Rivian Adventure Network Reaches the East Coast

Written by William Johnson, Teslarati
Published Feb. 8, 2023

Rivianhas placed its first Adventure Network fast charger on the East Coast, as it works to introduce 600 locations across the country.

The Rivian Adventure Network is the truck maker’s answer to the TeslaSupercharging Network. At Adventure Network charging locations, Rivian drivers have exclusive access to renewable 200kW fast charging, often in locations off the beaten path---hence the name.

While these chargers have already been placed more consistently throughout the West Coast, Rivian will now be installing its first Adventure Network charger on the other side of the

Minnesota Legislators Ponder Household Energy Efficiency Tax Credits

Written by Mary Stroka, The Center Square
Published Feb. 8, 2023

Minnesota legislators are considering a refundable tax credit of up to $2,000 for residents who invest in energy efficiency.

Rep. Jeff Brand, DFL-St. Peter, sponsored the bill, HF810.

“This will give folks an incentive if they were kind of teetering,” Brand said Feb. 2. “But maybe it will offer more incentive to folks who weren’t quite able to reach that affordability range.”

The House Tax Committee on Feb. 2 laid it over for possible inclusion in an omnibus bill. Expenditures in three categories---appliances, large improvements and energy

Tesla Cybertruck Prototype Sports New Side Mirror Design in Recent Sighting

Written by Joey Klender, Teslarati
Published Feb. 7, 2023

A TeslaCybertruck prototype was spotted on public roads in Palo Alto, CA, sporting a new side mirror design.

The Cybertruck is nearing early production phases, and according to Tesla’s Chief Vehicle Designer Franz von Holzhausen, the automaker has finalized the vehicle’s design.

It appears Tesla has experimented with a new side mirror design. If von Holzhausen’s statement is true, it seems the company will implement a new, triangular side mirror design that fits the sharp edges of the futuristic cyberpunk-inspired vehicle.

An image

Tesla Model Y Projected to Save Wisconsin Police Department $80,000

Written by Steven Loveday, InsideEVs
Published Feb. 7, 2023

The Somerset Police Department in Wisconsin chose a TeslaModel Y as one of its new patrol cars. While the Model Y crossover is more expensive than several other EVs, Somerset's police chief said it's going to save the city $80,000.

It will come as no surprise if electric cars, trucks and SUVs eventually become the new norm for police departments and other government agencies. There are arguably many more reasons to make the switch than not, such as no tailpipe emissions, better overall performance, no noise pollution and roomier accommodations.

Even if all the

Ford in ‘Deep Development’ of Next-Generation EV Pickup Truck

Written by Joey Klender, Teslarati
Published Feb. 7, 2023

Fordis in “deep development” of its next-generation electric vehicles, including a new, full-size EV pickup that will complement the automaker’s already-successful F-150 Lightning.

Ford has been working on several new developments for its Model e division dedicated to EVs in hopes of creating an industry-leading platform. One of these developments, revealed last year, was an all-new pickup design with a new nameplate, rumored to be a fresh slate for Ford to build upon.

Electric trucks have become a growing part of the overall EV market in the U.S. Rivian, Ford and

Wyoming, U.S. Government Clashing Over EV Infrastructure Placement

Written by William Johnson, Teslarati
Published Feb. 7, 2023

The State of Wyoming and the federal government are arguing over where the state should place EV infrastructure.

Despite the news in January that Wyoming was considering banning EVs, Wyoming may be far less anti-EV than one would think. According to EnergyWire, the state is staunchly in support of placing EV infrastructure. However, the federal government denied its proposed location for

Hertz Doubles Down on Electrification Following Record Earnings

Written by William Johnson, Teslarati
Published Feb. 7, 2023

Hertzannounced it will continue rapidly electrifying its fleet of rental vehicles following its record earnings report for 2022.

Hertz is a clear leader in electrification in the car rental market, and buyers have responded accordingly, as Hertz reported record earnings for 2022, despite numerous setbacks in the economy. Hertz said it will continue to build on what made it so successful last year: electrification, expanded distribution and excellence in execution.

According to Hertz’s earnings report Feb. 7, the company earned $8.7 billion in revenue during 2022, $2

With the growing number of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) on new vehicle models, it is becoming increasingly important for collision repairers to understand how they are designed and operate. This includes features on hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs), especially since EVs are expected to account for nearly 33% of new vehicle sales in 2030, according to the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR). 

“This helps assure that the system is functioning correctly after repairs are completed and before the vehicle is returned to the customer with a complete, safe

Tesla’s Price War Putting Pressure on Suppliers

Written by Simon Alvarez, Teslarati
Published Feb. 3, 2023

Teslastarted a price war in January, and as it tries to keep its costs as optimized as possible, some of its suppliers are preparing to feel pressure. 

The concerns were related by industry officials who work with Tesla and its suppliers. 

Comments from executives during the fourth quarter and full-year 2022 earnings call suggested Tesla is currently focused on its costs. Tesla CFO Zach Kirkhorn said the company was

Rivian Celebrates Production Milestones but Will Cut 6% of Workforce as Price War Looms

By Mark Kane, InsideEVs, and Joey Klender, Teslarati
Published Feb. 1, 2023

There is no doubt 2022 was a challenging but fruitful year for Rivian, which, according to a video posted to YouTube, produced 25,051 electric vehicles, 20,332 of which were delivered to customers.

The company's manufacturing plant in Normal, IL, runs two shifts and achieved a record 200 vehicles produced in a single day, which would equal roughly 70,000+ vehicles annually. The next step is the addition of a night shift to further increase the production of the R1T pickup, R1S SUV and EDV van.

However, Rivian will reportedly

Volkswagen Group, GM: No Plans to Cut EV Prices to Follow Tesla, Ford

Written by Simon Alvarez, Teslarati, and Steven Loveday, InsideEVs
Published Feb. 1, 2023

While competitors such as Teslaand Fordhave initiated price cuts on their most popular all-electric vehicles, General Motors and Volkswagen Group have both said they intend to keep their EVs’ prices at their current level. 

In January, Tesla initiated a round of aggressive price cuts to its entire vehicle lineup. Its two most popular cars, the Model Y crossover and the

Cybertruck Production Beta Gets Seal of Approval from Musk

Written by Simon Alvarez, Teslarati
Published Feb. 1, 2023

Teslaappears to be making steady progress in the development and upcoming production of the Cybertruck, as CEO Elon Musk said he recently reviewed the all-electric pickup truck’s production beta.

Musk’s comment was a response to a Twitterpost from a user who said the truck will be his personal vehicle once it’s released. Musk replied the Cybertruck is indeed worth the wait. 

“I was just reviewing the production beta Cybertruck. It is incredible,” Musk posted. 

Musk's comment about a production beta Cybertruck bodes

Court Upholds Minnesota’s ‘Clean Car Rule’ Tied to California

Written by Steve Karnowski, Associated Press
Published Feb. 1, 2023

The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Jan. 30 upheld the state’s “Clean Car Rule,” which ties the state’s vehicle emission standards to California regulations, as judges accepted assurances that California’s planned phase-out of gasoline-powered cars won’t automatically apply in Minnesota.

A three-judge panel rejected the arguments of Minnesota’s auto dealers, who argued state pollution regulators exceeded their authority and unconstitutionally delegated their rulemaking authority to California.

The appeals court concluded that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency acted within its

Virginia House Votes to Repeal Clean Cars Law

Written by Charlie Paullin, Virginia Mercury
Published Feb. 1, 2023

Republicans in the Virginia House of Delegates passed legislation Jan. 25 to repeal a law tying Virginia to California vehicle emissions standards set to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars in 2035. 

Along party lines, the House of Delegates voted 52-48 to pass House Bill 1378, carried by Del. Tony Wilt, R-Rockingham. 

Wilt’s bill faces a rocky road in the Senate, where Democrats have killed several Republican bills aimed at the same goal. Sen. Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, has said any bill to repeal the California emissions law that comes

California Considers Authorizing Self-Driving Semi-Trucks

Written by Maggie Angst, The Sacramento Bee
Published Jan. 31, 2023

Following years of pleadings from the autonomous vehicle industry, California officials are revisiting a statewide policy that prohibits self-driving semi-trucks and big rigs on its roads. 

Should California regulators decide to open the floodgates, two state legislators are pushing to limit any potential fallout. Asm. Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, D-Winters, on Jan. 26 filed new legislation requiring a trained individual behind the wheel in any autonomous vehicle that weighs more than 10,001 pounds. Asm. Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale, and Asm. Ash Kalra, D-San Jose,

Hyundai to Invest $8.5 Billion in EV Development, U.S. Factory

Written by Iulian Dnistran, InsideEVs
Published Jan. 31, 2023

Hyundai Motor Company, which owns the Hyundai, Kiaand Genesisbrands, announced it will invest $8.5 billion this year in further expanding its electrified range, as well as on its first-ever EV factory in the U.S.

The Korean company previously said it will spend around $5.5 billion on its new EV factory in Georgia, which should begin

Tesla Repair Costs Lead Insurance Companies to Write Off Damaged Brand-New EVs

Written by Gustavo Henrique Ruffo, autoevolution
Published Jan. 31, 2023

It has been covered several times how difficult Teslavehicles are to repair. Concerned with maximizing Tesla Service Center times, the EV maker often charges a fortune to replace complete modules when swapping a single part would do the trick. 

Reutersverified this has a negative effect beyond these fixes: It is making insurance companies write off brand-new EVs because they are too expensive to repair.

Reuters checked more than 120 Model Y units totaled after crashes and listed on auction sites such as Copartand IAA

GM Investing $650M to Develop Major U.S. Lithium Mine

PublishedJan. 31, 2023

General Motors Co.and Lithium Americas Corp. announced Jan. 31 they will jointly invest to develop the Thacker Pass mine in Nevada, the largest known source of lithium in the U.S. and the third largest in the world.

Under the agreement, GM will make a $650 million equity investment in Lithium Americas, which represents the largest-ever investment by an automaker to produce battery raw materials.

Lithium Americas estimates the lithium extracted and processed from the project can support production of up to 1 million EVs per year.

Lithium carbonate from Thacker Pass will be used in GM’s proprietary

Ford to Increase Mustang Mach-E Production While Cutting Prices

PublishedJan. 30, 2023

With its new EV supply chain coming online, Fordis significantly increasing production of the Mustang Mach-E this year to help reduce customer wait times and to take advantage of streamlined costs to reduce prices across the board, making Mustang Mach-E even more accessible to customers and keeping it competitive in the marketplace.

The new MSRPs range from $45,995 for a Select rear-wheel-drive standard range---down $900 from $46,895---to $63,995 for a GT extended range, a nearly $6,000 reduction from $69,895.

The production increase is a key part of the Ford+ Plan, underscoring the company’s commitment to lead the

Tesla Model S Catches Fire Unexpectedly, Crews Struggle to Extinguish

Written by Steven Loveday, InsideEVs
Published Jan. 30, 2023

According to Metro Fire of Sacramento, a TeslaModel S electric sedan caught fire unexpectedly while it was moving at highway speeds in California. 

Thankfully, no one was injured by the blaze, but it was difficult for the trained crews to extinguish it.

While EV fires are few and far between compared to gas car fires, they tend to get a lot of attention, and for good reason. EV fires burn extremely hot and often turn into huge blazes rather quickly, sometimes engulfing the cars in flames. Meanwhile, the fire is difficult to put out, and it can reignite over and

LG Energy Solution in ‘Active Discussions’ with EV Makers for Battery Supply from AZ Plant

Written by Maria Merano, Teslarati
Published Jan. 27, 2023

LG Energy Solution (LGES) said in a conference call Jan. 27 it is currently engaged in “active discussions” with EV companies to provide batteries from its planned factory in Arizona.

While the company did not provide further details about its discussions with EV manufacturers, LGES said it is reviewing investments in building the new Arizona battery plant, as noted in a Reutersreport.

LGES, which supplies batteries to EV makers like Teslaand Lucid, had a successful 2022. The battery maker posted $20.7 billion in

Manchin’s Bid to Stop Some EVs from Getting $7.5K Tax Credit Blocked by Fellow Democrat

Written by Maria Merano, Teslarati
Published Jan. 27, 2023

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-MI, successfully opposed a proposal by fellow Democrat, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, to eliminate certain EV models from being eligible for the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) $7,500 tax credit. 

The $430 billion IRA was passed last August. The legislation limits the availability of the program’s $7,500 EV tax credit

As California Sales of Zero Emission Vehicles Increase, Rebates Underfunded

Written by Ria Roebuck Joseph, The Center Square
Published Jan. 26, 2023

At the heart of California’s push toward green energy is the promotion of affordable and efficient electric vehicles.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom set a goal to eliminate sales of new gas-powered vehicles in the state by 2035, signing legislation to fund a number of climate-action initiatives.

The affordability of EVs---which range from around $26,000 for a ChevroletBolt to $191,000 for a PorscheTaycan---is all part of the equation in achieving this zero-emissions goal.

The state supports three programs

Toyota CEO Steps Down, Opening Up Possibility of New EV Strategy

Written by William Johnson, Teslarati
Published Jan. 26, 2023

Akio Toyoda, long-time ToyotaCEO and grandson of the company’s founder, announced he will leave his position later this year. Lexushead Koji Sato will replace him.

Toyoda is known not only for his relation to the founder of the largest automotive company in the world, but also for taking the helm as CEO at Toyota after the market collapse of 2008 and guiding the company to where it is today. In 2012, Toyoda was named Man of the Year by AutoCar, following the Japanese brand’s rise to dominance in the early 20-teens. Now, as he

Tesla Cybertruck to Enter Limited Production This Summer

Written by Johnna Crider, Teslarati
Published Jan. 26, 2023

TeslaCybertruck limited production is set to begin this summer, CEO Elon Musk said during the company’s Q4 2022 earnings call Jan. 25.

During the call, Musk and company were asked whether the all-electric Cybertruck was still slated for production by early 2023. 

“We do expect production to start sometime this summer, but I always kind of downplay the start of production because the start of production is always very slow,” Musk said.

Tesla also said in its Shareholder Deck for the call that Cybertruck production “remains on track to begin” later

Gas-Powered Cars Cheaper to Fuel than Electric in Late 2022

PublishedJan. 25, 2023

2022’s final quarter brought relief at the pump for drivers of traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles as the cost to drive 100 miles dropped by more than $2.

With the cost for electricity also trending upward during the year, mid-priced ICE cars became more economical to fuel than their EV counterparts for the first time in 18 months, according to research from Anderson Economic Group (AEG).

“The run-up in gas prices made EVs look like a bargain during much of 2021 and 2022,” said AEG’s Patrick Anderson. “With electric prices going up and gas prices declining, drivers of traditional ICE

Manchin to Introduce Bill to Enforce $7,500 EV Tax Credit Battery Rules

Written by Steven Loveday, InsideEVs
Published Jan. 25, 2023

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WV, who was integral in getting the new U.S. tax credit put together and passed, is not happy the original rules aren't being followed. 

He's already voiced concerns about various loopholes, and he wants the U.S. Treasury Department to immediately pause issuing the $7,500 credit to cars that don't comply with guidelines related to battery components and materials.

For those unaware, the Biden Administration revamped the U.S. federal EV tax credit as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, and the new credit kicked in at

California Wants to Hold Accountable Unreliable EV Charging Networks

Written by Simon Alvarez, Teslarati
Published Jan. 25, 2023

The California Energy Commission is taking steps to increase EV charging networks’ accountability and responsiveness to complaints, as the number of EV owners in the state grows quickly.

Among EV makers, only Teslahas solved the problem of long-distance travel in an all-electric car with its Supercharger Network, which provides a simple, quick and reliable system for the company’s vehicles. The Supercharger Network in the U.S. is still exclusive to Tesla as of writing, so non-Tesla EV owners are required to use other DC charging solutions for their vehicles.

This

Tesla Confirms New $3.6B Nevada Plant for Semi, 4680 Cell Production

Written by Dan Mihalascu, InsideEVs
Published Jan. 25, 2023

As indicated by Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo in a Jan. 23 speech, Teslaofficially unveiled plans to invest $3.6 billion at its Gigafactory Nevada facility Jan. 24, during an on-site presentation delivered by CEO Elon Musk.

Tesla's boss announced the company will build two new factories adding 4 million square feet of new manufacturing footprint to Giga Nevada: the first high-volume Tesla Semi plant and

Nissan Could Ditch Titan, Pivot to Smaller Electric Pickup Instead

Written by Andrei Nedelea, InsideEVs
Published Jan. 24, 2023

It has been rumored for months that Nissanis looking to cut the Titan full-size pickup from its lineup, possibly because the model has been underperforming in the sales charts in recent years.

New information now says regardless what happens to the Titan, Nissan will also develop a smaller, fully-electric pickup that could debut in the next few years.

According to Automotive News, the Nissan Titan could be axed in 2024 or 2025---the earliest the electric pickup could debut. The source quotes an unnamed Nissan insider with knowledge of the matter, who said