Toyota teases Crown electric sedan, efficiency-boosting EV tech

Toyota Crown familyJust ahead of Toyota’s annual shareholder meeting Wednesday, where pushback over its strategies on climate change was widely expected, the company released a cache of information about electric vehicle technologies and timelines. Included in the download was more information about batteries and battery chemistries than it had previously...

Toyota touts 10-minute EV charging, solid-state battery due in 2027

2023 Toyota bZ4X Limited AWDToyota this week gave an update on its battery research, claiming a major breakthrough in solid-state battery tech, which the automaker hopes to commercialize later in the decade. In an Tuesday announcement that appeared to have been released in coordination with Toyota's annual shareholder meeting, the automaker said it is aiming to commercialize...

2024 Polestar 2 costs $51,300 with 320-mile range, rear-wheel drive

2024 Polestar 2The updated 2024 Polestar 2 starts at $51,300 and is scheduled to begin deliveries in August, the automaker announced Tuesday. That base price, which includes a mandatory $1,400 destination charge, is $1,500 more than 2023's starting price, but the new model year brings many changes and improvements. Polestar has been boosting its range bit by...

Cost misconceptions may be behind waning EV interest

2024 Kia EV9Consumer interest in EVs is lagging, and cost is partly to blame, according to a new Ipsos study. Despite factors like increased choice of EV models and a revamped federal tax credit ushered in by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), interest in EVs has essentially leveled off, the study suggests. In 2022, 49% of respondents said they were...

Ford Maverick and Escape hybrids recalled for engine failure

2023 Ford MaverickFord is recalling 125,322 newer hybrid and plug-in hybrid models over the potential for engine failure that could cause engine fires. It's an expansion of a recall from last July that now includes 2023 models. Ford issued a stop-sale order to dealers for new in-stock vehicles in the recall population. The expanded recall affects 2020-2023 Ford...

Telo wants to deliver the world’s most efficient electric truck

Telo truck (rendering)Why do pickups have to be so huge, and where are the lean, efficient, manageably sized electric trucks for the city? Emerging from stealth mode Tuesday, California-based Telo Trucks is revealing its thought-provoking answer to that—in the form of an electric pickup that it claims will have all the cab and bed space of a Toyota Tacoma, with...

EV charging stations with Tesla connectors could tap federal funds

Tesla chargingThe White House is offering subsidies to charging stations that use Tesla connectors, as long as they also include Combined Charging Standard (CCS) connectors, Reuters reported Friday. The report follows an announcement by General Motors this week, and Ford a couple of weeks earlier, that they would adopt the Tesla connector, which Tesla recently...