Sharp electric van backs up the home, turns into lounge space

Sharp LDK+ electric van conceptEV concept gets retro Japanese-van form with futuristic cues on the outside It can store energy from solar panels, back up the home when needed Interior experience is prioritized—as an "extended living room" for viewing, gaming, or work Japanese electronics firm Sharp recently unveiled a fully electric concept van. And perhaps not...

Lightyear gets $11M to pivot from solar EV to supplier

Lightyear solar panel manufacturingLightyear secured approximately $11 million (10M Euros) of funding The funding will help the restructured business sell solar hardware Lightyear's moved on from attempting to build its own EVs Lightyear has secured 10 million euros (approximately $11 million at current exchange rates) to fund a new business of selling solar hardware for other...

Study: Drivers misusing and abusing Tesla Autopilot system

2024 Tesla Model 3A study found Tesla drivers are distracted while using Autopilot Tesla's Autopilot is a hands-on driver-assist system, not a hands-off system The study notes more robust safeguards are needed to prevent misuse Driver-assist systems like Tesla Autopilot are meant to reduce the frequency of crashes, but drivers are more likely to become distracted...

Study: Never mind degradation, batteries will outlast EVs in most cases

Mercedes-Benz Alabama battery factoryA study found the average EV battery degrades 1.8% per year That means EV batteries could last over 20 years, or longer than the EV itself New methods are being found to reduce degradation even further Battery degradation can be a concern for potential electric vehicle owners, but new data indicates most batteries will outlast the EVs they're...

EV charging stations give bump to nearby businesses, research confirms

Volta chargingPublic charging stations don't just drive EV adoption; they also increase consumer spending at nearby businesses, a new MIT study found. The study is based on data from over 4,000 charging stations in California and 140,000 businesses, using anonymized credit and debit card transactions to track changes in spending. Researchers used data from 2019...

Volvo’s 10 new and updated models include long-range plug-in hybrids

2025.5 Volvo XC90Volvo has 10 new and updated models set to arrive in the next two years Some of the new and updated models will be long-range plug-in hybrids Volvo's backtracked on its commitment of an all-electric lineup by 2030 Long-range plug-in hybrids will be among 10 new and updated models Volvo plans to launch over the next two years, reports Automotive...

Lab-grown hides, shrooms, bamboo promise lower CO2 vs leather

Cadillac Sollei conceptLeather alternatives could play a large role on lowering CO2 Plant-based materials are being investigated as leather alternatives The leather industry is pushing back on sustainable alternatives Leather alternatives could have a lower environmental impact than traditional leather made from animal hides, but may still require some development work...

VW recalling certain 2003-2024 ID.4s due to air bag inflator

2024 Volkswagen ID.4Volkswagen is recalling a small number of ID.4 electric vehicles that may have improperly installed airbag inflators. The recall includes just 837 vehicles from model years 2023 and 2024. In these vehicles, nuts securing the primary inflator of the passenger front airbag may have been left loose at the factory. This could cause airbags to inflate...

Waymo reportedly talking with Hyundai about Ioniq 5 self-driving taxis

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5The Hyundai Ioniq 5 could become Waymo's next self-driving taxi, deploying a new generation of the Google spinoff's Waymo Driver autonomous-driving system, Reuters reports. Officials from Wayne and Hyundai have met more than three times to discuss use of the Ioniq 5 in Waymo's self-driving tax service, according to the report, which also states...

Redwood Materials will help BMW recycle EV batteries

BMW Vision Neue Klasse X conceptBMW will turn to Redwood Materials for recycling of batteries from its EVs, plug-in hybrids, and mild hybrids in the U.S., the automaker announced Thursday. The agreement, which covers the BMW, Rolls-Royce, and Mini brands, as well as BMW's motorcycles, will see Redwood work directly with BMW dealerships, distribution centers, and other U.S...

Over 50% of Honda Accord sales are now hybrids

2025 Honda Accord hybridHybrids now account for over 50% of U.S. Honda Accord sales, the automaker said Monday while detailing pricing for the 2025 Accord. The Accord introduced Honda's two-motor hybrid system for the 2014 model year, and was offered as a hybrid intermittently before that, but Honda got more serious about growing hybrid sales with the mid-size sedan's...

GM opens Tesla Supercharger access, makes customers pay for adapters

Chevrolet EVs at a Tesla Supercharger stationGM EVs can now charge at over 17,800 Tesla Superchargers Most Superchargers will require an adapter Unlike Ford and Rivian, GM charges $225 for the adapter General Motors on Wednesday announced that it will begin shipping North American Charging Standard (NACS) adapters that will give its EV owners access to more than 17,800 Tesla Supercharger DC...

Tesla patents wireless charging system

2024 Tesla Model 3Tesla has patented a wireless EV charging system, indicating that the company is preparing to commercialize tech that's been hinting at for years as a possible addition to its electric vehicles. A patent filing was spotted by Twitter (now known as X) user SETI Park. It was filed by Tesla Feb. 2 and published by the World Intellectual Property...

CATL electric bus batteries set for 1M miles, megawatt charging

CATL Tectrans Bus Edition battery packNew-gen LFP bus batteries last 15 years, CATL claims—20% longer CATL claims a 22% boost in energy density by volume, and 175 Wh/kg by weight Superfast Charging Edition goes up to 70% in 15 minutes Chinese battery supplier CATL has unveiled a new battery pack for electric buses designed to tolerate the rigors of public-transit use. The CATL...

CATL electric bus batteries set for 1M miles, megawatt charging

CATL Tectrans Bus Edition battery packNew-gen LFP bus batteries last 15 years, CATL claims—20% longer CATL claims a 22% boost in energy density by volume, and 175 Wh/kg by weight Superfast Charging Edition goes up to 70% in 15 minutes Chinese battery supplier CATL has unveiled a new battery pack for electric buses designed to tolerate the rigors of public-transit use. The CATL...

Lotus Theory 1 previews future sports car design direction

Lotus Theory 1 conceptLotus' upcoming sports car might crib design elements from the Theory 1 concept The Theory 1 packs a 70-kwh battery delivering about 250 miles of range and 987 hp from two electric motors Lotus has an electric SUV arriving in 2025 with a sedan following Lotus on Tuesday unveiled the Theory 1 concept as a preview of the design direction of future...

2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid gains standard all-wheel drive

2025 Toyota Highlander hybridThe 2025 Toyota Highlander Hybrid three-row crossover receives standard all-wheel drive and a new special edition as its only significant updates. Based on the Highlander Hybrid Limited grade, the 25th Edition marks two and a half decades since the launch of the first-generation Highlander. Unveiled at the 2000 New York auto show as a 2001 model...

2025 Toyota Sienna hybrid minivan gains safety tech

2025 Toyota SiennaThe 2025 Toyota Sienna minivan will continue to offer a standard hybrid powertrain when it reaches dealerships later this fall. When it does, it will cost $39,185 excluding the mandatory destination charge. The Sienna is the first Toyota to get a more sophisticated rear seat reminder that will eventually roll out to some of the automaker's other...

Fisker Ocean customers have to pay for recall repairs

2023 Fisker Ocean OneOwners of recalled Fisker Ocean electric vehicles will have to pay for repairs, according to a notice on the bankrupt automaker's website. First spotted by Autoevolution, Fisker's website states that, for any recalls that require physical inspections and potential repairs, the automaker will provide parts free of charge but will not cover any of...

2025 Honda Accord hybrid gets 44 mpg for $34,750

2025 Honda Accord hybridThe 2025 Honda Accord hybrid sees minimal changes and a $760 price increase over the 2024 model. The hybrid version of Honda's mid-size sedan costs $34,750 with the mandatory $1,095 destination charge. In keeping with Honda's strategy of positioning hybrids as higher-end grades, the cheapest hybrid Sport grade is priced above the gasoline-only LX...