Electric Vehicle News and Reviews (Page 162)

Electric Vehicle News and Reviews

Electric vehicles (EVs) have come a long way in a short time. Barely a decade has passed since the ambitious Silicon Valley startup Tesla Motors introduced the world to an electric car capable of traveling more than 300 miles on a single charge. Since then, Elon Musk and Tesla have convinced many dubious onlookers that electric vehicles are not only here to stay, but that they can become the future of transportation.

Other automakers have joined the EV movement at very different rates. The Nissan Leaf, for example, debuted in 2010 and went on to become the best-selling all-electric vehicle in the world for a time. Competition from the BMW i3 followed, as well as the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt and its all-electric successor the Chevy Bolt EV, but only the Tesla Model 3 has been able to steal the Leaf's crown. Heading into a new decade, electric vehicles are set to go from strength-to-strength, with new models like the Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia Niro EV competing in the entry-level category and the Audi e-Tron, Porsche Taycan, or Jaguar I-PACE vying with Tesla at the top end of the market.

With entire classes of vehicle still lacking an electric version, such as pick-up trucks and affordable SUVs, there's huge potential for expansion and growth in the EV marketplace. For now, Tesla is still blazing the trail, but legacy manufacturers are lining up to electrify their fleets and promising startups like Rivian and Byton are waiting in the wings with exciting new electric vehicles.

The future is bright for EVs and you can keep up to date with all the latest stories right here on Torque News.

Image showing 51 Lucid Airs parked outside the Casa Grande, Arizona factory awaiting shipping

New Images Show Lucid Air Production Is Ramping Up

By James Walker on December 1, 2021 - 11:27AM

The ability to increase production speed has long been identified as one of the essential elements necessary for Lucid to succeed, and new images published by the upstart automaker seem to confirm that it's doing just that.

Why Toyota’s RAV4 Has a Much Lower Reliability Rating Than Its RAV4 Prime

By John Goreham on December 1, 2021 - 10:54AM

The plug-in hybrid-electric version of the Toyota RAV4 has a much better reliability score than do the other trims. We spoke to Consumer Reports to find out why.

Testing Plugin Hybrid Drive Modes in 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV

By Justin Hart on December 1, 2021 - 10:53AM

I recently purchased a 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV and I find the Plug-in Hybrid Drive modes puzzling. I previously owned another PHEV, a 2017 Chevrolet Volt, and that may be why; its drive modes operated differently that the Kia’s. I am both embarrassed, because it seems too obvious, and a little frustrated because it also seems more complicated than it should be to get a definitive answer. What does the “Auto” mode really do?

2021 Ford Escape Hybrid Recall Photo Courtesy Ford Motor Co.

Ford Recalls Escape Hybrid To Replace High-Voltage Battery System

By Marc Stern on December 1, 2021 - 9:15AM

Although it is a tiny recall, the Ford recall of its Escape Hybrid for an issue with the high-voltage system is important for two reasons. One is that the automaker issues recalls when other carmakers tend to wait and wait. The second reason is that it shows that electrics and hybrids are important to Ford's future and that issues have to be dealt with quickly.

Elon Musk Says Blow The Whistle On Tesla As He Debutes The Cyberwhistle

By Tinsae Aregay on December 1, 2021 - 8:25AM

Tesla has introduced a new Cybertruck inspired whistle for $50. Elon Musk introduced the product with the tag "blow the whistle on Tesla" and said it's better value than Apple's cloth.

Cadillac Lyriq Development Jumps Ahead Of Schedule

By Carl Malek on November 30, 2021 - 7:30PM

Cadillac's Lyriq EV CUV will help lead the brand into an electrified future, but a new announcement from the brand confirms that not only is the model moving well ahead of schedule but that it will also come to driveways earlier than expected

Tesla Cybertruck Post Apocalyptic Features

The Post Apocalyptic Tesla Cybertruck

By Jeremy Johnson on November 30, 2021 - 6:58PM

Elon Musk recently Tweeted that the Cybertruck would have post apocalyptic features that are brought into the now. Elon Musk is a fan of post-apocalyptic games like Fallout - so what are those features he is speaking of? We'll go over what we think they are.

Image showing that the Lucid Air has taken on 36% charge after 10 minutes attached to a 350 kW DC fast-charger.

Lucid Air 0-100% DC Fast Charge Test Results Show That 80% Is All You Need

By James Walker on November 30, 2021 - 3:51PM

Video from InsideEVs shows exactly how long it takes to charge a Lucid Air from 0-100%, as well as how much energy is lost along the way.

Nissan To Invest 18 Billion In The Next Five Years To Catch Up With Tesla

By Nicolas Caballero on November 30, 2021 - 3:09PM

Nissan Motor Co. announced it will spend 2 trillion yen ($17.59 billion) over five years to accelerate vehicle electrification to catch up with Tesla and other strong competitors in one of the fastest growth areas for car makers, as per the latest information available from Reuters.

Giga Berlin About to Come Alive

By Jeremy Johnson on November 29, 2021 - 8:12PM

Giga Berlin is about to come alive - sooner than expected, and we think that deliveries will happen faster than anyone expects.

Tesla Service, image Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.

Tesla's Next Quarterly Earnings Call Set To Be Outstanding Again

By Nicolas Caballero on November 29, 2021 - 7:35PM

Tesla posted record revenue and profits in the third quarter of 2021. The record results were driven by improved gross margins of 30.5% on its automotive business and 26.6% overall, both of which were records for at least the last five quarters. It seems the next earnings call will also be record-breaking.

GM CEO Mary Barra Refuses To Acknowledge Tesla In Interview

By Carl Malek on November 29, 2021 - 6:33PM

GM and Tesla are ramping up their war in the EV segment, and things are heating up with GM CEO Mary Barra refusing to acknowledge the California-based EV maker during a recent interview.

LG's new EV battery plant investment and Tesla

LG's New EV Battery Plant Is a Welcome News for Tesla

By Armen Hareyan on November 29, 2021 - 6:15PM

Elon Says Cybertruck Will Bring Future Technologies To Now, Promising Update

By Armen Hareyan on November 29, 2021 - 4:08PM

Tesla CEO Elon Musk just made two revealing tweets about the upcoming Cybertruck saying it will reach far in the future and bring the future technologies to now. He also promised a new update on Cybertruck, explaining why he was rather silent on Tesla's electric truck.

Tesla Giga Shanghai To Produce 1 Million Cars By April 2022

By Nicolas Caballero on November 29, 2021 - 11:28AM

As Tesla Giga Factory in Berlin-Brandenburg gets ready to start production by December (if everything goes well with final permissions and negotiations with German authorities), the good news from Giga Shanghai states that it will be ramping up production of Model Y and Model 3 to reach 1 million units by April 2022.

2023 Subaru Solterra all-electric compact SUV

Fans Are Already Asking For A New Subaru Solterra EV Wilderness Like This

By Denis Flierl on November 29, 2021 - 7:07AM

Subaru says the new 2023 Solterra all-electric SUV will be distinctly Subaru, but it's nearly identical to the Toyota bZ4X EV. Here's why Subaru needs a Solterra Wilderness trim and why outdoor enthusiasts would buy it.

How GM Will Use Its 2022 GMC HUMMER EV Battery Technology in Electric Boats

By Mary Conway on November 28, 2021 - 9:31PM

GM is planning to electrify boating using the same technology that it is using in the all-new 2022 GMC HUMMER EV.

Elon Musk emails Tesla employees about quarterly deliveries

Tesla To Change Quarterly Delivery Strategy

By Jeremy Johnson on November 27, 2021 - 12:40PM

With a recent leaked email from Elon Musk, we see that Tesla is going to be changing up its quarterly delivery strategy. In the past, Tesla would rush to get deliveries done at the end of the quarter. This is no longer going to be the case and instead, Elon Musk wants Tesla employees to reduce costs of deliveries and take the most efficient action.

How The New Subaru Solterra Will Now Gain A Key Advantage Over All EVs

By Denis Flierl on November 27, 2021 - 11:23AM

Will the all-new all-electric 2023 Subaru Solterra be safe and reliable? Here is why Subaru has an advantage over all other new EVs.

[Update] Elon Musk Clarifies Why Tesla Decided To Forgo EU Incentive For Giga Berlin’s Battery Plant

By Tinsae Aregay on November 27, 2021 - 6:19AM

Elon Musk says lessons he learned from a previous $465 million Department of Energy loan is the reason why Tesla decided to forgo a 1.5 billion euros EU incentive for the Giga Berlin battery plant.

Tesla Rejects Funding For Giga Berlin From Eu

Tesla Fed Up With EU for Giga Berlin, Rejects $1.5 Billion in EU Funding

By Jeremy Johnson on November 26, 2021 - 7:25PM

Tesla has rejected around $1.5 billion dollars worth of funding from the EU for Giga Berlin. This is just a few weeks of operating cash flow for Tesla, and with all the frustration Tesla has had getting Giga Berlin up and running with EU red tape, this is a smart move by Tesla.

Ford Puts The Brakkes On EV Super Duty Rumors

By Carl Malek on November 26, 2021 - 3:30PM

Ford's F-150 Lightning pickup is reshaping the way that some truck buyers are looking at the EV landscape, but buyers hoping to see some of this magic make its way to the work focused Super Duty got some coal in their stocking, with the company confirming that the automaker is not making one anytime soon.

Tesla Battery Recycling Competitor: New Japanese Method Cheaper Than Using Raw Materials

By Nicolas Caballero on November 26, 2021 - 1:54PM

Sumitomo Metal Mining from Japan will begin recycling cobalt, lithium and other key materials from used-up electric vehicle batteries, using a cost-competitive, proprietary process to extract high-quality metals.

Cybertruck's Clone: China's EF-1-T Bears a Striking Resemblance to Tesla Cybertruck

By Armen Hareyan on November 25, 2021 - 11:40PM

The Chinese electric car start-up Edison Future has two new electric vehicles presented, including an electric pickup EF-1-T, which resembles the Tesla Cybertruck. EF-1T's similarity to Tesla's Cybertruck is striking - including solar cells. Yet, the vehicle has its own character and in my opinion, looks beautiful.

Image showing the Lucid Air Alpha Speed Prototype on the curved banking at Ohio's Transportation Research Center.

Alpha Speed Lucid Air Hits 235 MPH In Testing

By James Walker on November 25, 2021 - 3:49PM

The Lucid Air's engineers, rife with bold and pioneering spirit, decided to remove the Alpha Speed Prototype's software speed limiter and really let it stretch its legs. The result is documented in the video below: a eyewatering V-max of 235.44 mph.

Tesla Model Y Performance Released in China

By Jeremy Johnson on November 25, 2021 - 3:00PM

We have news that Tesla is releasing the Model Y Performance vehicle in China. This is the first time China will see this vehicle and is good news for Tesla.

Legacy Auto Playing Checkers, Tesla and Chinese Playing Chess

By Jeremy Johnson on November 24, 2021 - 7:46PM

Tesla is the leading electric vehicle maker in the world today. Sandy Munro, an automotive expert, just made an over 40 minute video explaining the blind spots that many have in the world today with the transition to sustainable energy. Due to Tesla, OEM's and traditional auto makers are in trouble, unless they can adapt quickly. To put it simply, Legacy auto is playing checkers and Tesla and the Chinese EV companies are playing chess.

Tesla Model Y Number One Luxury Compact SUV in California

By Nicolas Caballero on November 24, 2021 - 2:24PM

Tesla Model Y is leading the way in California, beating many ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) traditional brands on its way to the top. Model Y, being a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) ranks as the state’s fifth overall best-selling model (that is, including gas-powered vehicles), as per CNCDA - California New Car Dealers Association.

Image showing a Lucid Air receiving a base coat as it passes through the AMP-1 factory's paint booth.

Step Inside Lucid's State-Of-The-Art Arizona Factory And Watch Airs Being Built

By James Walker on November 24, 2021 - 10:31AM

Lucid's Advanced Manufacturing Plant-1 is a marriage of advanced robotics and human craftsmanship.

GMC Confirms 329 Mile Range For Hummer EV

By Carl Malek on November 23, 2021 - 7:25PM

GMC is ramping up preparations for the launch of the Hummer EV lineup, and has rapidly accelerated this effort with a series of bombshell details that add more weight to GM's claims of it being a revolutionary force in the EV segment with the company revealing the final range for the Edition 1 and when the first deliveries will begin.

Subscribe to