Universal plug-and-charge coming to all EVs starting in 2025

First Electrify America indoor charging station opens in San FranciscoA consortium of stakeholders aims to roll out a universal plug-and-charge protocol for the U.S. in 2025, allowing all electric vehicles to automatically start charging at public stations simply by plugging in. Announced Wednesday, the initiative is being undertaken by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the federal government's Joint Office...

Rivian software update to enable launch mode, easier wheel swaps

2025 Rivian R1SRivian owners won't need a service-center visit to switch tires and wheels Gen 1 Rivians will gain launch control Framework for third-party apps is completed Rivian offers regular over-the-air updates, and it's listening to customer feedback to lay out what it prioritizes, whether the good, the bad, or the ugly. In a fireside chat at the...

Hybrids as reliable as non-hybrids, Consumer Reports finds

2024 Honda CR-VHybrids continue to excel in reliability, while plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles are improving, according to a new Consumer Reports survey. The publication's 2025 Automotive Report Card showed the same rate of problems for hybrids as non-hybrids, based on reliability and owner satisfaction data from Consumer Reports' member surveys...

Nissan Ariya getting Tesla Supercharger access Dec. 10

Nissan Ariya at Tesla Supercharger stationNissan Ariya owners will be able to charge their electric vehicles at Tesla Supercharger stations starting Dec. 10, the automaker announced Wednesday. Nissan plans to fit new EVs sold in the U.S. with North American Charging Standard (NACS) ports starting in 2025, but existing vehicles will be able to charge at Supercharger stations using a $235...

Rivian opens Adventure Network to all EVs in Joshua Tree

Rivian Adventure Network charging site in Joshua Tree, CaliforniaFrom the beginning, Rivian intended its charging network to be at least partly publicly accessible. Now it's ready to open its Adventure Network DC fast-charging sites to electric vehicles from other brands. This will be the case with what Rivian calls its next-generation Adventure Network sites, the first of which opened Thursday in Joshua Tree...

Could a 2-speed help boost efficiency in future Lucid EVs?

2024 Lucid AirNew layout for a 2-speed might be light and compact while maintaining efficiency Could potentially allow strong launch with a lower-cost motor unit Idea might be due in future Lucid EVs, or engineers might still be pondering it The Lucid Air electric sedan already achieves impressive efficiency with its existing drive unit, but the automaker might...

Mercedes-Benz gives Pope Francis the first electric Popemobile

Mercedes-Benz G-Class electric PopemobileThe Mercedes G 580 with EQ Technology is the first electric Popemobile Fisker was supposed to supply an Ocean as the first electric Popemobile While the electric G-Class is the first electric Popemobile, it's not the first EV in the Vatican's fleet Mercedes-Benz G-Class Popemobiles have been a fixture of the Vatican vehicle fleet for decades, so...

Next-gen Lexus EV reportedly delayed

Lexus LF-ZL conceptLexus is delaying production of its next-generation electric flagship, reports Japanese media outlet NHK. Previewed by the Lexus LF-ZL concept first seen at the 2023 Tokyo auto show, this model was originally slated to launch in 2026 but will now arrive in 2027, allowing time for more development work, according to the report. The LF-ZL (short for...