Report: $60/kwh battery pack price will make EVs cheaper than combustion

Battery production at Mercedes-Benz's plant in Hedelfingen, GermanyIndustry analysts have held up $100 per kilowatt-hour battery costs as the point where electric cars will achieve cost parity with internal combustion, but now the target has shifted to an even more ambitious $60 per kwh, according to a blog post by The Mobilist. Tesla and Volkswagen have already discussed driving battery prices down to around $60...

EPA plans to reinstate California emissions authority, seeks public input

Marengo Charging Plaza, Pasadena, CaliforniaThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Monday that it will "reconsider" the Trump administration's withdrawal of California's Clean Air Act waiver, a first step to fully restoring the state's authority to set its own, stricter emissions standards. The agency said it will hold a virtual public hearing on the matter June 2, and a public...

Toyota is developing hydrogen combustion engines—for racing

Toyota hydrogen race engineToyota has tried to put hydrogen fuel cells in everything from passenger cars to buses and semi trucks, but now the automaker is embarking on a very different hydrogen-propulsion project. Instead of fuel cells, Toyota is developing a combustion engine that runs on hydrogen, and not for road use. This time, it's for racing. The automaker announced...

BMW solid-state battery plans: Prototype by 2025, production model by 2030

2022 BMW i4BMW on Monday announced plans for a prototype solid-state battery by 2025, followed by a production-ready version by 2030. The batteries will power a new generation of electric cars, based on a dedicated platform, making its production debut around that time. The automaker is in the midst of an electric-car push, but the models announced so far...

Mercedes EQB electric SUV revealed, confirmed for 2022 US arrival

Mercedes-Benz EQB (Chinese spec)With an introduction held at the 2021 Shanghai auto show, Mercedes-Benz announced a surprised addition to its United States EV lineup. The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB is scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. in 2022. The EQB is the electric equivalent of the GLB-Class compact crossover (which we believe would have been a good electric car), itself a...

Alpha Motors Wolf+ electric pickup concept upsizes retro-truck charm

Alpha Wolf+After unveiling the retro-styled Wolf electric pickup truck last month, Alpha Motors has revealed a second version, boasting a larger cab, quicker acceleration, and greater towing capacity. While Alpha is taking reservations, neither version is expected to start deliveries until 2023 at least. The second model—the Alpha Wolf+—has...

Like Tesla, Rivian is entering the insurance business

Rivian R1SRivian is following Tesla not only by launching premium long-range EVs, but by launching its own insurance product. Rivian Insurance for the R1T electric pickup truck and the R1S electric SUV will be offered in 40 states initially (a lot more than Tesla), and will rely heavily on vehicle connectivity, according to the company's website. The...

Hyundai Ioniq 5 vs. Kia EV6: Which would you pick?

Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6  -  Hyundai E-Pit fast-chargingThe Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 are two new electric cars based on a common platform, but from separate brands. That's why they haven't been shown together until now. First spotted by InsideEVs, a short video ad for Hyundai Motor Group's E-Pit high-power fast-charging network has shown the two models from the corporate cousins together for the...