David Ruddock

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland are investigating a way to recover the metallic content of EV batteries with bioengineered bacteria. The new method involves processing spent Nissan Leaf batteries into a “leachate” — a liquified battery slurry — and combining that slurry with said microbes.

In China. I didn’t want to bury the lede too far. Today, NIO and Changan Automobile announced the two companies had agreed to develop a joint standard for swappable EV batteries. NIO is the largest operator of swappable passenger EV batteries in the world, with over 2,000 battery swap stations in its home market of China, along with a small network in Europe. But today’s news is an important milestone for battery swapping regardless.

As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Biden administration announced that a new round of federal funds to support the US battery manufacturing industry is becoming available. This $3.5 billion package is the second part of a large $6 billion-plus program that awarded funds to its first applicants last year.

Porsche is working on a major renovation of its Zuffenhausen factory in Germany to accommodate production of the upcoming 718 electric sports car and powertrains for the Macan EV. The company will invest over 250 million Euro overhauling the facility, where its two-door sports cars and the Porsche Taycan are currently built.

The first images of Xiaomi’s SU7 EV have been published by a Chinese government regulatory agency, showing off the car in advance of its official public debut. Alongside the images, various specifications in the regulatory filings are being reported, such as the car’s size, weight, power output, manufacturer, and available models at launch.

According to reporting from the Financial Times, Tesla and India’s long courtship ritual could finally be making real progress. Negotiations appear to be on a path that would make it possible for Tesla to sell its existing cars in the country while it works on plans for a local manufacturing facility.

Hyundai has broken ground on a massive new EV factory in its home market of South Korea today. Full-scale construction of the plant will begin in earnest before 2023 is over, so Hyundai’s not wasting any time here.

In the age of silky-smooth and quiet electrification, big screens, cameras, and power everything, what truly defines a luxury car? It’s a question I found myself asking after two days with the Volkswagen ID.7, the new mid-size EV sedan from Wolfsburg. It’s not a luxury car, per se, but so much about it does feel luxurious. Between the amazing seats, plush ride, and abundant tech, this is a car that doesn’t want for much.

Philosophical musing aside, VW has found the proverbial sweet spot in the ID.7 — a nice but not-too-nice family car I’d genuinely love to live with. While I’m still not sure I know what makes a luxury car a luxury car anymore, the ID.7 prompts what is perhaps a better question, “What else do you really need in a car?” And maybe true luxury is the absence of need.

How do you make a long-haul diesel truck emit 50% less CO2 without changing a single thing about it? Sounds like a riddle, right? A new pilot solution embraced by BMW Group Logistik and supplied by partner firm Trailer Dynamics here in Germany, though, can do just that. I spoke with Mo Koellner from BMW and Michael Nimtsch from Trailer Dynamics about this tech on a call earlier in the week.

Lexus plans to launch a next-generation EV with super-low drag, high range, and a gigacast vehicle structure, in the most significant electric vehicle announcement to come out of this year’s Japan Mobility Show.

Mitsubishi has been something of an also-ran in the automotive world for the past decade, with the brand’s storied badges (Delica, Lancer, Pajero, Eclipse — to name a few) largely forgotten in modern vehicular conversation. Now, it says it will invest up to $200 million in partner firm Renault’s Ampere EV unit.

Toyota is on a roll with EV concepts at this year’s Japan Mobility Show, and the latest has to be among the highest on its customer request list: an electrified Land Cruiser SUV. The Land Cruiser Se concept is as straightforward a look into what a BEV version of the iconic off-roader might look like as Toyota has ever given, and it’s nice!

We’ve all read so-called “range anxiety” stories — and most EV owners know they amount to a hill of beans when it comes to the lived experience of electric cars. And yet, there seems to be a narrative in mainstream media that range anxiety is the key issue when it comes to EV adoption, one that they’re rather keen on pushing whenever the opportunity arises.

Gravity Inc., best known for its fleet of Mustang Mach E electric taxis in New York City, has announced a brand-new ultra-high output DC charger designed especially for the challenging ergonomics of urban parking garages.

A press release from Cruise, GM, and Honda says that the three companies plan to launch a robotaxi joint venture in Japan starting in 2026. No word if the vehicles will play charming little MIDI tunes when they pick you up, but we can dream.

A report from Reuters says that Chinese EV manufacturer Nio is mulling a move to a dealership model in Europe as it fails to meet internal sales goals for its cars. Nio, for its part, sidestepped on the issue when questioned, saying, “We will choose the model that best suits the local market and the brand’s development needs.”

The next-generation BMW 5 Series is entering market availability globally, including the new i5 EV. The US will see the i5 Sedan arrive for sale in just a matter of weeks, before October’s end. It’s unclear if the eDrive 40 and M60 xDrive will both be available at launch, but BMW’s release would seem to imply “yes.”

Lucid Motors initially planned to build 10,000 cars in fiscal year 2023, but early Q3 2023 data published by Lucid today would seem to put that figure in serious jeopardy — if not make it an outright impossibility.

Volta Trucks, which had planned to begin selling its heavy EV trucks in the US this year, has filed for bankruptcy in Sweden. A short statement from the company paints a pretty grim picture, with some of the blame laid at the feet of Volta’s battery supplier Proterra, which filed for bankruptcy itself in August.

The Toyota Kayoibako is a new EV concept from the brand that’s all about maximizing space — a concept we can get behind. This small multipurpose EV is actually inspired by shipping containers, and it certainly looks like something out of the hold of an interplanetary cargo hauler. It’s the latest concept unveiled as part of the company’s Japan Mobility Show announcements.

According to data put together by Visual Capitalist, the cost of replacing your next-gen RAM 1500 REV’s battery could exceed $25,000 in components alone. Based on information from Benchmark Minerals Intelligence, VC put together a cost estimate comparison of various EV batteries. The RAM 1500 REV’s massive top-tier 229kWh pack was the most expensive by a considerable margin, at $25,853 — within spitting distance of a brand-new Prius ($27,650). As Snoop Dogg so eloquently put it: Pay the cost to be the boss.

Sales of new plug-in (EV or PHEV) vehicles in Germany in September 2023 took a massive hit as the country’s EV subsidies continued time-gated phaseouts, based on data analyzed by InsideEVs. Specifically, business subsidies for EV purchases were eliminated entirely as of September 1, 2023 — and the result was a 35% reduction in all plug-in registrations year over year for the month of September. BEV registrations, as compared to the total figure (i.e., including PHEVs), dropped 29% in the same period. As of this time, total plug-in sales in Germany are still up 5% in 2023 compared to 2022, but that puts the market perilously close to backsliding.