South’s good ol’ boy drag racers whupped by Tesla, not happy about it

Tesla Model S P100D drag raceFor as long as there have been automobiles, drivers have had the itch to go faster than the guy in the next car. Throughout decades we've seen horsepower wars waged between giant, large displacement V-8 engines and even 4-cylinder engines with plenty of forced induction. The rise of the electric car, however, has changed things quite a bit. DON'T...

German electric-car industry centers in ‘Silicon Saxony’

Mercedes-Benz EQ electric car concept  [photo: Axel Harries]Silicon Valley seems to grab many of the tech headlines in the United States, especially when it comes to autonomous vehicles, cars than plug in, and the future of transportation. Electric-car maker Tesla has undeniably contributed to Silicon Valley's automotive chops, but other makers are working to ensure they aren't left behind as software...

2017 Chevy Bolt EV electric car at 6 months: owner’s likes, recommendations

John and Mimi Porter of San Diego, California, with their new 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, in Feb 2017The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV is the first mass-priced electric car with a range of more than 200 miles, and it's already had a big impact on the California market. While it continues to trickle into dealerships in other states, a few lucky Californians now have six months in the 238-mile electric hatchback under their belt. An early owner, John...

2017 Chevy Bolt EV electric car at 6 months: owner’s likes, recommendations

John and Mimi Porter of San Diego, California, with their new 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, in Feb 2017The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV is the first mass-priced electric car with a range of more than 200 miles, and it's already had a big impact on the California market. While it continues to trickle into dealerships in other states, a few lucky Californians now have six months in the 238-mile electric hatchback under their belt. An early owner, John...

California trend: hybrid sales sink, plug-in electric cars soar

2017 Toyota PriusCalifornia has always been a bellwether for automotive trends, and it leads every other state by far in the volumes of plug-in electric cars sold. It also led in national sales of hybrid cars for many years. In fact, for several years running, the Toyota Prius was the single most popular passenger car sold in the state—setting it well apart...

California utility SCE offers $450 rebate for new and used electric cars

2015 Nissan Leaf with CHAdeMO fast-charging cable plugged in  [photo John Briggs]California already offers generous incentives to get consumers into electric vehicles, but now the electric utility Southern California Edison has joined in. SCE has announced what it calls the Clean Fuel Rewards Program to offer a $450 purchase rebate for battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle owners. The utility company isn't limiting the...

Tesla Model 3 acceleration found in chart on Model S advantages

Tesla Model 3 spotted at service centerElectric-car maker Tesla doesn't announce models in the usual fashion. It trickles out bits and pieces of information, often in the form of tweets from CEO Elon Musk, punctuated by occasional large flashy debut events for owners and investors at which a vehicle is revealed. That's the pattern followed by the upcoming Tesla Model 3, which the...

BMW i3 REx: owner’s 3 years with range-extended electric car

2014 BMW i3 REx range-extended electric car at 3 years   [photo: owner Tom Moloughney]This week, my 2014 i3 REx turned three years old; I picked it up on May 21, 2014. For the most part I’ve been very pleased with the car. It’s definitely not perfect, but then again no car is. It has fit my needs and driving demands perfectly and I only needed to drive on the range extender for about 2,700 of the 71,000 miles that I've...