Mercedes’ first US electric vans are now available starting at $74,181

2024 Mercedes-Benz eSprinterMercedes-Benz has confirmed pricing for its full-size, cargo- and upfit-oriented electric van lineup, called eSprinter, and orders for these EVs are now open. In Standard Output form, the Mercedes-Benz eSprinter starts at $74,181, Including the $2,295 destination charge, while the High Output version starts at $77,611. These two versions are rated...

Rivian R1S, R1T: Quad-Motor vs. Dual-Motor EVs compared

Rivian plant in Normal, Illinois, manufacturing its Enduro drive unitEarlier this year, Rivian expanded its plant in Normal, Illinois by nearly 20% to manufacture its Enduro drive unit. It’s an about-face from the drive units supplied by Bosch in Rivian’s Quad-Motor models, and should help mitigate the bottlenecks to ramping production of the R1T adventure pickup truck, R1S three-row SUV, and EDV...

US hydrogen economy ramps up for federal incentives not yet defined

Hyundai Xcient Fuel CellThe U.S. Department of the Treasury missed its deadline to release guidance defining what kind of hydrogen production will qualify for maximum tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The agency had a year from the passage of the IRA last August to release this guidance, which will help producers determine how to net tax credits of up...

Tesla range not degraded by frequent fast-charging, study finds

Tesla chargingDC fast charging makes EV road trips practical, but owners are cautioned that frequent fast-charging can also cause battery degradation. That isn't necessarily the case, a new study has found. Recurrent, which produces battery health reports for used EVs, studied fast charging on over 12,500 Tesla vehicles in the U.S. Cars that were fast-charged...

Report: EVs now top 5% of new vehicle sales in 23 countries

150,000th Ford Mustang Mach-E builtEVs have surpassed at least 5% of new car sales in 23 countries, according to a new Bloomberg report. Much of that sales growth has happened in the past year, according to the report. Five more countries have 5% EV sales—which Bloomberg analysts consider a tipping point for mass adoption—than a year ago. And median EV sales were up 55%...

Mercedes renews plans for its own EV fast-charging hubs

Mercedes high-power charging stationsMercedes-Benz has ambitious plans to create its own EV charging network, which it’s terming its High-Power Charging Network, on several continents. That will include more than 2,000 DC fast-charging connectors by the end of 2024, it says. This won’t be an aggregation of other networks’ stations. The company on Monday once again...

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron joins the 300-mile club—in Sportback form

2024 Audi Q8 E-TronAudi has promised a range of around 300 miles for at least one variant in the 2024 Q8 E-Tron lineup—and it has now confirmed that number for Sportback versions of the crossover EV. The EPA has published official range ratings for the Q8 E-Tron, which replaces the former Audi E-Tron SUV and E-Tron Sportback. The Q8 E-Tron Sportback, a...

2021-2023 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid recalled for unintended acceleration

2021 Hyundai Elantra HybridHyundai is recalling 2021-2023 Elantra Hybrid compact sedans for a software issue that could cause unintended acceleration. The recall population totals 37,997 vehicles, but just 1% are expected to have the fault, according to NHTSA recall documents. The affected cars were built between Dec. 15, 2020, and Jul. 29, 2023; a production change...

Tesla Powerwall owners will boost Texas power grid, make money

Tesla Powerwall  -  Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.Texas is launching a "virtual power plant" pilot program that will reward Tesla Powerwall owners for using their in-home battery packs to support the grid. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the state's electricity grid, was directed to begin developing the pilot program in 2022 by the Public Utility Commission of...

EV have more quality issues than ICE models, study finds

2023 Lucid Air PureEV owners experience more problems with their vehicles than owners of comparable internal-combustion cars, according to a new study, but the problem isn't the powertrains. Published Thursday, the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study focuses on the user experience of automotive tech features, things like infotainment systems...

Kia EV5 revealed, might be US-bound to face ID.4 and Ariya

Kia EV5Kia officially revealed the production-bound version of its EV5 compact electric SUV on Friday at the Chengdu Motor Show in China. At first look it closely follows the EV5 concept revealed in March, although it doesn’t have that model’s solar panels or swivel seats. At that time, Kia clearly laid out how that concept previewed a...

Report: Future Nissan EV lineup includes Leaf sequel

Nissan Chill-Out concept  -  December 2021A next-generation Nissan Leaf is among three new EVs recently previewed to dealers, according to an Automotive News report published Thursday. The automaker will launch a new EV "offensive" around 2025 with the goal of launching 19 all-electric models globally by 2030, dealers were reportedly told. For the U.S., that will include the new Leaf, an...