Toyota shows Mirai Super Bowl ad, but only in California

2017 Toyota Mirai Super Bowl ad 'Daisy' screenshotAs is the norm these days, the ads running during Super Bowl LI this past weekend drew almost as much attention as the game itself. Automakers are among the myriad companies that expend considerable creative and monetary resources on Super Bowl ads every year. And green cars make occasional appearances in these ads. DON'T MISS: Here are the car...

Faraday has 64,000 reservations: why they’re different from Tesla’s

Faraday Future FF 91Faraday Future unveiled its first production electric car, the FF 91, last month at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The public debut of the much-hyped luxury utility vehicle generated considerable interest from potential customers. At least, that's how it looks at first glance. DON'T MISS: Faraday Future unveils FF 91, its first...

Much faster electric-car charging: on a fast track

ChargePoint Express Plus modular DC fast-charging system for electric cars, launched at 2017 CESRelatively short ranges and long charging times are two of the main factors restraining more widespread electric-car adoption. To address the range issue, automakers are expected to launch a batch of more-affordable long-range electric cars over the next few years, a shift heralded by the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV and the upcoming Tesla Model 3. At...

Plug-in electric car sales in Canada, Jan 2017: Volt on top again

2017 Chevrolet Volt 5dr HB Premier GrilleThe Chevrolet Volt continued its reign on top of the Canadian electric-vehicle sales charts for the tenth consecutive month in January. The plug-in hybrid Volt's 256 sales obliterated the prior January record of 99 Tesla Model Ses from two years ago this month. Chevy Bolt EV sales began at the end of last month as well, contributing another 6...

Which VW diesels can be fixed (updated), and which can’t?

2015 Volkswagen Golf TDIMore than 16 months after Volkswagen's use of illegal "defeat device" software in diesel vehicles was announced by the Environmental Protection Agency, some progress is finally being made in addressing the affected cars. Settlements are now in place for almost half a million VW and Audi models with 2.0-liter TDI 4-cylinder engines, as well as...

2017 Chevy Bolt EV electric car: new owner’s first impressions

John and Mimi Porter of San Diego, California, with their new 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, in Feb 2017As the first mass-priced electric car with more than 200 miles of range to hit the market, the 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV has attracted a great deal of attention. It's won numerous awards, including the Green Car Reports 2017 Best Car To Buy title, and received rave reviews from a wide variety of media outlets. But what do actual owners think? DON'T...

Ontario, BC update electric-car incentives for Canadian buyers

2016 Nissan LeafTwo Canadian provinces are now offering more generous incentives to electric-car buyers. Ontario is eliminating certain price caps in its electric-car incentive program, while a British Columbia not-for-profit is boosting its "cash-for-clunkers"-style program. Ontario announced its updated incentives February 1, but they apply retroactively to...

Which oil companies invest in renewables, electric-car services?

Shell fuel station in EuropeIf electric cars are adopted by mass-market buyers in years to come, that will lead over time to notably lower oil consumption. So what are oil companies doing to prepare for that possible outcome? Some continue to doubt whether electric cars will constitute a serious threat to their business in the coming decades—but others are branching...