Author: Derick Munoz

German automaker Volkswagen has announced significant progress in its research efforts at the US innovation center located in Tennessee. The company’s team of developers is focused on enhancing the range of electric vehicles through advancements in materials and the further exploration of inductive charging. The research projects, which are deemed highly relevant, are taking place at the Knoxville Innovation Hub, operated by Volkswagen Group of America. This facility, in collaboration with esteemed institutions such as the University of Tennessee and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory of the US Department of Energy, is set to open its doors in 2020. Knoxville…

VinFast, the automaker based in Vietnam, has announced its upcoming construction of an electric vehicle (EV) factory in the United States. The company plans to commence construction next week at its North Carolina plant and aims to produce 150,000 units per year during the initial phase. VinFast, a subsidiary of Vingroup JSC (VIC.HM), Vietnam’s largest conglomerate, revealed its intention to establish a $4 billion EV factory on a 1,800-acre plot of land in Chatham County back in March of last year. The target for the factory’s completion has been adjusted to 2025, one year later than the original plan. In…

General Motors’ CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario has faced an unexpected shutdown, leaving its workforce idle for the month. The closure is reportedly due to a shortage of batteries, according to the Unifor union representing the workers, as reported by The London Free Press via Electrek. The facility is responsible for producing the BrightDrop Zevo 600 and Zevo 400 electric delivery vans, which rely on General Motors’ Ultium battery. The high demand for the Ultium battery in other GM electric vehicles has led the automaker to temporarily close the CAMI Assembly plant. Despite strong sales of the BrightDrop vans,…

Rivian, the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, has achieved a significant victory as the Georgia Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal challenging the legitimacy of the expected property tax breaks for its forthcoming EV facility. The company unveiled plans for an expansive $5 billion, 2,000-acre plant in Georgia back in December 2021. With an anticipated maximum annual production capacity of 400,000 EVs, the Georgia facility will surpass Rivian’s existing plant in Normal, IL, which can manufacture up to 150,000 EVs per year. Rivian originally intended to commence construction last summer, aiming to begin production by 2024. Despite facing opposition, Rivian…

Tesla has filed a lawsuit against Australian company Cap-XX in a Texas federal court. The lawsuit alleges that Cap-XX’s supercapacitors, utilized for energy storage in electric-vehicle batteries, violate two U.S. patents owned by a Tesla subsidiary. This legal action comes as a response to a prior lawsuit initiated by Cap-XX against Tesla subsidiary Maxwell Technologies in 2019, accusing them of patent infringement. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who had previously committed in 2014 to refrain from “initiating patent lawsuits against anyone who, in good faith, wants to use our technology,” stated that this lawsuit is a necessary measure. Tesla argues that…

A recent study conducted by technology firm Recurrent has shed light on the impact of high temperatures on the range of electric vehicles (EVs). Contrary to the significant range loss experienced during winter due to cabin and battery heating, the study reveals that air conditioner usage and battery cooling have a relatively minor effect on EV range in the summer. To gather data for their research report, Recurrent collected information from nine different electric vehicle models, including popular ones like the Bolt EV, Ford F-150 Lighting, Mach-E, Hyundai Kona EV, Nissan Leaf, and the Tesla lineup. By analyzing the data,…

The United States has witnessed a remarkable surge in interest and demand for electric vehicles (EVs) in recent years. However, despite the growing enthusiasm, a surprising number of EVs are reportedly languishing unsold on dealership lots across the nation. According to a recent report from Cox Automotive, prominent automakers such as General Motors, Ford, Hyundai, and Toyota are currently grappling with an inventory of unsold EVs that exceeds 90 days’ worth of supply. In total, dealerships across the US are holding over 92,000 brand-new EVs, a staggering figure that is more than three times the number observed just a year…

Hyundai Motor Company, encompassing both the Hyundai and Genesis brands, has released its latest sales figures, showcasing a significant boost in global vehicle sales. In June alone, the company sold a total of 375,113 units, representing a substantial increase of 9.5 percent compared to the same period last year. Moreover, during the first half of 2023, Hyundai Motor sold an impressive 2,081,462 vehicles, marking a noteworthy year-over-year growth rate of 10.8 percent. Of particular interest is the remarkable surge in plug-in electric vehicle sales for the company. Hyundai Motor Company reports that the combined wholesale shipments of Hyundai and Genesis…

In a significant development, Tesla has introduced its latest V4 Supercharger station, equipped with a credit card reader, marking the first time the company has incorporated such a feature. This move could potentially pave the way for state subsidies and incentives for Tesla’s charging infrastructure. When Tesla initially launched its Supercharger network back in 2012, the service was entirely free for Tesla vehicle owners. However, the company later implemented charging fees exclusively for Tesla owners. At that time, Tesla managed all payment and charging session activations through an automatic handshake process between the vehicles and charging stations, facilitated by the…

In a recent address to top executives at Volkswagen, Thomas Schäfer, the CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, delivered a sobering message: “This is the final wake-up call.” Schäfer expressed concern over the company’s excessive spending and called for an immediate freeze on expenses to regain control. During an online management meeting, Schäfer emphasized the need to rein in costs, stating, “We have allowed costs to spiral out of control for far too long.” As part of a comprehensive cost-cutting plan, Schäfer intends to implement spending reductions for the remainder of the year. Last month, Volkswagen unveiled its ambitious “Accelerate Forward”…

Cruise, the autonomous driving subsidiary of General Motors, has reached a significant milestone by surpassing three million miles of driverless travel. The groundbreaking announcement was made through Cruise’s official social media accounts, highlighting the remarkable progress achieved by their Cruise AVs. This accomplishment comes just weeks after the service exceeded 1.5 million driverless miles in early May of this year, showcasing the exponential growth and rapid advancement of Cruise’s autonomous technology. The continuous expansion into new markets has played a pivotal role in Cruise’s steady growth. Following successful testing in San Francisco, California, the robotaxi service has recently launched in…

In a direct response to the recent price reduction of the VW ID.3 in China, MG Motor has taken swift action by lowering the price of its rival model, the MG Mulan. Chinese customers can now enjoy a substantial discount of 24,000 yuan, equivalent to approximately 3,000 euros, on the purchase of this compact electric car until the end of July. This significant price adjustment brings the starting price of the MG Mulan down to 115,800 yuan, roughly 14,500 euros. It positions the attractively priced MG Mulan approximately 10,000 yuan below the current reduced price of the VW ID.3, which…

Lucid experienced a substantial surge in vehicle production and deliveries during the second quarter of 2023, compared to the same period last year. However, when compared to the previous quarter, the company did not witness any growth. In Q2 2023, Lucid Air production reached an impressive 2,173 cars, representing a remarkable 204 percent increase from the previous year. Moreover, customer deliveries soared to 1,404 vehicles, marking a noteworthy 107 percent surge compared to the same period last year. Although these figures appear impressive at first glance, a closer examination reveals a concerning trend. Both production and deliveries in Q2 2023…

According to a recent report by market research firm TrendForce, solid-state batteries with highly active materials are projected to enter mass production between 2030 and 2035. These cutting-edge batteries are expected to revolutionize the electric vehicle (EV) industry, offering a remarkable increase in energy density and range compared to current lithium batteries. Currently, most new energy vehicles (NEVs) rely on liquid lithium batteries, categorized as nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) or lithium iron phosphate (LFP) based on their cathode materials. However, the energy densities of these batteries are approaching their limits, limiting the driving range of EVs. TrendForce’s report highlights that EVs equipped…

On Tuesday, the renowned German carmaker, Mercedes-Benz Group, announced a remarkable 6% year-on-year increase in sales during the second quarter. The company sold a total of 515,700 vehicles, buoyed by the rising demand for their all-electric and high-end models. Mercedes-Benz experienced sales growth across its major markets, including Europe, Asia, and North America. Notably, deliveries in Germany surged by an impressive 23%, while China witnessed a substantial increase of 12%, and the United States saw a modest growth of 6%. However, in other regions worldwide, second-quarter sales experienced a decline of 12%, resulting in 20,700 vehicles sold. The electric vehicle…

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, Xpeng, has initiated the delivery of its highly anticipated G6 SUV today, marking a significant milestone as the company endeavors to augment its production capabilities. Xpeng announced on Weibo that deliveries of the G6 have commenced in several cities, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, and Changzhou. The company also revealed its plans to expand deliveries to additional cities in the near future. The G6 was officially unveiled by Xpeng in China on June 29, and its success is pivotal for the automaker to revitalize lackluster sales. Available in five variants, the G6 comes with a range…

Nio’s ET5 sedan is set to make its first appearance in the United Kingdom as it participates in the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed later this month. The announcement was made by Afonso, an Evangelist at Nio, who shared the news on Twitter. According to Matt Galvin, the managing director of Nio UK, the UK debut of the ET5 at Goodwood holds significance for the brand’s story and growth. The Nio ET5 initially premiered at the Nio Day 2021 event on December 18, 2021, and deliveries began in China on September 30, 2022. Following its success, Nio launched the ET5…

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has made bold predictions about achieving fully autonomous driving in the past, but they have often fallen short of reality. Despite this track record, Musk remains determined to forecast when Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) software will live up to its name and operate without any human intervention. During his speech at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai on July 6, Musk expressed that Tesla’s FSD is nearing a stage where it can function without human supervision, possibly reaching Level 4 or even Level 5 autonomy before the year’s end. According to AFP, Musk…

Mercedes-Benz has made a groundbreaking announcement today, revealing its plans to incorporate the North American Charging Standard (NACS) into its electric vehicle lineup in North America starting from 2025. This move positions the company as the first German original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to commit to implementing the NACS charging inlet in its new electric vehicles. Earlier this year, reports suggested that Mercedes-Benz was considering a switch to the NACS, but it was not official at the time. Now, the company has confirmed its intention to adopt this charging standard, marking a significant milestone in the electric vehicle industry. Prior to…

In a groundbreaking achievement, the Tesla Model Y has emerged as a top-selling car in multiple countries, solidifying Tesla’s ambition to conquer the global automotive market. With its exceptional performance and widespread appeal, the Model Y has garnered unprecedented success, notably in Iceland, Australia, and China. Iceland, known for its preference for Toyota vehicles, witnessed a seismic shift in its car market as the Tesla Model Y shattered a 35-year-old record. Within the first six months of 2023, the Model Y secured the title of Iceland’s best-selling car, propelling Tesla to new heights of popularity. The locals, captivated by the…