USA / Global
December 2, 2013
Renault Head of Research: "By 2020 the Range of an EV Like the Zoe Will Double to Around 250 Miles"
By 2020, Zoe EV Could Have 250 Miles of Range Renault is once again hinting that it may be working on a plug-in hybrid vehicle to compliments its existing lineup of pure EVs. In Black, Range Could Jump to 251 Miles The plug-in hybrid portion of this story is the same as it was some 2 months ago when Renault first mentioned the possibility...
US Plug-In Vehicle Sales Closing in On 160,000
Our official scorecard puts the number of plug-ins sold in the US (modern era - 2008 on) at 152,067 through the end of October, but Plug In America tracks sales too and the figure it puts out is quickly closing in on 160,000. Back in May, Plug In America announced that US plug-in sales had crested 100,000. Plug In America's Counter Now, some 6 months or s...
Nissan LEAF Leads EV Sales Race in Europe With 8,895 Sold in First 10 Months of 2013
Nissan LEAF and Renault ZOE As of the end of October, the Nissan LEAF was Europe's top-selling plug-in vehicle. With 8,895 units sold in the first ten months of 2013, the LEAF and 1,286 sold in the month of October, the LEAF grabs "top dog" billing, according to Eagle Aid. Rounding out the top four (for October and year-to-date) is the Renault Zoe. Volvo V60 Plug-In ...
Range-Extended Mazda 2 EV Gets Driven - Gas Tank Capacity and REx Location Are Identical to BMW i3
For years now, Japanese automaker Mazda has been wheeling out various versions of its electrified Mazda 2 (aka Demio overseas). None of these versions have made it into "production," though a few handfuls are on public roads. Mazda 2 - aka Demio Overseas Now, Mazda has this range-extended version out there and we're thinking it may actually be production b...
CHAdeMO Association Again Responds to European Union Idea Of Transition From CHAdeMO To Combo 2
European Union opt for AC Type 2 and DC Combo 2 charging standards So, as you might have been expected after the Committee on Transport and Tourism of the European Parliament published this bit of joyful creativity, the CHAdeMO Association responded that it's deeply concerned for the future of the CHAdeMO standard and questions what Europe wishes to achieve and whether or not E...
General Motors Takes No Satisfaction in Tesla's NHTSA Investigation
Cadillac ELR Gets A "Charge" In LA Some might think that General Motors is celebrating internally after getting word of the NHTSA conducting an investigation into the recent Tesla Model S fire, but the truth of the matter is that GM takes no satisfaction in Tesla's current situation. Tesla Model S Now Under Formal NHTSA Investigation Make...
Supercharged Tesla Model S Owner Drives 3,121 Miles From Mexico to Canada in 4 Days
Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to Twitter to congratulate a Tesla Model S owner who drove 3,121 miles in 4+ days. Musk Tweets to Congratulate Model S Owner Who Drove 3,121 Miles From Mexico to Canada Tesla's West Coast Supercharger Corridor Math time...3,121 miles divided by 4.5 days = 694 miles per day!!!! (Or perhaps it was c...
Los Angeles Auto Show
BMW i3, Chevy Spark EV and Fiat 500e Were the Electric Stars of the 2013 LA Auto Show
LA Auto Show Header With the 2013 LA Auto Show now officially behind us, we can definitively say that there was one electric star of the show and two other notable plug-ins that created some buzz. In terms of overall Internet buzz, the BMW i3 was the electric star of the show. The i3 grabbed more LA Auto Show headlines and was searched for more than any other electric on t...
Video: Mitsubishi Concept GC-PHEV - Foreshadows The Return Of The Montero, But With 25 Miles Of Range?
At the Tokyo Motor Show this year Mitsubishi debuted two concept plug-in vehicles. The first was the Concept XR plug-in hybrid, which basically foreshadows the next Outlander - featuring an all-electric range of about 52 miles as well as a three-cylinder, turbocharged engine and a 120-kW electric motor. The second, and the topic of the video above, looks to foreshadow another upcomi...
Saab 9-3 Production Restarts Today - Electric 9-3 Production to Begin in 2014
National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), the current owner of Saab, officially refires production of the 9-3 today. A Small Test Fleet Of Saab ePowers Has Already Been Manufactured "Yes, we will start the actual production on Monday," NEVS spokesman Mikael Oestlund told Automotive News Europe. But it's not electric, at least not yet. The conventional 9...
71% of Consumers Not Likely to Spend Over $25,000 on Next New Vehicle Purchase
I'm Less Than $25,000 Apparently, there's a price point at which the majority of new vehicle buyers get turned off: $25,000. That's the latest word from Navigant Research. The firm recently conducted a survey of 1,084 consumers. The findings show that 71% of those surveyed hope to spend $25,000 or less on their next new vehicle purchase. 43% of the respondents stated ...
Carnegie Melon Says Limited Residential Parking Will Ultimately Hinder EV Adoption
Carnegie Mellon researchers say that limited residential parking may be what ultimately hinders the adoption of electric vehicles. Don't Even Think of Parking to Charge Here Elizabeth Traut, a mechanical engineering doctoral student, Jeremy Michalek, a professor of mechanical engineering and public policy, and Chris Hendrickson, a professor of civil and envi...