Lifting the hammer: Germany considers limits on Autobahn speeds

2020 Mercedes-Benz EQCEfforts to curb global warming have led Germany to propose limiting speeds on its famous Autobahns. Facing heavy fines from the European Union if it fails to meet greenhouse-gas reduction targets, the country's committee on the future of transport put forward a series of draft proposals that includes limiting speeds on currently unfettered...

Chrysler to electrify the next Dodge Challenger, boot the V-8?

2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye WidebodyAmerican muscle may never be the same. When the iconic and popular Dodge Challenger is redesigned sometime before the mid-2020s, the new version may come with an electrified powertrain. For informed green-car readers, it's important to make clear that that doesn't mean that any new Challenger will plug in. Instead, Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley...

Pininfarina’s Italian design may be good Karma for plug-in carmaker

2017 Karma ReveroFisker, the luxury plug-in hybrid car company that went bankrupt in 2013, was founded by a car designer. Henrik Fisker, the brand's namesake was a designer at BMW before forming his own company. Now that venture, renamed Karma after is primary product, following the company's revival at the hands of Chinese investors, has hired a new design firm...

BMW plans to tone down styling of its electric cars

BMW i Vision Dynamics concept, 2017 Frankfurt Motor ShowTo stand out, or not to stand out. That is the question many electric automakers are asking as electric cars transition from being something new and different to being just another drive system for all types of cars. Among the most recognizable electric-car designs are those that stand out from the crowd: The original Nissan Leaf, the Toyota Prius...

If you can charge them, they will come; Maryland plans 5,000 EV chargers

Chevy Bolt EV fast-charging at EVgo station before trip across Maryland    [image: Brian Ro]Maryland plans to deploy a new tool in the race to get automakers to sell more electric cars in states outside California: The state plans to install 5,000 electric-car chargers across the tiny state. Last week, the state's public utilities commission approved a proposal by four of its largest utilities to install the 5,000 chargers in an effort...

Smaller electric SUVs coming from Audi, Mercedes-Benz

2020 Mercedes-Benz EQCGerman luxury automakers Audi and Mercedes-Benz plan to be in the vanguard in launching new electric SUVs in 2019. For the U.S, the long-awaited Audi e-tron quattro is slated to roll out by June, while the Mercedes-Benz EQC is planned to go on sale in early 2020. Under intense sales pressure from Tesla, the stalwart German brands are not resting...

More cars, fewer workers in Tesla’s latest layoffs

2017 Tesla Model 3, in photo tweeted by Elon Musk on July 9, 2017Tesla, it seems, is not out of the woods yet, despite selling almost 100,000 electric cars last year. Even as the company continues to try to ramp up production of its most popular and affordable Model 3, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced on Thursday evening that the company will lay off another 7 percent of its full-time employees. "We grew by 30...

2020 Hyundai Ioniq: First look at refreshed interior, new features

2020 Hyundai Ioniq [2020 Euro-spec model]Although the Hyundai Ioniq lineup of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric models has only been for sale in the U.S. for about two years, this rival to the Toyota Prius is already due for some significant changes later this year, for what will be its third model year. Based on early details released yesterday for the European-market version...

Colorado adopts California electric-vehicle mandate

Volkswagen turbodiesels await their fate near Pikes Peak International Raceway in Colorado SpringsElectric cars aren't just for the coasts anymore. Colorado just became the 10th state to sign onto California's zero-emissions vehicle mandate, which will require automakers to sell electric cars there. At an event on Thursday where he rolled up in an electric car, Colorado's newly sworn governor, Jared Polis, signed an executive order aimed at...