Mercedes plans own EV fast-charging network, starting with America

Mercedes-Benz EV charging networkMercedes-Benz aims to have its own EV fast-charging network in place by the end of the decade, focusing on North America initially and expanding to other major markets like Europe and China. Construction will start this year in the U.S. and Canada, Mercedes announced at CES in Las Vegas this past week. The automaker wants to have more than 400...

Each EV with V2G charger might earn $15,000 over 10 years

Nissan Leaf and Fermata Energy FE-15 bidirectional charger – Photo by Fermata EnergyEach bidirectional EV charger installed could pay for itself in three years, and earn up to $15,000 over 10 years, according to projections from a firm that provides such equipment. Chargers installed for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) operation, allowing EVs to discharge power back into the grid, have similar upfront costs to conventional chargers. But...

What cold weather means to most EV drivers: More charging

Magna e4 technology demonstrator (Jaguar I-Pace)It's well established that electric cars lose some range in cold weather, but for drivers that generally means more charging rather than less driving, according to a new report from battery analysis firm Recurrent. Recurrent's primary business is producing battery health reports for used EVs, but the company analyzes data used to produce those...

Porsche Taycan upgrade halves the time to charge at home

Porsche Taycan onboard charger retrofitThe Porsche Taycan already ranks as one of the best-performing EVs you can buy. With an upgrade, it can also be one of the fastest-charging EVs at home. Porsche earlier this week announced that U.S. Taycan models going back to the 2020 model year will be eligible for an extra-cost upgrade that isn’t usually offered retroactively for EVs: a...

DOE research looks at EV charging infrastructure vulnerability

Porsche Taycan chargingResearch funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is bringing the cybersecurity picture for EV charging infrastructure into focus. Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have been studying vulnerabilities in charging infrastructure for the past four years alongside other federal facilities, according to a Sandia press release, and...

California’s $3B plan will double its public EV charger count

2023 Nissan Ariya at EVgo charging stationCalifornia has approved a $2.9 billion plan that will more than double the number of EV chargers in the state, and will greatly expand charging infrastructure for electric buses and commercial trucks. "California is bringing our roads and highways into the 21st century with electric vehicle chargers in every community, in every corner of our...

GM aims for rural EV drivers with vast Level 2 charging network

2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV Redline EditionGeneral Motors is about to undertake what it claims is the largest deployment of Level 2 EV chargers in North America. The automaker this week announced the official launch of its Dealer Community Charging Program with the installation of the first charging stations in Wisconsin and Michigan. GM aims to install up to 40,000 Level 2 chargers in the...

AAA expands EV offerings with mobile charging, trip planning

AAA mobile EV chargingMore than a decade after launching a mobile EV charging pilot program, AAA is launching a second, larger-scale program that will offer mobile charging to members in 14 U.S. metropolitan areas. The new pilot program offers mobile charging for free to AAA members in the following cities: San Francisco; Indianapolis; Philadelphia; Orlando; Nashville;...

This tool reveals future road-trip EV fast-charging routes

Ford F-150 Lightning at Electrify AmericaThis Thanksgiving weekend, as families take to the highways to visit friends or family, EVs are more likely than ever to be part of the dinner conversation. Product is a big part of it. With the introduction of electric trucks like the F-150 Lightning and even off-road-capable SUVs like the Rivian R1S, and affordable options like the Chevrolet...

Hyundai Home helps EV buyers set up charging, solar, energy storage

Hyundai HomeAt the 2022 Los Angeles auto show, Hyundai announced the launch of Hyundai Home, a service that allows EV owners to shop home charging, solar, and energy storage hardware through one website. Announced in 2021 as a home-energy ecosystem, Hyundai Home is now available in 16 states, according to the announcement. Hyundai said the service will be...