The Tesla Model 3 compact sedan, Lucid Air large sedan, and Rivian R1T pickup truck are the range and efficiency leaders in their respective classes. The three automakers have a key technology choice in common, beyond exclusively making battery electric vehicles: They each favor cylindrical batteries. Late last month at the company’s...
Chinese automaker GAC Motor claims to have successfully tested a hydrogen combustion engine, although it's unclear if the engine will ever reach production. Instead of using fuel cells to generate electricity, GAC designed an internal-combustion engine to burn hydrogen in place of gasoline or diesel. The resulting engine has a fairly high thermal...
Mitsubishi on Thursday released the first photos of the 2023 Outlander Plug-In Hybrid, which moves to the same platform already adopted by gasoline Outlander models for the 2022 model year. The full reveal takes place October 28, and United States sales are scheduled to start in the second half of calendar-year 2022, Mitsubishi confirmed in a...
Startup Electric Last Mile Solutions (ELMS) this week announced two new battery partnerships. Chinese battery supplier CATL will provide its cell-to-pack technology to startup ELMS for use in its Indiana-assembled electric delivery vans. ELMS is also partnering with startup Ample to use the latter's modular battery-swapping system. A...
Solid-state cells pass some first tests for safety. Jay Leno drives the high-mileage Aptera solar EV. And we take a look at what shapes Lucid up, potentially, to become the most direct rival yet to Tesla. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. And Lucid is showing different priorities than other electric vehicle startups and legacy...
Rivalry is a good thing. And the electric-car field doesn’t have near enough of it. There’s a delightful start of some happening between Tesla and upstart Lucid, and it’s already shown through in fits and starts. In September 2020, a few weeks after Lucid revealed preliminary range numbers of up to 517 miles for a top version of...
While not quite ready for production, the Aptera electric three-wheeler recently appeared on "Jay Leno's Garage," where Jay Leno got a comprehensive preview of the solar-supplemented EV from Aptera co-CEOs Chris Anthony and Steve Fambro. The vehicle seen here is an evolution and revival of what Aptera hoped to build under the company's original...
Amid a shortage of new cars, many buyers have been forced to kick the tires of overlooked models and brands.
Colorado-based Solid Power, the solid-state battery firm backed by Ford and BMW, claims that third-party safety tests show its battery tech to be safer than current lithium-ion chemistry. The tests, with results released Wednesday, aimed simulate abuse and damage to its prototype solid-state battery cells. Those cells use a sulfide-based solid...
The Lucid Air will likely be first with lidar. Honda is looking at robots and rockets. The BMW iX SUV marks the start of a new era for the brand’s electric vehicles. And could peat help make cheaper EV batteries? This and more, here at Green Car Reports. With deliveries of the Lucid Air electric sedan due to start later this month, Lucid...
In a letter, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reminded Tesla that federal law requires automakers to initiate recalls if they find defects that pose a safety risk.
Honda recently announced a host of new non-automotive projects, including some that parallel Tesla and SpaceX. In a press release, the automaker announced plans for an "avatar robot" that can be operated remotely by humans, as well as a small reusable rocket. The company is operating a very different timeline than Elon Musk, though. The robot will...
An ingredient used to flavor whiskey and make fertilizer could soon play an important role in EV batteries, researcher at Estonia's Tartu University say. Reported recently by Reuters, the research indicates that peat could be used to lower the cost of sodium-ion batteries for electric cars, potentially providing an alternative to the currently...
Lucid on Tuesday released more details on the driver-assist tech for its Air electric luxury sedan, which is scheduled to start deliveries later this month. The company is splitting its driver-assistance suite into two tiers—DreamDrive, and DreamDrive Pro. The latter includes the first automotive application of lidar in North America, Lucid...
Lucid on Tuesday released more details on the driver-assist tech for its Air electric luxury sedan, which is scheduled to start deliveries later this month. The company is splitting its driver-assistance suite into two tiers—DreamDrive, and DreamDrive Pro. The latter includes the first automotive application of lidar in North America, Lucid...
General Motors announced Tuesday morning that it has reached an agreement with LG Electronics over manufacturing defects that have led to the recall of about 140,000 Chevrolet Bolt EVs. According to GM, the reimbursement offsets $1.9 billion of the $2.0 billion in charges associated with the recalls—effectively covering most of the cost of...
General Motors has recalled 141,000 Bolts to replace battery packs that can catch on fire because of manufacturing defects.
Hyundai is partnering with Shell to expand California hydrogen infrastructure in support of its Nexo fuel-cell crossover. Under an agreement called "Project Neptune," Shell's hydrogen-infrastructure division will construct 48 new stations and upgrade two existing stations in California, according to a Hyundai press release, with development...
In paperwork required for its initial public offering (IPO), Rivian has disclosed that it's considering manufacturing its own batteries, and may also expand production beyond the United States. The company mentioned in-house battery manufacturing in a prospectus filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this month, while also...
Toyota claims its Mirai hydrogen fuel-cell sedan can cover 845 miles—in a special use case. Researchers see a lot of social costs of “deadhead miles” from Uber and Lyft. We get some time behind the wheel of the performance version of the Mach-E electric SUV. And Ford is deploying “charge angels” to spot-check charging...
