Despite steady increases over the past few years, electric cars still represent only a tiny fraction of new-car sales. There are no shortage of theories as to why that is the case. Some electric-car advocates blame manufacturers for not adequately promoting the vehicles, while many within the industry point to a lack of consumer demand. DON'T... McKinsey suggests ways automakers could kick-start electric-car demand
Despite steady increases over the past few years, electric cars still represent only a tiny fraction of new-car sales. There are no shortage of theories as to why that is the case. Some electric-car advocates blame manufacturers for not adequately promoting the vehicles, while many within the industry point to a lack of consumer demand. DON'T... ![U.S. hybrid vehicle market: total sales and market share, 2000-2016 [source: PIRA Energy Group]](http://images.hgmsites.net/tmb/u-s-hybrid-vehicle-market-total-sales-and-market-share-2000-2016-source-pira-energy-group_100590028_t.gif)
What's a "green car"? Is it a hybrid? A zero-emission vehicle? One that plugs in? Or just one that uses less fuel than other cars in its segment? It's a perpetual conundrum, for Green Car Reports among others, but it illustrates one of the longstanding challenges in the field. Will the market for green cars expand as more enter the market, or is... 
In the waning months of 2016, no dramatic changes occurred in European plug-in electric car sales. The established players remained on top of the sales charts, in virtually the same sequence seen in previous months. The Renault Zoe was again the best-selling electric car in Europe between January and November, the most recent month with available... 
While still just shy of the 30,000 vehicle milestone, cumulative Canadian plug-in electric vehicle sales likely finished 2016 high enough to scale Mount Everest (elevation in feet: 29,029). While the full 2016 milestone is unlikely to be reached by January 11—birthday of Sir John A. MacDonald, the country's first Prime Minister—it may... 
When the Volkswagen diesel scandal erupted last year, it not only hurt the public perception of diesel vehicles in the U.S., but also eliminated the biggest seller of diesel passenger cars from the market. TDI diesel models once made up as much as a quarter of the Volkswagen brand's U.S. sales, and VW Group's Audi and Porsche luxury brands sold... 
As sales results trickle in from automakers throughout the day, industry analysts will be waiting to see whether enough buyers signed on the line to make 2016 a new record sales year. Among cars with plugs, however, the trend was clearly up—and December saw the first sales of the long-awaited 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, the 238-mile... 
Just as the new year began, Tesla was dealt a fresh setback in its campaign to make its electric cars directly available to customers throughout the U.S. Tesla's license to sell cars through its Missouri showrooms expired Saturday, following a circuit-court judge's decision that prevented renewal. In an August court case, Cole County Circuit Court... 
While the auto industry will start to report December and year-end sales totals today, Tesla Motors issued its year-end delivery and production results yesterday. The Silicon Valley car maker, now completing its ninth year of production, delivered 22,230 electric cars during the fourth quarter of 2016. That brings its total for last year to 76,230... 
Of the new cars sold globally in 2020, what percentage will be electric? It's a simple question, but at the moment there doesn't appear to be a clear answer. Estimates of electric-car market share approximately three years from now vary widely, as do those for periods further beyond that. DON'T MISS: Electric Cars To Be 35 Percent Of Global Sales... 
If you're thinking about buying a green car—or any car, for that matter—now is a good time. The week between the day after Christmas and the beginning of the new year is the busiest one for car sales, and a great time to find a deal. As automakers and dealers push to meet year-end sales quotas, they will often boost incentives to get... 
Despite a proliferation of new models and continuing pressure from stricter emissions standards, sales of hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and battery-electric cars so far remain low. Even successful models can only muster a fraction of the sales volumes enjoyed by their internal-combustion counterparts. The nationwide launch of a redesigned... 
Group-buying programs have proven to be a very effective tool to get more people to purchase and drive electric cars. These programs—typically partnerships between local governments and dealers, but sometimes undertaken by private groups—leverage collective buying power to lower vehicle prices for individual consumers. Similar to... 
While the Nissan Leaf remains the best-selling electric car in other markets, the Japanese automaker's French partner once again remains on top of the European sales charts. The Renault Zoe was again the best-selling electric car in Europe between January and October, the most recent month with available data. The Zoe and Leaf have traded the lead... 
Among the established German luxury automakers, BMW has so far shown the greatest commitment to electric cars. It launched the "i" sub-brand dedicated to plug-in cars in 2013, and continues to sell the i3 electric city car and i8 plug-in hybrid sport coupe. BMW has also rapidly expanded the number of plug-in hybrids based on existing models in its... 
Canada's first three Chevrolet Bolt EVs were registered in October, no doubt for media test-drives and dealership training ahead of the 238-mile electric car's Canadian launch. That even is expected to take place early next year, but with photos of truckloads of Bolt EVs headed for U.S. dealers, their counterparts north of the border will clearly... 
Traditionally, the North American winter months have seen a slowdown in sales of plug-in electric cars—but the rule didn't seem to apply last month.. Last month, sales of the Nissan Leaf electric car actually increased over last year's comparable number, while those of the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid soared. While no Chevy Bolt EV 238-mile... 
The U.S. may be in the midst of a somewhat unlikely hatchback renaissance. Three- and five-door body styles have never been as popular in the U.S. as in other markets, with U.S. buyers often opting for four-door sedans while dismissing hatches as "econoboxes" or "econocars." During the past year, passenger car sales have also slumped as consumers... ![Cumulative battery-electric and plug-in hybrid sales in California to hit 250,000 in Nov 2016 [PEVC]](http://images.hgmsites.net/tmb/cumulative-battery-electric-and-plug-in-hybrid-sales-in-california-to-hit-250000-in-nov-2016-pevc_100581772_t.gif)
It's long been obvious that California is the epicenter of emission reduction and electric-car adoption in the United States. And its outsize influence on U.S. environmental policy has global ramifications as well. Of the 1.25 million plug-in vehicles estimated to be on global roads by the end of this year, fully one-fifth are in the Golden State...