Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid: full production to start today for plug-in minivan

2017 Chrysler Pacifica HybridIt's a well-reviewed new minivan design from the company that invented the modern minivan three decades ago. Unlike any other minivan, however, its large battery pack gives it 33 miles of EPA-rated electric range, and it can drive largely on battery alone despite its size, its seven seats, and its gaping cargo capacity. It's the 2017 Chrysler...

Putting plug-in electric car sales in perspective: they’re still very low

2017 Nissan Leaf  Volume sales of plug-in cars, both battery-electric and plug-in hybrid models, began more than six years ago. From a first-year total of about 17,000 in 2011, they rose tenfold over five years, to roughly 160,000 last year in the U.S. But it's important to understand that despite their growth rate, cars with plugs still represent only a tiny...

GM confirms Chevy Volt to be sold as Buick Velite 5 in China

Buick Velite 5 to be sold in China (Chevrolet Volt in North America)In the 20 years since General Motors and its Chinese partner SAIC reintroduced the Buick brand to China, more than 8 million Buicks have been sold in what is now the world's largest car market. That's because the last Chinese emperor drove a Buick in the 1930s, and the brand retained a huge cachet through the upheavals that followed. The...

What does a Chevy Volt do when it runs out of gas and battery charge?

2013 Chevrolet Volt in Venice, California [photo: Chris Williams]Unlike conventional hybrids and many plug-in hybrids, the first-generation Chevrolet Volt makes extensive use of both electric and gasoline power. With a fully-charged battery pack, it will drive on electric power alone until the charge is depleted, at which point the onboard gasoline engine activates. The gasoline engine serves as a generator...

European electric and plug-in hybrid sales for Jan 2017

2017 Renault ZoeIt's a new year, and that means a reset of the tally of European electric-car sales. In January, the top-selling European-market electric car of 2016 maintained its status for one more month. The Renault Zoe accumulated 2,602 sales in the first month of the year. DON'T MISS: Nissan e-NV200 beats Renault Kangoo ZE in electric van sales in Europe...

Half of Norway’s new-car sales are now hybrids or electrics

Electric-car rally in Geiranger, Norway [Image: Norsk elbilforening via Flickr]Norway has achieved yet another milestone in electric-car sales. The Scandinavian country may be the friendliest for electric cars in the world, thanks to a combination of aggressive incentives, well-developed charging infrastructure, and a citizenry committed to lowering carbon emissions. Thanks to this unique array of circumstances, electric...

Sales of BMW plug-in cars more than double over last year

2017 BMW i3BMW is off to a strong start in meeting its ambitious plug-in car sales goals for 2017. In the first two months of 2017, it doubled combined sales of electric cars and plug-in hybrids over the same period in 2016. But the automaker will need to keep that momentum up. DON'T MISS: BMW 740e, X5 xDrive 40e: where do low-range plug-in hybrids fit in?...

How to pay most of a million bucks to use the carpool lane in Florida

2015 Porsche 918 SpyderSome people will do anything to avoid a little traffic. Like many other states, Florida offers drivers of greener cars solo access to its high-occupancy vehicle lanes, also known as carpool lanes. That privilege is extended to hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and battery-electric cars. DON'T MISS: Porsche 918 Plug-In Hybrid Supercar Ends Production After...

Best deals on hybrid, electric, fuel-efficient cars for March 2017

2017 Chevrolet CruzeOnce again, it's to look at the month's best deals on hybrids, plug-in hybrids, electric cars, and fuel-efficient gasoline cars. Deals for March include several new models, as well as a couple of holdovers from the previous model year. Some manufacturers seem to be more aggressive with incentives this month than others. We'll let you figure out...