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Electric Vehicle News and Reviews (Page 343)

Electric Vehicle News and Reviews

Electric vehicles (EVs) have come a long way in a short time. Barely a decade has passed since the ambitious Silicon Valley startup Tesla Motors introduced the world to an electric car capable of traveling more than 300 miles on a single charge. Since then, Elon Musk and Tesla have convinced many dubious onlookers that electric vehicles are not only here to stay, but that they can become the future of transportation.

Other automakers have joined the EV movement at very different rates. The Nissan Leaf, for example, debuted in 2010 and went on to become the best-selling all-electric vehicle in the world for a time. Competition from the BMW i3 followed, as well as the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt and its all-electric successor the Chevy Bolt EV, but only the Tesla Model 3 has been able to steal the Leaf's crown. Heading into a new decade, electric vehicles are set to go from strength-to-strength, with new models like the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia Niro EV competing in the entry-level category and the Audi e-Tron, Porsche Taycan, or Jaguar I-PACE vying with Tesla at the top end of the market.

With entire classes of vehicle still lacking an electric version, such as pick-up trucks and affordable SUVs, there's huge potential for expansion and growth in the EV marketplace. For now, Tesla is still blazing the trail, but legacy manufacturers are lining up to electrify their fleets and promising startups like Rivian and Byton are waiting in the wings with exciting new electric vehicles.

The future is bright for EVs and you can keep up to date with all the latest stories right here on Torque News.

Nissan EV charging
Simple Ideas To Improve EV Charging Efficiency: Show Level of Charge and Completion Time
By Armen Hareyan on
Few days ago I reported on how multi charge setups can speedup and improve electric car charging efficiency. Here is how EV owners responded sharing some useful insights.
ZOE Charger for EV owners
A Brilliant and Simple Idea To Improve Charging Station Efficiency for Electric Car Drivers
By Armen Hareyan on
Here is a case. Electric car is parked at a charging station and fully charged. It has been two hours and the owner has not returned yet. Other EVs are not able to charge. What do you do? Here is, what I think a brilliant and a very simple idea charging stations can implement to improve EV charging efficient and avoid issues like this.
electric car fast charger
3 Things We Will See Happen, If People Show Demand For Electric Cars
By Armen Hareyan on
EPA estimate shows the cost of electric cars exceeds the social cost of carbon. If we want to reduce emissions by 80 percent by 2050 governments need to almost completely remove carbon from transportation, this means from electric cars like Nissan LEAF, Tesla Model S, Chevy Volt, BMW i3 or Prius Plug In. How do we reconcile this?
Tesla Autopilot
The Reason Why Tesla May Curtail Model S Autopilot Capabilities in The Upcoming Update
By Armen Hareyan on
A bit of bad news for Tesla Model S owners with autopilot. Looks like Tesla is planning to severely curtail the capabilities of autopilot in the next software upgrade (7.1). Reason is given as 'crazy behavior' of some of the Model S owners abusing the version 7.0 of the autopilot which was released in October, writes one EV owner at Electric Vehicle Assn. of Alberta (EVAA).
Nissan LEAF Double Batter Increases Range
This Company Offers To Install Double Batteries on Nissan LEAF Increasing Range to 160 Miles
By Armen Hareyan on
A company, named Hybrid Industries, has posted a message on Los Angeles Craigs List offering to install double batteries on any Nissan LEAF increasing range to 160 miles on a single charge. The announcement says they can prove it works. The price is 6,500 dollars and this announcement has promoted an active debate in SF Bay Area Nissan LEAF Owners' group on Facebook.
Toyota Prius EV mode range
Little Known Way To Increase Toyota Prius EV Efficiency During Winter
By Armen Hareyan on
One guy installs "Prius lips" to his Toyota Prius and see how it increases efficiency during winter when shifting to Pure EV Mode.
2016 Camaro, Volt engines
2016 Camaro V6, 2016 Chevy Volt Make Ward's 10 Best
By Patrick Rall on
While the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro and the 2016 Chevrolet Volt didn’t make it into the final balloting for the North American Car of the Year, both of these next gen Chevys have made it onto Ward’s 10 Best Engines list for 2016 – although it isn’t the Camaro that you might expect.
Nissan Leaf ready to charge
How Much Nissan LEAF Owners Pay for Charging at Employer Owned Stations
By Armen Hareyan on
If you are an electric car owner, do you charge for free or pay a fee at your employer owned charging station? Here is what Nissan Leaf owners say, sharing their experiences at a public group on Facebook called SF Bay Area Nissan LEAF Owners.
Tesla Model S
In the market for a used, early model Tesla? You might want to read this before you buy
By Armen Hareyan on
Owner data, compiled by Plug In America, suggests that 2/3 of earliest Tesla Model S drivetrains need replacement at 60,000 miles. Now you know why Consumer Reports ejected this car from its coveted "recommended buy" list in October of 2015. However, can Tesla Motors correct the Model S drivetrain reliability issue with a design change?
2016 Fiat 500e Lease deal 69
This 2016 Fiat 500e Lease Offer Has 3 Options and One is $69 a Month
By Armen Hareyan on
Holiday car deals and discounts always amaze with their low lease prices, but I had never seen one can lease a 2016 Fiat 500e in California for only 69 dollars per month. However, there is a catch.
Ecopia tires
Nissan LEAF Ecopia Tires: Pros and Cons from LEAF Drivers
By Armen Hareyan on
Which tires are good for Nissan LEAF in terms of cost efficiency and range. There is an interesting discussion at SF Bay Area Nissan LEAF Owners public group on Facebook where LEAF owners are discussing the pros and cons of Ecopia tires.
Tesla Model S
Man tests almost all EVs and Says Hybrids are "Garbage," Do You Agree?
By Armen Hareyan on
I personally own a 2012 Toyota Prius, which I bought two weeks ago. I am very happy with it and think it's a great compromise between an electric car and a ICE. However, one man, who says he tried all EVs and Plug-in Hybrids, calls the hybrids as "garbage." As a hybrid owner I disagree with him. But let's share his reasoning. Here is Mathias Carlberg from Electric Cars Facebook Group.
2016 Chevy Volt
If I Had a Volt, How Would I Drive It Not To Act Like and ICE
By Armen Hareyan on
There are two ways of driving Chevy Volt. If you drive one way it will act like a pure electric car and you can use it long time. But if you drive little differently, it will act like an ICE powered car. How do you drive your Chevrolet Volt?
Nissan LEAF range Extender Electric Car
Future of Consumer Cars: Marriage between Electric and ICE vehicles?
By Armen Hareyan on
Nissan has announced that in 2016 it will introduce an electric car with a range extender engine, which will only serve to generate electricity for the battery. This raises a valid question on what will be the future of the consumer cars. Will they be the Hybrids like Toyota Prius and Chevy Volt or the EVs like Nissan LEAF and Tesla. My Facebook friend and an avid EV supporter Dr. Raza Khan, who drives both Chevy Volt and Nissan LEAF shares his opinion.
Want to end a lease on a BMW, Leaf, Volt, Taurus?
The top reasons people quit auto leases early are surprising
By John Goreham on
The experts that keep track of this stuff reveal some trends.
Tesla's slow Model X launch raises questions
Failure to launch- Tesla has delivered 15 Model X vehicles in 3 months
By John Goreham on
Why has Tesla’s Model X rollout been so ridiculously slow?
2015 Nissan LEAF Lease deal
Nissan Unveils 2015 Leaf Lease Deal for Holidays
By Armen Hareyan on
Many owners choose to buy their Nissan LEAF, but many others prefer the lease option and naturally search for better deals on new LEAF. Nissan has already unveiled its holiday 2015 LEAF lease deal the details of which are below.
Renault Zoe
What Do You Do When EV Users Don't Know How To Properly Use Chargers
By Armen Hareyan on
Electric car owners are really frustrated when new EV owners don't understand how to use the public chargers and don't show respect to other users who are behind them. Here is what one Nissan LEAF owner says.
Nissan LEAF
What Is Needed To Create an EV Charging at Multifamily Homes
By Armen Hareyan on
If more people bought Electric Cars, would our grid handle the additional load? These are some of the questions being discussed today on Facebook by Nissan LEAF owners. Here are some of the interesting answers.
A Compilation of 2016 Toyota Prius First Driver Reports
A Compilation of 2016 Toyota Prius First Drive Reports
By John Goreham on
For those with a very limited attention span, here are the highlights of 2016 Toyota Prius drive reports.
2016 Chevy Volt is Green Car of the Year
2016 Chevy Volt is Green Car of the Year
By John Goreham on
Green Car Journal picks a car that is actually green this year for its annual award.
2016 Prius Eco 58 MPG City
2016 Toyota Prius Eco Is a 58 MPG EV Challenger For Cities
By John Goreham on
The all-new Prius will have an extra-green trim.
Zero Emissions tag on the 2016 Nissan LEAF
2016 Nissan LEAF Gets a Price Tag, Free Public Charging Added in Salt Lake City
By Aaron Turpen on
The 2016 Nissan LEAF, with its longer-range battery, enters dealerships shortly and has received U.S. pricing starting at $29,010 before incentives. The No Charge to Charge program has also been extended to include Salt Lake City, Utah.
Electric cars fail to rebound in October
Electric cars fail to rebound in October
By John Goreham on
EVs continue their sales slump even as manufacturers post record sales numbers overall.
Ford Solar Array
This Car Company is leading in one key area
By Douglas Stansfield on
Ford Motor Company of Dearborn, MI has installed a 1.1 million kilowatt hour solar array capable of providing power to over 158 average size homes and saves an estimated 794 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. The key takeaway here isn’t the size of the array alone but rather the equipped employee parking lots that are littered with EVSEs for the employees to power up their cars.
Nissan New Mobility Concept
Nissan and Scoot Networks Partner in San Francisco
By Aaron Turpen on
A Nissan New Mobility Concept is an electric two-seat compact with a 40 mile range and 25 mph speed limit. It's now part of the Scoot network in San Francisco, California as an alternative rental option for urban drivers.
Nissan GT-R EV
A Future Tesla Destroyer
By Douglas Stansfield on
Its not too far a leap to expect an electric performance car out of Nissan Motors using the Nissan GT-R platform. Besides why couldn’t they? The company has suggested that they are seriously considering producing the Nissan GT-R as a fully electric version soon.
Volvo Xc90
This Car Company Won’t be Left Behind in the EV Revolution
By Douglas Stansfield on
While Audi might be kicking and screaming while they drag themselves into the electric car market there is another company that finally woke up and is running to join the pack. VW is still reeling and treading through the quagmire that they created with dieselgate.
Tesla Model S
Today Cars Started Driving Themselves 10-15-15
By Douglas Stansfield on
On Monday, I wrote about the planned downloading event to Tesla S P85 cars equipped with the driving sensors. Today Tesla made good on their word and started sending version 7 software out to the Model S cars that were built from October 2014 on through to today.
Tesla Model X
Get Ready Tesla Model S and Model X drivers, AutoPilot is almost here
By Douglas Stansfield on
Elon Musk tweeted recently that on October 15th, the seventh version of Tesla’s software will be released worldwide. During a short Q&A on Twitter, Musk stated that the Autopilot capabilities will be the same for both the Model X and Model S cars if equipped with the appropriate hardware.
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