In the wake of Japan’s 2011 earthquakes, Nissan was particularly proud of something its new Leaf electric car was designed to do from the start—like power an office building for a short time, or a home for a full day, or even traffic lights in a pinch. The Leaf’s capability to fill in as needed as a mobile backup power source, or... Nissan Leaf as home energy device: Wallbox will soon enable it in the U.S.
In the wake of Japan’s 2011 earthquakes, Nissan was particularly proud of something its new Leaf electric car was designed to do from the start—like power an office building for a short time, or a home for a full day, or even traffic lights in a pinch. The Leaf’s capability to fill in as needed as a mobile backup power source, or... 
The 2021 Honda Insight hybrid enters the new model year with minor changes, including more safety tech. Gas mileage ratings remain unchanged, at 52 mpg combined (55 mpg city, 49 mpg highway) for all trim levels except the top-level Touring, which is rated at a slightly lower at 48 mpg combined (51 mpg city, 45 mpg highway). That gives the 2021... 
Toyota has advocated for the use of hydrogen fuel cells in commercial trucks as well as passenger cars, and appears to be stepping up those efforts. The Japanese automaker will work with its Hino commercial-vehicle subsidiary to develop a fuel-cell heavy-duty truck. However, Toyota did not say when the vehicle will debut, or whether it will enter... 
Magna shows what it can do with EVs with a prototype I-Pace, and we drove it. Mercedes-Benz has an electric van on the way. And yes, the pandemic is reducing transportation air pollution. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. The current shutdowns over coronavirus have led to what’s looking like the best air quality in decades. Will this... 
Scalable and modular has been the future for top-tier automotive suppliers like Magna for the better part of this century so far. But in the march toward electric cars, those resourceful suppliers are acutely aware that it takes more than that to get automakers interested. What suppliers offer to global automakers needs to perform better and be... 
The unprecedented social distancing measures put in place by many countries to slow the spread of coronavirus have already produced a measurable effect in one important area--emissions. The slowdown of human activity in many of the world's most populous, most heavily industrialized countries has led to the best air quality in decades. Satellite... 
Ahead of a planned European market launch later this year, Mercedes-Benz decided to show off the cold-weather performance of its EQV electric van. Engineers spent several weeks testing the EQV in Arjeplog, Sweden, a town inside the Arctic Circle that is popular with automakers looking to conduct cold-weather tests. Testing programs like this are... 
Jaguar Land Rover plans some larger electric SUVs. Volkswagen is teasing us again with a Microbus conversion—this time, one you might potentially be able to buy. And the Polestar 2 is now being made in China and mostly on schedule. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. The Polestar 2 is being produced in China right now, the automaker... 
Volkswagen plans to launch a new electric vehicle inspired by the classic Microbus, but in the meantime the automaker has partnered with eClassics on an electric conversion of the original. The two companies previously teamed up on an electric Beetle conversion, which used powertrain components from the e-Up minicar sold in Europe. Conversions are... 
The coronavirus threat itself, and perhaps the economic fallout that lingers, will likely affect the rollout schedule—or perhaps even the production viability—for some of the electric cars we were looking forward to this year or next. The electric-car brand from Volvo Cars and Geely says that it won’t be one of them. Polestar... 
Jaguar Land Rover plans to convert a United Kingdom factory to produce three new electric models, including the already-confirmed XJ sedan and two SUVs, according to Autocar. The automaker announced in 2019 that the Castle Bromwich factory will transition from building the internal-combustion XJ to a new electric version of Jaguar's flagship... 
Charging connectors make sense on lampposts, as shown in a UK project. Hybrids make up a larger percentage of Fiat Chrysler sales, and yet it has the lowest average mpg. And Porsche re-ups its intent to electrify its top-selling model. This and more, today at Green Car Reports. Porsche has renewed its plans to make the Macan crossover a fully... 
In 2019, Fiat Chrysler sold more a higher percentage of hybrid vehicles, of its total sales, than Toyota. And yet for the eighth straight year, FCA is anticipated to post the lowest U.S. fleet fuel economy among vehicle makers. That comes from the 2019 EPA Automotive Trends Report, released earlier this month by the U.S. EPA with preliminary... 
The great thing about electric-car charging is that it can take advantage of existing grid infrastructure. A new project in the United Kingdom demonstrates the benefits of that. Siemens built charging stations into 24 lampposts on roughly a half-mile of Sutherland Avenue in London. The section of street was rechristened, appropriately enough... 
Porsche is continuing plans to make the Macan crossover all-electric. It's a significant move, as the Macan is currently Porsche's bestselling model. In a report of its 2019 financial results, Porsche reiterated that the Macan will be the "second, fully battery-powered model series"—after the Taycan. The automaker previously said the... 
Long before the Toyota Prius and the GM EV1 were conceived, an U.S. company not otherwise known for making cars showed a most unusual vehicle possibly described as a progenitor of plug-in hybrids. The company was Briggs & Stratton. And the car, first shown on the heels of the 1979 oil crisis and simply called the Hybrid, had six wheels. The... 
Which compact car will soon be offered in a 50-mpg hybrid version? What efficiency-boosting device does the Model Y have for the first time in a Tesla? This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending March 20, 2020. This week brought an unexpectedly high number of future-product... 
A test of dynamic in-road charging is a success—on a small scale. Tesla deliveries go touchless to stay safe—and maybe become a little more convenient. And the next-generation Kia Sorento may get a hybrid system and perhaps a plug. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. Just as it’s started delivering Model Y crossovers to... 
Although Kia previously provided a look at the next-generation Sorento crossover, it released new details on the vehicle that will make it more of interest to efficiency-focused shoppers. The 2021 Kia Sorento could get hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants, marking the first time electrified powertrains have been offered in Kia's midsize crossover... 
Initial tests of in-road charging for electric trucks on a stretch of Swedish road have been successful, according to project managers. The scope of testing will now increase, encompassing more vehicles, additional stretches of road, and higher speeds. The project, dubbed "Smartroad Gotland" got underway in November 2019 with the installation of...