California’s Lucid Motors, which just last week started taking reservations for its most expensive model yet, the quarter-million-dollar, 1,200-plus hp Air Sapphire, might already be starting production of its most affordable, sub-$90,000 Air Pure version. In a Twitter post Friday, the company provided a glimpse of a Lucid Air coming off the… More…

Earlier this week, Toyota announced a $5.6 billion investment plan to produce batteries for fully electric vehicles in Japan and the U.S. That includes a $2.5 billion expansion of a North Carolina battery factory barely under construction, adding capacity for EV batteries and very likely suggesting a future commitment to U.S.-built electric… More…

California last week enshrined its 2035 ban on sales of new gasoline vehicles that don’t plug in. And now this week it’s telling the relatively few EV drivers in the state to hold off on plugging in during the afternoons. On Thursday afternoon, leading into the Labor Day long weekend, the state’s Independent System Operator (ISO)… More…

Mercedes-Benz on Thursday confirmed pricing and trim levels for its upcoming fully electric flagship EQS SUV in the U.S. With the announcement, Mercedes gave a first indication of the model line’s expected EPA range—estimated at 285 to 305 miles. In U.S.-market form, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV gets numbers and model designations… More…

Germany’s Sono Motors confirmed on Thursday that it has 20,000 direct consumer reservations for its upcoming Sion solar-supplemented EV that, if you don’t drive much, might seldom if ever cost you anything to “fuel.” Sono says that the Sion, which is due to be produced by Valmet Automotive in Finland starting in the second half of 2023, has… More…

Toyota on Wednesday announced a $2.5 billion expansion of a planned North Carolina battery factory to add manufacturing capacity for EV batteries. Last October Toyota announced that it would make batteries in the United States by 2025. Then in December it announced a North Carolina battery plant that it said would make hybrid batteries but would… More…

California’s more aggressive deadline for phasing out new internal combustion vehicle sales, culminating in a 2035 shift to all EVs, might seem a tough target to achieve to those in some parts of the U.S. But it’s all about perspective. In the U.S. as a whole, EV sales accounted for 5.6% of the U.S. vehicle market in Q2 of… More…

The 300-mile EV is finally becoming a mainstream commodity, with no fewer than 14 vehicles achieving that benchmark for the 2022 model year, according to the EPA. As the United States Department of Energy points out, in model year 2016 there was a single model—the Tesla Model S—that achieved a 300-mile range. Back then a 300-mile range… More…

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe has teased another new feature for the R1T electric pickup truck and R1S electric SUV aimed at outdoor adventures. Camp Mode will prep vehicles for overnight stays in the woods by shutting off screens, conserving battery power, activating flood lights, and automatically leveling the suspension to provide a flat sleeping… More…

SparkCharge announced a new round of funding Monday that will help enable a continued expansion of the firm’s unique on-demand charging services. The company essentially uses portable hardware to help fill gaps in infrastructure or help EV owners with unforeseen charging needs. Through its Currently app, SparkCharge has been allowing EV… More…

University of Michigan (U-M) researchers claim “significantly flawed” analysis led the United States Postal Service (USPS) to downplay the environmental benefits of electric mail trucks. The Postal Service has used its analysis to justify not making its entire fleet of next-generation mail trucks electric, which has drawn criticism from the White… More…

Tesla was the highest-scoring brand in J.D. Power’s 2022 U.S. Tech Experience Index Study, which evaluates advanced-tech features in new cars. The study ranks brands by problems per 100 vehicles, the same metric used in J.D. Power’s annual Initial Quality Study, which is considered an industry benchmark. Included for the first time, Tesla achieved… More…

Honda Motor Co. and LG Energy Solution on Monday announced plans to establish a joint venture company for making lithium-ion battery cells in the U.S. that will power “Honda and Acura EV models for the North American market,” according to the companies. The joint-venture plant will represent a combined investment of $4.4 billion and… More…

Hyundai’s Genesis luxury brand has announced that the Electrified G80 luxury sedan for the U.S. market will start at $80,920 and be offered in a single, very well-equipped configuration. The Electrified G80 isn’t a hybrid, as some might suspect from the badge; it’s a fully electric version of the gasoline G80 sedan. It comes with… More…

China-based Zeekr announced Saturday that it will be the first global brand to take advantage of the Qilin battery and third-generation cell-to-pack technology from CATL, the largest EV battery supplier in the world. It said that the battery tech will first be used in its Zeekr 009, which it calls “the world’s first electric luxury MPV,” with… More…

Kia on Thursday revealed a bit more about how its upcoming EV9 electric SUV will fit into the market. And it includes a few surprises. The production EV9, which is set for a world premiere in the first quarter of 2023 and a U.S. introduction in the second half of 2023, is currently undergoing the final stretch of durability testing. That has… More…

Ford has raised prices on its 2023 Mustang Mach-E electric SUV, by up to $8,300 versus the 2022 model. The automaker said in a release issued Thursday that the price hikes are “due to significant material cost increases, continued strain on key supply chains, and rapidly evolving market conditions.” Here, they also incorporate a change… More…

California is taking a big step toward a goal of ending new internal-combustion vehicle sales by enshrining the planned 2035 end date as policy. Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order in September 2020 calling for a ban on the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars by 2035. On Thursday, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the… More…

BMW, Ford, and General Motors are partnering with California not-for-profit utility Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) on a pilot program that will incentivize off-peak EV charging. The pilot program will allow utility customers in California’s state capital to take advantage of lower electricity rates, while helping to balance the grid… More…

Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen are looking to Canada for supplies of battery raw materials, which should help the automakers meet new eligibility requirements for the United States EV tax credit. The recently passed Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) lays out stipulations on critical minerals, battery sourcing, domestic-content thresholds, and vehicle… More…