Tesla continues the ramp-up of its lithium-ion battery cell production at the Giga Texas factory, reaching another significant milestone. During the last week, the plant produced enough 4680-type cylindrical battery cells for over 1,000 Tesla Cybertruck pickups according to the recent info: "Produced over 1k Cybertrucks’ worth of 4680 cells at Giga Texas last…

Shell plans to eliminate some of its current gas stations while putting further emphasis on EV charging. "We are upgrading our retail network, with expanded electric vehicle charging and convenience offers, in response to changing customer needs," Shell said in its 2024 Energy Transition Strategy report (via Yahoo! Finance). That includes plans to "divest around…

Volkswagen ID. Buzz GTX is the name of the German company’s new performance-oriented electric minivan. Hot on the heels of the recently announced ID.3 GTX and ID.7 GTX, the souped-up battery-powered people carrier comes with all-wheel drive for the first time, courtesy of a dual-motor system, charging speeds of up to 200 kilowatts, and a…

Touchscreen lovers and touchscreen haters rejoice: We don’t have to be at each other’s throats anymore. The soon-to-go-on-sale, Chinese-market Xiaomi SU7 can go both ways. If you’re unsatisfied with a purely touch-only interface, Xiaomi will happily sell you a user-installed row of hard keys and switches for the SU7. …

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has finalized its new emissions rules. While they promote a move to an American car market more dominated by electric vehicles, that will now happen with a little more breathing room for car companies. The move from the EPA marks the final version of emissions rules for light- and…

The Tesla Cybertruck’s retractable tonneau cover is there for a reason. Well, multiple reasons, actually. Tesla says it helps keep valuable items safe, while owners might say that its sole purpose in life is to obscure the rear visibility when it’s closed (there’s a camera that shows what’s going on behind the vehicle, though.) …

It's good news that Subaru and Japanese electronics giant Panasonic are finally moving forward on their long-awaited lithium-ion battery partnership. Plenty of Subaru loyalists who were drawn to the brand's earthy image, but disappointed in its lack of modern EV offerings, will likely be thrilled to hear that it's doing more than "nothing" to prepare…

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) unveiled a revised rule that would effectively give automakers more flexibility with pending EPA rules for model years 2027 to 2032—and more time to ramp up EV sales compared to an earlier proposal. The final rule for Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculation was released late Tuesday. While the emissions standards…

Mercedes-Benz is expanding its SUV line-up here in the U.S. The GLC, the best-selling car in the U.S. with a three-pointed badge will now get a plug-in hybrid edition. Say hello to the 2025 GLC 350e. The most interesting aspect of this new variant is its drivetrain. In addition to its 2-liter four-cylinder gas…

One of the most important vehicles in the Lexus lineup, the RX, finally plugs in. The 2024 Lexus RX 450h+ plug-in hybrid arrives on the scene with 37 miles of electric range from the Toyota RAV4 Prime’s powertrain, in a more eye-catching and softer-to-the-touch package.  As I found in a recent…