Electric cars are rolling out fast and furious. And it seems the technology improves with each new debut. The latest EV to hit the streets is an electric version of the Honda Fit.

Emergencies—like the dramatic storms that raged across the U.S. yesterday—frequently happen when you don't expect them. Instead of scrambling to figure out what to do, why not be ready for whatever might come? And of course, your electronics devices can help. Here are some handy tips we culled from FEMA's website.

Ziploc won a minor victory over competitor Hefty when Hefty's parent company was asked to modify claims for its food storage slider bags. Instead of claiming that the Hefty Slider seals are "2X stronger" than Ziploc's, Hefty can only claim that they are "stronger," according to a recommendation from the National Advertising Division, which mediates such disputes.

Sharp recently set itself apart from its competitors in a big way: The new Aquos LC-90LE745U LCD TV features a gigantic 90-inch screen. The 3D-capable 1080p set also has an edge LED backlight, 240Hz anti-blur technology, built-in Wi-Fi, and Sharp's SmartCentral Internet platform.

While energy efficiency is a big component in Consumer Reports' testing of many large appliances, including refrigerators, dishwashers and washing machines, it's not part of our dryer Ratings. Nor will you find a yellow EnergyGuide label or Energy Star sticker on dryers at appliance retailers. The reason is that most dryers sold today use similar amounts of energy, so any comparisons would be meaningless. A pair of government initiatives hopes to change that by driving innovation toward dryer efficiency.

Redesigned for 2012, the Azera improves over its predecessor in many ways, with better fuel economy and overall performance. Yet, the stylish sedan also has a few notable shortcomings.

When you spend nearly $100,000 on a luxury sedan, you expect perfection. And this mammoth BMW 750iL, well, isn't perfect.

If you've been missing a dimension in your digital explorations, great news: Google today announced that newer Apple devices can now render Google Earth in 3D. Download an update, and you'll be able to explore cities in a much more realistic way than you could before.

Home Depot may be the largest home improvement retailer but when it comes to selling major appliances it trails behind Sears, the leader, and Lowe's. In a seeming effort to change that, Home Depot has added three new appliance lines, Whirlpool, Electrolux and Frigidaire, brands that are already sold by its competitors. All three have fared pretty well in Consumer Reports appliance tests.

For 2012, Cadillac fitted its SRX compact luxury SUV with a 3.6-liter V6, adding more power and improving fuel economy. While the new powerplant brought improvements, the SRX still has shortcomings.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has filed a lawsuit aimed at stopping the sale of Buckyballs, a popular magnetic desk toy that the CPSC complaint says presents "a substantial product hazard."

It's not quite the Olympics, but the Battle of the Buildings sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency kicked off today with nearly 3,300 excited competitors vying for the prize of the biggest energy loser. More of a marathon than a sprint, the contest continues until next April when a winner will be announced. In the meantime, you can take some tips from last year's top 10 and put your home on an energy diet.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week banned the use of bisphenol-A (BPA) in baby bottles and sippy cups nationwide. The FDA ban comes about nine months after the chemical industry petitioned the FDA to ban such uses on grounds of "abandonment," meaning that no one was using it for that purpose any more. The industry filed the petition less than two weeks after the ban was approved by the California legislature. Other states banned it earlier.

We've espoused about the need for hybrids to better incorporate geographical data to maximize efficiency. Now researchers at the University of Riverside in California back us up, saying that they expect the range of electric cars could be increased by as much as 10 percent just by feeding into the car data about traffic in real-time, hills, and road surfaces, plus passenger and cargo weight.

When Consumer Reports names a product a Best Buy it gives the designation to models that performed impressively in our tests and also offer good value. Some product categories have more Best Buys than others and some, like wall ovens, haven't had any in recent years. Until now. A $1,300 Whirlpool electric wall oven has just earned this distinction.