In the biggest win for the Obama administration’s plan to fund alternative fuel technologies, Tesla Motors today paid off the final $451.8 million in their government loan – nine years ahead of schedule.  What does this mean for the future of government funding and the EV industry in the future?

“I would like to thank the Department of Energy and the members of Congress and their staffs that worked hard to create the ATVM program, and particularly the American taxpayer from whom these funds originate,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk. “I hope we did you proud.” More...

Tesla Motors has set out to prove that their Model S is not just a great electric car, but a great car, period, since it hit the market. They’ve taken the next step with today’s announcement that a new handling setup with summer tires, called the Performance Package Plus, will be available for $6,500.

Tesla says the package will bring “supercar handling” to the Model S, which is a frightening thought for any other sub-$100,000 luxury sedan on the market. The Model S has already proven itself to have impressive acceleration and is obviously loaded with tech. Plus, nearly a year after its release there haven’t been any major issues with its futuristic powertrain. Will a new handling package elevate the Model S even further in the minds of luxury buyers? More...

In conjunction with the recent unveiling of its plug-in Panamera S E-Hybrid at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show, Porsche will also implement their own international electric charger. Most plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles are made for specific markets, due to differing electrical voltages and output types.  Porsche assures that the Panamera Hybrid will be drivable on all continents, without any country-specific modifications.

The main reason for the Panamera’s adaptability is the Porsche Universal Charger (AC), a standard feature on all Panamera Hybrids. The innovative, portable AC charger “produces the connection between the vehicle’s charging interface and many different types of electrical outlets which supply the car with AC electricity at home or on the road.” More...

The little car company that could, Tesla Motors Inc., is now the domestic leader in electric car sales. The Model S recently surpassed sales of the Chevrolet Volt, a vehicle that led regional sales of rechargeable cars in 2012. This news is an undeniable blow to General Motors, though representatives for the Detroit based automaker remain optimistic.

"Any success for a company in this space is helpful for all other makers of plug-in vehicles," said Jim Cain, a General Motors spokesman. "The single most important thing we can do for plug-ins, to encourage sales, is to have them on the road." More...

The competition between electric vehicles and gas vehicles is a classic tortoise vs. hare race. Electric cars need to stop and recharge more often, but in the long run, they help save thousands of dollars of gas money.

Now, the new 2014 Chevrolet Spark EV may take the reigns and epitomize electric vehicles. With a combined city/highway range of 82 miles and the equivalent of 119 MPGe fuel rating, the Spark EV has passed the Nissan LEAF as the most efficient electric vehicle. Fuel efficiency like this can help drivers save up to $9,000 dollars of gas money over the course of five years. More...

You’d think that not building a car in ten months and hiring bankruptcy lawyers is as bad as it gets for an upstart car company. You’d be wrong. Executives of Fisker Automotive were called into a Congressional hearing yesterday to determine what exactly went wrong after the company applied for and accepted hundreds of millions in federal loans.

Politicians piled on former CEO Henrik Fisker for missing production deadlines and only attracting A-list clientele. But soon they lost interest. Fisker is relative small potatoes in this fight, and the question that people really want answered is why the government invested over $500 million in an unproven automaker? Specifically, why the Obama Administration and Department of Energy did. More...