It’s official: US plug-in sales are in the doldrums. July sales of 8,951 were substantially down from June (10,364), and from July 2014 (11,242). While we’re waiting for the 2016 LEAF and next generation Volt to get things moving again in the fall, we’ll console ourselves with the news that even as US sales have stalled, worldwide… Read more »
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The 2016 Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine PHEV enters the US market with great promise
These days when most Americans think of Swedish engineering, they probably remember a frustrating experience with an Allen wrench and one too few pieces of particle board. But we didn’t always buy our Swedish creations under the same roof as our Swedish meatballs. Any American old enough to drink remembers a friend whose parents drove… Read more »
May plug-in sales: Tesla, LEAF and Volt back in the top 3, overall sales mediocre
The traditional running order reasserted itself in May, as the Model S, LEAF and Volt slid back into the top three spots. While plug-in sales were up substantially over April, they failed to best the May 2014 numbers. The Tesla Model S grabbed the lead with 2,400 estimated US sales. Deliveries of the D are… Read more »
Daimler joins Tesla in the energy storage market
Another entrant has joined the suddenly trendy market for stationary energy storage. Daimler’s wholly-owned subsidiary Deutsche ACCUmotive has announced plans to sell energy storage systems to both residential and commercial customers. ACCUmotive’s lithium-ion battery modules have an energy capacity of 2.5 kWh for the residential model, and 5.9 kWh for the industrial version. Up to… Read more »
Qualcomm and Daimler collaborate on connected cars
Qualcomm Technologies and Daimler have announced a strategic collaboration focused on connectivity. In the first phase, the companies will focus on 3G/4G connectivity and the Qualcomm Halo Wireless Electric Vehicle Charging (WEVC) technology. Qualcomm’s Wireless Power Transfer 2.0 program not only provides the ability to charge EVs and PHEVs without having to physically plug them… Read more »
European plug-in sales soar
The EV market in Europe got off to a late start, but now that European automakers such as BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes and Audi have introduced plug-in models, things are starting to move quickly. Registrations of new electric vehicles (including BEVs, PHEVs and FCVs) in the EU countries grew from 11,304 units in Q1 2014 to 24,630… Read more »
Tesla Motors book gets over-the-air update
Tesla Motors is the epitome of a “moving target,” so when I released my history of the company in mid-2014, I knew it would be out of date before long. Like the company’s vehicles, the book continues to be regularly updated, and each new version will be smoothly delivered through the magic of the internet…. Read more »
Cadillac CT6 PHEV has more electric range than others in its class
The plug-in hybrid version of Cadillac’s CT6 large luxury sedan, which made its debut at this month’s Shanghai Motor Show, will use a version of GM’s second-generation Voltec hybrid system. The 18.4 kWh battery pack is the same size as the one in the 2016 Chevrolet Volt, which should give the new Caddy an electric… Read more »
Daimler develops EV program for Stuttgart driving schools
The main factor holding back the electromobility revolution may be a simple lack of familiarity, and Daimler has come up with a brilliant idea to change that. The German automaker has partnered with the ACADEMY chain of driving schools for a pilot project that aims to make EVs an integral part of driver training. Starting… Read more »
Georgia reverses policy on EVs, eliminating tax credit and imposing yearly fee
As expected, last week Georgia’s legislature passed a highway funding bill that not only eliminates the state’s $5,000 tax credit for EV purchases (effective July 1), but imposes a yearly user fee – $200 for personal vehicles and $300 for commercial EVs. Other states have introduced, or are considering, fees for EV drivers, but Georgia’s… Read more »