New rules require electric cars and hybrids to emit warning sounds at low speeds, but federal regulators won’t let drivers choose their own sounds. The rules were created to address the lack of engine noise in so-called “quiet cars,” mandating alternative artificial sounds at speeds below 18.6 mph to make these cars easier for pedestrians… More…

Panasonic expects to achieve a 20% boost in energy density for EV batteries by 2030, the company’s CTO said in an interview with Reuters published Wednesday. The interview preceded the company’s announcement to build the largest battery plant in the world in Kansas City. Increasing energy density—essentially increasing the amount of energy… More…

Over the next several years, up to 500 DC fast-charging stations will be installed across the country at Pilot and Flying J travel centers, as part of a collaboration with GM and EVgo announced Thursday. While the number of chargers at each station will vary, all will be 350-kw CCS-format, with the bulk of them installed from 2023 to 2025, and the… More…

The Hyundai Ioniq 6 electric sedan looks very different than the Ioniq 5. Yet the sleek sedan, confirmed for the U.S. in early 2023, shares a lot with the equally head-turning crossover underneath. Despite the similarities, it gains a series of engineering improvements that didn’t quite make the cut for the earlier-release… More…

Hyundai late Wednesday revealed more information about its sleek Ioniq 6 electric sedan, including a timeline for its U.S. arrival. The U.S.-spec version of the Ioniq 6 will debut in November, while the model will be built starting in January, and first deliveries will be made during the first quarter of 2023, Hyundai confirmed. As expected, the… More…

The battery maker Panasonic Energy has announced plans to build an electric vehicle battery factory in the Kansas City area. And this plant, which will be Panasonic’s first in the U.S. outside of its Tesla partnership, it claims will be the largest battery plant in the world. Panasonic says that the plant, which will create up to 4,000 jobs… More…

Another veil lifted on the Cadillac Celestiq electric flagship sedan. General Motors on Wednesday revealed more teaser images of the show car that will debut on July 22. The show car reflects all the possibility of the Celestiq production vehicle. The teaser image shows a long, low-slung fastback with a long dash-to-axle ratio and traditional… More…

Finding space for fixed EV chargers can be difficult, so one startup aims to make chargers mobile. EV Safe Charge recently previewed a mobile charging robot called Ziggy that drivers will be able to summon using a smartphone app or their car’s infotainment system. The robot finds the car, plugs in, and then returns to a staging area to be… More…

Volkswagen Group of America is the latest automaker to team up with Redwood Materials for battery recycling. Redwood will be the designated recycler for all VW EV batteries in North America, as well as those from the Audi luxury brand, the companies said Tuesday in a press release. Redwood said it will work directly with VW dealers to recover… More…

Walmart has signed up to purchase 4,500 electric vans from the EV startup Canoo, with the option to purchase up to 10,000 total, the companies confirmed Tuesday. With production planned to start in 2023, the vans will be put to use in Walmart’s last-mile delivery fleet, with the potential to be used in the retailer’s GoLocal… More…

Purchase incentives are an important tool for increasing EV adoption, but the current federal tax credit may not be the most effective, according to a new George Washington University study. Buyers prefer a rebate that’s applied at the point of sale—sometimes referred to as “cash on the hood”—to a delayed tax credit, even if the credit… More…

To address concerns over range and charging infrastructure, many automakers have turned to larger battery packs that lessen the need to charge, but add cost and weight. But a recent Reuters report highlights several startups that are taking a different approach. Startups like U.K.-based Nyobolt and Echion Technologies, or U.S.-based Group14… More…

German automotive supplier Mahle has developed an electric motor it claims sets new standards for durability. The Super Continuous Torque (SCT) motor is “wear-free” and can run continuously at 90% of its maximum output, Mahle said in a press release. This makes it ideal for performance EVs, as well as towing, the company said, adding that the new… More…

Tesla and California electric utility Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) are launching a pilot program that will use Tesla Powerwall home energy storage battery packs as a “virtual power plant” to back up the grid. On June 22, Tesla invited approximately 25,000 Powerwall owners who are PG&E customers to participate in the program, according… More…

Overall United States hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and EV sales have increased steadily in recent years, but the strongest growth of electrified vehicles has been in rural America, according to new analysis from iSeeCars. The analysis looked at used-vehicle market share for hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and battery-electric cars between 2014 and 2022, and… More…

While it’s unclear which company will win the race to put solid-state batteries in a production car, Toyota and research partner Panasonic currently have the lead in patents related to the technology, Nikkei Asia reported Thursday. Along with Tokyo-based research firm Patent Consult, Nikkei studied patent applications for solid-state battery tech… More…

High gas prices help make the case for electric cars, but even before prices spiked, many Americans were giving EVs some level of consideration, according to a newly released Consumer Reports survey. Of those surveyed, 71% showed at least some interest in buying or leasing an EV. Among those respondents, 35% said they “might” consider an EV is… More…

Volkswagen officially broke ground Thursday on what it’s nicknaming SalzGiga—VW’s battery factory at Salzgitter, Germany, that will serve as a hub for global battery activities and vertical integration of the battery supply chain. With that, VW also formalized the name of the separate startup, called PowerCo, that will set up and… More…

Chinese automaker Nio on Wednesday announced completion of its 1,000th battery swapping station. The announcement was part of Nio’s second annual Power Day presentation, where the automaker also announced an ambitious charging expansion plan. The latest station is also the first to be powered entirely by renewable energy, including solar and hydro… More…

For years, BYD sold the most plug-in vehicles of any other automaker—even Tesla. Tesla still leads in what we—and likely most shoppers—consider electric vehicles, however, despite a confusing set of recent headlines declaring BYD at the top in EVs. For instance, one prestigious financial publication declared: “Warren… More…