct way to get results. It's the approach that many automakers have taken in recent years. They have downsized engines across model lines, usually adding turbochargers at the same time to match the power output of the larger-displacement engines that they...

Bowing to inevitable, Faraday Future scales back plant plans

Faraday Future FF 91During a press conference at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show, Faraday Future announced plans to build its first electric car within two years. Later in 2016, it selected a site for what it claimed would be a $1 billion electric-car factory to be built in North Las Vegas, Nevada. But work at the site stopped late last year, and a new report...

Lucid Air electric car video show luxury sedan on the road

Lucid AirLucid Motors, the California automotive startup formerly known as Atieva, unveiled its Air electric car in December 2016. But so far, the car hasn't been seen on public roads. Lucid has now rectified that by releasing a video that shows its luxury sedan driving around the San Francisco Bay Area. DON'T MISS: Lucid reveals design for its luxury Air...