Porsche doesn’t see Tesla as a rival, R&D boss explains

2020 Porsche Taycan 4S first drive  -  Los Angeles, CABy combining electric powertrains with impressive performance and a modicum of convenience features, Tesla has taken aim at established luxury automakers, particularly the German quartet of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche. But while it is now launching electric cars of its own, Porsche does not see Tesla as a direct rival, R&D boss...

Mercedes-Benz pushes plug-in hybrid tech, will have 20 PHEVs by end of 2020

Mercedes-Benz plug-in hybrids at Ionity charging stationsMercedes-Benz is betting big on plug-in hybrids. The German automaker will have 20 of them in its global lineup by the end of 2020, although many will not be available in the United States. In a press release, Mercedes said plug-in hybrids will be a "key bridging technology" to all-electric cars. Mercedes announced plans for a third-generation...

EPA rejects tighter standards for soot and particulate matter

Smog over Los Angeles, courtesy Flickr user steven-bussAs the nation struggles to control a lung-related pandemic, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to merely stay the course on its standards for fine particulates, produced in significant amounts by vehicles and power plants. “Based on review of the scientific literature and recommendation from our independent science...

Amid pandemic, cities woo Tesla over Cybertruck factory possibility

Tesla Cybertruck prototype  -  Nov. 2019As the COVID-19 pandemic leads to unprecedented levels of unemployment, cities are courting Tesla in an effort to land a factory for the Cybertruck electric pickup. The situation is not unlike the competition among multiple states to land the company's battery Gigafactory (which was ultimately built near Reno, Nevada), with the added urgency of a...

Byton M-Byte ramping up at China plant, still on track for 2021 US arrival

Byton M-Byte  -  pre-productionPre-production examples of the Byton M-Byte electric crossover have begun rolling off the assembly line at the startup's Nanjing, China, factory, the company confirmed on Tuesday. Byton plans to launch the M-Byte in China later this year, and reports that it resumed activity at the plant on February 11. Spokesman Dave Buchko confirmed to Green Car...

Electric flying car racing series heads toward launch by the end of 2020

Airspeeder eVTOL race seriesAn upcoming race series called Airspeeder will test batteries and related technology for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Despite the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, which has forced traditional race series to postpone or cancel events, a newly-released video indicates organizers still plan to hold races before the end...

Tesla sales took 30% of China’s EV market in March

Tesla starts delivery of Chinese-made Model 3 sedans on December 30, 2019Tesla's decision to open a factory in China is quickly proving to be a good one. The Silicon Valley automaker 10,160 electric cars in China in March, its highest-ever monthly total in the world's largest new-car market, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) trade group. Those sales represented 30% of China's electric-car market...

Formula E electric-car racing busts 5 persisting EV myths

2019 Jaguar I-Pace electric car (crossover SUV)Despite the growing number of electric cars in production, EVs are still new and different to most drivers. Ignorance of the technology has allowed various electric car myths to persist. Formula E—the all-electric racing series—put together this video busting five EV myths that just don't seem to go away. One myth is that electric cars...

Retractable car cover claimed to gain miles of EV range each day

Gazelle Tech urban EV with solar car coverAs solar cells gain affordability and flexibility, they’re no longer the exclusive domain of house rooftops. For electric cars, garages, and everything in, there's plenty of room for some creative ideas. One such idea was introduced in February by the French company Armor, and as reported in PV Magazine, makes the solar cells part of a...