Toyota is partnering with Japanese oil company Idemitsu Kosan to move solid-state EV battery tech closer to production. The partnership will progress through three phases, the two companies said in a joint announcement Thursday. The first phase will focus on development of sulfide solid electrolytes (the solid electrolyte is where solid-state batteries get their name),…

I’m a big fan of the Kia EV6, particularly in GT form. But one frequent complaint about that trim level is that while its 576 horsepower rating and zero to 60 mph time of 3.4 seconds are commendable, the range is less than stellar at 206 miles. (Other EV6 trims do much better, thankfully.) Fortunately, Kia…

Kia on Thursday confirmed final EPA range estimates for its 2024 EV9 electric SUV—and they’re better than originally targeted.  The 2024 Kia EV9 will return up to 304 miles of EPA range with its 99.8-kwh battery pack, Kia revealed, in the EV9 Light Long Range. And the base EV9 Light, with its 76.1-kwh battery, will…

Besides helping bring electric vehicles into the mainstream, Tesla has influenced the auto industry in many ways, especially when it comes to car manufacturing. Among the many processes the EV maker has developed to cut production costs and speed up manufacturing, giga casting is probably the first one that comes to mind. Anyone…

Aptera this week gave an update on its solar-assisted EV, but still hasn't provided a firm timeline for production. The Aptera 3-wheeler uses integrated solar panels to boost range up to 1,000 miles in some versions, with enough power to outrun some sports cars, Aptera has claimed. It can also be charged conventionally, and…

Toyota, the maker of the bZ4X electric crossover, has partnered with Japanese petroleum company Idemitsu to make a mass-market solid-state battery that will be used in upcoming electric vehicles starting in 2027 or 2028, the two entities announced today. Leaving the obvious irony of a petroleum company that operates oil platforms making EV batteries…

Kia on Thursday hosted its first Kia EV Day outside of Seoul, where the South Korean company shared specifications on its EV5 electric compact crossover, which was revealed in August, and unveiled two electric concept vehicles. All three vehicles will make it to production, and they are intended to make Kia electric vehicles accessible to…

Tesla has dismissed claims of inadequate health and safety provisions at its Giga Berlin plant by German union IG Metall and recent media reports in Germany. The EV maker said in a written statement that protecting its workers' health is a top priority, according to Reuters. Tesla noted that workers received training on necessary…

The effects of the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act can already be seen in various ways in the EV market. And one of them, recent data suggests, is an abrupt uptick this year in the portion of EVs leased rather than bought.  While the IRA re-upped the federal EV tax credit of up to $7,500…

Tesla announced today that the Giga Texas plant has just built its 20 millionth 4680-type cylindrical battery cell: "Just built our 20 millionth 4680 cell at Giga Texas!" It's a very significant milestone, which also reveals the average production rate over the past four months, because on June 16, the company celebrated 10 million…