GM might cool EV charge ports like microchips

2024 Chevrolet Blazer EVFaster DC charging has required a new generation of cable cooling, but General Motors is also looking at cooling of the charge port, a patent filing indicates. Published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) April 25, 2024, and originally filed by GM October 18, 2022, the patent application in question deals with cooling of EV...

Versus cars, SUVs emit about 20% more CO2—EV or not

2024 GMC Hummer EV SUVGlobal SUV sales continue to grow and, EV or not, so do their emissions, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). SUVs accounted for a record 48% of global car sales in 2023, but surpassed 50% of the market for the first time in "advanced economies" with around 20 million sales, according to the IEA. And while only 5% of SUVs on the...

Tesla pause sparks EV charging rivals in $5B federal buildout

Tesla SuperchargerAmid uncertainty about the future of the Tesla Supercharger network, rival charging networks see an opportunity to grow. Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently fired most of the Tesla Supercharger team, but has since reversed that move and attempted to hire people back. Tesla has also made it clear that it will continue the buildout of whatever new...

VW plans 2027 debut for $22,000 EV for Europe, beyond

2024 Volkswagen ID.4Volkswagen on Tuesday announced a goal of launching an EV priced at 20,000 euros—equivalent to $22,000 at current exchange rates—in 2027. This affordable EV is aimed at the European market, with a high degree of manufacturing and supply-chain localization entailed in the project, VW said in a press release. This will allow for shorter...

Toyota, Subaru, Mazda ally for engines burning hydrogen, e-fuels

Toyota 1.5-liter inline-4Toyota, Subaru, and Mazda on Tuesday announced a joint effort to improve efficiency and reduce emissions from internal-combustion engines. The development effort will take a number of different approaches, including smaller engines, according to a press release from the automakers. These engines will also allow for lower hoods, opening up new...

Lawmakers demand emissions data for $8B federal hydrogen hubs

Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell semi truck to be used in California testsTwo House Democrats are demanding that the Department of Energy report projected lifecycle emissions for seven federally-funded hydrogen hubs. First reported by Politico, Reps. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Don Beyer of Virginia wrote a letter to the Energy Department's of Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) asking for clarification on the...

Survey: Younger US drivers are more open to Chinese EVs

Zeekr 001 sets Guinness World RecordsYounger U.S. drivers are more open to driving vehicles from Chinese brands than their older counterparts, according to a new AutoPacific survey. But concerns about how Chinese brands manage data privacy were high regardless of age. No vehicles from Chinese brands are currently sold in the U.S., and that's unlikely to change due to new tariffs. But...

2024 Jeep Wagoneer S EV: Tesla Model Y rival set for May 30 reveal

Jeep Wagoneer S vs. Tesla Model Y PerformanceStellantis on Wednesday released a new teaser video for the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S showing that the electric SUV has the Tesla Model Y in its sights. A voiceover declares that Jeep is "taking on America's bestselling EV brand," setting up a race between a Wagoneer S (albeit a pre-production one) and a Model Y Performance. In the video, Jeep quotes a...

Gravity’s urban fast-charging “trees” could rival Tesla Supercharging

Gravity curbside EV chargerThe Gravity charging company on Wednesday unveiled a new design for EV charging stations that it believes will be the foundation of a massive urban fast-charging network. Styled as Distributed Access Energy Points (DEAPs), the chargers take the form of what Gravity calls "trees," taller structures in which the charge cable dangles from an extended...

GM plug-in hybrids due in 2027, as tighter EPA rules apply

2019 Chevrolet VoltGeneral Motors earlier this year confirmed plans to reintroduce plug-in hybrids to supplement its EV lineup, but we're only now getting a hint at the timing for those new plug-in hybrids. Speaking to the Detroit News, GM CEO Mary Barra said the automaker was "timing the launches to help us comply with more stringent fuel efficiency and tailpipe...