Why BMW uses Tesla electric cars to scare its staff into the future

BMW Vision Next 100 conceptWhen Tesla arrived on the scene 10 years ago, no major automaker took it very seriously—let alone thought it would cause the disruption it has in the market for luxury cars. At the same time, BMW, once the harbinger of performance and luxury, worries that it may be falling behind when it comes to electric vehicles and technology innovation...

2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric: how ‘Unlimited’ subscription really works

2017 Hyundai Ioniq ElectricTo dig its teeth into California's crowded electric vehicle market, its Korean maker has rolled out an "Unlimited+" lease program for the 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric. The plan mimics a subscription service, and adds unlimited mileage allowance, vehicle-charging reimbursement, and a cohesive maintenance plan to the standard lease terms, according...

Could water be the secret to faster electric-car battery technology?

Prototype EVgo 350-kw fast-charging station Fremont, CAElectric vehicles aren't always associated with speed and performance, but researchers at North Carolina State University may have discovered a breakthrough to change those qualities inside their batteries. Of all things, water may hold the key to faster electric-car battery technology. Researchers compared two materials, a crystalline tungsten...

UPS electric van with fuel-cell range extender to be tested in California

Prototype plug-in electric delivery van with fuel-cell range extender to be tested by UPS in 2017Considerable skepticism remains that passenger vehicles powered by hydrogen will become a major part of U.S. sales any time soon—or ever. Quietly, however, analysts suggest that hydrogen may provide a solution to the different challenges of producing zero-emission heavy trucks and delivery vehicles. Despite growing hoopla over Elon Musk's...

Plug-in electric car sales to double in 2018: predictions

Tesla Model 3 design prototype  -  reveal event  -  March 2016Despite a slower-than-expected start, plug-in electric cars are gaining momentum on the North American market. Not only are sales rising, so is consumer interest: according to a survey by AAA, shoppers’ interest in electric and plug-in hybrid cars is now neck to neck with that of pickup trucks. In fact, 15 percent of the interviewed...

Plug-in electric car sales for Apr: Bolt EV back over 1,000

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car, owned by Brian Ro, Columbia, MarylandWIth four-figure sales for both its all-electric Chevrolet Bolt EV and the Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid, GM probably led April's plug-in electric car sales. The "probably" comes because Tesla refuses to release its deliveries broken down either by month or by country, meaning there's no data to compare. GM's 3,102 deliveries—1,807 Volts, 1,292...