Why carmakers say no to battery swapping

There's a strange disconnect surrounding Better Place, the company best known for its plan to extend the range of electric vehicles by relying on speedy battery swaps. Automotive executives are nearly unanimous in dismissing the idea. With the conspicuous exception of Nissan-Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn, rarely does an executive express interest.

Nissan teases all-new 2014 Qashqai crossover

Nissan has revealed a teaser image of the next Qashqai, the all-new second-generation version of its ground-breaking crossover, which is due to go on sale in 2014. The real thing is set to be unveiled on Thursday 7 November 2013, and Nissan is promising the new Qashqai will “redefine the crossover sector and set new standard across the board.” On Bing: see pictures of the Nissan Qashqai Find out how much a used Nissan Qashqai costs on Auto Trader This is no small matter for Nissan – in fact, the firm describes the new Qashqai as the most significant car in its modern history, the original version having defined an entirely new sector of the marketplace. If the Qashqai didn’t strictly invent the crossover concept, it certainly made it popular beyond even Nissan’s wildest dreams, offering buyers an SUV-style image with the running costs and driving dynamics of a conventional family hatchback and the practicality of a people carrier.

Elon Musk talks sense on Tesla Model S Fire

Elon Musk talks sense on Tesla Model S Fire We’ve never pretended we’re fans of the electric car as a replacement for mainstream ICE cars; the technology is just too expensive to be viable. But we do see a good case for electric city cars, electric delivery vehicles that work in a confined area and electric taxis in cities. But you can add to that list luxury cars fitted with an electric powertrain where the cost of the technology can be absorbed more easily by a much higher list price.