Chinese automaker Geely—parent company of Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus—has signed an agreement with Nio to use the latter’s battery-swapping tech in the Chinese market. Under the agreement, the two companies “co-develop two battery swapping s…
Author: Stephen Edelstein
Hyundai and Kia move EV motors closer to the wheels but not in them
Hyundai and Kia on Wednesday unveiled a new EV motor design that splits the difference between conventional motors and in-wheel motors. Dubbed the Universal Wheel Drive System—or Uni Wheel for short—this design moves motors closer to the wh…
Reliability survey: Vehicles that plug in are more trouble-prone
The reliability of electric cars and plug-in hybrids is improving, but they still remain more trouble-prone than cars without plugs, according to a new Consumer Reports survey. On average, EVs had 70% more problems than internal-combustion vehicles, th…
EV battery prices are dropping again
Following substantial increases in 2022, EV battery prices are falling again, according to new analysis from Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). Lithium-ion battery pack prices have fallen 14% this year to a record low of $139 per kwh, BNEF reported t…
Lotus fast-charging hardware delivers more than most EVs can handle
Lotus has long produced fast cars. Now it’s also producing fast chargers. The automaker on Tuesday unveiled fast-charging hardware it claims to have developed in-house, including a liquid-cooled DC charger capable of up to 450 kw. It’s designed to be u…
Nissan confirms electric Juke, Leaf replacement among EVs for Europe
Nissan will build a Leaf replacement, as well as electric versions of two popular crossovers, in the U.K. for European sales. The Leaf replacement, along with electric Juke and Qashqai crossovers, will be built at Nissan’s Sunderland factory—long…
Report: VW’s Scout turns to Magna to develop electric pickup and SUV
The Volkswagen Group’s Scout EV brand may outsource development of its upcoming electric pickup truck and SUV to Magna, according to a new report. VW has given Magna Steyr, the division of the automotive supplier that builds the rugged G-Class for Merc…
Wireless charging aligns for automated use in EVs, plug-in hybrids
SAE International finalized methodology this past week for an important hardware component of EV wireless charging systems. The organization announced a single wireless charging standard—officially J2954—in 2020. As part of the finalization…
Tesla Superchargers might cost extra $1 a minute above 90%
Tesla has updated its billing policy with a “congestion fee” aimed at increasing throughput at its Supercharger DC fast-charging stations. According to the Supercharger fees page on Tesla’s website, updated earlier this week, users will now be charged …
As EV market grows, it’s attracting buyers with top-tier credit
The U.S. EV market grew significantly in the first half of 2023, but the average EV buyer still has very strong credit, a new study found. The study, conducted by credit giant TransUnion with S&P Global Mobility, found that high average credit scor…
