Sono Motors announced Tuesday that it had completed the first crash tests of its Sion EV, which has solar cells integrated with every body panel. The company said in a press release that those panels “behave as predicted,” with no splintering of the polymer-based material in a 31-mph frontal crash test, confirming no additional risk to vehicle… More…
Category: Greencarreports
Lexus RZ 450e EV priced, puts the priority on features not range
Lexus has announced pricing for its first electric vehicle for the U.S., the 2023 RZ 450e electric luxury crossover, just before it heads to dealerships later this month. The RZ 450e comes in two different trim levels, Premium and Luxury, with both offered only in all-wheel-drive form. In Premium form, the RZ 450e, as it’s badged, costs… More…
California bill proposes $2,000 for converting gas vehicles to EVs
A California bill would offer residents a rebate of up to $2,000 to convert an existing internal-combustion car or truck to an EV. Spotted by Green Car Congress, California Senate Bill 301 would establish a Zero-Emission Aftermarket Conversion Project (ZACP) with up to $2 million in annual funding for EV conversion rebates to supplement… More…
VW recalls some ID.4 EVs for drive-system issue
Volkswagen is recalling 20,904 ID.4 EVs—all from the 2021 model year—to address an issue that stems from faulty drive-system control software. In the affected vehicles, current software may cause the battery management control module to reset or the pulse inverter to deactivate, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety… More…
The EV price war is here, and it’s “no pain, no gain” for automakers
Yes, the electric vehicle price war has likely already begun. Last month’s Tesla price cuts slashed up to 20% of the cost to buy the EV maker’s vehicles. Then in a rare move, Ford dropped prices on its Mustang Mach-E lineup last week by up to 9%. While those might have been a couple of the first dramatic shots over the bow… More…
BMW’s next-gen Neue Klasse EVs will be made in Mexico
BMW’s next-generation EVs will be built in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, as well as two European production sites, the automaker confirmed in a press release Friday. That may allow these new EVs, and their related battery production facility, to qualify for U.S. tax credits and supply-chain incentives. These models, based on a dedicated platform… More…
Electrify America slaps frequent EV chargers with 15% price hike
Electrify America plans to raise EV charging prices in March, with frequent users seeing the biggest price hike. Members of the company’s Pass+ frequent charging program will see rates increase to $0.36 per kwh, while non-members will pay $0.48 per kwh. Both rates increase by $0.05 kwh, but Pass+ members also pay a $4.00 a month fee (which remains… More…
Treasury lifts EV tax credit confusion over SUV price cap
The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday announced an update on how vehicles will qualify as a car or an SUV under the revamped EV tax credit, now known as the clean vehicle tax credit. For EV shoppers it’s good news, as it will clear up a confusing and seemingly arbitrary dividing line in which some versions of certain models—like the… More…
Report: Small VW EV, battery plant considered for North America
Volkswagen has approved an EV slotting below the ID.4 for the North American market, and it’s considering a battery plant in Ontario, according to German business daily Handelsblatt. The report notes five recent entries in the Canadian province’s Registry of Lobbyists for VW, including one that mentions CEO Oliver Blume, who last year said that… More…
Broader Volvo EV push reportedly adds SUVs, sedans, luxury van
Volvo is planning to expand its EV lineup at the behest of parent company Geely, Reuters reported Thursday. The automaker plans to launch six new EVs through 2026, according to the report, which cites two anonymous sources with knowledge of Volvo’s product plans. Volvo was already no slouch in the transition. It was one of the first brands to… More…
Ford CEO: Future EVs will be “radically simplified,” use smaller batteries
Ford CEO Jim Farley has already upped F-150 Lightning production to 150,000 a year, and he’s pressing production of its Mustang Mach-E toward 200,000 a year, effectively seeing it reengineered along the way. At the same time, this ramp has been part of a heavy lift at Ford—literally airlifts of parts at times—that’s costing… More…
Mazda US boss: Longer-range EVs aren’t the future
Jeffrey Guyton, the president and CEO of Mazda USA, isn’t sold on the EV range race. Guyton told Green Car Reports at the 2024 Mazda CX-90 reveal that while electric vehicle buyers today are looking for 300 miles of range, the future’s not ever-longer range. Consumers will find they don’t really need even that much, he said… More…
Kansas lawmakers want to tax public EV charging
A Kansas House bill calls for a tax on public EV charging—but not home charging. The proposed tax of 3 cents per kilowatt would go to a Kansas highway repair fund reliant on revenue, according to the Kansas Reflector, but it could force EV drivers to pay more than other drivers. Any tax on public charging would effectively be “double… More…
Study: 1,104 new EV fast-charging stations will meet 50-mile interval
Meeting federal goals for a national charging network will require 1,104 EV fast-charging stations along major corridors, according to a new Great Plains Institute study. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law set aside $7.5 billion to build a national EV charging network of 500,000 charging sites, with $5 billion of that amount to be distributed to… More…
GM CEO: Flexible on battery cells in EV ramp
GM has built a strong argument around the idea that one specific battery cell format, co-developed with LG, is a key for the company realizing certain economies of scale as it ramps up EV production. But recent reports have suggested that GM is shopping around, and may be considering a shift to cylindrical cells for some upcoming vehicles. And… More…
Does Toyota CEO change signal it’s going all-in on EVs?
A leadership change at Toyota doesn’t seem to have changed the automaker’s EV strategy. Akio Toyoda recently announced a step over to chairman after 14 years as CEO of the automaker founded by his grandfather, with Koji Sato anointed as the next Toyota CEO. But the automaker’s stance on EVs—that they’re not the only solution to addressing… More…
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 rated at 361 miles, tops Model 3 Long Range
The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 is EPA-rated at up to 361 miles of range and 140 MPGe combined, Hyundai confirmed Tuesday. Those figures apply to the Hyundai Ioniq 6 SE RWD Long Range model with the larger 77.4-kwh battery pack (a 53.0-kwh pack is the base offering). Opting for all-wheel drive results in 316 miles of range and 121 MPGe. Note that the SE… More…
First of heaviest Hummer SUV ever auctioned for Tread Lightly cause
The first 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV has been auctioned off to benefit conservation non-profit Tread Lightly, generating $500,000 for the group despite being incapable of treading lightly. In Edition 1 launch spec with Moonshot Green Matte paint, the first Hummer EV SUV was auctioned off by Barrett-Jackson at the company’s Scottsdale, Arizona, event… More…
TA TravelCenters hosts road-trip EV charging stops, 50 miles apart
Electrify America on Monday announced plans to install EV fast-charging stations at TravelCenters of America (TA) locations beginning later this year. An agreement between the two companies calls for approximately 1,000 individual chargers at 200 sites along major highways to be installed over five years, according to an Electrify America press… More…
Ford undoes some of its price hike on the 2023 Mustang Mach-E
Ford announced Monday morning that it’s lowering prices up to $5,900 on the 2023 Mustang Mach-E electric vehicle. The price change undoes some but not all of the hefty price increase of up to $8,300 that Ford applied just a few months ago to the 2023 Mustang Mach-E, and it brings one more popular model—the Premium eAWD Standard… More…