Become a contributor

Bookmark Econotimes

Mon, Feb 02, 2026 12:31 AM All times are UTC

Follow Series

Electric Vehicle Series

©Econometrics LLC . All Rights Reserved.

An electric car is an automobile that is propelled by one or more electric motors, using electrical energy stored in rechargeable batteries or another energy storage device. Electric motors give electric cars instant torque, creating strong and smooth acceleration. They are also around three times as efficient as cars with an internal combustion engine. The first electric cars were produced in the 1880s. Since 2008, a renaissance in electric vehicle manufacturing has occurred due to advances in batteries and energy management, concerns about increasing oil prices, and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Several national and local governments have established tax credits, subsidies, and other incentives to promote the introduction and adoption in the mass market of new electric vehicles depending on battery size and their all-electric range. Electric cars are significantly quieter than conventional internal combustion engine automobiles. They do not emit tailpipe pollutants, giving a large reduction of local air pollution, and, can give a significant reduction in total greenhouse gas and other emissions (dependent on the method used for electricity generation). As of September 2015, there are over 30 models of highway legal all-electric passenger cars and utility vans available for retail sales, mainly in the United States, China, Japan, Western European countries. By mid-September 2015, about 620,000 light-duty electric vehicles have been sold worldwide out of total global sales of one million plug-in electric cars sold since 2008. The world's top selling highway-capable electric car is the Nissan Leaf, released in December 2010 and sold in 46 countries. Global Leaf sales passed the 200,000 unit milestone in December 2015, and the Tesla Model S, released in June 2012, ranks second with over 107,000 units sold worldwide. In this series, we cover stories covering the development of electric vehicles around the world.

Electric Vehicle Series

Riversimple's hydrogen fuel cell Rasa gives car design a clean slate

Feb 22, 2016 14:13 pm UTC| Technology

The prototype of a car powered by a hydrogen fuel cell was unveiled this month by the Welsh company Riversimple. The company has named its vehicle named Rasa after the Latin phrase tabula rasa, which means: clean...

Electric Vehicle Series

Why you should stay on the grid, even with your solar-powered batteries

Feb 16, 2016 02:34 am UTC| Insights & Views

Anything that can help cut our electricity bill is to be welcomed, and Teslas solar rechargeable batteries, now available in Australia, are just the latest option. Many Australian households have already installed solar...

Electric Vehicle Series

The Supreme Court saves the smart grid, but more battles loom

Jan 29, 2016 16:13 pm UTC| Insights & Views Law

In a surprising 6-2 decision, the Supreme Court upheld a controversial energy conservation rule from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the agency that regulates interstate electricity sales. The rule was...

Electric Vehicle Series

Finland-Based Auto-Outlet Sells Tesla Accepting Bitcoin

Jan 25, 2016 12:45 pm UTC| Digital Currency

While experts continue to debate the status of bitcoin whether it is or not a major sale involving Bitcoin has taken place in Finland. TheAuto-outlet Helsinki Oyin Tampere and Vantaa sold a Tesla with the digital...

Electric Vehicle Series

Elon Musk Sees Fully Autonomous Tesla Vehicles In 2 Years

Dec 24, 2015 05:20 am UTC| Technology

Tesla Motors, the American electric car manufacturer, released its new software version 7.0 in October that enables autopilot feature. The software employs a variety of tools a forward radar, a forward-looking camera, 12...

Electric Vehicle Series

Apple Maintains More Secrecy Than CIA On Electric Car Project

Dec 23, 2015 05:31 am UTC| Technology

Rumors about Apples electric car project, codenamed Titan, are constantly in the media circles. Although the tech company hasnt confirmed anything yet, reports suggest that the project has a shipping date of 2019. The...

Electric Vehicle Series

Finally, interesting uses for the blockchain that go beyond bitcoin

Dec 05, 2015 05:02 am UTC| Insights & Views

Most people who have heard the term think that the blockchain is only something to do with cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, litecoin, doguecoin and others. Its the technology that underpins digital currencies and ensures...

11 12 13 14 15

Economy

India Budget 2026: Modi Government Eyes Reforms Amid Global Uncertainty and Fiscal Pressures

Indias central government is set to present its annual budget on Sunday, a closely watched event as Prime Minister Narendra Modis administration seeks to accelerate domestic reforms while navigating rising global...

China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market

Average prices of new homes across 100 major Chinese cities recorded an increase in January, while price declines in the secondary housing market continued to narrow, according to a private survey. The data suggests early...

South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years

South Koreas exports recorded a strong start to the year, rising for an eighth consecutive month in January and posting their fastest growth in four and a half years, driven largely by booming global demand for AI servers...

Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals

Russian stocks finished Saturdays trading session slightly lower overall, with the benchmark MOEX Russia Index closing unchanged at 0.00% in Moscow. Market sentiment remained cautious as investors weighed mixed...

China Factory Activity Slips in January as Weak Demand Weighs on Growth Outlook

Chinas factory activity contracted at the start of the year, highlighting persistent pressure from weak domestic demand despite continued policy support from Beijing. An official survey released on Saturday showed that...

Politics

Syria Detains Group Over Rocket Attacks on Damascus Military Airport Amid Hezbollah Allegations

Syria announced on Sunday that its security forces have detained a group accused of carrying out a series of rocket attacks targeting the Mezzeh military airport in Damascus, a strategic site near the capital. According to...

U.S. and Israeli Military Leaders Hold Pentagon Talks as Tensions With Iran Escalate

Senior military leaders from the United States and Israel recently held high-level talks at the Pentagon, underscoring growing concerns over rising tensions with Iran and broader Middle East security risks. According to...

Rafah Border Crossing to Reopen for Palestinians as Israel Coordinates with Egypt and EU

Israel has announced that Gazas main border crossing at Rafah will reopen for Palestinians on Monday, marking a significant development after the crossing remained largely closed for nearly two years amid ongoing conflict....

Trump Says Fed Pick Kevin Warsh Could Win Democratic Support in Senate Confirmation

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that his nominee to lead the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh, could secure votes from Senate Democrats during what is expected to be a closely watched and potentially...

Christian Menefee Wins Texas Special Election, Narrowing GOP House Majority

Democrat Christian Menefee has won a Texas special election for the U.S. House of Representatives, according to the Associated Press, a result that further tightens Republicans slim majority in the chamber. Menefees...

Science

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Technology

Elon Musk’s Empire: SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI Merger Talks Spark Investor Debate

Speculation around a potential Musk Inc has resurfaced as Elon Musks companiesSpaceX, Tesla, and xAIexplore closer ties amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence and automation. With SpaceX expected to go public later...

SpaceX Reports $8 Billion Profit as IPO Plans and Starlink Growth Fuel Valuation Buzz

SpaceX delivered a strong financial performance last year, generating an estimated $8 billion in profit on revenues between $15 billion and $16 billion, according to people familiar with the companys results. The figures,...

SpaceX Updates Starlink Privacy Policy to Allow AI Training as xAI Merger Talks and IPO Loom

SpaceX has revised its Starlink privacy policy to allow customer data to be used for artificial intelligence training, a move that could significantly support Elon Musks broader AI ambitions. The policy change comes as...

Nvidia’s $100 Billion OpenAI Investment Faces Internal Doubts, Report Says

Nvidias ambitious plan to invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI, aimed at supporting the training and operation of next-generation artificial intelligence models, has reportedly hit a roadblock. According to a report...

Federal Judge Signals Possible Dismissal of xAI Lawsuit Against OpenAI

A U.S. federal judge has signaled she may dismiss a high-profile lawsuit filed by Elon Musks artificial intelligence startup, xAI, against rival OpenAI, dealing a potential setback to Musk in an escalating legal battle...