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Electric Vehicle News and Reviews (Page 269)

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.

By Luke Ottaway on July 11, 2014 - 12:10AM
Nikola Tesla was one of the most brilliant people to ever live, yet was largely unappreciated in life and after his death. Tesla CEO Elon Musk will donate $1 million to help make sure the inventor is honored properly with a Tesla museum.
By John Goreham on July 10, 2014 - 1:21PM
Purely electric vehicles are not outselling EVs with gasoline range extenders of some kind. BMW's US sales so far follow the EV trend.
By Luke Ottaway on July 9, 2014 - 10:48PM
In an effort to improve the EV ownership experience and attract new LEAF buyers, Nissan’s “No Charge to Charge” program allows LEAF owners to recharge at almost all public stations for free. One critical charging network is back in the fold, but only partially.
By Luke Ottaway on July 8, 2014 - 11:32PM
Beloved by car enthusiasts everywhere, the Mazda Miata now has a unique accomplishment to add to its trophy case: it beat a Tesla Model S P85 in a drag race. And ‘beat’ might be the understatement of the year.
By Luke Ottaway on July 8, 2014 - 11:23PM
For those who like SUVs and saving money on gas, numerous plug-in options are on the way. The Volvo XC90 T8 promises to be the first and one of the most desirable.
By Luke Ottaway on July 7, 2014 - 11:27PM
The electric vehicle market in China has yet to gain traction, but the prevailing wisdom is that it will catch on big. LG Chem plans to build a large battery factory in China to take advantage of the huge potential market there.
By John Goreham on July 7, 2014 - 8:11PM
Over the past year American green car buyers have started to switch from all-electric to plug-in electric vehicles. Why are the battery electrics losing ground?
By Luke Ottaway on July 7, 2014 - 7:15PM
The California hometown of Tesla Motors has made it even easier for residents to own electric vehicles with new infrastructure requirements for apartments, hotels, and commercial buildings.
By John Goreham on July 7, 2014 - 4:53PM
In a move that was hard to see developing the Ford Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid jumped up to the number two spot for electrified vehicle sales last month. Why aren't the full electrics doing better?
By John Goreham on July 7, 2014 - 11:42AM
Until Lexus launched its new NX 300h AWD hybrid crossover thoughts of a Toyota Tacoma Hybrid pickup were unrealistic. Now that Toyota family AWD hybrids the same weight as the Tacoma have arrived, the fantasy is becoming more fun to consider.
By John Goreham on July 7, 2014 - 5:22AM
This weekend at least three people were killed in a Toyota Corolla when a driver in a Tesla Model S rear-ended them. Could a safety feature found on most cars in the Tesla’s price range, but not on Teslas, have prevented the tragedy?
By Aaron Turpen on July 6, 2014 - 1:26AM
In analyzing the Gigafactory plans, it's clear the CEO Elon Musk has no plans to improve the batteries themselves. So the big "breakthrough" in battery tech that EV enthusiasts always claim is coming anytime now? Well..
By Luke Ottaway on July 5, 2014 - 12:42AM
Tesla has had problems with Model S battery fires before. Very early on July 4 another Tesla caught fire after a collision resulting in an aftermath that must be seen to be believed.
By Luke Ottaway on July 1, 2014 - 11:36PM
Nissan’s all-electric pioneer has been on a tear of late. Coming off a record-setting May, the LEAF didn’t disappoint in June.
By Luke Ottaway on June 30, 2014 - 10:04PM
The electrification movement has largely ignored the segment that arguably needs it the most: pickup trucks. With one notable exception, we still won’t be seeing electric pickups on the road for some time.
By Luke Ottaway on June 30, 2014 - 2:51PM
The Formula E electric racing series coming this September will feature at least one female driver: 33-year old Katherine Legge of England.
By Luke Ottaway on June 30, 2014 - 10:00AM
A big unknown when it comes to resale value of electric vehicles is battery degradation and the cost of replacing the battery pack. Nissan has addressed this concern with aggressive pricing of Nissan LEAF replacement batteries.
By Denis Flierl on June 30, 2014 - 7:51AM
The all-electric Mitsubishi MiEV Evolution III dominates with a first and second place in the Electric Modified Division at Pikes Peak. Are we looking at 2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution successor technology?
By Denis Flierl on June 29, 2014 - 8:11AM
The Mitsubishi MiEV Evolution III is set to take on the Pikes Peak Hill Climb today. Why does Mitsubishi do it?
By Luke Ottaway on June 28, 2014 - 10:03AM
Continuing the highly publicized saga of Tesla’s state-by-state attempts to sell its electric vehicles direct to consumers, Pennsylvania has voted to compromise.
By Luke Ottaway on June 27, 2014 - 1:06AM
The German automaker continues its push into the electrified vehicle sector with the upcoming release of the Passat plug-in hybrid. The preliminary specs are fairly predictable – the key will be price, which remains unknown.
By John Goreham on June 26, 2014 - 4:03PM
The Toyota Fuel Cell Vehicle has arrived. Should it be its own line or should Toyota leverage its most powerful name to make it work?
By John Goreham on June 26, 2014 - 12:25PM
The all new BMW i3 electric sedan is now well into its second month of US sales. Some trouble spots have appeared, but overall owners are continuing to be excited about their new driving machines.
By Luke Ottaway on June 25, 2014 - 11:53PM
Proponents of battery swapping once touted it as the ideal replacement for gas stations. A year ago Tesla put on a flashy demonstration of battery swap capability, and has scarcely mentioned it since. Here’s why.
By John Goreham on June 25, 2014 - 10:40AM
Toyota's FCV design is now finished. The vehicle has a familiar look to our eye.
By Luke Ottaway on June 24, 2014 - 11:59PM
Since the dawn of the modern electric vehicle era in late 2010, over 220,000 EVs have been sold in the United States. That means a big milestone lies just around the corner.
By Denis Flierl on June 24, 2014 - 7:59AM
The new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV will compete in the grueling Asia Cross Country Rally 2014. Mitsubishi isn’t done Rally racing yet.
By Luke Ottaway on June 23, 2014 - 11:16PM
A prominent Morgan Stanley analyst has called Tesla Motors “arguably the most important car company in the world.” We agree based on the impact Tesla has on the auto industry right now but also its influence on the future.
By Luke Ottaway on June 23, 2014 - 6:31PM
The Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive is being offered with an optional $600 package that extends range by 17 miles. It is an option that makes a whole lot of sense if used wisely.
By Luke Ottaway on June 20, 2014 - 10:16AM
Could it be? The maker of some of the loudest, most hallowed cruiser motorcycles in the world has succumbed to the allure of electric mobility?