Toyota is the latest automaker to work with an electrical utility on ways to use EVs to aid the grid. The automaker on Thursday announced a pilot project with Texas-based utility Oncor for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, which allows EVs to discharge power back into the grid. Other automakers and utilities have already expressed interest in V2G… More…
Category: Greencarreports
Report: Winter EV driving range varies widely by model
All electric cars experience some range loss in cold weather, but the amount varies widely by model, according to a new report from battery analysis firm Recurrent. The company, which produces battery health reports for used EVs, published a similar report last year. This time, though, it has more data, with model comparisons based on information… More…
In just five US metro areas, EVs could save 2,500 lives annually
Although we tend to focus on carbon emissions and the effect on climate and the atmosphere, a new Cornell University study highlights that choosing an EV is an investment in better local air quality. Published in the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, the study looked at the economic and health impacts of changes in air quality in… More…
Review: 2023 Toyota Prius rethinks high-mpg hybrid for stunning style
Throw away what you think you know about the Toyota Prius, the ur-hybrid that was briefly Silicon Valley’s most tech-forward car before it was supplanted by Tesla and other electric cars. The 2023 Toyota Prius, which goes on sale early next year, is a stunner. The sleek, wedge-shaped form wasn’t easy to achieve while preserving the… More…
Lucid shifts to Panasonic batteries, some to be US-made
Some future versions of the Lucid Air and Gravity SUV may make their impressive range claims with U.S.-made batteries. On Tuesday, Lucid Group and Panasonic Energy Co. confirmed a multi-year agreement that will keep Lucid supplied as it ramps up the rest of the Lucid Air lineup in 2023 and starts production of the Gravity SUV in 2024. The… More…
IRS: 2023 EV tax credit needs reporting from automakers, sellers
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on Monday released an introduction for the full eligibility rules for the revamped federal EV tax credit, and it looks like automakers—as well as sellers—will have to submit a lot of reports. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) re-upped the $7,500 credit, but added new requirements for American assembly… More…
2020 Kia Niro EV recalled for power system defect
Early Kia Niro EV models are being recalled for drive-unit components that may have been improperly sealed. The recall is very small, however, affecting just 872 vehicles from the 2020 model year. The recall involves the electric power control unit (EPCU), one of the most critical and expensive components in an EV. It controls the flow of power… More…
$2.5B DOE loan backs GM’s Ultium EV plan
The U.S. Department of Energy confirmed Monday morning a $2.5 billion federal loan to Ultium Cells LLC, for financing the construction of plants to supply many millions of future GM electric vehicles. The loan will fund the construction of joint-venture GM and LG Energy Solution battery plants in Ohio, Tennessee, and Michigan, and the confirmation… More…
Tech update may boost range of future Hyundai and Kia EVs
Hyundai and Kia EVs may soon get new silicon-carbide power modules aimed at boosting range. Semiconductor firm STMicroelectronics (ST) said last week in a press release that it has been chosen by Hyundai to supply its silicon-carbide power modules for EVs based on the automaker’s E-GMP platform, which underpins the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and… More…
$6,250 Squad solar EV coming to US—wherever 25 mph is enough
It will soon be possible to get a solar-charging EV in the U.S. for just $6,250—with a catch. The Squad Solar City Car is the product of Dutch firm Squad Mobility, which was founded in 2019. Unveiled last May, it uses sunlight to recharge its battery pack. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2024, and Squad recently confirmed that the… More…
F-150 Lightning was first electric pickup open to federal agencies
The Ford F-150 Lightning was the first electric pickup truck available to federal agencies for fleet use—but because it’s currently sold out, those agencies can’t order any of the trucks. Outside first reported that the United States Forest Service (USFS) is currently evaluating the Lightning, and that it is the only electric pickup… More…
2021-2022 VW ID.4 gets long-awaited software upgrade
Volkswagen is preparing to release a software upgrade for easy ID.4 electric crossovers aimed at improving infotainment system performance, while adding some new features. The upgrade will roll out to 2021 ID.4 models first, followed by certain 2022 ID.4 models, Volkswagen of America said in a press release earlier this week. Owners will be… More…
EV battery cost soared in 2022, hampering EV affordability
EV battery costs have soared in 2022 due to rising raw material and battery component prices, according to a Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) report. The volume-weighted average for lithium-ion battery pack prices reached $151/kwh this year, a 7% increase over 2021, according to the report. It marks the first time average pack prices have… More…
GM aims for rural EV drivers with vast Level 2 charging network
General Motors is about to undertake what it claims is the largest deployment of Level 2 EV chargers in North America. The automaker this week announced the official launch of its Dealer Community Charging Program with the installation of the first charging stations in Wisconsin and Michigan. GM aims to install up to 40,000 Level 2 chargers in the… More…
Battery change boosts 2023 Nissan Leaf efficiency, slightly
The Nissan Ariya will soon arrive at the company’s U.S. dealerships, but it won’t be the only EV featured at them. The other, of course, is the Nissan Leaf. The Ariya crossover isn’t replacing Leaf: Nissan lowered the Leaf’s price a couple years ago, seemingly to make room for the Ariya. The 2023 Nissan Leaf sees some feature… More…
Polestar 2 offers permanent performance boost over the air—for $1,195
Polestar is offering an over-the-air software update that boosts output of dual-motor versions of the Polestar 2—for a one-time $1,195 fee. The new software increases output by 68 hp and 15 lb-ft of torque to 476 hp and 502 lb-ft, Polestar said in a press release. This reduces the manufacturer-estimated 0-60 mph time to 4.2 seconds, but… More…
Used EV depreciation: Do long-range models hold more value?
Used EV prices are dropping, but long-range models appear to be holding their value better, according to Automotive News. As analysts try to fit used-car value metrics to the growing population of used EVs, J.D. Power is applying a “pretty significant deduct” to the residual value of any model with a range below 275 miles, which the firm considers… More…
Toyota rolls out C-HR plug-in hybrid, plans six bZ EVs for Europe
Toyota on Monday teased a plug-in hybrid version of its C-HR subcompact crossover and confirmed more all-electric bZ models for Europe. The Toyota C-HR Prologue Concept shown Monday previews a next-generation model scheduled to debut in the near future. Toyota said in a press release that this new model is engineered to support a plug-in hybrid… More…
DHL is getting 2,000 Ford electric vans, smarts to manage them
Ford announced Monday that its Ford Pro unit will deliver 2,000 electric delivery vans to Deutsche Post DHL Group worldwide, by the end of 2023. Nested behind this is a piece of news that signals a far greater impact over the long term: The deal includes an memorandum of understanding (MOU) for future vehicles, plus DHL’s implementation of… More…
AAA expands EV offerings with mobile charging, trip planning
More than a decade after launching a mobile EV charging pilot program, AAA is launching a second, larger-scale program that will offer mobile charging to members in 14 U.S. metropolitan areas. The new pilot program offers mobile charging for free to AAA members in the following cities: San Francisco; Indianapolis; Philadelphia; Orlando; Nashville;… More…