Tesla to charge new buyers for Supercharging after Jan 1

Tesla Model S at Supercharger site in Ventura, CA, with just one slot open  [photo: David Noland]A major perk for Tesla Model S and Model X owners has been free access to the carmaker's network of Supercharger DC fast-charging stations. But after January 1, new Tesla buyers won't get that free access. Tesla will charge anyone who buys one of its cars after that point for use of Supercharger stations, a move it says is meant to emphasize use...

Porsche’s 800-Volt fast charging for electric cars: why it matters

Porsche Mission E Concept  -  2015 Frankfurt Auto Show live photosThe future of electric cars for practical transportation relies to some degree on the future of DC fast charging, and how it develops over the next decade. As in other spheres of electrifying transport, Tesla Motors has pointed the way to one vision of the future with its expanding network of Supercharger fast-charging sites. But Tesla's network...

Charging etiquette for electric-car drivers: what you need to know

2015 Nissan Leaf at evGo fast charger at Livingston Mall, Livingston, NJ   [photo: John Briggs]As electric-car adoption expands past early adopters into more general buyers, it may be difficult for public charging infrastructure to grow as fast as the number of electric vehicles on the road. Here in the U.S., every month roughly 10,000 new plug-in vehicles are sold or leased—and that number could rise dramatically once the highly...

2017 Chevy Bolt EV: here’s what can go wrong for electric-car pioneer

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, road test, California coastline, Sep 2016The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV will be on dealership floors within several weeks, cementing its position as the first affordable 200-mile electric car. It will beat planned 200-mile electric cars from BMW, Nissan, Tesla, Volkswagen, and other makers, and that's all to the good for plug-in car advocates. But the Bolt faces numerous hurdles to success...