Road Test: 2019 Kia Niro EV
Along comes the all-new 2019 Kia Niro EV that should start getting the well-deserved attention as arguably the best in class electric vehicle under $37,000.
News: 2020 BMW 7-Series PHEV Revealed
BMW continues its move forward to electrify its line-up with the official launch of the 2020 7-Series premium sedan that includes an all-new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) drivetrain.
CES News: 2019 Nissan Leaf Plus Goes the Distance
Nissan has released the best Leaf—as in the one with the ability to go the farthest—so far–the 2019 Nissan Leaf Plus.
Tech: Toyota Going Electric with Solid-State Batteries
Solid-state batteries are predicted to have a driving range of 200-to-300 miles, depending on battery size, and take just minutes to recharge.
Road Test: 2016 Nissan Leaf SL
The 2016 Nissan Leaf SV drives and handles as good, or better, than a conventionally powered car and is very, very quiet. This year it goes further.
Elon Musk Explains Electric Car Energy Density
The energy density of your fuel — whether it is electricity or gasoline/diesel — determines how far you can go on a “tank” but is measured on a per kilogram basis. As Elon Musk explained following a fire in one of his Tesla Model S cars, there is less potential “combustion” in a battery pack than in gasoline. But that is why electric cars have a shorter range than gasoline or diesel ones.
Personal: Electric Car Drivers Free of Range Anxiety
The 50,000 electric car owners in the United States are discovering more range from their electric vehicles. Range anxiety is real, but over played due to 2 car households, public charging, business model and battery innovation, and especially due to the convenience of plug-in hybrids.
Toyota Plans 21 New Hybrids and New Electric Cars
By 2015, Toyota will be selling 21 hybrids globally. The Prius family will expand beyond the current four models: Liftback, Compact C, Crossover V, and Plugin. I was once asked, “Why would anyone buy a hybrid when you can’t cost-justify the premium?” I paid about a $4,000 premium to buy my 2002 Prius, and then sold it seven years later for a $3,000 premium. The Prius had saved me over $5,000 in gasoline when gas was cheaper than today.
Tesla Model S Electric Car and Model X SUV
Elon Musk discussed the new Model S Sedan and hinted about the Tesla Model X SUV when he keynoted the Clean-tech Investor Summit. He then gave me an interesting answer about Tesla’s future. Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO and Founder, showed us a video of the Model S test drive. A new generation of lithium batteries is at the heart of the vehicles range of 160 miles with optional packs that provide 230 and 300 miles of range per electric charge.
From PV to EV: Living Zero-emissions
Gene Coan does not worry about the price of gasoline, nor is he concerned with his gas and electric bill. Gene powers his home and car with solar photovoltaics (PV) and also uses solar hot water heating. With his Zenn electric-vehicle (EV) Gene rides on sunlight. Fleets are using solar car ports. VW and Mitsubishi are demonstrating electric vehicles with solar roofs.