Hyundai believes electric-car battery prices will stop falling by 2020

2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric (European spec), 2016 Geneva Motor ShowThe automotive business is one that turns raw materials into highly complex finished goods. When the prices of key commodities—especially raw materials—rise, everything downstream in that process becomes more expensive. That's Hyundai's concern over battery prices from 2020 onward, as it envisions a future in which a constrained supply...

Toyota, Panasonic agree to study prismatic battery cells for electric cars

Akio Toyoda, President, Toyota and Kazuhiro Tsuga, President, Panasonic For the 20 years since the introduction of the Prius, Toyota has enjoyed the first-mover advantage in hybrid cars, and leveraged those green credentials to boost public perception of its brand as a whole. But Toyota has yet to mass-market a battery-electric vehicle in the U.S., as Nissan has done with the Leaf. Toyota executives have consistently...

Why China will beat U.S. in electric-car battle: urgency, regulations

2016 BYD Tang plug-in hybrid SUV, made in ChinaAs the electric-vehicle market matures and more global automakers commit to building battery-powered cars, one driving force has emerged to lead the pack. With apologies to the title of a comedy from half a century ago ... The Chinese Are Coming. That's the assertion made by old China hand Michael Dunne, of Dunne Consulting in Hong Kong, who makes...

Electric-car tax credit retained in Congressional tax reform bill: report

U.S. Capitol BuildingWe'll likely never know whether it was the influence of auto lobbyists, pressure from the actual public, or a letter signed by two dozen mayors. But however the sausage was made, it appears that the U.S. income-tax credit for purchase of a plug-in electric vehicle will not be killed after all. Whether it would survive amidst the sweeping changes...

Electric car buyers’ struggle: practicality vs luxury, Chevy vs Tesla

Tesla Model 3 found on CraigslistCompetition for the title of most popular electric car has sparked a long and highly charged race between Tesla and Chevrolet. Though these brands offer vastly different versions of electric vehicles, they seem to be the two dominating electric vehicle sales in 2017. Reports show that top monthly electric car sales rotated between the Chevy Volt...

Which plug-in hybrid would you buy today if you had to? Twitter poll

2018 Chevrolet VoltThis has been something of a plug-in hybrid month. Last week we got our first drive in the 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid, which we felt was the first affordable car with a range similar to that of the Chevrolet Volt. This week we're driving the 2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid. DON'T MISS: 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid first drive That car and...

Can Honda break through buyer confusion about plug-in hybrids?

Frame from 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid With the launch of the 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid sedan, the Chevrolet Volt now has its first serious competition among long-range plug-in hybrids. About 25,000 second-generation Volts were sold last year, and this year's number will be about 20,000. Honda says it may sell about the same number of plug-in Claritys. On a media drive last...