As the world’s automakers prepare for an electric future, what do the world’s auto dealers have to say about what’s going on? As regular readers of Charged know, dealers have long been considered a major roadblock for EV adoption. (Advocacy group Plug in America, believing that the problem is one of education rather than will,… Read more »
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Chargeway’s EV charging education platform expands beyond dealers’ showrooms into their websites
The Chargeway system, which helps EV buyers understand charging stations, speeds, and compatibilities—along with info on utility incentives—will start to show up in dealer websites The Chargeway visual EV charging platform, which helps car shoppers locate and understand charging stations, speeds, and compatibilities, can already be found in pilot programs in more than 20 dealerships… Read more »
Kia releases official specs for US-market EV6 electric crossover
In March, Kia teased us with some exterior and interior images of the EV6 electric crossover, the automaker’s first dedicated (that is, not adapted from a legacy vehicle) EV. Now the automaker’s American division has confirmed official specs for the version destined for the US market. The EV6 will be available with two powertrain configurations… Read more »
Volvo to go fully electric by 2030, announces new C40 Recharge EV, online sales
Volvo became the latest automaker to announce a phaseout of fossil-fuel vehicles, and it did so with a stronger statement than GM, Ford and Jaguar have done. No “aspirations,” no plug-in hybrids, no exceptions for profitable models, and no geographic carve-outs: “Volvo Cars is committed to becoming a leader in the fast-growing premium electric car… Read more »
Are German dealers sabotaging VW’s EV efforts?
The Volkswagen Group is by far the most charged of the legacy automakers—it’s making massive investments in electrification, converting entire factories to EV production, and rolling out fast charging networks across the US and Europe. Chairman Herbert Diess recently won an important vote of confidence from the company’s board, which agreed to back his ambitious… Read more »
Recurrent raises seed money to fund its independent reports on used EVs
Recurrent, a Seattle-based startup that provides independent reports on the condition of used EV batteries, has raised $3.5 million to power its business. The startup officially launched in September to offer third-party reports on the battery life and range of used EVs to help car buyers make purchase decisions. Recurrent says it has more than… Read more »
Shoppers buy more EVs if they understand charging—and now there’s proof (exclusive first look)
New-car salespeople have simple motivations: They want to spend the least time selling you a new car for the highest possible commission. You buy a new car every five years or so; they sell up to 25 cars a month. They make money on the difference in knowledge. That makes electric cars a problem: they… Read more »
Volvo Trucks pilots VNR Electric truck at California dealership
Volvo Trucks North America has deployed its first pilot VNR Electric truck in Southern California as part of the Volvo LIGHTS (Low Impact Green Heavy Transport Solutions) project—a collaboration with the South Coast Air Quality Management District and 13 other organizations to develop a blueprint to scale up the adoption of battery-electric trucks. The first… Read more »
The war is over: Nissan to switch from CHAdeMO to CCS in US and Europe
Fight fans have been following the fortunes of the competing DC fast charging standards, CHAdeMO and CCS, for the past several years, but it’s been apparent for a while that the tide of the struggle has turned. When we reported on recently released figures from the DOE showing that the two standards account for similar… Read more »
VW to shift to dealer agency model for EV sales
It’s no secret that auto dealerships are a major bottleneck for EV sales. Legacy automakers may cast an envious eye on Tesla’s direct-to-customer sales model, but they cannot practically (or legally) cut the dealers out of the equation. Now Volkswagen may have found a way to solve this dilemma, at least in Germany. VW has… Read more »