Honda is well underway in a $700 million effort to retool three of its plants and create a new $3.5 billion battery plant for U.S. EV mass-production. But it’s also emphasizing how much flexibility it has in the shift to accommodate that production. As it confirmed Friday, it will be able to make hundreds of EVs per day at its revamped… Read more…
Category: Greencarreports
Study: EV efficiency gains could cut grid demand, save billions
EVs could end up using a lot of electricity, but efficiency improvements to support them could significantly reduce the need for new grid infrastructure, cut energy usage, and potentially save consumers billions of dollars, according to a new study from research firm EPRI and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). By 2050, charging of… Read more…
Fewer Americans aspire to EV ownership, Gallup poll suggests
American EV ownership is growing, but fewer car shoppers who don’t already own an EV are considering one, according to a new Gallup poll. Of those households surveyed, 7% reported owning an EV, up from 4% a year ago, while a steady 16% of Americans over the past few years indicated that they are “EV consumers,” which Gallup defines as those who… Read more…
Sales of big pickups help bankroll EV push, but they’re sinking
Sales of expensive full-size pickup trucks from the Detroit Three automakers fell in the first quarter of 2024 which, as a Bloomberg report explains, could negatively impact those automakers’ EV plans. Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis have been cashing in on high-end versions of full-size pickups, piling on features like bigger touchscreens… Read more…
2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS gets more range, better brakes, and a fake grille
The 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS electric sedan gets a number of updates for its third model year. The refreshed EV arrives at U.S. dealerships later this year, with pricing to be revealed closer to that time. A new 118.0-kwh battery pack for all models represents a 9% increase from the 108.4 kwh usable capacity in current models. Mercedes promises… Read more…
Voltpost rolls out curbside US EV chargers: Here’s how they look
Charging company Voltpost is preparing to roll out its lamppost EV chargers in major U.S. metro areas like New York, Chicago, and Detroit. The company on Thursday announced that it had “imminent plans” to deploy its chargers in these areas this spring. The Level 2 chargers are added to existing lampposts, with charging sessions and payment managed… Read more…
Ford reverses course, cuts F-150 Lightning prices by up to $5,500
Ford is cutting prices on some 2024 F-150 Lightning electric pickup trucks by up to $5,500, CarsDirect reports, citing a bulletin sent by Ford to dealerships. Effective April 5, the XLT Standard Range grade gets a $2,000 price cut, bringing its base price down to $65,090 with the mandatory $2,095 destination charge. The Lariat Extended Range gets… Read more…
Rimac will help BMW with next-gen EV battery packs
Rimac will provide next-generation battery packs for BMW EVs, the company announced Tuesday in a press release. Full details will be revealed at a later date, but Rimac anticipates “the establishment of sophisticated automated production lines for batteries” at its headquarters near Zagreb, Croatia, with “significant portion” of the site dedicated… Read more…
Review: 2024 Fiat 500e urban EV has its charm
The 2024 Fiat 500e is a small electric three-door hatchback that looks remarkably similar to the previous Fiat 500, sold in the U.S. from the 2012 through 2019 model years. This one’s offered only as a battery-electric vehicle (hence the “e”), at least for the moment. But Fiat plans to market it as a fashion accessory as much as… Read more…
2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E: Quicker charging, range to 320 miles, lower price
Ford on Tuesday confirmed lasting price cuts on the Mustang Mach-E lineup, along with 20% faster road-trip charging and a boost in range of up to 20 miles for the new model year. The automaker has also substituted in a new in-house-designed motor unit and thermal changes that altogether will make top-performance versions quicker-accelerating than… Read more…
Connecticut and Maine delay adopting California EV mandate
Connecticut and Maine have delayed adoption of California’s EV sales mandate, leaving EV advocates to retrench, reports Energy News Network. On March 20, Maine’s Board of Environmental Protection voted 4-2 against adopting California’s Advanced Clean Cars II rules, which accompany the state’s planned ban on sales of new gasoline cars in 2035 and… Read more…
Kia keeps to EV goals but plans to enhance hybrid lineup
Kia remains committed to an ambitious EV sales goal, but plans to keep hybrids and plug-in hybrids as part of its product mix, the automaker announced Friday in a presentation to investors. Kia still targets 1.6 million global EV sales annually by 2030. That’s the same goal the automaker stepped up to in 2023, versus a previous target of 1.2… Read more…
New Jersey marks up EV ownership with additional $1,000 fee
New Jersey is introducing an additional registration fee for EVs. Starting July 1, drivers will pay an upfront fee of more than $1,000 on top of existing registration fees. Governor Phil Murphy signed a law last week renewing New Jersey’s transportation trust fund that adds an annual fee set at $250 this year, and rising $10 over the remaining… Read more…
Stellantis CEO claims EVs need battery breakthrough to be green
Automakers must reduce EV battery weight by 50% in the next decade in order to make electrification truly green, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said Wednesday during the automaker’s Freedom of Mobility Forum. As Reuters reports, Tavares said that making a battery pack for an EV with a “decent range” of 250 miles currently takes, on average 1,000… Read more…
Tesla sets Robotaxi reveal for Aug. 8
Tesla will unveil its Robotaxi August 8, CEO Elon Musk announced Friday. In his typical fashion, Musk made the announcement on X (formerly Twitter), the social media site he owns. The post included the date with no further details. According to a Reuters report earlier in the day, Tesla has reportedly dropped its $25,000 affordable EV project in… Read more…
Report: $25,000 Tesla Model 2 project nixed in favor of robotaxis
The most affordable Tesla may have been canceled. Again. According to a report Friday morning from Reuters, citing three sources familiar with the matter, the company has ceased plans to build a $25,000 Tesla that would slot below the Model 3 and Model Y in the lineup. Self-driving robotaxis would continue to be developed on the new platform… Read more…
Audi RS E-Tron GT, Porsche Taycan recall prompted by battery concerns
Audi E-Tron GT, RS E-Tron GT, and Porsche Taycan electric cars are being recalled for a battery issue that could lead to short circuits and fires. The recall population includes 606 Taycans from model years 2020 to 2023 and 1,042 E-Tron GT and RS E-Tron GT vehicles from model years 2022 to 2024. Audi is conducting two recalls for the same issue… Read more…
Here’s how Nissan might electrify trucks and SUVs for the US
Not every automaker’s taking the same strategy when it comes to electrification. During an interview at the 2024 New York auto show Nissan North America’s Senior Vice President and Chief Planning Officer, Ponz Pandikuthira laid out for Green Car Reports the automaker’s viewpoint on where EVs, PHEVs, and series hybrids make the… Read more…
Ford delays next-gen electric truck and SUV, plans hybrids across lineup
The electric future will take a bit longer than originally promised at Ford. On Thursday, Ford announced its next-gen electric truck, known as T3, will arrive a year later than planned while the unrelated three-row electric SUV will arrive two years later than planned. Subsequently, Ford said it plans to offer a hybrid powertrain in every… Read more…
Quebec ends EV purchase incentives, in what could prove a market test
Canada’s Quebec province—widely seen as the “California of Canada” with respect to EVs and EV policy—plans to end its EV purchase incentives. Quebec currently offers incentives of up to $7,000 for new EVs and $5,000 for new plug-in hybrids, as well as up to $3,500 for used EVs (all amounts are in Canadian dollars). But the amounts will… Read more…