BMW will electrify its regular cars; what happens to ‘i’ models?

2017 BMW i3When the BMW i3 went on sale in the U.S. back in May 2014, it marked not only the debut of the German automaker's first mass-market electric car, but also a new sub-brand. BMW originally planned to group all its electric cars under the "i" sub-brand, which currently includes all-electric and range-extended REx versions of the i3, as well as the...

Can GM beat Chinese BYD as global electric-car leader? It plans to try

2017 Cadillac CT6The automaker that sold the most plug-in electric cars last year wasn't a U.S., Japanese, or European firm. It was BYD, the Chinese carmaker notably backed by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway. BYD sold just over 60,000 battery-electric cars and plug-in hybrids last year, with the vast majority going to customers in its home country. DON'T MISS...

California removes limit on carpool access for plug-in hybrids

Green HOV-Lane StickerOf California's many incentives for green cars, one of the most popular is solo access to the state's carpool lanes for drivers of electric cars, plug-in hybrids, and certain other vehicles. But while California will distribute an unlimited number of "white stickers" for electric cars—as well as vehicles using hydrogen fuel cells and...

European electric and plug-in hybrid sales for Jan-Jul 2016

2016 Renault Zoe electric carOnce more, the Renault Zoe has maintained the title of best-selling electric car in Europe now that sales reports have been compiled through July. As has been the case all year, the subcompact hatchback's only real competition for the top spot came from the Nissan Leaf, built by Renault's Japanese alliance partner. The Leaf still vastly outsells...

IIHS names 2017 Chevrolet Volt a Top Safety Pick+

2017 Chevrolet VoltIn the most recent round of crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the 2017 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid performed quite well. The institute designated this year's Volt a "Top Safety Pick+"—the highest rating available. The current, second-generation Volt debuted as a 2016 model. DON'T MISS: Why I leased...

Best deals on hybrid, electric, fuel-efficient cars for September 2016

2016 Hyundai Sonata Plug-In HybridIt's once again time to survey the best deals on hybrid, electric, diesel, and fuel-efficient gasoline cars. With 2017 models arriving in larger numbers, carmakers and dealers are eager to move inventory of leftover 2016 vehicles. We have several 2016 models this month that are about to be displaced, and are consequently heavily incentivized...