NEVS gets production nod for electric-car plant in China

Saab 9-3 EV electric prototype shown by NEVS, 2014Since it bought the assets of bankrupt automaker Saab in 2012, Chinese-backed consortium National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) has been working toward mass production of electric cars. But despite ambitious plans for a multi-model lineup of electric cars, the company has made relatively little apparent progress toward that goal. While it is...

Schwarzenegger’s hydrogen Hummer gives way to electric G-Wagen

Arnold Schwarzenegger with Kreisel Mercedes-Benz G-Class electric conversionArnold Schwarzenegger has always had rather unusual taste in vehicles. The movie star and former California governor previously drove a hydrogen-fueled Hummer H2, symbolizing both his love for militaristic vehicles and a general concern for the environment. Now, the "Governator" has another SUV that is both gigantic and green. DON'T MISS: Electric...

Electric Nissan Leaf hearse: greenest way to travel the last mile

Nissan Leaf hearseThey may be painted the customary black, but why shouldn't hearses be green? Most people take their final journeys in hearses based on large luxury sedans, usually Cadillac or Lincoln models in the U.S. But a U.K. funeral home has teamed with an aftermarket company to create a more efficient and eco-friendly alternative. DON'T MISS: Autonomous...

Electric Nissan Leaf hearse: greenest way to travel the last mile

Nissan Leaf hearseThey may be painted the customary black, but why shouldn't hearses be green? Most people take their final journeys in hearses based on large luxury sedans, usually Cadillac or Lincoln models in the U.S. But a U.K. funeral home has teamed with an aftermarket company to create a more efficient and eco-friendly alternative. DON'T MISS: Autonomous...

BMW expands electric-car ChargeNow by EVgo program to 33 states

BMW i3 at DC fast-charging stationTwo days ago, BMW and Nissan announced the latest expansion of their jointly funded DC fast-charging sites for electric cars, which is operated by the EVgo charging network. Those sites now cover more than 50 metropolitan areas in 33 states. This morning, BMW announced that its ChargeNow by EVgo program for owners of its plug-in cars would...

More than half of car buyers know little about electric cars, if anything

2017 Nissan Leaf  In the six years since modern electric cars went on sale in large numbers, educating the public has been one of the greatest challenges for advocates of plug-in cars. Those efforts still have a long way to go, it seems. Electric cars have become more common over the past few years, but more than half of car buyers still know very little about...

Tesla Autopilot features edge closer to self-driving in 3 to 6 months

Tesla Enhanced AutopilotLast year, after Tesla updated the radar, camera, and ultrasonic sensors on its electric cars, CEO Elon Musk said the new hardware’s capabilities would lag behind the cars on the street already. Now, Musk has projected that the “Hardware 2.0” cars may surpass the older generation of “Hardware 1.0” vehicles and be “fully self-driving” in 3 to 6…

Using Plugless Power’s wireless charging with Nissan Leaf: video

Evatran Plugless Power review by Transport Evolve screenshotWireless charging for electric cars has been discussed for some time, but at last it is close to becoming a more realistic option for drivers. Evatran currently markets its Plugless wireless-charging system for multiple electric-car models. But what does it really take to ditch that charging cable—and is it really worth it? DON'T MISS...

Renault adds new Master ZE larger electric delivery van

2017 Renault Master ZE and Kangoo ZE (background) electric delivery vansFrench carmaker Renault sells no passenger cars in North America, and hasn't for almost 30 years now. But in Europe, its all-electric Zoe subcompact hatchback has been the best-selling plug-in electric car for months on end. The Zoe is one of three "ZE" (zero emission) vehicles sold by Renault, and now the ZE lineup is adding another member. DON'T...

Even top German minister for environment prefers Tesla

2016 Tesla Model SGovernment officials in Germany seeking to express national pride in their choice of vehicle have no shortage of options. The established German luxury brands offer many models that frequently serve in the capacity of official vehicle for an elected official. Indeed, given Germany's considerable investment in its auto industry, using a German car...

Hybrid market share peaked in 2013, down since then

U.S. hybrid vehicle market: total sales and market share, 2000-2016   [source: PIRA Energy Group]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...

Ford to test plug-in hybrid Transit Custom van in London

Ford Transit Custom plug-in hybridEarlier this month, Ford announced a host of new electrified vehicles, including prototype and production hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric models. Before its planned 2019 production launch, one of those vehicles will soon begin testing in London. It's a plug-in hybrid version of the Ford Transit Custom van, designed for commercial use...

Panasonic sees Tesla as deeper partner for self-driving cars too: CEO

2017 Tesla Model SJapanese electronics firm Panasonic has been a close partner of Tesla Motors for many years now. It is the Silicon Valley automaker's sole battery supplier, it helps fund and operate the Tesla "Gigafactory" in Nevada, and the company owns a small stake in the carmaker. But Panasonic wants to move its partnership with Tesla beyond batteries...

New Tesla Model S 100D version rated at 335 miles of electric range

2017 Tesla Model SIf anything, the pace of new Tesla model changes seem to have increased of late. Over the last year, a 60-kilowatt-hour battery option has reappeared, a new 100-kwh battery was launched, followed by a sequence of software updates to make it faster, and all Autopilot sensors were replaced with new hardware. Now, quietly, Tesla has launched a new...

Tesla Autopilot investigation closed by NHTSA, will continue to monitor

Tesla AutopilotThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) closed its investigation into the fatal Florida crash last May of a Tesla using the company's Autopilot driver-assist system. The Model S in question collided with a tractor trailer that turned left in front of it, killing the driver, who was the electric car's sole occupant. At the time...