Renault’s new all-electric city crossover went on sale in China earlier this month. Starting at just over $8,700 (after government subsidies), the baby EV offers quick at-home charging and a small footprint at the expense of speed and overall range. Th…
Author: Byron Hurd
Daimler fined $960M in Germany over diesel trickery
Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler has been fined 870 million euros ($960 million) for “negligent violation of supervisory duties” in the wake of its diesel emissions scandal, following similar actions against Volkswagen, whose “Dieselgate” fiasco se…
Trump administration says California air is dirty, threatens to withhold highway funds
The ongoing saga of President Trump vs. the Golden State took yet another bizarre turn late Monday when the administration threatened to withhold highway funding from California, claiming the state has failed to demonstrate what steps it is taking to i…
Report: “All-electric future” a short circuit in UAW-GM strike
The electrification of General Motors may be a sticking point in the company’s negotiations with the UAW, a report suggested, as GM’s union employees kicked off a second week on strike over the two parties’ inability to agree on new contract terms. An …
2020 Toyota Prius: Up to 56 MPG, now with CarPlay and Alexa for all grades
Toyota announced a handful of changes for its bread-and-butter hybrid Thursday, including iPhone integration via Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa-enabled smart features for the first time. In addition to these connected features, the 2020 Prius gets a ne…
2020 Volvo XC40 PHEV arrives in the UK, still no concrete US plans
Volvo’s plug-in hybrid variant of its XC40 compact crossover is hitting showrooms in the UK, offering a glimpse of what we can likely expect within the next model year. The XC40 PHEV is based on its T5 trim, which is the range-topper for the small Volv…
Volkswagen ID wall chargers revealed for Europe; US plans yet to come
As a companion to the launch of its new ID 3 electric car, Volkswagen is offering a series of at-home AC charging stations. In three flavors, the new ID Charger series ranges in three levels from basic charging to a high-precision, connected suite. All…
Tesla Model S laps Laguna Seca, Musk promises “Plaid” edition
Tesla announced Wednesday that its Model S “Plaid” development car lapped WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca near Monterey, California, in 1 minute, 36.55 seconds this week. That set a track record for four-door sedans and proved that its flagship model c…
Are states overtaxing EV drivers to make up for lost gas taxes?
Some states are assessing additional fees on electric vehicle owners that end up being in excess of what the average car owner pays in gas taxes, consumer advocates said Wednesday. Consumer Reports found that 26 states (up from 17 a little more than a …
EPA chief softens stance on fuel-economy rollback
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief Andrew Wheeler is sending signals that the Trump administration’s plans to roll back Obama-era fuel-efficiency standards may not go forward as originally outlined. According to Wheeler, “key aspects” of …
