BMW plans to sell 100,000 plug-in cars in 2017, CEO says

2017 BMW i3Among the established German luxury automakers, BMW has so far shown the greatest commitment to electric cars. It launched the "i" sub-brand dedicated to plug-in cars in 2013, and continues to sell the i3 electric city car and i8 plug-in hybrid sport coupe. BMW has also rapidly expanded the number of plug-in hybrids based on existing models in its...

Tesla to recall certain accessory adapter cables for overheating risk

2016 Tesla Model STesla will voluntarily recall about 7,000 electric-car charging adapters after two reports of overheating resulting in melted plastic on the adapters. The adapters are accessory items sold by Tesla online, but were manufactured by an outside supplier. They haven't been sold in six months, according to Tesla. DON'T MISS: Tesla takes it to Michigan...

Thinking of buying a 2017 Chevy Bolt EV? Read the owner’s manual!

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EVThe first 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric cars should be arriving in dealerships sometime this month, likely in electric-car friendly California before anywhere else. The launch of the 238-mile electric car is now close enough that General Motors has undertaken the mundane yet critical task of issuing an owner's manual for the car. Owner's manuals...

Automaker lobbyists fail to overturn EPA emission rules

U.S. Capitol BuildingA week ago, the EPA recommended that U.S. vehicle emission standards stay put for the years 2022 through 2025. According to the Technical Assessment Report the agency issued in July, automakers have so far quite successfully met standards in place since 2012 to cut emissions of the climate-change gas carbon dioxide. And, the report concluded, they...

Plug-in electric car cales in Canada, Nov 2016: Bolts from the blue?

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EVCanada's first three Chevrolet Bolt EVs were registered in October, no doubt for media test-drives and dealership training ahead of the 238-mile electric car's Canadian launch. That even is expected to take place early next year, but with photos of truckloads of Bolt EVs headed for U.S. dealers, their counterparts north of the border will clearly...

German government worries carmakers vulnerable to electric-car onslaught

2017 BMW i3Many governments across the globe have enacted stricter emissions standards to curb air pollution and greenhouse gases; others plan to do so. Some have also drafted incentives and other policies to promote zero-emission vehicles, especially electric cars, to encourage the market and help achieve these emissions reductions. Germany's government...

GM debuts 9-speed automatic, offering 2-percent efficiency improvement

GM 9-speed automatic transmissionIn order to meet stricter emissions standards, automakers are scrambling for any efficiency gain they can get in internal-combustion engines and powertrains. One of the most popular options for increasing efficiency is transmissions with a greater number of gears. Where 6-speed transmissions were once considered more than adequate, now seven...