Stellantis and Rivian working on flat towing for EVs

2024 Jeep Wagoneer SFlat-towing an electric vehicle—that is, towing it with its wheels in contact with the road—is more difficult than with internal-combustion vehicles. But automakers are working on solutions. When internal-combustion vehicles are flat-towed, their transmissions are shifted into neutral, or prop shafts are removed or disengaged, to allow...

Upcoming Nissan EV getting NACS port: Will it be next-gen Leaf?

Nissan NACS adapter with AriyaNACS will debut in Nissan-branded pure EV in 2025, be available in 2026 Unclear whether that’s refreshed Ariya, or next-generation Leaf Nissan won’t immediately renew home charging around NACS Nissan was the first Japanese automaker to confirm a switch to the Tesla-based North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector for future...

Ram Ramcharger PHEV doesn’t need a charge to haul 14,000 lb up 6% grade

2026 Ram RamchargerThe 2026 Ram Ramcharger plug-in hybrid will now arrive in the second half of 2025 The Ramcharger will have a total driving range of 690 miles Ram's CEO mentioned a price of $69,995 No one said it'll be quick, or efficient, but Ram's upcoming Ramcharger plug-in hybrid can do the tough truck deeds, according to the automaker. On Monday, Ram CEO Tim...

Volvo ES90 electric sedan gets 800V charging, sustainable materials

Volvo ES90 teased ahead of debut on March 5, 2025Upcoming ES90 will get 800-volt architecture, 350-kw fast-charging Smaller battery than EX90 electric SUV, yet a longer range Recycled plastics, certified wood, and battery passport all part of eco credentials The Volvo ES90 electric sedan will be the first of the Swedish automaker's electric vehicles with an 800-volt electrical architecture, and...

Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson has stepped aside after Gravity launch

Lucid Motors CEO Peter Rawlinson explains battery techRawlinson becomes advisor as Lucid delivers Gravity, pivots to more affordable EVs CTO of Lucid and parent Atieva since 2013, led efficiency-and-performance push Oversaw Lucid Air and Gravity, Tesla Model S Peter Rawlinson is no longer the top executive at California’s Lucid Motors. In a press release, Lucid said that Rawlinson “has...

2025 Mercedes-Benz EQB re-ups electric GLB-Class formula

2025 Mercedes-Benz EQB-Class (EQB 350)The 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQB electric SUV carries over mostly unchanged, retaining its status as the entry-level EV in Mercedes's U.S. lineup and the only one sharing a platform with an internal-combustion vehicle. The EQB is a fully electric derivative of the boxy Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class, with smoother styling details that soothe the GLB's...

Scout Harvester PHEV tows 50% less than EV, different battery chemistry

Scout Traveler and Terra prototypes on Jay Leno's GarageScout Harvester plug-in series hybrid will use LFP battery chemistry Harvester versions won't tow as much or accelerate as quickly as EVs Rear-mounted range-extender confirmed as a non-turbo 4-cylinder engine The Volkswagen Group's new Scout Motors brand isn't scheduled to deliver its first vehicles for another two years, but details continue to...

Here’s how in-wheel motors could cut EV cost, boost range 20%

Lightyear 0In-wheel motor maker Elaphe doesn't see issues with durability or unsprung mass "Vehicle-level" integration of tech could bring 20% cheaper vehicles, 20% efficiency boost Elaphe is targeting 95% efficiency on a battery-to-wheel basis by 2030 If you took a quick look at the display stand for Slovenia’s Elaphe Propulsion Technologies at CES...

Toyota Sienna hybrid minivan recalled due to loose seat bolts

2025 Toyota SiennaToyota is recalling 167,802 Sienna hybrid minivans because bolts on the backs of its third-row seats may not have been tightened properly at the factory. The recall includes 2021-2025 Toyota Sienna models, representing the entire model-year range of the current-generation Sienna, which is available only as a hybrid. The affected minivans are...

Mercedes EQS aims for 621-mile range, tests solid-state battery

Mercedes-Benz EQS solid-state battery prototypeMercedes-Benz on Monday announced the start of real-world testing of prototype solid-state battery cells from the U.S. firm Factorial. These cells were installed in a Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan in late 2024, and the car has been used in laboratory tests since then, according to a Mercedes press release. The automaker now claims the EQS is ready for...

Mini Cooper EV production in UK delayed

Mini John Cooper Works Cooper and Aceman EVsMini is delaying electric vehicle production at its U.K. plant, which could further delay U.S. sales of both a redesigned electric Cooper hatchback and the Aceman, a new nameplate being sold only as an EV. Both models are currently built in China and were due to be added at Mini's Oxford, England, plant next year. But Autocar reported Friday the...

Rolls-Royce Spectre brings Black Badge into electric era

Rolls-Royce Spectre Black BadgeIn recent years, Rolls-Royce has launched a series of Black Badge models aimed at updating the stalwart luxury brand's image with a more youthful and sporty demeanor and a darker color palette. Now the first electric Rolls-Royce—the Spectre coupe—is getting the Black Badge treatment. Rolls claims it's the most powerful production car...

Feds purge EVs, chargers: Does Musk still believe EVs cost less to run?

Tesla Model S Plaid police car by Unplugged PerformanceReport suggests GSA may be forced to pull the plug on thousands of EVs and chargers GSA's biggest fleets are USPS, Dept. of Defense; 20% of its 2024 light-vehicle orders were EVs Could affect chargers at national parks, VA hospitals, other venues The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), which manages all federal government buildings and has...

2026 Polestar 3 EV gets a more powerful brain; so will 2025 models

2026 Polestar 3The Polestar 3 electric SUV will get an upgraded chipset for its second model year, the automaker confirmed Thursday in a press release. Due to arrive in showrooms later in the 2025 calendar year, the 2026 Polestar 3 is the first of the brand's EVs to receive the Nvidia Drive AGX Orin processor, a more powerful successor to the Drive AGX Xavier...