By [email protected] (Bengt Halvorson) Volkswagen considers building an EV sports car. Lucid reveals its battery pick. And Mercedes teases its EQA electric small car in the snow. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. The production version of the Mercedes-Benz EQA electric car, the brand’s first compact-car EV effort in years, will arrive by…
By [email protected] (Stephen Edelstein) Volkswagen has shown the flexibility of its MEB electric-car platform with various concept vehicles, from a tall station wagon to an electric dune buggy. But a new report indicates VW could stretch the capabilities of MEB even further with an electric sports car. The sports car could arrive in the middle…
By [email protected] (Bengt Halvorson) Lucid has revealed the battery cell supplier for its upcoming Lucid Air electric sedan: LG Chem. According to an announcement made Monday, the upstart electric carmaker, LG Chem cells will be “exclusively powering standard versions of this luxury EV through 2023.” Lucid noted in an accompanying release of “additional agreements… Read…
By [email protected] (Bengt Halvorson) Polestar gives a glimpse of a future flagship electric car. Researchers suggest much higher solar cell efficiency without rare materials. And Hyundai is working on giving transmissions more smarts, not necessarily more gears. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. Ahead of the Geneva Motor Show, Polestar has released pictures…
By [email protected] (Stephen Edelstein) Even as it moves to launch more electric cars, Hyundai is looking for ways to wring more efficiency from internal-combustion powertrains. The automaker has developed what it calls an “Information and Communication Technology (ICT)” transmission-control system that uses both GPS real-time traffic data, and onboard sensors to choose the optimal… Read…
By [email protected] (Stephen Edelstein) Solar cells produce electricity without carbon emissions, but the low efficiency numbers leave a lot of room for improvement. New research suggests a possible way to boost that—possibly without a radical rethink or the introduction of rare, expensive materials. Researchers in St. Petersburg, Russia, have created a prototype solar cell using……
By [email protected] (Bengt Halvorson) Tesla is working on a very smart suspension for the Cybertruck. Yamaha moves into the electric-motor business. Porsche has built the highest-power fast-charging station in Europe. Lordstown Motors is planning to put four motors inside its pickup’s wheels. And Audi shows off its three-motor version of the E-Tron. This and more,…
By [email protected] (Bengt Halvorson) Porsche announced last Wednesday that it opened what amounts to Europe’s most powerful charging station yet. The charging station taps into 7 MW of energy from all-renewable sources, and it’s a showcase for Porsche Turbo Charger units, developed by Porsche Engineering and showcased over recent years as part of its plans…
By [email protected] (Bengt Halvorson) Lordstown Motors is planning to use a former GM facility near Cleveland, Ohio, to effectively beat GM to the punch—in offering an all-electric, made-in-America pickup. “Our goal is to build the first electric pickup truck in the United States and likely the world,” said CEO Steve Burns, in a video (below)…
By [email protected] (Stephen Edelstein) Yamaha wants to enter the electric-car business, but not by developing entire vehicles. Instead, the Japanese firm announced that it will sell a permanent-magnet synchronous motor to interested companies. The motor can be tuned to develop anywhere from 35 kilowatts to 200 kw (47 horsepower to 268 hp), according to a…
By [email protected] (Bengt Halvorson) Tesla scores big in Consumer Reports’ annual roundup, and might be using a different kind of battery for China for the Model 3. Jaguar Land Rover is looking at its electric-mobility future. And we dig into some of the best EVs and plug-in hybrids for the snow. This and more, here…
By [email protected] (Bengt Halvorson) Plug-in vehicles make up a much larger portion of the market in California than in the rest of the nation. And yet many EVs and plug-in hybrids are able enough to take on serious winter driving in Snow Belt states—where getting through the white stuff is an everyday thing, not just…
By [email protected] (Stephen Edelstein) Tesla has made major investments into cylindrical battery cells, using 18650-format cells in the Model S and Model X, and 2170-format cells in the Model 3 and upcoming Model Y. The company also manufactures these cells at its Gigafactory with Panasonic. But now, perhaps combined with other key changes, the automaker…
By [email protected] (Stephen Edelstein) Jaguar Land Rover may be know for the sleek F-Type sports car and rugged Range Rover SUV, but the British automaker’s latest concept car is something completely different. The Project Vector “concept platform” is an electric box on wheels that Jaguar Land Rover hails as the “future of urban mobility.” This…
By [email protected] (Bengt Halvorson) VW looks at fast chargers that are lighter for the grid. Toyota puzzles over hybrid fuel tanks. Bolt EV drivers get more features for their app. And Colorado may soon make it easier for Rivian and Lucid. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. Toyota is still working to resolve…