Volvo and Polestar electric cars are getting a new Range Assistant app as part of an over-the-air (OTA) software update, the two brands announced Tuesday. The app helps drivers more closely track available range, gives tips for more efficient driving, and includes a more efficiency-focused setting for the climate control, the two brands said. A… More…

America’s franchised dealer network is often portrayed as a pinch point to widespread electric vehicle adoption. But with a few relatively minor tweaks, it could become more of an asset and express lane for EV makers and a market shift. That starts with how dealerships introduce people to the idea of EVs. Just as a salesperson wouldn’t… More…

Multiple automakers have developed EV skateboard platforms to streamline vehicle development. A new Citroën concept car takes that idea a little further. The Citroën Skate concept is a modular EV consisting of a basic skateboard platform that can be equipped with different themed pods. Designed for autonomous driving in dedicated traffic… More…

With the arrival of the 2022 C40 Recharge, Volvo is truly starting to lay the groundwork for a future after internal combustion engines. The C40 Recharge isn’t the automaker’s first electric car, but it’s the first model to be sold solely as an EV. There will be no gas-powered equivalent of the C40 Recharge. And it’ll only… More…

As it prepares to launch a handful of electric vehicles, Stellantis on Monday confirmed a joint venture with LG Energy Solution for North American battery production. A memorandum of understanding between the two companies calls for a a factory to produce battery cells and modules, which will be supplied to Stellantis assembly plants in the United… More…

Foxconn recently announced manufacturing partnerships with Fisker and Lordstown Motors. And on Monday it launched its own EV brand called Foxtron. The Taiwanese firm most famous for contract manufacturing the Apple iPhone unveiled the first three Foxtron models at its Hon Tai Tech Day event. Those three vehicles, which Foxconn said are still in… More…

Toyota on Monday announced plans to invest $3.4 billion in U.S.-built batteries through 2030. It’s part of a $13.5 billion global battery development investment made in September by Toyota Motor Corporation that included a push for reducing battery cost by 50% and improving efficiency by 30% over current EV tech. Of that, Toyota plans to… More…

Global nickel demand could outstrip supply within the next few years, potentially limiting EV battery supplies, according to a new report from the Norwegian consultancy Rystad Energy. First spotted by E&E News, the report predicts that by 2024 annual global demand for nickel will rise from the current 2.5 million metric tons (2.7 million tons)… More…

Tesla had the highest-ranked electric cars in the annual Kogod Made In America Auto Index, which estimates the domestic content of new cars sold in the United States. The Tesla Model 3 took third place in the overall rankings, while the Model S and Model Y were part of a five-way tie for fifth place, along with the Ford Expedition full-size SUV… More…

The Tesla Model 3 compact sedan, Lucid Air large sedan, and Rivian R1T pickup truck are the range and efficiency leaders in their respective classes. The three automakers have a key technology choice in common, beyond exclusively making battery electric vehicles: They each favor cylindrical batteries. Late last month at the company’s… More…

Startup Electric Last Mile Solutions (ELMS) this week announced two new battery partnerships. Chinese battery supplier CATL will provide its cell-to-pack technology to startup ELMS for use in its Indiana-assembled electric delivery vans. ELMS is also partnering with startup Ample to use the latter’s modular battery-swapping system. A… More…

Rivalry is a good thing. And the electric-car field doesn’t have near enough of it. There’s a delightful start of some happening between Tesla and upstart Lucid, and it’s already shown through in fits and starts. In September 2020, a few weeks after Lucid revealed preliminary range numbers of up to 517 miles for a top version of… More…

While not quite ready for production, the Aptera electric three-wheeler recently appeared on “Jay Leno’s Garage,” where Jay Leno got a comprehensive preview of the solar-supplemented EV from Aptera co-CEOs Chris Anthony and Steve Fambro. The vehicle seen here is an evolution and revival of what Aptera hoped to build under the company’s original… More…

Colorado-based Solid Power, the solid-state battery firm backed by Ford and BMW, claims that third-party safety tests show its battery tech to be safer than current lithium-ion chemistry. The tests, with results released Wednesday, aimed simulate abuse and damage to its prototype solid-state battery cells. Those cells use a sulfide-based solid… More…

An ingredient used to flavor whiskey and make fertilizer could soon play an important role in EV batteries, researcher at Estonia’s Tartu University say. Reported recently by Reuters, the research indicates that peat could be used to lower the cost of sodium-ion batteries for electric cars, potentially providing an alternative to the currently… More…

Lucid on Tuesday released more details on the driver-assist tech for its Air electric luxury sedan, which is scheduled to start deliveries later this month. The company is splitting its driver-assistance suite into two tiers—DreamDrive, and DreamDrive Pro. The latter includes the first automotive application of lidar in North America, Lucid… More…

BMW has updated its U.S.-market information regarding the 2022 iX electric luxury SUV, ahead of the model’s anticipated market launch in the first quarter of 2022. The 2022 BMW iX will start at $84,195, including the $995 destination fee. Its EPA-rated range hasn’t yet been confirmed, but it’s expected to be “around 300 miles”… More…

General Motors announced Tuesday morning that it has reached an agreement with LG Electronics over manufacturing defects that have led to the recall of about 140,000 Chevrolet Bolt EVs. According to GM, the reimbursement offsets $1.9 billion of the $2.0 billion in charges associated with the recalls—effectively covering most of the cost of… More…

In paperwork required for its initial public offering (IPO), Rivian has disclosed that it’s considering manufacturing its own batteries, and may also expand production beyond the United States. The company mentioned in-house battery manufacturing in a prospectus filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this month, while also… More…

As the rollout of the Ford Mustang Mach-E continues, the automaker is reportedly sending “charge angels” to identify faulty infrastructure. Some public charging stations are older and don’t meet Ford’s standards for reliability, Darren Palmer, the automaker’s general manager of battery electric vehicles, said in a recent interview with Automotive… More…