Federal EV charging network: Four 150-kw connectors, every 50 miles

2023 Toyota bZ4X at EVgo charging stationThe federal government on Thursday further sketched out plans for a national EV charging network to be funded by the Biden administration's infrastructure law. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing minimum standards for the network, which aims to install 500,000 chargers by 2030. The...

Lightyear 0 solar car revealed: Owners might not need to charge for months

Lightyear 0The Lightyear One solar car was unveiled in production-ready form with a new name. The product of a Dutch startup will henceforth be known as the Lightyear 0. While it does have an onboard battery pack, the Lightyear 0 aims to "leapfrog the grid" by using built-in solar panels to handle most charging. In cloudy climates, with an average commute of...

EV and hybrid drivers are less stressed, survey finds

DS 4 E-TenseDrivers of electric cars and hybrids feel less stressed behind the wheel than drivers of gasoline or diesel vehicles, according to a new survey conducted by Stellantis' DS Automobiles division. DS doesn't sell cars in the United States, and the results are based on responses from 2,000 drivers in the United Kingdom, but the survey seems just as...

High cost of coal and natural gas could make EVs, US grid cleaner this summer

Coal trains by Flickr user Kimon Berlin (Used under CC License)Anticipated price hikes for coal and natural gas could lead to increase use of renewable energy in electricity generation, making both the grid and EVs cleaner, according to new United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) analysis. EVs get cleaner along with the grid, and the EIA expects the grid mix to lean more toward renewable sources...

More than three out of four Volvos sold in California have a charge port

2022 Volvo XC90Of all Volvos sold in California last month, 77% were plug-in hybrids or EVs, the automaker said Thursday in a press release announcing its May 2022 North American sales. That's an increase of 6% over the previous month, demonstrating the continued appetite for plug-in cars in California. Nationally, plug-in hybrids and EVs—which...

Polestar adds referral program, but it’s not like Tesla’s

Polestar SpacePolestar announced last week that it's launching its own referral program to incentivize owners to promote the brand's EVs to others. A customer referral program was wildly popular for Tesla, but times have changed, and you won't find anything so lucrative as the $1,000 incentives and free cars for top referrers that Tesla at one point offered...

2022 Mercedes EQB electric SUV starts at $55,550, optional third-row seat

2022 Mercedes-Benz EQBThe 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB electric SUV will start at $55,550 when it arrives at United States dealerships this summer. That price, which includes a mandatory $1,050 destination charge, buys the lower-level EQB 300 4Matic model. Mercedes will also offer an EQB 350 4Matic version in the U.S. starting at $59,100 with destination. Each version will...

Survey finds EV shoppers want wireless charging as an option

Tesla Model 3 equipped with WiTricity wireless charging systemWireless charging firm WiTricity claims most EV shoppers want wireless charging as an option, and it has survey data to prove it. The company on Thursday released results of a company-commissioned survey of 1,053 Americans, nearly half of which already own an EV, and the others intending to purchase an EV within the next two years. Of those...

Wait, weight: DC to charge heavy-duty trucks more to drive, with an EV kicker

2022 GMC Hummer EVA proposal to curb the use of heavy-duty pickup trucks on city streets could also impact EVs. The District of Columbia could soon require owners of vehicles weighing more than 6,000 pounds to pay a $500 annual registration fee, about seven times the fee for a normal sedan, Bloomberg reported Thursday. The proposal is mainly targeted at heavy-duty...