In a podcast over the weekend, Tesla CEO Elon Musk released a few more details about the Tesla Pickup. A report shows higher-mpg taxis have had a beneficial effect on New York City air quality. US PIRG gives states failing grades on how they're spending diesel-scandal funds. And our Twitter poll asks how many EV drivers have used extension cords to plug in. All this and more on Green Car Reports.
Musk says the new Tesla Pickup "won't look like a normal truck," and will have more truck-like capability than standard half-ton trucks. He also revealed pricing to start at less than $50,000.
In 2009, New York City set new gas-mileage standards for its more than 13,000 taxicabs that heavily favored hybrids in an effort to clean up the city's air quality. A new study by health researchers at local Columbia University (among others) shows the effort was successful—mostly.
Advocacy organization U.S. PIRG studied state funds that use money from the Volkswagen diesel settlement to replace older diesel vehicles and finds that if they're not going all-electric they're failing—despite relatively few electric models that can serve their needs being on the market yet. It seems to us an example of the perfect ambition squashing the good outcome.
In a British study, 75 percent of respondents admit to using an extension cord—sometimes several—to plug in their electric cars. Our latest Twitter poll asks, Have you?
The Volkswagen ID R electric race car took on the world speed record for electric cars at Germany's famous Nürburgring racetrack on Monday, and obliterated it.
Finally, Jaguar Land Rover is developing a steering wheel that rapidly heats or cools to let drivers know when to turn, based on navigation directions.
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