As they say: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. The first Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, launched for 2011, wasn't one of the better examples of the class for drivability. But Hyundai has updated its mid-size hybrid three times since then, with each generation getting markedly better. DON'T MISS: 2018 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, Plug-In Hybrid...
"Overall, I think, while there were challenges associated with Model 3 ramp, we were in a deeper level of hell than we expected, so a few levels deeper than we'd like to be, but swiftly exiting, I think." Those chastened but seemingly optimistic words came from the CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, during a conference call discussing the company's...
The Toyota Prius hybrid has been its maker's "halo car" and an example of its most advanced technology for two decades. Launched from an early-1990s project to halve the fuel consumption of a small car, its hybrid-electric powertrain pioneered mass electrification of passenger cars. But the sales arc of what has grown to be a family of Prius...
With gasoline cheap and buyers continuing to shun passenger cars for crossovers and trucks, there are bargains to be had in fuel-efficient and electrified vehicles. This month's deals, courtesy of CarsDirect, includes cheap leases, low financing rates, and money off sticker prices. They cover a variety of vehicle types, with hybrids among the...
Just a handful of companies today make the bulk of battery cells used in plug-in electric cars worldwide. Now the largest single maker of electric-vehicle cells in China has expanded its focus, from the home market to global markets and specifically the U.S. The name, CATL, may not be familiar to North American electric-car advocates, but the...
Today, we're at the Chicago auto show media day—meaning today—and we've got news about updated hybrid and plug-in hybrid Hyundai Sonatas, a new diesel Ford, some Lexus pricing, and a look ahead to an all-new electric car in Geneva next month. All this and more on Green Car Reports. A battery-powered version of the Hyundai Kona Electric...
What the auto industry calls a "mid-cycle refresh" can range from indistinguishable to very evident. The 2018 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid falls into the latter category, with new front and rear styling, changes to the interior and dashboard, and numerous added safety and connectivity features. The hybrid Sonata follows the updated conventional gasoline...
New electrical architecture will help satisfy the demands of cars that are increasingly loaded with gadgets and will enable lower-cost hybrid drive systems.
New electrical architecture will help satisfy the demands of cars that are increasingly loaded with gadgets and will enable lower-cost hybrid drive systems.
Lexus invented the idea of a luxury hybrid utility vehicle in a version of its RX crossover well over a decade ago, but sales haven't been strong of late. Cheap gasoline, better fuel efficiency from all types of vehicles due to rising CAFE rules, and a lack of interest in hybrids have all hurt the latest version of the RX Hybrid. Now it has...
The last time Ford released a new hybrid or plug-in electric model was for the 2013 model year, and that's a long time ago in electric-car years. Detroit's second-largest automaker continues to work on boosting the fuel-economy ratings of its vehicle lineup, however. The latest example is a new diesel engine option for the 2019 Ford Transit...
The lack of plug-in electric crossover utility vehicles with all-wheel drive is a growing and obvious gap in the market. And where there's a gap, aggressive South Korean carmaker Hyundai may try to fill it. The company has now issued a teaser photo of the Hyundai Kona Electric small SUV it plans to unveil on February 27 before next month's Geneva...
The electric-car maker, reporting another quarterly loss, is scrambling to root out glitches in the manufacturing of its first mass-market offering.
Today, we've got poll results on what kind of fast charging would lure mass-market buyers, plug-in electric car sales for Canada, and a call for one or two news writers to work for us. All this and more on Green Car Reports. January sales results for plug-in electric cars in Canada are in, and our author has looked back at the final 2017 figures...
Are you a published writer with a strong and abiding interest in green cars, especially those that plug in? Do you have experience writing assigned news stories on deadline? Are you looking for a new challenge? If so, Green Car Reports would like to talk to you. The site is now seeking one or two contract writers to produce regular daily news...
![Tesla Model S at Supercharger site in Ventura, CA, with just one slot open [photo: David Noland]](https://images.hgmsites.net/tmb/tesla-model-s-electric-car-road-trip-upstate-new-york-to-southern-california-photo-david-noland_100500011_t.gif)
One of the obvious challenges of even the latest electric cars is that you can't drive them coast-to-coast as quickly as you can gasoline cars. It's far from impossible to do such a trip—especially if you own a Tesla and can use the company's DC fast-charging Supercharger network—but it will take longer. Even under optimal...
The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV helped the Canadian plug-in electric vehicle market to its first 1,000-unit January last month. The company sold 174 of its plug-in hybrid SUV in its first full month on sale, representing about 30 percent of overall Outlander sales. If that ratio holds, the Outlander PHEV could become Canada’s second...
Today, we've got a preview of new production plug-in electric models at next month's Geneva Motor Show, a reader who went from a battery-electric to a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, a new and all-electric Mercedes Sprinter van, and this week's Twitter poll. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Following yesterday's piece about whether even...
Media days at the huge and influential Geneva show are March 6 and March 7, and this year it looks like the show will offer a lot of news for plug-in electric car fans. Several significant new production cars powered entirely by batteries are expected to make their debuts. They'll be supplemented by technology presentations from other makers eager...
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter commercial van launched today, the later generation of the successful delivery vehicle, and an electric version will enter production in 2019. It will debut initially in European markets, and might possibly make its way to North America—maybe. The eSprinter will borrow the electric powertrain from the eVito...
