Author: Stephen Edelstein

EV battery costs dropped 90% in last 15 years

Mercedes-Benz Alabama battery factoryThe average price of a lithium-ion battery pack for a light-duty EV has decreased 90% over the past 15 years, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates. In 2023, the DOE estimates pack prices averaged $139/kwh on a usable-energy basis for production at scale, meaning at least 100,000 units per year. That's still not quite at the magical...

2025 Nissan Leaf is now cheaper than Versa economy car

2025 Nissan LeafThanks to incentives, the 2025 Nissan Leaf is now the automaker's cheapest model regardless of powertrain type, reports CarsDirect, undercutting the gasoline Versa economy car. The base 2025 Nissan Leaf S starts at $29,280 with destination, but through September 3 it's eligible for $7,500 in NMAC Special APR cash, which is essentially a rebate...

2025 Volvo EX90 price hiked $3,300, still missing features

2025 Volvo EX90The 2025 Volvo EX90 now costs $81,290 The updated pricing includes a $3,300 price increase due to material costs The 2025 Volvo EX90 is in production in South Carolina The 2025 Volvo EX90 has gotten $3,300 more expensive ahead of the planned start of U.S. deliveries later this year, reported Automotive News. Volvo's website now lists the base...

VW ID.Buzz conversion vans brings good vibes into electric era

Volkswagen ID.Buzz.Box by Peace VansA camper conversion of the VW ID.Buzz is in the works Deliveries of the VW ID.Buzz conversion van will begin in November The camper conversion is being done by a third-party independent of VW A Seattle-based company is offering Volkswagen ID.Buzz camper van conversions that channel the grooviness of VW Microbus hippie-mobiles. Peace Vans, which...

Tesla Electric partners with SunRun to bolster Texas grid

Sunrun battery and solarTesla customers will soon use home energy-storage systems to support the Texas power grid. A partnership between Tesla Electric, a retail electricity provider operated by the automaker's Tesla Energy, and solar company SunRun announced Tuesday is enrolling customers a program that will use Tesla Powerwall battery packs to supplement the grid...

Lucid CEO: Will take years for competition to catch up

2024 Lucid Air PureThe 2025 Lucid Air Pure is the most efficient vehicle sold in the U.S. Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson said competitors are years behind Rawlinson believes efficiency is the key to EVs Lucid Group CEO Peter Rawlinson is confident that the automaker has built up a substantial advantage in EV efficiency. The 2025 Lucid Air Pure achieves 146 MPGe in EPA...