E-Mobility

Tesla expects its cars to become drastically cheaper and sell many more units than the US government projects in the next few years, so it demands even more stringent emission standards for gas-powered vehicles. The EPA's current proposal is for 67% of cars sold in 2032 to be zero-emission.

The purported mass market Model 2 that Tesla is preparing to build at its new Gigafactory in Mexico will be the 'best' and most 'affordable' electric vehicle there is, according to the governor of Nuevo León, Samuel Alejandro García Sepúlveda. The state has now given all the permits that Tesla needs to break ground on Giga Mexico.

The Cyrusher Trax e-bike will shortly be available in a gray colorway in the US; the model arrived earlier this year. The all-terrain electric bicycle has a step-through frame, with a 750W motor US model and a 250W motor EU-compliant version. Other features of the Trax include a full suspension system, a 3.7-in LCD screen and up to 56 miles (~90 km) range on a single charge.

Camouflaged Tesla Cybertruck prototypes have once again been spotted out in the wild — this time in the frozen test facilities of the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds. The Cybertruck was spotted doing both ice and snow testing, with a playful drift session taking place thereafter. As is to be expected, the Cybertruck's four-wheel-drive system conducts itself impressively, even if there does seem to be some understeer.

Cyrusher has launched its Nitro off-road electric bicycle in the EU. The new model has a 1,000W motor and up to 85 miles (~137 km) assistance range between charges, thanks to a 960Wh battery. Other features include a built-in display, LED headlight and fat tires for improved grip.

The Devinci E-Troy Bosch e-bike line-up has been unveiled. The new electric mountain bikes feature an 85Nm Bosch motor with eBike Flow App controls. Three models are offered with various suspension systems and a 625 Wh removable battery with an optional compact range extender.

The 2024 QiO EINSx P-E e-bike, the first model in the new EINSx series, has been unveiled. The bicycle will feature a suspension fork, suspension seatpost, Bosch motor and a 545 Wh battery. Alongside the EINSx P-E, QiO revealed the EINS P-E FINE LINE limited edition e-bike with gold details.

The Eovolt New Morning and New Afternoon electric bicycles were shown at Pro-Days. The e-bikes are foldable, with a Bafang motor and a 360 Wh battery. Compared to their predecessors, the Morning and Afternoon, the new models have more expensive parts, increasing the retail price of the 2024 bikes.

THOK has revealed Project 4, a 3D-printed e-bike prototype. The model, also known as the P4, was demonstrated at Eurobike 2023. The final version of the lightweight electric mountain bike is expected to feature a Bosch Performance Line SX motor and a modular battery system, including an optional range extender.

The new production line for the Model 3 Highland redesign has finished testing and debugging, report sources from Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory, and the refreshed model is being tested on factory roads every weekend. The battery assembly section of Giga Shanghai, however, is letting employees go to cuts production costs of the Highland.

Tesla's much-embattled Cybertruck electric pickup truck has been spotted out for testing yet again, this time giving onlookers a clear look at what the rear light bar will look like. Consensus on current Cybertruck pre-production test mules is that Tesla has either finalised the design or is close to finalising it. It's likely that Tesla had to include the light bar to comply with US regulations, and Elon Musk has previously confirmed that the light bar will be present on the final production model.

The powerful China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) gathered the 16 largest car makers there to sign a pledge that may put an end to Tesla's price war. Elon Musk's company slashed prices by up to 30% in the beginning of the year, sending everyone scrambling to catch up.

Researchers may have found the culprit behind the sudden unintended acceleration problem that Tesla vehicles have often been accused of. While investigations by NHTSA and Tesla attributed it to acceleration pedal mishaps, invertor voltage spikes may have mimicked erratic driver behaviour.

It appears that Fiat has witnessed the effect of nostalgia in the electric vehicle market, and it wants some of that pie too. The new all-electric Fiat 600e compact SUV has launched with plenty of retro flair and a very convincing spec sheet to boot. As platform partners with the Jeep Avenger, the Fiat 600e has the same WLTP range of 400 km (248 miles) and 115 kW (~154 hp) of power.

Citing 'softening demand' for electric vehicles, Volkswagen will be pausing their production at its Emden plant and laying off a fifth of the workforce there. Rising electricity prices and lower gasoline have affected the buying argumentation, too, as EVs are still way more expensive than gas-powered cars.

Toyota has managed to drastically cut the processes needed to make a solid-state battery with 500+ miles of EPA range, and address the biggest shortcoming of the technology, its price. Toyota just announced that its solid-state battery will enter mass production in 2027, earlier than predicted.

Unlike many other brands, Teslas don't turn their headlights automatically when the windshield wipers start working, but this would finally be remedied in the new 2023.26 update that will be rolling out soon. Besides automatic headlights, it also brings Bluetooth game controller support.

The Tenways AGO T e-bike will launch in Europe this summer. The new model has a Bafang mid-mounted motor and Enviolo Stepless Shifting Hub, with up to 100 km (~62 miles) of assistance range between charges. The electric bicycle also has a front suspension fork with lockout, a suspension seatpost and a handlebar display.

Decathlon has discounted its Riverside 920E hybrid e-bike, offering 20% off in European countries, including the UK, the Netherlands and France. The electric bicycle has a 250W motor and 418 Wh battery assisting you for up to 90 km (~56 miles). Plus, the model has a SUNTOUR suspension fork, a backlit screen and a walking mode.

BYD will begin deliveries of its new luxury crossover Denza N7 in two weeks and is aiming it squarely at the Tesla Model Y price range or the BBA (Benz, BMW, Audi) crowd. Besides all the typical premium EV bells and whistles, the N7 has some unique features that are geared towards privacy-conscious owners.

The Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer electric wagon has been spotted doing on-road testing with basically no camouflage, giving us an idea of what to expect when its 2024 launch date rolls around. The upcoming station wagon is based on Volkswagen's ID.7 electric fastback sedan, and it is expected to launch with an identical or similar motor and battery configuration, giving it somewhere in the neighbourhood of 350 (563.3 km) to 435 miles (700 km) of range. Volkswagen has taken more than a little flak for its design choices when it comes to the ID.7 Tourer.

While Chinese EV makers notched record quarterly sales, Tesla still managed to handily beat the world's number two BYD by 114,000 vehicles. BYD, however, recorded a faster pace of growth than Tesla, despite Elon Musk's price war that left many other competitors in the dust.

KTM has unveiled the Macina Revelator SX Prime, a lightweight e-bike. The electric road bicycle has a carbon frame and a Bosch Performance SX Smart System, combining a 55Nm motor with a 400Wh battery. Other features include an integrated Bosch Mini Remote Dropbar and a built-in Classified hub.

The 2024 KTM Macina Sport SX Prime e-bike has been unveiled. The e-trekking bike features the Bosch Performance SX Smart System with a carbon frame to keep it light. An integrated Bosch Purion 200 Display & Remote shows your speed and remaining battery level, compatible with the eBike Flow app.

The upcoming performance model of the South Korean's popular EV apparently fared quite well during a 10,000-kilometer stress test in the so-called "Green Hell". Most notably, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N’s battery temperatures did not get too hot even under extremely demanding conditions at speeds way above the legal speed limit in most countries.

The just partially camouflaged prototype gives a few hints at the design of the spacious all-electric station wagon from Germany, which will have to compete against a plethora of SUVs and will most likely use the same drivetrain and platform as the recently launched BMW i5 sedan.

After recently cancelling left-hand-drive variants of its Model S and Model X vehicles in the UK, Tesla has started shipping a grabber stick with new orders in the UK. The Reacher, as the grabber stick is called, is supposed to lessen the inconvenience of having to reach over the passenger seat to collect drive-through takeaway meals. Resorting to a solution like The Reacher downplays potential safety implications of driving a LHD vehicle in a RHD country, making it seem like a mere inconvenience, instead.

Much to the chagrin of fans of small cars, on July 7, Ford will retire the production line that has been manufacturing its Fiesta compact hatchback. Ford will instead repurpose this production capacity to manufacture the upcoming electric Ford Explorer SUV. This leaves Ford with a vehicle line-up basically devoid of anything that isn't an SUV, pickup truck, van, or Mustang.

Not even two days after Volvo announced that it would be joining the likes of Rivian, Ford, General Motors, and Telsa in their use of the NACS charge port, the company's EV subsidiary, Polestar, has revealed that it would be joining the NACS movement, too. It's unsurprising to see Polestar adopt NACS charging hardware, since many of its EV designs share platforms with Volvo's electric vehicles.

Urtopia has revealed a smart e-bike with voice interaction powered by integrated ChatGPT at Eurobike 2023. Recent YouTube videos show users asking the bike questions, including a suggested sightseeing route with navigation provided. Also shown at the conference was the Fusion e-bike, designed with Hartmut Esslinger of Frog Design.

Volkswagen is getting ready to budge and adopt the Tesla NACS port and connector for its EV charging needs, while its Electrify America network already did. VW will join the likes of GM, Ford, Volvo, Rivian, and Polestar. Adopting the Tesla Supercharger network would mean adopting the one with the most uptime, too.

The Tesla Model 3 Highland redesign will reportedly be released in the third quarter and will come with a larger 66kWh M3P battery made by CATL. Tesla is planning to use the bigger battery that will offer longer range for the Model Y Juniper refresh that is coming next year, too.

Car and Driver has recognised the Hyundai Ioniq 6 electric sedan as its 2023 EV of the year, with much of the credit for the win supposedly going to its unorthodox looks. The victory marks a winning streak for Hyundai's Ioniq line-up, with the Ioniq 5 taking home the same award for 2022. Despite this win, the looks of the Ioniq 6 still seem rather polarising.

It appears as if the dream of an electric Volkswagen Beetle will only live on in DIY custom conversions, if a recent statement by VW CEO is to be believed. Despite the brand revisiting the VW Bus in the form of the ID Buzz, VW CEO, Thomas Schäfer, has said in an interview that there are some historic models that have had their time in the sun, and that there is no real justification for reviving the Beetle. This news comes hot on the heels of a recent appearance of an electric Beetle in a Netflix animated film that caused quite a bit of excitement over the prospect of an electrified Beetle.

The S80 Solar Scooter has been unveiled, a new model which can be powered solely using its built-in solar panels. The EV has a 468Wh battery fueled by two integrated panels, with a full charge providing 35 km (~22 miles) of range. Other features include a kickstand, headlight and handlebar dashboard.

McLaren Applied has unveiled the LAVOIE Series 1 e-scooter, now available to order in the US, UK and EU. The vehicle has a patent-pending Flowfold system to make the gadget easier to store or transport. Other features include a digital dashboard, 900W motor and 468Wh battery.

Freebeat has launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for its Morph e-bike. The unusual model can be ridden outdoors, with an accompanying stand allowing you to work out indoors. You can use the indoor rides to recharge the 720Wh battery, with 30 minutes of exercise providing 10 miles (~16 km) of range.

Tout Terrain has unveiled its new Pamir One E-Expedition e-bike. The limited edition model uses the new Pinion E1.12 MGU, with an 85 Nm motor and 700Wh battery. Other features include a carbon fork, a luggage rack, mudguards and an accompanying app for route planning and journey tracking.

Tesla's biggest rival BYD already has a direct Model 2 competitor before Tesla has even announced its cheapest electric car. The BYD Dolphin is now launched globally and carries US$25,000 price in places like Australia where it immediately became the most affordable electric vehicle.

Stronger unions and overtime pay raise the labor costs in Tesla's upcoming Gigafactory in Nuevo León where the cheap Model 2 is supposed to be produced in mass numbers. Moreover, the gradual relocation of Chinese suppliers from the Shanghai factory and the sheer size of Giga Mexico have reportedly postponed its opening by a quarter or two.

Ford has announced plans to cut upwards of 1,000 jobs in the US in the coming months, citing, among other reasons, high costs of pivoting its production to electric vehicles and the lack of profitability in the electric vehicle market as reasons for the lay-offs. The lay-offs are expected to affect both salaried and contract engineers in its internal-combustion-engine division and software developers in its EV business. Ford also expects to continue losing money, to the tune of US$3 billion, on its electric vehicle division in 2023.

As more electric vehicle makers have joined the Tesla NACS bandwagon, the Society of Automotive Engineers International has seen fit to standardise Tesla's formerly-proprietary charging standard. While this step may seem insignificant, it goes a long way to legitimising the NACS connector as an open standard and alleviating some of the complaints levelled at the design by opponents to its widespread adoption. As part of the standardisation process, the SAE will develop the SAE NACS standard.

Polestar claims that it has increased the range of its 2024 Polestar 2 electric fastback sedan by improving motor efficiency and power usage. The Polestar 2 Long range Single motor now boasts a WLTP range of 654 km (~406 miles). In addition to the range increases, Polestar has managed to boost the charging speed of the Polestar 2 by up to 36% in some cases.

After similar moves from the likes of Ford, General Motors, and Rivian, among others, Volvo has announced that it will adopt Tesla's North American Charging Standard charging hardware in its electric vehicles from 2025. This will give Volvo owners access to the immense Tesla Supercharger network, as well as a wealth of third-party fast charging providers that have recently also committed to using NACS.

Chevrolet has officially launched the Silverado EV electric pickup truck during a media event, announcing the previously-unknown specs and pricing for its electric pickup truck. The Silverado will initially be available in the 4WT spec with 450 miles of range for fleet customers, with a 350-mile 3WT and US$105,000, 400-mile First Edition RST trim coming before the end of 2023.

While Tesla owns the largest DC charger network for electric vehicles in the US, ChargePoint is the biggest overall with 48,946 ports spread across its Level 1, Level 2, and DC fast chargers. ChargePoint has finally announced that it will be adopting the Tesla NACS connector for new and existing stations.

Kia has announced a pre-order campaign for the EV6 GT in China, launching on June 28. Only 1,000 units of the electric crossover will go on sale at this point, with the official launch later this summer. The EV6 GT has an ultra-fast charging battery, recharging from 10 to 80% in 18 minutes.

The new 8,500-pound Silverado electric pickup truck by Chevrolet has a giant 200 kWh battery pack that takes a while to be filled even on faster chargers. Direct access to the vast network of Tesla Superchargers, however, isn't coming before the 2025 model year.

The Tesla Cybertruck has once again been spotted during its delivery to the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds, this time giving us a more detailed look at the inside of its sizeable frunk. Previously, it was confirmed that the Cybertruck would have the same style of frunk as the Ford F-150 Lightning, but this latest sighting gives us a better idea of the scale of the interior of the frunk.