Stellantis on Tuesday announced a $155 million investment in three Kokomo, Indiana, plants to produce drive modules for future electric vehicles beginning in 2024. Consisting of an electric motor, power electronics, and transmission assembled as one unit, these modules will be used in vehicles based on the STLA Frame and STLA Large platforms... Indiana-made drive modules may muscle EVs from Ram, Jeep, Dodge
Stellantis on Tuesday announced a $155 million investment in three Kokomo, Indiana, plants to produce drive modules for future electric vehicles beginning in 2024. Consisting of an electric motor, power electronics, and transmission assembled as one unit, these modules will be used in vehicles based on the STLA Frame and STLA Large platforms... 
Vinfast on Monday confirmed plans to begin U.S. deliveries March 1, as a report indicated the automaker is planning to lower lease prices. Vinfast had reported the first batch of 999 U.S.-bound VF 8 electric SUVs shipped out in late November, following the delivery of 100 vehicles to customers in its home country of Vietnam in September. The... 
In cold weather, energy needed to heat vehicle interiors can negatively impact EV range. Ford claims its engineers have found a solution—for delivery vehicles, at least. As part of a research project with the European Commission, Ford engineers fitted an E-Transit deliver van with heated armrests, floor mats, door panels, and sun visors, as... 
Nissan Ariya electric SUVs are making part of their journey to dealerships on electric semi trucks. The automaker said in a press release said it will use up to four battery-electric Class 8 semis to haul vehicles from the Port of Los Angeles to dealerships. Tractors are being provided by Nikola and Kenworth. They haul traditional car carriers and... 
Automakers are trying out subscription models for EVs as an alternative to traditional buying or leasing, but a new Deloitte report argues they may also play a somewhat surprising role in gasoline-car sales. With expected growth in EV adoption, concerns over the resale value of internal-combustion cars may drive subscription models, according to... 
Despite more stringent standards, a number of electric cars and plug-in hybrids were recognized with Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick awards for 2023. The IIHS strengthened requirements in a number of areas in 2023, and as a result only 48 models received awards, compared to 65 for 2022 (including eight EVs). Of that... 
A recent patent filing indicates Rivian is looking to alternative cooling methods as a way to speed up EV fast charging. A patent application published Feb. 14 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) notes that thermal management during charging can take up quite a lot of power. As a solution, it proposes shifting some of the load... 
As automakers look to boost EV efficiency, Volkswagen believes bringing development of more components in-house will lead to big gains. VW announced this strategy shift at its Tech Day 2023 event, claiming efficiency improvements of up to 20% by developing its own optimized components. "The Volkswagen Group and its brands stand for first-class... 
Toyota could start building electric cars in Kentucky as soon as 2025 by updating an existing factory, Nikkei reported Tuesday. The move could allow Toyota vehicles to qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit under new rules, instituted under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), requiring North American assembly of vehicles and battery packs... 
EVs are by nature far quieter, so more thought needs to go into the sounds they make when doing routine things. Rivian saw this as an opportunity to reinforce the outdoorsy branding of its R1T electric pickup truck and R1S electric SUV, choosing sounds inspired by nature. Even without an internal-combustion engine, cars make lots of sounds. From... 