Cars Powered by Cheap, Safe Batteries Likely Years Away
Used in everything from laptops to electric cars, lithium-ion batteries nonetheless have an image problem following several high-profile incidents involving smoke and fire.
electric car
Wall Street Watch Wednesday: Electric Cars Take Another Blow
Despite today's high gas prices, it's been one piece of bad news after another lately from electric car makers. Last week it was Smith Electric Vehicles calling off its IPO. On Tuesday it was Tesla Motors lowering its near-term outlook.
BMW, Toyota Forge Closer New Alliance in Challenge to Rivals
German luxury carmaker BMW and Japan's Toyota agreed to extend their cooperation to a bigger strategic alliance on Friday in a challenge to global rivals as competition intensifies.
3 Reasons Why You're Not Buying an Electric Car
The electric car has arrived, but odds are that there isn't one in your driveway. Several factors have gotten in the way of the eco-friendly automotive revolution, but at least now we can ask conspiracy theorists -- who argue that oil companies and the government are blocking plug-in cars from the road -- to leave the room and take their tinfoil hats with them. The electric car is here; drivers simply don't want them yet.
How the Chevy Volt Became a Political Punching Bag
GM CEO Dan Akerson is charged up about the politically manufactured controversy surrounding the Chevy Volt. "We did not engineer the car to become a political punching bag," he said. Tough words -- but rescuing the Volt's reputation will be a tough fight.
Corvette Autumn: Will the Next New Vette Be the Last?
Last week, the auto paparazzi brought us pictures of the prototype 2013 Corvette, which will apparently reprise the classic Vette formula. But in an era of high gas prices and tightening environmental regulations, how much longer can GM's horsepower party last?
Will You Buy an Electric Car? Tesla Hopes So
Upstart automaker Tesla Motors confirmed this week that its groundbreaking Model S, an all-electric luxury-sports sedan, was on track to enter production by this summer. It already has pre-orders for more than 8,000. Is the moment coming soon when electric cars go mainstream?
How to Go Farther on Less Fuel
Two weeks ago, DailyFinance asked our readers for their advice on how to save money at the pump. In the more than 1,500 responses that followed, we found a lot of creative solutions. Today, we look at maintenance and new-vehicle options that will help you spend less per mile.
Tesla's Annual Loss Triples as It Prepares to Launch the Model S
Tesla Motors, which went public with much fanfare last June, nearly tripled its losses for 2010 as it invested heavily to engineer and get ready for producing the Model S, its second offering and the first that targets a broader consumer market.
Can Obama's Proposed $7,500 Rebate Accelerate Electric-Car Sales?
In the State of the Union address in January, President Barack Obama set a goal of getting 1 million electric cars on the road by 2015. Now he's proposed $7,500 rebates, instead of tax credits, to reach that goal. Will that be enough to make it doable?
Zipcar Offers Rides in Plug-In Prius -- and Feedback for Toyota
Zipcar members in San Francisco, Portland and Boston can try out Toyota's Prius plug-in hybrid, providing valuable info to Toyota before rolling the cars out to consumers in 2012. And Zipcar gets another way to make its greenhouse-gas- conscious customers happy.
GM Makes a Deal for Cheaper, Longer-Lasting Batteries
The automaker has licensed technology from the Energy Department's Argonne National Laboratory that will boost the performance of lithium-ion battery cells for its electric Chevy Volt. The next-generation power packs will be made at a new plant in Michigan by Korea's LG Chem.
Fuel Efficiency Is Top Priority for Car Buyers Worldwide
Fuel efficiency remains the top concern among new car buyers around the world, which is likely to boost demand for hybrid and electric vehicles, according to a report from KPMG. But the survey of senior auto-industry executives worldwide also showed that many have serious concerns about such vehicles' affordability.
Rare Earths, Mother Earth and a U.S. Industry's Revival
China's plans to cut exports of rare earth minerals -- used in alternative energy technologies -- has the rest of the world scrambling. In the U.S., the country's first new rare-earth mine in more than a decade is set to reopen.
Aloha Hydrogen: GM Joins a Fueling Station Project in Hawaii
GM is taking a big step toward making hydrogen-fueled cars and trucks a reality for consumers by partnering with a dozen companies to build more than two dozen fueling stations in Hawaii. The state is aiming to reduce oil to 70% of its needed energy supply.
GM Will Soon Go Public, but Should You Invest?
General Motors is about to go public again and management is flying around on private jets for the road show. Flashiness aside, success may depend on how the Volt is received.
General Electric to Buy 25,000 Electric Cars Over Next Five Years
General Electric plans to purchase 25,000 battery-powered vehicles during the next five years for its own use and to lease to commercial customers.
Panasonic Recharges Tesla Motors with $30 Million
Panasonic is recharging electric-car company Tesla Motors with $30 million. The electronics manufacturer, which provides batteries for Tesla's cars, will now own 2% of its customer. The deal also puts Tesla back in the battery business.
Church: A Place to Recharge Your ... Car?
Fueling up your car at a church seems like a novel idea. But the emergence of an electric car market has resulted in a charging station at the Wooden Cross Lutheran church some 25 miles northeast of Seattle.
China Spending $15 Billion on Electric Car Project
Mindful of the ecological toll that gasoline and diesel engines exact on the environment, the Chinese government is pressing forward with plans to build 1 million electric vehicles a year by 2020. China's government plans to spend 100 billion yuan ($15 billion) in the next 10 years to subsidize the effort, which includes building plants and infrastructure to accommodate green vehicles.
GM Says Employees Can Buy IPO Shares
General Motors is giving some 600,000 employees, retirees and dealers the chance to purchase stock in the resurgent company as the auto giant moves forward with its initial public offering, slated for next month.
General Motors Defends Volt All-Electric Vehicle Claim
General Motors is firing back at the automotive press after critics' assertions that the much-anticipated Chevrolet Volt isn't a true electric car -- rather merely another hybrid, and not particularly fuel-thrifty.
GE Puts Its Power Behind Electric Car Charging Company
General Electric, which is eager for a big slice of the emerging electric car market, is teaming up with a Silicon Valley startup, Better Place, to promote their charging station and battery-swapping businesses. GE gets homes for its newly introduced charging equipment, and Better Place gets a partner with buff financial muscles.
New Fuel Economy Labels Proposed for Electric Cars
For everyone who wants to know how fuel efficient electric and hybrid cars really compare to gas-powered vehicles, the EPA has released two fuel-economy label proposals that would translate electricity usage into an equivalent in miles per gallon.
