Scooter Doll

Lucid Motors is in the process of delivering all four of the original trims of its flagship Air sedan promised when the ultra-long-range EV made its initial debut a couple of years ago. We’ve had a chance to experience several of those models inside and out, but have wondered when the promised addition of Apple CarPlay would arrive. Today, Lucid has finally confirmed that CarPlay will now come as a standard feature.

Volkswagen Group sub-brand Cupra has been market testing the possible entry into the US market, according to SEAT Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths. Cupra has expanded to new markets outside of Western Europe recently and has multiple all-electric models in its production pipeline in Spain as it looks to grow its recognition as its own standalone EV brand.

Meet Domus – the solar electric sailing yacht concept created as a collaboration between Rob Doyle Design and Van Geest Design. This 40-meter sailing vessel promises to deliver the interior volume of a 60-meter yacht and can propel itself using wind, solar, hydro regeneration, and hydrogen fuels cells to deliver “unlimited range.” All without any carbon emissions. Did we mention it has a movie theater?

Luxury electric boatbuilder ALVA Yachts is back with its latest solar electric catamaran. The upcoming OCEAN ECO 78 will arrive as a mid-size marine vessel in ALVA’s current lineup and comes equipped with the solar and electric propulsion technology to reach a top speed of 14-15 knots (16-17 mph) at sea, plus plenty of battery capacity to go far – all backed by solar panels on its roof.

According to a recent update from Volkswagen Passenger Cars CEO Thomas Schaefer, the Group intends to build at least four of its incoming EVs across its sub-brand’s current and upcoming facilities in Spain, including the VW ID.2, whose concept version, the ID.2all, was unveiled last week.

DC fast charging network Electrify America announced its latest complimentary charging program available for EV owners today. Looking ahead, future owners of the upcoming Hyundai IONIQ 6 will receive two years of free 30-minute charging sessions on its network, offering speeds up to 350 kW – perfect for the electric streamliner’s 800V e-GMP platform.

Solar electric vehicle start-up Aptera Motors has announced its first fleet order from SustainabilitySooner, Inc. The initial pre-order is for 101 of Aptera’s 400-mile range solar EVs and is expected to deliver millions in future revenue. However, what may be more exciting is the prospect of future fleet orders as SustainabilitySooner looks to eventually operate a fleet of over 100,000 SEVs.

According to recent reports out of China, the world’s leading battery manufacturer CATL has successfully achieved mass production of its energy dense Qilin batteries capable of delivering 1,000 km (621 miles) of range. CATL’s new cells utilize the 4680 pack structure and will debut on the upcoming ZEEKR 009 multi-purpose vehicle (MPV).

According to a draft proposal recently seen by the media, the European Commission has reportedly added an amendment to its 2035 combustion vehicle ban that allows for the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles after the expiry, as long as they run entirely on climate-neutral e-fuels. This move is the latest chapter in a saga to ban ICE vehicles in the EU that has recently been stifled by countries insisting on the additional e-fuel exceptions, led by automotive juggernaut, Germany.

GM’s self-driving rideshare unit, Cruise, has applied for permission to expand testing of its robotaxi rides throughout all of California. The autonomous driving specialist has already been testing rides for over a year in different cities across three states including San Francisco, but hopes to expand further throughout The Golden State.

EV automaker Polestar is picking up where it left off with last year’s limited production Polestar 2 BST Edition 270 with a next-generation version of the sedan with a keener focus on performance design. The Polestar 2 BST 230 debuts new features to the brand both inside in out that you learn more about below.

Build Your Dreams’ (BYD) momentum in global expansion continues to snowball into new markets, including Central Asia where the Chinese automaker is launching three models beginning this month. This includes the Han EV as well as two hybrid plug-ins.

South Korean EV automaker Kia Motor announced its initial entry into the market of China, beginning with its super popular EV6 crossover. The automaker debuted several concepts overseas today, including the EV5, which will be its first global model built in China.

This week, Nissan invited a select group of writers up to Wine Country to test drive the pre-production models of its all-electric 2023 Ariya crossover SUV. This was my first experience in the Ariya and I was excited at the opportunity to try out Nissan’s AWD e-4ORCE technology. It did not disappoint. These upcoming Ariya EVs deserve a look as a viable EV option loaded with standard features you won’t find in many of its competitor’s EVs, but the automaker may still have trouble standing out from the pack.

Apollo Go, tech company Baidu’s robotaxi service, has received a permit to offer fully-driverless rides in Beijing, expanding its autonomous ride-hailing service to three major cities in China. Following the awarded permit, Baidu is now the first company in the entire world to offer fully-driverless rides to the over 21 million residents in China’s capital city.

Mazda Motor Corporation’s Board of Directors have announced a myriad of internal personnel changes today, the most prominent being current Representative Director President and CEO Akira Marumoto stepping down into a role as a senior advisor to make way for Masahiro Moro – a veteran of Mazda for 40 years.

Weeks after successfully completing the longest eVTOL flight to date in its Prosperity I all-electric aircraft, AutoFlight has secured a major purchase commitment from EVFLY. The advanced air mobility services provider has signed a deal with AutoFlight for over 200 of its eVTOL cargo and passenger aircraft, which will eventually operate in one of the first commercially available global fleets.

Another version of the Lucid Air is reaching reservation holders, so naturally, that means it was also time for me to get behind the wheel of it and test it for myself. My latest Lucid EV loan was with the Touring – the third in the lineup and second most affordable option behind the Air Pure. I’ve pushed the Air Dream Edition’s 1,111 horsepower out on the highways of Arizona and have driven the Air Grand Touring up the California coast, but the Touring might just offer the most bang for your buck.

German luxury boatbuilder Lürssen Yachts has shared video footage of it successfully launching a zero-emissions megayacht longer than two olympic swimming pools, suspected to be commissioned by a Japanese billionaire. The exterior of hydrogen powered megayacht, codenamed Project Cosmos, is being designed by Apple designer Marc Newson.

UK-based EV startup Arrival has garnered a fresh $300 million in equity financing in hopes it can slow the financial bleeding that has plagued it in recent months. As previously announced layoffs and cost cuts take effect, Arrival expects the funding to help slow its cash-burn rate, but says it will need to raise even more in order to begin Van production in the US next year.

Weeks after teasing the public with a peek at its shadowy exterior, Kia has finally shared its first official images of its upcoming EV9 SUV both inside and out. Described with an “opposites united” design philosophy, this all-electric SUV looks like it will offer plenty of space inside and atop Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform and has unique six- and seven-seat options you’ve gotta see.