Over the past few years, we in the EV media have been highly critical of automakers for failing to advertise their EVs (and then claiming that there’s no consumer demand for them). So it’s only fair that we praise them now that they’re starting to release some pro-EV ad spots. Several TV campaigns have referred… Read more »
As a company, Hyundai often sets goals that slightly exceed those set by competing automakers. The engineers who designed the Ioniq Hybrid and Plug-In hatchbacks were told that the new vehicles had to beat the fuel-efficiency ratings of the Prius hybrid and Prius Prime plug-in hybrid. So it is with the Hyundai Kona Electric. We… Read more »
Any new plug-in vehicle from a maker that hasn’t previously offered one is cause for excitement, even if volumes are low at first. So I approached my six-day test of the new plug-in Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid with anticipation. Sure, its rated 17-mile electric range is below the curve, but at least it’s a start –… Read more »
Chargeway, a software startup that has developed a simple visual language for charging and selling EVs, has launched a digital kiosk to be placed in auto dealerships and EV showcases. The kiosks, called Chargeway Beacons, are designed to educate potential EV buyers on the various available public charging options. The kiosks will be showcased at… Read more »
A new generation of EVs is beginning to appear on the roads, and these cars have what it takes to compete head-to-head with fossil fuel vehicles. They offer more than enough range to cover anyone’s daily commute, and thanks to vast new charging networks such as Electrify America and Europe’s Ionity, they are increasingly able to… Read more »
As anyone who follows the EV scene has surely noticed, auto dealerships are widely considered to be a major bottleneck on the road to EV adoption. Sales staff tend to be poorly informed about plug-in vehicles, and many dealerships make little effort to present them to buyers as an option. In the worst cases, salespeople… Read more »
Electrify America (profiled in the July/August 2018 issue of Charged) has been making headlines for the comprehensive network of fast charging stations it’s building. But the company’s mission also includes increasing awareness of EVs, and trying to make them more accessible to disadvantaged and low-income communities. To that end, EA has announced a collaboration with… Read more »
Back in March, a Porsche exec said that the brand expected to make a profit from its planned network of fast chargers, a comment that was met with much skepticism in the EV industry. Now the company is sending a rather different message, saying that its US dealers will be expected to pony up between… Read more »
Honda sneaks into third place in the PHEV race It’s ironic that Honda, which has long been known for the fuel efficiency of its vehicles, has been a laggard on the long road to electrification. The Japanese automaker launched its Insight Hybrid in 1999, shortly after Toyota introduced the Prius, but sales have been modest… Read more »
Mea culpa. Fooled again. Audi must have dropped several million bucks at a recent extravaganza in San Francisco, all for the launch of the e-tron, the brand’s first pure electric model, and it convinced this correspondent that this time, the company was serious about selling an EV in volume. Then came the news that Audi… Read more »