Toyota and Lexus recall hybrid vehicles due to seat belt issue

2025 Toyota CamryHybrid sedans and crossovers are among the 40,922 Toyota and Lexus vehicles being recalled for a seat belt issue. The recall includes 2025 Toyota Camry sedans, which received standard hybrid powertrains as part of an extensive update for that model year, as well as hybrid versions of 2025 Lexus NX and 2024-2025 Lexus RX crossovers alongside...

Kia EV4 sedan and hatch revealed

New Kia EV4 sedanKia on Monday partially revealed production-ready sedan and hatchback versions of its EV4 compact electric vehicle. First previewed in 2023 by a concept car, the production Kia EV4 sedan retains the concept's sleek profile and bold, multi-faceted surfacing. The hatchback replaces the sedan's tapered tail with a squared-off shape that also looks...

Stellantis working on tires made from eggshells

2024 Dodge Charger DaytonaDriving on eggshells—not walking on them—might be a good thing. Stellantis is looking to patent a process for incorporating them, or other biowaste material, into tires in order to further lower their environmental impact. In a patent filing published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Jan. 23, 2025 and submitted...

Chevy brings first electric pace car, EV.R prototype to Daytona 500

Chevrolet Blazer EV.R NASCAR prototypeChevy Blazer EV.R NASCAR prototype debuts at Daytona 500 2025 Blazer EV SS serves as first electric pace car for signature NASCAR event NASCAR remains tied to gas-guzzling V-8s No major racing series revels in inefficient internal combustion quite as much as NASCAR, but this year its biggest race will kick off with the silence of an all-electric...

Ford developing split-battery EV charging with dual charge ports

2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E RallyFord is looking at charging EV battery packs from multiple charge ports simultaneously in order to shorten charging times. The concept is outlined in a recent patent filing published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Nov. 12, 2024, but originally filed by Ford back on Dec. 8, 2021. It shows a setup with dual charging ports...

Hyundai and Kia are working on structural battery packs

Hyundai and Kia battery case floor patent imageHyundai and Kia are looking to combine battery-pack cases with vehicle structural components for greater packaging efficiency. In a patent filing published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Nov. 14, 2024, and first submitted by the automakers to that agency Oct. 26, 2023, Hyundai and Kia discuss having a vehicle's floor...

Study: EV dependability has improved, but PHEVs are problematic

2024 Jeep Wrangler Electric vehicles improved in the 2025 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study but plug-in hybrids got worse. Released Thursday, the annual study focuses on the rate of problems with new vehicles, as reported by owners, with scores assigned based on problems per 100 vehicles. The new results are based on problems experienced by the original owners...

Here’s why modern EVs are more prepared for extreme temps

Nissan Ariya cold temperature testingModern EVs don't suffer the extreme-temp range loss—or degradation—that earlier models did Heat pumps and battery heaters have made a difference, as have new battery chemistries Automaker testing is part of it, as Nissan points to in Ariya EV Electric vehicle batteries perform best and last longest in a specific temperature window, but...

Honda and Nissan end merger talks with no deal

CEOs of Honda and Nissan study EV partnership  -  March 2024Honda and Nissan on Thursday terminated a memorandum of understanding under which the two automakers had been discussing a merger, but plan to continue collaborating. The memorandum was signed by the two automakers in December as the first step toward a merger targeted for 2026. The decision to terminate it comes after discussions by each...

Honda and Nissan end merger talks with no deal

CEOs of Honda and Nissan study EV partnership  -  March 2024Honda and Nissan on Thursday terminated a memorandum of understanding under which the two automakers had been discussing a merger, but plan to continue collaborating. The memorandum was signed by the two automakers in December as the first step toward a merger targeted for 2026. The decision to terminate it comes after discussions by each...