United States

Italian legacy automaker Alfa Romeo recently outlined details of its upcoming all-electric segment in which its CEO said it intends to bolster sales in North America, expressing the need to “transfer the concept of performance” to its EVs. To do so, however, Alfa Romeo believes it needs something bigger and all-electric to attract US consumers, stating that it’s working on an SUV to compete with the BMW X5.

Renault’s revived sports car brand Alpine could make a huge resurgence this decade through ambitious production and sales goals under the marque’s CEO Laurent Rossi. Rossi sees the US as a crucial market in reaching its sales targets and intends to bring two bespoke Alpine EVs to the US market that will be positioned similarly to Porsche’s two SUV models. It may take a few years though.

US president Joe Biden and China’s president Xi Jinping today agreed to renew climate talks, ending months of silence due to geopolitical tensions. Here’s why that’s a major breakthrough.

About 14 months after officially unveiling its all-electric EQE sedan, Mercedes-Benz has shared US pricing before deliveries begin this fall. The EQE will come in three different versions, each with varying trims to choose from, starting at an MSRP of $74,900. Learn more below.

The European Union has asked the United States to include EVs, batteries, and other sustainable products sold on US soil in federal tax credits, similar to benefits it currently offers its North American neighbors. According to a recent report, the US and EU are in discussions about what’s possible.

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) just released its Emissions Gap Report 2022 – and let’s just say, the news isn’t good. So brace yourselves: You’re likely to see a slew of frightening, doom-mongering headlines about it today, unleashing a fresh wave of terror over those of us who care about the planet. But rather than panicking, here’s what to do instead.

Later today, the Biden administration is expected to announce $2.8 billion that will be awarded in grants around the US in support of EV battery manufacturing and mineral production domestically. The White House is also launching what is being called the “American Battery Material Initiative” to bolster mineral supply chains for automakers operating in the US.

In a recent interview with German media, NIO CEO William Li covered a plethora of topics pertaining to the relatively young Chinese automaker, including its expansion in Europe and its plans for the US, which may now be on hold. Speaking of the US market, Li had some bold (and funny) words to say about Tesla and Elon Musk.

GM has officially begun Ultium EV battery production in the US as part of its $2.3 billion joint venture with LG Energy Solution. The JV’s 2.8-million square foot facility in Ohio is now assembling battery packs for the GMC Hummer EV, but remains hush on what other EVs in the GM family will receive them. Meanwhile, the American automaker continues to work through disputes as its battery factory employees look to unionize.

According to the “fact of the week” from the United States Department of Energy, the number of EVs offering at least 300 miles of range has grown tremendously since 2016 and has tripled in 2022 compared to a year prior. Higher range remains a huge selling point for US consumers, but still begs the question – is it really necessary for the average driver?

Mercedes-Benz announced the official launch of EQS SUV production today, the first of its EQ line to be built entirely in the US. With a start of production and Mercedes’ Tuscaloosa assembly plant in Alabama, we expect to hear EQS SUV pricing soon as deliveries remain on track for later this year. With the recent signing of the Inflation Reduction Act, we wonder if the US-built electric SUV will qualify for federal tax credits under the new terms of the bill.

As many legacy automakers join a slew of new and established EV manufacturers in committing to an all-electric future for passenger vehicles, the transition for consumers continues to rise. While we are still quite a ways away from a world of roads dominated by BEVs, the graph of this transition continues to trend upward. Below is where the US currently stands in total EV registrations, broken down state by state. We’ve also compared last year’s results to see how far your state has grown.

Direct current fast charger manufacturer Tritium has officially opened the doors of its new EV charger manufacturing facility in Lebanon, Tennessee – its first production footprint in the United States. With it, Tritium intends to bring over 500 new jobs to the state.

Foxconn has signed its first contract manufacturing agreement since acquiring a Ohio facility from Lordstown Motors. In addition to building EVs for Lordstown and Fisker Inc., Foxconn will now also be manufacturing advanced, driver optional electric tractors and battery packs for Monarch Tractors.

Lightning strikes quickly and often it would seem. According to news from Ford Motor Company this morning, customers in all 50 states have received F-150 Lightning pickups just two months after deliveries began. Here are a few of those customers’ stories.

German automaker Volkswagen has announced the start of production of its all-electric ID.4 SUV at its manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This start of production solidifies the ID.4 as the first Volkswagen EV to built and sold in the United States.

The game of musical CEO chairs continues on at Volkswagen Group as yet another executive is leaving their current post to lead a different marque. Current president and CEO for Volkswagen Group of America Scott Keogh announced he is stepping down after nearly five years to become CEO of Volkswagen’s new all-electric truck brand, Scout.

The US Postal Service has clearly been reading Electrek and our disdain for its previous decisions not to implement more EVs across its upcoming fleet of mail delivery vehicles. In a recent pivot towards sustainability, the USPS has more than doubled its number of electric vehicles for a second time. However, even after its intention to buy “as many BEVs as are commercially available,” the new EVs will still only make up 40% of the initial order. Better yes, but still not good enough.

In true VinFast fashion, it doesn’t do anything small. Rather than opening its first showroom in the US today, the Vietnamese EV automaker is opening six VinFast stores at once – all in California. With over thirty locations planned for the Sunshine State alone and intentions to expand deeper into the US, VinFast is once again truly moving – fast.

This morning, Volkswagen Group of America (VWGoA) announced a collaboration with Redwood Materials, Inc. to implement a battery-recycling supply chain in the United States for Volkswagen- and Audi-branded EVs. The collab represents VW’s commitment to sustainability in the United States and beyond while simultaneously expanding Redwood’s closed-loop battery supply chain.

Fresh off news of a similar reward subscription for new VF 8 and VF 9 customers in Europe, Vinfast has introduced a new program for US consumers that not only offers subscriptions within newly purchased EVs, but additional charging perks as well. Customers who buy a VinFast EV can now choose between three years of free unlimited charging or a complimentary Level 2 home charger.