Beyond GM and Sony EV projects, Honda goes solo on solid-state tech

Honda solid-state battery prototype manufacturingHonda has established EV partnerships with General Motors and Sony, but the automaker is going it alone on solid-state battery tech. Honda plans to invest 43 billion yen ($290 million at current exchange rates) to build a demonstration solid-state battery production line in Sakura, a city in Japan's Tochigi Prefecture, slated to open in spring...

Feds examine EV charging cybersecurity as infrastructure grows

Audi Charging Hub concept in Nuremberg, GermanyFederal officials are discussing ways to ensure cybersecurity for EV charging infrastructure, as the government pushes for a national charging network. The Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) hosted a forum last week with government officials and various EV stakeholders, including automakers and charging equipment manufacturers, according...

Zeekr 009 electric van debuts CATL cell-to-pack battery tech

2023 Zeekr 009Chinese automaker Geely's Zeekr brand on Tuesday unveiled the 009, an electric van that marks the production debut of battery supplier CATL's cell-to-pack battery tech. Zeekr's second model, following the 001 hatchback, the 009 is a six-seat van is expected to start deliveries in China in 2023. There are no plans to offer it in the United States...

2023 Mercedes EQE sedan costs $76,050, goes up to 305 miles

2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+Mercedes-Benz confirmed starting prices for the 2023 EQE electric sedan lineup that arrives at dealerships this fall. With its standard 90.6-kwh battery pack, the EQE 350+ will deliver 305 miles of range, according to EPA estimates cited by Mercedes-Benz but yet unconfirmed in official EPA listings. The EQE is one of the closest electric products...

Ram electric truck will lead in range and towing, company says

Ram 1500 BEV and platform  -  2021 Stellantis EV DayThe Ram Revolution BEV Concept, previewing a future electric Ram pickup truck, is due to debut in concept form at CES in Las Vegas in January, rather than originally planned at the LA Auto Show this month. The announcement on Tuesday from the Stellantis truck brand confirmed timing for the Ram 1500 Revolution Battery Electric Vehicle Concept, and...

Report: Tesla Cybertruck production won’t ramp up until late 2023

Tesla Cybertruck concept  (Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.)Tesla might not start mass production of the Cybertruck for more than a year, according a Tuesday report from Reuters, citing insiders. With the late-2023 production ramp reported, that means in 2024 Tesla may only begin to make a dent in the list of the hundreds of thousands of intenders who put $100 down on a Cybertruck several years ago. In its...

Jaguar Land Rover sees EV range gains with Formula E tech

Sam Bird in the Jaguar I-Type 5 at the 2022 Formula E London E-PrixThe automaker on Monday announced a partnership with North Carolina-based Wolfspeed to use the latter's silicon carbide semiconductor tech in future EVs. Wolfspeed already supplies similar tech to the Jaguar TCS Racing Formula E team, which has used it to "accelerate on-track efficiency and performance," JLR noted in a press release. Silicon...

Natural gas may power Nikola hydrogen hubs, fuel-cell trucks

Nikola Tre hydrogen fuel-cell truckNikola this morning revealed how it plans to create some of the hydrogen network to fuel its fuel-cell electric vehicles: with natural-gas-based hydrogen production plus a plan for carbon capture—so called “blue” hydrogen—and a plan that might make it eligible for the federal government’s top hydrogen incentives. One...

GM delays EV production ramp over battery supply

Rendering of planned General Motors Ultium Cells Lansing battery plantGeneral Motors is slowing down the its EV production ramp, but still appears committed to an EV-heavy future. The automaker originally planned to produce 400,000 EVs by the end of 2023, but has now pushed that target back to mid-2024, according to the Wall Street Journal. That move, which comes after GM reported a big increase in gasoline truck...

EV fast-charging at 100 Taco Bells: A new norm for fast food?

EV fast-charging at Taco BellMore than 100 Taco Bell restaurants are set to be “electrified” over the next year with DC fast-charging stations for electric vehicles, announced the operator Diversified Restaurant Group, earlier this month. The locations are due to be fitted with ChargeNet Stations offering what the companies said on average will amount to 100 miles...

CATL-Vinfast collaboration may mean more EVs for emerging markets

Vinfast VF 8 delivery event  -  VietnamVinfast on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding with CATL laying the foundation for use of the latter's cell-to-pack battery tech and skateboard chassis designs in future vehicles. "By leveraging CATL's cutting-edge batteries, Vinfast's innovative EVs will reach new heights in terms of range, safety, and intelligent driving," CATL said in a...

Vintage Nissan Sunny electric pickup hauls with Leaf power

1987 Nissan Sunny Truck with Leaf powertrainNissan doesn't make an electric pickup truck, but a South Carolina tuner may have just created the next best thing—for Nissan itself to show. Tommy Pike Customs (TPC) took a 1987 Nissan Sunny Truck and gave it a Nissan Leaf powertrain transplant. The completed truck will be displayed at Nissan's booth at the 2022 SEMA show, the annual...

BP plans charging hubs for ride-hailing EVs, first near LAX

BP Gigahub EV charging site renderingOil giant BP plans to launch a series of large EV fast-charging "Gigahubs" aimed at ride-hailing vehicles. The first of these hubs will be built near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in collaboration with rental-car firm Hertz, and will be funded in part by a $2 million grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC), BP said in a press...

Reports: Tesla will face DOJ, SEC scrutiny over self-driving claims

2022 Tesla lineup  (Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.)Multiple arms of the federal government are reportedly preparing to scrutinize Tesla—and perhaps its CEO, Elon Musk—over various statements made about its driver-assistance system, building from its Autopilot system and relating to its extra-cost Full Self-Driving functionality. On Wednesday Reuters reported that Tesla faces a criminal...

IEA: Global demand for fossil fuels will peak this decade

Mulan wind farm [CREDIT: Global Climate Budget 2018]Global demand for fossil fuels will peak this decade due in part to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has accelerated many countries' move to renewable energy, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The invasion of Ukraine has created an energy crisis that, while triggering higher oil prices and related economic stress, has also led...