2025 Mini Cooper, Countryman EVs lead brand’s electric remake

2025 Mini Cooper electric hatchAt the Munich auto show this week, Mini is showing the first two of what it claims will be part of a full lineup of EVs. The duo debuting at the show includes a redesigned version of the Mini Cooper hatchback and a first-ever all-electric version of the Mini Countryman crossover. Both are expected to reach the U.S. for the 2025 model year...

Fisker Pear urban EV to offer AWD, range up to 320 miles

Fisker PearFisker on Thursday released more details of its Pear urban EV, which was first shown at the automaker's recent Product Day event, ahead of an additional showing at the Munich auto show this next week. With a targeted base price of $29,900 before the incentives, the Pear will be offered with two battery options allowing 180 miles or 320 miles of...

Rivian R1T claims up to 410-mile EPA range with Max pack

2023 Rivian R1TRivian claims its R1T electric pickup truck gets up to 410 miles of EPA range with the largest 180-kwh Max pack, according to Rivian, and it appears to be on track for fall deliveries. The automaker on Wednesday posted EPA range estimates for R1T Max pack models on X (formerly known as Twitter), with the highest 410-mile range applying to trucks...

Updated Tesla Model 3 bows for Europe with aero look, updated cabin

Tesla Model 3 (Europe-market refresh) Tesla on Thursday revealed the revamped version of its Model 3, which had previously been codenamed “Highland”—offered initially for order in Europe. The exterior styling refresh for the Model 3 is “optimized for maximum aerodynamics,” according to Tesla. Images released by Tesla showed a mildly redesigned front end...

Ford aside, automakers are fighting EV-focused EPA emissions targets

Ram 1500 REVDespite professed support for EVs, many automakers are quietly fighting proposed EPA emissions rules that would require expanded EV sales, according to the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The EPA this spring proposed tailpipe emissions rules for 2027-2032, setting a goal of reducing emissions by about 56% in 2032 compared to 2026...

Why are Teslas, EVs stolen less often than gasoline vehicles?

Tesla SuperchargerEVs—particularly Teslas—are stolen less than internal-combustion cars, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI). The HLDI published its annual list of most-stolen and least-stolen vehicles Thursday, based on the frequency of insurance claims for whole vehicle theft for...

2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid makes more of regenerative braking

2024 Hyundai Sonata HybridHyundai on Wednesday provided more details on the mid-cycle refresh of its Sonata mid-size sedan—including the Sonata Hybrid—for the 2024 model year. As previewed by Hyundai in March, the refresh takes the current-generation Sonata, which arrived in early 2020 in Sonata Hybrid guise, in a different styling direction from the...

Mercedes’ first US electric vans are now available starting at $74,181

2024 Mercedes-Benz eSprinterMercedes-Benz has confirmed pricing for its full-size, cargo- and upfit-oriented electric van lineup, called eSprinter, and orders for these EVs are now open. In Standard Output form, the Mercedes-Benz eSprinter starts at $74,181, Including the $2,295 destination charge, while the High Output version starts at $77,611. These two versions are rated...

Rivian R1S, R1T: Quad-Motor vs. Dual-Motor EVs compared

Rivian plant in Normal, Illinois, manufacturing its Enduro drive unitEarlier this year, Rivian expanded its plant in Normal, Illinois by nearly 20% to manufacture its Enduro drive unit. It’s an about-face from the drive units supplied by Bosch in Rivian’s Quad-Motor models, and should help mitigate the bottlenecks to ramping production of the R1T adventure pickup truck, R1S three-row SUV, and EDV...

US hydrogen economy ramps up for federal incentives not yet defined

Hyundai Xcient Fuel CellThe U.S. Department of the Treasury missed its deadline to release guidance defining what kind of hydrogen production will qualify for maximum tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The agency had a year from the passage of the IRA last August to release this guidance, which will help producers determine how to net tax credits of up...

Tesla range not degraded by frequent fast-charging, study finds

Tesla chargingDC fast charging makes EV road trips practical, but owners are cautioned that frequent fast-charging can also cause battery degradation. That isn't necessarily the case, a new study has found. Recurrent, which produces battery health reports for used EVs, studied fast charging on over 12,500 Tesla vehicles in the U.S. Cars that were fast-charged...

Report: EVs now top 5% of new vehicle sales in 23 countries

150,000th Ford Mustang Mach-E builtEVs have surpassed at least 5% of new car sales in 23 countries, according to a new Bloomberg report. Much of that sales growth has happened in the past year, according to the report. Five more countries have 5% EV sales—which Bloomberg analysts consider a tipping point for mass adoption—than a year ago. And median EV sales were up 55%...

Mercedes renews plans for its own EV fast-charging hubs

Mercedes high-power charging stationsMercedes-Benz has ambitious plans to create its own EV charging network, which it’s terming its High-Power Charging Network, on several continents. That will include more than 2,000 DC fast-charging connectors by the end of 2024, it says. This won’t be an aggregation of other networks’ stations. The company on Monday once again...