These were the top EV stories of 2023

Hyundai at Tesla SuperchargerElectric vehicles remain the future of transportation at the end of 2023, as they were at the start of the year. But it was a year of tough questions to accompany vast market change, not just as the massive scales of supply and demand swung the other way, but as an industry refocused. While 2023 marked the end of supply-chain issues that had...

EVs under $40,000: What’s coming in 2024 and 2025

Kia EV4 conceptIs demand for affordable EVs low? Look at the surge of interest over future models like the Chevy Equinox EV and its more than 200,000 “hand-raisers,” or the Fisker Pear or Volvo EX30, all of which are due to start well under $40,000, and you’d be mistaken to say that electric cars are by nature a premium-price market, or that...

2024 Mercedes EQS and EQE get heat pump, retuned braking, more range

2024 Mercedes-Benz EQEMercedes-Benz is making a number of changes to its EQE and EQS electric SUV and respective sedan/hatchback models for the 2024 model year, including updates to improve range and a new braking system that could address a common complaint about earlier models. In the EQS and EQE, Mercedes tuned its regenerative braking for efficiency, opting for...

Vinfast EV sales pivot to dealer model, starting in North Carolina

2023 Vinfast VF 8Vinfast will use franchised dealerships to sell cars in the U.S.—starting in the state where the company also plans to build a factory. While Vinfast already has a few company-operated showrooms, its first franchised dealership opened this week in Cary, North Carolina, in partnership with the Leith Automotive Group. As of Thursday, the...

EPA: Hybrids and EVs helped offset more polluting trucks and SUVs

2021 Toyota RAV4 HybridIncreased production of hybrids and EVs has helped offset the shift toward larger vehicles in the new-car market, according to a comprehensive annual update from the EPA. The 2023 EPA Automotive Trends Report, released last week, showed that automakers significantly ramped up hybrid and EV sales from model years 2017 to 2022. During that time...

Nio ET9 flagship EV debuts super-fast charging and battery swapping

Nio CEO William Li introduces the Nio ET9Chinese automaker Nio recently unveiled its new flagship EV—a large sedan called the ET9. Measuring 209.6 inches long (with a 127.9-inch wheelbase), 79.3 inches long, and 63.7 inches tall, the ET9 is just over a foot longer than a Lucid Air. It's taller as well, but the Lucid is wider. And both cars emphasize fast charging. Nio opts for 925...

Quick spin: Nissan Sakura EV highlights what America is missing

2024 Nissan Sakura EV  -  TokyoLook anywhere around the world, and the biggest cities have some of the same issues, no matter what the country: space is tight, and access to high-power fast-charging is limited at best. Applying that logic, the very tiny, four-passenger Nissan Sakura EV seems like the perfect formula to apply to an everyday driver for Seoul, London, and...

Report: China leads in EV recycling, creating a circular economy

Volkswagen battery recyclingChina is leading the U.S. and Europe on EV battery recycling, according to a new Bloomberg report, and it may add to China's EV advantages in the future. The battery-recycling business in China is booming, according to the report, which cites data from consultancy Circular Energy Storage showing that "the nation dominates when it comes to...

EV tax credit shifts to rebate Jan. 1, and not all dealers are ready

Mercedes-Benz dealership in New York CityMany U.S. car dealerships have not registered to begin offering the federal EV tax credit at the point of sale when that option becomes available Jan. 1. More than 7,000 dealerships have registered with the IRS to offer tax credits of up to $7,500 as point-of-sale rebates, the U.S. Treasury Department said Friday. But there are nearly 17,000...

Toyota Prius Prime: Green Car Reports Best Car To Buy 2024 finalist

2023 Toyota Prius PrimeOdds are when you first saw the latest 2024 Toyota Prius hybrid that started arriving earlier in the year, you not only saw a great-looking car but felt a little bit of nostalgia. That’s because the latest Toyota Prius looks like it’s a descendant of the Prius that made the biggest waves in automotive history—the...