Many 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... German government worries carmakers vulnerable to electric-car onslaught
Many 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... 
The Tesla "gigafactory" near Reno, Nevada, is already billed as the largest lithium-ion battery cell plant in the world. But Tesla has discussed plans for at least one additional gigafactory, presumably to meet demand for battery cells related to large-scale electric-car production outside the U.S. One Finnish city is now making an official bid... 
Even before the Volkswagen diesel scandal, diesel passenger cars were never popular in the U.S. But in other parts of the world—especially Europe—diesels have been the de facto choice of many buyers for decades. Increasing concern over air pollution and the VW scandal are beginning to change that, though. DON'T MISS: Paris weekday ban... 
Subcompact cars aren't getting much attention from buyers in the U.S. these days, but they remain a hot commodity in other markets. So while a redesigned 2018 Ford Fiesta debuted in Europe earlier this week, Ford appears to be taking its time on plans for a U.S. launch. The current generation is sold here, but Ford did not discuss U.S... 
Minimal cars are often an appealing idea: why should one person drive a two-ton vehicle with five or more seats on local journeys of 10 miles or fewer? Then there's the crushingly difficult parking in major European, Asian, and North American cities. Add to that, perhaps, a desire for minimal use of energy and material resources. So why not design... 
With a slew of 200-mile electric cars planned for 2018 and later, the question of how their drivers will be able to make long-distance trips is coming to the fore in a big way. Silicon Valley electric-car maker Tesla Motors laid out the template with its Supercharger network, which now numbers 327 sites in the U.S. and more than 400 sites outside... 
The Renault Zoe again maintained the title of best-selling electric car in Europe for another month. The Renault hatchback was leading European electric-car sales in August, and we now know that it kept the lead through September, the most recent month with available data. As has been the case all year, the Zoe's main competition was the Nissan... 
The Volkswagen diesel scandal convinced European regulators to switch from laboratory emissions testing to tests that involve actual, on-road driving. This could prevent automakers from deploying "defeat device" software like the kind used by VW on laboratory tests, as well as produce results that more closely align with what consumers can expect... 
The Volkswagen diesel scandal has brought increased scrutiny on how new cars are tested for emissions and fuel economy. VW's use of "defeat device" software to cheat on laboratory emissions tests could cause regulators to put greater emphasis on on-road emissions testing. But, in Europe at least, there is some debate about which entity will... 
The Ford Mustang isn't usually the first vehicle that comes to mind when thinking about fuel-efficient cars. But a new Mustang recently won the title of most-improved fuel economy in a U.K. gas-mileage marathon. It wasn't a Mustang EcoBoost, the 2.3-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder model introduced to provide at least somewhat more-efficient... ![Electric-car rally in Geiranger, Norway [Image: Norsk elbilforening via Flickr]](http://images.hgmsites.net/tmb/electric-car-rally-in-geiranger-norway-image-norsk-elbilforening-via-flickr_100530088_t.gif)
When it comes to electric-car adoption, Norway is unique. Electric cars make up a larger share of new-car sales in the Scandinavian country than anywhere, thanks to a very particular combination of factors. On average, most Norwegians drive short distances, meaning the relatively short ranges of the first crop of modern electric cars were never as... 
There's no shortage of companies trying to replicate the success of Tesla Motors. Startups such as Faraday Future, Lucid Motors, and NextEV have all announced plans to build long-range electric cars aimed pretty much directly at the Silicon Valley automaker's electric cars. But rather than take on Tesla itself, a small Austrian firm plans to equip... 
Scotland isn't known for having the most pleasant weather. But its persistent winds make the country a great place for renewable energy. Over the past few years, officials have overseen the construction of numerous wind turbines, in hopes of turning Scotland's weather into a useful resource. CHECK OUT: What Country Powered Itself Entirely On... 
Last December, representatives form 195 countries met in Paris to negotiate an agreement to address climate change on a global scale. Almost a year later, enough countries have now formally ratified that agreement in order that it can officially take effect. The tipping point was reached when India and the 28 members of the European Union ratified... 
The Renault Zoe once again maintained its position as the best-selling electric car in Europe, at least through August. As has been the case all year, the subcompact hatchback's main competition for that title was the Nissan Leaf—built by Renault's Japanese alliance partner—which once again earned the second-place spot. The Leaf... 
Plug-in electric cars are going to be a bigger part of the vehicle mix in future than they have been to date. That much is abundantly clear. Electric cars are one of four significant forces that will likely change what we think of as an "automobile" forever, the others being autonomy, connectivity, and sharing. DON'T MISS: Tesla and China: why an... 
Last week, the German Federal Council adopted a bipartisan measure that would ban all internal-combustion engines on German roads after 2030. While its actions only apply within Germany, language in the measure asks the European Union to ensure that all such cars are banned within the EU after that year at the latest. Type approval for road... 
Perhaps an even greater challenge than getting today's car buyers to switch to electric cars is predicting the rates of adoption among those who have yet to buy their first car. But attracting younger buyers will be crucial for the mass adoption of electric cars in future years. A new survey offers some encouraging results, at least for automakers... 
To realize truly significant reductions in carbon emissions, powertrain electrification will have to extend beyond just passenger cars. But electric commercial vehicles have received relatively little attention from established manufacturers. That is seemingly about to change, at least in Europe. DON'T MISS: Road for electric trucks with...