Car dealers are woefully unprepared for electric vehicles: study

2015 Nissan Leaf in front of Longfellow Bridge, Boston [photo: John Briggs]Yet another study has revealed that many dealerships across the United States still don't prioritize electric cars and haven't prepared for their growth. The latest report showed dealerships still practice the same unhealthy habits uncovered in earlier studies, including a lack of electric-car inventory, little to no marketing, and an apparent...

Bizarre Swedish study claims electric cars are worse for the environment

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car at EVgo fast-charging station, Newport Centre, Jersey City, NJElectric vehicles shouldn't be considered all-out carbon footprint saviors, but they can legitimately be viewed as the great minimizers. The benefits of electric vehicles over those with internal-combustion engines are vast, but a strange new study is making rounds that claims electric cars are worse for climate-change emissions. The study...

Electric cars will cost less to buy than regular cars by 2025: analysis

2015 Nissan Leaf plugged in to recharge   [photo: John C. Briggs]Studies have shown that electric vehicles have a number of strikes against them in the minds on consumers who don't know much about them. Range anxiety, the lack of electric vehicle charging infrastructure—or even awareness that it exists—and high purchase prices all play a part in the challenges faced by electric cars. However, a new...

Carbon emissions from making electricity could vanish by 2060: study

Coal-fired Nanticoke Generating Station, Ontario, Canada, now being converted to 44-MW solar farmOne of the major sources of carbon emissions is electricity generation. It's an issue that is becoming increasingly important in the automotive sphere, due to the slow rise of plug-in electric cars. So what would it take to eliminate carbon emissions entirely from making electricity? DON'T MISS: Bipartisan governors' group urges Trump to back...

McKinsey suggests ways automakers could kick-start electric-car demand

2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV, road test, California coastline, Sep 2016Despite steady increases over the past few years, electric cars still represent only a tiny fraction of new-car sales. There are no shortage of theories as to why that is the case. Some electric-car advocates blame manufacturers for not adequately promoting the vehicles, while many within the industry point to a lack of consumer demand. DON'T...

World to have 5,000 hydrogen fueling stations by 2032: study

2015 Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell, 2016 Toyota Mirai at hydrogen fueling station, Fountain Valley, CATo achieve mass adoption, fueling infrastructure for hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles will have to be hugely expanded. It's a problem similar to that faced by battery-electric cars, but charging stations are far cheaper and easier to install—and can rely on existing grid infrastructure for their supply of electricity. Hydrogen fueling stations...

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...

Gas has to cost $3 a gallon before it affects vehicle choice, study says

Gas pumpContinuing low gas prices are often blamed for the current popularity of crossover utilities and SUVs, along with any sales struggles green cars may experience. But would a sudden increase in gas prices cause shoppers to flock to more fuel-efficient vehicles? If so, how high would gas prices have to get in order for consumers to start changing...

Real-world new-car fuel economy in 3-year plateau

Fuel gaugeFor nearly a decade, the average fuel economy of new cars sold in the U.S. steadily increased—but that moment has stalled in recent years. Low gas prices and increased consumer interest in SUVs has caused new-car average fuel economy to plateau and, in the case of 2016's figures, decline slightly. The average fuel economy of new cars sold in...

How much have electric-car battery costs fallen? This much!

Lithium-ion cell and battery pack assembly for Nissan Leaf electric car in Sunderland, U.K., plantHigh costs of lithium-ion battery cells have been one of the main hindrances to large-scale electric-car adoption, as they typically lead to higher purchase prices for electric cars than comparable internal-combustion models. But electric-car battery prices are falling fast, according to one recent study. Global Trends in Renewable Energy, calls...

We’re there! Renewables now cheapest unsubsidized electricity in U.S.

Photovoltaic solar power field at Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, TennesseeOver the past few years, the cost of electricity generation from renewable-energy sources has decreased dramatically. So much so, that renewable energy may have just hit an important milestone, according to one study. In the U.S., wind and solar power are now cheaper sources of electricity than natural gas—even without subsidies. DON'T MISS...

Carmakers must cut carbon rapidly to evolve, shareholders say

2016 Nissan LeafStricter global emissions standards are putting significant pressure on carmakers to improve fuel efficiency and make greater use of electric powertrains. But that may not be the sole force driving automakers toward reduced carbon emissions. Cutting emissions is also a priority for at least some of their investors, it seems. DON'T MISS: India, EU...

Electric cars to dominate on roads of wealthy cities by 2030: report

2017 BMW i3Within the next 15 years, the world's wealthy cities could be teeming with electric cars. That's the prediction of a new report, which claims electric cars could account for two thirds of the cars on the roads of 50 major world cities by 2030. Researchers predict that a combination of growing consumer interest and stricter emissions standards will...