E-Mobility

Acer has presented the ebii SmartBike, an E-bike with up to 110 km of range and advanced anti-theft protection. While Acer has now announced launch pricing for its new E-bike, the ebii SmartBike will not be orderable until September.

The Volkswagen ID.4 is now the cheapest electric SUVs one can get in the US with fast charging, as it became the first EV from a foreign automaker to qualify for the government's full US$7,500 tax credit. With it, the ID.4 Standard crossover model price goes just above US$30,000.

With the front of a Toyota Tundra, a RAM 1500 concept barn door at the back, and Tesla Cybertruck naming, GWM's new CyberPickup seems to poach a little bit of truck inspiration from everyone. With the exception of the crazy 6x6 drivetrain, that is.

In an auto show full of performance EVs and hulking electric off-roaders, visitors piled up to see the new BYD Seagull that offers up to 252 miles of range on a charge for just $14,000. The Seagull is powered by BYD's innovative blade battery packaging with iron phosphate cells, just like the Tesla Model 2 would be.

The world's largest EV battery maker just unveiled the promised condensed cell breakthrough that will lead to the highest energy density battery in mass production. At up to 500 Wh/kg, the new Condensed Battery features a number of innovations as it is meant for electric planes and high-performance EVs.

Tesla's base models now start from less than US$40,000, as an immediate reaction to the loss of the federal tax credit privilege. Built with Chinese LFP batteries, the RWD versions are ineligible for the full $7,500 subsidy amount, so Tesla cut prices for the sixth time in a short while.

Aside from the Tesla Model Y and Porsche Panamera, the top five of the most-recalled vehicles in the US also includes the three other EVs made by the American automaker, which supposedly will be affected by 14 times as many recalls as the average car.

MediaTek has announced that its flagship Dimensity line of mobile SoCs has gone Auto with a new range of computing solutions for next-gen vehicles. It challenges Qualcomm's latest offerings for the same industry pretty directly, purporting to cover the needs of the "smart cockpit" and connectivity on the road as well as automatic driver assistance systems (ADAS), delivered through the OEM's cutting-edge architecture.

The Toyota bZ Sport Crossover and bZ FlexSpace concept electric vehicles have been revealed. Images of the BEVs show interior details, including steering yokes and curved or holographic infotainment systems. Toyota has also suggested that the vehicles will feature intelligent driver assistance tools.

A Tesla confirmation has added the deadly fire truck incident to the list of situations during which the electric car's driver-assist functions like Autopilot may have been active at the time of the crash. The nighttimе incident resulted in the death of the Model S driver and first responders had to cut the EV to take it away from underneath the damaged fire truck.

Volkswagen has finally announced full specs, configuration options and launch dates for the ID.7 today (April 17, 2023). The all-electric sedan aims for the upper mid-range of the automotive market with a new power unit for increased output and torque, fast charging and a quality-focused interior with an enlarged infotainment screen and a Harman Kardon-tuned sound system.

Tesla's compact Model Y copy that will be its first cheap mass market electric car may be further ahead in the production planning stages than thought. The new Gigafactory in Mexico will have a whole new production line dedicated to its assembly which will start operations next year.

Tesla has resolved the 'pinching' windows NHTSA recall issue with a software update and some of the solutions are now activated on the server side. The Close Windows on Lock function as well as the Vent and Close options in the Tesla app are again active to allow control of your windows remotely.

When it saw the Ford F-150 Lightning last year, Tesla reportedly went back to the drawing board for the Cybertruck and tried to match Ford's big Mega Power frunk feature. While this has only been a rumor so far, now the Cybertruck's frunk has been snapped open in the wild to confirm it.

DiDi Global is one of the best-known sources of ride-hailing on Chinese streets. Now, it has announced its intention to give its service a next-gen overhaul by putting its own self-driving taxi on those roads in the near future. The vehicle's current concept integrates a lot of LiDAR, radar and cameras to deliver its autonomous functions.

In the final stage of testing before the Cybertruck launch in the summer, Tesla is going down to the minute details such as the performance of the giant single windshield wiper. The wiping monstrosity has been caught on video in a spray test against what looks like a small wind tunnel.

The rumored "Project Highland" Tesla Model 3 mid-cycle refresh test mule has been snapped uncovered, at least at the front. There are new more elegant headlights and some fresh body curves of what will reportedly be the cheapest for Tesla to produce Model 3.

From the EV company first to use CATL's 4680-beating Quilin battery pack, now comes a compact luxury SUV innovation called Zeekr X priced from just US$27,600. The first high-end electric crossover is powered by a performance battery and has features like electric rear seats for fitting your pets, face unlocking, and a mini fridge that can maintain subzero temps.

Volkswagen has unveiled the latest drive compatible with its MEB electric vehicle platform. It is rated to enable some next-gen ID family members to launch as rear-wheel drive e-cars with the potential for increased range and efficiency. The APP550 is also touted to deliver "significantly more" power and torque to boot.

The EPA just unveiled the most stringent federal emission standards in history that it says will save owners US$12,000 over the lifetime of a light-duty vehicle in fuel and maintenance costs. The mandates also include an 8-year, 80,000-miles electric car warranty.

An American Trucks-commissioned survey proved that BMW and Subaru have more recognizable logos than Tesla, while most of the respondents liked AI-generated car company art better than the original. Still, Tesla's brand value is now on top of legacy stalwarts like Toyota or Mercedes.

RunDeer will shortly launch an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for the Starry Sky e-bike. The bicycle is powered by a 350 W motor with a 28 mph (~45 kph) top speed, and a Panasonic battery provides up to 62 miles (~100 km) of range. Plus, the bike has a carbon fiber frame and integrated display.

Some of the world's largest battery-grade lithium refineries are ceasing production in the hope that prices will rebound. The tag on a ton of lithium carbonate has seen a huge drop from its November peak with barely a day when the price didn't fall this year, which should translate into cheaper EV batteries.

Half of Americans don't want an electric car as their next vehicle, it turns out, despite the government's attempt to transition them from gas-powered engines in a decade or so. The chief reason is that electric cars are still too expensive, but also the charging infrastructure.

One of the world's top 10 EV battery manufacturers announced a breakthrough in cylindrical battery cell design which greatly increases the energy density of existing performance nickel or cheaper iron batteries. The secret is improving conductivity while the new structure allows for 6C charging speeds, too.

The sales of new electric vehicles in the US should reach 2/3 of the total by 2032 as per new EPA mandate of vehicle emissions. The government is gearing up to announce the new stringent regulation on gas-powered cars this week in order to spearhead EV sales more than tenfold compared to current levels.

'Sometimes size does matter,' said Tesla when announcing that the new V4 Supercharger cables are 'longer so everyone can plug in easily.' The first next-gen Supercharger V4 station of Tesla is now open to all electric vehicle brands and models to peruse at a slightly higher price than Tesla car owners.

The electric car brand Tesla also now sells a wireless charger that purports to rationalize its ultra-premium price through its ability to do what Apple could not with the scrapped AirPower project. The "Cybertruck-inspired" accessory's ODM has achieved this via a fascinating arrangement of coils and more, as revealed during a new online teardown.

Toyota's sales are down 9% in the US as a lot of electric vehicle converts now come from its ubiquitous gas-powered cars. Its new CEO just announced an electrification strategy that will see Toyota introduce 10 new EV models by 2026, including a 3-row SUV in the US, and nearly triple its hybrids' battery-only range.

ASYNC has launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for the A1 e-bike. The Pro model of the bicycle has a 1920 Wh battery, allowing you to travel up to 150 miles (~241 km) on a single charge. The electric bike has a top speed of 35 mph (~56 kph) and an integrated IPS dashboard with a linked app.

The RWD Tesla Model 3 will only partially lose the tax credit for new electric vehicles after April 17, as it will still get a US$3,750 subsidy deduction despite using CATL's LFP batteries. Furthermore, Tesla will somewhat compensate the loss by slashing the Model 3 price again.

Image data labelers who work for Tesla can pinpoint the location where media was recorded by the EV cameras in a 'massive violation of privacy.' Former Tesla employees also confirmed that images and videos with sensitive car owner items or situations are being shared internally to gain popularity.

Since US drivers commute 41 miles a day on average, the 44 miles of battery-only range that Toyota picked for its new Prius Prime will practically allow the car to serve them as an electric vehicle. The 2023 Prius Prime has a 13 kWh battery pack, 6.6 seconds acceleration, and a gas-engine that consumes just 52 miles a gallon.

The newly announced Master Plan 3 is all about ditching fossil fuels and Tesla claims this would cost less than the expenditures for their extraction in the same period. Tucked in it are Tesla's forecasts for the battery size of 700 million affordable compact electric cars like the upcoming Model 2, but also the eventual Cybertruck battery capacity.

Powered using Valeo Cyclee mid-drive motors coupled with a 7-speed automatic gearbox that features predictive shifting, the Flluid-2 and Flluid-3 e-bikes can reach up to 225/110 miles on a full charge. The first 50 units will sell for US$3999 and US$3699 (Flluid-2 and Flluid-3). Shipments will start in June/July (USA/EU).

Volkswagen has announced that it is nearly ready to unveil its new flagship electric vehicle, the ID.7, to its target markets such as Europe and North America. The marque has revealed more of the sedan's potential advantages and upgrades ahead of its mid-April 2023 "World Premiere". They include the new internals touted to deliver an improved maximum range and charging rate.

Researchers at University of Texas at Austin have managed to crack the code of a solid-state electric vehicle battery without the traditional electrode pair. Their new copper foil coating allows for 95% higher volumetric density than traditional batteries.

Eunorau has launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for its Flash e-bike series. The electric bicycle can have a 2,808 Wh battery, providing up to 220 miles (~350 km) assistance range between charges. Other features include fat tires, hydraulic lockout suspension and a 150 Lux headlight.

Production of Tesla's cheapest Model 2 electric vehicle will reportedly be split between North America, Shanghai, and Giga Berlin, with initial preparation for 4 million units. The Model 2 may be similar to Model Y in design, claim insiders, just much smaller, and could cost 150,000 RMB (US$21,800).

Tesla keeps outing Cybertruck-themed merchandise and gadgets. The latest installment in the series comes from China where it revealed that the teased CyberVault is actually a... US$799 home charging service package with Cybertruck design elements.

Most electric vehicles from General Motors, save for the expensive Hummer, will now qualify for the full US$7,500 federal tax credit amount. GM also said that will replace Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in its EVs with Android Automotive and 8 years of free Google Maps and Assistant.

Hyundai and Lexus may now qualify, though, as the Treasury Department finally released the EV battery tax credit eligibility requirements that will be used to determine which electric car will get government subsidy. The guidelines reiterate the original battery material sourcing and component points, and the base Tesla Model 3 will only qualify until April 18.

Tesla's beer conforms to the 500-years old German brew law and the bottles have glow-in-the-dark design with a Giga logo. Tesla says the sleeves' design is reminiscent of the Cybertruck's streamlined body, while the taste of the lager beers in the gift pack comes from an exclusive strain of Cyberhops.

The White House's new EV and battery subsidies may cost taxpayers $575 billion more than budgeted as eligible models and factory plans proliferate. The latest example is Tesla probing the White House to build Texas cell factory together with China's CATL in order to keep the tax credit for the base Model 3 and Model Y .

The 4680 battery packs that Tesla now places in its Model Y are only halfway to the stated goal of a 50% cost reduction compared to conventional batteries. Tesla is yet to master mass dry electrode production to hit the full 4680 cell potential, and it has now hired a solid-state battery specialist dedicated to the issue.

NIO plans to build a thousand new electric car battery swap stations this year, of which more than 900 will be of its latest third generation. The newest battery swap station model allows to change a depleted battery with a freshly charged one in 2 minutes and 30 seconds now.

With a total weight of just 33.7 lbs, the electric MTB from Germany has a full suspension and should be a joy to ride. Unfortunately, prospective buyers of the Rotwild R.X275 Pro or Ultra should also be mentally prepared for the five-figure price tag of these high-end e-bikes.

The unofficial render image depicts a quite attractive electric SUV, whose subcompact dimensions should also be suitable for city driving. However, Volkswagen's electric crossover probably won't be as affordable as the actual counterpart to the Tesla Model 2, the regular VW ID.2.

New details about the Kia EV9 have been announced. The electric SUV has a WLTP-certified range of up to 541 km (~336 miles) and can gain up to 239 km (~149 miles) of range in 15 minutes with 800V charging. The AWD dual motor model delivers up to 600 Nm torque and can accelerate to 100 kph (~60 mph) in 6.0 seconds.

Most electric cars lose less than 20 miles of range on a charge by the time they hit the typical 100,000 miles warranty mark, according to a new study of long-term battery health. This non-linear battery degradation and the fact that non-recall replacements are only 1.5% demonstrate that fears to buy a used electric car may be unfounded.