OSU & Wilberforce University Team Claims Top Spot in First Year of EcoCAR EV Challenge

PublishedMay 30, 2023

The Ohio State (OSU) & Wilberforce University Team was named the winner of Year One of the EcoCAR Electric Vehicle (EV) Challenge, taking the lead in the four-year collegiate engineering competition. West Virginia University took second place and University of Alabama finished third in the judged competition, held May 21–26 in Orlando, FL.

Managed by Argonne National Laboratory and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), General Motors and MathWorks, the EcoCAR EV Challenge is a cross-disciplinary competition among 15 North American universities designed to build an EV

PHOTOS: Electrify Expo Kicks Off Nationwide Tour in Long Beach, CA

PublishedMay 23, 2023

Electrify Expo, North America’s largest electric vehicle (EV) festival, brought fun for all ages to Long Beach, CA, for an action-packed weekend, May 20-21 at the Long Beach Convention Center.

This was the first date on Electrify Expo’s 2023 tour. The next stop is June 24-25 in San Francisco, CA. Upcoming additional stops include Washington, D.C., New York, Seattle, Miami and Austin, TX. Tickets are available to purchase in person and online at www.electrifyexpo.com.

Attendees at this year’s Electrify Expo stops will

Cadillac Releasing EV Version of Escalade This Year

Written by Chris Chilton, CarScoops
Published May 22, 2023

Cadillac is adding another electric weapon to its luxury car arsenal. The flagship GMbrand confirmed it will introduce a battery-powered version of its Escalade SUV later this year, called the Escalade IQ.

The brief announcement came with just one teaser image of the badge and no technical details, though Cadillac’s engineers will certainly be deploying GM’s Ultiumbattery and motor tech, as seen in the GMC Hummer EV, ChevroletSilverado EV and Cadillac’s own Lyriq.

Those vehicles are all built around a dedicated EV platform, including the Silverado,

Electrify Commercial to Install 20 Fast-Charging EV Stations in Utah

PublishedMay 22, 2023

Electrify Commercial on May 17 announced plans to support Rocky Mountain Power, a division of PacificCorp, with the installation of 20 EV charging stations in Utah. The project will include more than 80 individual chargers at 15 stations in the Salt Lake City area and five stations in surrounding regions, a total of 20 charging stations.

As a business unit of Electrify America, Electrify Commercial provides customized end-to-end EV charging solutions to businesses, utility companies, fleet owners, travel centers and convenience stores.

The new charging stations, owned by Rocky Mountain

Ford Makes Major Progress in Growing EV Capacity

Written by Joey Klender, Teslarati
Published May 22, 2023

Fordhas made major progress in its quest to grow its manufacturing capacity for EVs by signing and announcing several deals for the supply of lithium.

Ford has goals to build 2 million electric vehicles ;every year by 2026, hoping to close the gap with industry leader Tesla, which has dominated the sector due to its manufacturing prowess and evident lead in EV tech and infrastructure.

Ford said May 22 it signed two lithium deals that will help it develop a more stable supply of EV batteries. Albemarle Corp.signed a five-year agreement with Ford, while Nemaska

Researchers Discover Electrolyte for EV Batteries That Performs Well in Frigid Conditions

Published May 18, 2023

Many owners of EVs worry about how effective their battery will be in very cold weather. A new battery chemistry may have solved that problem.

In current lithium-ion batteries, the main problem is the electrolyte is a liquid that begins to freeze at sub-zero temperatures. This condition severely limits the effectiveness of charging electric vehicles in cold regions and seasons.

To address that problem, a team of scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne and Lawrence Berkeley national laboratories developed a fluorine-containing electrolyte for sub-zero temperatures. This anti-freeze

Delaware State Supreme Court Reverses Ban on Tesla Store Sales

Written by Steven Loveday, InsideEVs
Published May 16, 2023

The Delaware Supreme Court officially reversed an earlier decision that made it illegal for Teslato have a store in the state to sell its electric cars. Now, Tesla can own its own "dealership" and move forward with its direct-to-consumer sales strategy in the state.

Tesla still can't sell its EVs in several U.S. states since it relies on direct sales. Essentially, lawmakers in the states that oppose Tesla sales believe the company would be breaking the law by owning its own dealerships and selling its own cars without a middle man. In such states, Tesla would have to agree to use a

Tesla Cybertruck Production Inches Closer as Final Stamping Component Arrives

Written by Iulian Dnistran, InsideEVs
Published May 16, 2023

Teslacontinues to prepare the commercial launch of its much-anticipated Cybertruck all-electric pickup. A photo posted by eagle-eyed Austin, TX, Gigafactory enthusiast Joe Tegtmeyer on his Twitteraccount showed what appeared to be a big part of the second 9,000-ton Giga Press that set sail from Italy’s IDRA Group about two months ago, becoming the last big stamping component to be moved to Tesla’s Stamping 2 facility at the Texas factory.

As seen in the image, the soon-to-be-assembled die-casting machine was spotted just outside the

EV Collision Claims Increase in Q1

PublishedMay 16, 2023

Mitchell, an Enlytecompany, on May 16 reported electric vehicle (EV) repairable claims frequency increased in Q1 2023 to 1.13% in the U.S. and 2.41% in Canada. The data was featured in the company's latest "Plugged-In: EV Collision Insights" publication, which provides up-to-date EV claims and market information to the auto insurance and repair industries.

"EV sales broke records in 2022 and the combination of high gas prices, government incentives and increased vehicle production

‘Hertz Electrifies Orlando’ Launched

PublishedMay 15, 2023

HertzChair and CEO Stephen Scherrand Orlando, FL, Mayor Buddy Dyer launched Hertz Electrifies Orlando, a public private partnership aimed at accelerating the adoption of EVs and expanding the environmental and economic benefits of electrification across Orlando.

As part of the partnership, Hertz aims to add up to 6,000 rental EVs to its existing fleet in Orlando, for availability to leisure and business customers as well as rideshare drivers. To help expand charging, Hertz will support the installation of up to 50 public fast chargers across the Greater Orlando area, in partnership with bp.

In

Most Dealers Don't Have Any EVs, Almost Half Refuse to Sell Them

Written by Steven Loveday, InsideEVs
Published May 11, 2023

A new Sierra Club report found 66% of car dealers in the U.S. simply don't have any electric vehicles (EVs) to sell, and 45% of dealers said they're unwilling to sell them regardless.

For more people to buy EVs, manufacturers need to make them widely available, which is starting to happen. However, it seems it's still not an easy task to get an electric car at many U.S. dealerships.

Sierra Club's latest report is "Rev Up Electric Vehicles: A Nationwide Study of the Electric Vehicle Shopping Experience.” Sierra Club is an environmental organization that advocates for EVs,

Nikola Halts Electric Truck Production After Disappointing Sales

Written by Sebastien Bell, CarScoops
Published May 10, 2023

While Nikola’s CEO maintains the company has had a “very solid quarter,” mounting financial losses, a production pause and the dissolution of its joint venture with Ivecoappear to be cracks in the company’s facade.

Although the maker of commercial trucks posted $11.1 million in total revenues for the first quarter of 2023---up from $1.8 million in 2022---its losses for the quarter amounted to $169 million. By comparison, in the first quarter of last year, Nikola lost $152.9 million.

Nevertheless, Michael Lohscheller, the company’s CEO, said in a

Tesla Cybertruck Accessories Steal the Show at TX Lithium Refinery Event

Written by Maria Merano, Teslarati
Published May 10, 2023

Teslaheld a groundbreaking event for its South Texas lithium refinery, and during the event, CEO Elon Musk arrived in the Cybertruck, attracting attention to the accessories featured on the vehicle.

Musk breezed through most of his presentation on the all-electric pickup truck. Some slides were not discussed at all.

One of the slides Musk did not discuss featured what appeared to be Cybertruck accessories. One showed camping equipment, another showed a trailer, one showed an ATV later unveiled at the event, and the fourth showed what appeared to be

Lucid Announces Major Earnings Miss, Stock Crumbles

Written by William Johnson, Teslarati
Published May 9, 2023

Lucidreported its first quarter 2023 earnings, which come at a pivotal time for the EV startup business and segment in general.

When Lucid and many other EV startups entered the industry, the dollars flowing into their ventures seemed endless, but as investors have become more cautious regarding EV ventures and the market has become significantly more competitive, that money has slowed to a trickle. Now, Lucid has reported a massive earnings miss, a crucial indicator for investors regarding the business’s overall health.

According to Lucid’s earnings report, the company pulled in

Since the first collision repair facility joined Rivian’s Certified Collision Network (RCCN) in Oregon in July 2020, more than 30,000 Rivian electric adventure vehicles have been manufactured and 135 shops are part of the RCCN program. 

Frank Phillips, senior manager, certified collision North America at Rivian, discussed the OEM’s certified collision network program during the AkzoNobelACOAT Selected North American Performance Group (NAPG) event in Florida earlier this year. 

Rivian was founded in 2009 as Mainstream Motors by Robert "RJ" Scaringe and later renamed Rivian, a wordplay on the Indian River in Florida, where Scaringe grew up. The company, headquartered in Irvine, CA, began focusing on

Shifting Customer Preferences, Technology, Staffing Issues Inspire Changes in Collision Repair Shops

Written by John Yoswick, Autobody News
Published May 9, 2023

A Greek philosopher once said the only constant in life is change, and that certainly applies to the life of a collision repair business owner. Six shop owners shared what changes they’ve recently made within their business.

Tom Ricci, owner of Body & Paint Center in Hudson, MA, pointed to two such changes at his 21-employee business.

“I have had multiple problems with our last

Rivian R1T Fender Bender Lands Owner $42,000 Repair Bill

Written by Iulian Dnistran, InsideEVs
Published May 5, 2023

A RivianR1T owner from Ohio was involved in a fender bender that ended up costing about half the price of the truck to repair.

Chris Apfelstadt posted his story on the Rivian Electric Vehicle Discussion page on Facebook, where he said he was rear-ended in his red R1T in early February, but the airbags didn't deploy and the collision happened at a relatively low speed.

He exchanged insurance information with the driver who hit his truck and got a check for $1,600 from the other driver's insurance company for the repairs to his pickup.

Tesla Places $227M Order for Cybertruck Parts from South Korea Supplier

Written by Maria Merano, Teslarati
Published May 5, 2023

Tesla ordered Cybertruck parts worth more than $227 million from South Korean company Seoyon E-Hwa, which confirmed the order recently.

Seoyon E-Hwa is part of the Korean Composite Stock Price Indexes (KOSPI), a series of indexes tracking the overall Korean Stock Exchange. Seoyon E-Hwa manufactures automotive interior parts such as door panels, bumpers, seats, headliners, rear parcel shelves, package trays, screen assemblies and pillar posts.

Tesla placed a $227 million order for A, B and C pillar parts from Seoyon E-Hwa. The pillars will be used to connect

Rally Planned at CA State Capitol Building to Protest EV Mandates

PublishedMay 5, 2023

The United Motor Vehicle Coalition of California (UVMCC) is organizing a Unification Rally at 10 a.m. May 21 on the steps of the State Capitol Building in Sacramento, CA, to protest the state's ban on sales of new gas-powered cars by 2035.

The UVMCC said the rally will be "fighting the state mandates and executive orders aimed at banning fuel-burning vehicles, and the all-electric vehicle agenda, which will have a major impact on every aspect of the auto industry and on every citizen who didn’t have a voice, or a choice."

Between 6,000 and 8,000 people are expected to attend, the UVMCC said.

This will be

Mitchell Signs Industry-First Data Licensing Agreement with Rivian

PublishedMay 4, 2023

Mitchell, an Enlytecompany, on May 4 announced it is the first collision industry information provider to sign a data licensing agreement with EV manufacturer Rivian. 

This will allow auto insurers and collision repairers using Mitchell Cloud Estimating and Mitchell Cloud Estimating TruckMax to write damage appraisals and access repair procedures for the OEM’s full line-up of passenger and commercial vehicles: the R1T, R1S and Electric Delivery Van (EDV).

Rivian, which delivered its first electric vehicles in 2021, has ramped production aggressively throughout 2022

Ford Shows First-Quarter Profit Despite EV Revenue Losses

PublishedMay 3, 2023

For the first time, Fordreleased its quarterly financial report by the three distinct segments it split the company into a year ago: Ford Blue, producing traditional ICE and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, producing electric vehicles; and Ford Pro, producing commercial vehicles.

The resulting data showed Ford’s first-quarter 2023 revenue reached $41.5 billion, up 20% from the same period a year ago, on shipments approaching 1.1 million vehicles, a 9% increase.

While the Ford Blue and Ford Pro business segments were both profitable in every region where they operate---including North America, as Ford was the best-selling

Lordstown Motors Financial Life Raft Loses Air, Automaker on Verge of Sinking

Written by Joey Klender, Teslarati
Published May 2, 2023

Foxconnthreatened to pull out of its $170 million investment deal with Lordstown Motors, which could send the EV startup into bankruptcy after starting production of its Endurance all-electric pickup.

Lordstown Motors filed an 8-K with the SEC on May 1, telling investors it received a letter from Foxconn on April 21 that accused the

GM Eyes $200M Plant for Sierra, Silverado EV Parts Production

Written by Maria Merano, Teslarati
Published May 1, 2023

General Motors is considering the former site of The Palace of Auburn Hills in Michigan for a $200 million electric vehicle parts plant. The new factory would be close to GM’s Orion assembly plant and would likely supply parts for the ChevySilverado EV and GMCSierra EV.

“General Motors has identified the former Palace of Auburn Hills site as a potential location for a supplier park to support its Orion Assembly Plant, which will be expanded to produce electric pickup trucks. The company is still determining the scope of work and which supplier will have operations in

Refined Tesla Cybertruck Sighted Testing on Fremont Roads

Written by Simon Alvarez, Teslarati
Published April 26, 2023

Teslacritics may continue to argue the Cybertruck does not exist, but such points will likely be moot in the coming months. If sightings of the upcoming all-electric truck are any indication, it appears the Tesla Cybertruck is steadily getting more refined, and it is closing in on its initial production.

Recent photos shared on the TeslaMotors subreddit showed a Tesla Cybertruck prototype driving near the Fremont, CA, factory and the company’s pilot 4680 battery cell production line at Kato Road. The vehicle in the photos looked refined with its clean exterior, side mirrors and “mega

Tesla Planning Upgrades, Freeing Up Space at Fremont Due to Growth

Written by Steven Loveday, InsideEVs
Published April 25, 2023

Even after opening several new factories, it seems Tesla’s goal is still to upgrade its original facility in Fremont, CA, and make more space.

There's very little room for expansion at the Fremont factory. Perhaps it could be built up, by adding more floors or freeing up the upper floor space for better use. Tesla has also acquired some other nearby buildings and properties, but it's clearly out of space, as it has resorted to putting up tents over the years.

There have been a number of recent filings that suggest the upgrade process at the Tesla factory is ongoing,

GM Reports 11.1% Growth in Revenue Year-Over-Year in Q1

PublishedApril 25, 2023

GMon April 25 announced its financial results from the first three months of 2023, reporting $40 billion in revenue---an 11.1% growth compared to the first quarter of 2022---thanks in part to industry-leading fleet and commercial sales, and enough EV sales to make it the No. 2 electric automaker in the U.S.

In her letter to shareholders, GM CEO Mary Barra said the company was able to deliver “strong earnings thanks to healthy customer demand for our vehicles, our intense focus on operational excellence, and great teamwork between GM, our dealers, our suppliers and our unions.”

Barra said GM delivered more

GM, Samsung SDI to Build $3B EV Battery Manufacturing Plant

PublishedApril 25, 2023

General Motors Co. and Samsung SDI announced April 25 they plan to invest more than $3 billion to build a new battery cell manufacturing plant in the U.S. targeted to begin operations in 2026.

“GM’s supply chain strategy for EVs is focused on scalability, resiliency, sustainability and cost-competitiveness. Our new relationship with Samsung SDI will help us achieve all these objectives,” said GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra. “The cells we will build together will help us scale our EV capacity in North America well beyond 1 million units annually.”

“It is a great pleasure to take the very

Chevrolet Bolt EV to Be Discontinued by End of 2023

Written by Mark Kane, InsideEVs
Published April 25, 2023

Production of the ChevroletBolt EV and Bolt EUV electric cars at the plant in Orion Township, MI, will come to an end in late 2023, General Motors CEO Mary Barra announced during the company's first-quarter earnings call.

According to the plan, through an investment of around $4 billion, the site will be prepared for all-new Ultiummodels---specifically the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMCSierra, all-electric pickups. Those new models are expected to enter production at the plant in 2024.

The good news for the plant is the overall EV production

California Hits 1.5 Million EV Sales Milestone 2 Years Ahead of Schedule

Written by Steven Loveday, InsideEVs
Published April 25, 2023

The California Energy Commission said the Golden State hit its previously designated target of 1.5 million electric vehicle sales two years ahead of its goal of 2025.

This may come as no surprise to people who follow the space, thanks to the huge popularity of EVs in California. It's not the only U.S. state with booming EV sales, as the list is growing.

According to Electrek, former California Gov. Jerry Brown set the 2025 EV sales target in 2012. The only fully electric car for sale in the state at that time was the NissanLeaf. The

Lucid Gravity Electric SUV Hits the Road as Testing Phase Begins

Written by Dan Mihalascu, InsideEVs
Published April 25, 2023

After a troubled first full year of production, Lucid Group has managed to stabilize and increase manufacturing of its Air luxury sedan, to the point it produced more than 2,300 cars in Q1 2023.

That may not be an impressive number when measured against Rivian, another EV startup Lucid is often compared with, but let's not forget Lucid sells only one model that starts at around $89,000 in entry-level Pure trim.

Things are about to change, though, as Lucid is entering a more lucrative and popular segment in the near future---luxury SUVs.

The