In just five US metro areas, EVs could save 2,500 lives annually

2023 Chevrolet Bolt EVAlthough we tend to focus on carbon emissions and the effect on climate and the atmosphere, a new Cornell University study highlights that choosing an EV is an investment in better local air quality. Published in the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, the study looked at the economic and health impacts of changes in air quality in...

Vehicle fuel economy gains faltered in 2021: Blame the SUV, again

2021 Chevrolet TahoeFleet-wide fuel economy for vehicles sold in the U.S. has stumbled, according to the EPA's recently released 2022 Automotive Trends Report. The report points to increased SUV sales as one reason for the stagnation of efficiency. The real-world fuel economy of light-duty vehicles sold in the U.S. remained flat for the 2021 model year, at 25.4 mpg...

Review: 2023 Toyota Prius rethinks high-mpg hybrid for stunning style

2023 Toyota PriusThrow away what you think you know about the Toyota Prius, the ur-hybrid that was briefly Silicon Valley’s most tech-forward car before it was supplanted by Tesla and other electric cars. The 2023 Toyota Prius, which goes on sale early next year, is a stunner. The sleek, wedge-shaped form wasn’t easy to achieve while preserving the...

2023 Toyota Prius: How design became the priority over tech

2023 Toyota Prius LimitedThe 2023 Toyota Prius is the fifth generation of the world’s best-known hybrid vehicle. Since it first went on sale in Japan in 1997, the Prius has epitomized high fuel efficiency and the advanced technology of hybrid-electric powertrains. The current fourth-generation Prius arrived in 2016 and its styling and design were not well-received...

Lucid shifts to Panasonic batteries, some to be US-made

Lucid Air body structure and battery packSome future versions of the Lucid Air and Gravity SUV may make their impressive range claims with U.S.-made batteries. On Tuesday, Lucid Group and Panasonic Energy Co. confirmed a multi-year agreement that will keep Lucid supplied as it ramps up the rest of the Lucid Air lineup in 2023 and starts production of the Gravity SUV in 2024. The...

Green Car Reports Best Car To Buy 2023: What didn’t make the cut

GMC Hummer EVYesterday we took stock of our five Green Car Reports Best Car To Buy 2023 finalists, and one of the vehicles we named—the Cadillac Lyriq, Ford F-150 Lightning, Genesis GV60, Kia EV6, and Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV—will earn the annual distinction. But there’s always a lot of interest in the backstory, and why some models didn’t...

IRS: 2023 EV tax credit needs reporting from automakers, sellers

Volkswagen ID.4 built at ChattanoogaThe Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on Monday released an introduction for the full eligibility rules for the revamped federal EV tax credit, and it looks like automakers—as well as sellers—will have to submit a lot of reports. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) re-upped the $7,500 credit, but added new requirements for American assembly...

2020 Kia Niro EV recalled for power system defect

2020 Kia Niro EVEarly Kia Niro EV models are being recalled for drive-unit components that may have been improperly sealed. The recall is very small, however, affecting just 872 vehicles from the 2020 model year. The recall involves the electric power control unit (EPCU), one of the most critical and expensive components in an EV. It controls the flow of power...

$2.5B DOE loan backs GM’s Ultium EV plan

Possible electric Chevrolet Camaro in GM Ultium teaser videoThe U.S. Department of Energy confirmed Monday morning a $2.5 billion federal loan to Ultium Cells LLC, for financing the construction of plants to supply many millions of future GM electric vehicles. The loan will fund the construction of joint-venture GM and LG Energy Solution battery plants in Ohio, Tennessee, and Michigan, and the confirmation...

Best Car To Buy 2023: Green Car Reports names 5 finalists

2022 Kia EV6It’s that time of the year—the time when Green Car Reports rounds up the latest green vehicles, and decides which one is the best. One of these will be named Best Car To Buy on Jan. 4, 2023, and to kick off the competition, we’ll explore each of these models in greater depth over the next couple of weeks. As we give each one on...

Tech update may boost range of future Hyundai and Kia EVs

2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5Hyundai and Kia EVs may soon get new silicon-carbide power modules aimed at boosting range. Semiconductor firm STMicroelectronics (ST) said last week in a press release that it has been chosen by Hyundai to supply its silicon-carbide power modules for EVs based on the automaker's E-GMP platform, which underpins the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and...

$6,250 Squad solar EV coming to US—wherever 25 mph is enough

Squad Solar City CarIt will soon be possible to get a solar-charging EV in the U.S. for just $6,250—with a catch. The Squad Solar City Car is the product of Dutch firm Squad Mobility, which was founded in 2019. Unveiled last May, it uses sunlight to recharge its battery pack. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2024, and Squad recently confirmed that the...

F-150 Lightning was first electric pickup open to federal agencies

2022 Ford F-150 LightningThe Ford F-150 Lightning was the first electric pickup truck available to federal agencies for fleet use—but because it's currently sold out, those agencies can't order any of the trucks. Outside first reported that the United States Forest Service (USFS) is currently evaluating the Lightning, and that it is the only electric pickup...