Clean Fleet Report was invited to General Motor’s Cruise autonomous-car division’s recent unveiling of the Origin, a self-driving shuttle vehicle. Designed to be a Level 5 driverless autonomous vehicle, it will be the basis of GM Cruise’s ridesharing business.
This week I said goodbye to my Chevrolet Bolt EV, affectionately named, in the style of Pee Wee Herman, “Bolty.” My Kinetic Blue 2017 all-electric hatchback served me well for three years and 26,490 miles, but a lease is a lease and I had to return it by January 8.
Batteries are where the discussion starts—and often ends–whenever the future of electric cars is the subject.
Nio howcased its ES8 model, an all-electric seven-passenger SUV at this fall’s Infineon OktoberTech conference in Mountain View, Calif.
Beyond the incredible fuel economy, 10 grand of miles has reinforced my long-held opinion about the Chevrolet Volt, one established when I first drove a Gen. 1 Volt when they were launched. While not a sports car, the low center of gravity created by the floor-mounted battery pack, coupled with the torque from its twin electric motors, turn the Volt into a sporty hatch.
The next electrification wave will be when passenger EVs take off. This will happen as people understand that with larger batteries and a built-out charging infrastructure, range anxiety isn’t really an issue.
The auto industry could be perfectly suited to carry electric motorcycle technology to the next stage.
We had the special opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at one company’s progress when we sat down with Nathan Kokus, mobility and technology communications manager at Toyota.
However, if cost is the barrier to driving an EV, there’s an easy solution—get a used one! You’ll need to live with less range, as cars that can go 200 mile or more between charges have only been available for the last few years, but if you can live with around 84 to 125 miles, there are several options. I’ve listed six below, in my order of preference. I’ve tested them all, and they are worth owning, especially at $15,000 or less.
Expected to hit dealers this fall, the anticipation is high for the 2020 Ford Explorer as it will come in two gasoline-only engine choices and—for the first time—as a hybrid.