Tesla’s Nevada Gigafactory expansion: Batteries for 1.5M EVs annually

Artist's impression of upgraded Tesla plant near Reno, NevadaTesla has confirmed a $3.6 billion expansion of its Nevada battery "Gigafactory" that the company claims will supply over one million EVs annually. The investment will add 3,000 new jobs and two new factories at the Sparks, Nevada, site, Tesla said in what reads as a press release—with a few more details confirmed as part of Tesla's...

Report: Uber working on EVs for ride-hailing, deliveries

Uber appUber is working with unnamed automakers to design EVs customized for its ride-hailing and delivery services, according to The Wall Street Journal. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi confirmed the project last week at an event hosted by the paper, but declined to say which automakers the company was working with. Ride-hailing could have seats that allow...

2024 Honda Civic Hybrid due as sedan and hatchback, but no PHEV

2023 Honda CivicAs part of a business update focusing on the U.S., Honda has confirmed that hybrid versions of its Civic compact car family will be arriving in the U.S. in calendar year 2024—potentially earmarking it for the 2024 model year. The U.S. Civic Hybrid, which was confirmed with the discontinuation of the Insight hybrid sedan back in April, but...

Lucid motors are already helping energize Formula E racing

Lucid drive unit for Formula ECalifornia’s Lucid Motors on Wednesday confirmed that it’s supplying the standard front drive unit for “the world’s leading single-seater electric racing series.” Yes, that’s Formula E for the rest of us. And it’s an exciting tie-in to a production EV, as details continue to trickle out on sourcing of...

2024 Polestar 2 EV switches to rear-drive, seeks 300-mile range

2024 Polestar 2Polestar has announced a comprehensive drive-system refresh for its Polestar 2 hatchback that boosts range and efficiency. It includes new motors, a slightly larger battery pack for some versions and, probably to put it best, a change in priorities. Amid a comprehensive refresh for its drive system, Polestar is switching its single-motor models...

Ford patents magnetic charging connector: MagSafe for EVs?

Ford magnetic EV charger patent imageFord has filed a patent application for a new type of EV charging connector based on a magnetic coupling. In the application, which was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) November 1, 2022, Ford describes using magnetic attraction to secure a charging connector with a charge port embedded in a vehicle's bumper. It...

US shift toward wind and solar will cut coal, make EVs cleaner

Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in United Arab EmiratesIncreased use of renewable energy will help reduce electricity generation from coal and natural gas power plants, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) in turn making EVs cleaner. The EIA forecasts that wind and solar will together account for 16% of total electricity generation in 2023, up from 14% in 2022 and 8% in 2018...

Lightyear 0 solar EV nixed, as company pivots to Lightyear 2

Lightyear 0 starts production  -  Dec. 2022Netherlands-based Lightyear on Monday announced that it is halting production of the Lightyear 0 solar EV, which it has claimed to be the first production solar car in the world, and instead aiming toward the production of its mass-market, $40,000 Lightyear 2 solar EV due in 2025. “In order to safeguard our vision, we had to decide to...

Tesla heat pump detailed, gives a boost to winter EV range

Tesla Model Y with heat pumpTesla last week outlined some of the details that distinguish its heat pump system that’s now included throughout its vehicle lineup. The electric vehicle maker claims that its design performs well in very cold weather, where other heat pumps fall short. Depending on the exact situation, Tesla claims, its cars might be using as little as a...

Luxury EV leases are already tapping into $7,500 EV tax credit

2023 Lucid Air PureNew federal EV tax credit rules have set price caps that are narrowing the field of qualifying EVs; but a leasing loophole is already opening up a much wider field eligible for federal subsidies The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) re-upped the federal EV tax credit of up to $7,500 for qualifying vehicles. It added price caps of $55,000 for cars and...

Aptera solar EV Launch Edition: 400-mile range, no Supercharging yet

Aptera Launch EditionAptera on Friday detailed the Launch Edition configuration of its 3-wheeled EV, which the company hopes to begin producing by the end of 2023. The company claims now to have over 40,000 reservations for the vehicle, the first 5,000 of which will be Launch Edition models. While Aptera has shown multiple powertrain and range options, Launch Edition...