2017 Chevy Volt named Northwest Green Vehicle of the Year

On July 19, members of the Northwest Automotive Press Association got together in Portland, Oregon, to drive 14 fuel-efficient and high-tech vehicles and compare them head to head. The overall winner was the 2017 Chevy Volt, which uses electricity plus a small gasoline generator engine and carries a price tag around $40,000. (No, Tesla did not send a vehicle to be tested.)

The second-generation Volt has 53 miles of all-electric range, with 420 miles of total driving range. A few journalists I talked to liked the Regen on Demand lever on the back side of the steering wheel, where you might otherwise expect a paddle shifter. It allows the driver to use regenerative braking when she wants to restore battery power. Regen braking takes some getting used to, and even then it can take some finesse to use well as both a way to stop the car and a way to get back some energy. The paddle makes that easy, and mileage freaks will become obsessed with it.

In the plug-in EV category, the 2016 VW e-Golf took the award for being fun to drive and less than $30,000. Some EVs were built to stand alone and stand out, like the Nissan Leaf (a favorite of mine in this category). VW chose to use its Golf hatchback as a platform for several variants, including the all-electric version, so if you like any other VW Golf, you’ll probably feel comfortable driving the e-Golf, which has an EPA-rated range of 83 miles. This car is likely to become very important for VW in the wake of the diesel settlement that was just approved.

The best hybrid award went to the 2017 Honda Accord Hybrid, which has an innovative drivetrain. It’s got an electric motor that drives the front wheels at low speeds for short distances. It has a second electric motor that is powered by the 2-liter gasoline engine to recharge the batteries that drive the first motor, which drives the car. And when you get onto the highway, a clutch engages to connect the gasoline engine and the first electric motor to drive the wheels at sustained high speed. This clever if complicated system returns 48 mpg for $37,000.

Saving the best (in some ways) for last, the 2017 Acura NSX took the prize for best green luxury vehicle, but let’s be honest. That hybrid system is not there to save the planet from a fiery climate-change-induced death. The two electric motors that power the front wheels are there for the power boost—and maybe to save a little fuel. Maybe. The twin-turbo V6 in the rear actually creates a ton of heat, despite all the venting, so you cannot bring your delicate chocolate sculptures home in the NSX’s tiny trunk. So calling the NSX a green car is pushing the definition of “green,” though the $200,000 price tag certainly points to luxury. But holy hell is this a fun, fast, and kind of insane car to drive.

Faraday Future to test autonomous cars in Michigan

Autonomous startup Faraday Future wants to begin testing its prototype car in Michigan, in addition to testing its vehicles in California and another undisclosed city.

The application was confirmed by the director of Michigan’s Department of Transportation, Kirk Steudle, who told Detroit News that the San Francisco-based firm asked for guidance on how to apply for plates in January, and has since applied for three plates.

A representative from Faraday Future did not confirm if the tests were for autonomous cars.

“The plates will be used to help test various FF-vehicle prototypes and features,” said Faraday in a statement. “We cannot comment on the specifics of those tests at this time.”

Manufacturer plates are required to test cars, both autonomous and regular, in Michigan. Automakers can use plates from other states, though most obtain plates directly from the transportation department.

Faraday Future debuted at CES this January

Faraday Future made its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) earlier this year, revealing a futuristic autonomous, electric car that shared design similarities with the Batmobile. Sadly, the concept car appears to be just that — a concept — and one that Faraday is not planning to introduce to the market anytime soon.

The company has been ramping up its workforce since, with 700 employees and in April purchased a $1 billion, 3 million square foot facility in Las Vegas to begin manufacturing. It is rumored to be looking at a second facility in Vallejo, a city in California.

All of this is paid for by LeEco founder Jia Yueting, who owns significant stock in Faraday Future. Yueting’s company is also working on its own autonomous, electric car, which he unveiled at a conference last month.

Faraday Future appears to be speeding ahead, but questions surround the secretive company, including the company’s finances, roadmap, and the name of its anonymous CEO.

BMW to launch iNext autonomous car in 2021

BMW has confirmed plans to launch an electric, autonomous car by 2021, named the iNext. Chief executive Harald Krueger revealed the plans during the company’s celebration of 100 years in business.

“We are further expanding the BMW i line-up,” said Krueger. “In just a few weeks, we will offer an i3 with 50 per cent more battery capacity. In 2018, we will launch a BMW i8 Roadster. This will be followed in 2021 by the BMW iNext, our new innovation driver, with autonomous driving, digital connectivity, intelligent lightweight design, a totally new interior and the next generation of electro-mobility.”

Krueger didn’t give any details on the design or performance of the BMW iNext, we suspect a most of the autonomous car is still being worked on.

It is an interesting development however, since only a few automotive manufacturers have confirmed plans to launch autonomous cars. BMW has been one of the quicker car companies to embrace self-driving, with plans to install automatic parking on most cars by 2018.

An interesting part of the comment from Krueger is “the next generation of electro-mobility”, which suggests redefining of “automotive” from the company.

BMW and others considering “Cars-as-a-Service”?

We’ve heard that automotive companies are looking into offering several autonomous cars on a flat rate, so you could use a sporty car to get to work and then an SUV to take the family somewhere special on the weekends.

The cars would wait in a garage for your call and customers would pay monthly for the package. BMW has not mentioned that scenario in the announcement of the iNext, but it is a possibility.

While BMW is one of the first to announce plans to launch an autonomous car, it is not alone in the race. Tesla is starting to implement self-driving systems on highways already, General Motors recently acquired an autonomous car startup for $1 billion, Audi, Ford, Toyota,Mitsubishi, PSA Group, and Fiat Chrysler are working on their own systems or in partnership with Google.