Jim Motavalli Blog

The Porsche 918 Spyder: An electrified bat out of hell
Move over Tesla, here comes a plug-in hybrid capable of 211 mph and zero to 125 mph in less than eight seconds. They're talking about 78 mpg, but not when the big V-8 is really roaring.
Cellphone driving deaths: Toll is higher than you think
A new National Safety Council study reveals that cell-related traffic fatalities are significantly under-reported. And guess what? It doesn't really matter if your state has a hands-free law.
Tesla on a roll, selling more electric cars than anyone else
Tesla made its first profit in the first quarter of 2013, and it's selling more plug-in cars than GM or Nissan. The stock is soaring, and Consumer Reports is raving.
Fuel-cell dreams: Powering houses and cars with zero-emission energy
Big hydrogen power plants like the one just installed in Bridgeport, Conn., can complement a fleet of fuel-cell cars.
10 dumbest excuses people give to traffic cops
Did you think saying 'everybody was doing it' would help you avoid a ticket? Or 'I had to go to the bathroom'? People use these well-worn tactics every day, a survey shows.
A review of the Mercedes BlueTEC 33-mpg SUV
German carmakers are on a campaign to get Americans to accept clean diesels, and here's the latest entry -- a fuel-efficient midsized SUV with more than 500 miles of cruising range.
Taxi! New York explores plug-in cabs
Mayor Bloomberg wants an all-green fleet — like San Francisco — but that effort has been stymied by a lawsuit. So the 6 Nissan Leaf taxis introduced on Earth Day are a pilot program, but that might lead to greater things ahead.
With car ownership, the bills are bigger than you think
Don't just think about gas bills when calculating your auto bottom line. Add in maintenance, depreciation, taxes and other factors and it really adds up. The average cost has hit $9,122 a year, or 60.8 cents a mile.
Electric cars too expensive? Try renting the battery pack instead of buying it
European electric car buyers have been getting lease options, and so will Americans who go for the new version of the Smart Electric Drive.
The strange saga of Terry McAuliffe's MyCar
The little electric car was supposed to give the former Democratic Party stalwart and would-be Virginia governor a nice clean business base, but it sure hasn't worked out that way.

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