G.M. Chief, in China, Challenges Planned Bans of Gasoline Cars
As the country joins others taking aim at combustion engines, Mary Barra of G.M. said customers, not government rules, should choose car technologies.
European electric and plug-in hybrid sales for Jan-July 2017
The data has been crunched and the latest round of sales figures has arrived for a look at European electric and plug-in hybrid sales through the month of July. With another month on the books, Europe still continues to choose one specific electric car and one plug-in hybrid over all the other choices. The two cars topping each list have remained... Nissan, Mitsubishi, Renault to launch 12 new electric cars by 2022
Some car companies release their business plans and goals publicly, others don't. This morning, the Renault Nissan Alliance (now including Mitsubishi as well) released a new six-year plan laying out its business goal through 2022. Among the most significant: The group said it will launch 12 separate battery-electric vehicles globally by 2022... Mazda electric car, VW e-Golf prices, India vs China, green-car deals: Today’s Car News
Today, we've got new details on Mazda's 2020 electric car, a deal for Prius owners on a Hyundai hybrid, a longer list of green-car deals for the month, and a significant new report on why smaller turbocharged engines don't deliver what they promise. All this and more on Green Car Reports. We've finally got prices for the 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf; it... Toyota Prius owners: Hyundai will give you $1,000 to buy an Ioniq Hybrid
The Toyota Prius is undoubtedly the world's best-known hybrid car, and it's now been in production over four generations for more than 20 years. There have been more than 6 million Priuses built so far, and the U.S. represents the car's largest single market. That means lots of current Prius drivers exist on U.S. roads. DON'T MISS: 2017 Hyundai... 2020 Mazda electric car to share Toyota underpinnings, technology
Mazda is a tiny carmaker on a global scale, producing just 1.6 million vehicles a year. It competes with four companies (GM, Nissan-Renault, Toyota, and VW Group) that each sell around 10 million a year, as well as numerous other smaller makers still larger than Mazda. In a world where reducing the carbon emissions from road vehicles is... Opel Ampera-e Covers 750 Kilometers on Single Charge
A TV crew from auto mobil, a show on the VOX channel, wanted to know exactly what the Opel Ampera-e electric range champion was capable of and whether it could drive from the most easterly to the most westerly city in Germany on a single charge. From Görlitz to Aachen - a distance of 750 kilometers.
With an official range of 520 kilometers measured in accordance with the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) Opel’s electric car boasts a considerably larger range than its current closest segment rivals. And the Opel Ampera-e also impresses when tested approximated to the speed profile defined in the WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light-Duty Vehicles Test Procedure) driving cycle (shortened test procedure): Based on this development test, the engineers estimate a combined WLTP range of 380 kilometers.
Naturally, the range in everyday use varies and depends on personal driving behavior and on external factors. And this is exactly where VOX auto mobil head of testing Albert Königshausen and presenter Alexander Bloch come into play. The duo set off from Görlitz in a standard Opel Ampera-e at the end of August. Their route took them along country roads towards Aachen.
The two journalists took turns at the wheel and patiently reeled off kilometer after kilometer at speeds mainly between 40 and 50 km/h for no less than 25 hours and 30 minutes, making full use of the brake energy regeneration of the Ampera-e, thus charging the battery under deceleration (recuperation). And then the ‘external factors’ had their say. Diversions extended the route by 20 kilometers and this was exactly the distance that the duo failed to reach the Aachen town sign by. When the 60 kWh lithium-ion battery was finally flat, the distance on the odometer was exactly 754.9 kilometers. On a single charge!
Ampera-e combines practicality with efficiency and temperament
Apart from dazzling with its exceptional range, the 4.16 meter long Ampera-e also offers plenty of space for up to five passengers plus trunk space of 381 liters (1,274 liters when the seats are folded down). This is made possible by the space-saving underbody integration of the large capacity batteries. ‘Das Elektroauto’ also offers Opel-typical outstanding digital connectivity: The Ampera-e comes with latest generation IntelliLink infotainment, which is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with Opel OnStar.
Elsewhere, the Opel Ampera-e also shines with its electrifying temperament based on the electric motor with its output that is equivalent to 150 kW/204 hp (PS) and instant torque of 360 Nm. This enables it to accelerate from 0 to 50 km/h in just 3.2 seconds and from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds – times rivalling those of sports cars. Mid-range acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h, which is especially important for overtaking maneuvers, is completed in just 4.5 seconds. Top speed is limited to 150 km/h for the benefit of the overall range.
Best deals on hybrid, electric, fuel-efficient cars for September 2017
Another month has gone by, which means it's time for another round of superb deals for hybrid, electric, and fuel-efficient cars. For September, many of last month's cars hold their place on the list, though incentives have gotten better for some of them. As always, offers listed here reflect the Southern California region unless otherwise noted... India actually beat China to all-electric new-car pledge, targets 2030
China made headlines around the world on Sunday when state media reported that the country is developing a timetable to end production and sales of new vehicles with gasoline engines. While Norway, The Netherlands, France, and the U.K. have adopted various timetables for various versions of such a ban, China is both the world's most populous... Complex engine tech gets better ratings, does little in real world: report
Lately, automakers haven't been touting the rising fuel economy of new vehicles, but it has to continue rising to meet reductions in the legal levels of carbon emitted. While major strides in fuel economy have been made over the past five years, the complex engine technologies and other improvements turn out to have less effect in real-world... Frankfurt electric cars, Tesla Autopilot crash, plug-in hybrid Ford van, anxious Germans? Today’s Car News
Today, we continue our coverage of all the electric concepts and production cars at the IAA Frankfurt auto show, we read through the NTSB report on a Tesla Autopilot fatality, we consider how desperate German carmakers may be, and we ask your opinion on the fate of CAFE standards. All this and more on Green Car Reports. We updated our coverage of... Fatal Tesla Autopilot crash: ‘system safeguards lacking,’ says NTSB
The Florida crash that killed the driver of a Tesla Model S while that car was operating under Autopilot software reverberated far and wide in global media. While human drivers are imperfect, with reaction times limited by millions of years of evolution, they at least provide a focus for blame if they crash their cars. So the results of a National... Ford Transit van with range-extended electric powertrain revealed
As European countries continue to crack down on emissions from road vehicles, automakers are stepping up with solutions to ease reduce levels of smog-causing nitrogen oxides, especially in city centers. Ford identified the commercial vehicle segment as one it believes is ripe for electrification, and earlier this month it revealed its Ford Transit... Do Frankfurt’s electric cars cover German desperation over diesel decline?
This year's Frankfurt motor show was big, busy, and full of new concepts and production cars spanning the gamut from small electric cars to exotic supercars with prices in the millions. Every German maker showed one or more electric or electrified concepts, and renewed talk of driving on electricity could be heard in every presentation. But... Honda Urban EV Concept to go on sale in 2019, but not for North America
If there were a favorite car among journalists and car fans at this week's Frankfurt motor show, it may have been a small, all-electric hatchback city car. Which is pretty remarkable, given the practical, unexciting, utilitarian, slightly nerdy image every non-Tesla electric car seems to carry among that group even today. The car in question is... What will happen to US fuel-economy rules to 2025? Take our Twitter poll
Even the automaker lobbying group didn't go this far in their complaints about emission and fuel-economy rules for vehicles in the 2022 through 2025 model years. When the Obama Administration approved final EPA emission rules for those years, the automakers complained that the comment period had been cut short. They didn't seriously suggest that... Latest Tesla referral programs draw new CA dealer lobby complaint
Tesla has once again ruffled the feathers of the California New Car Dealers Association with a new round of referral programs. The Silicon Valley automaker has used referral programs for years; they usually provide perks for current owners who get friends, coworkers, and colleagues to buy a new Tesla vehicle. The dealer association has now noted... Electric E-Type Zero, Frankfurt EV concepts, Jaguar I-Pace races, who’s electrified now? Today’s Car News
Today, it's all about media days at the Frankfurt motor show. We've got concepts and production cars from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen, a new EV racing series from Jaguar, and even an electric conversion of the sexiest car ever built. All this and more on Green Car Reports. The Mercedes-Benz EQA concept for an all-electric compact hatchback... Who’s going all-electrified? Volvo, then Jaguar Land Rover, now Lincoln: report
As the auto industry intensifies its embrace of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, announcements of "all-electrified" product lines continue to roll in. First, Volvo made a splash with its announcement saying that all models launched from 2019 onwards would be electrified in some manner. The Sino-Swedish maker was followed by Jaguar Land Rover... Formula E races to add Jaguar I-Pace electric-car race series
Media days at this week's Frankfurt motor show seemed to be all about electric cars and concepts, from mass-market brands like Volkswagen to luxury makers like Mercedes. Jaguar Land Rover, however, was able to get its own share of press by announcing that its upcoming electric car would go racing. Specifically, the Jaguar I-Pace all-electric...