The federal government on Thursday further sketched out plans for a national EV charging network to be funded by the Biden administration’s infrastructure law. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing minimum standards for the network, which aims to install 500,000 chargers by 2030. The… More…

The Lightyear One solar car was unveiled in production-ready form with a new name. The product of a Dutch startup will henceforth be known as the Lightyear 0. While it does have an onboard battery pack, the Lightyear 0 aims to “leapfrog the grid” by using built-in solar panels to handle most charging. In cloudy climates, with an average commute of… More…

The federal government announced Thursday that it is upgrading its safety probe of Tesla electric vehicles over a growing list of incidents—some earlier this year—in which Tesla vehicles struck emergency response vehicles while the driver-assistance mode was engaged. What had been a probe—or Preliminary Investigation—has… More…

Drivers of electric cars and hybrids feel less stressed behind the wheel than drivers of gasoline or diesel vehicles, according to a new survey conducted by Stellantis’ DS Automobiles division. DS doesn’t sell cars in the United States, and the results are based on responses from 2,000 drivers in the United Kingdom, but the survey seems just as… More…

Cadillac on Wednesday released several up-close teaser photos of its upcoming Celestiq show car that preview an electric flagship for the luxury brand. One of the teasers shows that the Celestiq keeps its low hoodline, low-set beltline, and what appears to be the same huge 23-inch wheels as the concept—altogether a glimpse that some fans of… More…

Fisker on Wednesday revealed a new interior sketch of its Pear Urban EV, as well as more information about the layout and features of this compact electric vehicle, which is anticipated to be delivered in 2024. The company now calls the Pear—technically an acronym for Personal Electric Automotive Revolution—a “sporty… More…

Anticipated price hikes for coal and natural gas could lead to increase use of renewable energy in electricity generation, making both the grid and EVs cleaner, according to new United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) analysis. EVs get cleaner along with the grid, and the EIA expects the grid mix to lean more toward renewable sources… More…

A University of California Berkeley study of EV fast-chargers points to serious reliability issues for charging infrastructure in the nation’s biggest EV market. The study (via Automotive News) looked at 181 DC fast-charging sites in the greater Bay Area, covering 657 individual chargers. Of that total, 72.5% were found to be functional, which is… More…

According to the reporting from Fox News, one of the most popular news organizations in the U.S., a Michigan Senator bragged about driving an expensive electric car to Washington, D.C., while avoiding gas stations amid historic prices. Not true. In remarks made Tuesday alongside testimony from Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Senator Debbie… More…

Solid-state battery startup Solid Power on Monday announced installation of a pilot production line for battery cells—a big step toward delivering cells to automakers for testing. Solid Power plans to produce cells for internal testing first, but plans to deliver cells to investors BMW and Ford for evaluation before the end of the year, the… More…

Sweden’s Polestar has shown a first undisguised image of its electric performance SUV, called the Polestar 3. The Polestar 3 will be sized (and priced) to serve as an electric counterpoint to the Porsche Cayenne—so its most direct current rivals will include the BMW iX M60, the three-motor Audi E-Tron S, and the Tesla Model X Plaid… More…

Of all Volvos sold in California last month, 77% were plug-in hybrids or EVs, the automaker said Thursday in a press release announcing its May 2022 North American sales. That’s an increase of 6% over the previous month, demonstrating the continued appetite for plug-in cars in California. Nationally, plug-in hybrids and EVs—which… More…

Polestar announced last week that it’s launching its own referral program to incentivize owners to promote the brand’s EVs to others. A customer referral program was wildly popular for Tesla, but times have changed, and you won’t find anything so lucrative as the $1,000 incentives and free cars for top referrers that Tesla at one point offered… More…

A California drought will increase the carbon footprint of electricity used to charge EVs, according to a new report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The drought has cut the state’s hydropower generating capacity nearly in half compared to normal conditions, forcing California to rely on more carbon-intensive sources for a greater… More…

Ford CEO Jim Farley sees the automotive industry “headed to a huge price war,” with the idea of “democratized EVs” coming soon. The comments were made within a conversation with analyst Toni Sacconaghi, as part of Bernstein’s 38th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference held earlier this week. In it, Farley took a few… More…

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB electric SUV will start at $55,550 when it arrives at United States dealerships this summer. That price, which includes a mandatory $1,050 destination charge, buys the lower-level EQB 300 4Matic model. Mercedes will also offer an EQB 350 4Matic version in the U.S. starting at $59,100 with destination. Each version will… More…

Wireless charging firm WiTricity claims most EV shoppers want wireless charging as an option, and it has survey data to prove it. The company on Thursday released results of a company-commissioned survey of 1,053 Americans, nearly half of which already own an EV, and the others intending to purchase an EV within the next two years. Of those… More…

The next generation of Volvo electric cars will get sharper infotainment interfaces from an unorthodox source. Volvo announced Wednesday that it will partner with Epic Games—the studio behind “Fortnite”—to use Epic’s Unreal Engine in upcoming cars. This will enable “unparalleled high-quality graphics,” Volvo promised in a press… More…

Chevrolet has announced that its 2023 Bolt EV and EUV cost less than equivalent 2022 Bolt EV and EUV models. The 2023 Chevy Bolt EV starts at $28,595, including destination charges, while the Bolt EUV starts at $28,195. That’s a price drop of $5,900 for the Bolt EV and a drop of $6,300 for the Bolt EUV—reductions that hold for both the… More…

Buick on Wednesday revealed a concept that it says previews “an expressive vision of the brand’s new design direction” as it transitions to fully electric by the end of the decade. And it also confirmed that upcoming Buick EVs—including the first one to arrive in North America in 2024—will carry the Electra name, as… More…