For the past few years, Tesla Motors has sold its electric cars directly to customers through stores that resemble high-end retail outlets more than traditional car dealerships. Now, those stores are getting what is likely their first major revamp since the retail scheme was launched with the 2012 arrival of the Model S electric sedan. MORE

So perhaps it's not surprising that Tesla recently opened a huge new store in the Golden State that will serve as the flagship for its entire retail network. Located in San Francisco, the store is the largest one Tesla has opened in. California is not just the home state of Tesla Motors, it's also the biggest single U.S. market for electric cars. MORE

If we had to pick one word to describe Tesla Motors, "audacious" would be at the top of the list. Not only did founder Elon Musk decide to build a car company, which in itself is pretty gutsy. He chose to create a car company that builds nothing but electric cars -- pricey, high-end electric cars that hold their own against some of the best luxury MORE

Tesla has opened its four store and third service centre in the UK, this time arriving in Birmingham. The new Birmingham store joins an existing portfolio of London-centric stores which are already open; one near Gatwick, one in the Westfield Shopping Centre and one in West Drayton. MORE

Lexus operates with the firm belief that hybrids are better than battery-electric cars, but there''s at least one thing about electric-car maker Tesla Motors it wants to emulate. Even as Toyota''s luxury division has lashed out at electric cars in recent ads, its executives are intrigued by Tesla''s direct-sales model. ALSO SEE: Lexus CT 200h Hybrid MORE

Not so long ago, gas stations and convenience stores seemed to be mutually exclusive businesses—you went to one, or you went to the other. Today, many convenience chains only open new locations that also sell gasoline. Many drivers don't know that gas stations work on the smallest of profit margins. DON'T MISS: Would you recharge your Tesla. New York plug-in cars charging infrastructure Fast Charging gas station Tesla Supercharger MORE

Tesla Motors is facing a formidable opponent it may not have sufficiently appreciated: the auto dealers of America, and their state associations. Tesla, you may remember, is selling its electric cars online, not through franchised, independently owned dealers, and delivering them directly to buyers from the factory. In doing so, Tesla Motors MORE

Now, one reporter tested the thesis for himself, by visiting both his local Tesla store--to inquire about the Model S electric luxury sedan--and his local Chevrolet dealer, to ask about the Volt range-extended electric car. It''s long been known that getting some car dealerships to sell plug-in electric cars can be a challenge. MORE

by Rakesh Upadhyay for Oilprice.com. The next OPEC meeting on the 2nd of June will act as little more than a forum for continued altercations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The 2 June 2016 OPEC meeting will be held amid a backdrop of oil prices near $50 per barrel, a sharp drop in Nigerian production due to sabotage, turmoil in Venezuela, Saudi Arabia operating with a new oil minister, and Iran aggressively pumping close to pre-sanction levels. MORE

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) elects to maintain emissions standards in their current form through 2025, and Virginia approves Tesla's request for a second retail store. Virginia approves Tesla's request for a second retail store. Today, we tally plug-in electric car sales for November 2016, the U.S. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Today in Car News MORE

Just as the new year began, Tesla was dealt a fresh setback in its campaign to make its electric cars directly available to customers throughout the U.S. Tesla's license to sell cars through its Missouri showrooms expired Saturday, following a circuit-court judge's decision that prevented renewal. In an August court case, Cole County Circuit Court. Politics dealers Tesla Motors New car sales plug-in cars dealerships Missouri state laws MORE

Now a new Target store, sited in a conventional suburban mall in Fremont, California, offers an example of how to minimize that problem. Electric-car drivers know the problem all too well. It's called "getting ICEd"--when a gasoline car parks in the spot for reserved for electric cars to use a public charging station. There are six stations in MORE

Tesla's five New York state stores could increase four-fold should a new piece of legislation pass the state legislature. The bill calls for an increase "certificates of registration for entities that manufacture or assemble zero-emissions vehicles." In turn, it would "authorize 20 certificates with at least five to be located in certain upstate. New York Politics dealers Tesla Motors plug-in cars dealerships Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) state laws MORE

So-called popup stores are an increasingly common way for retail brands to get media attention and attract new customers, without the expense of building and staffing a full-time location. sales dealers California Tesla Motors Dealership plug-in cars Online StoresNow California carmaker Tesla Motors is extending the concept to bring its luxury Model S electric car to likely audiences in affluent summer resorts. Tesla's. MORE

We''ve got lots of electric-car news today, including one reporter''s experience shopping at a Tesla Store and Chevrolet Volt dealers, an update on state electric-car incentives, and the five most ignorant media myths about plug-ins. See how the customer experience at a Tesla Store compared to that of a. MORE

Massachusetts'' highest court ruled this week that the state dealer association does not have standing to sue Tesla for operating one of its company-owned stores there. In the state-by-state war between Tesla Motors and car-dealer associations, the electric-car maker has now added another victory to its tally. The ruling by the state Supreme MORE

The US electronics retailer is set to open its first UK store tomorrow in Thurrock, Essex ahead of the launch of further stores in locations including Southampton, the West Midlands and Liverpool. Tags: Electric cars Best Buy electronics motorbike scooters store Electronics superstore group, Best Buy, is set to open the first superstore to retail electric cars, scooters, bicycles, and motorcycles. MORE

It read, in its entirety, "Minnesota auto dealers tried to pass legislation to block Tesla stores. Like a lot of news from Tesla, this came in the form of a tweet by CEO Elon Musk on Friday morning. MORE

Green Dealership Japan Online Stores dealers plug-in cars sales The direct online sales model used by Tesla Motors has ignited a vigorous discussion--to say the least--over the state laws that protect franchised dealers in the U.S. Now the participants in that conversation have a new data point to consider in their debates a piece of electric-car news from Japan. DON''T MISS: Plug-In Electric Car Sales In Mar. MORE

Instead of franchised dealerships, it relies on company-owned stores, usually placed in shopping malls. Tesla is now taking that concept even further in a new partnership with the Nordstrom department-store chain. From the beginning, Tesla has taken a different approach to selling cars than other automakers. DON'T MISS: Tesla wants to sell. sales Tesla Motors plug-in cars state laws Car Sales Retail MORE

Carmakers sometimes make gestures to demonstrate their appreciation of loyal customers, but it's rare for that scenario to be reversed. The Tesla Model S recently earned even more praise from Consumer Reports, scoring 103 out of 100 on the magazine's rating scale. So a group of Midwestern owners decided to throw a party for the employees at their. ownership Tesla Motors plug-in cars MORE

Furniture and homewares giant IKEA has joined a grown list of retail firms announcing plans to install electric car charging points at their stores across the nation. Just this week we reported about Walgreens announcing plans for 800 charging points, and before that we saw Cracker Barrel and Best Buy do the same. Like the rest, IKEA is partnering MORE

Last Thursday evening, Tesla opened another retail location in its push to expand electric-car sales outside the U.S. This one was in London''s Westfield Mall, built along the lines of high-end U.S. malls west of the Notting Hill neighborhood. According to our man on the scene, the lighting was challenging, the acoustics were terrible, and only MORE

So it looks like the Kandi Machine will soon be followed by the Kandi Store. Kandi Technologies Group operates a car-sharing service in China that dispenses electric cars from vending machines. But now it plans to move into retail sales. Amid booming electric-car sales in China, Kandi will reportedly move beyond simply renting its small electric. China neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) plug-in cars New Energy Vehicle MORE

Tesla Motors will open more than 30 new service centers and stores across the continent, the company announced at the Geneva Motor Show. Tesla will also continue rapidly expanding its Supercharger network, allowing Model S drivers to travel long distances across Europe for free. The retail, service, and Supercharger expansions come as Tesla dials up its commitment to Europe, which continues to be a priority market for the company. MORE

Cracker Barrel did it at all its Tennessee stores, and Best Buy is doing it at stores all around the country. Now pharmaceuticals giant Walgreens is getting in on the action as well. If you hadn’t guessed, we’re talking about installing electric car charging stations, a trend that's getting more common among big businesses across the MORE

Over the past several months, Tesla has battled dealers and their lobbyists in the state over plans to open a second company-owned store. Tesla Motors recently had another setback in its fight with Virginia's franchised car dealers over direct sales of its luxury electric cars. Now, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is recommending against. dealers Tesla Motors New car sales plug-in cars dealerships state laws Virginia MORE

Now, weeks ahead of the BMW-sponsored 2012 London Olympic games, BMW’s London Park Lane store will become If you’ve ever visited central London in England and visited its famous Hyde Park, the chances are you’ve also seen one of BMW’s most prestigious showrooms, located along the highly-expensive and exclusive Park Lane. MORE

Hundreds of owners and fans alike turned up for the opening of a new Tesla Store in Palo Alto, California, this past Saturday. They weren''t all there just to see the store, though. Many focused on the store''s centerpiece--the latest prototype of the Tesla Model X crossover, the next car in Tesla Motors'' product plans. Reaction, says the San Jose MORE

Baseload energy is generated (coal, gas, nuclear) at a steady state and stored when not used, supplemented by flexible energy devices (hydro, solar, wind) for shoulder peak demand and stored energy for priority peak demand. Other countries are not faced with this Federal dilemma; as such the United States is lagging behind the rest of the world in developing a flexible grid structure, only having the capability today of storing 2.2% Perspective by The Townsend Company. MORE

One of the leading department stores in the USA – Kohl’s (logo, pictured) – is to extend its plug-in vehicle charging station initiative. The store will offer 36 new stations across 18 new locations before the end of the year – including an expansion across the states of Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin for the first [.]. MORE

Tesla operated its direct-sale retail stores in New Jersey until almost exactly a year ago, when the Christie administration quietly enacted a rule change that essentially mandated that all new cars be sold through. A new bill signed by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will once again allow Tesla Motors to sell its electric cars in the state. MORE

Eager buyers have already put down deposits to reserve a Tesla Model 3 in those time zones where Tesla Stores are already open today, including both Sydney and Melbourne in Australia. Meanwhile, lines of Tesla fans and future Model 3 owners are waiting patiently in queues outside dozens of Tesla locations in later time zones. While Tesla Motors. Future Cars Tesla Motors plug-in cars Tesla Model 3 MORE

War makes strange bedfellows. Over the past decade, the Koch Brothers have become a major political force, funneling money from their family company into organizations that support conservative politicians and causes--including the denial of climate change. DON''T MISS: Tesla Vs Franchised Car Dealers In Texas, Arizona: Battles Continue So Charles MORE

A pair of bills in the New York State Legislature, backed by New York state auto dealers, would make it illegal to license or renew licenses for Tesla stores within the state. Well, this is a new tactic we haven''t seen before in the fight between franchised auto dealers and Tesla Motors, the Silicon Valley electric-car startup. MORE

Tesla is perhaps best known for its electric cars, but the company has another prominent business as well. Its Tesla Energy division markets stationary lithium-ion battery packs for energy storage. Energy-storage systems can increase the utility of home solar arrays, meaning Tesla Energy will likely become more important now that Tesla is set to. plug-in cars renewable energy energy storage Solar City Tesla Powerwall MORE

Today, a possible all-electric version of Hyundai's "Prius fighter" dedicated hybrid model, spy shots of the 2016 Toyota Prius, and updates to Tesla's retail stores. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Our spy photographer captured the 2016 Toyota Prius uncloaked ahead of its September 8 reveal in Las Vegas. Catch up last week's news with our. Today in Car News MORE

Electric-car maker Tesla Motors has rapidly been opening Supercharger DC fast-charging stations throughout the U.S. and outside the country. But despite its goal of providing solar-generated electricity at those sites, Superchargers thus far have drawn on electricity from the conventional power grid. That''s about to change. DON''T MISS: Tesla To MORE

ALSO SEE: Tesla Stores Changing Dealer Relationship, Says Ex-Apple Exec At Ford Another battle in Tesla Motors'' nationwide war with car dealers seems imminent. The latest state to oppose Tesla''s direct-sales model is New Jersey, which the company says is on the verge of passing rules that would push its direct-sales model out of the Garden State. MORE

Researchers from MIT and Harvard University have developed a material that can absorb the sun’s heat and store that energy in chemical form, ready to be released again on demand. In effect, they behave as rechargeable thermal batteries: taking in energy from the sun, storing it indefinitely, and then releasing it on demand. MORE

Which government agency jolted Washington with a surprise decision that will have a huge impact on future cars? What did Consumer Reports have to say about the Tesla Model X electric SUV? This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending on Friday, December 2, 2016. Friday, we covered. The Week In Reverse MORE

Tesla has opened its second store in the UK, as the carmaker expands its presence in the country to support sales of the newly launched Model S electric car. The new store located in West London includes a design studio, seven-bay service area and a purpose-built two-bay delivery centre. MORE

Tesla''s unusual sales model--which eschews traditional franchised dealerships for direct-sale retail stores--could change the way people buy cars, a former strategic planning leader for Apple said at a Ford panel on global trends last week. The Tesla Stores are company owned and Apparently, you can learn a lot about Tesla Motors at a Ford seminar. MORE