Outdated federal standards for the flammability of vehicle interior materials—put in place before the rise of EVs—pose an unnecessary health hazard, argues Consumer Reports. In response to a study from the Green Science Policy Institute at Duke University, which found harmful chemicals from flame retardants can be present in the air of… Read more…

Spikes in electricity rates can raise the cost of charging an EV at home, but California has a solution. As explained in a recent post on The Equation, from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), California is considering adding a fixed charge on electricity bills from its largest utilities in exchange for a reduction in the per-unit price of… Read more…

Just after the reveal of its more affordable R2, R3, and R3X models in March, Rivian announced plans to rejigger its production capacity at its existing plant in Illinois, to accommodate the R2 electric SUV at that plant instead of an even larger one in Georgia that remains on the drawing board. Recognizing that the R2 is critical to the… Read more…

Growing EV sales in both the U.S. and China could contribute to a halving in gasoline demand in 2024, says the consultancy Wood Mackenzie. Demand is likely to rise 340,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 26.5 million bpd for the year, but that’s the slowest growth since 2020, and down from a growth rate of 700,000 bpd last year, according to the report… Read more…

Eli Electric Vehicles on Tuesday opened U.S. reservations for its Eli Zero, a tiny urban EV with a starting price of $11,900. Launched with help from crowdfunding, the Zero was first shown in 2017 and began shipping to European dealers in 2021. At the time, Eli said it was targeting a 2022 launch for the U.S. That date has slipped significantly… Read more…

Kia on Tuesday confirmed that its compact EV3 electric SUV will go on sale later this year. The production-bound EV3 is due to make its debut on May 23 and will in its shift from a concept vehicle to a production-bound one arrive “comprehensively equipped,” according to Kia, while also offering “outstanding performance through… Read more…

More local governments across Michigan see EV charging as a relevant issue, but the number is still fairly low, according to a new University of Michigan survey, and those interested in EV charging see cost as a barrier. While the survey is Michigan-specific, it’s the traditional hub of the auto industry and probably represents a greater awareness… Read more…

BMW has begun production of a battery-assembly facility at its San Luis Potosí, Mexico, plant in anticipation of production of its next-generation Neue Klasse EVs. In addition to the battery facility, BMW said in a press release that it is also expanding the body shop and making other upgrades to the site, with a total investment of 800… Read more…

Nearly every EV brand in North America is adopting Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector and gaining access to the automaker’s Supercharger network. But despite that network’s fairly good reputation for reliability, the NACS connector alone may not guarantee an overall improvement in charger reliability, says one expert. Joerg… Read more…

Air pollution remains a major threat to the health of many Americans, but stricter emissions rules could help, according to the American Lung Association. The organization’s 25th annual “State of the Air” report found that 131 million people—39% of the U.S. population—live in areas with unhealthy areas of air pollution. And spikes in… Read more…

Electrify America confirmed Thursday, on the sixth anniversary of its first fast-charger installation, that it’s planning a big expansion of its fast-charging network in 2024. EA aims to reach 5,000 chargers by the end of the year, including larger charging stations and broader support for Plug & Charge payment tech. In 2023 it expanded… Read more…

Tesla re-released its Model Y Long Range on Friday, as the model in the lineup providing the longest range at the lowest price—with an extra twist for those who have recently purchased the base Model Y. The latest Model Y Long Range includes an EPA range of up to 320 miles and a 0-60 mph time of 6.5 seconds, costing $46,630, including… Read more…

Executive comments suggest that Cadillac could continue to sell gasoline vehicles beyond its 2030 target date for going all-electric, reports Automotive News. Cadillac boss John Roth told media during a sales and business briefing that electric and gasoline powertrains “will coexist for a number of years,” adding that “we will be offering an… Read more…

The U.S. Treasury Department could issue clarifications on federal EV tax-credit eligibility rules as early as Friday, reports Transport Topics. Citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter, the report claims the federal government is ready to issue rules relating to its “foreign entities of concern” requirement. Specifically, vehicles with… Read more…

The 2024 Acura ZDX is the Honda premium brand’s first-ever electric vehicle, a midsize crossover SUV with five seats. Visually it’s every inch an Acura, and it’s very close in size to the brand’s bestselling model, the MDX midsize crossover. But the EV is differently proportioned—3 inches lower, on a wheelbase… Read more…

Costco is once again offering deals on EVs and plug-in hybrids for its members. Between May 1 and July 31, the retail chain is offering a $1,000 incentive on 2024 and 2025 Volvo models, including the 2024 XC40 and C40 Recharge EVs and XC60 Recharge and XC90 Recharge plug-in hybrids, as well as 2025 XC60 and XC90 plug-in hybrid models. The XC40… Read more…

Is that a minivan? Is that a wagon? Is that an SUV? The answer to these questions in order is no, kind of, and yes. The Lucid Gravity is the startup automaker’s upcoming crossover SUV, but in many ways it redefines the genre in terms of packaging, design, and how it drives. Here’s what I learned after an ever-so-brief stint behind the… Read more…

It’s a complicated time for the nation’s largest EV market. California EV sales increased in the first quarter of 2024, but market share still fell, according to a new quarterly report from the California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA). The absolute number of EVs sold in California grew from 89,741 in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 90,296 in… Read more…

The average price of the most popular used EVs has dropped by up to $5,000 compared to last year, according to retailer CarMax. Sales data from September 1, 2023 to February 29, 2024, showed that the top EVs at CarMax were the Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model Y, and Nissan Leaf. They were also the top-sellers in a previous CarMax report published in… Read more…

The first-ever electric version of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class—also known as the “Gelandewagen” or “G-wagen”—is getting the Matchbox treatment—with a sustainable twist to match its electric powertrain. Formally known as the Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology (a name that might prove difficult to fit on the packaging), the… Read more…