Jalopnik: Electric

You Are Not Alone. America Hates Electric Cars [Updated]

Joel Johnson — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST

Electric cars are terrible. They just are. They're a solution for a problem we don't have. Or rather, they're a solution for a problem we aren't about to change: our sprawling, big-ass cities filled with things we can't afford to buy yet must haul around. (Like kids.) More »

Fuel efficiency never looked so good

Wes Siler — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST

"Horsepower is old news. Big MPGs are what it's all about," reads the promotional blurb for the Pump Rebels 2012 Calendar. More »

Are electric cars safe?

Wes Siler — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:00:00 EST

After a Chevy Volt caught fire in a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) junkyard three weeks after it was crash tested, the agency's now investigating the safety of Lithium-Ion batteries in all electric cars. Is an environmentally-safe vehicle safe for your family? In a word, yes. More »

The Ford Focus Electric will cost almost $40,000

Justin Berkowitz — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:30:00 EDT

GreenCarReports points out that Ford has posted pricing information for its new all-electric Focus, and the $39,995 price tag isn't just bad — it's ludicrous. The similarly all-electric Nissan Leaf stickers at $36,050, while the Chevy Volt — which you can actually, you know, drive between cities — runs $39,995. All three vehicles are eligible for a $7500 credit. More »

Audi E-Tron Spyder: First Drive

Wes Siler — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:30:00 EDT

Sure, Audi's E-Tron is the sexiest electric car concept ever, but is it worth its weight in electrons as a true driver's weapon? We headed to the twisties of Southern California to find out if Audi's getting it right. More »

This is what setting a land speed record on the world's fastest electric bike looks like

Andrew Tarantola — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:30:00 EDT

Good. Lord. 218MPH is fast, like super fast, like suck-the-teeth-out-the-back-of-your-head super fast. And that's world-record setting speed the Lightning Motorcycle SuperBike just pulled off at the Bonneville Salt Flats last week. Why should you care? Because you can now own one. More »

Confirmed: BMW i3 to be RWD, mid-"engine"

Damon LaVrinc — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:28:00 EDT

As if the spy video we featured previously wasn't enough proof, today we've confirmed that the smallest BMW i family offering, the i3, will be coming to market in 2013 with a rear-wheel-drive powertrain, and the electric motor powering those wheels will be mounted amidships. More »

BYD takes a year to sell 450 electric, hybrid cars.

Justin Hyde — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST

BYD, the Chinese automaker with a much-hyped investment from Warren Buffett, sold just 33 e6 all-electric cars and 417 F6DM plug-in hybrids last year. Maybe the revolution is a five-year plan. (Thanks goatrope!) More »

First live shots of the Nissan ESFLOW charge out

Justin Hyde — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 15:30:00 EST

Before it takes to a turntable in Geneva, the electric-powered Nissan ESFLOW has to get some glamour shots done, several of which were spread across the Internet today, including the first interior pics. Still. Want. More here. More »

Nissan cross-breeds sports car with electric car for new concept

Justin Hyde — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 09:45:00 EST

It'll be harder to make fun of electric cars if Nissan actually build the ESFLOW concept — a two-seat, rear-wheel-drive EV. It's the car you'd get if a 370Z ravished a Leaf — and God, do we want it. More »

Inside The Mission R

Wes Siler — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:15:00 EST

Ever seen inside an electric superbike? Here's a rare glimpse inside the Mission R. [HellForLeather] More »

Tesla Offers Inside Look At Model S Sedan

Justin Hyde — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 08:30:00 EST

The fine folks over at Wired.com's Autopia took a tour of Tesla recently, including a close-up of the chassis of the Model S sedan. Now Tesla's posted three videos featuring the chief engineer touting the benefits of Tesla's ingenuity. More »

Honda Plans Electric Fit For 2012

Justin Hyde — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 17:20:00 EST

Honda showed off a new Fit that only travels 100 miles, tops out at 90 mph and will likely be slower than the current version when it goes on sale in 2012. Also, it's electric powered, so there's that. More »

Neil Young's LincVolt Damaged In Fire Started By... LincVolt?

Justin Hyde — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST

Rocker Neil Young has spent years converting a 1959 Lincoln Continental into a turbine-charged electric hybrid, even releasing a green-car song album. Last week, a fire at his California warehouse severely damaged the LincVolt. The apparent cause? The LincVolt's charger. More »

Yes, Electric Car Owners Can Be Assholes Too

Chuck Squatriglia, Wired Autopia — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 20:30:00 EDT

Wired's Chuck Squatriglia has been writing about life with the i-MiEV, Mitsubishi's pill-shaped electric car. Here he finds that the snubs from other electric vehicle drivers cut deepest. — Ed. More »

Vince Vaughn's "Electric Cars Are Gay" Line Cut From Unfunny Trailer

Justin Hyde — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 14:00:00 EDT

Producers of The Dilemma cut Vince Vaughn's line "Electric cars are gay" from its trailer last week after an outcry that Jalopnik pal Brett Berk explains today. It's not EV-unfriendly: Elon Musk galpal Talulah Riley also stars. [Vanity Fair] More »

GM Hedges On Chevy Volt's All-Electric Range: Now 25 To 50 Miles

Justin Hyde — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:30:00 EDT

General Motors has tweaked the Chevrolet Volt's calling card of a 40-mile range on electric power alone, now saying the Volt could do up to 50 miles or as few as 25. Still no range anxiety, right? [GM-Volt.com] More »

Toyota Revives The Electric Car With New RAV4 EV

Justin Hyde — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:15:00 EDT

Toyota will revive the electric car they once killed with a Tesla-powered electric RAV4-EV at November's LA Auto Show, about the time that pesky Chevrolet Volt hits the market. Lay bets now on which will be recalled first. [Toyota] More »

New Fuel Economy Window Stickers Chock Full 'O Numbers

Justin Hyde — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EDT

One of the draft window stickers released today will give buyers of 2012 models efficiency data for gas and electric vehicles. U.S. regulators want you to decide: How do you like letter grades? UPDATE: Automakers give it a "F." More »

Blind People: The New Enemy Of Environmentalists

Sam Smith — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 16:30:00 EDT

Anti-noise activists have come out in opposition against adding sounds to vehicles with electric powertrains. Blind people, who often cannot hear such cars, have a problem with it. Fun. Or, you know, not. [NYT] More »

Chinese Turn Sebring Into Attractive Electric Car

Wes Siler — Fri, 07 May 2010 10:45:00 EDT

I wonder if there's an equivalent saying in Mandarin for "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." In this case, the lemon is the Chrysler Sebring and the lemonade is this surprisingly attractive Chinese electric car. More »

Chevy Volt MPV5 Electric Concept: A Five-Seat Orlan-Volt

Ben Wojdyla — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EDT

With GM dumping ever-more cash into the Chevy Volt's hybrid system, you knew it'd seep into other products. Like this — the Chevy Volt MPV5 Electric Concept. It's a shrunken Orlando with Volt styling. In short, it's a Volt-U-Van. Eeew. More »

BMW Megacity: All-Electric Bimmer Coming 2013

Wes Siler — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EDT

BMW will launch a radically lightweight mass-production electric car in 2013. The BMW Megacity will be sold under a new sub-brand and based on technology being tested by the Mini E. [Autocar] More »

Raceabout: Finland’s First Electric Sports Car

Wes Siler — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 09:30:00 EDT

Equipped with four in-wheel electric motors, the Electric Raceabout can hit 60 MPH in less than five seconds. And with suspension borrowed from the Audi R8, it should probably handle pretty well. More »

Electric Mini Cooper Laps Nurburgring, Slowly

Wes Siler — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 17:15:00 EDT

Electric cars can be fast, but the Mini E isn't. Its 09:51.45 was fast enough to qualify on the second row of a grand prix...in 1939. More »

One Small Step For A Fiat, One Giant Leap For Electric Cars

Wes Siler — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:30:00 EDT

Ignore all the lying hybrid supercars: The Atomik 500 shows how electric power can be both clean and fun. As a bonus, it's faster than the Fiat 500 it's based on and is capable of... space travel? More »

Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid Concept: Lots Of Trouble, Usually... Shocking?

Sam Smith — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST

Yeah, OK, so it's a horrible joke. And yeah, we kind of already used something like it for the first crash of the new Lotus F1 car. And yeah, the 414E is pretty cool. Just call us slaves to tradition. More »

Top Gear's "Car To Save The World" Independently Reviewed

Wes Siler — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

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Last night, frustrated that plug-in hybrids like the Chevy Volt are developing too slowly, Top Gear revealed its very own range-extender hybrid. Now, Autocar has conducted an independent road test to discover what we know already: it's crappy. More »

Aptera Founders Not Ousted, Just On Vacation

Wes Siler — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:45:11 EST

Wired got it wrong, the Aptera founders weren't ousted, they're just on vacation. [PopularMechanics] More »

Brammo Enertia Electric Motorcycle Reduces Price To $7,995

Wes Siler — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:30:00 EST

Making the Tesla Roadster look even more ridiculous, the Oregon-made Brammo Enertia electric motorcycle just dropped its price from $11,995 to $7,995. How? They plan to sell 10,000 of them a year, that's how. More »

Chrysler Kills ENVI Electric Car Program, Shocks No One

Wes Siler — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:40:00 EST

Remember the fake electric car program Chrysler showed off earlier this year in a transparent attempt to get bailout money? Fiat just canceled the entire ENVI program. So predictable. Frankly, we're more shocked Chrysler still exists. More »

BMW C1-E Electrifies Car/Scooter Hybrid

Wes Siler — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST

Genius idea: combine the mobility of a scooter with the safety of a car. But the original BMW C1 failed. Can an electric motor and a host of active safety technologies make the BMW C1-E succeed? More »

Crazy Electric Renault Concept Has Crazy Square Tires

Wes Siler — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:45:00 EDT

In preparation for expanding their model lineup with a range of electric vehicles in 2011, Renault is showing four electric car concepts at Frankfurt. Two could be production-intent and the smallest has square wheels. Yeah, that one won't make it. More »

2011 Reva NXG: Like A Smart Car, But Electric

Wes Siler — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:30:00 EDT

The fully-electric 2011 Reva NXG tops out at 80 MPH, can travel 125 miles between charges and seats two beneath a removable targa top. Does that make it smarter than a Smart car? More »

Homemade Tilting Electric Car Built For $500

Wes Siler — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:40:00 EDT

The homemade Balanced-Over-Batteries car works like a skateboard tilting its chassis when it steers. The electric car's batteries are slung underneath the cockpit as counterweights and the whole thing leans 45 degrees. Oh, and it was built for only $500. More »

Electric Mercedes SLS AMG Gullwing Does 0-to-60 MPH In 4 Seconds

Wes Siler — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:30:00 EDT

Last Friday, we told you about the Mercedes SLS AMG Gullwing eDrive, an in-development electric supercar with 525 HP and 649 Lb-Ft of torque. Now, Mercedes is talking official details. More »

REPORT: Mercedes Preparing 532 HP Electric SLS Gullwing

Wes Siler — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EDT

According to Autocar, development of the Mercedes SLS Gullwing eDrive is well underway. The magazine claims to have seen internal documents describing four electric motors making a combined 532 HP and 649 Lb-Ft of torque. More »

Protoscar Lampo, First Drive: $1.4 Million, Solar-Powered Electric Roadster

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:30:00 EDT

Handing over a $1.4 million electric car to a blog is interesting, especially when the company operates a "you break it, you buy it" policy. Can the 268 HP Protoscar Lampo live up to its promise of electrifying performance? More »

GreenGT Electric LeMans: Design And Eco-Mobility Madness

The Auto Insider — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:30:00 EDT

The GreenGT LeMans Prototype is the future of racing from the extra-crunchy Swiss-based green racing company, GreenGT. Mix one part Chevy Volt, one part Speed Racer Mach 1 and a dash of kickassery. Do want. More »

GM-Segway PUMA: First Ride

Wes Siler — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:45:00 EDT

We just took a spin inside the GM-Segway PUMA on 18th Street in Manhattan. It's not what we expected, in fact, we think we kind of like it. More »