Samsung lithium-ion cell to recharge to 80 percent in 20 minutes

Samsung SDI battery plant in Xi'an, ChinaThe limitations of current lithium-ion battery-cell technology pose a hindrance to more widespread adoption of plug-in electric cars. Relatively short ranges and long charging times accorded by current lithium-ion cells still limit the appeal of electric cars in the minds of many new-car buyers. Now Samsung SDI—the South Korean electronics...

VW ID Buzz concept: all-electric Microbus could arrive in 2022

Volkswagen I.D. Buzz ConceptIf you pronounce the word "buzz" with a German accent, it sounds like "bus"—which is almost surely why VW's second all-electric concept vehicle is called the Volkswagen ID Buzz. It's the latest in a series of concept studies for a modern-day Microbus, with stylistic nods to the classic Type 2 bus launched 65 years ago. It's one of the few...

How much have electric-car battery costs fallen? This much!

Lithium-ion cell and battery pack assembly for Nissan Leaf electric car in Sunderland, U.K., plantHigh costs of lithium-ion battery cells have been one of the main hindrances to large-scale electric-car adoption, as they typically lead to higher purchase prices for electric cars than comparable internal-combustion models. But electric-car battery prices are falling fast, according to one recent study. Global Trends in Renewable Energy, calls...

Tesla quietly limits lifetime full-speed launches via over-the-air update

Tesla Model X vs Tesla Model S drag race screencapTesla uses over-the-air software updates to quickly add new features to its electric cars, or to correct problems without the need for customers to bring their cars to service centers. But one apparent software update has rankled a few Tesla owners. The software in question is said to limit the number of times Launch Mode can be used with specific...

Indiana too slaps electric cars with $150 fee for not using gas

Indianapolis, by Flickr user ellenm1 (Used under CC License)Indiana may soon follow Michigan in implementing fees for electric cars, with the stated goal of helping to pay for road repairs. Michigan is now adding fees for electric cars, as well as plug-in hybrids and battery-electric cars, because they don't burn enough gasoline to generate the same state tax revenue as other vehicles. Similar reasoning...

Green car preview at Detroit Auto Show

City of Detroit, by jdurchen [Flickr]Media days for the 2017 Detroit Auto Show begin amidst significant uncertainty about green cars and their future in the U.S. It remains unclear how the incoming Trump Administration will treat current fuel-economy and emissions standards. Continued low gas prices are driving a boom in SUV and crossover sales, something reflected in the number new...

Tesla starts cell production at Gigafactory, shows it off to investors

Tesla gigafactory, March 2016, shown in drone footage posted to YouTube by Above RenoSlightly less than three years after it was first announced, Tesla is now producing lithium-ion battery cells at its massive "Gigafactory." Billed as the largest factory of its kind in the world, the Gigafactory was conceived to provide the volume and economies of scale necessary for Tesla to produce electric cars in truly large quantities. It has...

Plug-in electric car sales in Dec: Bolt EV launches; Leaf, Volt rise

First 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV buyers, Fremont, California: Bobby Edmonds, Bill Mattos, Steve HenryAs 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...

Tesla can no longer sell cars in Missouri stores; dealer lobby lauds victory

Tesla Store opening in Westfield Mall, London, Oct 2013Just 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...