Mercedes developing solar paint for EVs

Mercedes-Benz solar paint coatingMercedes-Benz is developing a solar coating for EVs In ideal conditions it could provide many miles of additional EV range per day Mercedes wouldn't say how the solar paint would be applied to a car Mercedes-Benz is trying to come up with any and all new ways to increase efficiency, which it believes is the new currency as it enters the EV era. In...

Mercedes tech may enable EV batteries with mixed cell types

Mercedes-Benz micro-convertersMercedes-Benz has its eyes on solid-state batteries with its partnership with Factorial for battery cells, but the automaker's already thinking one step beyond that. In the future, Mercedes envisions mixed battery packs with different types of cells all wired in parallel rather than today's series arrangement. The enabling factor to this is a new...

Northvolt files for bankruptcy

Northvolt lithium-ion battery cellSwedish battery firm Northvolt filed for U.S. Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Thursday, with CEO Peter Carlsson stepping down the following day. Northvolt needs to raise between $1 billion and $1.2 billion to restore itself to full operations, Carlsson told Reuters and other media Friday. On Thursday, the company said it only had enough cash to...

Honda’s ready to build prototype solid-state batteries for EVs

Honda solid-state battery production demonstration plant in Sakura City, JapanHonda on Thursday unveiled what it calls a demonstration production line for solid-state batteries, which the automaker aims to commercialize later this decade. Located in Sakura City, in Japan's Tochigi Prefecture, the 295,000-square-foot facility is intended to establish the process for eventual mass production, as well as determine costs and...

Electric Chrysler Pacifica minivan coming with flexible interior

Chrysler Portal concept, 2017 Consumer Electronics ShowThe Chrysler Pacifica lineup will gain electric variant Electric Chrysler Pacifica interior will feature very flexible interior packaging Pacifica will be refreshed in 2026 with the electric variant to follow Chrysler's inching closer to an electric minivan, and now we know what it will be called. On Thursday at the 2024 LA Auto Show, Chrysler CEO...

2026 Kia Sportage hybrid, plug-in hybrid debut at LA auto show

2026 Kia SportageThe refreshed compact crossover introduces a more user-friendly infotainment interface Hybrid and plug-in hybrid models get a modest boost of horsepower The 2026 Sportage goes on sale in the spring of 2025 Three years after its launch, Kia is giving its Sportage compact crossover a mid-cycle refresh while continuing to offer both hybrid and...

2026 Kia EV9 GT goes fast with 501 hp, charges fast with NACS port

2026 Kia EV9 GTThe performance model of the EV9 three-row electric SUV debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show Expect a 0-60 mph time of 4.3 seconds for the 2026 Kia EV9 GT The 2026 Kia EV9 comes with a NACS port to access Tesla's Supercharger network Three-row SUVs aren't generally the first choice for performance car buyers, but Kia believes dialing up power and...