Bradley writes about electric cars, autonomous vehicles, smart homes, and other tech that’s transforming society. He contributes to The New York Times, SAE International, Via Magazine, Popular Mechanics, MIT Technology Review, and others. https://twitter.com/bradberman
In a Tokyo press conference in January 2020, Subaru showed the first design study for a pure-electric crossover to be developed with Toyota. At the time, Auto News said it wasn’t going into production until 2025. New reports from Japan now peg an unveiling for 2021 while confirming the name of the vehicle as “Evoltis.”
A German YouTuber got his hands on a VIN for the upcoming ID.3 electric car and used it to access VW’s online manual. He discovered a set of high-tech features not commonly found on a small, affordable EVs. They’re not groundbreaking, but you can see that VW wants to make its EV a high-tech showcase.
Car shopping has ground to a halt due to pandemic lockdowns. So dealerships across the US are trying to entice car buyers with attractive deals. But the discounts and 0% financing offers are not as compelling for electric cars as they are for gas-consuming vehicles.
By now, you probably know about the extraordinary capabilities of the Porsche Taycan electric car. Today, it becomes available at a price of about $50,000 below the previously available versions — as the Taycan 4S officially arrives at US dealerships.
When the owners of GM vehicles learn about the automaker’s failure to support strong vehicle pollution standards, its reputation goes down and sales suffer. A negative view of GM’s stance on emissions rules was shared by GM customers regardless of party affiliation. That’s the finding of a new poll of 1,000 Chevy, Buick, Cadillac, and GMC owners.
Two research institutes at the University of California, Berkeley, today released a research brief about the global supply of batteries for electric vehicles. Many millions of batteries will be needed for EVs in the coming decades. Here’s the overarching question: How can the supply of those batteries meet that demand in a sustainable way?
BMW says that its electrification strategy is all about giving consumers the choice of a pure EV or plug-in hybrid. That should put pressure on BMW to push the envelope on all-electric range and overall fuel-efficiency of its plug-in hybrids. But that’s not the case.
Volkswagen is restarting production at its Zwickau plant on April 20, one week ahead of when most of its global factories will resume. The much-anticipated ID.3 EV, the first of a wave of new VW electric vehicles, is produced in Zwickau. The move comes as the company acknowledges new challenges in meeting EU CO2 targets during the pandemic.
Compare the Market, a UK-based car insurance comparison website, looked up the price of a Nissan Leaf in 49 countries. It pulled the offered price right from the official Nissan website of the latest model in February 2020. The lowest price was $28,620 in Spain. The steepest Leaf price was in Singapore at $110,326.
Rivian distinguishes itself from other EV makers in its mission statement: to produce emissions-free electric adventure vehicles. But with everybody on lockdown due to the pandemic, it’s a challenge to get outside. So the company took a look through its archive of past adventures and published three stunning new videos in the past week.
Michael Steiner, research chief for Porsche, doesn’t like to compare the Taycan with Tesla models. For Steiner, Tesla is going after volume segments, which means that it’s not a direct competitor to Porsche. The R&D chief spoke with Automotive News about Tesla’s battery design, why Porsche needs to keep improving its combustion engines, and the brand’s anti-hydrogen stance.
In what GM is calling a coronavirus relief package, the company is discounting the purchase of a Chevy Bolt electric car by $4,750 in cash discounts, with 0% APR financing for 72 months. Qualified buyers won’t have to make any payments for 120 days.
After weeks of being idle, auto factories producing electric cars in Europe are resuming production. Hyundai and Audi plants were the first to open, with Daimler expected to begin output next week. EV plants in China have been online for several weeks, but the plan for US production is still up in the air.
Renault announced today that it would stop making and selling gas-powered cars in China. But the French automaker will retain its interest in three different ventures to produce multiple electric vehicles in the world’s largest auto market and for export.
The most effective response to the COVID pandemic has come from state leadership — not the federal government. And the same thing is happening for vehicle-emission rules. Last month, Washington State became the 12th state to adopt California’s zero-emissions mandate. Next up: Minnesota and New Mexico, with Colorado and Ohio not far behind.
Pandemic stay-at-home orders are getting more consumers to consider buying an electric car. And the coronavirus lockdown is also inspiring more people to take daily walks in the neighborhood.
On my strolls in the East Bay, across from San Francisco, I see several EVs on every block. With my neighbors sheltering in place, I am also discovering a lot of driveways with two green vehicles. I never would have expected some of the combinations – or all the different ways to set up home charging for two EVs.
American coal generation declined 36% in March compared to the year before. With oil prices at new low levels, coal is now the most expensive fossil fuel on the planet. Reuters reports that nearly half of global coal plants will run at a loss this year. That’s all sad news for coal country, but it means that electric cars continue to get cleaner.
With lockdowns lifting in China, car buyers are coming back in droves. Personal vehicles have new appeal as consumers hold fears about the safety of public transit. The return of car purchasing in China could be a boon for EV makers.
The Formula E electric-vehicle racing series was conceived in 2011. Nearly a decade later, EVs are well on the way to mass commercialization. Airspeeder, the first motorsports program for electric flying cars, this week announced raising a seven-figure sum to launch its series. Founders of the flying EV series believe it could accelerate progress toward mainstream sustainable, electric air mobility.
It’s well known that on March 31, the Trump administration gutted fuel-economy and greenhouse gas rules for model years 2021 to 2026. But what does it mean specifically for electric vehicles? Environmental law firm Beveridge & Diamond broke down the new rule, shedding light on provisions for EVs.
Auto industry analysts are predicting that sales of electric vehicles will suffer badly due to the pandemic. But it’s not the first time that legacy industry sources have written off EVs. However, a new UK survey suggests that the coronavirus is making consumers more aware of the environment — and therefore more inclined to buy an electric car.
Two years ago, Ford outlined its plans for 40 so-called electrified vehicles in its global lineup by 2022. The company said 16 would be purely electric, and the rest would be plug-in hybrids – with a focus on its most iconic, mainstream vehicles. News is starting to trickle out about the plug-in hybrid version of the ultra-iconic F-150 pickup, with Car and Driver reporting that it will only offer around 10 miles of all-electric range.
Volkswagen wants the world to forget about its diesel-emission scandal. Hummer was the poster child for in-your-face gas guzzling but wants to shed that perception. Both brands want a brand-new, squeaky-clean image for making zero-emission vehicles. Hence, VW launched its new logo today, and Hummer filed a series of trademarks for its new logo in February.
The new Fiat 500e was slated for its launch in early March at the canceled Geneva International Motor Show. Instead, Fiat chief Olivier François stars in an 18-minute virtual press conference for the new 500, which is exclusively electric. What unfolds in those few minutes is a jaw-dropping display of greenwashing, complete with a natural pebble key fob, melodic EV pedestrian acoustics, Leo DiCaprio name-drops, a paint job that supposedly cleans the air, and claims of an eco-revolution.
