John O'Dell

John O'Dell

I’m John O’Dell – the green car guy – and for more than 25 years I’ve been an automotive writer, editor and analyst specializing in alternative vehicles and fuels.

Honda Unveils 2017 Accord Hybrid

  Honda has launched the new 2017 Accord Hybrid, with a starting price of $29,605 and an impressive EPA fuel efficiency rating of 48 miles per gallon combined (49 mpg city and 47 mpg highway). [Estimated Reading Time: 1 minute,…

California Green Car Rebate Boost Proposed

[Update, 10/25/16: The 2016-17 appropriation for this program has been cut to $133 million and rules affecting rebates for low-income households, income ceilings for high earners and plug-in hybrid eligibility have been changed. See our article here.] ————————– California’s green…

CO2 Can Be An Asset, says Ford

Ford Has A Better Idea in Automotive Plastics [Estimated Reading Time: 1 minute.] Greenhouse gasses, usually lumped together under the “CO2” label, are among an automaker’s worst enemies. But Ford Motor Co. is looking at waste CO2 in a new…

Tesla Gets New Production Chief

[Estimated Reading Time: 1 minute, 20 seconds.] Tesla Motors, which has been bedeviled by production glitches and delays with each new model, has gone to an established player for its new production chief.  The Silicon Valley EV-maker has hired former…

Audi: A New ‘Electrified’ Model Each Year

[Estimated Reading Time: 1 minute] You’ll have to wait a bit for the first one, but Audi says it will roll out one “electrified” model a year starting in 2018. The announcement, made at the company’s annual meeting in Germany…

Nissan Rescues Ailing PHEV Maker Mitsubishi

In a deal that could help bolster marketing and sales of the Outlander plug-in hybrid SUV when its hits the U.S. market this fall, Nissan has agreed to take a controlling stake in ailing Mitsubishi Motors. Mitsubishi builds the Outlander…