Kia on Wednesday previewed the exterior design of its PV5 electric van that’s expected to start production later this year. The automaker showed basic passenger and cargo versions of the PV5, with other versions as well as conversion possibilities to be detailed at the 2025 Kia EV Day event in Tarragona, Spain, on Feb. 24. Kia also plans the full… Read more…

Mercedes-Benz has said up until now that its future vans would be based on a dedicated electric architecture, but on Thursday it confirmed plans for a new internal-combustion van architecture as well. Electric vans based on the new Van.EA platform will still debut in 2026, as previously discussed. They’ll now be joined by other fuel-burning models… Read more…

ES90 electric sedan will debut the most powerful computing capacity ever in a Volvo EX90 electric SUV will gain the same processing upgrade, be upgraded to it as a retrofit Will support AI-based features, more efficient battery management Volvo’s next electric vehicle will build on the automaker’s recently-introduced tech stack with even more… Read more…

Toyota plans to shift a $1.5 billion order to an LG Energy Solution battery factory in Michigan to help keep it afloat after General Motors backed out of the project, Automotive News reported Wednesday. Located in the state capital of Lansing, the plant started out as a joint venture between GM and LG. But in December GM said it was selling its… Read more…

Rivian on Wednesday unveiled new limited editions of its R1T electric pickup truck and R1S electric SUV inspired by California’s desert dunes. Available on Tri-motor versions of the 2025 R1T and R1S, the California Dune Edition treatment cloaks the updated electric vehicles in a Desert Storm color palette and adds off-road accessories. Production… Read more…

Toyota last week unveiled its third-generation hydrogen fuel-cell stack, demonstrating continued commitment to fuel cells alongside battery-electric vehicles. In a press release, the automaker promised improved durability and efficiency, as well as lower production costs for the new stack, which Toyota plans to debut in passenger vehicles and… Read more…

More than 50% of U.S. sales in 2025 are likely to be “electrified” (hybrids, PHEVs, and EVs) Same exec previously suggested 2025 sales topping 50% from hybrids alone North Caroline battery sourcing may help in the electrified push While it’s still struggling with sales of all-electric vehicles, Toyota has seen substantial growth in hybrids and… Read more…

California sees EV fast-charger creation continuing in 2025 and beyond Program offers funding now for “ready-to-build” charging projects at retailers Current $1.4B program is part of $10B EV-and-infrastructure plan While the Trump DOT has frozen funds related to the federal EV charging buildout, that hasn’t stopped the creation… Read more…

Hybrid sedans and crossovers are among the 40,922 Toyota and Lexus vehicles being recalled for a seat belt issue. The recall includes 2025 Toyota Camry sedans, which received standard hybrid powertrains as part of an extensive update for that model year, as well as hybrid versions of 2025 Lexus NX and 2024-2025 Lexus RX crossovers alongside… Read more…

Kia on Monday partially revealed production-ready sedan and hatchback versions of its EV4 compact electric vehicle. First previewed in 2023 by a concept car, the production Kia EV4 sedan retains the concept’s sleek profile and bold, multi-faceted surfacing. The hatchback replaces the sedan’s tapered tail with a squared-off shape that also looks… Read more…

U.S. EV market share might be flat vs. 2024, but market expansion means 3% EV sales growth EV sales gained 58% looking past direct sales from Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, others California EV sales were close to flat for 2024, but non-Tesla EV sales gained 21% Policy wildcards include EV tax credit, tariffs, emissions policy, and charging infrastructure… Read more…

Driving on eggshells—not walking on them—might be a good thing. Stellantis is looking to patent a process for incorporating them, or other biowaste material, into tires in order to further lower their environmental impact. In a patent filing published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Jan. 23, 2025 and submitted… Read more…

BMW has developed the Heart of Joy control unit for its upcoming Neue Klasse EVs Heart of Joy consolidates multiple separate control units—such as those managing the drivetrain and chassis—into a single, integrated unit Promised benefits include quicker and more precise vehicle control, plus efficiency gains BMW’s upcoming Neue Klasse… Read more…

Among those considering the purchase of a new or used battery-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle, or just curious about EVs, charging can still be the EV dealbreaker. Unless you don’t have a way to easily install or access home charging, your excuses are quickly disappearing, though. In 2024 public charging kept pace—or… Read more…

Chevy Blazer EV.R NASCAR prototype debuts at Daytona 500 2025 Blazer EV SS serves as first electric pace car for signature NASCAR event NASCAR remains tied to gas-guzzling V-8s No major racing series revels in inefficient internal combustion quite as much as NASCAR, but this year its biggest race will kick off with the silence of an all-electric… Read more…

Ford is looking at charging EV battery packs from multiple charge ports simultaneously in order to shorten charging times. The concept is outlined in a recent patent filing published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Nov. 12, 2024, but originally filed by Ford back on Dec. 8, 2021. It shows a setup with dual charging ports… Read more…

Trump can’t end EV tax credit; Congess can Proposed bill would end new EV, used EV, and commercial EV credits EV leasing loophole goes away with commercial credit (45W) Up-front federal EV tax of $1,000 proposed in addition to state EV surcharges As bold as President Trump’s initial executive actions relating to EVs might be, they… Read more…

Hyundai and Kia are looking to combine battery-pack cases with vehicle structural components for greater packaging efficiency. In a patent filing published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Nov. 14, 2024, and first submitted by the automakers to that agency Oct. 26, 2023, Hyundai and Kia discuss having a vehicle’s floor… Read more…

Electric vehicles improved in the 2025 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study but plug-in hybrids got worse. Released Thursday, the annual study focuses on the rate of problems with new vehicles, as reported by owners, with scores assigned based on problems per 100 vehicles. The new results are based on problems experienced by the original owners… Read more…

Modern EVs don’t suffer the extreme-temp range loss—or degradation—that earlier models did Heat pumps and battery heaters have made a difference, as have new battery chemistries Automaker testing is part of it, as Nissan points to in Ariya EV Electric vehicle batteries perform best and last longest in a specific temperature window, but… Read more…