Interest in electric vehicles grew substantially in 2024. According to a survey from CDK Global, 31% of gas-car shoppers plan to buy an EV. That’s up from 18% in 2023. There are still big misconceptions about the cost of EV ownership across car buyers, though. The percentage of car shoppers who plan to buy an electric car someday shot up in 2024. But you wouldn’t know that based on the breathless coverage of EV demand “stalling.” CDK Global, a company that provides software to car dealerships, surveyed car buyers and found that the percentage of gas-car shoppers planning to buy an EV in the future jumped from 18% in 2023 to 31% in 2024. For those considering hybrids, EV interest was even higher, which makes sense. CDK says that in
Tag Archives: ElectricVehicles
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Feb
Feb
Volvo is looking for a U.S.-based battery supplier for the EX90 electric SUV. The EX90 is built in South Carolina but its batteries come from China’s CATL. Because of the increased import tariffs on Chinese batteries, Volvo was forced to increase the EX90’s price. Volvo was forced to hike the starting price of its flagship electric SUV, the EX90, even before it hit the showroom floor. Because of the increased tariffs on Chinese-made batteries, the Volvo EX90 now starts at $81,290 including shipping, $3,300 more than originally intended. Despite the EX90 being built in South Carolina, its high-voltage battery pack is made in China by Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. (CATL). That might not be the case for long, though, as Volvo is looking for an American battery supplier that would
07
Feb
Feb
President Donald Trump’s Department of Transportation just dealt a blow to a key federal program that funds the rollout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the U.S. In a letter to state transportation departments titled “Suspending Approval of State Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plans,” the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) notified states that their plans to deploy charging infrastructure under the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program were no longer approved. Under the NEVI program, states need to submit plans to the FHWA ahead of each fiscal year, outlining how they plan to use the funds. During the Biden administration, the FHWA approved the first four (out of five) years of state plans, for fiscal years 2022 through 2025. Although that funding was essentially unlocked by states, not all
06
Feb
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Extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) are a step between hybrids and EVs, with internal combustion motors that act as generators on longer trips. The technology may help Ford get around an “unsolveable” economics problem with large EV trucks: Consumers won’t pay for the super-sized batteries they require. Ram, Scout and General Motors are also betting on EREVs. Extended-range electric vehicles will be essential to the American market, Ford CEO Jim Farley said on the company’s earnings call Wednesday. The reason is simple: “Americans love their big cars. They love their big trucks,” he said. An extended-range EV, or EREV, is a technology that bridges the gap between a conventional hybrid and an electric vehicle. These cars operate as purely electric vehicles, with all of the vehicle’s propulsion coming from electric motors.
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Feb
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China and the rest of the world remain thirsty for oil. That means the commodity’s central and volatile role in geopolitics continues, with decades-old realities driving economics, trade, alliances and conflicts for the countries dependent on fossil fuels. Yet, change lies ahead. Last month’s short-lived rally underscores oil’s mercurial clout. Brent crude hit a four-month high of US$82 a barrel after the United States expanded sanctions on Russia and Iran. Oil-supply news shocks continue to have an immediate and enormous impact on the global economy; other policy shifts such as tariff increases matter too. Meanwhile, after years of production cuts, Opec+ members refuse to ramp up supplies before April, if even then. US President Donald Trump wants America to “drill, baby, drill” , thereby forcing prices down to the detriment
05
Feb
Feb
Rivian will allow owners to set their car’s wheel size in the software without going to a service center. Software version 2025.06 includes this change and will be released “soon.” Rivian’s electric trucks and SUVs are known for their impressive off-roading abilities. The R1S and R1T are marketed as adventure vehicles, and if you know the world of overlanding and off-roading, you know that people like to put bigger wheels on their cars to better cope with big obstacles. The problem is that Rivian owners have to schedule a service visit to have their cars’ brains updated so they know what wheels they’re running. The cars still run fine without having their software updated, but the range estimates will be off. That’s a big pain, especially if the closest service
05
Feb
Feb
Automaker-backed charging firm Ionna has opened its first “Rechargery” to the public in North Carolina. It’s got 100 more sites contracted, with some opening this week. Ionna says it’ll bring Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” technology to on-site convenience stores, allowing you to grab what you want and leave without needing to check out. As a huge group of automakers prepares to take on electric vehicle charging headaches by teaming up, they’ll also allow you to grab some snacks while your car is recharging and then Just Walk Out. The new Ionna Rechargeries will implement the AI-powered Amazon solution for automatic, cashier-less payments at some stations, the company announced Tuesday. The new tech rollout comes as Ionna begins the next phase of its nationwide charging network rollout. The company is aiming to
31
Jan
Jan
Forget the EV tax credit. Rivian founder and CEO R.J. Scaringe is far more concerned about another threat from President Donald Trump: tariffs. “It has, in some ways, bigger implications, far bigger, than what happens with the IRA tax credits,” Scaringe told reporters last week, referring to the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which contains pro-EV policies that Trump has attacked time and time again. “There’s not a car company in the world that’s not thinking about moving supply chains around right now,” Scaringe said. More From Our Chat With Rivian’s CEO Trump plans to slap 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada on February 1, in an attempt to pressure those governments into preventing the flow of drugs and undocumented immigrants into the U.S. But it’s American consumers and
29
Jan
Jan
The road ahead for Tesla is a bit rocky. With a CEO facing scrutiny over his vocal far-right politics and the electric vehicle brand suffering because of it, Tesla needs a win. Investors are pointing towards a more affordable model being the answer and are expected to grill the automaker over the so-called “Model Q” during its earnings call on Wednesday. Here’s what we expect. Welcome back to Critical Materials , your daily roundup for all things electric and automotive tech. Today, we’re chatting about Tesla’s investors looking for answers on its supposed cheap car, European EV buyers surveyed say they’d rather buy a Chinese EV than give Elon Musk their money, and OEMs file suit against Europe over tariffs. Let’s jump in 30%: Tesla’s Shareholders Expected To Want Answers About
22
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Jan
Tesla fell behind Toyota and Mercedes-Benz in “brand value,” a metric calculated by research and consulting firm Brand Finance. This metric appears to consider more of Tesla’s real-world performance and less of what the automaker has promised for the future. Its recommendation and consideration scores also fell sharply due to a lack of new models and CEO Elon Musk’s culture wars. Tesla’s trillion-dollar stock market valuation may feel like a badge of honor for fans and investors. Still, that figure is more a reflection of its artificial intelligence and robotics ambitions. A different metric tells a far less glamorous story. The automaker’s brand value has nosedived for consecutive years, falling to $43 billion at the start of this year compared to $58.3 billion a year ago, CNBC reported, citing data from
21
Jan
Jan
Electric vehicle registrations were down last year in Europe. Tesla, the largest solo player in the EV game, took a hard hit. The American automaker’s registration numbers fell by over 10%. There’s no getting around the fact that electric vehicle registrations went down last year in Europe. Depending on how many countries you take into consideration, EV registrations dipped between 1.3% and 5.9% in 2024 compared to 2023. That’s a stark difference to the United States and China, where EV sales were on the rise last year, so what’s going on in Europe? Let’s look at the numbers and try to figure out what happened. According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), customers in the European Union registered 1,447,934 EVs last year, down 5.9% compared to 2023’s 1,538,106 cars.
21
Jan
Jan
The redesigned Tesla Model Y crossover that dropped earlier this month has got some heavy lifting to do. While Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been extremely online when he’s not wheeling and dealing at Mar-a-Lago with President Donald Trump, his automaker’s core business has faltered. After years of epic growth, Tesla’s global deliveries slipped in 2024 thanks to fiercer competition in the EV space and a lineup that hasn’t quite kept up with the times. Photo by: Tesla Tesla Model Y (2025) Enter the new Model Y. After five years on the market, Tesla’s most popular EV just got its first, long-awaited update. Industry experts tell InsideEVs the new model is a much-needed addition that could help reignite sales. But Tesla is also facing stiffer competition than ever—particularly in China—and
20
Jan
Jan
Stellantis is reportedly canceling the long-range Ram 1500 REV electric pickup. With a 229 kWh battery, it had an estimated range of 500 miles. The standard-range model is still in the cards for 2026. The long-range version of the Ram 1500 REV electric pickup has been reportedly canceled. With a massive, 229-kilowatt-hour battery pack, the top Ram 1500 REV version had a target driving range of 500 miles–potentially making it the longest-range electric pickup in the world. However, that version has been canceled, according to a leaked email seen by MoparInsiders , leaving just the standard-range version of the Ram 1500 REV on the cards. As per the email, Stellantis has asked its suppliers “to immediately cease all activities related to this project and suspend all incremental spending.” The standard
14
Jan
Jan
The updated Tesla Model Y is going into production today in Germany. The report comes from the German newspaper Handelsblatt. American customers will have to wait a little longer to get their hands on the facelifted crossover. The updated Tesla Model Y is reportedly going into production today at the company’s European factory in Germany. According to the German newspaper Handelsblatt , employees at Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin facility were informed of the product launch yesterday, with assembly set to begin today, January 14. Tesla’s sole manufacturing facility in Europe only assembles the Model Y, which was once again the best-selling electric vehicle in the world last year. However, Tesla’s grip on the car world slipped slightly in 2024 when it saw global delivery numbers fall for the first time, despite
13
Jan
Jan
Upstate New York winters are no joke. Up where I live, we started getting bombed with January- and February-style cold weather as early as Thanksgiving, sending the high temperatures down into the low 30s most days if we were lucky. There are lots of ways to deal with this. One method I highly recommend is to invest in some high-quality wool socks; an even better idea is to get a plane ticket to somewhere warmer. But if you’re an electric vehicle owner and you need to leave your car alone for a few weeks at a time, and you know it’s going to be parked somewhere very cold, what sort of range can you expect when you return? We know that cold temperatures in particular are the enemy of lithium-ion
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