Report: EVs now top 5% of new vehicle sales in 23 countries

150,000th Ford Mustang Mach-E builtEVs have surpassed at least 5% of new car sales in 23 countries, according to a new Bloomberg report. Much of that sales growth has happened in the past year, according to the report. Five more countries have 5% EV sales—which Bloomberg analysts consider a tipping point for mass adoption—than a year ago. And median EV sales were up 55%...

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron joins the 300-mile club—in Sportback form

2024 Audi Q8 E-TronAudi has promised a range of around 300 miles for at least one variant in the 2024 Q8 E-Tron lineup—and it has now confirmed that number for Sportback versions of the crossover EV. The EPA has published official range ratings for the Q8 E-Tron, which replaces the former Audi E-Tron SUV and E-Tron Sportback. The Q8 E-Tron Sportback, a...

2021-2023 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid recalled for unintended acceleration

2021 Hyundai Elantra HybridHyundai is recalling 2021-2023 Elantra Hybrid compact sedans for a software issue that could cause unintended acceleration. The recall population totals 37,997 vehicles, but just 1% are expected to have the fault, according to NHTSA recall documents. The affected cars were built between Dec. 15, 2020, and Jul. 29, 2023; a production change...

Tesla Powerwall owners will boost Texas power grid, make money

Tesla Powerwall  -  Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.Texas is launching a "virtual power plant" pilot program that will reward Tesla Powerwall owners for using their in-home battery packs to support the grid. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the state's electricity grid, was directed to begin developing the pilot program in 2022 by the Public Utility Commission of...

EV have more quality issues than ICE models, study finds

2023 Lucid Air PureEV owners experience more problems with their vehicles than owners of comparable internal-combustion cars, according to a new study, but the problem isn't the powertrains. Published Thursday, the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study focuses on the user experience of automotive tech features, things like infotainment systems...

Report: Future Nissan EV lineup includes Leaf sequel

Nissan Chill-Out concept  -  December 2021A next-generation Nissan Leaf is among three new EVs recently previewed to dealers, according to an Automotive News report published Thursday. The automaker will launch a new EV "offensive" around 2025 with the goal of launching 19 all-electric models globally by 2030, dealers were reportedly told. For the U.S., that will include the new Leaf, an...

Study: Collision repair remains much more expensive for EVs

2022 Rivian R1T IIHS crash testingIt's more expensive to repair an EV—especially a Tesla—after a collision, but also more likely that the car can still be driven while waiting for repairs, according to a new auto damage study from a company that provides tech for the auto insurance and collision repair industries. That firm, Mitchell International, sifted through...

California pivots state EV incentives to lower-income drivers

2023 Volkswagen ID.4California announced this week that it will recast a major EV incentive program to focus on middle- and low-income drivers. In late 2023, the California Air Resources Board (CARB)—which oversees the state's EV incentives and emissions rules—will expand the existing Clean Cars 4 All program statewide as a replacement for the Clean...

AI could boost efficiency of solar EVs, make them viable

Teaser for Fisker Ocean electric SUVWith AI now the technology of the moment in Silicon Valley, researchers have applied it to the problem of solar power for EVs, using a virtual model to govern when power from a solar array is used to drive motors or charge battery packs. As documented in a recent conference paper, researchers from Odisha University of Technology and Research in...

Honda and Acura EVs will also adopt Tesla NACS standard

2024 Acura ZDX Honda and its Acura luxury brand will join a growing cadre of automakers adopting Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector. The news was confirmed via Autoblog, citing Honda's top U.S. executive, but details remain to be worked out. "It is quite important," American Honda Motor Co. CEO Noriya Kaihara said in an interview with...