Shoppers willing to pay more for electric cars, survey finds

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric cars outside dealership    [photo: Patrick Reid]Electric and alternative-fuel cars aren't just for early-adopting geeks anymore. A new survey by InnovateMR about Americans' car-shopping practices found that a high proportion of younger consumers and those with higher education levels would opt for an alternative-fuel car, even if it cost more. MUST READ: AAA says interest in electric cars...

Qualcomm sells wireless charging patents to WiTricity

2018 BMW 530e iPerformance wireless chargingIt's one of the worst nightmares for electric-car drivers: They go out to jump in their car, and somebody forgot to plug it in. Automakers and technology companies have talked for years about developing wireless charging, but it hasn't developed in part because of disagreements over standards, and, some would say, patents. CHECK OUT: How much does...

Report: Rivian in talks with GM and Amazon

Rivian R1T electric pickup conceptGeneral Motors and Amazon could soon invest between $1 billion and $2 billion into Michigan-based electric vehicle hopeful Rivian, according to a report from Reuters. If the reported talks result in a deal, the two companies could end up with minority stakes in Rivian, as it pushes to get its fully electric pickup—widely seen as the star...

Polar vortex tests viability of renewable power

Honda wind farm in BrazilThere's nothing like a good polar vortex to put the power system to the test—unless maybe it's a summer heat wave. Energy consulting firm Wood Mackenzie used the opportunity of this event as a chance to measure demand on the power grid. In a detailed study of power demand during the severest week of this 2019 Polar Vortex, from Jan. 27 to...

Rumor: GM electric pickup could come from Tesla

2019 GMC SierraLast month, the president of General Motors' GMC truck division said the brand was considering building an electric pickup. Now, according to a CleanTechnica report, that pickup could come from Tesla. Even the CleanTechnica reporter says to file this in the category of an enticing rumor, rather than fact, because there are no pictures, and a...

One-step Plug&Charge coming to Greenlots stations

2018 Nissan Leaf with Greenlots fast charger by Dumpster at I-87 Modena travel plaza, Feb 2018No more RFID tags! A new "interoperability" standard is sweeping across the electric-car charging landscape in the U.S. After reaching the largest ChargePoint network last month, Hubject's Plug&Charge is now coming to Greenlots chargers, the companies announced last week. The technology will rely on a new standard, ISO 15118, that will store...

Purdue scientists test flow battery for EVs, claim 300-mile range

Purdue University IFBattery flow battery runs electric and fuel-cell golf cartAccording to scientists at Purdue University, the best way to charge electric car batteries may be to take them to a gas station, and have them serviced at an instant oil-change shop. The two scientists have been testing a new type of flow battery in golf carts, and say the battery now develops enough energy density and power to be viable in a...

California to transition to 100 percent electric buses by 2040

Proterra Catalyst electric busCalifornia adopted a plan to convert all city buses in the state to electric power by 2040, and hopes to beat that deadline by five years. In terms of cleaning up air quality and improving health, buses can deliver a lot quicker bang for the buck than electric cars. The California Air Resources Board says converting the state's 12,000 buses to...

Honda battery deal could give it a new charge in China’s EV market

Honda Clarity lineup at Honda R&D Center, Tochigi, Japan, June 2017Thus far, Honda lags in the race to develop electric cars. Its most recent model still has only 89 miles of electric range, in an era when most new electric cars come with at least 235 miles of range, and many are approaching or exceed 300 miles. The company is aiming to change that with new tie-ups with General Motors to develop electric cars...