As anyone who follows the EV scene has surely noticed, auto dealerships are widely considered to be a major bottleneck on the road to EV adoption. Sales staff tend to be poorly informed about plug-in vehicles, and many dealerships make little effort to present them to buyers as an option. In the worst cases, salespeople… Read more »
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Is the Toyota Camry Hybrid the last sedan?
The sedan (or saloon, as our British friends call it), which has been the standard form factor for passenger cars for a century, now seems to be a dying breed, as SUVs and crossovers take over the market. Consumers love the extra space and increased ride height of an SUV, and automakers love the higher… Read more »
Bullish on batteries, Daimler to invest more than $23 billion in battery cells by 2030
To support its goal of electrifying the entire Mercedes portfolio by 2022, Daimler plans to invest more than €20 billion ($23 billion) in battery cells by 2030. The company will also invest €10 billion in expanding the Mercedes-Benz electric fleet and €1 billion in its global battery production network. Daimler currently has battery supply deals… Read more »
Keeping federal EV tax credit alive a tough sell for GM as it lays off workers and closes factories
General Motors is fighting to retain the $7,500 federal tax credit for plug-in vehicle purchases, but the company’s recently announced layoffs and plant closings may make it a tough sell in Washington. As GM nears the 200,000-vehicle cutoff point after which the tax credit will be phased out, the incentive’s very existence is uncertain. One… Read more »
Electrify America opens California’s first 350 kW charging station
Electrify America is building a nationwide fast charging network that will be ready for the next generation of EVs, supporting charging speeds of up to 350 kW. So far, only the upcoming Audi e-tron can take advantage of this level of power, but EA isn’t waiting around – it has opened a charging station at… Read more »
Rivian plans to use dealerships to service its electric trucks and SUVs
Following Tesla’s lead, EV startup Rivian, which turned heads at the LA Auto Show with its prototype electric pickup and SUV, doesn’t plan to use traditional dealerships to sell its vehicles in most areas. Buyers will order Rivians directly from the company – it’s already accepting pre-orders, secured by refundable $1,000 deposits. Unlike Tesla, however,… Read more »
VW chooses SK Innovations as additional battery supplier for North America and Europe
The Volkswagen Group has added South Korean battery cell manufacturer SK Innovation (SKI) to its stable of battery suppliers. SKI will supply the batteries for VW’s North American sales and a portion of the batteries for its European pure EVs. VW’s Roadmap E strategy calls for the Group to bring 50 new fully electric models… Read more »
US senators propose national zero-emission vehicle mandate
Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) have introduced a bill that would require auto manufacturers to make zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) 50% of new car sales by 2030, and 100% of sales by 2040. The Zero-Emissions Vehicle Act of 2018 has been referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Few details… Read more »
Ghosn scandal causes Nissan to postpone launch of next-gen LEAF
For the last couple of years, EV fans have been eagerly awaiting a new version of the LEAF with a 200-mile range to match that of the Chevy Bolt and Tesla Model 3. Nissan did launch a redesigned 2018 LEAF, with a 40 kWh battery pack and 150 miles of range, early this year, but… Read more »
Rivian reveals impressive electric pickup truck and SUV
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, pickup trucks are popular – they made up 16% of US auto sales in 2017 (per Trucks.com). If EVs are to move into the mainstream, somebody needs to produce a mass-market pickup. Startups Workhorse, Havelaar and Bollinger have pickups in the pipeline; Tesla has been talking; and Ford finally feels… Read more »