There are so many new EVs on the market or in the pipeline these days, in all form factors and all price ranges, that it’s becoming impossible to keep up with them. However, the Porsche Taycan stands out from the crowd for several reasons: it’s the flagship model of the Volkswagen Group, which is by… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "John Voelcker"
Xpeng P7 review: The company’s making headlines, but how is the car?
Chinese automaker Xpeng is the most recent of a string of EV-makers to launch a headline-grabbing IPO. The company’s US stock-market debut (NYSE: XPEV) raised $1.5 billion off the bat, and the stock posted healthy gains on its first day. However, as John Voelcker writes in The Drive, the exploits of Xpeng and its Chinese… Read more »
Michael Dunne shares the latest Chinese EV news in the transport treehouse
The transport treehouse podcast is a good place to hear some of the world’s top EV experts talk about trends in the industry. Hosts Chelsea Sexton and Russell Frost are two of the most experienced EV journalists out there, and they have an ongoing stream of guests who have expertise in various aspects of the… Read more »
Lucid Air demonstrates 500-mile range
Lucid Motors has announced independent verification of a 517-mile range for its upcoming Lucid Air luxury sedan. The tests were conducted by FEV North America in Auburn Hills, Michigan, using the EPA’s Multicycle Test procedure. This appears to be a new record for a passenger EV, handily besting the 402-mile range of the 2020 Tesla… Read more »
Toyota RAV4 Prime PHEV boasts 42-mile electric range, $38k base price
Toyota has announced pricing for its upcoming RAV4 Prime. The PHEV version of the company’s popular small SUV is slated to go on sale this summer. The base SE version will start at $38,100, and the XSE variant will start at $41,425. The RAV4 Prime boasts an electric range of 42 miles, which compares favorably… Read more »
2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo S drive review: The most enjoyable EV I’ve ever driven
Even experienced auto writers approach driving high-performance cars with caution. If you mostly test mass-market cars, as I do, trepidation may creep in: Will I be able to do this car justice? Will it be manageable on the road? Are there special steps I should take to avoid damaging a car that costs six figures?… Read more »
Aptera returns from the dead, unveils 1,000-mile EV
Long-time followers of the EV scene may remember Aptera, a startup that was founded in 2006, designed a unique three-wheeled two-seater EV, then went into liquidation in 2011. Now, Aptera is back. Three of the founders have bought back the intellectual property, and have spent many months working on an improved version of Aptera’s vehicle… Read more »
Ford invests $500 million in Rivian, will jointly develop new EV
Rivian, which caught the EV world’s attention with a prototype SUV and pickup truck, has secured an equity investment of $500 million from Ford. Rivian will remain an independent company, and Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s President of Automotive, will join Rivian’s seven-member board. The two companies will also work together to develop a new Ford EV,… Read more »
August plug-in sales slow as LEAF, Volt and Model S jockey for the lead
There’s little good news for EV-lovers this month. August US plug-in sales of 8,972 were essentially unchanged from July, and were even further behind August 2014’s figure of 12,172. There were no major position changes – most of the leading models posted minor declines or increases. The bright spots at the moment are outside the… Read more »
California: Smaller automakers can earn ZEV credits with PHEVs (UPDATED)
For several years now, the California Air Resources Board’s ZEV mandate has required the largest automakers to produce a certain number of zero-emission vehicles for sale in the state. Beginning in 2018, smaller OEMs will be subject to the rules, too. Unsurprisingly, these companies would rather skip it, and at a May hearing, Jaguar Land… Read more »