Reducing the size of EV batteries and generally lowering levels of car ownership and use could have a significant environmental impact, according to a new study. The study, commissioned by the Climate and Community Project, a climate policy think tank, used UC Davis research (first spotted by Green Car Congress). It found that limiting the size of... Study: Smaller EV batteries would lessen lithium-mining mess
Reducing the size of EV batteries and generally lowering levels of car ownership and use could have a significant environmental impact, according to a new study. The study, commissioned by the Climate and Community Project, a climate policy think tank, used UC Davis research (first spotted by Green Car Congress). It found that limiting the size of... 
Audi is considering an electric off-road electric SUV that would use the platform from parent Volkswagen Group's planned Scout EV brand, according to an Autocar report. VW announced the Scout brand in 2022, using a name that originated on the classic International Scout SUV, with plans for a North American-market electric pickup truck and SUV and... 
California EV sales increased again in 2022, with Tesla once again taking the lead. But could other automakers' expanded EV sales threaten Tesla's top-dog status? Firstly, 2022 was another good year for zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) sales in California. This week, the California Energy Commission (CEC) reported 345,818 new light-duty ZEV sales for... 
Senator Joe Manchin this week introduced a bill seeking to delay federal EV tax credits, claiming the Treasury Department isn't adhering to recently enacted rules. The federal tax credit of up to $7,500 for qualifying vehicles was re-upped under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) passed last year, but with added requirements including one that EVs... 
In what would be a major strategy shift, Toyota is considering a dedicated EV platform similar to what other automakers have to compete more effectively with Tesla, The Asahi Shimbun reported this week. However, Toyota doesn't plan to deploy this platform until 2027 or 2028, when it believes consumer demand for EVs will be sufficient to warrant... 
In a potentially significant shift for the Detroit automaker, General Motors is considering cylindrical battery cells for future EVs, according to TheElec, a battery-focused South Korean trade publication. GM has favored pouch cells supplied by South Korean supplier LG Energy Solution, but could switch to the 4680-format cylindrical cells used by... 
Tesla has confirmed a $3.6 billion expansion of its Nevada battery "Gigafactory" that the company claims will supply over one million EVs annually. The investment will add 3,000 new jobs and two new factories at the Sparks, Nevada, site, Tesla said in what reads as a press release—with a few more details confirmed as part of Tesla's... 
Uber is working with unnamed automakers to design EVs customized for its ride-hailing and delivery services, according to The Wall Street Journal. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi confirmed the project last week at an event hosted by the paper, but declined to say which automakers the company was working with. Ride-hailing could have seats that allow... 
Ford has filed a patent application for a new type of EV charging connector based on a magnetic coupling. In the application, which was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) November 1, 2022, Ford describes using magnetic attraction to secure a charging connector with a charge port embedded in a vehicle's bumper. It... 
Increased use of renewable energy will help reduce electricity generation from coal and natural gas power plants, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) in turn making EVs cleaner. The EIA forecasts that wind and solar will together account for 16% of total electricity generation in 2023, up from 14% in 2022 and 8% in 2018... 