Is Trump presidency the real market test for electric cars?

U.S. Capitol BuildingOne week ago this morning, the U.S. and the world woke up to learn that Donald Trump would be the next president of the United States. The shockwaves of that election are still reverberating, and will do so for quite some time to come. Among the groups concerned are environmentalists, clean-energy advocates, and electric-car proponents. DON'T...

Feds issue mandatory-noise rule for new electric, hybrid cars

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, road test, California coastline, Sep 2016The U.S. government finally issued its long-debated rules for noise-making devices in so-called "quiet cars." They require all new hybrid and plug-in electric cars to emit noises that alert pedestrians to their presence. Because these cars operate near-silently on electric power, regulators have expressed concerns that they constitute a greater...

Hyundai Ioniq Electric car to get 200 miles of range ‘soon’

2017 Hyundai Ioniq (European spec), 2016 Geneva Motor ShowHyundai's product planners seem to have a bit of an issue on their hands. The South Korean automaker is set to launch an all-electric version of its Ioniq hatchback, alongside the conventional hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of that model. Called the Ioniq Electric, it has an estimated driving range of 110 miles. DON'T MISS: 2017 Hyundai Ioniq...

2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid: first drive of plug-in hybrid minivan

2017 Chrysler Pacifica HybridThe 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid wraps a number of firsts into one innovative package. The Pacifica minivan, launched this year, has received positive reviews for its combination of stylish design, comfortable interior, easy-to-use infotainment, and capacious carrying capacity for up to eight adults and their goods. Despite its name, the Pacifica...

2017 Nissan Leaf specs: all 30-kwh batteries, otherwise unchanged

2017 Nissan LeafIt's been almost six years since the Nissan Leaf electric car debuted in December 2010, as a 2011 model. That makes the current-generation Leaf fairly old by industry standards. Nonetheless, the Leaf rolls into the 2017 model year all but unchanged as Nissan prepares a redesigned second-generation model for launch at some future date. DON'T MISS...

Jaguar i-Pace electric SUV concept breaks cover at LA Auto Show

Jaguar I-Pace Concept, 2016 Los Angeles Auto ShowLuxury electric cars: seems like everyone's doing them, doesn't it? The latest to join the growing pool of pricey battery-electric sedans and crossover utilities is the Jaguar i-Pace, revealed tonight as a concept at a splashy event before the Los Angeles Auto Show. A quick look at the specs reveals 220 miles of electric range courtesy of a a...

Chevrolet Bolt EV: Green Car Reports’ Best Car To Buy 2017

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, road test, California coastline, Sep 2016Each year, Green Car Reports chooses a new car, or a family of cars, as the best green car introduced in that model year. In 2011, our very first award, we picked the first-ever modern electric car to be sold in high volumes. Six years later, we've picked the spiritual successor to that car, one that provides radically higher range at an...

Batteries from junkyard scrap metal and household chemicals?

Scrap metal (Photo by Daniel Bubois/Vanderbilt University)The increasing importance of batteries for electric cars, renewable energy, and consumer electronics has researchers looking for alternatives to the currently-dominant lithium-ion chemistry. But could one of those alternatives be a combination of junkyard scarp metal and household chemicals? That's what a group of researchers are proposing, in the...

Desperate coal company CEO slammed Tesla electric cars as ‘fraud’

Coal, by Flicker user oatsy40 (Used Under CC License)The debate over U.S. energy policy took a dramatic turn last month when Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk squared off against the CEO top privately-owned U.S. coal producer Murray Energy. In an interview for the CNBC show "Squawk Box," Robert Murray called Tesla and its electric cars a "fraud." He criticized the automaker for failing to turn a profit...