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Showing posts from May, 2016

Consumer Reports isn't giving all-electric cars and climate change a lot of attention

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Honda will be the next automaker to market an all-electric car as Toyota continues to sit on the sidelines. -- HACKENSACK, N.J. By VICTOR E. SASSON EDITOR Consumer Reports seems to have a blind spot for all-electric cars. The magazine's annual Auto Issue, just out, picks the 10 best new cars for 2017, but all of them use gasoline. For a full report, see: Consumer Reports smells (of gasoline)
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Driving a bland second-gen Chevy Volt, cramped Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe

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The International Motor Press Association's annual cruise-and-schmooze shatters the silence of Bear Mountain State Park with performance cars such as this 485-horsepower Dodge Challenger with a Hemi V-8 engine and Shaker Hood. By VICTOR E. SASSON EDITOR The first-generation Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid bombed, selling only 100,000 units in five model years. On Thursday, I drove a second-generation Volt with a longer electric range than the original, and thought this is the car to buy while you're saving up for the ultimate EV, Tesla's Model S, or the upcoming Model 3. A Volt and a 2016 Toyota Prius were the only green cars available at the Spring Break event at Bear Mountain State Park in Harriman, N.Y. Writers, publicists and other members of the International Motor Press Association got to drive about 70 new models over the winding roads of the park under the watchful eyes of police, who have been known to issue $450 speeding tickets.  One of the most disappointing cars I dr
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Tesla appeals to the next EV generation with battery powered Model S for Kids

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Radio Flyer, the company that makes the Little Red Wagon, and Tesla are offering a battery powered Model S for kids. By VICTOR E. SASSON EDITOR Tesla Motors is pinning its future on a smaller, more affordable EV -- the Model 3. Now, with hundreds of thousands of Model 3 orders in hand, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is trying to persuade the younger set to adopt their parents' EV lifestyle. Tesla is collaborating with Radio Flyer on a Model S for Kids that allows them to choose the paint color, performance and accessories, and to personalize their EVs. The Model S for Kids starts at $499, and is intended for ages 3-8 (maximum weight of 81 pounds). The kids' Model S has a top speed of 6 mph, and the lithium-ion battery can be recharged in 3 hours. (It plugs in just like the big Model S.) The Model S for Kids has a Frunk (trunk in front) like the real Model S. Working headlights. Sound system. Mini-test drive track The children of Tesla owners are invited to experience Radio Flyer's eco
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Revisions to the Tesla Model S include full LED headlamps, medical-grade air filter

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Tesla's Model S with a revised front bumper and grille on display at Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey's biggest mall. My 2015 Tesla Model S with the original grille, which is reminiscent of a 1950s Ferrari. By VICTOR E. SASSON EDITOR Changes to the front of Tesla's all-electric Model S are more than cosmetic. Tesla's Web site says Model S now features full LED adaptive headlamps and a medical-grade HEPA air-filtration system. "Fourteen three-position dynamic turning lights improve visibility at night, especially on winding roads." The HEPA air-filtration system "removes [from cabin air] at least 99.97% of particulate exhaust pollution and effectively all allergens, bacteria and other contaminants." Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said 53,000 people die every year from auto emissions. "The bioweapon defense mode creates positive pressure inside the cabin to protect occupants," according to Tesla Motors. And Model S now comes stand
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