BMW will electrify its regular cars; what happens to ‘i’ models?

2017 BMW i3When the BMW i3 went on sale in the U.S. back in May 2014, it marked not only the debut of the German automaker's first mass-market electric car, but also a new sub-brand. BMW originally planned to group all its electric cars under the "i" sub-brand, which currently includes all-electric and range-extended REx versions of the i3, as well as the...

Tesla software update fixes flaw found by Chinese white-hat hackers

2016 Tesla Model SModern cars' increased reliance on software to control vital functions opens up new technological possibilities, but also poses the potential of hacking. That risk now requires automakers to think like tech companies, and keep to updating software to close weak points that could allow hackers to access vehicle systems. Electric-car maker Tesla...

Electric cars necessary to protect Mercedes jobs, says labor leader

2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric DriveMercedes-Benz parent Daimler is pushing for more electric cars, and that has the company's labor leaders thinking about how such a shift might affect its workers. Electric motors and drivetrains require far fewer components than internal-combustion engines, meaning fewer workers are needed to assemble them. The technical knowledge needed to design...

Southeast gasoline drivers to get range anxiety after pipeline rupture?

Gasoline shortage due to ruptured pipeline, September 2016The term "range anxiety" is commonly associated with electric cars because of relatively short ranges for many of them, along with a lack of charging infrastructure in many regions. But at the moment, many drivers of gasoline cars in the southern U.S. may begin feeling exactly the same thing. A pipeline rupture in Alabama has led to fuel shortages...