Which EV charging network is still set to grow, with almost the entire team laid off?
How will electric car tires last longer while making use of more renewable materials?
This is our look at the reversal week — here at Green Car Reports — for the week ending May 17, 2024.
On our first drive of Mercedes’ electric G-wagen, we found it to be a better, more refined off-roader than the petrol model, outperforming the combustion versions even before the heyday of the electric party trick called the G-Turn.
2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz
Volkswagen has confirmed standard features and trim levels for its U.S.-bound 2025 VW ID.Buzz electric trucks, but pricing and EPA range could still be months away, closer to when those models are expected to arrive for first deliveries. Expect colors and interiors for the longer, three-row ID.Buzz versions America gets.
The 2025 Kia EV6 has made its global debut with a larger battery pack and likely to increase its range by 10% or more – as well as design updates that appear to bring this modern electric crossover in line with details from Kia’s latest EV9 and upcoming EV3. Also, the 2025 Kia Sorento hybrid three-row SUV lineup earns up to 36 mpg, and gets refreshed styling inside and out, without any price bump. A similar update applies to plug-in hybrids.
Kia Sorento 2025 hybrid
California electric vehicle startup Aptera will end crowdfunding for its electric three-wheeler after June, it announced late Wednesday. More funding is still needed to start production of the Launch Edition solar electric car, although it says it plans to bring the car to market “at scale” in 2025.
Subaru is bringing back the Crosstrek Hybrid, according to a report, and it will likely arrive shortly after the upcoming 2026 Subaru Forester Hybrid. Meanwhile, it appears that three out of the four electric cars announced by Subaru last year will be in collaboration with Toyota.
Honda concept 0 saloon
Honda has confirmed that it plans to produce two million electric cars a year by 2030. As part of a presentation outlining everything it hopes to achieve with electric cars in the second half of the decade, it also revealed plans for an all-new generation of Honda. – Hybrid cars with all-wheel drive will be available soon.
Mitsubishi has provided a rough idea of what its future U.S. vehicle lineup might look like for 2026 and beyond. It says two models will bring the brand into new market segments, with Mitsubishi electric, plug-in hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles also on the way. No updates were provided on the electric pickup from Mitsubishi that was reported to be shared with Nissan.
Mitsubishi D:X concept
The Vietnamese automaker announced on Friday that the global debut of Sony’s new in-car entertainment app will be in the Vinfast VF 8 electric SUV. Vinfast will initially offer the feature, called Ridevu, for free, including a movie library and streaming to other passenger devices. The interface serves as an early preview of what’s in store for Sony’s upcoming Afeela EV designed with Honda.
The Biden administration has effectively quadrupled tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, accompanied by higher tariffs on EV batteries, solar cells, and critical metals. However, it is expanding beyond electric vehicles, to include steel, aluminum and semiconductors, but has omitted language from rival Donald Trump who specifically cited imports from Mexico as an issue. Whether coincidental or not, on the same morning that the tariff increase was announced, China’s BYD Shark hybrid pickup truck made its debut in Mexico. As the first all-new BYD vehicle to debut outside of China, the sub-$55,000 minivan with 62 electric miles made a political statement even if it wasn’t intended.
New BMW Vision concept for the X-Class
BMW is sticking to the electric vehicle goals it announced several years ago, of 50% all-electric sales by 2030, not including plug-in hybrids or plug-in hybrids. However, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse did not set a deadline for internal combustion, stressing that the company “will remain flexible – even into the 2030s.”
Ford is recalling some Maverick and Escape hybrids, as well as some Lincoln Corsair hybrids, due to an issue that could leave those vehicles in a vulnerable position. It’s a software fix but requires a trip to the dealer.
2024 Ford Maverick
Michelin may be the world’s number one tire manufacturer, but it sees a future where you won’t need to buy as many tires. This is because, in addition to radical innovations such as run-flat tires and million-mile retreads, future electric car tires with sustainable materials will last longer.
In the first quarter, EV market share in the US declined, while EV sales levels remained significantly higher year-over-year. As a high-level takeaway from the update from the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration, however, the backstory suggests some complex dynamics, as there is an abundance of luxury electric vehicles in a lax luxury market, and affordable electric vehicles remain scarce as capacity challenges persist. Bearing the costs, Tesla managed only minor gains in US sales.
Tesla charger
The Tesla Supercharger network is set to grow by “thousands” of chargers in 2024, CEO Elon Musk has confirmed, despite a recent round of layoffs that essentially purged the entire division behind the highly successful charging network. It will spend “over $500 million” on its Supercharger network this year, he said in a post on X, though that investment is independent of operating costs.
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