China’s Popular Electric Vehicles Have Put Europe’s Automakers on Notice
By selling battery-powered S.U.V.s and luxury sedans in places like Germany and Norway, China is striving to become a force in the global auto industry.
2022 Toyota bZ4X: From steering yoke to solar roof, does its tech signal a new era for EVs?
Toyota on Friday revealed a whole lot more about its upcoming fully electric SUV, the 2022 bZ4X, which leads a lineup of “bZ” EVs and is described as “overturning the common idea that electrified vehicles are tedious.” From a yoke not entirely unlike the one Tesla introduced earlier this year on the Model S Plaid to a solar... Outlander PHEV specs, union-made EV tax credit, Hummer EV accessories, Today’s Car News
GM is betting on a lot of accessories for GMC Hummer EV buyers. The Biden administration is still banking on a union bonus for the EV tax credit. And Mitsubishi puts a big battery in its upcoming second-generation Outlander Plug-In Hybrid. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. The 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid has been detailed... 2022 GMC Hummer EV will offer nearly 200 accessories, many planned alongside electric truck
Truck buyers love to accessorize their rigs. And GMC doesn’t see going electric as any exception to the rule. The GM truck brand on Thursday announced that it will give a sampling of nearly 200 official accessories as it displays a trio of GMC Hummer EV Edition 1 models at next week’s Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show... Toyota’s first battery EV has 500 km range and a solar roof option
Toyota will offer the bZ4X in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive variants. The former will feature a single 150 kW capable of accelerating the car from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 8.4 seconds. Per the WLTC standard, the automaker claims the FWD model’s 71.4 kWh battery will allow it to travel approximately 500 kilometers or 310 miles on a single charge.
The battery will support 150 kW DC fast charging, allowing it to go from dead to 80 percent after about 30 minutes of charging. As for the AWD model, it will feature two 80kW motors, one built into each axle, for a total power output of 160 kW. It can accelerate from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 7.7 seconds. Toyota estimates the ranges of the AWD model at 460 kilometers or 285 miles on a single charge. In both variants, the battery is integrated into the chassis, a design choice the automaker helps lower the SUV’s center of gravity and improve the rigidity of the chassis.
Toyota also plans to equip the bZ4X with some nifty extra features. One of those is a solar roof the automaker says will generate about 1120 miles worth of free power generation. It will also offer a steer-by-wire system that removes the mechanical connection between the steering wheel and front wheels. Both features will be available in select models.
The bZ4X will debut in the US and other markets in mid-2022.
$12,500 EV tax credit, union-built bonus included in plan Biden claims can pass Congress
A maximum $12,500 federal EV tax credit, including a bonus for union-made vehicles, appears to have survived the negotiation process and is now a likely part of the infrastructure bill. In its current form, the framework still includes a tax credit that "will lower the cost of an electric vehicle that is made in America with American materials and... 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV revealed: With bigger battery, will it top 42-mile RAV4 Prime?
The redesigned Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid was revealed Thursday in an online event. It goes on sale in Japan December 16, but won't reach North America until the second half of 2022, as a 2023 model. The 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid moves to the same platform gasoline Outlander models adopted for the 2022 model year. That... Kia Sorento Hybrid review, Electrify America road-trip stops, CATL battery tech: Today’s Car News
Next-generation battery-pack technology could be coming to more EVs with a supplier partnership. Electrify America sets up next to Wall Drug. Lucid is about to deliver its first cars. And we drove Kia’s newest hybrid SUV. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. We followed up with a review update of the 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid and found... Review update: 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid EX delivers value and nearly 40 mpg
Kia claims the Sorento Hybrid fits into “a segment of one,” While that’s a stretch, this model makes a compelling value and efficiency sales pitch for itself versus any alternatives. Driving it only serves to bolster that sales pitch. With a fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain, great outward visibility, comfortable ride, and... Cell-to-pack tech from battery maker CATL could be used in EVs from Hyundai, Kia, Genesis
Chinese battery supplier CATL and Hyundai Mobis on Wednesday announced a partnership and license agreement for CATL's cell-to-pack technology. Cell-to-pack refers to the direct integration of cells into a battery pack, without the modules used in most current pack designs. The deal will allow for use of this tech in electric cars and other... Electrify America adds road-trip chargers next to Wall Drug
Working to fill gaps in its network, Electrify America is adding charging stations in new locations, including one site near a famous roadside attraction. The Volkswagen-funded charging network on Wednesday announced groundbreaking of charging sites in South Dakota and Wyoming. These will be the first Electrify America stations in those states... Old Power Gear Is Slowing Use of Clean Energy and Electric Cars
Some people and businesses seeking to use solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles find they can’t because utility equipment needs an upgrade.
Tesla for $299 a week, insured: Uber drivers eligible to rent through Hertz
Although Elon Musk’s fleet of Tesla robotaxis is long overdue, an agreement among two transportation giants will make it much more likely your Uber driver will be piloting a Tesla. Hertz and Uber confirmed Wednesday that up to 50,000 Tesla vehicles will be available to Uber drivers, to rent from Hertz for use on the ride-hailing company's... Chinese EV maker Xpeng teases 124 miles in 5 minutes with pivot to 800V platform
Chinese automaker Xpeng is the latest to pivot to 800-volt charging architecture, which the company claims will add 124 miles of range in just five minutes of charging. Xpeng rolled out the new charging plans as part of its 2021 Tech Day presentation, claiming it will have the first 800-volt charging network in China. The company plans to build... Lucid plans first deliveries of Air Dream Edition on Saturday, some in 520-mile form
Lucid announced on Wednesday that it will hold a delivery event in California this Saturday, October 30, in which an initial group of customers will take delivery of their Air Dream Edition cars and be able to drive away. This will be a big moment for Lucid, as it doesn’t just formally establish the California-based company as an automaker;... Hyundai Mobis “e-corner” modules would enable crab mode, rotational parking in future EVs
Future electric cars might be able to crab sideways or rotate in place, according to Hyundai. Hyundai Mobis, the automaker's mobility-tech division, on Monday announced development of an "e-corner module" that allows individual wheels to rotate up to 90 degrees, opening up new possibilities for EV design. This idea was first shown at the 2018... Panasonic readying 4680, Canoo battery details, GM community chargers: Today’s Car News
Panasonic is reportedly working toward production of Tesla’s 4680 cells, as the supplier has been chosen by EV startup Canoo for its 2170 format. And General Motors is planning more chargers within communities. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. GM is looking to its network of franchised dealers for some direction on how to expand... Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle will get Panasonic cylindrical cells for its structural battery approach
The electric vehicle startup Canoo has chosen Panasonic cylindrical lithium-ion cells for its upcoming Lifestyle Vehicle, the company revealed on Monday. The Lifestyle Vehicle is expected to arrive in late 2022 and start at $34,750. The decision keeps with the trend to favor cylindrical cells that we’ve noted among virtually all startups and... Report: Panasonic preparing to make 4680 cells for Tesla in 2022, test production as soon as March
Panasonic on Monday unveiled a prototype large-format 4680 cylindrical battery cell for Tesla, The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reported. The electronics giant and primary Tesla battery supplier is aiming to start test production as early as March. It marks an important step for Tesla's future battery plans, and an about face of... GM is looking to its dealerships to deploy destination chargers in communities
Although high-power DC fast-chargers are important for widespread EV adoption, potential customers also need to know that they have the basics covered—with places to charge regularly, over a few hours, or overnight, not just when they go on a weekend road trip. That’s why General Motors is looking to its network of franchised dealers...