VW sees EV efficiency gains from optimizing its own components

2023 Volkswagen ID.4As automakers look to boost EV efficiency, Volkswagen believes bringing development of more components in-house will lead to big gains. VW announced this strategy shift at its Tech Day 2023 event, claiming efficiency improvements of up to 20% by developing its own optimized components. "The Volkswagen Group and its brands stand for first-class...

Report: Toyota might start EV production in Kentucky in 2025

2023 Toyota bZ4X Limited AWDToyota could start building electric cars in Kentucky as soon as 2025 by updating an existing factory, Nikkei reported Tuesday. The move could allow Toyota vehicles to qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit under new rules, instituted under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), requiring North American assembly of vehicles and battery packs...

2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 priced: 361-mile version starts at $46,615

2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6Hyundai has put a price tag on the Ioniq 6 electric sedan for the U.S., and its starting price lands just $70 less than the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric crossover. The price of the 2023 Ioniq 6 Standard Range is $42,715, including the $1,115 destination fee. That’s including the 53-kwh battery pack and an estimated EPA driving range of 240...

Sakuu claims first 3D-printed battery cell potentially for EVs

Sakuu 3D-printed battery cellsAs the mobility and EV industry converges around a seemingly limited array of battery sizes and just three form factors, California-based Sakuu is suggesting a very different, seemingly endless range of possibilities—like future cells sized and shaped for products. The manufacturing hook behind this proposition is 3D printing. While there...

Rivian looked to nature for the sounds in its R1T and R1S

2023 Rivian R1TEVs are by nature far quieter, so more thought needs to go into the sounds they make when doing routine things. Rivian saw this as an opportunity to reinforce the outdoorsy branding of its R1T electric pickup truck and R1S electric SUV, choosing sounds inspired by nature. Even without an internal-combustion engine, cars make lots of sounds. From...

Lexus won’t offer steer-by-wire, yoke at RZ450e EV launch in US

2023 Lexus RZ 450eThe 2023 Lexus RZ 450e electric crossover has begun arriving in the U.S., but the brand's first mass produced global electric vehicle won't arrive with the brand's newest technology. The Lexus won't offer a steer-by-wire system with a yoke when it launches the RZ 450e EV in the U.S. Both will be offered in the U.S. at an unspecified date, Lexus...