Pop-up EV charging hubs deemed a success in UK trial

Urban Electric pop-up street-side charging hubs in BritainA trial of pop-up EV charging stations in the United Kingdom has proven successful, showing a possible way to expand urban charging infrastructure without adding clutter. A British company called Urban Electric announced the trial last year, placing prototype pop-up charging "hubs" along streets in Oxford, England. Activated by an app, the...

Nissan electric ambulance curbs the tailpipe emissions

Nissan NV400 electric ambulanceIn a lung-related pandemic, maybe we should be thinking a little more about how many of our existing emergency vehicles—ambulances specifically—have tailpipes and big diesel engines. Working with the Tokyo Fire Department, Nissan converted an ambulance to electric power. It's not the first electric ambulance, but Nissan claims it is...

GM battery chief: 600-mile EVs viable, million-mile battery in sight

Possible electric Chevrolet Camaro in GM Ultium teaser videoBeyond a no-cameras showing in early March to analysts, dealers, and invited press, General Motors still hasn’t provided a first look at its next-generation electric vehicles—including the GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq that are both due to go on sale before the end of 2021. On the other hand, GM has been unusually open in discussing...

California will mandate more electric cars for Uber and Lyft: Here’s how

Uber self-driving prototype in San FranciscoThe current coronavirus pandemic has been a gut-punch not only to ride-hailing tech giants Uber and Lyft, but to the “independent” workers who drive for them and rely on them for secondary (and sometimes primary) income. Ride-hailing and ride-sharing demands are dramatically lower at the moment—down about 60% versus last year...

Dyson electric car would have had 600-mile range, founder claims

Patent drawing for Dyson electric car due in 2021British inventor and entrepreneur James Dyson made headlines with plans to develop an electric car, only to scrap the project in October 2020. In a recent interview with the Sunday Times, Dyson disclosed more details of the project, which apparently progressed to the point of building a working prototype. Codenamed N526, the prototype was a 7-seat...

Polestar will deliver its electric cars in these cities first

Polestar SpaceVolvo spinoff Polestar will open its first United States retail locations later this year in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, the automaker said in a press release Monday. Set to open in the second half of 2020, these showrooms will be operated in partnership with local dealers. New York and Los Angeles will get one showroom each...

2021 Toyota Venza is hybrid-only, and an urbane alternative to the RAV4

2021 Toyota VenzaToyota was going to do it eventually. The carmaker announced in 2017 that, by 2025, every one of its vehicles will have an “electrified” option—almost inevitably a hybrid version, in Toyota’s EV-resistant parlance. Given that, it seemed inevitable there would be a niche model other than the Prius where Toyota wouldn’t...