It is no secret that tech giant Sony desires to build automobiles. The company showcased a pair of EV concepts earlier this year, intending to find a partner to bring these models to the market. After a brief search, Sony is tapping Honda to bring its dreams to fruition. The … Read more
If you’re a builder of an electric vehicle, one of the selling points is a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 available to most buyers. The credit saves customers money on their taxes, effectively reducing their ownership costs. Plug-In Electric Drive Vehicle Credit Available for applicable vehicles purchased after … Read more
The upcoming Rivian R1S is delayed; investors write down losses. Rivian was the darling of the electric pickup truck market, that is until the Ford F-150 Lightning arrived. The Normal, Illinois-based manufacturer of all-electric vehicles enjoys financial backing from Amazon, Ford, and T. Rowe Price. But the company is bleeding … Read more
The global transition to electric vehicles (EV) is accelerating faster than expected with virtually every automaker pumping billions of dollars into new manufacturing facilities. Auto Trends has closely covered these developments, including a truly incredible groundswell over just the past year: Foxconn at the former Lordstown plant in Ohio, Ford … Read more
Do you remember the Mitsubishi i-MiEV? If you do not, you are in solid company. That diminutive EV city car was initially offered by Mitsubishi more than a decade ago. It represented the first batch of modern EVs, but it was cheap and forgettable. Especially for its 62-mile range. A … Read more
Volkswagen is an oddity amongst foreign automakers present in the U.S. market. The German company beat nearly every other overseas manufacturer to the market when the Beetle appeared in the 1950s. Later, the automaker expanded its product line, offering the Type 2 (Bus, Microbus), the Karmann Ghia, and eventually the … Read more
EVs and mobility seem right for Europe. For nine decades, the General Motors Company was a significant player in the European market. In 2017, the company sold its money-losing Opel and Vauxhall brands to Peugeot Citroen, which are now under the Stellantis umbrella. Along with winding down sales of Chevrolet, … Read more
EV-Maker Lucid Motors boasts a powerful backer in the form of Saudi Arabia. The Middle Eastern country holds a 61-percent stake in Lucid through the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). As such, that government has a vested interest in Lucid, something it recently deepened by ordering 50,000 Lucid Air Sedans … Read more
The prospect of a full-electric future is before us and all the attendant supine autonomy that comes with it. If you have the distinct feeling that the fun-to-drive aspect of hitting the road is under attack, you are not alone. But a wonderful oddity happened this week that should gladden … Read more
The F-150 Lightning launches what may prove a pivotal moment in consumer acceptance of EVs. Embracing full electrification is a process that has taken time. In the late 2000s, Tesla introduced its all-electric Roadster followed a few years later by its wider-production Model S sedan. Nissan gave us a volume … Read more
Tesla, Inc. CEO Elon Musk is famous for overpromising and underdelivering. That is the exact opposite approach businesspeople typically take when touting a new product. Has that approach hurt Tesla? Absolutely not. The company is one of the best capitalized in the world, while his legion of devotees continues to … Read more
Just as the entire auto industry is preparing a wholesale shift to full-electric vehicles, Honda is doing likewise. In the meantime, the company is planning to introduce a series of hybrid electric vehicles ahead of the transition. Specifically, Honda is building on its decades of gas-electric experience to outfit several … Read more
VinFast, the upstart electric vehicle manufacturer from Vietnam, made several announcements at the 2022 New York International Auto Show in Manhattan this week. The company recently declared its plans to build a factory in Chatham County, North Carolina, then followed with additional information about two of its products. A subscription-based … Read more
The long-awaited, much-ballyhooed, and arguably ugly Tesla Cybertruck may finally arrive in 2023. At least that is the pronouncement of Elon Musk, CEO of the world’s largest electric vehicle company. This month, Tesla officially launched its new Giga Texas factory, using a livestream to unveil the company’s latest production plans. … Read more
VinFast, TIP, and North Carolina. UPDATE: More than 24 hours after we reported the story, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced VinFast’s plans for the Chatham County site. We’re linking to the press release for the current update. Also, we’ve written a follow-up article about the VinFast deal. Please note … Read more
Lordstown Motors may release the Endurance later this year. Bringing a new vehicle to the market is fraught with challenges. Bringing one from an upstart manufacturer who has not built one previously raises the stakes. Finally, building an electric truck for a segment that is just seeing them for the … Read more
Electric vehicles (EVs) are a class of automobiles that use electric power for at least one mode of propulsion. These systems are often powered by a collector system converting fuel into electricity; however, the latest generation of EVs is powered by a battery pack that can be recharged on the … Read more
Pictured: This Volkswagen ID.4 entered the market in 2021. For 2022, additional VW EVs arrive along with many more models from competing brands. As the world recovers from the pandemic many sectors are expecting growth this year, including the automotive industry. If you’re keen to learn about the key automotive … Read more
Regenerative braking is one of numerous efficiency systems installed on all manners of electric vehicles worldwide. Simply put, they tap the vehicle’s inertia to use the electric motors as generators, thus stopping the automobile via the motor’s mechanical resistance and recharging the batteries in the process. The system has been … Read more
Toyota Motor Corporation announced this week that the company is investing $70 billion to move the automaker toward an electrified future. The pivot includes both its Toyota and Lexus brands, with the latter slated to become electric only. Kicking off the effort for the luxury marque is the Lexus RZ … Read more
Automotive manufacturers are busy making plans to switch to electrification, with investments in the tens of billions of dollars expected. Manufacturers such as GM, Volkswagen, Ford, and Hyundai announced their plans in recent weeks, but curiously absent was Nissan. That’s all changed as Nissan revealed near the end of the … Read more
GM prepares for an EV future. But will they overtake Tesla? GM has bold plans in its quest to become the top producer of electric vehicles as soon as 2025. That’s the year when the automaker says it will have 30 pure electric vehicles available, including through its Cadillac, Buick, … Read more
Electric Vehicles (EVs) have taken the automotive industry – and the larger public’s attention – by storm. Discussions around, advertisements for, and references to EVs can be found all across news sites and channels, commercials, social media sites, and more. Most recently, Ford released that it would build $11.4 billion … Read more
Electric vehicles are the craze nowadays. Tesla considers electric vehicles to be the future. Toyota has gone heavily into electrification as part of its plan. Many manufacturers produce electric vehicles left, right, and center. But what’s the big deal about them anyway? How do they even work? Why are they … Read more
Ford lays out its EV strategy that’s centered on a joint venture. The Ford Motor Company announced this week an $11.4 billion investment it says will help the company “lead America’s shift to electric vehicles.” Specifically, the automaker will build a mega campus in Stanton, Tennessee, allocating $5.6 billion toward … Read more
The future of motorized vehicles is highly debated. Most people believe that all-electric vehicles are the future, regardless of their purpose. Others believe that hydrogen is the future, by using Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles, or FCEVs for short. There are big disadvantages to hydrogen, and some people even have legitimate … Read more
Ram, Dodge, Fiat, and other Stellatis brands will field all-electric models starting in 2024. Nearly every major manufacturer has revealed their plans to electrify their fleets. With governments pushing for the end of or the severe restriction of the internal combustion engine, that transition is underway. In the U.S., the … Read more
Fleet management and planning for electric vehicle deployment. The time has finally arrived – with the continual shift toward electrification picking up serious traction, the transition to electric vehicle (EV) fleets is underway. With the right implementation strategy, electric vehicles have the power to optimize your fleet’s productivity and take … Read more
The European electric car market is becoming all the more diverse as one of the world’s newest automotive startups enters the fray. Chinese multinational automobile manufacturer, NIO, is getting ready to start shipping units to Norway, which will be the first market the EV startup explores outside of China. But … Read more
Volvo Cars will eliminate the internal combustion engine earlier than most. Volvo Cars held a leadership position on efficient and electrified vehicles until recently. But with manufacturers such as Ford and GM investing billions to bring dozens of new products to the market, the company has had to respond with … Read more