BMW has recently confirmed that their first front-wheel-drive crossover, the Active Tourer, will go on sale in the United States in early 2015. When it does enter production, it will likely become the 1-Series GT. According to Ian Robertson, BMW AG’s board member for sales and marketing, was the one to announce the news. The… Continue reading BMW confirms 2015 launch of Active Tourer with plug-in hybrid to follow
Mitsubishi released UK-specific details on the Mitsubishi Oulander PHEV, as well as talked about the release date. Currently, the Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid is available in Japan, and select European countries. The UK is not on that list yet, but Mitsubishi will get the Outlander plug-in in March 2014. The plug-in hybrid SUV will come… Continue reading Confirmed: 2014 launch of Outlander PHEV in UK
General Motors isn’t, and hasn’t in the past anytime, set a sales target for the Cadillac ELR. However, according to Automotive News, IHS Automotive analysts place ELR sales somewhere around 2,200 units in 2014 and closer to 3,000 units in 2015. Gm does insist sales will be higher than those estimates, but still isn’t willing… Continue reading Cadillac ELR saled expected to be around 3000/year
I know, it seems strange to us too! But in a short and to the point article posted by Reuters, BMW says the i8 has sold out for next year. Ian Robertson, global sales chief for BMW, said the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, due to be introduced in mid-2014, has sold out of… Continue reading BMW i8 sold out for next year, and it’s not even on sale yet
After a year hiatus, no 2013 model year was ever sold in North America, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV will return to the US in late Spring 2014! Last we heard from Mitsubishi was back in July, when Sophia Ku, the account executive forMitsubishi US assured us that the i-MiEV was not discontinued in the US and… Continue reading Mitsubishi i-MiEV returns in 2014
It’s official – the Volkswagen e-Golf has made its US debut at the 2013 LA Auto Show. However, Volkswagen didn’t reveal any new details, they just restated all the info we learned in the pre-auto show press release. We were hoping to get some pricing info from Volkswagen! Here’s what we do know. With a… Continue reading 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf makes US debut at LA Auto Show
Volkswagen debuted its CrossBlue plug-in hybrid concept at the LA Auto Show. Although Volkswagen is still calling it a concept, it looks production ready and speculation is that VW will give it the green light in the near future. Volkswagen says the CrossBlue PHEV is targeted directly at US buyers who love SUV-ish crossovers. Here… Continue reading Volkswagen CrossBlue Plug-in hybrid concept debuts in LA
Although VIA’s production launch of extended range pickup trucks and vans will likely be the focus of VIA Motors’ Chairman Bob Lutz later this week at the LA Auto Show, there is already an optional extra catching a lot of attention. The company revealed a solar tonneau cover that they say will add 10 miles… Continue reading VIA Motors unveils solar range-extending tonneau cover
Volkswagen’s CrossBlue Concept plug-in hybrid electric vehicle is getting closer to production. There is no official green light yet, but it’s obvious Volkswagen has made changes to it that make it production ready. When the CrossBlue debuts at the LA Auto Show on November 20, it’s possible production plans could be announced. The revised CrossBlue… Continue reading VW CrossBlue Plug-in Hybrid Concept updated and ready for LA Auto Show
Mini has revealed the completely revamped 2015 Mini Cooper, and Mini has said that a plug-in hybrid version will be coming. The 2015 Mini is the first vehicle to use BMW’s new front-wheel-drive platform that will underpin around 10 BMW and Mini vehicles. It’s believed the plug-in hybrid version of the Mini Cooper will debut… Continue reading 2015 Mini Cooper unveiled, plug-in hybrid version likely
Recently, German publication AutoBild reviewed the Mercedes Benz B Class Electric Drive. Here are some of the specs on the Electric Drive mentioned in the video: Tesla supplies the electric motor, battery pack, and other electric-drive components 0-62 mph in 7.9 seconds Top speed: 99mph 3 braking regen levels appearance nearly identical to conventional B-Class… Continue reading AutoBild reviews Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive
The first deliveries of the BMW i3 have happened a day earlier than BMW promised. Today, at a special ceremony, BMW’s Ian Robertson, a member of the Board of Management at BMW, handed out the keys to the first BMW i3 owners in Munich this afternoon. Today marks a milestone in the history of the… Continue reading BMW delivers first i3 electric vehicles in Germany
Nissan’s second all electric vehicle, the e-NV200 electric van, will go on sale in Japan some time April 2014 (start of fiscal year). In the press release, Nissan also said the e-NV200 “will eventually be sold worldwide.” After the release in Japan, at some point, the e-NV200 will be available in the rest of the… Continue reading Nissan e-NV200 will “eventually” be sold world wide
The Automotive Researchers’ and Journalists’ Conference of Japan has awarded Mitsubishi the RJC Technology of the Year 2014 award. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV’s plug-in hybrid system was the source of the reward. With more orders than Mitsubishi can fulfill, the Outlander PHEV received the award because: The Plug-in Hybrid EV system features a high-capacity drive… Continue reading Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid system wins Tech of the Year 2014 award
Details of the Volkswagen e-Golf have been known for some time, and now Volkswagen has confirmed their release plans for the U.S. market. With a 24.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and a 115 horsepower electric motor, the automaker says the e-Golf will be “fun to drive, just like a Golf.” The e-Golf is Volkswagen’s first… Continue reading 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf to go on sale in late 2014; Debuting at LA Auto Show
During a recent conference call, BMW CFO Frederich Eichiner said “currently there are 8000-9000 pre-orders” for the BMW i3. That is ahead of BMW opening orders for the US, which, according to Jacob Harob, Head of Electric Vehicle Operations at BMW USA, says will happen later this month. “We’ll take orders in November and deliveries… Continue reading BMW i3 wait times extend up to 5 months
Kia’s newly redesigned Soul is the basis for Kia’s first global electric vehicle (following the Ray EV that has been sold in Korea for 3 years). Wider and longer than the first generation Soul, the body is also stiffer and the suspension geometry has been revised. The platform was originally designed to accept battery packs… Continue reading 2015 Kia Soul EV first test drive
The Nissan BladeGlider is a concept blueprint for a small electric sports car based on the principles of the Deltawing race car, and is set to make production in 3 years. A senior executive has confirmed there already a test mule already running, based on a modified Arial Atom. “When I was growing up the… Continue reading Nissan says BladeGlider concept is basis for production vehicle
