Volkswagen electric-car concept teased before Paris Motor Show

Teaser for Volkswagen electric car concept debuting at 2016 Paris auto showToday, Volkswagen sells one all-electric car under its own brand in multiple markets—the e-Golf electric variant of its well-known five-door compact hatchback—and another in Europe only, the e-UP, a battery-electric minicar. But in the wake of continuing fallout from the Volkswagen diesel scandal, the company is wrenching itself toward...

European electric and plug-in hybrid sales for Jan-Jul 2016

2016 Renault Zoe electric carOnce more, the Renault Zoe has maintained the title of best-selling electric car in Europe now that sales reports have been compiled through July. As has been the case all year, the subcompact hatchback's only real competition for the top spot came from the Nissan Leaf, built by Renault's Japanese alliance partner. The Leaf still vastly outsells...

Maybe Apple and Google won’t take over the car industry after all?

Google's autonomous Lexus RX450hOver the past few years, a common refrain among analysts and pundits has been that the future of the U.S. car industry lies not in Detroit, but in Silicon Valley. With their nimbleness and more aggressive attitudes, as well as expertise with emerging technologies related to autonomous driving and connectivity, tech companies will soon give...

Small cars leave U.S.: Ford to build next Focus in Mexico (Model E too)

2016 Ford FocusThey may be known as the "Detroit Three," but the biggest U.S. automakers are exporting production of small cars elsewhere. Ford confirmed yesterday that it will move small-car production to Mexico, joining Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) in eliminating small passenger cars from its U.S. factories. Two years hence, only General Motors will still...

IIHS names 2017 Chevrolet Volt a Top Safety Pick+

2017 Chevrolet VoltIn the most recent round of crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the 2017 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid performed quite well. The institute designated this year's Volt a "Top Safety Pick+"—the highest rating available. The current, second-generation Volt debuted as a 2016 model. DON'T MISS: Why I leased...

Chevy Bolt EV electric car shows GM can do Silicon Valley, exec says

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, road test, California coastline, Aug 2016Over the last five years, much has been written about autonomous-car efforts from Apple and Google. Could these two massively successful Silicon Valley startups overturn the established order in the global auto industry? The answer remains to be seen, but this month brought news that both companies are restructuring their efforts. DON'T MISS: 2017...

CAFE rules should stay as they are, auto-industry suppliers agree

Gas pumpThe lobbyists for automakers have made their views on Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards through 2025 quite clear. The majority of carmakers would prefer to see those standards relaxed, delayed or altered. Today, they call for a fleet average of 54.5 mpg (or about 38 mpg on window stickers) for vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2025. DON'T...