All the News, Reviews, Guides and Reports on Electric Cars

Many electric car shoppers worry that buying an EV might mean replacing an expensive battery after a few years of use. Those worries are unfounded for a number of reasons. First, electric car batteries are manufactured to last the lifetime of the vehicle—with very few reported incidents of total battery failure. The more common (but still rare) occurrence is a significant reduction in range over time. Regardless, the key to putting your mind at ease is a better understanding of the warranties that come with all electric cars and plug-in hybrids.

China said today that it would soon make it easier for foreign automakers to fully own auto factories in the country. China has long required major carmakers to partner with a Chinese firm before building a factory. The rules will be relaxed as soon as late 2018 for makers of electric vehicles—while companies producing conventional vehicles would continue to face ownership restrictions for about five years.

Every couple years, the notion that increased use of electric cars will bring down the U.S. electric grid is revisited. The alarmist stories are ironic because utility companies want to see a steep rise in EVs—because cars that use electricity for fuel represent a new revenue source, as well as a means to shift demand for electricity to hours when the grid is underutilized.

In the jittery days when the first mainstream electric vehicles were introduced, circa 2011, there was intense public and media scrutiny about the safety and reliability of battery-powered vehicles. EV advocates were concerned about the potential long-term consequences of overblown headlines following a minor isolated incident. Now, with about 800,000 electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids on U.S. roads and few defects reported, the technology is proven.

Hyundai this week unveiled its upcoming long-range all-electric crossover at the New York International Auto Show. Since last fall it was known that the battery-powered version of its Kona small SUV would go on sale in late 2018. However, the Korean automaker in New York confirmed that it will carry a 64 kilowatt-hour battery pack capable of traveling about 250 miles on a single charge.

The automotive blogosphere is buzzing this week about Autocar's quote from Mamoru Aoki, Nissan's Europe-based design chief. "We have the new LEAF, but I think the production version of the IMx concept will become a breakthrough model," said Aoki. "The IMx is not just a concept car. In a few years, it will appear." Yet, details were scarce.

For most electric car drivers, it’s only a matter of time before this idea pops up: Why don’t I install solar panels so I can run my car on sunshine? Our research suggests that approximately one in three EV owners have solar panels that can generate electricity at home. Here are helpful guidelines.

For the past eight years, North American car shoppers have enjoyed generous incentives for purchasing an electric car. Depending on your location, the combination of federal tax credits and local rebates could add up to $10,000 or more. However, the sand is shifting—with lawmakers imposing tighter restrictions on which buyers, vehicles, and automakers qualify for the perks. The shift represents a new phase of EV buying, in which incentives can no longer be guaranteed.

It’s been about eight years since the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency redesigned vehicle window stickers to help consumers understand the efficiency of plug-in electric vehicles. At that time, we discussed the potential confusion over dumbing down window stickers with fuel-economy terms that don’t carry over to EVs. Nearly 800,000 plug-in sales later, not much has changed.

As the first two so-called affordable long-range electric vehicles, it’s logical to think that the Chevrolet Bolt and Tesla Model 3 are battling for the same customers. But there are key distinctions that belie the notion of the two cars being in a sales race. For starters—as Forbes made clear this week—the Model 3 is a “sporty, somewhat pricey sedan,” while the Bolt is a “more practical crossover-like hatchback.”