Mileage or money? Fiat Chrysler pays for missing fuel economy targets

 2019 Ram 1500 North EditionIt turns out there's more than one way for automakers to meet fuel-economy targets. One is to develop and sell more fuel-efficient cars and trucks. The other—as demonstrated over the years by quite a few automakers—is to pay fuel economy fines to the U.S. Treasury as a course of doing business. That's the course Fiat Chrysler took for...

An old tradition, auto shows, could give electric cars a boost

Volkswagen ID Neo concept, 2016 Paris auto showLast summer, Volkswagen Group chairman Dr. Herbert Diess said that he doesn’t believe new-car shows will exist (in their present form) a decade from now, and that “motor shows are dead.” You might think Volkswagen of America didn't get the memo. This year it's investing more of its marketing dollars in auto shows, and it will...

Bill could add Washington state to roster of California EV adoptees

Carpool lanes I-5, Seattle, Washington [Credit: SounderBruce-Wikimedia Commons]Just as the Trump administration is attacking California's right to require electric cars to be sold in the state, California may be gaining support elsewhere. A new bill introduced in Washington state on Monday would add the state to the 10 others that follow or are in the process of adopting California's electric-car mandate. Last month...

Shoppers willing to pay more for electric cars, survey finds

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric cars outside dealership    [photo: Patrick Reid]Electric and alternative-fuel cars aren't just for early-adopting geeks anymore. A new survey by InnovateMR about Americans' car-shopping practices found that a high proportion of younger consumers and those with higher education levels would opt for an alternative-fuel car, even if it cost more. MUST READ: AAA says interest in electric cars...

Qualcomm sells wireless charging patents to WiTricity

2018 BMW 530e iPerformance wireless chargingIt's one of the worst nightmares for electric-car drivers: They go out to jump in their car, and somebody forgot to plug it in. Automakers and technology companies have talked for years about developing wireless charging, but it hasn't developed in part because of disagreements over standards, and, some would say, patents. CHECK OUT: How much does...

Report: Rivian in talks with GM and Amazon

Rivian R1T electric pickup conceptGeneral Motors and Amazon could soon invest between $1 billion and $2 billion into Michigan-based electric vehicle hopeful Rivian, according to a report from Reuters. If the reported talks result in a deal, the two companies could end up with minority stakes in Rivian, as it pushes to get its fully electric pickup—widely seen as the star...

Polar vortex tests viability of renewable power

Honda wind farm in BrazilThere's nothing like a good polar vortex to put the power system to the test—unless maybe it's a summer heat wave. Energy consulting firm Wood Mackenzie used the opportunity of this event as a chance to measure demand on the power grid. In a detailed study of power demand during the severest week of this 2019 Polar Vortex, from Jan. 27 to...