A little slice of India will soon be moving into Michigan, with the announcement that Mahindra will produce an electric two-wheeler at a factory in Ann Arbor. India''s Mahindra Group is investing in a 37,000 square-foot facility to produce the GenZe electric scooter. A small step-through scooter with a large storage box above the rear wheel, GenZe MORE

Tesla Motors continues to fight for the ability to sell its electric cars directly to customers in Michigan, home of the rest of the U.S. Politics dealers Michigan Tesla Motors plug-in cars dealerships state lawsauto industry. The Silicon Vallery automaker has been banned from doing so for about two years, thanks to subtle changes made to the state's franchise laws to prevent direct sales. Having failed to overturn the. MORE

A test deployment of a new hub-and-shuttle urban mobility system will take place on the University of Michigan’s North Campus. million grant from the Michigan Institute for Data Science. MORE

Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant is starting production of the 2012 Focus Electric ( earlier post )—a five-passenger, battery-electric car Ford expects will achieve more than a 100 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) fuel economy rating. Ford will also be introducing the C-MAX Hybrid and the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid—also to be built at Michigan Assembly— for sale in the second half of next year. Ford transformed Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich., MORE

The University of Michigan is collaborating with IBM to develop and deliver “ data-centric ” supercomputing systems designed to increase the pace of scientific discovery in fields as diverse as aircraft and rocket engine design, cardiovascular disease treatment, materials physics, climate modeling and cosmology. MORE

Building electric cars and plug-in hybrids is great, but what if there''s no place to charge them? Ford is starting a project that will not only give employees a place to charge, but also reduce its corporate carbon emissions. The carmaker announced it is teaming with Detroit utility DTE Energy to build a solar canopy over hundreds of parking MORE

The University of Michigan (U-M) will collaborate with Chinese institutions to advance research, development and deployment of new transportation technologies and cutting-edge innovations. Jack Hu, U-M vice president for research, signed a research agreement with DiDi Chuxing, China’s largest rider-hailing company, to develop scholarships and innovations related to the share economy. U-M is the first university in the US to partner with DiDi. MORE

And just to make things interesting, this time the debate is happening in Michigan. Elected officials in yet another state have proposed levying taxes on electric cars. Similar initiatives have been discussed in states both red and blue, including Arizona, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. Why tax hybrids and electric cars? Because they MORE

Tesla Motors and its supporters have rallied numerous times against attacks on the electric-car maker''s company-owned stores, but a Michigan bill banning its online direct-sales model has made it into law--almost. HB 5606 was passed early this month by the state legislature, with late language added that prevents Tesla from selling cars directly MORE

Plug-In Hybrids Michigan plug-in cars range anxiety charging infrastructureElectric-car charging infrastructure in the United States is getting better, but still has a very long way to go. While anyone that's given even a passing glance to plug-in vehicles would likely tell you the same thing, I experienced the impact of a charging-free society first-hand while driving a Ford Fusion Energi. The plug-in hybrid Fusion. MORE

a team of students from the University of Michigan beat 23. Michigan Students solarOther than charging a battery-electric car using electricity harvested by photovoltaic panels, solar power isn't exactly practical for current production cars. But every year, dozens of solar-powered race cars compete in events around the world held for college students. In the U.S., MORE

Today, Tesla continues its campaign to overturn a direct-sales ban in Michigan, supplier Bosch claims it had nothing to do with Volkswagen's diesel-emissions cheating, and the number of "Hyperloop" test tracks grows. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Learn about Ford plug-in hybrids, a Chevy Volt winter test, and more in our Week in Reverse. Today in Car News MORE

A new $1-million relationship between Michigan State University and ExxonMobil will expand research designed to progress the fundamental science required to advance algae-based fuels. We are looking forward to working with Michigan State University on this project. MORE

A123 Systems LLC, a developer and manufacturer of advanced lithium-ion batteries and systems, plans to spend $40 million to build a new headquarters complex in Novi, Michigan. The new 150,000 square foot campus will replace A123’s leased space in Livonia and Romulus, Michigan. This will impact approximately 200 manufacturing jobs at the company’s current locations in Livonia and Romulus, Michigan. MORE

According to the Detroit News, it will partner with the University of Michigan by helping to fund a laboratory where car makers can test prototype battery cells for future To launch its Chevrolet Volt range-extended electric car, General Motors chose to build and expand its very own battery lab. Crosstown rival Ford is taking a different route. MORE

Tesla still isn't allowed to sell its electric cars in Michigan, owing to a ban on direct sales signed two years ago. sales dealers Michigan Tesla Motors plug-in cars dealerships state lawsAll carmakers in the state must sell new cars solely through franchised dealers, something Tesla has fought against with no success so far. Yet while this ban continues, the state's Treasury Department is investing in Tesla Motors. MORE

All sorts of vehicles have been pressed into service to carry Popes, from simple Fiats to giant Mercedes-Benz luxury landaulets. Francis, the current Pope, has a preference for small, simple, environmentally friendly cars—and largely does without the bulletproof glass enclosures found in some previous "Popemobiles." His latest vehicle is. plug-in cars Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) Popemobile Pope Francis Opel Ampera-e MORE

The electric-car maker lost a round in Michigan last fall, but now a government agency has weighed in on Michigan's revision to its franchise law. Politics sales dealers Michigan Tesla Motors New car sales plug-in cars dealerships state lawsTesla Motors has had varied success in its efforts to fight state laws making its direct online-sales model illegal. MORE

Tesla Motors has, once again, been blocked from selling its electric cars directly to customers in Michigan. Over the past couple of years, Tesla has been engaged in a battle with Michigan's franchised car dealers who—like dealers in several other states—view Tesla's direct-sales model as a threat. dealers Michigan Tesla Motors New car sales plug-in cars dealerships MORE

Green Michigan Politics Tesla Motors dealers plug-in cars sales state lawsTesla Motors' direct sales business model has met considerable opposition from auto-dealer associations in several states. Lobbying efforts have ensured that there are some states where it's illegal for the company to sell you a Tesla Model S electric car. Yet while Tesla has its detractors, often found among lobbyists for auto dealers, it also. MORE

But plans for such a network in Michigan recently hit a roadblock. Michigan electric utilities plug-in cars charging charging infrastructure ChargePoint NetworkIn multiple states, electric utilities are beginning to establish networks of electric-car charging stations. Last week, local utility Consumers Energy withdrew its request to install public electric-car charging stations at an estimated cost of $15 million. DON'T MISS: California. MORE

Tesla is currently banned from selling its electric cars directly to customers in Michigan. Last year, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed a bill requiring all new vehicles in the state to be sold exclusively through franchised third-party dealers. Politics sales dealers Michigan Tesla Motors state lawsBut the Silicon Valley startup automaker is continuing efforts to win over legislators, and the. MORE

Sale Details Similarly, Michigan in winter probably isn''t the best place to Not every car is ideally suited to every environment. A Mazda MX-5 Miata likely won''t get very far on a muddy off-road trail, and a gigantic Cadillac Escalade ESV isn''t much fun to drive in dense city traffic. DON''T MISS: 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf: Drive Report, First U.S. MORE

Seven years ago, dozens of professional stunt drivers in identical Ford Tauruses drove for hours through a ghostly and abandoned suburban California subdivision of one-story stucco homes, curving roads, and cul-de-sacs. On the roads with them were 11 self-driving vehicles, from a battered 11-year-old Subaru wagon to a gigantic Oshkosh off-road MORE

In Michigan, Tesla is banned by law from selling cars directly to buyers, and from opening Tesla Store retail locations. Politics sales dealers Michigan Tesla Motors plug-in cars dealerships state lawsElectric-car maker Tesla Motors is the fourth-largest U.S. car maker, but its home in California's Silicon Valley is far from the heartland Detroit base of GM, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler. MORE

Frontt Capital Management Ltd, a Shenzhen-based investment firm focused on developing the intelligent vehicle industry in China, is making a $27-million investment to advance autonomous, connected vehicles and robotic technologies with the University of Michigan, along with industry and government partners. The relationship with Frontt grew out of Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s effort to strengthen trade relations between Michigan and China. MORE

Never let it be said that AutoNation CEO Mike Jackson doesn''t speak his mind. His latest stunner came last week, when he deemed auto-dealer efforts to ban all direct sales by Tesla Motors state by state "unnecessary protectionism." In doing so, Jackson broke ranks with the vast array of auto-dealer organizations and lobbyists who have spent five MORE

Because the gasoline car has been in continual production and development for over 100 years, automakers can use past experience to estimate how long cars -- and their engines -- will last. But because the development of the modern electric car is still in its infancy, automakers are still struggling to predict how long an electric car battery MORE

Which new electric car did Woz end up getting after he praised the 238-mile Chevy Bolt EV? How much more will VW's diesel emission scandal cost it as of this week? This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending on Friday, December 23, 2016. Friday, we noted that Tesla electric cars. The Week In Reverse MORE

As it seeks to expand its electric-car production, Tesla Motors may also be attempting to bring more of that process in-house. Carmakers are backed by a complex chain of suppliers, and a recent move by Tesla will give it oversight over another link in that chain. This week, Tesla confirmed that it has acquired Riviera Tool, a tool-and-die. Manufacturing parts suppliers Production Tesla Motors plug-in cars gigafactory MORE

You don't see a lot of Teslas in Michigan. dealers Michigan Tesla Motors Dealership plug-in cars state lawsIt's not because the three U.S. automakers headquartered there aren't interested in the electric cars produced by a Silicon Valley company founded just 12 years ago. It's because state laws bar the company from selling its cars online to state residents—and Tesla has no interest in using old-style. MORE

That appears to be particularly the case in Michigan, home to the three largest U.S. CHECK OUT: Michigan Gov Snyder Signs 'Corrupt Politics At Its. Michigan plug-in cars Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) state laws charging infrastructure Charging stationsAs Kermit the Frog sang, sometimes it's not easy being green. automakers. The Great Lakes State is a global hub of automotive technology, the bulk of it centered around internal-combustion engines. MORE

Michigan Autonomous cars plug-in cars self-driving cars Faraday FutureChinese-backed carmaker Faraday Future is still likely a few years away from releasing its first electric car, but the company is quickly expanding its operations and footprint. Faraday broke ground on a factory in North Las Vegas, Nevada, earlier this year, and is reportedly looking into a second factory site in Vallejo, California. At the same. MORE

Last October, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed a bill prohibiting carmakers from selling vehicles directly to customers in the state. The legislation came after fierce campaigning by Michigan's franchised auto. Green Michigan Politics Tesla Motors dealers dealerships plug-in cars sales state lawsTesla Motors can't sell its electric cars in the home state of the Detroit Three automakers, but it's long wanted to change that. MORE

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder signed a package of legislation putting autonomous vehicles onto Michigan’s roads. The core is Senate Bill 995 , which allows operation of autonomous vehicles on Michigan roads where before only testing of these vehicles by manufacturers was permitted. All safety requirements that pertain to the testing of autonomous vehicles will apply to autonomous vehicle operation. MORE

As expected, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder yesterday signed a bill that bans Tesla Motors from selling its electric cars directly to buyers online in the state. MORE

Today, we have another Bolt EV road trip, scratch our heads at Michigan, look at electric-car lease pricing, and consider a type of hybrid we may never see in North America. All this and more on Green Car Reports. You still can't buy a Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car in much of the Midwest, so one owner drove his new Bolt halfway across the country MORE

FCSM will operate within GM’s existing battery pack manufacturing facility site in Brownstown, Michigan, south of Detroit. MORE

Earlier this month, an application for a dealer license submitted by Tesla Motors was denied by the state of Michigan. sales dealers Michigan Tesla Motors plug-in cars dealerships state lawsIt was the final decision in a process that kicked off in October 2014. That was when a last-minute wording change in state franchise law foreclosed the electric-car maker's ability to sell cars directly to buyers, its business. MORE

Today, Michigan socks hybrid owners with new fees, Volkswagen teases a new electric concept car ahead of the 2017 Detroit Auto Show, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration delays an increase in penalties for automakers that fall short of fuel-economy standards. MORE

The state of Michigan, to help pay for road repairs, decided more than a year ago to hit owners of hybrids and electric cars with additional fees starting this January 1—on top of higher registration rates for all cars. Michigan taxes Gas Tax registration state laws MORE

Tesla Motors is not legally allowed to sell its electric cars directly to customers in Michigan, thanks to subtle changes made two years ago to the state's franchise laws. dealers Michigan Tesla Motors plug-in cars dealershipsBut Tesla now has one store in the home state of the Detroit Three automakers. However, that location is only a "gallery" where consumers can look at cars, but can't buy. CHECK. MORE

The University of Michigan is entering two separate agreements with Chinese institutions targeting automated and connected vehicles. Second, a $2.5-million research agreement with the Chongqing Sokon Industry Group establishes the University of Michigan-Sokon Research Center in the U-M Department of Mechanical Engineering. Sokon is also establishing an independent tech center in the state of Michigan. MORE