Category Archives: electric vehicles

Volvo Car Recall for LG Battery Fires

Volvo Car USA is recalling more than 7400 2020-2021 model year S90 vehicles, 2020-2022 model year S60, V60, XC60 and XC90 vehicles and 2022 V90 plug-in hybrid vehicles.

“The recall population are vehicles produced with LG high-voltage battery modules built in China between 3 June 2019, to 30 November 2021. During this production period there was supplier process deviation that could lead to a risk of an internal short circuit with certain battery cells within the battery module,” Volvo said in the required safety defect recall filing made public today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Continue reading

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Toyota 2025 Mirai Fuel-Cell Sedan Due in Spring

“Mirai has an EPA-Estimated Driving Range Rating of 402 Miles running on hydrogen from onboard tanks and oxygen from the outside air to generate power for the vehicle,” Toyota said. “In essence, the Mirai is a ‘plug-less’ electric vehicle. A Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) generates its own electricity onboard from hydrogen, with water as the only tailpipe emission. The fuel cell system combines stored hydrogen, along with oxygen from the air, and then a chemical reaction produces electric current and water, which drops out of a vent pipe beneath the car.

“Instead of having to charge a large battery pack like in a battery–electric vehicle, which can take several hours, the Mirai’s driver fills the vehicle’s tanks with hydrogen. With an FCEV, the fuel is non-toxic, compressed hydrogen gas rather than liquid gasoline,” Toyota said. Continue reading

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GMC 2026 Sierra EV – Bring Money

GMC (NYSE: GM) today introduced the 2026 Sierra EV with a wide range of trims, capability, and battery configurations, giving customers more choice than in an electric GMC pickup due in showrooms this summer. The premium Elevation and offroad AT4 trims join the Denali to complete a lineup that now has a starting MSRP of $64,495 including $2095 DFC. The top of the line AT4 will start at an MSRP of $81,395. Continue reading

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April Fool’s Day – Trump Tariffs Hurting Economy

The U.S. economy is at a turning point with the erratic actions of what AutoInformed* observes is the Trump mis-administration threatening the economic health of the nation. We are looking at a global trade war leading to a recession or if past Republican economic policies are any indication – a depression. The latest Cox Automotive Industry Forecast** conducted this morning reinforces that view. Brother can you spare a dime?

“We are at an interesting crossroads here in late Q one 2025,” said Jonathan Smoke, Chief Economist at Cox. “at the end of last year my wish for you all was that the economy and the auto market would perform to the upside. Today we will be talking about sides, but  downward forecasts and darker downsides. The economy and auto market have been relatively strong over the last 6 months. The problem which we will be getting into is that a substantial change in trade through massive increases in tariffs will be highly disruptive to North American vehicle production and could lead to a full scale global trade war and a much weaker the economy. We’re not there yet but we’re a week away from moves that make the dark side more likely,” Smoke said. Continue reading

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Electric Vehicle Sales Outpacing Public Chargers

Electric vehicles sold in the US during Q4 of 2024 comprised ~11% of all light duty vehicle sales. This is the highest quarter on record.* This also represents a 0.3% percentage-point market share increase from the 3rd quarter of 2024, according to an analysis released today by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a trade and lobbying group for automakers. There were about 433,843 EV sales from 144 different electric vehicle models sold in the 4th quarter alone of last year. Battery electric vehicles make up the majority of those, but plug-in electric as well as hybrid vehicle sales have been growing as well. Continue reading

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EU February 2025 Car Sales Drop. Tesla Tanks

During February 2025 new car sales dropped -3% according to data released today from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, aka ACEA derived from its French name. Year-to-date February 2025, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 15.2% of total EU market share, signifying an increase from the low baseline of 11.5% in the comparable period of January-February 2024. Hybrid-electric vehicles surged, capturing 35.2% of the market and remaining the preferred choice among EU consumers. Meanwhile, the combined market share of petrol and diesel cars fell to 38.8%, down from 48.5% over the same period in 2024.

“Notably, the bloc’s major markets saw declines, with Italy (-6%), Germany (-4.6%), and France (-3.3%). Spain conversely recorded an 8.4% increase,” ACEA said. Buried in the data, but not called out by ACEA is Tesla sales have dropped significantly for the second straight month in Europe. Year to date Tesla is off 49% dropping from 37,311 in 2024 to 19,046 in 2025. This as the Chinese assault on the European market is just beginning. Continue reading

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Genesis Offers Free NACS Adapters

Genesis today announced that current U.S. EV owners who purchased their vehicle on or before 31 January 2025 will begin receiving emails inviting them to redeem their complimentary North American Charging Standard (NACS) adapters starting the week of 7 April. This Genesis authorized adapter gives Combined Charging System (CCS1) port GV60, Electrified GV70 and Electrified G80 owners access to an additional 20,000 NACS DC fast chargers in the U.S. at the Tesla Supercharger Network. Continue reading

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American Honda – Tesla Supercharger Network Coming

Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX owners will gain access to more than 20,000 selected Tesla Superchargers across the United States starting in June 2025, American Honda said today. Continue reading

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Nissan and SK On Reveal EV Battery Deal

Nissan (7201T and NSANY ADR) and SK On said today that SK On will supply ~100GWh of U.S.-made batteries from 2028 to 2033.  This is Korean SK On first partnership with a Japanese automaker.

“This agreement with SK On is a significant milestone for Nissan’s electrification journey and supports further investment in U.S. manufacturing,” said Christian Meunier, chairman, Nissan Americas. “Through this smart partnership with SK On, we can leverage their growing U.S. production capacity to deliver innovative, high-quality electric vehicles that meet the needs of our customers.” Continue reading

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ZEV Truck Adoption Stalled by Costs

Cutting the total cost of ownership could boost the transition to zero-emission truck fleets. A new study released by the respected McKinsey & Company counsultancy observes that the total cost of ownership (TCO) for ZEVs remains significantly higher than that of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. The TCO gap ranges between 30% and 50% compared to ICE vehicles running on dirtier diesel fuel. Continue reading

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Mercedes-Benz Debuts New CLA in Rome?

The all-new Mercedes-Benz CLA (MBGAF) was launched in Rome yesterday, a surprising site for a German automaker. Mercedes said a launch of this magnitude deserves a backdrop of equal prestige…, which is why it chose Rome – a metropolis defined by timeless elegance, flair and progressive vision. Amidst the hype and hoopla some details of what is and has been a significant Mercedes car emerged.

“The premiere of the new CLA in Rome – a city just as iconic and timeless as Mercedes-Benz – was more than just another car launch. It marks the beginning of a new era for Mercedes-Benz and for our customers: The CLA will be the most efficient and the most intelligent Mercedes we’ve ever made. It’s the one-liter car for the electric age – and at the same time will also be available as a highly efficient hybrid version. It is the first in a series of new models we’re adding to the Mercedes-Benz family,” said Ola Kaellenius, Chief Executive Officer, Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Continue reading

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Toyota Motor Starts Crown Estate Sales in Japan

Toyota Motor Corporation (NYSE: TM and 7203.T) said today that it is starting  sales of its all-new Crown Estate model in Japan. The Crown launched in 1955 with a history that has grown alongside the development of the post-war Japanese economy and Toyota. The new Crown has also advanced the “making ever-better cars” ideal through TNGA [Toyota New Global Architecture platform] and the in-house company system. In 2022, Toyota unveiled four models with different personalities, rather than just one sedan, to the world as the Crown series. The latest Crown would seem to be a natural addition to the U.S. model lineup, AutoInformed speculates. The powertrain  now includes hybrid (HEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models. Continue reading

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Toyota C-HR+, bZ4X and Lexus RZ European Debuts

Toyota Motor Corporation announced in Japan today that it will be expanding its battery electric vehicle (BEV) lineup in Europe as part of its multi-pathway approach toward achieving a carbon-neutral society. Continue reading

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Porsche Posts €5.6B Profit in 2024

“We have renewed five out of six model lines and extensively refreshed our product portfolio. This has laid the foundation for our success in the coming years, with the clear goal of exciting our customers with our iconic sports cars,” said CEO Dr Oliver Blume. “In view of the changed circumstances, we have adjusted our product strategy in all segments. And we further developed our proven and successful Porsche strategy over the course of last year to make the company even more flexible, robust and high-performing,” said Blume. Continue reading

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Electrify America Invests Millions in ZEV Workers

Electrify America announced today a $7.4+ million investment in organizations across the U.S. to support zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) access programs, education, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) workforce development. The funding builds on Electrify America’s previous investments in organizations to advance equitable access to electric vehicle (EV) transportation in low-income and disadvantaged communities and building a skilled EV workforce. Continue reading

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