“2019 Kia Niro EV EX Premium” Kia’s Next Evolution in Electrification OVERVIEW The Kia Niro was unveiled at the 2016 Chicago Auto Show and appeared on the scene as a 2017 production model. The Kia Niro debuted as an all-new, compact, near midsize, urban crossover hybrid that served up a bold, athletic crossover design, combined…
?2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV Premiere? A winning Electric Small Wagon leads the pack The Chevrolet Bolt advances the viability of electric vehicles to the forefront, taking the lead in terms of range and affordability. The 2017 Bolt conquers range anxiety with an EPA estimated range of 238 miles per charge at a base cost of…
By Barbara & Bill Schaffer Over the last few years we?ve have driven about a dozen different all-electric vehicles and the more we drive an EV, the more we like them. Sure, we still have a twinge of range anxiety each time, but the comfort level keeps improving and part of that is because the…
By Barbara & Bill Schaffer Buying a Nissan Leaf is something like buying a refrigerator. You plug the refrigerator in and it is great for preserving foods, keeping drinks cool and keeping your ice cream freezing until it?s time to indulge. The Nissan Leaf works the same way, you plug it in an it gives…
“2015 Kia Soul EV +” The Hamsters Are in Charge The Kia Soul in all of its trim levels has been a raging success since its introduction a few years ago, promoted by a loveable group of hip hamsters. The Kia Soul has steadily evolved each year, and so has the hamster gang, growing more…
By Barbara & Bill Schaffer Seattle ? The last time we drove a Kia Soul EV you couldn?t even buy one where we live in Southern Washington, near Portland they were only sold in parts of California. But as supplies of vehicles is increased, fast chargers are installed and the dealership personnel are trained and…
By Barbara & Bill Schaffer So, there we were in the 2015 Kia Soul EV, zipping silently through traffic on our way to Kohl?s department store. We live in the northeast part of the Portland (Oregon) Urban Metro area and even though there are several Kohl?s stores closer, we decided to push our comfort level…
By Barbara Schaffer Dana Point, Calif. ? Kia recently invited me to Southern California to sample a couple of their latest not so mainstream vehicles — an electric car and a minivan, which Kia prefers to call a multi-purpose vehicle, which actually makes more sense. Kia didn?t have a cake or blow out candles, but…
By Bill Schaffer Portland, Ore. ? With electric vehicle sales doubling in the first six months of 2013 (over 2012) my job has changed. Rather than talking about performance, ride and fuel economy, much of the emphasis has gone to range, charge times and tax incentives. Looking at my log of the cars that my…
?2013 Toyota RAV4 EV joins forces with Tesla?? Toyota has stepped outside its box, joining forces in a unique collaboration with Tesla Motor Corporation in sharing technology rather than exclusive development in house – particularly battery technology. This association was inspired by Akio Toyoda, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation. The development project resulting…
