Rolls-Royce doubles down on EVs, planning SUV and sedan

2024 Rolls-Royce SpectreRolls-Royce will leapfrog rival Bentley into the all-electric era. Rolls-Royce launched its first EV, dubbed the Spectre, in 2023 a year after the luxury coupe arrived to signal electric excess. Automotive News reported the automaker is now planning two new EVs including a crossover and a sedan. The second Rolls-Royce EV to join the lineup after...

Sharp electric van backs up the home, turns into lounge space

Sharp LDK+ electric van conceptEV concept gets retro Japanese-van form with futuristic cues on the outside It can store energy from solar panels, back up the home when needed Interior experience is prioritized—as an "extended living room" for viewing, gaming, or work Japanese electronics firm Sharp recently unveiled a fully electric concept van. And perhaps not...

GM CEO surprised EVs became political

GM CEO Mary BarraGM CEO is "surprised" EVs are political Barra said GM is on track to be EV-only by 2035 if customers are ready GM's Corvette boss didn't commit to an electric Corvette, but one's already been confirmed GM's top executive is surprised that EVs became a political lightning rod. "It did surprise me; I never thought the propulsion system on a vehicle...

Lightyear gets $11M to pivot from solar EV to supplier

Lightyear solar panel manufacturingLightyear secured approximately $11 million (10M Euros) of funding The funding will help the restructured business sell solar hardware Lightyear's moved on from attempting to build its own EVs Lightyear has secured 10 million euros (approximately $11 million at current exchange rates) to fund a new business of selling solar hardware for other...

Electric RV packs range extender: Future 500-mile PHEV Airstream?

THOR Hybrid Class A Test VehicleElectric RVs are on the horizon Airstream owner Thor Industries revealed a plug-in hybrid RV PHEV RVs offer more range for less money than an electric RV Electric trucks and SUVs have arrived, and in the quest for lower-carbon-impact camping, fully electric RVs aren’t far behind. While the fully electric vanlife is starting to roll out, the...

Study: Drivers misusing and abusing Tesla Autopilot system

2024 Tesla Model 3A study found Tesla drivers are distracted while using Autopilot Tesla's Autopilot is a hands-on driver-assist system, not a hands-off system The study notes more robust safeguards are needed to prevent misuse Driver-assist systems like Tesla Autopilot are meant to reduce the frequency of crashes, but drivers are more likely to become distracted...

Study: Never mind degradation, batteries will outlast EVs in most cases

Mercedes-Benz Alabama battery factoryA study found the average EV battery degrades 1.8% per year That means EV batteries could last over 20 years, or longer than the EV itself New methods are being found to reduce degradation even further Battery degradation can be a concern for potential electric vehicle owners, but new data indicates most batteries will outlast the EVs they're...