Author: Jacob Sullivan

Rivian has pledged financial support to a citizen-led initiative aimed at opening Washington State to direct-to-consumer electric vehicle sales, stepping into state-level politics as it seeks to challenge long-standing dealer franchise laws. The proposed ballot initiative would reverse a Washington statute that bars most automakers from selling vehicles directly to consumers. Under the current framework, Tesla is the only manufacturer granted an exemption, leaving Rivian, Lucid and other EV brands reliant on third-party dealerships or out-of-state sales. See also: Rivian Struggles to Fully Fix Battery Calibration Issue in Some R1 Vehicles According to the Washington Coalition for Consumer Choice and…

Rivian is still working to fully resolve a battery calibration issue affecting some second-generation R1 vehicles, months after the problem was first acknowledged, as inaccurate range estimates continue to frustrate owners despite multiple software updates. The issue emerged in November, when several Rivian drivers reported their vehicles shutting down unexpectedly even though the dashboard indicated a relatively healthy state of charge. In some cases, vehicles dropped from more than 20% charge to zero with little warning, leaving drivers stranded. Rivian later said the problem was not related to battery chemistry or degradation, but to a software calibration issue affecting how…

Ford has filed a patent describing systems and methods designed to optimize vehicle movement and charging for electric vehicles, according to information reviewed by Ford Authority. The filing outlines a software-based approach that could integrate trip planning, user preferences, and charging availability into future Ford EVs. The patent application was filed on July 11, 2024, published on January 15, 2026, and assigned serial number 0016307. It follows a series of recent Ford patent filings focused on improving the electric vehicle ownership experience, including concepts for optimizing charging stops and providing route guidance that highlights destinations and points of interest. See…

BC Hydro has expanded its public electric vehicle charging network to more than 800 charging points across British Columbia and commissioned its first 400-kilowatt fast chargers, marking the highest charging capacity currently available on the utility’s system. The new charging hub is located at the British Columbia Institute of Technology campus in Burnaby and features two 400 kW chargers capable of adding up to 100 kilometres of driving range in about three minutes for an average electric vehicle, according to BC Hydro. The chargers support power sharing, allowing two vehicles to charge simultaneously at up to 200 kW each. See…

Senior officials in the Trump administration on Friday criticised Canada’s decision to allow a limited number of Chinese electric vehicles into its market, warning that the move risks increasing Beijing’s influence in North America and will not alter U.S. restrictions on Chinese-made cars. Speaking at a Ford Motor manufacturing plant in Ohio, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Ottawa would regret the decision. “I think they’ll look back at this decision and surely regret it to bring Chinese cars into their market,” Duffy said. See also: Canada to Allow Limited Imports of Chinese EVs at Reduced Tariffs Under Deal With…

Mitsubishi Motors will begin sales of an updated version of its Outlander Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) in Canada in March, adding a larger battery, longer electric-only range and upgraded standard equipment to its best-selling model in the country. Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada (MMSCAN) said the revised Outlander PHEV features a 22.7 kilowatt-hour drive battery, an increase of about 13% from the previous version. The upgrade extends the model’s electric-only driving range to 72 kilometres, an 18% improvement, based on official ratings from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). See also: Everything You Should Know About Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross EV Specifications…

Norwegian technology company ENRX has begun construction of an inductive charging section on a new highway in Florida, marking a step forward for wireless charging of electric vehicles under real-world conditions, though commercial deployment remains years away. The project, developed with the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX), involves embedding inductive charging coils into a 1.2-kilometre stretch of the future State Road 516 Lake/Orange Expressway near Orlando. The section was originally planned to span one mile but was later reduced to about 0.75 miles, CFX said. The toll road is expected to open in 2029 and will serve as a living…

Lucid Group said its upcoming Gravity electric SUV will be the first production electric vehicle to integrate Trimble’s sensor fusion-based positioning technology as standard, a move intended to improve location accuracy in environments where satellite navigation typically degrades. The system combines Trimble RTX correction services with the company’s ProPoint Go positioning engine, fusing satellite signals with data from six-axis inertial sensors. Lucid said the approach allows the vehicle to maintain continuous positioning with centimeter-level accuracy, even in tunnels, parking garages and “urban canyons” where conventional GPS-based navigation can lose precision. See also: Lucid Faces Questions in 2025 Over Gravity Hands-Free…

bp pulse has partnered with Columbia Threadneedle Real Estate Investments to roll out rapid and ultra-fast electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across 14 retail parks in the United Kingdom, the companies said, as charging providers increasingly focus on destinations embedded in daily consumer routines. The first site under the agreement has gone live at Lyons Farm retail park in Worthing, with further installations planned in the coming months at locations including Castle Marina Retail Park in Nottingham, Fountains Retail Park in Tunbridge Wells and Jubilee Retail Park in Weymouth. See also: bp pulse Opens New EV Charging Hub Near Chicago…

Hyundai Motor North America said it closed 2025 with its fifth consecutive year of record retail sales in the United States, supported by growth in electric and hybrid vehicles despite a late-year slowdown tied to changes in federal incentives. Retail sales reached 772,712 vehicles in 2025, while total U.S. sales rose to 901,686 units, the company said. Hyundai credited the performance to demand across its electrified lineup and core sport utility vehicle range. “Our diverse lineup, spanning advanced electrified vehicles and award-winning SUVs, continues to resonate strongly with U.S. customers,” said Randy Parker, chief executive of Hyundai Motor North America.…

General Motors reported a sharp decline in U.S. electric vehicle sales in the final quarter of 2025 after the federal $7,500 EV tax credit expired at the end of September, even as full-year deliveries rose strongly on the back of an expanding model lineup. The Detroit-based automaker sold 25,219 electric vehicles in the fourth quarter, down 43% from nearly 44,000 units a year earlier, the company said. GM attributed the drop to customers bringing forward purchases ahead of the tax credit’s expiration, which boosted sales earlier in the year at the expense of the final months. See also: Ford U.S.…

Toyota Motor North America said full-year U.S. sales reached 2,518,071 vehicles in 2025, up 8.0% from a year earlier. Sales of electrified vehicles—including hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-electric models—totaled 1,183,248 units, an increase of 17.6%, representing 47.0% of total sales volume. Fourth-quarter sales rose 8.1% year on year to 652,195 vehicles. Electrified vehicle sales in the quarter totaled 290,840 units, down 1.9% from a year earlier, reflecting a moderation in demand late in the year, though they still made up 44.6% of quarterly sales. December sales also showed solid overall growth. Toyota Motor North America delivered 231,513 vehicles during the…