Chinese automaker Geely’s Zeekr brand this week unveiled its third model, a nearly Tesla Model Y-sized crossover that will sell for less than $30,000 in its home market. The Zeekr X follows the 009 van and the 001, a hatchback based on a concept originally badged for Geely’s Lynk & Co. brand, in the all-electric Zeekr brand’s lineup… More…

StoreDot claims its fast-charging battery tech will allow automakers to design EVs with smaller battery packs—saving cost and weight. The argument seems to be that, by enabling what the company calls “extreme fast charging,” allowing more frequent recharges with less inconvenience, automakers won’t need to rely as much on larger battery… More…

With the pending arrival of the 2025 Ram 1500 REV electric truck, joining the market alongside the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevy Silverado EV, GMC Silverado EV, and Rivian R1T, there will be no shortage of fully electric full-size truck offerings. But is there a future for compact or mid-size electric trucks, in the form of a small electric pickup… More…

The EPA on Wednesday proposed a new phase of tougher emissions standards for model years 2027 to 2032 that would trigger a massive increase in the sales of EVs—but not technically mandate them. The proposed standards aims for fleet average emissions of 82 grams of CO2 per mile by the 2032 model year, a 56% reduction in emissions from the… More…

Public support for EV incentives and charging infrastructure is strong, but Americans aren’t necessarily buying EVs for themselves, according to a new poll. Conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute (EPIC), the poll showed significant support for measures to… More…

Volkswagen plans to sell 25 all-electric models in the U.S. by 2030, all of which will qualify for the full $7,500 federal tax credit under new Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) rules, the top U.S. executive of VW said in an interview with Bloomberg (via Automotive News Europe). “We have a great opportunity in the U.S.,” VW Group of America CEO Pablo… More…

Last week at the New York auto show, Ram wowed with a new goal post for electric trucks: a targeted range of 500 miles for its 2025 Ram 1500 REV. That range number, introduced by Ram Brand CEO Mike Koval Jr., could make the 1500 REV king of the EV hill in what matters most to many shoppers, and second only to the Lucid Air sedan’s 516 miles… More…

Chinese automaker BYD recently demonstrated a new active suspension system for future EVs in dramatic fashion—with a jump. From the car itself. The system, formally known as the BYD DiSus Intelligent Body Control System, is similar to active suspension systems like Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control and Mercedes-Benz Magic Body Control. BYD… More…

The EPA is expected to propose stricter emissions rules that would ensure more than half of new cars and trucks sold in the U.S. are electric, The New York Times reports. The proposal would not mandate a specific percentage of EV sales, but would set emissions limits so stringent that it would essentially force automakers to ensure that EVs… More…

As the auto industry awaits an EPA proposal for the next round of emissions rules for internal-combustion vehicles, an environmental advocacy group argues that similar standards should be applied to EVs. The EPA has historically rewarded gasoline cars and trucks for being more fuel-efficient, but current standards count all EVs as having zero CO2… More…

Walmart plans to build its own EV fast-charging network, in what reads as an aspiration to create something much larger than what it currently has with Electrify America. The company on Thursday announced plans to install “thousands” of chargers at its Walmart and Sam’s Club stores nationwide by 2030. That’s in addition to almost 1,300 fast… More…

Hyundai this week, at the New York auto show, revealed U.S.-spec details for the redesigned 2024 Kona Electric, along with the Kona Limited and Kona N Line gasoline models. What was missing from the announcement was the Kona Hybrid, a model that had been emphasized as a growing and important model in the revised Kona’s global rollout. Hybrid… More…

Lyft is expanding its Green mode, which allows riders to specify an EV or hybrid, to additional cities beginning April 17. “We’ve seen an explosion of interest in EVs—and once a driver or rider gets into an EV, they’re more likely to prefer them moving forward,” Paul Augustine, Lyft director of sustainability, said in a company blog post… More…

In a presentation to investors this week, Kia announced plans to boost its EV sales targets and launch a purpose-built robotaxi. The automaker said it’s now targeting sales of 1.6 million EVs annually by 2030—up from the previous 1.2 million annually by 2030 announced just last year. Kia also plans to have 15 EV models in its global lineup… More…

Ford on Wednesday confirmed that the F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck and Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring plug-in hybrid SUV will be eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit going forward, while all of its other current EVs and plug-in hybrids will be eligible for smaller amounts. Following the release of guidance from the U.S. Treasury… More…

The 2024 Kia EV9 electric SUV will be built at the automaker’s West Point, Georgia, factory starting in the 2024 calendar year, Kia announced Wednesday at the 2023 New York Auto Show. The ramp-up will happen after the EV9 goes on sale in the U.S. in the fourth quarter of this year, with initial units likely sourced from South Korea. Full U.S… More…

Battery firm Sila Nanotechnologies claims a 20% EV range boost, as well as faster charging, with its nano-composite silicon-anode battery tech, branded Titan Silicon. The company made that claim in a recent press release, adding that it has “a development runway to double those gains in future releases.” Sila also claims its silicon anodes can… More…

Volkswagen is not planning new gasoline or diesel versions of its staple Golf hatchback, long Europe’s bestselling car, as it looks to go all-electric, brand boss Thomas Schaefer told German publication Automobilwoche (via Reuters) Sunday. The move, which would end the internal-combustion Golf lineup after eight generations going back to 1974… More…

Obsessive wind-tunnel work—of the sort that used to be reserved for racing and supercars—has become an essential in building modern electric vehicles like the Volkswagen ID.7. Aero can go a long way toward accelerating EV adoption. It isn’t just the key to more miles of range and better efficiency. It helps keep battery packs… More…

Off the coast of Portugal near Lisbon, a vast underwater canyon tosses up some of nature’s fiercest waves at the cliffs at Nazaré. Surfers set records here on dizzying curls that can unleash thousands of kilojoules of energy. In 2020, Sebastian Steudtner rode an 86-foot wave for nearly half a minute toward the Praia do Norte on surf… More…