Toyota sees dynamic wireless charging enabling smaller batteries

Toyota RAV4 Prime - Electreon dynamic wireless chargingAfter an extensive test with dynamic wireless charging installed on a Toyota RAV4 Prime, Israel-based Electreon is on a path with Toyota and its top-tier supplier Denso to develop a dynamic wireless charging system for electrified Toyota vehicles. The strategic agreement, which comes less than a month after the tease of future wireless charging in...

NHTSA investigates Tesla Model X seatbelt failures

2023 Tesla Model X  -  Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into possible seatbelt failures in 2022 and 2023 Tesla Model X electric SUVs, an issue that could affect up to 50,000 vehicles. An investigation commenced after the NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received two complaints reporting a failure of...

2024 Kia EV9 electric SUV debuts with 800V charging, future V2G

2024 Kia EV9Kia on Tuesday revealed a full range of details for its upcoming EV9 electric SUV—including a Level 3 assisted-driving system and a digital store that will serve up extra-cost over-the-air feature upgrades. The brand says that it’s targeting more than 336 miles for rear-wheel-drive long-range versions of the EV9, with its 800-volt...

Battery degradation isn’t likely to brick your EV, data confirms

2017 BMW i3Used EV shoppers don't have to worry too much about battery degradation eroding range, according to a new study from Recurrent, which sells battery health reports for used EVs. "Used EV shoppers worry that the car battery will degrade quickly like a mobile phone battery, and not be able to hold a charge within a few years," Liz Najman, lead...

Lucid Air OTA update helped narrow recall pool for part defect

2022 Lucid Air Grand TouringLucid has used an over-the-air (OTA) update to its flagship Air electric sedans to figure out which vehicles are affected by a recall issue, the company reported in documents filed with the federal government and posted earlier this week. The recall of an estimated 259 Lucid Air luxury EVs from model years 2022 and 2023 involves replacement of...

EV materials from Japan may be tax-credit-eligible with trade pact

2023 Nissan Ariya e-4orceA trade pact could make EVs with battery materials sourced from Japan eligible for federal tax credits, the Japan Times reported Tuesday. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) requires major battery components and critical minerals to be sourced from countries with which the U.S. has a free trade agreement, a rule that has drastically cut the number...

Aptera solar EV will be first to get Openpilot driver-assist tech

Aptera announces Openpilot integrationAptera will integrate the Openpilot driver-assistance system with its electric three-wheeler, giving the vehicle, which is classified as an autocycle, tech similar to passenger cars. Openpilot will add adaptive cruise control, lane centering, and forward-collision warnings, along with a driver monitoring system that ensures drivers will remain...

LG plans $5.5B Arizona battery plant as largest in America

Lucid Air battery cellsLG Energy Solution on Friday announced a $5.5-billion battery manufacturing complex in Queen Creek, Arizona. The company claims the plant will be the largest battery-making investment in the U.S. to date. The complex will consist of two manufacturing facilities—one for 2170-format cylindrical battery cells for EVs, and another for pouch-type...

2024 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid refresh will embrace sporty side

2024 Hyundai SonataHyundai on Sunday previewed the direction of a mid-cycle refresh due for the midsize Sonata sedan—and Sonata Hybrid—for the 2024 model year, with additional details due to be revealed on March 30. Hyundai describes the refresh as “more than a simple facelift for the current generation of the midsize Sonata sedan, which arrived in...

Tesla Model 3 leads a nosedive in used EV prices

2019 Tesla Model 3Used car prices have fallen sharply over the past year, led by the Tesla Model 3, according to new analysis from iSeeCars. Overall used car prices are down 4.7% from September and 8.7% from a year ago, according to the analysis, which is based on the average listing prices of over 1.8 million 1-5-year-old used car sales in Feb. 2022 and...

Rivian adds compatible Tesla Superchargers to its navigation app

2023 Rivian R1TRivian has added locations of compatible Tesla Superchargers to its navigation app, allowing R1S and R1T drivers to more easily find the Superchargers Tesla is opening up to EVs from other manufacturers. The interface adds Tesla Supercharger locations both to the in-vehicle navigation and the mobile app. Rivian provided this excerpt (below) from...

Ford CEO teases 2025 electric pickup as Millennium Falcon of trucks

2023 Ford F-150 LightningFord on Friday confirmed the project name for its next-generation electric truck: Project T3. Short for “Trust The Truck,” the project aims to create a truck that’s “fully updatable, constantly improving, and supports towing, hauling, exportable power and endless new innovations owners will want,” according to a press...