Nissan’s plans: reignite electric-car sales, boost lagging Mitsubishi

2017 Nissan Leaf  The Nissan Leaf has been a fading light in the electric car market, but after a few years in the dark, it will soon get a chance to shine once more. Despite a battery capacity increase in 2016 and a quarter of a million in sales since its 2010 launch, the Leaf has been in dire need of a proper trip back to the drawing board. Especially in recent...

2018 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid carries over with few changes

2017 Chevrolet VoltIt appears that Chevy isn't following its own precedent as the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid enters its third model year. In the past, the Volt received a battery upgrade every other year that provided it with increasingly more electric range—but that's not the case for the largely unchanged 2018 Volt. The first information comes from a...

All-electric Fisker EMotion luxury sedan to debut in August

Teaser for Fisker EMotion debuting on August 17, 2017The low, sleek Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid luxury sedan had a stunning design but numerous problems, and Tesla mopped the floor with it. Now designer Henrik Fisker is reading for a rematch, this time with an all-electric sedan promising 400 miles of range (and unusual doors). The Fisker EMotion is slated for an August 17 debut, when its curvaceous...

Electric car charging: the basics you need to know (updated)

2015 Nissan LeafThe number of plug-in electric cars on North American roads grows every year, and with them come new buyers. Each new electric-car driver will have a few things to learn, so we've rounded up some tips on how, where, and when how to charge up that new plug-in vehicle. Whether you're already an owner, considering the purchase of a new or used...

Even oil companies now acknowledge electric cars are coming

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car at EVgo fast-charging station, Newport Centre, Jersey City, NJAdvocates have long suggested that electric vehicles will begin to take over daily driving duties, slowly but surely, from the internal-combustion engine. Now, even oil companies are starting to acknowledge that there may be reality in that dream of the future. France's Total SA, one of the world's largest oil producers, released its future...

Tesla Model S battery life: what the data show so far

Tesla Model S lithium-ion battery pack in rolling chassis   [photo: Martin Gillet via Flickr]Perhaps the biggest question in buyers' minds over electric cars is how long the batteries will last. Most new-car buyers have mobile phones whose batteries have only lasted a couple of years, perhaps less. Even as electric-car battery packs are warranted against outright failure for eight or 10 years, how much degradation should owners...

Uber urges Portland drivers to lease electric cars

Electric Avenue charging stations in Portland, Oregon [photo: Portland General Electric]In the wake of numerous recent PR setbacks, Uber may be able to help clean up its image with the launch of the Uber EV initiative in Portland, which supports the city’s green vision for the future. When you think of electric mobility, California might be the first state to come to mind—but Oregon is not far behind. It's one of 13...

Future Volvo electric car to be built in China

Volvo 40.1 conceptFinally joining the bandwagon, Swedish manufacturer Volvo has confirmed that it will introduce its first all-electric vehicle to the market in 2019. The announcement was made last week at the 2017 Shanghai auto show. That proved to be an appropriate stage, as the Chinese-owned maker plans on having the model produced in China. DON’T MISS...

Used Tesla Model S values stay higher than expected

2017 Tesla Model SA new report from Autolist says the Tesla Model S is faring well as a used car when compared to other luxury models. On average, the electric car sells in around 87 days, which is about 5 percent faster than competitors. The report compared the Model S to the Audi A7, Porsche Panamera, BMW 6 Series, Mercedes-Benz CLS and Lexus LS 460. CHECK OUT...

China’s Buick Velite 5 is a Volt with a nose job

Buick Velite 5, for sale in China, at 2017 Shanghai auto show   [photo: Ronan Glon]China is hugely important to General Motors, as it is to virtually any global automaker. It's the largest market in the country and, recently, it has put in place an increasing set of requirements that more vehicles sold there be fully or partially electric. It also happens to be by far the largest market for Buicks in the world, to the...

AAA says interest in electric cars rivals pickups: so where are the sales?

2017 Toyota Prius PrimeAlthough fuel prices remain relatively cheap in most areas of the United States, it seems that interest in electric vehicles may be growing. According to a new survey from AAA, interest in electric vehicles among American consumers now rivals that for full-size pickup trucks. However, if that's the case, why do sales of electric vehicles remain...

Genesis to offer high-end electric luxury coupe; so long, V-8

Hyundai Vision G (HCD-16) conceptTesla has made an unexpected success out of its pioneering luxury electric vehicles, which offer a healthy dose of performance for good measure. Hyundai's Genesis luxury brand, while taking a couple pages from Lexus for its launch strategy, may be following a similar path to Tesla for a future sport coupe. The Australian outlet Drive reports a V-8...

Jeep Yuntu Concept for Shanghai may have plug-in hybrid powertrain

Jeep Yuntu concept, 2017 Shanghai auto show    [photo: Ronan Glon]The Jeep Yunto Concept made its debut Wednesday at the Shanghai auto show, and it appears to be a plug-in hybrid. The automaker has been tight-lipped about the concept's drivetrain, but the vehicle on display in China clearly shows "PHEV" badges on the front doors. No surprise there, as the Chinese government is currently pushing alternative fuel...

Tesla recalls 53,000 Model S, Model X electric cars for parking-brake issue

2016 Tesla Model STesla has issued a voluntarily recall for roughly 53,000 of its Model S and Model X electric cars to address an issue in which the parking brake might stick in the engaged position. The recall was first reported yesterday by CNBC. The vehicles affected were built between February and October of 2016, and 31,000 of them were sold in the U.S. It is...