Disconnecting drive motors can boost EV range 9%, supplier claims

2020 Jaguar I-PaceAutomotive supplier Magna this week unveiled a new piece of hardware for decoupling EV drive motors that the company claims can boost range by up to 9%. Disconnecting drive motors when their power is not needed reduces energy consumption and drag-torque losses from the motor and its gearbox, Magna said in a press release. That helps boost overall...

Ford CEO: Why legacy automakers struggle with OTA updates

Ford Mustang Mach-E, downloading update!Tesla pioneered over-the-air (OTA) software updates as a convenient way to add new features and fix issues. Legacy automakers have been slow to catch up—and there's a reason for that, says Ford CEO Jim Farley. To save costs, Ford farmed out development of vehicle control modules, which govern the operation of everything from engines to seat...

2018-2022 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid recalled due to fire risk

2022 Kia NiroKia is recalling certain Niro hybrid and plug-in hybrid models due to an issue that could cause engine compartment fires. The recall encompasses 121,411 vehicles, including 2017-2022 Niro Hybrid and 2018-2022 Niro Plug-In Hybrid models, according to recall documents published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Kia also...

Ford CEO road-tripping F-150 Lightning across American West

Jim FarleyFord CEO Jim Farley embarked on an EV road trip in an F-150 Lightning pickup truck to gain insight into the experiences of Ford's EV customers. Farley and his party set off this week from Silicon Valley, driving south to Los Angeles and then west to Las Vegas, traversing parts of the iconic Route 66 along the way, the Ford CEO wrote in a LinkedIn...

Electrify America moving to station-specific pricing structure, idle fees

Electrify America chargersElectrify America is changing its pricing structure for EV charging, moving to station-specific pricing and adding idle fees as of August 17. First reported by Autoblog, the changes were announced in a recent email to customers. The timing for the pricing change was subsequently confirmed in an email to Green Car Reports by Electrify America...

Lucid Gravity SUV set for November reveal, production late 2024

Teaser for Lucid Gravity due in 2024The Lucid Gravity, the electric SUV sequel to the automaker's Air luxury sedan, will be revealed in November and start production in late 2024. That confirmation, which is in line with Lucid's previously discussed timeline, came Monday in an announcement of the automaker's second quarter 2023 financial results. Lucid said it delivered 1,404...

GM expands bidirectional charging across lineup

2024 Cadillac LyriqGeneral Motors on Tuesday announced that it will make bidirectional vehicle-to-home (V2H) charging capability available on all EVs using its Ultium component set by the 2026 model year, allowing more EVs to serve as home backup power sources. The V2H feature will roll out as previously announced on the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST, followed by...

2024 Cadillac Celestiq costs $340,000, customers invited to spec cars

2024 Cadillac CelestiqCadillac was serious when it said pricing for the Celestiq EV flagship would start above $300,000. In a LinkedIn post last week, Cadillac chief marketing officer Melissa Grady Dias announced the start of customer commissions for the hand-built hatchback, and confirmed the base price is approximately $340,000 before destination. That base price is...

Review: 2024 Lucid Air Sapphire sets a high bar, dresses down Plaid

2024 Lucid Air SapphireIf you haven’t noticed, there is a bit of a horsepower war going on with electric vehicles these days. The Porsche Taycan can be specced for 750 ponies. You can get over 800 hp in Rivian’s R1S SUV. Heck, the GMC Hummer EV delivers 1,000 horsepower. However, one that tops nearly everything is coming from an automaker that has some deep...

Fisker and Foxconn deal reportedly not finalized

Fisker Pear prototypeA deal between Fisker and Foxconn for contract manufacturing of Fisker's planned Pear EV has not been finalized, according to a recent TechCrunch report. "In the Foxconn deal specifically, we don't yet have a final conclusion to this deal," Fisker founder and CEO Henrik Fisker said in an interview with TechCrunch on the sideline of an event in...

EPA slaps Sinister Diesel with $1M emissions fine amid crackdown

Sinister Diesel logo (via Facebook)The EPA this week announced $1 million in fines for a diesel performance parts manufacturer for tampering with emissions devices. Sinister Mfg. Company, Inc.—doing business as Sinister Diesel—pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act and defraud the United States, and with violating the Clean Air Act by...