sa国际传媒

AChevrolet Malibu may the furthest thing from the Batmobile, but it's about to be transformed into a car of the future by University of Victoria engineering students.

The BMW 3-Series has been the benchmark for compact sports sedans almost since its inception. To say the 2012 3-Series has big shoes to fill is an understatement. I drove a 335i to see if this much-acclaimed car should retain its crown.

Electric-car fans often act like kids when they see an EV. Kids used to shout "punch buggy" and whack their siblings (or whoever was close by) whenever they spied the distinctive Volkswagen Beetle. It's the same these days with EVs.

Electric vehicles have been in the news recently. Here are a few of the highlights: ? Just weeks ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games, luxury German automaker BMW has opened its first i store in London.

When the third-generation Smart electric car debuts in sa国际传媒 next spring, it will be the lowest-priced, as well as the smallest, EV on the market. The Smart ED - the current designation of the electric car - has a starting price of $26,990.

The electric-vehicle market is abuzz with news that Mitsubishi Motors will unveil a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version of its next Outlander at the Paris Auto Show this fall. It will be the manufacturer's first PHEV.

Some readers have expressed concern about the increased demand electric vehicles will put on the electrical grid. Others have expressed doubts about how "green" electrical generation in this province is.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, which is the greenest vehicle of all? According to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV tops this year's list of the greenest cars in North America.

Buying an electric car is like taking a leap of faith. But after four months of owning an EV, I still haven't regretted making that decision.

Some people claim they can see into the future. Today, I'm driving it. It's a car that was actually built two years ago, but has yet to appear in showrooms.