Renewables to generate half of worldwide electricity by 2050: report

Photovoltaic solar power field at Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, TennesseeFalling prices for lithium-ion batteries will enable half the world's electricity to come from renewable solar and wind by 2050. That still won't be enough to meet global climate targets, however. Those are the conclusions of a new report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF), released today. Building on BNEF's Electrc Vehicle Outlook report last...

2018 Kia Niro hybrid nets top Safety Pick+ award, when properly equipped

2018 Kia Niro Plug-In HybridTick all the right boxes and the 2018 Kia Niro earns a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS, the crash-testing agency said last week. To get to the highest-rated Niro, buyers need to opt for LED headlights and automatic emergency braking, features that can be paired together only on the Niro EX trim level with the optional Premium Package or the...

What does a “green car” mean to you? Twitter poll results

2018 Chevrolet Bolt EVOur readers are nothing if not consistent. When we asked our Twitter followers last week to choose what they consider a "green car," a solid majority said nothing but a pure electric car qualifies. Under a picture of a gas-guzzling Dodge Challenger SRT8, literally painted green and parked in a spot marked "reserved for green vehicles," we asked...

Audi CEO arrested in Germany over diesel scandal

Audi CEO Rupert StadlerVW's diesel scandal is far from over. In the latest move on the political chessboard, German authorities arrested the head of VW's luxury division Audi at his home Monday morning according to a Reuters report. German authorities cited concerns that Stadler could obstruct their ongoing investigation into the diesel emissions cheating scandal. A...

Director’s Tesla Model S catches fire in L.A.

Director Michael Morris's Tesla Model S on fire [PHOTO CREDIT - MARY MCCORMICK]A Tesla fire in Los Angeles last week is drawing attention again to the safety of the cars' lithium-ion batteries. British television and stage director Michael Morris drove his Tesla Model S on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood when a couple in another car flagged him down and told him to pull over, according to a Tweet by his wife...