Today, Michigan socks hybrid owners with new fees, Volkswagen teases a new electric concept car ahead of the 2017 Detroit Auto Show, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration delays an increase in penalties for automakers that fall short of fuel-economy standards. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Volkswagen will debut an...
Current Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards require automakers to achieve a fleet average of roughly 54.5 mpg by 2025. That's actually closer to 40 mpg in the real world, as presented on new-car window stickers, but it still represents a major increase over the next few years. The auto industry has argued that it is too large an...
As Volkswagen aims to resolve numerous lawsuits related to its use of illegal "defeat device" software in diesel cars, federal agencies are continuing their criminal investigations of the company's actions. As part of its investigation, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is now seeking more information on whether Volkswagen destroyed cell phones...
Anyone who watches even a little television knows that automakers take advertising seriously—and do a lot of it. The seemingly-never-ending stream of commercials keeps their brands in the public eye, and helps them sell cars to the subset of views in the market. But if you think that electric cars are generally not represented in that stream...
The state of Michigan, to help pay for road repairs, decided more than a year ago to sock owners of hybrids and electric cars with additional fees starting this January 1—on top of higher registration rates for all cars. The new fees have been added to the registration bills for hybrids, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric cars because they...
The original Volkswagen Microbus is an iconic design that is still instantly recognizable decades after the last ones were sold in the U.S. That might explain why rumors of the vehicle's return are so persistent. A new VW Microbus has been whispered about multiple times over the past few years, and now the automaker has teased us with photos of...
Today, Volkswagen reaches an agreement with regulators to address 3.0-liter diesel vehicles with illegal "defeat device software," Toyota elects to share its hybrid technology with other automakers, and the BlueLA electric-car sharing service is set to launch in Los Angeles next year. All this and more on Green Car Reports. In response to a...
With the holiday season in full swing, here's a gift idea that will indoctrinate tomorrow's potential electric-car buyers at a young age. It's a miniature Tesla Model S produced by Radio Flyer. The company known for its red wagons collaborated with Tesla on the toy Model S, which starts at $499. CHECK OUT: Tesla Model S Radio Flyer: Ludicrous Mode...
Over the past six months, Toyota has made some remarkable decisions about its present and future car technologies. After years of staunch opposition to battery-electric vehicles, it committed to launching one by 2020. Now, the company has decided to offer its proprietary hybrid technology in volume to other automakers. DON'T MISS: Toyota battery...
![The White House, Washington, D.C. [Creative Commons license by dcjohn]](http://images.hgmsites.net/tmb/white-house_100170583_t.gif)
It may reflect unshakable confidence in the future prospects of electric cars. Or perhaps it's a lack of conviction that the incoming Trump Administration can have enough effect on incentives, emission regulations, and gas-mileage rules to make a difference. Either way, the respondents to our most recent poll don't think the new president will...
VW Group announced yesterday it had reached a preliminary agreement with various regulators to resolve civil suits related to "defeat device" software in vehicles fitted with its 3.0-liter V-6 diesel engines. Those cars—a variety of SUVs and sedans sold by Audi, Porsche, and Volkswagen—will either be modified to comply with emission...
First there was AutoLib, a French electric-car sharing service operated by the Bolloré Group. Then came BlueIndy, the first U.S. franchise of the service, which put the same BlueCars onto the streets of Indianapolis. Now Bolloré is expanding its car-sharing operations to a second U.S. city, one that may be much more in the public...
President-elect Donald Trump's energy policies are expected to be a sharp departure from those of his predecessor. During his campaign, Trump pledged to expedite and deregulate exploration and processing of fossil fuels, enact an "all-of-the-above" energy policy, and "bring back coal," among other promises. That has led to concerns among...
Tesla Motors continues to fight for the ability to sell its electric cars directly to customers in Michigan, home of the rest of the U.S. auto industry. The Silicon Vallery automaker has been banned from doing so for about two years, thanks to subtle changes made to the state's franchise laws to prevent direct sales. Having failed to overturn the...
Silicon Valley, with Google and Tesla, is developing the smart cars of tomorrow, but the Detroit Three are working hard on self-driving projects in Michigan.
Today, we compare electric car battery warranties, the first 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell sedans are delivered to customers in California, and a report indicates Mitsubishi may share an electric-car platform with Renault. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Future Mitsubishi electric cars will use a platform shared with Renault and Nissan, a...
It's one of the most frequently asked questions by anyone hearing about a modern electric car: do I have to replace the battery? With 15 years of experience in mobile phones and more than that with laptop computers, most buyers know that lithium-ion batteries lose capacity over time. Replacing phone or laptop batteries, generally for less than...
There's a new hydrogen fuel-cell kid in town. Well after Hyundai and Toyota launched their own fuel-cell cars in California, the first 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell sedans to be leased to retail customers were delivered yesterday in a small ceremony. Like the Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell and Toyota Mirai, the Clarity Fuel Cell is available only...
Improving fuel efficiency doesn't always require creating a new vehicle. XL Hybrids markets modifications that allows fleet buyers to "upfit" their vehicles into hybrids. So far, the company's efforts have focused on hybrid powertrains for vans, box trucks, and shuttle buses. DON'T MISS: Ford Transit Van Gets Add-In Hybrid Kit For Better Fuel...
Ambitious emissions-reduction goals are important, because they allow policymakers to coordinate and focus efforts on a defined target. But the problem with setting lofty goals is that, eventually, they must be met. The German government is now finding out how difficult that can be. DON'T MISS: EU starts legal action against Germany, UK for...
