GM’s Endurance Mode will be for EV racing

NASCAR electric race car prototype - Photo via BcompGeneral Motors is looking to patent an "Endurance Mode" to help electric race cars go the distance. Not to be confused with a certain ill-fated electric pickup truck, Endurance Mode is designed to emphasize range over outright pace, according to a GM patent application published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Aug. 22...

2025 Kia Niro Hybrid costs $28,365, PHEV costs $35,865

2025 Kia NiroKia on Friday announced pricing for the 2025 Niro Hybrid and Niro PHEV. An all-electric Niro EV will remain part of the lineup for 2025, but prices will be announced at a later date. The Niro Hybrid starts at $28,365 in base LX form with the mandatory $1,375 destination charge, which is unchanged from the 2024 model year. That's an increase of...

BMW sees volume in hydrogen cars, forms fuel cell alliance with Toyota

BMW iX5 Hydrogen prototypeBMW will launch a "series production" hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in 2028, with help form Toyota, the automaker announced Thursday. The two automakers will jointly develop a next-generation fuel cell powertrain, which will be used in the planned BMW model as well as a future Toyota model, according to a press release. BMW plans to add this...

Ford still investigating inductive charging while driving

2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E RallyFord has filed a new patent application for hardware that would allow EVs to charge while driving. The new patent filing was published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Aug. 15 and was submitted by Ford to the agency earlier this year. It deals with a method for aligning the wireless inductive charging coils mounted on an EV...

How often should you charge your EV’s LFP battery?

Sono Sion LFP battery packAutomakers are increasingly turning to lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for affordable EVs, and packs with that chemistry can benefit from a different charging regimen than that usually used for the currently dominant nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) chemistry. As laid out in a recent Engineering Explained video, automakers are recommending...

LA is building out 10,000 streetlight EV chargers, under brighter LEDs

Streetlight EV charger in Los AngelesLos Angeles is expanding an infrastructure project to put EV chargers in streetlight poles. First spotted by Charged EVs, the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Lighting has contracted with two companies—AmpUp for software and EVSE for retractable charging cables—to add Level 2 chargers to 150 streetlight poles in the City of Angels. The...

2019 Jaguar I-Pace recalled because high-voltage battery may overheat

2019 Jaguar I-PaceJLR is again recalling early Jaguar I-Pace electric SUVs due to an issue that could cause the vehicles' battery packs to overheat—and asking owners to park and charge their cars outside and away from structures until a remedy is implemented and for 30 days after. The recall includes 2,760 vehicles, all from the 2019 model year—the...

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 now U.S.-built, adds Tesla NACS port

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 sports bigger batteries, more range, and a Tesla NACS charge port The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 will be made in Georgia Hyundai didn't say how much the 2025 Ioniq 5 will cost when it arrives The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 receives a number of notable updates, including bigger battery packs, a Tesla North American Charging Standard...

Efficiency can cut EV prices by $5k, charging costs by nearly a third

2024 Lucid Air PureIncreased EV efficiency isn't just better for the environment. It's also better for owners' wallets, reports the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). In a new white paper, the group notes that boosting efficiency allows for smaller battery sizes, which in turn cuts costs. Most EVs average 2.5 miles per kwh, according to the...

Armored Lucid Air Sapphire goes bulletproof for $475K

Armored Lucid Air Sapphire by U.S. Armor GroupThe tri-motor Lucid Air Sapphire provides a quick means of escape from trouble, but should no escape route be available, there's now an armored version as well. California-based U.S. Armor Group has made the electric luxury sedan bullet-resistant. The company will outfit an Air Sapphire with composite armor that it claims is 10 times stronger than...

Armored Lucid Air Sapphire goes bulletproof for $475K

Armored Lucid Air Sapphire by U.S. Armor GroupThe tri-motor Lucid Air Sapphire provides a quick means of escape from trouble, but should no escape route be available, there's now an armored version as well. California-based U.S. Armor Group has made the electric luxury sedan bullet-resistant. The company will outfit an Air Sapphire with composite armor that it claims is 10 times stronger than...

Nissan Leaf gets 20-kw bidirectional charger for US

2025 Nissan LeafNissan Leaf owners are getting a new, higher-power, bidirectional charger option Using the FE-20 bidirectional charger won't void the Leaf's warranty Nissan didn't say how much the FE-20 bidirectional charger costs Nissan has approved an updated bidirectional charger for use with its Leaf EV, giving owners another option for using their cars as...

VW working on synthetic leather made from hemp

Volkswagen tests hemp-based synthetic leatherVolkswagen is working with German startup Revoltech on a hemp-based substitute for leather upholstery to help further lower the environmental impact of its vehicles. The new material could see use in VW models by 2028, the automaker said. VW claims the hemp-based material can be produced at existing factories, and can be recycled or composted at...

GM folds BrightDrop into Chevrolet

2025 Chevrolet BrightDrop 600General Motors is folding BrightDrop, initially envisioned as a standalone business focused on electric vans for commercial fleets, into its Chevrolet division. GM said the move will open up sales for BrightDrop vans to Chevy's larger dealer network. BrightDrop has sold vans through its own dealerships, but now all Chevy dealers will have the...

2020-2024 Mini Cooper SE recalled because battery may short out

2020 Mini Cooper SEBMW is recalling Mini Cooper SE electric hatchbacks due to a manufacturing issue that could cause short circuits in the EVs' battery packs. The Cooper SE is an all-electric version of the 3-door Mini hatch that was introduced for the 2020 model year. The recall includes 12,535 vehicles from that model year up to 2024. These vehicles may have...

2025 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid costs $32,150, gets 47 mpg combined

2025 Hyundai SonataPricing for the 2025 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid mid-size sedan costs $32,150—just $235 more than the 2024 model. The base price, includes a mandatory $1,150 destination charge, applies to the base SEL grade. As with the 2024 model year, a Limited grade is also available. For 2025, it's priced at $38,600 with destination. The current-generation...

Ariel E-Nomad concept could be ultimate go-anywhere sports car

Ariel E-Nomad conceptAn electric off-roader could be in the works from Ariel Ariel revealed the E-Nomad concept with a 41-kwh battery and 150 miles of range If there's enough customer interest the E-Nomad could go into production and come to the U.S. Low-volume British automaker Ariel has electrified its minimalist Nomad off-roader. Ariel recently unveiled the E-Nomad...

2024 BMW i4 recalled because chassis beam may crack

2024 BMW i4 M50BMW is recalling 1,150 i4 electric cars because a part of the chassis may crack and compromise structural integrity. All recalled cars are 2024 models, encompassing three versions of the i4 available for that model year. That includes the base single-motor i4 eDrive40, dual-motor i4 xDrive50, and the range-topping i4 M50. These vehicles may have...

VW EVs getting video games for charging entertainment

Volkswagen ID.7 AirConsole in-car video gamesVolkswagen EV drivers in Europe will soon be able to play video games while they charge. The automaker announced Monday that it will add the AirConsole gaming platform to certain models in some European countries starting in mid September. VW plans to expand availability to more European countries by the end of 2024 or early 2025, but did not...