Manufacturing expert says Tesla Model 3 plan to skip beta testing is risky

Tesla Model 3 design prototype  -  March 2016Tesla is taking a major gamble regarding the production of its upcoming Model 3 sedan in skipping prototype tooling and jumping straight to permanent production tooling, says a noted auto-manufacturing expert. "He's pushing the envelope to see how much time and cost he can take out of the process," Ron Harbour, a manufacturing consultant at Oliver...

What diesel backlash? 2018 BMW 540d coming to U.S.: report

2018 BMW 5-Series LiWhile the diesel backlash stemming from the VW emission scandal is real, BMW is forging ahead with the high-torque, high-efficiency engines regardless. For its latest 5-Series luxury sedan, it will announce that a new 540d mid-size diesel luxury sedan will arrive in U.S. showrooms later in 2017, Car and Driver reports. At this point, we'd...

What diesel backlash? 2018 BMW 540d coming to U.S.: report

2018 BMW 5-Series LiWhile the diesel backlash stemming from the VW emission scandal is real, BMW is forging ahead with the high-torque, high-efficiency engines regardless. For its latest 5-Series luxury sedan, it will announce that a new 540d mid-size diesel luxury sedan will arrive in U.S. showrooms later in 2017, Car and Driver reports. At this point, we'd...

Shanghai auto show roundup: China plugs into electric cars in a big way

MG E-Motion concept, 2017 Shanghai auto showChina has long aimed to be the global leader in battery cells, solar power, and electric vehicles. But with more carrots and stronger sticks, electric-car sales started to rise in the country a couple of years ago. With close to a fifth of the world’s population starting to consider cars powered by electricity, manufacturers are now focusing...

Drive Oregon goes Forth: new name, broader mission, more states

Honda Fit EV at launch, Northeast Portland community electric car sharing program  [PhotosByKim LLC]Oregon is a state that punches well above its weight in promoting and adopting zero-emission vehicles and plug-in electric cars. Smaller than California, it offers a laboratory where EV makers can try out new programs and experiment with new marketing and charging programs to see how they work. That was the pitch, at least, from the state-funded...

Nissan’s plans: reignite electric-car sales, boost lagging Mitsubishi

2017 Nissan Leaf  The Nissan Leaf has been a fading light in the electric car market, but after a few years in the dark, it will soon get a chance to shine once more. Despite a battery capacity increase in 2016 and a quarter of a million in sales since its 2010 launch, the Leaf has been in dire need of a proper trip back to the drawing board. Especially in recent...