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…
Category: Greencarreports
Survey: Even before the gas-price surge, 71% of Americans would consider an EV
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…
VW breaks ground on first EV “gigafactory,” starts PowerCo business to oversee it and many 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…
Nio hits 1,000 battery swapping stations, announces 500-kw fast-chargers for Europe and China
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…
Tesla leads in EVs and BYD tops plug-in sales globally, but VW’s in the passing lane
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…
China’s GAC reveals “super iron” LFP battery with 20% boost in energy density by volume
While other companies look to experimental solid-state batteries to boost energy density, Chinese automaker GAC is finding ways to improve existing lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry. GAC recently unveiled a “super iron” LFP battery, with a claim of 20% greater energy density by volume compared to conventional LFP cells, via microcrystalline… More…
Report: Jaguar shift upmarket will start with trio of electric crossovers
Jaguar will revamp its lineup with a trio of electric crossovers scheduled to launch in 2025, according to a new Autocar report. The three new crossovers will use a common platform called Panthera, which was first mentioned by Jaguar Land Rover CEO Thierry Bolloré in an interview with the same publication earlier this year. With these new… More…
Fisker starts pre-order process for Ocean One launch edition, asks for $5,000 down
Fisker has asked for an additional $5,000 from reservation-holders to lock in a spot for the $68,999 Ocean One launch edition with a likely delivery in 2023. With the $250 reservation fee plus the $5,000 “pre-order deposit,” prospective buyers have a place saved in line for the One launch edition—essentially the first-year version of the… More…
Study: Electric pickups could replace nearly half of gasoline ones—with an ownership-cost savings
Pickup trucks are the bestselling vehicles in the United States, and many manufacturers are planning electric versions. That could help fleet operators reduce emissions and ownership costs, according to a new study from Geotab. Geotab is a company that sells vehicle telematics systems. In October 2021 it worked with Enterprise Fleet Management to… More…
EV prices soar, as one exec warns of market “collapse” if they don’t get cheaper
EV prices are soaring at a non-sustainable rate, one auto-industry executive warns. As noted by Autoblog, several automakers have raised prices on their electric models in recent months. Tesla has raised prices multiple times this year, and the GMC Hummer EV got a $6,250 price bump last week. Ford and Rivian have raised prices recently as well… More…
GM issues retroactive discount for Chevy Bolt EV models bought new in 2022
General Motors is issuing a retroactive discount for Chevrolet Bolt EV models bought in 2022, reimbursing owners who bought their cars before a big price cut announced one month ago. First reported by Automotive News (subscription required), GM will give eligible buyers up to $6,000 back, in line with the discount applied to the 2023 Bolt EV… More…
Toyota EVs and plug-in hybrids: Full $7,500 EV tax credit will likely phase out October 1
It appears that sales of Toyota’s plug-in models in recent months were enough to trigger the automaker’s phaseout period for the federal EV tax credit this past quarter—leaving buyers less than nine months to buy a vehicle like the BZ4X electric car or RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid and be able to claim the full $7,500 amount. Across… More…
What the EPA ruling means for the carbon footprint of your electric car
Electric cars are only as clean as the grid they plug into, and the emissions from using your EV will keep dropping over the years you use it because the grid keeps getting cleaner. It’s a point we emphasize regularly, and after Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling, the assurance of a cleaner grid over time, everywhere, is no longer a… More…
2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 aces crash-tests, makes IIHS Top Safety Pick+ honor roll
The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)—the organization’s highest safety award. To get on the Top Safety Pick+ honor roll, the Ioniq 5 received top “Good” scores in all IIHS crash tests, as well as the top “Superior” rating for front-crash prevention tech… More…
GM teases Chevy Silverado EV electric pickup testing, suggests 95% will be daily drivers
General Motors on Thursday released new photos of the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV, as well as some additional information about the customers that have reserved the electric pickup truck. Included in a tweet from GM CEO Mary Barra, the photos show a Silverado EV prototype undergoing testing at GM’s Milford Proving Ground in Michigan. This might be… More…
Study finds EV powertrains aren’t especially trouble-prone, but all the other tech is
At face value, a new study from J.D. Power has found that electric vehicles are far more problematic than typical internal-combustion models. Although the assumption based on that might be that it has something to do with their battery packs, charging systems, motors, or other such things that set their powertrains apart, EVs don’t stand out… More…
CATL details next-gen cell-to-pack battery tech with “disruptive” water-cooling design
Any potential industry shift toward cylindrical battery cells in EVs is far from a foregone conclusion, let alone an actual trend. Case in point: The battery supplier CATL makes a strong argument for them with the latest version of its cell-to-pack battery technology, which skips the idea of battery modules entirely. CATL last week disclosed more… More…
Rivian deploys first DC fast chargers as part of Adventure Network for electric trucks
Rivian on Monday announced the first three DC fast-charging sites for its Adventure Network supporting the R1T electric pickup truck and forthcoming R1S electric SUV. The three sites open in California and Colorado this week, Rivian said in a press release. Each will have chargers providing over 200 kw of power, allowing R1T and R1S drivers to… More…
With Siemens investment, Electrify America gets its first boost beyond the original plan
Electrify America on Tuesday announced that it has raised $450 million, marking its first expansion beyond the charging network’s original funding plan. The total includes a “low triple-digit” amount from German conglomerate Siemens, Electrify America said in a press release. The investment gives Siemens a seat on Electrify America’s board… More…
Stunning Hyundai Ioniq 6 electric sedan gives the Tesla Model 3 its first true rival
More than five years after the arrival of the Tesla Model 3, the U.S. vehicle market will get a true electric sedan rival to the model that arguably kicked off the acceleration of the EV market in 2017. While we have a long list of crossover SUV entries lining up to compete with the Model Y that followed the Model 3, the Ioniq 6 is the first entry… More…