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...

2021-2022 VW ID.4 gets long-awaited software upgrade

2023 Volkswagen ID.4Volkswagen is preparing to release a software upgrade for easy ID.4 electric crossovers aimed at improving infotainment system performance, while adding some new features. The upgrade will roll out to 2021 ID.4 models first, followed by certain 2022 ID.4 models, Volkswagen of America said in a press release earlier this week. Owners will be...

EV battery cost soared in 2022, hampering EV affordability

Mercedes-Benz Alabama battery factoryEV battery costs have soared in 2022 due to rising raw material and battery component prices, according to a Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) report. The volume-weighted average for lithium-ion battery pack prices reached $151/kwh this year, a 7% increase over 2021, according to the report. It marks the first time average pack prices have...

GM aims for rural EV drivers with vast Level 2 charging network

2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV Redline EditionGeneral Motors is about to undertake what it claims is the largest deployment of Level 2 EV chargers in North America. The automaker this week announced the official launch of its Dealer Community Charging Program with the installation of the first charging stations in Wisconsin and Michigan. GM aims to install up to 40,000 Level 2 chargers in the...

Battery change boosts 2023 Nissan Leaf efficiency, slightly

2023 Nissan LeafThe Nissan Ariya will soon arrive at the company's U.S. dealerships, but it won’t be the only EV featured at them. The other, of course, is the Nissan Leaf. The Ariya crossover isn’t replacing Leaf: Nissan lowered the Leaf’s price a couple years ago, seemingly to make room for the Ariya. The 2023 Nissan Leaf sees some feature...

Polestar 2 offers permanent performance boost over the air—for $1,195

2023 Polestar 2Polestar is offering an over-the-air software update that boosts output of dual-motor versions of the Polestar 2—for a one-time $1,195 fee. The new software increases output by 68 hp and 15 lb-ft of torque to 476 hp and 502 lb-ft, Polestar said in a press release. This reduces the manufacturer-estimated 0-60 mph time to 4.2 seconds, but...

Toyota sees hydrogen-combustion Corolla Cross as EV alternative

Toyota Corolla Cross H2 ConceptToyota believes hydrogen combustion engines could be a viable alternative to EVs, and it's demonstrating the concept with a prototype version of its Corolla Cross. On Tuesday, the automaker unveiled the hydrogen-combustion Corolla Cross H2 Concept, saying in a press release that the vehicle would begin testing in northern Japan this winter. It...

Used EV depreciation: Do long-range models hold more value?

2020 Hyundai Kona ElectricUsed EV prices are dropping, but long-range models appear to be holding their value better, according to Automotive News. As analysts try to fit used-car value metrics to the growing population of used EVs, J.D. Power is applying a "pretty significant deduct" to the residual value of any model with a range below 275 miles, which the firm considers...