
Jim Motavalli is a contributor to the
New York Times, Car Talk on National Public Radio, Mother Nature Network and PlugInCars.com. His most recent book is
High Voltage: The Fast Track to Plug in the Auto Industry.
More from Jim Motavalli
by jim motavalli
The big electric car launches of 2011 failed to generate the consumer excitement that some had predicted. But as new battery technologies emerge and tougher mileage standards kick in, automakers and analysts still believe that electric vehicles have a bright future.
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by jim motavalli
For years, the promise and hype surrounding electric cars failed to materialize. But as this year’s Detroit auto show demonstrated, major car companies and well-funded startups — fueled by federal clean-energy funding and rapid improvement in lithium-ion batteries — are now producing electric vehicles that will soon be in showrooms.
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by jim motavalli
Even as they debut the next generation of hybrids and battery-powered cars, auto company executives are not confident that the American public will buy them.
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by jim motavalli
The potential for electric vehicles has been talked about for decades. But a former Israeli software entrepreneur is developing a game-changing infrastructure that could finally make them feasible — a standardized network of charging stations where drivers can plug right in.
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by jim motavalli
Any federal assistance package for U.S. automakers must require that they finally commit to retooling their industry to produce cleaner, more fuel-efficient cars.
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