Volkswagen is investing in additional automation at factories that will build the ID.4 electric crossover and the production model that follows the ID Buzz electric-van concept—two models destined for the United States. In a Wednesday press release, VW said it had ordered 1,400 robots for factories in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Emden... VW claims its electric car factories will be most advanced in the industry
Volkswagen is investing in additional automation at factories that will build the ID.4 electric crossover and the production model that follows the ID Buzz electric-van concept—two models destined for the United States. In a Wednesday press release, VW said it had ordered 1,400 robots for factories in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Emden... 
Renault on Thursday unveiled an electric version of one of its most popular models. The Renault Mégane eVision concept previews a future all-electric version of the Mégane—one of Renault's volume hatchback models for Europe since the 1990s. The Mégane is sized in the "C-segment," which also includes cars like the Ford... 
UK-based startup Arrival announced Tuesday that it had selected a site in South Carolina for a "microfactory" to build electric buses. The $46 million factory will be located in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and will create 240 jobs in the area, an Arrival press release said. Arrival uses the term "microfactory" to describe small, decentralized... 
In a major change of course, the Mercedes-Benz EQS flagship sedan will lead the automaker's electric-vehicle rollout in the United States, Automotive News reported Wednesday—citing Ola Kallenius, the CEO of parent company Daimler. This reflects a complete turnaround from what was originally presented for Mercedes' electric EQ sub-brand... 
The Mercedes-Benz EQC electric SUV wasn't designed for off-roading, but a new concept car shows what could happen if electric powertrains are merged with off-road hardware. The EQC 4x4 Squared concept uses the body shell and powertrain from the EQC 400, but with upgraded suspension and axles, pointing the way toward an anticipated future electric... 
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched a safety probe in response to owner reports of fires in Chevrolet Bolt EV electric cars. Two owner-submitted reports—one each for a 2018 and 2019-model-year Bolt EV—allege that the cars caught fire under the rear seat while parked and unattended, according to an... 
Slovakia-based battery startup InoBat Auto announced Friday that it will introduce an electric-car battery with greater energy density than anything else currently on the market. The battery will allow for a 20% boost in range for "current best-in-class" electric vehicles by 2023, the startup said in a press release. InoBat plans to produce its... 
Pushed by stricter European Union emissions standards, electric cars are set to triple their market share in Europe this year, according to a new report from advocacy group Transport & Environment (T&E). European EV sales have surged since this January 1, when new emissions standards kicked in, the group noted. Based on sales through the... 
After years of teases, it appears Mazda is finally ready to reintroduce its signature rotary engine—as an EV range extender. The rotary range extender will be used in the Japanese-market MX-30 crossover beginning in 2022, according to a Japanese-language video posted to Mazda's YouTube channel Wednesday. First spotted by Autoblog, the video... 
Israeli startup REE Automotive on Tuesday released a video showing its modular skateboard EV platform in action. The videos show three different versions of the platform, designed to underpin different types of commercial vehicles. REE previously said the platform was flexible enough for use in everything from taxis to delivery vans. REE isn't the... 
If you've got a big move coming up, you may soon able to do it with minimal carbon emissions. Truck-rental service Fluid Truck is adding 600 electric cargo vans and trucks to its sharing platform, with availability starting in the fourth quarter of this year, the company announced in a press release Thursday. The vehicles will be electric... 
Electric cars offer lower ownership costs than internal-combustion vehicles that can "more than make up for an EV's higher purchase price, according to a new Consumer Reports study. The ownership-cost advantage is particularly strong against the SUVs and pickup trucks American buyers are increasingly flocking to over traditional sedans. When... 
Amazon on Thursday revealed the Rivian electric delivery van it plans to start using in 2021. The e-commerce and logistics giant announced last year that it had ordered 100,000 electric vans from electric-truck hopeful Rivian. Amazon, which is also a Rivian investor, plans to have 10,000 of these vans in service by 2022, and all 100,000 on the... 
The global coronavirus pandemic hasn't stopped interest in electric cars, according to a new Ipsos study. In the United States and China, interest in electric cars has actually increased over the course of the pandemic, according to the study. Analysts attribute that to greater familiarity with electric cars. Consumers who are more familiar with... 
There are some good deals to be had on electric cars, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids this month, including a $199-per-month Nissan Leaf lease, reports our partner site CarsDirect. However, that deal only applies to the 2020 Nissan Leaf S base model with the smaller 40-kilowatt-hour battery pack—and without DC fast charging. The 40-kwh Leaf S... 
The Nissan Leaf is proving popular with used-car shoppers, according to new analysis from iSeeCars. Nissan's electric car was the top-selling used in EV in most states, based on a survey of 54,000 sales between 2019 and September 2020. The Leaf comprised 27.7% of sales surveyed, compared to 17.8% for the runner up—the Tesla Model S. That's... 
Hyundai is investing in a startup that plans to transport hydrogen in oil, potentially making use of existing fossil-fuel infrastructure. The automaker is partnering with German startup Hydrogenious through its Hyundai Cradle division, which deals with emerging technology and startup partnerships. A deal was signed in May, but the partnership was... 
Polestar 2 electric cars sold in China and Europe are being recalled due to an issue that could cause affected cars to shut off and be unable to restart. The recall does not affect any cars in North America. After customers reported the issue, the electrified brand from Volvo Cars and Geely started a recall of roughly 2,200 cars currently in... 
Honda is giving up its prestigious Formula 1 program to shift more resources into battery-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell tech. The automaker unexpectedly announced Friday that it would withdraw from F1 at the end of the 2021 season. Honda currently supplies hybrid powertrains—mandatory in F1 since 2014, and referred to as "power units" in... 
California-based Mullen Technologies, which plans to sell Chinese-designed electric cars in the United States, appears to have changed its plans again. Mullen announced Thursday that it would begin developing a "pre-production facility" in Monrovia, California, which is scheduled to be fully operational in mid-2021. The facility will handle the...