2023 Kia EV6, 2023-2024 Kia Niro EV recalled for driveshaft issue

2023 Kia Niro EVA small number of 2023-2024 Kia Niro EV and 2023 Kia EV6 electric vehicles are being recalled for an issue that most definitely can’t be remedied with an over-the-air update. In affected vehicles, Kia explains, one of the driveshafts may have been improperly heat-treated, potentially allowing it to break under load. That would result in the...

Waffle House hosts federal EV fast-chargers, bucks gas-station trend

Rendering of EnviroSpark EV chargers at at Waffle HouseThe first new EV charging site in Tennessee funded through the Biden administration's National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program bucks the trend of co-locating chargers with gas pumps. Installed by Atlanta-based charging infrastructure firm EnviroSpark, the new chargers are being hosted by a Waffle House restaurant in Lakeland...

Rivian R2 bows March 7: Will it be EV maker’s Model 3 moment?

Rivian R1TThe Rivian R2 lineup is due to debut March 7, the California-based electric truck maker revealed Monday. Rivian has revealed very little about the R2 as of yet, other than that it will be smaller and lower-priced than the existing R1 lineup. While the R1T pickup and R1S SUV are full-size trucks—or within a few inches of full-size, by any...

Aptera claims enough crowdfunding to make solar EV

Aptera Sol alpha prototypeAptera claims to have raised enough money in a recent crowdfunding campaign to start production of its solar-assisted three-wheeled EV, but the company is still far from assured of success. The company on Friday announced the completion of its Accelerator Program, which allowed those investors contributing $10,000 or more to secure one of the...

NADA aims to turn car dealers into EV experts in 90 minutes

2024 Cadillac LyriqThe National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) has launched a certification program it claims can turn car salespeople into EV experts in just 90 minutes. Called ElectrifIQ, the program aims to prepare dealers to address common consumer questions, relating to things like charging times and costs, total cost of ownership, and available...

More than a third of US EVs are sold in California

Tesla SuperchargerEV sales are still booming in California—and they continued to capture an even larger piece of the market in 2023. Although there was a slight downturn in the market share of EVs toward the end of 2023, EVs finished the year up 5% in market share in the Golden State versus 2022. And looking at all of 2023, BEVs added up to 33.8% of the...

Most Ford EV drivers will get Tesla charge-port adapters for free

Ford EVs at Tesla SuperchargerFord provided an update on Wednesday on its plans to adopt the Tesla charge port for future EVs and to allow current and recent EV models to charge on the Tesla Supercharger network. To the latter point, Ford revealed that the accessory adapters needed to get drivers of current and recent American Ford EVs on-network with Supercharging will be...

Survey: Dealers think Biden is moving too fast on EVs

2024 Kia EV6 GTDealers think the Biden administration's EV policies are forcing the auto industry to move ahead of market demand, according to a new Automotive News survey. The publication's 2024 Dealer Outlook Survey compiled responses from 208 U.S. car dealers and dealership managers. Nearly 83% of those surveyed said the federal government was pushing too...

Volvo ends Polestar funding, as EV startup struggles

2024 Polestar 3 prototypeVolvo will stop funding Polestar and is considering a move that could give parent Geely greater control of the EV brand, Reuters reported Thursday. The news comes after Polestar announced that it missed already-reduced 2023 delivery targets. The brand's shares are also down 83% since it went public in June 2022 via a merger with a special purpose...

US plug-in hybrid sales hit a record high in 2023

2023 Toyota Prius PrimePlug-in hybrids reached record sales in 2023, with more than 250,000 vehicles sold, or about 20% of total plug-in vehicle sales, according to the Department of Energy. Last year saw strong sales for EVs as well, which surpassed one million units for the first time. The combined market share of hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and EVs rose to 16.3% of...

Daimler, Navistar, Volvo ally for heavy-duty truck charging

Volvo VNR Electric semi truckThree of the largest commercial truck manufacturers have joined forces on charging infrastructure. Daimler Trucks North America, Navistar, and Volvo Group North America on Wednesday announced Powering America's Commercial Transportation (PACT), described in a joint press release as a "coalition focused on education and advocacy for accelerating...