Category Archives: electric vehicles

Carry Over Pricing Planned on the 2027 Subara Solterra

Posted on 19 June 2026 by Ken Zino

Subaru of America* (Subaru Corp. NASDAQ: FUJHF) this week said that pricing for the new 2027 Subaru Solterra EV starts at $38,495 MSRP,** the same as the outgoing model. The 2027 Subaru Solterra EV arrives at retailers nationwide this fall. However, a lot can happen given the whims, wars and tariffs of the Trump mis-administration. The 2027 Subaru Solterra EV is assembled in Gunma, Japan. We will see if the announced pricing and model lineup hold.

“The 2027 Subaru Solterra EV continues with the same lineup as the 2026 model year: Premium, Limited, Limited XT, and Touring XT. Subaru Solterra XT models (Limited XT and Touring XT) carry over their upgraded dual-motor setup, compared to the rest of the lineup, producing 338 horsepower and supplying a zero-to-60-mph elapsed time of less than 5 seconds. Solterra Premium and Limited models are powered by dual electric motors with an output of 233 horsepower,” Subaru said in a release. Continue reading →

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First Look – 2027 Porsche Taycan EV. Values Crisis?

Posted on 18 June 2026 by Ken Zino

Porsche (P911.DE) said yesterday that it is enhancing the driving experience of all Taycan models. Some of the changes arise from what AutoInformed thinks is an identity crisis caused by long-held Porsche technology and marketing values facing new-age electronics and … Continue reading →

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Electrify America Opens Another Hyper-Fast Charging Station

Posted on 17 June 2026 by Ken Zino

“This large-format station showcases the next evolution of charging infrastructure, combining high-power charging with integrated battery energy storage to deliver reliable capacity at scale,” said Rob Barrosa, Electrify America President and CEO. “By incorporating advanced storage technology, we’re able to bring Hyper-Fast charging to locations that have traditionally been difficult to serve, while making it easy for customers to integrate charging into their daily routines in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara.” Continue reading →

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Fires Park Outside! – Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid EVs

Posted on 15 June 2026 by Ken Zino

“Owners are advised not to charge their vehicles, and to park outside and away from structures, until their vehicle is repaired. Dealers will update the high voltage battery pack control module software. In addition, dealers will inspect and replace the battery pack assembly, as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge,” Chrysler said in the mandatory safety defect filing made public this morning by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this morning. Continue reading →

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Magna CEO Swamy Kotagiri Speaking on Decisions That Will Shape the Next Decade of Automotive Manufacturing

Posted on 9 June 2026 by Ken Zino

“There is no single future. We are no longer moving towards one predictable outcome. We are navigating in multiple plausible futures or paths at a time, and you see that in the different adoption curves. Across regions, you see different investment logic across companies and obviously different policy priorities by margin. Electrification is a good example. The direction is clear for the long term. But the pace and the path are not uniform, and that creates fragmentation. Product mix evolves differently by region. We are seeing that investment timing varies. Industrial policies influence footprint decisions in real time.

“Historically, success came from getting the forecast right. Today’s success comes from staying effective when the forecast is wrong. So the shift is pretty fundamental from optimizing for one expected future to building systems that can perform across several realities. So that’s a different capability and increasingly a competitive one,” said Magna CEO Swamy Kotagiri. Continue reading →

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Nissan to Build Chinese Chery Vehicles in UK?

Posted on 3 June 2026 by Ken Zino

Nissan (7201T and NSANY ADR) and Chery International UK (9973.HK) said today they have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the study of contract manufacturing for Nissan to manufacture Chery International UK passenger vehicles at its Sunderland Plant. … Continue reading →

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Goodyear to Make Tires for Pegasus Lunar Terrain Vehicle

Posted on 3 June 2026 by Ken Zino

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NASDAQ: GT) said today that it is returning to the Moon.* As part of NASA’s Artemis program, Goodyear will supply advanced lunar tires for Lunar Outpost’s Pegasus Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), projected to support astronaut … Continue reading →

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Honda Hybrid-Electric Vehicles Set U.S. May Sales Record

Posted on 2 June 2026 by Ken Zino

American Honda Motor Company (NYSE: HMC) said today that it posted a May 2026 sales increase of 9.9% at 148,903 units, with year-to-date sales reaching 623,139. Honda hybrid-electric vehicles set a new monthly sales record of 42,583 units, led by the CR-V hybrid setting a new May sales record, accounting for 54% of model sales in May, with Accord at 50% hybrid mix and Civic sales at 31% hybrid.

“A strong lineup of affordable and fuel-efficient vehicles powered American Honda to strong May sales results,” AHM said. Continue reading →

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California Air Resources Board Tweaks Cap-and-Invest

Posted on 1 June 2026 by Ken Zino

“At a moment when climate policy is under attack and global economic upheaval is creating real uncertainty, this rule-making is critically important for California,” said CARB Chair Lauren Sanchez. “California has both an opportunity and a responsibility to lead with consistency. By moving forward today, we are responding to real affordability concerns while sending a clear and unwavering signal to the world that we remain committed to long-term investment in clean energy, good jobs, and healthier communities.” Continue reading →

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GM’s Ten Grooviest EV Charging Destinations?

Posted on 28 May 2026 by Ken Zino

The folks at General Motors (NYSE: GM) are celebrating President Eisenhower’s Interstate Highway System and the road trips that resulted as an central U.S. pastime. This, it’s thought, continues with the rise of electric vehicles.* [However since we are celebrating the 1950s, it’s curious that Hillside Memorial Park and Forest Lawn Memorial Park, which have Dinah Shore memorials, are not on the list. Nor is the highway between Rancho Mirage and Cathedral City – Dinah Shore Drive – recommended. You can see the USA in the 2027 Chevy Bolt when it returns.  – AutoCrat.]

“The country’s expanding public DC fast charging infrastructure has opened new possibilities for the EV road trip. GM EV drivers have access to more than 250,000 public chargers across North America. GM’s investments in Pilot Flying J, EVgo, ChargePoint and IONNA have increased public charging to more than 4533 stalls at 844 sites in key metropolitan areas and along major highway travel corridors across the U.S.,” GM said today in a release. Continue reading →

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Annals of Marketing – BMW LEGO M3 E30

Posted on 22 May 2026 by Ken Zino

“The BMW M3 E30 is now available as a LEGO® Speed Champions set. The exclusive kit featuring a special-edition livery design is a unique heritage item for fans of all ages,” BMW said.

“The distinctive livery pays tribute to the car’s legendary heritage and draws inspiration from the BMW M Motorsport division. Besides the visually captivating forms and colors of the livery, it is unique in that it is applied not only to the scaled-down replica LEGO® Speed Champions BMW M3 E30 version, but also to the actual BMW M3 E30,” BMW said. Continue reading →

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Chinese Dongfeng Voyah Vehicles Coming to EU Via Stellantis

Posted on 20 May 2026 by Ken Zino

Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) and the Dongfeng Group today announced their intention to form a European joint venture for shared sales, distribution, manufacturing, purchasing, and engineering activities. The joint venture would take responsibility for the sales and distribution of Dongfeng’s Voyah-branded vehicles in designated markets in Europe. This would circumvent EU tariff’s on Chinese-made vehicles. [Stellantis and Dongfeng Group recently announced the production of all-new Peugeot and Jeep models in China for the domestic market and export – AutoCrat]*

“The plans we are announcing today take our recently strengthened cooperation with Dongfeng to an all-new dimension of an international partnership to the benefit of customers around the world,” said Antonio Filosa, Stellantis CEO. “With this new chapter in our collaboration, we will give our customers an even greater choice of competitive products and pricing, leveraging the best of Stellantis’ global footprint alongside Dongfeng’s access to China’s advanced new energy vehicles ecosystem.” Continue reading →

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Coming Soon Chinese-Built Jeeps?

Posted on 15 May 2026 by Ken Zino

“Dongfeng Motor has always taken the transformation and revitalization of Dongfeng Peugeot Citroën Automobile Co., Ltd. (DPCA) as a key strategic priority, fully supporting and advancing its sustainable development. Through the signing of this strategic cooperation, by integrating Hubei’s industrial strengths, Stellantis’ global layout advantages and Dongfeng’s intelligent electric vehicle technologies, a new path featuring complementary strengths and win-win outcomes for all parties has been forged. This will undoubtedly inject strong momentum into DPCA’s transformation,” said Qing Yang, Dongfeng Group Chairman. Continue reading →

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BMW N.A. Starts Preferred Pricing at IONNA Charging Sites

Posted on 14 May 2026 by Ken Zino

“BMW firmly believes in an electric future, and it’s no secret that reliable high-speed charging infrastructure remains essential to the continued growth of the electric vehicle market,” said Shaun Bugbee, Executive Vice President, BMW of North America. “We currently offer one of the broadest portfolios of premium electric vehicles in the U.S., with the next-generation BMW iX3 arriving in the U.S. later this year. As our electric vehicle offerings continue to expand, initiatives like this help ensure our customers enjoy a seamless ownership experience wherever they travel.” Continue reading →

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First Glance – Acura Hybrid SUV

Posted on 14 May 2026 by Ken Zino

“Honda will reallocate more development and production resources into hybrid models to accelerate the market launch ahead of the original schedule and increase the number of compelling products,” said Toshihiro Mibe, global CEO of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. “We have made steady progress in the development of hybrid vehicle technologies, where Honda has strengths, based on our belief that hybrid models will continue to be the key to addressing environmental challenges.” [Today Honda posted its first Japanese full-year loss in history taking ~$9 billion in costs ‌to restructure its electric-vehicle business. Honda also dumped its longer-term EV sales forecast.-AutoCrat] Continue reading →

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