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?

That is our look again on the Week In Reverse—proper right here at Inexperienced Automobile Reviews—for the week ending December 9, 2023.

Inexperienced Automobile Reviews named its 4 finalists for Greatest Automobile To Purchase 2024. What are these 4 plug-in fashions new for this yr, and that are the cleanest, greenest, and finest for treading calmly?

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. Simply don’t count on the $49-a-month leases of the previous-generation automotive. 

Fiat’s dad or mum Stellantis introduced it’s testing EV battery swapping from Ample on 100 Fiat 500e electrical automobiles which might be a part of the corporate’s Free2Move car-sharing service—and which means a completely 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

The 2024 Lucid Air lineup begins at $78,900, in its Pure kind, and restructured function availability permits some objects just like the metallic or glass roof, to change into unbiased of the model. Additional, Lucid says a revamped Grand Touring—the mannequin that makes the a lot of the bigger battery pack within the Air lineup—could 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. Though nonetheless a prototype, this mannequin might form as much as be a extra vintage-styled different to the long-awaited Aptera. 

Morgan XP-1 prototype

Toyota has revealed a compact EV, known as the City SUV Idea, for the European market. Might it’s an additional improvement of the bZ Compact SUV Idea that Toyota confirmed final yr and instructed 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 dimension because the Supra, however slightly decrease and wider, it showcases the potential of extra energy-dense next-generation battery tech, Toyota says. 

Toyota FT-Se idea

When GM is able to ramp up its EVs, it has slightly extra assist. The EV fast-charging community from GM and Pilot Journey Facilities has introduced the opening of its first 17 places. It goals to deploy a number of 350-kw connectors at every web site, with as much as 2,000 stalls and 500 places on the best way—together with 25 places by the tip of 2023 and 200 places by the tip of 2024.

Rivian growing a simplified battery pack for its R1S and R1T electrical vans that may take hundreds of {dollars} of value out? Though these vans’ packs get extra power into much less quantity, simpler manufacturability and decrease value might present that there’s nonetheless loads of room for enchancment.

Ford Clever Backup Energy – 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 lead to cleaner power, much less pressure on the grid, and decrease power payments for F-150 Lightning homeowners.

Up to date outcomes on the vary of the newest EVs from Client Reviews highlighted what must be emphasised for anybody contemplating an EV: EPA vary for EVs isn’t a freeway quantity. That mentioned, CR discovered that some fashions from Mercedes-Benz and BMW really exceeded the EPA vary at 70 mpg—an amazing factor—whereas others together with Lucid and Tesla fell quick. 

2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+

Jeep and Dodge dad or mum firm Stellantis is the newest automaker to struggle California emissions guidelines, claiming that they’re giving a number of different automakers that opted to chop an early cope with the state’s Air Sources 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. 

In response 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 job in EV affordability and profitability. Now, extra manufacturing capability because the market grows could also be affording automakers some added flexibility and, maybe, that may result in extra inexpensive EVs.

The U.S. Division of Power and Treasury Division launched proposed rulemaking in regards to the “international entity of concern” necessities inside the Inflation Discount Act of 2022—and it’ll play an enormous position in how the electrical car market continues to take kind. Whether or not trying on the origin of important supplies or the company possession behind manufacturers, many extra EVs received’t be tax-credit-eligible in 2025.

2025 Tesla Cybertruck – Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.

Preliminary deliveries of the Tesla Cybertruck are reportedly at a price of $121,985 with vacation spot. In the meantime, the EPA confirmed that the Tesla Cybertruck qualifies for a $7,500 EV tax credit score—nevertheless the EPA’s inclusion of the Cybertruck for 2023 left a lot of questions on Tesla’s meant Cybertruck pricing and arrival dates. 

And as meals for thought on the weekend, electrical automobiles presently make up a 3rd of the posh car market, in line with a latest abstract by the U.S. Power Info Administration (EIA). But EVs make up lower than 2% of the non-luxury car market. It’s one in all many indicators of a lopsided U.S. EV market with respect to pricing and affordability. Whereas EV curiosity is robust, the survey large J.D. Energy not too long ago argued that there’s a “lacking mass market” for EVs. On this complicated scenario, with some suggesting EV demand is slowing, it’s merely an absence of choices priced and positioned for the mass market that may very well be the dealbreaker.

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