Which mass-produced, U.S.-available EV is getting put to the check in Europe with battery swapping?
Why is Rivian reportedly reengineering its battery packs?
This is our look again on the Week In Reverse—proper right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending December 9, 2023.
Green Car Reports named its 4 finalists for Best Car To Buy 2024. What are these 4 plug-in fashions new for this 12 months, and that are the cleanest, greenest, and finest for treading frivolously?
2024 Fiat 500e
Fiat revealed 500e pricing, vary, and have particulars for the long-awaited U.S.-bound model of this second-generation electrical minicar. The 2024 Fiat 500e begins at $34,095 and is rated at 149 EPA miles of vary. Just don’t anticipate the $49-a-month leases of the previous-generation automotive.
Fiat’s father or mother Stellantis introduced it’s testing EV battery swapping from Ample on 100 Fiat 500e electrical automobiles which can be a part of the corporate’s Free2Move car-sharing service—and meaning a totally charged battery in 5 minutes. With this trial, it’s seeing if battery swapping can scale up, or prolong out to different upcoming EVs from Stellantis’ many manufacturers, together with Jeep and Dodge.
![2024 Lucid Air 2024 Lucid Air](https://i0.wp.com/images.hgmsites.net/lrg/lucid-air_100908929_l.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1)
2024 Lucid Air
The 2024 Lucid Air lineup begins at $78,900, in its Pure kind, and restructured characteristic availability permits some objects just like the metallic or glass roof, to grow to be impartial of the model. Further, Lucid says a revamped Grand Touring—the mannequin that makes the a lot of the bigger battery pack within the Air lineup—can have an up to date powertrain with higher thermal efficiency for longer intervals of “spirited driving.”
The British specialty sports activities automotive maker Morgan on Wednesday revealed the XP-1 electrical three-wheeler, that includes a powertrain developed in-house and a weight of solely round 1,500 kilos for this two-seater. Although nonetheless a prototype, this mannequin might form as much as be a extra vintage-styled various to the long-awaited Aptera.
![Morgan XP-1 prototype Morgan XP-1 prototype](https://i0.wp.com/images.hgmsites.net/lrg/morgan-xp-1-prototype_100909164_l.webp?resize=640%2C430&ssl=1)
Morgan XP-1 prototype
Toyota has revealed a compact EV, referred to as the Urban SUV Concept, for the European market. Could it’s an extra improvement of the bZ Compact SUV Concept that Toyota confirmed final 12 months and advised may also be U.S.-bound?
Toyota additionally launched extra details about the FT-Se electrical sports activities automotive idea proven final month on the Tokyo auto present. About the identical measurement because the Supra, however a little bit decrease and wider, it showcases the potential of extra energy-dense next-generation battery tech, Toyota says.
![Toyota FT-Se concept Toyota FT-Se concept](https://i0.wp.com/images.hgmsites.net/lrg/toyota-ft-se-concept_100908879_l.webp?resize=640%2C414&ssl=1)
Toyota FT-Se idea
When GM is able to ramp up its EVs, it has a little bit extra assist. The EV fast-charging community from GM and Pilot Travel Centers has introduced the opening of its first 17 areas. It goals to deploy a number of 350-kw connectors at every website, with as much as 2,000 stalls and 500 areas on the way in which—together with 25 areas by the top of 2023 and 200 areas by the top of 2024.
Rivian growing a simplified battery pack for its R1S and R1T electrical vehicles that may take 1000’s of {dollars} of price out? Although these vehicles’ packs get extra vitality into much less quantity, simpler manufacturability and decrease price might present that there’s nonetheless loads of room for enchancment.
![Ford Intelligent Backup Power - F-150 Lightning Ford Intelligent Backup Power - F-150 Lightning](https://i0.wp.com/images.hgmsites.net/lrg/ford-intelligent-backup-power--f-150-lightning_100827449_l.jpg?resize=640%2C405&ssl=1)
Ford Intelligent Backup Power – F-150 Lightning
Ford, alternatively, has taken the bidirectional charging functionality constructed into the F-150 Lightning a step additional with a brand new partnership that explores integrating its vehicle-to-home (V2H) tech with sensible thermostats. That might end in cleaner vitality, much less pressure on the grid, and decrease vitality payments for F-150 Lightning homeowners.
Updated outcomes on the vary of the most recent EVs from Consumer Reports highlighted what must be emphasised for anybody contemplating an EV: EPA vary for EVs isn’t a freeway quantity. That stated, CR discovered that some fashions from Mercedes-Benz and BMW really exceeded the EPA vary at 70 mpg—an incredible factor—whereas others together with Lucid and Tesla fell brief.
![2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+ 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+](https://i0.wp.com/images.hgmsites.net/lrg/mercedes-benz_100833212_l.jpg?resize=640%2C360&ssl=1)
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+
Jeep and Dodge father or mother firm Stellantis is the most recent automaker to struggle California emissions guidelines, claiming that they’re giving a number of different automakers that opted to chop an early take care of the state’s Air Resources Board a aggressive benefit. To assist meet the stricter California guidelines, Stellantis has already introduced plans to lower non-hybrid gross sales in California emissions states.
According to a latest Bloomberg report, EV-critical lithium costs are falling—as are these for different key battery supplies. It’s a refreshing turnaround after a raw-material worth surge in 2022 that in the end performed a task in EV affordability and profitability. Now, extra manufacturing capability because the market grows could also be affording automakers some added flexibility and, maybe, that can result in extra reasonably priced EVs.
The U.S. Department of Energy and Treasury Department launched proposed rulemaking concerning the “foreign entity of concern” necessities inside the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022—and it’ll play a giant position in how the electrical automobile market continues to take kind. Whether wanting on the origin of essential supplies or the company possession behind manufacturers, many extra EVs gained’t be tax-credit-eligible in 2025.
![2025 Tesla Cybertruck - Courtesy of Tesla, Inc. 2025 Tesla Cybertruck - Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.](https://i0.wp.com/images.hgmsites.net/lrg/2025-tesla-cybertruck--courtesy-of-tesla-inc_100907914_l.webp?resize=640%2C383&ssl=1)
2025 Tesla Cybertruck – Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.
Initial deliveries of the Tesla Cybertruck are reportedly at a value of $121,985 with vacation spot. Meanwhile, the EPA confirmed that the Tesla Cybertruck qualifies for a $7,500 EV tax credit score—nonetheless the EPA’s inclusion of the Cybertruck for 2023 left numerous questions on Tesla’s supposed Cybertruck pricing and arrival dates.
And as meals for thought on the weekend, electrical automobiles at the moment make up a 3rd of the luxurious automobile market, based on a latest abstract by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Yet EVs make up lower than 2% of the non-luxury automobile market. It’s one in all many indicators of a lopsided U.S. EV market with respect to pricing and affordability. While EV curiosity is powerful, the survey big J.D. Power just lately argued that there’s a “missing mass market” for EVs. In this complicated state of affairs, with some suggesting EV demand is slowing, it’s merely an absence of choices priced and positioned for the mass market that could possibly be the dealbreaker.
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