We all acknowledge the absurdity of ignoring an elephant, when one is present in the very room in which important matters are being discussed, but what about a hulking, jacked-up, V8-powered monster truck? Tesla permanently changed the conversation about EVs when it electrified a sporty two-seater, a luxury sedan and a crossover SUV, but few… Read more »
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Details of Tesla Model 3 continue to trickle out
As the long-awaited delivery date for Model 3 draws closer, more details of the world’s most anticipated vehicle are slowly coming to light. Production is to start in July, and Elon Musk has said that deliveries will begin in July as well – probably with a ceremonious handing-over over of keys to a handful of… Read more »
New study: EVs are cleaner than ICEs everywhere in the US, and advantage is growing fast
It’s a fair question: What are the total global warming emissions of EVs, including power generation and manufacturing? Numerous studies have found that, thanks to their far superior efficiency, EVs in general produce less emissions than legacy vehicles, even if powered by coal-generated electricity. However, the mix of power sources varies widely among different parts… Read more »
Plug-in sales shatter records in May, Prius Prime takes the lead
As more and more automakers are accelerating their plans for an electric future, sales of existing EV models are also gathering momentum. Monthly US plug-in vehicle sales have now beaten previous-year figures for 20 consecutive months. The trend continued in May, as an estimated 16,568 plug-ins were sold, a gain of 44% over last May…. Read more »
Hyundai launches Ioniq with three distinct powertrain choices: EV, PHEV and hybrid
In the short history of the modern EV industry, it’s been common for automakers to launch plug-in cars under a new brand or model – particularly those companies who are serious about selling EVs at scale. Or, at least the ones that want to appear serious about selling a lot of EVs. Even though Hyundai… Read more »
Tesla founders Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning talk EVs
Here’s a treat for any EV fan: a long and meaty talk with Tesla founders Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, delivered at Stanford last October. While there are several substantial talks with Tarpenning available on YouTube (he also graciously granted me a lengthy interview for my book about Tesla), Martin Eberhard has seldom sat down… Read more »
Peppy young filly meets old workhorse: Prius Prime vs 2006 Prius
The Toyota Prius is one of those cars that you see everywhere – it isn’t exactly an “old classic,” like an aging Corvette or Cadillac, but rather an “old faithful,” like a Honda Civic or a Volvo. Their owners don’t take them to classic car shows, but many of these workhorses have been on the… Read more »
Falken’s new Ecorun tire to improve efficiency of hybrid vehicles
Falken Tire Europe, the European affiliate of the Japanese tire manufacturer Sumitomo Rubber, has launched a new summer tire with optimized rolling resistance. The new Ecorun A-A is designed to save fuel and offer good braking performance in wet conditions. Falken used its 4D Nano Design to develop a tire compound that delivers exceptional performance… Read more »
Navigant Research analyzes how transition to shared vehicles will effect energy markets
By Scott Shepard, Senior Research Analyst at Navigant Research’s Transportation Efficiencies program Smartphones have really changed the way things get done, and the continuous and sometimes overwhelming revolutions enabled by our hand-held devices are only just beginning. The transformations still to come include the basic process by which people and things are moved. The addition… Read more »
Hitachi and Honda establish joint venture for EV motors
Hitachi Automotive Systems and Honda have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a joint venture, with a capitalization of around 5 billion yen ($45 million), to develop and manufacture EV motors. Hitachi first started selling motors for electrified vehicles in 1999, and has since delivered “a high volume” of these motors to vehicle manufacturers… Read more »