Electric Ford F-150 already exists, as second-life conversion kit

Ecotuned electric F-150 conversionThe all-electric Ford F-150 teased for the first time last week is something to get excited about—especially as an electric version of the top-selling vehicle in America. The model isn’t likely to show up at dealerships for at least another couple years, though. And there are electric F-150 pickups already in use today. About a dozen...

Reports: Audi software tricks led to dirty dieselgate scandal

2014 Audi Q5 TDI, Catskill Mountains, Oct 2013Audi played a significant role in the Volkswagen diesel scandal—specifically in developing software that cheated emissions tests for diesels in Europe and the U.S. That's a point that's only come to light in recent days, as documents just have been uncovered as part of European reports. While engineers from Volkswagen's luxury Audi division...

Honda packs its retro urban EV with a dash full of screens

2020 Honda E prototypeYou can forget about the delightfully retro-simple look inside and out that was part of what made the Honda E such a standout. Honda is shaping up to be one of the first carmakers with a full-width array of distinct screens, in the Honda E, when it goes on sale in Europe early next year. Unlike the Byton M-Byte with its single, curved, 42-inch...

Street charger tucks away for pedestrian access during the day

Urban Electric charging solutionElectric car charging infrastructure is good—until there's so much of it that it clutters the streets and starts impeding pedestrian access. That's why a British company called Urban Electric has designed pop up chargers that retract into the ground when they're not in use. In Britain, 50 percent of urban residents park on the street...

“Big Daddy” drag racer Don Garlits sets electric dragster record

Top-fuel winner Don On the 50th anniversary of mankind's first moon landing, last Saturday, another kind of new record hit the electric car community. Legendary drag-racer Don Garlits, who was setting racing records before the moon landing, set two new speed records in an electric dragster in the quarter mile, one for a time of 7.235 seconds, and the other for a trap...

California could soon close one of the dirtiest diesel-emissions loopholes

Fitzgerald Glider Kits headquarters in Crossville, TennesseeWe’ve all seen it while following big rigs: Clouds of sooty smoke coming from a single truck, prompted by an uphill grade, a passing maneuver, or sometimes seemingly nothing at all. How can that be legal? It might not be legal, but it underscores a current loophole in U.S. emissions for larger (Class 4-8) trucks: There’s no mechanism...

Prototype Sumitomo tires recover energy as they roll

Sumitomo electricity-generating tire conceptThere's wind power, solar power, and—tire power. Sumitomo Rubber is developing a new tire that can restore energy to a car as it drives down the road. The energy recaptures static electricity generated when the tires deform and return to their original shape as they roll down the road. Recovering energy from a portion of tire rolling...