2017 Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid: video road test

2017 Toyota Prius Prime PremiumThe 2017 Toyota Prius Prime is a new plug-in version of the fourth-generation Prius hybrid launched last year. It succeeds the previous Prius Plug-In Hybrid, but it's a much better—and considerably more electric—vehicle than that discontinued model. We've driven the new Prius Prime in southern California, but is it the right car for...

Emission debate in Europe: should new EU agency test, or each nation?

Portable Emissions Measurement Systems (PEMS) on a Peugeot 308The 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...

Germany ‘reassured’ after worries on Chinese electric-car mandates

2017 BMW i3Electric-car mandates can be a powerful tool for reducing transportation-related emissions. California first proposed its current zero-emission vehicle mandate in December 2011, but similar mandates are only now being widely adopted elsewhere. One such policy in China is creating friction, however. DON'T MISS: Quebec passes Canada's first...

VW ends contract of historian researching its WW2 past; questions remain

2010 Volkswagen Golf TDIMore than a year after it was revealed that Volkswagen used illegal "defeat device" software in diesel cars to cheat on emissions tests, the company is still working to rebuild its reputation. Another crisis and ensuing public criticism is the last thing VW needs right now. But opaque statements and the effect of German labor laws may have...

China to regulate, rein in low-speed electric cars used in rural areas

Kandi electric car (Image: Kandi Technologies Group)China overtook the U.S. last year to become the world's largest market for electric cars. But a large portion of the vehicles included in Chinese new-car sales tallies are low-speed electric vehicles that would not meet U.S. standards for highway-capable cars. Now Chinese regulators are paying more attention to these vehicles. CHECK OUT: China To...

California found a new cheat device in Audi transmissions: report

2015 Audi RS 5 Coupe SportJust when it looked like the Volkswagen Group was getting a grip on its diesel emissions cheating scandal that erupted in September 2015, a report has come out claiming the automaker has cars with a different type of “defeat device” used to hide emissions from regulators. Germany’s Bild am Sonntag (via Reuters) on Sunday reported...