DOE rule may encourage more plug-in hybrids, fewer EVs

2023 Kia Niro plug-in hybridThe U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) unveiled a revised rule that would effectively give automakers more flexibility with pending EPA rules for model years 2027 to 2032—and more time to ramp up EV sales compared to an earlier proposal. The final rule for Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculation released late Tuesday softens what had been...

Rivian adapters arrive in April, enable Tesla Supercharger waypoints

Rivian R1T at Tesla SuperchargerRivian will begin shipping free North American Charging Standard (NACS) adapters to customers in April, giving them access to over 15,000 Tesla Supercharger fast-charging stations across North America, the automaker announced Monday. Compatible Supercharger sites will be added to roughly 16,000 pubic chargers customers already have access to...

Fisker pauses production, with glut of undelivered EVs

2023 Fisker Ocean pre-production at Magna Steyr plant in Graz, AustriaFisker has paused production of its Ocean electric SUV for six weeks as it seeks to draw down inventory and secure additional financing. To the funding point, Fisker confirmed Monday that it has secured "a financing commitment from an existing investor" of up to $150 million. The company has about 4,700 vehicles in inventory worth about $200...

Mercedes EV range run shows gains from heat pump, solar roof

Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX desert runThe Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX has completed another efficiency run—this time in the Arabian desert. The EQXX has managed two previous long trips on a single charge—previously covering 746 miles from Stuttgart, Germany, to the Silverstone racetrack in the U.K. on the second trip. The focus of this third trip, in which the EQXX covered...

Gen X, Millennials buy the most EVs, as Boomers dominate policy

2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6Gen X and Millennials tend to buy more EVs than Baby Boomers, but the older generation is still in control of EV policy, a pair of recent studies show. Experian's fourth quarter 2023 Automotive Market Trends report, released Thursday, noted that 9.4% of new vehicles purchased by Gen X in 2023 were electric. Gen X purchased the most new vehicles of...

Brake-dust particles’ electric charge might help curb emissions

2024 Lucid Air SapphireUp to 80% of brake-dust particles have an electric charge, which could serve as a means of controlling brake dust and improving air quality, according to a new study from the University of California, Irvine (via Green Car Congress). The study, which was funded by fees paid by Volkswagen as part of its 2016 diesel-emissions cheating settlement...

Nio and CATL ally for longer-life EV batteries, swapping tech

2025 Nio ET9Chinese automaker Nio is partnering with battery supplier CATL for research into longer-life EV batteries, including for use with Nio's battery-swapping service. The two companies "will jointly carry out discussions, make technological breakthroughs and innovation, and promote product applications," according to a Nio press release, with CATL...

Report: Apps claiming to boost EV efficiency can hike insurance rates

2022 Chevrolet Bolt EVApp-based features pitched as a way to become a safer and more efficient driver may end up reporting you as a higher-risk driver to insurers, The New York Times reports. New cars, EV or not, have substantial data-gathering capability thanks to their array of onboard sensors, which is sometimes presented to consumers as a way to improve driving or...

BMW aggregates more EV chargers, adding Shell ahead of Tesla

2022 BMW iX xDrive50BMW is relying on Shell Recharge Solutions to offer customers streamlined access to EV charging stations across multiple networks. The automaker on Wednesday announced an agreement with Shell Recharge Solutions that it claims will provide access to more than 100,000 public chargers through the My BMW app. These chargers are not only part of...

Volvo seeks 30% quicker EV charging without battery upgrades

Volvo EV powertrainVolvo is looking to quicken EV charging times by relying on software rather than upgrades to batteries and other hardware. The automaker on Monday announced a partnership with U.K.-based Breathe Battery Technologies to access that company's "algorithm-enabled charging software" with its battery management systems—with the goal of optimizing...