Volkswagen ID electric car production date now set: November 2019

Volkswagen ID electric car concept, 2016 Paris auto showSince the Dieselgate scandal broke more than two years ago, Volkswagen has spent a great deal of time talking about its plans for electric cars. It has rolled out three concept vehicles within the new Volkswagen ID family, and discussed its dedicated electric-car architecture that will underpin all of them. Now, the company has committed to a date...

Jeep Wrangler Plug-In Hybrid to go into production in 2020

Mopar-modified Jeep Wrangler features all-new items from the performance parts catalogLooking back at last week's Los Angeles auto show media days, one new vehicle sucked up a disproportionate amount of attention and airtime. That would be the new 2018 Jeep Wrangler, a once-in-a-decade redesign of the iconic off-roader that's the linchpin of the Jeep brand image worldwide. While the new Wrangler itself had long been...

Life with Tesla Model S: musings on new Tesla Roadster

2020 Tesla RoadsterLike almost everyone else, I was blown away by Tesla’s surprise introduction of the second-generation Roadster at the recent semi-truck reveal event. Zero to sixty in 1.9 seconds, a 620-mile range, gorgeous sleek lines, and a price of $200,000. Mind-blowing indeed. But a few of the new Roadster’s numbers didn’t add up for me...

Volkswagen ID Crozz electric SUV to launch in US in 2020

Volkswagen ID Crozz conceptA production vehicle based on the Volkswagen ID Crozz all-electric compact crossover will be launched in the U.S. market during 2020, VW said. The announcement came at a media event Tuesday night before the first of two media days at the Los Angeles auto show, where the electric SUV makes its North American debut. First unveiled at the Shanghai...

Tesla Semi, new Roadster distract from Model 3 production problems

Tesla SemiNever let it be said that Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his event producers are not masters of showmanship. Last night's launch of the Tesla Semi heavy-duty commercial truck tractor came with a surprise: a new Tesla Roadster emerged from the back of the trailer. The wow factor was ... high. DON'T MISS: Tesla Semi: 500-mile range, lower running costs...

Electric cars ‘right around the corner’ in 1966: what took so long?

Illustration from December 1966 Popular Science article on electric carsLooking at yesterday's visions of tomorrow is always entertaining, from flying cars to cities of the future. In the case of the electric car, there have been two futures: one from 1890 to about 1910, and then another starting 100 years later in 2011. The intervening century saw many, many predictions about mass-market electric cars, but none of...

Who will sell the first affordable AWD electric SUV? Poll results

Nissan IMx concept, 2017 Tokyo Motor ShowOf our eight Green Car Reports Best Car To Buy award winners since 2011, five have been compact five-door hatchbacks. It's a good, sensible format, by far the most popular segment in Europe and stronger even in Canada than in the U.S. Sadly, U.S. car buyers are not only ignoring small hatchbacks but passenger sedans as well—and moving...

Electric Hyundai Kona, Kia Niro production to rise again: report

2018 Hyundai KonaBoth Hyundai and Kia planned to approach the electric and plug-in car market aggressively, but now the Korean siblings plan to boost production even over totals announced earlier this year. This past summer, both brands said they would increase their electrified car production to 50,000 units next year. Now, according to a report earlier this...

Mitsubishi e-Evolution Concept electric SUV for Tokyo Motor Show

Mitsubishi e-Evolution concept, 2017 Tokyo Motor ShowThe Tokyo Motor Show is a chance for Japanese automakers to show off what they've been working on in secret labs and design studios. At the Mitsubishi booth this year sits an aggressive-looking all-electric SUV that shows one version of what your next large electric car could look like, if you enjoy hulking rear ends on your high-clearance 'ute...

Toyota Fine-Comfort Ride fuel-cell concept targets 600 miles of range

Toyota Fine-Comfort Ride concept, 2017 Tokyo Motor ShowToyota continues to experiment with and develop various types of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles despite not yet offering a single production battery-electric car. The Japanese automaker now sells the Mirai, has announced it will begin studies of the Project Portal fuel-cell semi truck, and reportedly plans a fuel-cell luxury sedan for its Lexus brand...

“Death of the internal combustion engine” is now a thing

ClunkersThe very first working four-cycle internal-combustion engine was invented by Niklaus Otto in 1876, and in due course it changed the world. A quarter of a century later, gasoline engines, steam-powered vehicles, and electric drive competed on an equal basis, but by 1915, it was clear the gasoline engine would triumph. The next 100 years brought...