Could Jeep reinvent planetary hybrid tech for 4WD adventures?

Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe autonomous prototypes testing in Moab, UtahStellantis may be looking to adapt planetary gear hybrid systems—like the one currently used in the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid plug-in hybrid minivan—to more rugged vehicles, a patent filing indicates. The Pacifica Hybrid uses a planetary power-split system to juggle its 3.6-liter V-6 and a pair of electric motors, which can both be used...

Southern US states are set for the most EV range, data suggests

2024 Fiat 500eExtreme temperatures can affect electric vehicle range, but the extreme heat of the South is nothing to offset the extreme cold in other parts of the U.S., according to new findings. Vaisala, a Finnish instrumented measurement firm, analyzed the effect of weather and road conditions on EV range across the Lower 48 states, looking at how these...

Sulfur-crystal battery could triple EV range without cobalt or nickel

Theion sulfur-crystal EV battery developmentA German startup believes it has the recipe for electric vehicle battery cells that are cheaper, more energy dense, and less problematic for the environment than current lithium-ion cells. But commercialization seems a long way off. Theion announced Thursday in a press release that it is close to completing a 15 million euro (approximately $16.2...

California has nearly 50% more public EV chargers than gas nozzles

2025 Audi Q6 E-TronIn 2024, public charging in California expanded at record levels The state has double the publicly accessible chargers versus 2022 Nearly 30% of U.S. EV sales go to California customers In California, drivers are now much more likely to encounter an electric vehicle charging connector than a gas pump nozzle. The state reached 178,549 public...

Study: Tesla, Rivian charging networks have far fewer problems

Rivian Adventure Network charging site in Joshua Tree, CaliforniaOwners report more than ten times the issues with Shell Recharge, EVgo, or Blink than with Tesla Rivian's own charging network was second only to Tesla Hardware-related issues have become more prevalent than payment problems Charging networks operated by Tesla and Rivian tended to have fewer problems than non-automaker efforts, according to a...

EV battery recycling breakthrough recovers 99.99% of lithium

Mercedes-Benz battery recycling plant in Kuppenheim, GermanyChinese researchers claim to have developed a process to recover nearly all of the lithium from used electric vehicle batteries for recycling. The Independent (via InsideEVs) reports on study results first published in the German academic journal Angewandte Chemie claiming recovery of 99.99% of lithium from a used battery, as well as 97% of nickel...

Karma Amaris plug-in hybrid coupe revealed, production end of 2026

Karma AmarisKarma Automotive on Thursday unveiled the Amaris, a plug-in hybrid coupe the company says is due to start production in the fourth quarter of next year, and confirmed that it's moving closer to a replacement for the Revero sedan. Shown at the company's first Create Karma production presentation event in Irvine, California, the Amaris will plug a...

Rivian gear shop adds rooftop tent good for R1T or R1S

Rivian x iKamper Skycamp Mini rooftop tentRivian R1T and R1S owners can now buy a rooftop tent designed specifically for their electric vehicles. Tent and camping gear manufacturer iKamper recently announced a special edition of its Skycap 3.0 Mini rooftop tent for Rivian, with mounting hardware keyed to the automaker's trucks, an aerodynamic shell to reduce drag, and a Rivian-inspired...

Tesla Cybertruck recalled eighth time, exterior body panels can fall off

2025 Tesla Cybertruck  -  Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.Over a year after it went on sale, the Tesla Cybertruck is still presenting issues that require recalls. A recall of 46,096 electric pickup trucks announced Tuesday deals with their stainless steel exteriors. The cant rail, one of the exterior trim pieces, can fall off, according to the NHTSA. That can pose a hazard to other road users. The...