Nio and CATL ally for longer-life EV batteries, swapping tech

2025 Nio ET9Chinese automaker Nio is partnering with battery supplier CATL for research into longer-life EV batteries, including for use with Nio's battery-swapping service. The two companies "will jointly carry out discussions, make technological breakthroughs and innovation, and promote product applications," according to a Nio press release, with CATL...

Volvo EX30 EV: LFP version not offered to US is greener pick

2025 Volvo EX30In a life cycle assessment of the Volvo EX30 electric vehicle released Thursday, the automaker underscored that its upcoming compact EV has the lowest carbon footprint of any electric Volvo yet. The team behind the EX30 analysis looked at two EX30 versions—one with the 69-kwh lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide (NMC) battery pack, the...

Report: Apps claiming to boost EV efficiency can hike insurance rates

2022 Chevrolet Bolt EVApp-based features pitched as a way to become a safer and more efficient driver may end up reporting you as a higher-risk driver to insurers, The New York Times reports. New cars, EV or not, have substantial data-gathering capability thanks to their array of onboard sensors, which is sometimes presented to consumers as a way to improve driving or...

BMW aggregates more EV chargers, adding Shell ahead of Tesla

2022 BMW iX xDrive50BMW is relying on Shell Recharge Solutions to offer customers streamlined access to EV charging stations across multiple networks. The automaker on Wednesday announced an agreement with Shell Recharge Solutions that it claims will provide access to more than 100,000 public chargers through the My BMW app. These chargers are not only part of...

Volvo seeks 30% quicker EV charging without battery upgrades

Volvo EV powertrainVolvo is looking to quicken EV charging times by relying on software rather than upgrades to batteries and other hardware. The automaker on Monday announced a partnership with U.K.-based Breathe Battery Technologies to access that company's "algorithm-enabled charging software" with its battery management systems—with the goal of optimizing...

Biden agencies draw roadmap for EV charging along freight corridors

Volvo VNR Electric semi truckThe Biden Administration on Monday sketched out plans for EV charging and hydrogen dispensing along major U.S. freight corridors. The National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy was developed by the administration's Joint Office of Energy and Transportation with input from the Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Transportation (DOT)...

2025 Polestar 3 starts at $74,800 and 315 miles, US deliveries in Q2

Polestar 3 production at Volvo plant in Chengdu, ChinaThe 2025 Polestar 3 will arrive for first deliveries in the U.S. in the second quarter of 2024, at a starting price of $74,800, and it’s now available to configure and order, the company announced Tuesday. At launch, the entire 2025 Polestar 3 lineup will have dual-motor all-wheel drive, with an output of 489 hp and 620 lb-ft of torque, and...

More than a third of Prius owners get another one, finds CarMax

2024 Toyota PriusWhen it's time to replace their cars, many Toyota Prius owners choose another of the hybrids, according used-car retailer CarMax. More than 38% of CarMax customers who own a Prius purchase another one, according to the company. That makes the Prius the model with the highest loyalty in CarMax's inventory. The Prius displaced the Chevrolet...

Study: Some retailers aren’t doing much to support EV charging

Walmart store sign (via Wikimedia)Big-box stores and fast-foot chains offer large parking lots perfect for EV charging, but most lag in offering charging to customers, according to a new Consumer Reports study. Consumer Reports surveyed 270,000 retail locations controlled by 75 major retail and fast-food chains—brands like Costco, Ikea, Walmart, and Target—and found...

Will a US tariff hike on Chinese EVs keep them out?

2023 Zeekr 009Three Senate Democrats from car-manufacturing states on Thursday urged the Biden administration to increase tariffs on Chinese EVs, bringing bipartisan pressure to dissuade Chinese automakers from selling their products to the U.S. In a letter first reported by Reuters, Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and Sherrod Brown of Ohio...

Could Rivian R3 EV revive a stagnant small-car market?

Rivian R3Rivian on Thursday delivered what was expected—the R2 electric SUV. And then it stole the R2’s stage with products that fans, investors, and EV shoppers didn’t know they needed: the Rivian R3 and R3X. A short time after the reveal, I noted that while plenty of fans were checking out the R2, there was a frenzy around the R3. And...