Ford is in the process of applying hybrid technology to a vehicle type that seems like a natural fit for it: police cars. It’s about time. Ford claims to have the industry’s first pursuit-related hybrid police car with the Responder that wi…
Author: Bengt Halvorson
2019 Hyundai Nexo hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle pricing: puzzling economics
Pricing for hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, like the upcoming 2019 Hyundai Nexo, hasn’t meant all that much up until now. That’s because both of the other fuel-cell vehicles currently offered—and most of them offered to date—have b…
2019 Audi e-tron first drive: Redrawing the electric-vehicle boundaries
Road-tripping along in the 2019 Audi e-tron, your passenger might not even know (or care) that you’re in an all-electric utility vehicle—rather than just an extraordinarily quiet gasoline one. And as the driver, you might even forget. It ge…
Toyota Prius AWD-e: Going light on the rear motor helps it hit 50 mpg
The all-wheel drive version of the Toyota Prius introduced last week at the LA Auto Show earns an astoundingly good EPA fuel economy rating of 50 mpg combined—nearly as good as the 52 mpg earned by much of the Prius lineup (LE, XLE and Limited). …
Lithium-ion vs. nickel-metal hydride: Toyota still likes both for its hybrids
Toyota continues to stay the course with nickel-metal hydride battery cells for many of its hybrid vehicles, even though most other hybrid vehicles from other brands have moved on to using lithium-ion cells exclusively. According to Prius chief enginee…
VW’s new U.S. CEO: The tipping point on EVs is already here
Some executives at major automakers continue to insist that electric cars remain years away from becoming a mainstream reality—and that it’s harder to sell them than traditional vehicles with gas tanks and tailpipes. Volkswagen of America&r…
Here’s why Kia Soul EV and Kia Niro EV both get big 64-kwh battery packs
One key specification in the 2020 Kia Soul EV that was revealed at the LA Auto Show this week was a bit unexpected: its inclusion of a large, 64-kwh battery pack. That leaves two vehicles—the Soul EV and the 2019 Kia Niro EV—with the same b…
2019 Kia Niro EV rated at 239 miles, on sale soon
At the LA Auto Show, Kia has provided some long-awaited U.S. market details for the Niro EV. Among the most important ones: With a large 64-kwh battery pack, it will offer an EPA-rated range of 239 miles. The Niro, which Kia describes as a “multi…
2020 Kia Soul EV has more punch, faster charging, and a lot more battery
At the LA Auto Show, Kia revealed a completely new generation of its Soul—including, once again, an all-electric Kia Soul EV that makes overtures to urbanites who need box-on-wheels utility, affordability, parking ease, and some design flair but …
Audi e-tron GT electric sports car is its take on Porsche Taycan
The four-door e-Tron GT concept that Audi introduced Wednesday at the 2018 LA Auto Show is “very, very, very, very, very close to production.” Those are the words of Audi design boss Marc Lichte, not ours. The design study will earn the dis…