MondayOct 21, 2024 10:00 am

Plug-in Hybrids are Falling Short on Helping the Transition to EVs

A recent J.D. Power study has found that plug-in hybrid electric vehicles aren't working as an effective bridge between fossil-fueled cars and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Even though hybrids are often praised for helping drivers transition to the unfamiliar technology of electric cars, J.D. Power says many drivers just aren't buying into plug-in hybrids. While BEVs are only powered by a rechargeable battery, hybrids have a combustion engine as well as an electric drivetrain. This alleviates range anxiety, one of the largest barriers to EV adoption, by allowing drivers to switch to the engine once the battery runs out. Hybrids…

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FridayOct 18, 2024 10:00 am

Toyota Showcases its Portable Hydrogen Cartridges for Vehicles

Japanese automaking giant Toyota has unveiled lightweight hydrogen cartridges that could allow hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCEVs) drivers to recharge their vehicles in minutes. Designed to look like massive AA batteries, the hydrogen cartridges could also be used to power electrical devices and even homes similar to many modern EV batteries. Toyota is the only major established carmaker that has refrained from developing battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Aside from the Toyota Prius, currently Toyota's only electrified car and the most successful hybrid on the globe, the Japanese company has mostly focused on hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. These cars use…

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WednesdayOct 16, 2024 10:00 am

Prices of EV Batteries Poised to Drop by Almost 50%

Goldman Sachs Research has revealed that prices of electric vehicle batteries could fall by nearly 50% in the next a year and a half due to various technological advances. These advances allow manufacturers to develop EV batteries with more capacity without increasing their weight, allowing electric cars to travel further on a single charge. Coupled with a drop in the price of metals used to develop EV batteries, Goldman Sachs Research explains that these advancements will result in a larger-than-expected fall in battery prices. On average, global EV battery costs fell from $153 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in 2022 to $149…

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MondayOct 14, 2024 10:00 am

Five Innovations That Could Boost Convenience of EV Ownership

Factors such as high purchase costs, limited range and unreliable public charging infrastructure have consistently hindered electric vehicle (EV) adoption since Tesla unveiled the first mass-market electric car over a decade ago. As a result, stakeholders ranging from governments and car companies to battery makers are working on various innovative solutions to overcome the barriers to electric vehicle adoption. Such innovations will be key to ensuring the transportation sector, which generates roughly 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions, is electrified. Battery swapping has been around for several years as a solution to the electric vehicle charging problem. It can take…

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FridayOct 11, 2024 10:00 am

US Data Highlights Thieves’ Disinterest in EVs

Data collected by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) has revealed that car thieves aren't as interested in battery electric vehicles (BEVs) compared to conventional gas-powered cars. Of the more than one million cars stolen in the United States last year, few of them were electric, report experts from the NICB as well as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). An analysis of auto insurance claims by the IIHS revealed that electric cars comprised four of the six least-stolen cars. Furthermore, while 49 out of 100,000 insured vehicles are stolen annually, thieves stole just 1 out of every 100,000…

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WednesdayOct 09, 2024 10:00 am

EU Members Endorse Steep Tariffs on Chinese EVs

The European Union (EU) is set to impose major taxes on electric vehicles imported from China after the majority of EU member states approved a proposal for steep EV tariffs. With the EU already levying provisional import tariffs of up to 38% on Chinese electric cars, the recently approved plan is part of the European Commission's efforts to protect the EU’s automotive sector from “unfair competition.” Chinese companies can manufacture electric cars at low cost and sell them at affordable prices thanks to a decade-plus of government subsidies and programs. On the other hand, western automakers still haven't figured out…

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MondayOct 07, 2024 10:00 am

Kia Opens First Plant Focused on EV Production

South Korean automaker Kia Motors has opened its first electric-vehicle-only manufacturing plant at Autoland Gwangmyeong, South Korea. The new EV-only plant (EVO) will mass manufacture two lines of low-cost EV models — the Kia EV3 and Kia EV4 — as part of Kia's plans to become a leading EV maker. With a capacity of 150,000 electric cars per year, the new facility will also be Hyundai Motor Group’s first electric-vehicle-only manufacturing facility. Kia CEO Choi Joon-Young said the facility’s completion marked Kia's first step towards becoming a “leading EV brand.” Speaking during the facility's completion ceremony, Joon-young said Kia would…

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FridayOct 04, 2024 10:00 am

EU Signals Willingness to Continue Talks with China about EV Tariffs

A senior European Union (EU) official has revealed that the European Commission is willing to continue talks with China about electric vehicle import tariffs, even after the EU imposes such tariffs. The commission launched an antisubsidy probe into Chinese EVs several months ago to determine if China's electric vehicle subsidy program gave its automakers an unfair edge over foreign carmakers. Although the probe is still ongoing, the EU has already imposed import tariffs of up to 38% on battery electric cars manufactured in China, making it impossible for Chinese companies to sell their EVs at affordable prices in one of…

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WednesdayOct 02, 2024 10:00 am

Ford to Assemble EV Batteries in Romania

Ford Motor may soon begin assembling electric vehicle batteries at a new battery assembly facility in Craiova, Romania. According to local sources consulted by Economedia, the EV battery cells will be based on designs from another region, making Romania the last step in Ford's EV battery manufacturing pipeline. Ford has neither denied nor confirmed the validity of the information. The revelation comes amid a global slowdown in electric vehicle sales that has lasted several months and left thousands of unsold battery electric cars collecting dust in ports and car lots. Ford is one of the many established automakers that had…

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MondaySep 30, 2024 10:00 am

America to Ban Chinese Technology in Vehicles

U.S. officials have revealed that they are planning to ban the use of Chinese and Russian technology in vehicles manufactured in the country. This ban would prevent certain software and hardware developed in both Russia and China from being deployed in American-made cars, buses and trucks to minimize apparent security risks. According to the officials, they fear that Chinese and Russian technologies used to connect vehicles to other networks and facilitate autonomous driving could grant enemies remote access to vehicles running on U.S. roads. Although the U.S. automobile industry rarely uses software made in China and Russia, Commerce Secretary Gina…

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