<p>The launch of the all-electric ferry <em>China Zorrilla</em>, expected to be operating between Argentina and Uruguay, represents a landmark event in global maritime electrification. Commissioned by Buquebus, a major regional ferry operator connecting Buenos Aires and Montevideo, this vessel is—for now—the largest battery-electric passenger and vehicle ferry in the world. Its launch signals a pivotal shift in maritime transportation, aligning closely with ambitious decarbonization targets and highlighting South America’s emerging role in sustainable transport innovation.</p>
<p><span class="relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out">The ferry’s name, <em data-start="18" data-end="34">China Zorrilla</em>, honors Concepción “China” Zorrilla (1922–2014), a beloved Uruguayan actress, director, and cultural icon.</span> <span class="relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out">Renowned across the Río de la Plata region, she had a prolific career in theater, film, and television, leaving an indelible mark on both Uruguayan and Argentine arts.</span> <span class="relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out">Her legacy as a bridge between the two nations makes the naming of this vessel—set to connect Argentina and Uruguay—a tribute to her enduring influence.</span></p>
<figure id="attachment_320411" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-320411" style="width: 1308px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MT-Liquid-Fuels-Shipping-by-decade-through-2100-2.png"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-320411 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MT-Liquid-Fuels-Shipping-by-decade-through-2100-2.png" alt="Megatons of diesel-equivalent energy required for martime shipping through 2100 by Michael Barnard, Chief Strategist, TFIE Strategy Inc." width="1308" height="737" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MT-Liquid-Fuels-Shipping-by-decade-through-2100-2.png 1308w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MT-Liquid-Fuels-Shipping-by-decade-through-2100-2-400x225.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MT-Liquid-Fuels-Shipping-by-decade-through-2100-2-800x451.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MT-Liquid-Fuels-Shipping-by-decade-through-2100-2-768x433.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1308px) 100vw, 1308px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-320411" class="wp-caption-text">Megatons of diesel-equivalent energy required for martime shipping through 2100 by Michael Barnard, Chief Strategist, TFIE Strategy Inc.</figcaption></figure>
<p>The scale of the <em>China Zorrilla</em> and the speed with which it arrived is as I expected. My <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2022/04/01/global-shipping-less-of-co2e-problem-today-than-aviation-more-by-end-of-century/">projection of maritime shipping demand and decarbonization through 2100</a> expects all inland and most short sea shipping to be fully electric in the end game, with battery electric hybrid systems burning biofuels only in international waters, and in declining ratios to electrons for voyages over time. Most inland crafts hulls are amenable to electrification, so there will be a brisk business in retrofits, at least outside of the United States, which barely has a non-military shipbuilding industry left due to the <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2024/03/27/europe-usa-sailing-against-tide-asia-sails-with-it-in-decarbonizing-shipping/">no-longer-fit-for-purpose Jones Act</a> and the deindustrialization that resulted from their adherence to <em>the market is always right</em> ideology since 1980.</p>
<p>As a reminder, demand is going to diminish in my scenario because 55% of tonnage is for fossil fuels and raw iron ore, both of which are in structural decline now. (That scenarios by other organizations like the IPCC and IMO don’t reflect this reality is perplexing, but I expect sanity to prevail eventually.)</p>
<p>The choice of route between Argentina and Uruguay is noteworthy. The ferry will operate across the Río de la Plata, covering approximately 100 nautical miles (185 km) one way, a journey well suited to electrification given current battery technology capabilities. The Río de la Plata is a vast, estuarine waterway formed by the confluence of the Paraná and Uruguay rivers, creating a natural border between Argentina and Uruguay and serving as a vital shipping and transportation route for both countries.</p>
<p>This high-frequency route services substantial passenger traffic, primarily tourists and commuters, providing a practical and economically viable setting for this pioneering effort. The Buenos Aires–Montevideo route has long sought sustainable solutions, given the significant pollution from diesel ferries, prompting both countries to prioritize decarbonization efforts in transport infrastructure.</p>
<p>At 130 meters in length and 32 meters in width spanning its twin hulls, the China Zorrilla is built from aluminum to reduce overall weight, a critical consideration in electric ferry design. Its size positions it firmly within the large-scale commercial ferry category, capable of carrying up to 2,100 passengers and approximately 225 cars per crossing. This capacity is notable, as many existing electric ferries are smaller and service shorter routes. The vessel’s ability to maintain this passenger and vehicle volume with zero direct emissions underscores the technological advancement represented by this deployment.</p>
<p>Central to the ferry’s groundbreaking capabilities is its massive 40 MWh battery system supplied by Corvus Energy and Wärtsilä. This represents a dramatic leap beyond previous electric ferries like Norway’s pioneering Ampere, which operates on just over 1 MWh, and other medium-scale vessels that typically range between 3 and 5 MWh. The scale of the China Zorrilla’s battery installation required significant advancements in marine battery technology, thermal management systems, and energy density improvements, as well as specialized integration for high-capacity maritime propulsion systems. Powering the ferry’s electric propulsion is a multi-megawatt, eight electric waterjet propulsor configuration, leveraging a direct-drive approach to minimize transmission losses and further enhance efficiency.</p>
<p>Equally impressive is the charging infrastructure necessary to sustain operations. The China Zorrilla will use ultra-high-capacity DC fast chargers installed at both Buenos Aires and Montevideo ports, capable of delivering several megawatts of instantaneous power, typically recharging for 20% to 80%—24 MWh—in 40 minutes at turnaround. Achieving this necessitated substantial upgrades to local grid infrastructure, supplemented by grid-scale buffer batteries to manage peak loads. Charging also occurs overnight during lower-demand periods, taking advantage of Argentina and Uruguay’s increasing share of renewable energy generation, particularly wind and solar. Despite substantial infrastructure costs, these upgrades are expected to deliver long-term operational savings and significant emissions reductions.</p>
<p>Incat Tasmania, the company behind the groundbreaking&nbsp;ferry, is a prominent maritime engineering firm headquartered in Hobart, Tasmania. Founded in 1977 by Bob Clifford, Incat has established itself globally as a leader in the design and construction of high-speed, lightweight catamaran ferries, known for their efficiency, speed, and innovation. With a longstanding focus on pioneering maritime technologies, Incat has increasingly moved toward sustainable shipbuilding, cementing its reputation through ambitious projects like the <em data-start="551" data-end="567">China Zorrilla</em>.</p>
<p>From an economic perspective, while the upfront capital investment for this electric ferry was substantially higher compared to a traditional diesel-powered equivalent—estimates place total vessel and infrastructure investment at around $120 million USD—the long-term operational economics look promising with payback in 5-8 years expected. Electricity as fuel provides cost stability and significant reductions in operational expenditure, potentially lowering total lifecycle costs substantially over the vessel’s anticipated 25- to 30-year operational life. Moreover, maintenance requirements for battery-electric propulsion systems are considerably lower than for diesel engines, offering further economic advantages. Battery replacement costs remain a significant future expense, but anticipated improvements in battery longevity and cost reductions due to scaling in manufacturing mitigate this risk over time.</p>
<p>This ferry will pay for itself without any carbon pricing, a key point that will drive rapid transition of this vessel class.</p>
<p>Globally, the China Zorrilla represents the pinnacle of current ferry electrification efforts, substantially larger than previous frontrunners like Norway’s Ampere, Bastø Electric ferries, or Sweden’s Aurora Botnia, a hybrid-electric vessel. Hybrids, such as the Color Hybrid operating between Norway and Sweden, typically rely on smaller battery systems complemented by diesel engines to extend range and flexibility, whereas the China Zorrilla is purely electric, thus completely eliminating direct emissions.</p>
<p>Environmentally, the ferry’s zero-emission propulsion delivers immediate and tangible benefits by eliminating local air pollution entirely and significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to diesel alternatives. While battery production involves considerable initial emissions, particularly given current lithium-ion chemistries, lifecycle analyses consistently show substantial overall emission savings, especially as the electricity grid continues to decarbonize. Additionally, the electric propulsion system significantly reduces underwater noise pollution, benefiting sensitive marine ecosystems in the Río de la Plata estuary.</p>
<p>Uruguay’s grid is renewables-heavy, so its CO2e / kWh is a fairly light 100 grams, while Argentina is still running some coal, so its average 313 grams CO2e / kWh. That’s still a lot less than the U.S. average of 384 CO2e / kWh, and Argentina isn’t standing still. <span class="relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out">As of 2023, approximately 31.8% of Argentina’s electricity generation came from renewable sources, including hydropower, wind, solar, and biomass.</span> <span class="relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out">This represents a significant increase from previous years, reflecting the country’s efforts to diversify its energy mix. </span><span class="relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out">Looking ahead, Argentina has set ambitious targets for renewable energy generation.</span> <span class="relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out">According to its National Energy Transition Plan, the country aims to generate 57% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030</span>.</p>
<p>Looking forward, the implications of the China Zorrilla’s successful operation are profound. While current battery capacities and charging infrastructure constraints limit fully electric ferries primarily to short and medium-range operations, this project demonstrates feasibility at previously unimaginable scales. Continued improvements in battery energy density, charging speeds, and port infrastructure investments could enable larger vessels and longer routes to transition to full electrification over the coming decade. Emerging battery technologies promise further breakthroughs, doubling or tripling current energy densities within the coming years and allowing dramatically reduced charge times.</p>
<p>Regulatory dynamics will also shape the future of maritime electrification significantly. International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations increasingly push maritime sectors toward stricter emission targets, while regional policies, such as those within the EU’s emission control areas, will accelerate adoption in high-traffic maritime regions. Financial mechanisms from international organizations, including IFC and regional development banks, will provide necessary incentives and funding support to overcome upfront capital cost barriers. These regulatory and financial forces combined are expected to drive widespread adoption of electrified ferries globally, initially in Europe and North America but increasingly across Asia and South America.</p>
<p>Ultimately, the successful operation of the China Zorrilla ferry matters profoundly beyond its immediate geographic context. It sets a practical, technological, and economic benchmark, proving the viability of large-scale ferry electrification. Replicating this success globally offers substantial environmental and economic benefits, creating opportunities for advanced technology exports, manufacturing job creation, and leadership roles in maritime decarbonization. The era of maritime electrification is upon us, and vessels like the China Zorrilla illustrate clearly that the future of passenger and vehicle ferry transport is electric.</p>

China Zorrilla: How The World’s Largest Electric Ferry Changes Maritime Electrification

<p>In response to an article I wrote last week, a reader pointed out that the US Department of Energy <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/tag/loan-programs-office/">Loan Programs Office</a> has stopped providing any loans from the loan program that once helped Tesla through a very tough time. “Presumably, the DOE will be concentrating more on its primary mission to build and maintain nuclear weapons and not get distracted by this green stuff,” <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/29/trump-wants-to-kill-policy-that-made-tesla-profitable-last-quarter/#comment-6696953663">the reader wrote</a>.</p>
<p>It’s a great point, and we have neglected to write much about it. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/trump-doe-spending-freeze.html">Earlier this year</a>, the Trump administration paused any disbursements from the loan program, and it is reportedly looking to rework the program to support fossil fuel industries. This program has been used extensively for supporting early-stage cleantech companies, including Tesla back at a critical time in its development. It’s questionable if Tesla would have survived and ever produced mass-market electric cars if it wasn’t for the <a href="https://www.energy.gov/lpo/tesla">$465 million loan the company received back in January 2010</a>.</p>
<p>This comment followed my article about Donald Trump wanting to kill the California Clean Air Act waiver that allows the state to require higher average fuel economy for cars sold in the state.</p>
<p>Another commenter was a bit more expansive and blunt about the Trump administration’s widespread attacks on clean technologies and the idiocy of it all. <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/29/trump-wants-to-kill-policy-that-made-tesla-profitable-last-quarter/#comment-6697001275">Mike Shurtleff wrote</a>:</p>
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<p style="padding-left: 40px;">Of course the Orange Idiot wants to kill a pro-EV policy. Same as he wants to kill solar PV, wind, and battery production. He proposed at least two federal budgets cutting both the ITC and PTC during his 1st term. Back then Republicans in Red states on the Great Plains were benefitting from lower cost wind-generated electricity and prevented those cuts. There were “guardrails” then. There are none now.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;">We’re talking about a complete business moron, who blew threw most of his Daddy’s real-estate empire. He was responsible for multiple bankruptcies. He failed to make a freaking casino profitable. Casinos are just money generating machines.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;">… So the Chinese said they would take market share in the auto industry during the transition to EVs that was coming. … AND THEY ARE … BIG TIME … but the Orange Idiot wants to eliminate any progress Biden made in battery/EV production in the USA. Brilliant!!!</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;">Coal has been losing out to natural gas for more than a decade, because natural gas generated electricity COSTS LESS. Now most new electricity generation in the USA is wind and solar PV, because they COST EVEN LESS than natural gas. The Orange Idiot tried to mandate more coal in his first term, because coal was more reliable, but the conservative FERC said “more reliable” was a falsehood and killed the mandate … so now he wants to subsidize coal-generated electricity. He wants to subsidize a centuries-old source of electricity, which can no longer compete in a free market on cost. That’s real business genius, that is!!! Dude! Lower cost is what wins in the market!!! Higher cost fails!!! … And there is no question, in spite of all the fossil fueled headwinds, that wind, solar PV, and battery storage are growing! They are winning! Pretty tough concept for a business genius like Chump.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;">Who voted for this imbecile anyway?</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;">… I could rail on about tariffs leading to inflation and market collapse … or random massive firings of government workers with no transition plan to smaller, more effective government, or transition plan for private employment of those people … or about violation of laws and the “inalienable rights” of USA citizens … or about the complete clown car of White House appointees …but that’s enough for now.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;">Why isn’t Pete Hegseth in chains already for security violations? I would have been for less than he has done.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;">Yes Chump, go ahead and subsidize coal, go ahead and kill battery/EV production in the USA, fire all federal workers, put huge tariffs on all imports but give no incentives or time for USA production. Here’s some more rope from me. Hang yourself. Idiot!</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;">Sorry, guess that was not enough.</p>
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<p>Indeed.</p>

Trump Attacks on Loan Program that Sustained Tesla, EV Charging Program, Fuel Economy Standards — What Next?

<p style="text-align: right;"><em>This article was originally written in Spanish and published on one of the most important regional blogs regarding EV adoption: AleTech. It was written, translated, and abridged by Mario Duran Ortiz, a civil engineer in Costa Rica with ample knowledge on transportation and who has been reporting on the EV transition in his country and the region. All the credit for this regional report goes to him.&nbsp;</em></p>
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<p><em>By Mario Duran Ortiz</em></p>
<p>Sales of new all-electric passenger vehicles (cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks) in Costa Rica reached a record of 11,373 units in 2024, up 80% from 2023. This sales volume exceeded cumulative registrations of light-duty pure electric vehicles (BEVs) from 2010 through 2023. The segment’s market share achieved a record 15.4%, up from 11.6% in 2023, making Costa Rica the leader in all-electric car penetration in Latin America for the third consecutive year.</p>
<p>Sales of light-duty electric vehicles in Costa Rica are higher than formal registrations reported by MINAE (for 2024 a total of 9,647 cars plus 483 units, mainly pickups and light-duty vehicles). Since the registration process can take up to several months — until the green EV license plate is issued — there is a significant gap between the number of vehicles sold and those registered. According to AIVEMA, the number of imports is a better proxy to sales than registrations because, in general, dealer lot inventory is low.</p>
<p>Furthermore, as shown in the following graph, Costa Rica’s BEV market share in 2024 even surpassed the uptake achieved by Canada (10.9%) and the United States (7.8%). When accounting for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), Costa Rica also surpassed its North American neighbors. Therefore, the Central American country achieved the largest market share in the combined EV segments (BEV + PHEV) in the Americas for the third year-in-a-row.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Top-PEV-Market-shares-Americas-2024-EN-cc.png"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-352727 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Top-PEV-Market-shares-Americas-2024-EN-cc.png" alt="" width="998" height="909" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Top-PEV-Market-shares-Americas-2024-EN-cc.png 998w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Top-PEV-Market-shares-Americas-2024-EN-cc-400x364.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Top-PEV-Market-shares-Americas-2024-EN-cc-800x729.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Top-PEV-Market-shares-Americas-2024-EN-cc-768x700.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 998px) 100vw, 998px"></a></p>
<p>The graph below shows that Costa Rica, Uruguay, and Panama are the only countries located along the 45-degree diagonal line, where the BEV share is equal to the PEV share. This is because the sales of plug-in hybrids in these countries are minimal, as existing fiscal incentives solely benefit 100% electric vehicles. When considering only the BEV segment, Uruguay ranks third in the Americas, after Costa Rica and Canada, surpassing the United States.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_PEV-vs-BEV-market-shares-America-2024-EN-diagonal-cc.png"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-352725 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_PEV-vs-BEV-market-shares-America-2024-EN-diagonal-cc.png" alt="" width="1139" height="1023" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_PEV-vs-BEV-market-shares-America-2024-EN-diagonal-cc.png 1139w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_PEV-vs-BEV-market-shares-America-2024-EN-diagonal-cc-400x359.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_PEV-vs-BEV-market-shares-America-2024-EN-diagonal-cc-800x719.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_PEV-vs-BEV-market-shares-America-2024-EN-diagonal-cc-768x690.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1139px) 100vw, 1139px"></a></p>
<p>Within the Latin American region, Colombia ranks third behind Costa Rica and Uruguay with a 4.6% BEV market share, and rises to 5.6% when PHEVs are added. Both Uruguay and Colombia significantly increased sales of all-electric vehicles compared to 2023, by 217.9% and 147.1% correspondingly. Brazil ranks fourth in the region with a 2.5% BEV market share thanks to an outstanding sales growth of 219.1% from 2023, the highest in Latam. When PHEVs are included, Brazil’s market share rises to 5.1%. Mexico also saw significant BEV growth, 165.6% from 2023, and its market share rose from 0.9% in 2023 to 2.1% in 2024, and increases to 4.7% when PHEVs are included. Sales of PHEVs in both Brazil and Mexico are higher than BEVs, as illustrated in the graph, pushing the BEV/PHEV ratio of the combined Latam countries to 54/46.</p>
<p>BEV sales in Chile also had strong growth, 183.8% from 2023, reaching a BEV market share of 1.5%, rising to 1.9% when PHEVs are added. The BEV share in Panama increased from 0.9% to 1.4% in 2024. Both Paraguay and Ecuador for the first time ranked among the Latam leading countries in the BEV segment in 2024, with a market share of 1.4% and 1.5% respectively, and with sales growth from 2023 of 118.3% and 85.4%, correspondingly.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Plugin-electric-car-sales-and-market-share-in-the-Americas-in-2024.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-352726 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Plugin-electric-car-sales-and-market-share-in-the-Americas-in-2024.png" alt="" width="899" height="483" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Plugin-electric-car-sales-and-market-share-in-the-Americas-in-2024.png 899w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Plugin-electric-car-sales-and-market-share-in-the-Americas-in-2024-400x215.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Plugin-electric-car-sales-and-market-share-in-the-Americas-in-2024-800x430.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Plugin-electric-car-sales-and-market-share-in-the-Americas-in-2024-768x413.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 899px) 100vw, 899px"></a></p>
<p>As shown in the table, and within Latin American region, Brazil continued in 2024 to be the country with the most BEV sales (61,615), 3.2 times more than in 2023, and also the country that sold the most PHEVs (64,009), 1.9 times more than in 2023, for a combined record 125,624 plug-in cars. Brazilian EV sales represented 53.6% of the plug-in segment sales by volume among the leading Latam countries, and surpassed Mexico (29.7%), the second-largest automotive market in the region, by a wide margin. It is also worth noting that the market share of the Brazilian plug-in electric segment increased from 2.4% in 2023 to 5.1% in 2024.</p>
<p>In terms of sales volume for the BEV segment, Costa Rica is surpassed only by the large markets of Brazil and Mexico for the third consecutive year. Colombia follows with 9,193 units, Uruguay with 5,856, and Chile with 4,507 units.</p>
<p>Costa Rica’s successful EV adoption has been the result of the combination of three key factors: tax exemptions worth over 50% as compared to the price of fossil fuel vehicles; a wide variety of models available in all price categories since 2023; and, most importantly, the significant price reductions that took place in the most popular segments since 2023 due to increased price competition between auto dealers and cheaper direct imports from China (gray market). As widely reported by the international press, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/why-byds-ev-exports-sell-twice-china-price-2024-04-26/">Chinese EV makers charge higher prices for exports</a> to dealerships in Europe, Latam, and Australia as compared with prices in the local Chinese market. Direct imports or “gray market” imports consist of the direct purchase of a new EV in mainland China at local market prices by private individuals or small businesses. Then, the EVs are shipped by sea to Costa Rica, resulting in lower prices than purchasing the EV from a local dealership in Costa Rica.</p>
<p>Despite the exponential growth of its all-electric fleet, Costa Rica had just over 19,000 cars and light-duty vehicles in use at the end of 2024, representing only 1.3% of passenger vehicles and pickup trucks on the road. There is still a long way to go, and the country is facing several challenges in 2025 that may slow its rapid pace of adoption in the foreseeable future.</p>
<p>As illustrated in the graph below showing the adoption curve for new technologies, Costa Rica was at a critical threshold at the end of 2024, precisely near the end of the “early adopters” phase with a market share of 15.4%. Therefore, in 2025, it must make the leap across the always difficult “chasm” that begins after an uptake of 16.5% and between “early adopters” and the “early majority” phases. The leap is very important because the most pragmatic mass-market users are key to keeping a stable pace of EV purchases. Most countries in the Americas are still in the “innovators” or just entering the “early adopters” phase. Only Costa Rica and Canada are about to make the leap to the mainstream market.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Plugin-electric-car-Technology-Adoption-Curve-by-country-ENGLISH-cc.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-352722 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Plugin-electric-car-Technology-Adoption-Curve-by-country-ENGLISH-cc.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1333" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Plugin-electric-car-Technology-Adoption-Curve-by-country-ENGLISH-cc.png 2000w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Plugin-electric-car-Technology-Adoption-Curve-by-country-ENGLISH-cc-400x267.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Plugin-electric-car-Technology-Adoption-Curve-by-country-ENGLISH-cc-800x533.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Plugin-electric-car-Technology-Adoption-Curve-by-country-ENGLISH-cc-768x512.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Plugin-electric-car-Technology-Adoption-Curve-by-country-ENGLISH-cc-1536x1024.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px"></a></p>
<p>A short-term challenge for Costa Rica in successfully bridging the “chasm” is the imminent substantial tax increase that coincides with this critical phase. As a reference point, Germany had a 24.6% plug-in electric vehicle market share in 2023, already in the “early majority” phase. However, after ending incentives in 2024, its market share dropped to 20.3% in 2024. The same experience has occurred in Sweden several times over the past 10 years. EV adoption relies heavily on fiscal incentives to match the cost of internal combustion engine vehicles.</p>
<p>By mid-2025, tariff exemptions will be reduced, a 7.5% selective consumption tax and 0.25% of the customs value will come into effect. In addition, at the beginning of 2025, the exemption to the annual road tax was reduced from 60% to 40%, and VAT rose from 2% to 3%. The cumulative effect of all these taxes compared to 2024 prices is around 10%, with projected price increases ranging from about US$2,000 to US$10,000 or more for the luxury segment (assuming there are no additional price increases related to the current global trade war). Sales are expected to peak before June 2025, followed by an anticipated decline due to price elasticity of demand.</p>
<p>Another challenge is <a href="https://alemonterotech.com/reformas-necesarias-a-la-ley-9518-para-aumentar-la-infraestructura-de-carga-para-vehiculos-electricos/">the lack of adequate charging infrastructure</a>. The rapid growth of the EV fleet in 2024 has outpaced the development of public fast-charging infrastructure. The most frequented stations, particularly outside the Greater Metropolitan Area, often experience EVs queuing on weekends and holidays.</p>
<figure id="attachment_352724" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-352724" style="width: 1920px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Three-EVs-charging-CFIA-CRI-08-2024-4685.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-352724 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Three-EVs-charging-CFIA-CRI-08-2024-4685.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1280" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Three-EVs-charging-CFIA-CRI-08-2024-4685.jpg 1920w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Three-EVs-charging-CFIA-CRI-08-2024-4685-400x267.jpg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Three-EVs-charging-CFIA-CRI-08-2024-4685-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Three-EVs-charging-CFIA-CRI-08-2024-4685-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/thumbnail_Three-EVs-charging-CFIA-CRI-08-2024-4685-1536x1024.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-352724" class="wp-caption-text">EVs queuing to charge at a one-point fast-charging station in Costa Rica.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Public electric utilities responsible for the national fast-charging infrastructure must enhance their maintenance practices and ensure more prompt repair services to minimize downtime at the stations. Furthermore, it is imperative to enhance the density of the fast-charging infrastructure network to reduce the distance between stations along national highways. Also, an increase of the number of charging points per station is required, especially at stations on routes to major tourist destinations, such as the Caribbean and Southern Pacific coasts.</p>
<p>Due to capital expenditure limits set by the national government on public electric utilities, private sector investments are crucial for expanding charging infrastructure. Although ARESEP, the national utilities regulator, has clarified that private companies can offer charging services under the current legal framework, only small investments in Level 2 charging points have been made so far. Companies looking to build fast-charging stations in Costa Rica want clear legal authorization to ensure investment security. Bill No. 24.171 presented to Congress in early 2024 aims to address this issue and is nearing approval. Though, its enactment date is still unclear.</p>
<p>How Costa Rica addresses these challenges could determine whether Canada or Uruguay might take the lead in EV adoption in the Americas in 2025.</p>
<p><em>Translated and abridged by Mario Duran Ortiz. Originally published by&nbsp;</em><a href="https://alemonterotech.com/author/mario/"><em>Mario Duran Ortiz</em></a><em>&nbsp;for&nbsp;</em><a href="https://alemonterotech.com/por-tercer-ano-consecutivo-costa-rica-alcanzo-la-cuota-de-mercado-mas-alta-de-america-en-2024-para-el-segmento-de-autos-100-electricos/"><em>AleTech</em></a><em>.</em></p>

Costa Rica Achieved the Highest EV Market Share in the Americas for 3rd Consecutive Year in 2024

<p>The howling maniac who occupies the White House snuffed out the $5 billion public fast charging NEVI program earlier this year, but he can’t do anything to stop the home EV charging juggernaut. After all, the overwhelming majority of EV owners prefer to recharge at home. Fleet owners also like the home EV charging idea, but first someone has to figure out an accurate reimbursement system…. Oh, wait….</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Why All The Fuss Over Fleet Electrification</h3>
<p>The media spotlight has shone on Tesla so brightly and for so long that sometimes it’s easy to forget that the EV market is far more expansive than the iconic US automaker’s longstanding commitment to sedans and SUVs.</p>
<p>If you have any thoughts about how the company’s <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/23/tesla-misses-the-electric-truck-boat-again/">Edsel-adjacent Cybertruck</a> and the forthcoming <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/05/02/more-headaches-for-tesla-mack-truck-muscles-into-the-class-8-electric-truck-market/">Tesla Semi Class 8 truck</a> fit into that picture, drop a note in the comment thread. Meanwhile, there is some serious EV&nbsp;sales momentum taking place among <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2024/10/22/chargepoint-pitches-affordable-level-2-ev-charger-for-commercial-fleets-for-just-699/">commercial fleets</a> that count larger, heavier vans and trucks on their rosters. It’s not a headline grabber, but it’s there.</p>
<p>Cox Automotive is among those paying attention. The firm took the temperature of <a href="https://trellis.net/article/the-state-of-fleet-electrification-why-87-of-companies-plan-to-add-evs-in-the-next-five-years/">the commercial fleet electrification movement</a> last year and came up with this nugget:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;"><em>“Fleet operators that currently employ EV, the new study reveals, have a striking 90% likelihood of acquiring additional EVs in the next acquisition cycle. Among the total sample of fleets owners (those with and without EVs), a vast majority – 87% – expect EVs to be added to their fleets in the next five years.”</em></p>
<p>The fleet electrification movement also deserves props from a save-the-planet perspective. According to a 2022 report from the US EPA (such as it was back then), only 5% of vehicles on the road fall into the medium- and heavy-duty classes. However, they collectively account for an outsized <em>23% share</em> of transportation-related <a href="https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/fast-facts-transportation-greenhouse-gas-emissions">greenhouse gas emissions</a>, due to the use of diesel fuel among other factors.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">The Home EV Charging Difference</h3>
<p>If you’re wondering where home EV charging comes into the commercial fleet picture, that’s a good question. Some commercial fleet owners require drivers to return to their depot at the end of a shift. However, parking at home is also common and that’s where the EV sales momentum can be sustained. Home-parked fleet managers can accelerate their electrification plans when more employees have an EV charger at home.</p>
<p>As for employees without an EV charger, perhaps some forward-thinking fleet owners will expand their employee benefits package to include incentives for installing a new home EV charging station. That’s a win for the fleet owner’s vehicle electrification plans, and it could inspire EV-curious drivers to go out and buy an EV for their private use, too.</p>
<p>Having both a commercial and private vehicle use the same home EV charging station gives rise to an accounting challenge, but solutions are emerging. Among those to surface on the <em>CleanTechnica</em> radar is the “Depot360® Home Charging Reimbursement” system, newly launched in the United States by the US branch of Siemens.</p>
<p>As described by Siemens, Depot360 enables fleet managers to reimburse employees for home EV charging accurately, even if other cars are charged at the same port. The system deploys telematics data unique to the fleet vehicle based on its location.</p>
<p>“Siemens works with telematics providers to access real-time vehicle data to provide insights into home charging sessions to enable fair and accurate reimbursement,” Siemens explains.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">There Is So Much More To Home EV Charging Than Meets The Eye</h3>
<p>Home EV charging is popular from a convenience perspective, and home charging is also less expensive than public charging. In addition, EV owners are beginning to take advantage of utility incentives for <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/03/23/a-7-50-monthly-credit-for-off-peak-ev-charging-imagine-doing-that-with-your-gasmobile/">off-peak charging</a>. Deploying the EV battery as a <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/02/26/new-ev-charging-scheme-taps-into-big-juicy-ev-sales-opportunity/">grid-connected energy storage platform</a> is another avenue of opportunity beginning to open for individual EV owners.</p>
<p>Siemens is already looking forward to applying these benefits to the fleet electrification field, beginning with itself. The company’s US fleet currently consists of 11,000 cars, trucks, cargo vans, bucket trucks, and tractor trailers, among others, and Siemens expects all of them to be covered by Depot360 within the next five years or so.</p>
<p>“Depot360 Home Charging Reimbursement offers multiple benefits for fleet operators,” Siemens enthuses. “These benefits could include cost reduction by avoiding the need for networked chargers and dedicated meters, simplified management through automated payroll integration, and the ability to reimburse only fleet vehicles, while allowing private vehicles to use the same charger.”</p>
<p>“This solution not only reduces upfront infrastructure costs and ongoing operational expenses, but streamlines home charging reimbursement programs, enabling operators to scale their electrification plans with greater efficiency, flexibility, and confidence,” emphasizes Adam Orth, the US Head of Fleet at Siemens Mobility Services.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Optimizing Home EV Charging For The Fleet, Trump Or No Trump</h3>
<p>Siemens plans to use data from its Depot360 deployments to fine tune the system and apply it on a whole-of-operations basis. “If a fleet is charged at different locations — such as depots, public chargers, and homes — the platform may predict the optimal charging mix for these locations and suggest options to reduce the overall cost of charging,” Siemens explains.</p>
<p>“This makes home charging an integral part of broader corporate charging strategies,” the company emphasizes, suggesting that the fleet electrification movement will continue to gain momentum regardless of the malevolently incompetent Commander-in-Chief who currently occupies the Oval Office.</p>
<p>In that regard, it’s important to note that the rosy fleet electrification report from Cox Automotive was based on a survey taken in January of 2024, a full 12 months before the Trump–Musk continuum erupted in a tsunami of destructive policy-making. Among other disasters to boil out of the chaos, shipping industry observers anticipate significant fleet shrinkage as the Trump tariffs kick in.</p>
<p>Although that could impact fleet EV sales, the unfolding crisis also underscores the bottom line advantages of a fleet electrification plan that includes home EV charging.</p>
<p>“Home charging will also give the opportunity for fleet operators to reduce energy costs by leveraging scale via aggregation,” Siemens explains. “It will play a key part in the continued development of Depot360 solutions to support fleet operators in unlocking additional energy savings and revenue streams, for example, by enabling fleets to participate in energy programs.”</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Wait, What About Renters?</h3>
<p>A big, as-yet untapped opportunity for EV sales lies in the residential rental market, where an estimated <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2024/09/30/ford-ceo-jim-farley-targets-19-million-potential-ev-buyers-with-new-ford-power-promise/">19 million potential EV buyers</a> have been all but boxed out of the opportunity for home EV charging.</p>
<p>Landlords typically don’t want to deal with the installation expenses, and tenants aren’t willing to fork over the money to improve someone else’s property. New <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/02/26/new-ev-charging-scheme-taps-into-big-juicy-ev-sales-opportunity/">home EV charging-as-a-service</a> systems are beginning to crack that market wide open, so keep an eye out for indications that muiltifamily and rental residences will dovetail with the fleet electrification movement, too.</p>
<p><em>Photo (cropped): Siemens is introducing a new accounting system for home EV charging, aimed at enabling US fleet managers to accelerate their electrification plans (courtesy of Siemens via email/Google drive).</em></p>

New Home EV Charging Solution Tells Gasmobiles: Get Off My Fleet!

<p>We’ve had a few articles recently highlighting problems with the idea of a robotaxi revolution. (See <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/27/more-flaws-in-the-robotaxi-revolution-dream/">here</a>, <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/24/flaws-in-the-robotaxi-revolution-dream/">here</a>, and <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/18/tesla-robotaxis-profit-centers-or-loss-centers/">here</a>.) However, there are definitely some upsides to robotaxis, and there’s one in particular that deserves a nod.</p>
<p>A reader shared <a href="https://waymo.com/blog/2024/12/new-swiss-re-study-waymo">this study</a> with us in a comment thread, and it is something we covered when it came out, but I actually forgot about it until it was brought up by this reader. The overall point: robotaxis are safer. Well, Waymo robotaxis at least.</p>
<p>Here’s what Waymo wrote when it announced the findings, which come from a prominent third-party organization: “Today, we’re sharing our&nbsp;<a href="https://waymo.com/research/do-autonomous-vehicles-outperform-latest-generation-human-driven-vehicles-25-million-miles/"><u>new cutting-edge research</u></a>&nbsp;with Swiss Re, one of the world’s leading reinsurers, analyzing liability claims related to collisions from 25.3 million fully autonomous miles driven by Waymo. The study uses auto liability claims aggregate statistics as a proxy for at-fault collisions and expands on our&nbsp;<a href="https://waymo.com/blog/2023/09/waymos-autonomous-vehicles-are-significantly-safer-than-human-driven-ones/"><u>previous research</u></a>. It demonstrates that as we’ve scaled operations across Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin, the Waymo Driver significantly outperforms both the overall driving population and the latest generation of human-driven vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).”</p>
<p>In other words, Waymo robotaxis are much less likely to get into an accident than other cars. I feel like I’ve seen an accident a day in the past week around here, including a really disastrous one. If more of the cars around us were Waymo robotaxis, I certainly feel like we’d all be safer off.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Waymo-Swiss-Re.jpeg"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-352717" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Waymo-Swiss-Re.jpeg" alt="" width="1920" height="1080" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Waymo-Swiss-Re.jpeg 1920w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Waymo-Swiss-Re-400x225.jpeg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Waymo-Swiss-Re-800x450.jpeg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Waymo-Swiss-Re-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Waymo-Swiss-Re-1536x864.jpeg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px"></a></p>
<p>Here’s more from Waymo on the findings of the study noted above: “The study compared Waymo’s liability claims to human driver baselines, which are based on Swiss Re’s data from over 500,000 claims and over 200 billion miles of exposure. It found that the Waymo Driver demonstrated better safety performance when compared to human-driven vehicles, with an 88% reduction in property damage claims and 92% reduction in bodily injury claims. In real numbers, across 25.3 million miles, the Waymo Driver was involved in just nine property damage claims and two bodily injury claims. Both bodily injury claims are still open and described in the paper. For the same distance, human drivers would be expected to have 78 property damage and 26 bodily injury claims.</p>
<p>“Notably, the Waymo Driver’s safety advantages hold true even when compared to newer vehicles (2018-2021 models) equipped with modern safety technology. This includes advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) such as automated emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keeping assistance, and blind spot warning. When compared to this group, the Waymo Driver showed an 86% reduction in property damage claims and 90% reduction in bodily injury claims.”</p>
<p><em>An 88% reduction in property damage claims and 92% reduction in bodily injury claims — </em>that’s a big deal. Despite other issues with robotaxis (like increased traffic), it’s hard to not look at those numbers and think that we should have a massive shift into robotaxis. That said …</p>
<p>Perhaps instead of rolling out robotaxis exponentially, we will see Waymo’s self-driving tech make its way into consumer cars in the coming years, with the opportunity to turn on Waymo Driver and sleep, eat, watch something, game, or just watch the landscape on the way to work, to pick up kids, to go shopping, etc. I’d take that! Of course, there’s a similar hope that Tesla’s Full Self Driving (FSD) will provide this one day, but I have FSD (I’ve had it for almost 6 years now) and I have much less hope in that coming about than Waymo tech continuing to lead the market.</p>
<p>“Auto insurance claims data, traditionally used to assess human driver liability and risk, is a powerful tool in evaluating the safety performance of autonomous vehicles,” said Mauricio Peña, Chief Safety Officer at Waymo. “This is a truly groundbreaking study that not only validates the Waymo Driver’s strong safety record, but also provides a scalable framework for ongoing assessment of the impact autonomous vehicles make on road safety.” Indeed. It is.</p>
<p>You can <a href="https://waymo.com/research/do-autonomous-vehicles-outperform-latest-generation-human-driven-vehicles-25-million-miles/">read the full scientific paper on this study here</a>.</p>
<div class="inline-image"><picture class="_picture_1c1m7_2"><source srcset="//images.ctfassets.net/e6t5diu0txbw/4DrqaDoUPTsRzgugaWGvU2/08b2be3ec94d982a1ae8722156f1dbb3/SwissRe_Waymo_InfoGraphic.png?fm=webp&amp;q=90 2x, //images.ctfassets.net/e6t5diu0txbw/4DrqaDoUPTsRzgugaWGvU2/08b2be3ec94d982a1ae8722156f1dbb3/SwissRe_Waymo_InfoGraphic.png?w=1440&amp;fm=webp&amp;q=90" type="image/webp" media="(min-width: 600px)"><source srcset="//images.ctfassets.net/e6t5diu0txbw/4DrqaDoUPTsRzgugaWGvU2/08b2be3ec94d982a1ae8722156f1dbb3/SwissRe_Waymo_InfoGraphic.png?q=90 2x, //images.ctfassets.net/e6t5diu0txbw/4DrqaDoUPTsRzgugaWGvU2/08b2be3ec94d982a1ae8722156f1dbb3/SwissRe_Waymo_InfoGraphic.png?w=1440&amp;" type="image/png" media="(min-width: 600px)"><source srcset="//images.ctfassets.net/e6t5diu0txbw/4DrqaDoUPTsRzgugaWGvU2/08b2be3ec94d982a1ae8722156f1dbb3/SwissRe_Waymo_InfoGraphic.png?fm=webp&amp;q=90 2x, //images.ctfassets.net/e6t5diu0txbw/4DrqaDoUPTsRzgugaWGvU2/08b2be3ec94d982a1ae8722156f1dbb3/SwissRe_Waymo_InfoGraphic.png?w=1024&amp;fm=webp&amp;q=90" type="image/webp" media="(min-width: 600px) and (max-width: 1023px)"><source srcset="//images.ctfassets.net/e6t5diu0txbw/4DrqaDoUPTsRzgugaWGvU2/08b2be3ec94d982a1ae8722156f1dbb3/SwissRe_Waymo_InfoGraphic.png?q=90 2x, //images.ctfassets.net/e6t5diu0txbw/4DrqaDoUPTsRzgugaWGvU2/08b2be3ec94d982a1ae8722156f1dbb3/SwissRe_Waymo_InfoGraphic.png?w=1024&amp;" type="image/png" media="(min-width: 600px) and (max-width: 1023px)"><source srcset="//images.ctfassets.net/e6t5diu0txbw/4DrqaDoUPTsRzgugaWGvU2/08b2be3ec94d982a1ae8722156f1dbb3/SwissRe_Waymo_InfoGraphic.png?fm=webp&amp;q=90 2x, //images.ctfassets.net/e6t5diu0txbw/4DrqaDoUPTsRzgugaWGvU2/08b2be3ec94d982a1ae8722156f1dbb3/SwissRe_Waymo_InfoGraphic.png?w=1024&amp;fm=webp&amp;q=90" type="image/webp" media="(max-width: 599px)"></picture></div>

The One Big Robotaxi Benefit — Safe Driving

<p>April’s auto market saw plugin EVs at 25.3% share in France, up from 24.3% year-on-year. BEVs were slightly up in share YoY, whilst PHEVs were fractionally down. Overall auto volume was 138,697 units, down some 6%YoY. The Renault 5 was France’s best selling BEV in April.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-352710" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/April-2025-France-Passenger-Auto-Registrations-800x566.png" alt="EVs at 25.3% share in France" width="800" height="566" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/April-2025-France-Passenger-Auto-Registrations-800x566.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/April-2025-France-Passenger-Auto-Registrations-400x283.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/April-2025-France-Passenger-Auto-Registrations-768x543.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/April-2025-France-Passenger-Auto-Registrations.png 1086w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"></p>
<p>April saw combined EVs at 25.3% share in France, with full battery electrics (BEVs) at 18.4%, and plugin hybrids (PHEVs) at 6.9%. These compare with YoY figures of 24.3% combined, 16.9% BEV, and 7.4% PHEV.</p>
<p>Recall the context of France’s EV transition:</p>
<ul>
<li>The BEV eco-bonus purchase incentive was trimmed from €7,000 down to €4,000 from January 1st 2025. PHEVs have (from January 1st) lost their previous waiver on weight-based taxes, leading to a loss in share.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The successful 2024 “Social Leasing” scheme gave a boost to BEVs in the 2024 March to September period (affecting the baseline for YoY comparisons). <a href="https://media.roole.fr/transition/voiture-propre/leasing-social-ce-qu-il-faut-savoir-sur-la-voiture-electrique-a-100-euros-par-mois">This scheme will return</a> (at a significantly more modest level) in September 2025, so we will see some hold-back effects on BEV sales, as we get near to its restart.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>General tightening of the CO2 emissions threshold for “malus écologique” taxes (from 113 g/km in 2025, and 105 g/km in 2026) means that emissions are increasingly heavily penalised. For example, vehicles emitting over 193 g/km can face penalties up to €70,000! This is encouraging a fast conversion of remaining ICE-only powertrains over to HEV and MHEV (see timeline graph below), and also helping EV sales somewhat.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>More broadly, the EU commission, in early March 2025, proposed a watering down of previously agreed 2025 EU vehicle emission targets. It was proposed that the previous plan for a year-by-year tightening, be replaced by a broader “averaged” compliance window (over 2025-2027), effectively making 2025 progress now voluntary, if compensated for in 2027. As of time of writing, this loosening of former targets is still <a href="https://law-tracker.europa.eu/procedure/2025_70?lang=en">a proposal making its way through the EU legislative maze</a>.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Finally, there are now several somewhat-affordable compelling BEVs available in the French market (Citroen e-C3, Renault 5, Fiat Grande Panda, Hyundai Inster, and others). The BYD Dolphin Mini may come to European markets later in the year, at an even lower price point. That these BEVs are now real choices in the market – even in the event their delivery times may require some patience – makes ICE alternatives relatively unattractive.</li>
</ul>
<p>Against this backdrop, April market share figures are understandable. BEVs continue to slowly but surely grow, whilst PHEVs remain consistently below their 10% peak share of 2023. HEVs (and MHEVs) are a quick-and-cheap short term emissions reduction step for legacy auto, but not a long term solution.</p>
<p>Meanwhile combustion-only powertrains continue to diminish. Diesel-only fell from 7.7% share to 4.8% YoY. Petrol-only fell from 32.2% share to 20.9% YoY.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-352712" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/France-Monthly-Powertrain-Market-Share-800x556.png" alt="EVs at 25.3% share in France" width="800" height="556" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/France-Monthly-Powertrain-Market-Share-800x556.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/France-Monthly-Powertrain-Market-Share-400x278.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/France-Monthly-Powertrain-Market-Share-768x534.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/France-Monthly-Powertrain-Market-Share-392x272.png 392w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/France-Monthly-Powertrain-Market-Share-130x90.png 130w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/France-Monthly-Powertrain-Market-Share.png 886w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><b>Best Selling BEV Models</b></p>
<p>The Renault 5 was once again the best selling BEV in April, marking its 4th pole-position of the past 6 months. Its larger sibling the Renault Scenic took second spot (up from 3rd in March). The Citroen e-C3 took third.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-352713" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/France-BEVs-April-2025.png" alt="" width="645" height="792" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/France-BEVs-April-2025.png 645w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/France-BEVs-April-2025-326x400.png 326w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 645px) 100vw, 645px"></p>
<p>There were few big moves in the top 10 positions. The Tesla Model Y, in second place in March (Tesla’s normal peak volume month) fell back to 11th in April (a normal low-ebb month). Volume deliveries of the Juniper refresh are expected to begin in May or June, though it may take until the end of Q3 for a new steady-state to emerge.</p>
<p>The Kia EV3 climbed up to a record 10th place, with 551 registrations, from around 20th in the past couple of months. The new Skoda Elroq climbed into the top 20 for the first time, in 13th place with 519 units. It overtook its older and more expensive sibling, the Enyaq, let’s see if this new family pecking order is sustained.</p>
<p>The BYD Seal also entered the top 20 for the first time, in 14th spot, with 503 units, after having been on sale in France for around 18 months. This may be a record single-model volume for BYD in France (the Atto 3 saw 470 units back in December 2023).</p>
<p>The new Opel Frontera also saw its first top 20 ranking, in 18th spot, with 454 units.</p>
<p>We can also see that the new Citroen e-C3 Aircross landed in the top 20, in 16th position, with 495 units, a good result. Although our source data is limited to the top&nbsp; 20 models, it seems the Aircross may have seen modest initial customer volumes starting around February (let us know in the comments if you know more). Let’s see how popular it is compared to its ~10% smaller sibling, the regular e-C3.</p>
<p>Here’s the trailing 3-month chart (note that volume for Mini is estimated +/- 5%):</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-352714" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/France-BEVs-April-25-Trailing-Qtr-2.png" alt="" width="645" height="571" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/France-BEVs-April-25-Trailing-Qtr-2.png 645w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/France-BEVs-April-25-Trailing-Qtr-2-400x354.png 400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 645px) 100vw, 645px"></p>
<p>The Renault 5 is now consolidating its leadership in the French market, having led consistently for most of the past 6 months. The Citroen e-C3 is back in second place, and the Renault Scenic is in third.</p>
<p>We unfortunately don’t yet have enough data to define the 3-month rankings beyond 13th spot, but it is possible the Kia EV3 may have joined in around 20th spot for the first time, and its strong April result suggests it can climb further.</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center"><b>Outlook</b></h4>
<p>April saw the overall French auto market return to the recent down-trend, with a 6% YoY volume decline. Only one month of the past 12 has avoided falling auto volumes YoY. In the broader French economy, we now have Q1 2025 GDP figures, showing <a href="https://tradingeconomics.com/france/indicators">0.8% YoY growth</a> – lacklustre and slightly below the Euro area average of 1.2%, but ahead of Germany (in recession). Inflation remained low at 0.5% and ECB interest rates declined to 2.4%. Manufacturing PMI improved slightly to 48.7 points in April, up from 48.5 in March.</p>
<p>With the Reanult 5 now taking a strong lead, and other small and affordable models climbing (and more coming) it seems the French market is finally putting the necessary ingredients in place for the mass-market BEV transition. It now just depends on decent available volumes of these models, and some degree of competition between them.</p>
<p>What are your thoughts on France’s EV transition? Please join the discussion below with your perspective and questions.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

EVs At 25.3% Share In France – Renault Top Two

<p>A new study from the German Automobile Club (ADAC) tells us what we’ve always suspected would be the case — electric cars are much more reliable than gasoline-powered cars.</p>
<p>German Automobile Club (ADAC) is the largest roadside assistance organization in Europe. If you’re American, think AAA. With an enormous amount of its own data — responding to 3.6 million breakdowns last year, for example — ADAC can really dig in and come to some solid conclusions. Also, it’s apparent they are doing things the right way, eager to come to correct conclusions, not just a preferred talking point. With more EVs on the road, and enough EVs getting older, ADAC was able to come to some important findings.</p>
<p>“For the first time in 2024, the ADAC said it had enough data to make a confident call on EV reliability, and that call favors electric,” <em>Carscoops</em> writes. “With another year of data behind them, the case has only grown stronger. While it responded to more EV calls for service than ever before, those accounted for just 43,678 out of the 3.6 million total or just 1.2%.” But what does that mean in broader context?</p>
<p>“For cars first registered between 2020 and 2022, electric vehicles experienced 4.2 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles,” <em>Handelsblatt </em>writes. In comparison, cars powered by fossil fuels (petrol, diesel) had <em>10.4 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles</em>. Wow! That’s a huge difference.</p>
<p>So, for all the claims that electric cars are just as unreliable and likely to break down because of one story here or there, that’s just misleading. With high volumes, there are going to be issues that sneak through or pop up, and even “lemon” cars. However, overall, electric cars are clearly much less likely to leave you unable to drive on the side of the road.</p>
<p>Perhaps just as interesting, the EV breakdowns largely come down to one simple issue. In 50% of EV breakdowns and 45% of fossil fuel car breakdowns, it was a 12V battery dying that left drivers stranded. (I will say that one update I have gotten in my Tesla Model 3 since I bought it in 2019 is Tesla now provides a warning on the screen when you need to replace your 12V battery. This should be the norm and helps a ton.)</p>
<p>However, beyond the 12V battery, electric cars are just more reliable. “In almost every single category over the last few years, combustion cars have seen more or equal issues when compared to EVs, including the electrical system, engine management, and lighting,” <em>Carscoops</em> adds.</p>
<p>Naturally, we don’t have solid long-term studies to lean on yet on these matters. Not enough electric cars were being sold 10 years ago to have this kind of research yet. However, simple logic and understanding of the simpler drivetrains of electric cars implies that we will have similar results for cars that have been on the road for a decade. In fact, one would think that’s especially where EVs shine, as that’s when many components of gas/diesel cars break down — components that EVs don’t have. Stay tuned. In the meantime, feel assured in your more reliable electric cars, and be sure to watch out for your little 12V battery dying.</p>

Electric Cars Are More Reliable Than Gas Cars — New Study

<p>The Chicken Littles are nattering endlessly about how the EV Revolution is over, and if you live in the US, you can be excused for thinking that way, given that the failed administration of the current president is doing everything it can think of to hold back the transition to electric vehicles. But outside the US, Hyundai and Kia don’t seem to be paying much attention to what is happening in the US as they ramp up their EV programs in Europe and the UK. Both <a href="https://www.hyundai.news/eu/articles/press-releases/hyundai-motor-tuerkiye-prepares-for-ev-production.html">Hyundai</a> and <a href="https://www.kianewscenter.com/news/global-news/2025-kia-ceo-investor-day--kia-to-strengthen-growth-engine-through-launch-of-new-ev--pbv-and-pickup-/s/40c9896e-8f01-4790-ab6c-e60b11b92f8b">Kia</a> plan to launch several budget-friendly EVs next year, targeting both developed and emerging markets.</p>
<p>Based on information contained in internal product planning materials for Hyundai Motor Group, <em>Korea Economic Daily</em> recently published a report saying Hyundai and Kia are preparing a new product offensive to counter the slowdown in the auto industry and upcoming tariffs in the US. They will introduce 35 new and refreshed products in 2026, including smaller and cheaper electric cars. Another electric car company which shall remain nameless plans to sail serenely into the future with <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/27/why-i-think-teslas-most-affordable-model-will-be-a-big-success-for-reasons-nobody-is-talking-about/">decontented versions</a> of its two most popular models. One of those strategies will be successful.</p>
<p>Hyundai is working on a small electric hatchback, codenamed “BJ1” in the internal planning documents. The company plans to bring that car to market in August of 2026, possibly as a competitor to the upcoming ID.2 from Volkswagen. In March, Hyundai announced it plans to start manufacturing EVs at the İzmit factory in Turkey in 2026, so perhaps the BJ1 will be manufactured there as well. That factory currently builds the i10, i20, and Bayon, leading <em><a href="https://www.electrive.com/2025/05/02/hyundai-and-kia-to-double-down-on-budget-friendly-evs-next-year/">Electrive</a></em> to speculate that an electrified version of the i20 may be planned as well.</p>
<p>Two weeks after the Hyundai announcement, <em>L’argus</em> reported the first electric model the company plans to build at the İzmit plant will take the form of a B-segment hatchback and borrow Kia’s EV2 platform. That supports the theory that the BJ1 will be that model.</p>
<p>The BJ1 will offer customers a choice of either LFP or NMC battery packs that deliver roughly 300 km (185 mi) to 400 km (250 mi) of range in the WLTP testing cycle. Hyundai plans to introduce an Inster-inspired dedicated EV codenamed “HE1i” also in 2026, according to <em>Autocar Professional</em>. That car will be built on the E-GMP (K) platform, with sales beginning in India in the second half of this year. Kia will strengthen its budget EV portfolio next year with two models. The company plans to start manufacturing the Euro-focused EV2 in February 2026 and could begin shipping it to dealerships in the spring. In April, it will unveil the electric variant of the Syros, its India-focused small SUV.</p>
<p>Globally, Kia plans to build a diverse EV range comprising 15 models by 2030. Hyundai has reduced its EV sales projections for 2030 from 1.6 million units to 1.26 million units annually. Hyundai has set more aggressive goals, aiming to expand its EV lineup to 21 models and increase its annual EV sales to two million units by the end of the decade.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Kia Targets The Commercial Market</h3>
<p>One market segment that has gone under-represented in the electric vehicle space is the cargo vans that are the backbone of many small businesses, from carpenters and painters to passenger vans that shuttle people from place to place at airports, hospitals, and hotels. At the IAA Transportation Show in September of 2024, Kia presented four concepts of its battery electric PBV commercial vehicles that include the diminutive PV1, the midsize PV5, and the larger PV7.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/02/27/the-kia-pv5-1st-dedicated-pbv-from-kia-unveiled/">KIA PV5 Cargo</a> is now available for pre-order in the UK, and is the first offering from the company’s “Platform Beyond Vehicle” strategy. The PV5 is 4.70 meters (15.5 feet) long, making it very similar in size to the standard-wheelbase <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2022/08/20/volkswagen-id-buzz-cargo-now-open-for-orders-in-uk-479-month-starting-price/">Volkswagen ID. Buzz</a>. Both the ID. Buzz and the PV5 are based on a dedicated electric vehicle platform rather than a reworked chassis designed primarily to be powered by an internal combustion engine, as is the case with many of the competition.</p>
<p>The ID. Buzz, however, was originally designed as a passenger vehicle, and so its cargo capacity is limited t0 500 kg (1100 lb). The KIA PBV models do not use the E-GMP of the electric cars, but their own E-GMP.S platform optimized for light commercial vehicles. That gives them the flexibility to accommodate a a wide range of variants, including a passenger version for driving services as well as cargo-hauling, package-delivery, and mobile-workshop models for people in the trades.</p>
<p>In the UK, the <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/02/21/new-kia-pv5-design-unveiled/">Kia PV5 Cargo</a> can be pre-ordered in the ‘Essential’ configuration from £27,645 ($36,708) net with a 51.5 kWh standard range battery. With the Long Range battery, the base price goes up to £30,145 ($40,027). By comparison, the ID. Buzz Cargo lists for £31,380 ($41,667) but comes with a 79 kWh battery, faster charging, and a more powerful motor. For the PV5 Passenger in the basic “Essential” trim, Kia UK is asking £32,995 ($43,800). Prices of the upmarket “Plus” trim have not been announced at this time.</p>
<p>Deliveries of the PV5 Cargo are set to begin in late 2025. <a href="https://www.kiapressoffice.com/releases/1833">Kia UK</a> says that “other PV5 Cargo variants, as well as PV5 Crew and PV5 Chassis Cab, pricing will be revealed later this year.” There is also no information on the market launch or price of the other battery variants. The version mentioned is the medium, 51.5 kWh battery, but the 71.2 kWh long-range battery will also be available at launch. A 43.3 kWh LFP battery especially for delivery services with a defined area of use is to follow later, but only for the PV5 Cargo, not the PV5 Passenger.</p>
<p>The PV5 has a 400-volt system and the DC charging capacity will probably not exceed 150 kW. “When connected to a 150kW charging point, the PV5’s battery (both standard range or long range) can be topped up from 10-to-80% in less than 30 minutes,” the company says. That is in line with the Kia EV3 on the 400-volt passenger car version of the platform, which has a maximum charging capacity of 130 kW with its 81.4 kWh battery.</p>
<p>What is clear from all this news is that Hyundai and Kia are forging ahead with new electric cars. If some lunatic wants to start a trade war, they are prepared to adapt and adjust without deviating from their primary goal of being leaders in the EV revolution. There are some very smart people running things at Hyundai Motor Group, people who don’t let their business model get interrupted when market upheavals take place. The US could benefit from some zero-emissions work vehicles, but it will have to wait until the tariff turmoil settles down — or buy from Rivian. In the meantime, Hyundai Motor Group is following the lead of BYD by selling in markets that actually want its products and ignoring those that don’t. That sounds like smart thinking.</p>

Hyundai & Kia Have The EV Bit Between Their Teeth And They Are Not Slowing Down

<p>NIO had a solid month of sales growth again in April, growing 53% compared to April 2024. The company had 23,900 vehicles delivered to customers in the month.</p>
<p>That was also a 59% increase over the month before, March 2025 — going from 15,093 sales to 23,900 sales.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo.png"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-352698" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo.png" alt="" width="2040" height="1352" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-400x265.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-800x530.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-768x509.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-1536x1018.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p>The sales breakdown by brand was 19,269 sales of NIO vehicles, 4,400 sales of ONVO vehicles, and a trickle of initial deliveries (239) of NIO’s new “small smart high-end electric car brand,” Firefly.</p>
<p>Regarding that new brand, NIO highlights it as such: “Our small smart high-end electric car, firefly, was officially launched on April 19, 2025. Built upon NIO’s expertise in research and development, design capabilities, safety standards, and intelligent technologies, firefly embodies the brand DNA of being ‘vivid, thoughtful and solid.’ It offers a vivid driving experience where users can embrace the freedom to glow. Following the product launch, firefly started deliveries in China in late April 2025, with plans to gradually reach global markets in the near future.”</p>
<p>Let’s see how much the new Firefly brand and propel NIO forward! Also, I’m curious (and hopeful) that NIO can revive growth of its core NIO brand. Let’s see….</p>
<p><em>Also see: <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/05/03/xpeng-sales-up-313-in-2025/">XPENG Sales Up 313% in 2025!</a></em></p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vs-NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo.png"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-352699" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vs-NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo.png" alt="" width="3240" height="1720" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vs-NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo.png 3240w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vs-NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-400x212.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vs-NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-800x425.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vs-NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-768x408.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vs-NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-1536x815.png 1536w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vs-NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-2048x1087.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 3240px) 100vw, 3240px"></a></p>

NIO Sales Up 53% in April

<p>XPENG sales continue to soar. The company had 273% more sales last month than in April 2024! Through the first 4 months of 2025, sales are up 313%!</p>
<p>That said, month-to-month, the explosion has slowed down. XPENG sales were only up 5.5% in April compared to March.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo.png"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-352697" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo.png" alt="" width="2040" height="1352" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-400x265.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-800x530.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-768x509.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-1536x1018.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p>Overall, 35,045 XPENG vehicles were delivered in April, and 129,053 were delivered in the first 4 months of the year.</p>
<p>Other highlights include that:</p>
<ul>
<li>The MONA M03 already surpassed 100,000 sales.</li>
<li>The XPENG P7+ reached 50,000 vehicles produced in just 5 months.</li>
<li>“In addition to robust delivery growth, XNGP achieved a monthly active user penetration rate of 84% in urban driving in April 2025. On April 28, XPENG officially launched its ADAS Insurance Service in China. Priced at RMB 239 per year, this service offers additional coverage when NGP is in operation and is made available to all XPENG models through partnership with leading insurance providers in China.”</li>
</ul>
<p>That’s a solid list of accomplishments in recent months.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vs-NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo.png"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-352699" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vs-NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo.png" alt="" width="3240" height="1720" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vs-NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo.png 3240w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vs-NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-400x212.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vs-NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-800x425.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vs-NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-768x408.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vs-NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-1536x815.png 1536w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/XPENG-vs-NIO-vehicle-sales-monthly-deliveries-April-2025-logo-2048x1087.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 3240px) 100vw, 3240px"></a></p>

XPENG Sales Up 313% in 2025!

<p>Charging an electric car still isn’t as quick as grabbing gas. But it’s getting there, and the tech is moving faster than ever.</p>
<p>Last month, <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/753913/byd-ev-one-megawatt-charging/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22753913%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22byd-ev-one-megawatt-charging%22%7D">China’s BYD unveiled next-generation vehicles</a> that promise to add 250 miles of range in just five minutes of charging. Then CATL, the world’s largest battery manufacturer, said “hold my beer” and <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/757229/catl-beats-byd-5-minute-charging-tech/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22757229%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22catl-beats-byd-5-minute-charging-tech%22%7D">announced a pack</a> that it claims can add over 323 miles in the same short period. Factoring in <a href="https://insideevs.com/features/343231/heres-how-to-calculate-conflicting-ev-range-test-cycles-epa-wltp-nedc/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22343231%22%2C%22section%22%3A%223%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22heres-how-to-calculate-conflicting-ev-range-test-cycles-epa-wltp-nedc%22%7D">China’s overly optimistic range estimates</a>, we’re looking at around 170 miles of real-world range for the BYD and 210 for the CATL pack—still super impressive, and unlike anything the industry has ever seen.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here in the U.S., Lucid Motors is the new charging king. The Gravity SUV hits the general public this month as the <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/755865/lucid-gravity-fastest-charging-ev-in-north-america/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22755865%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22lucid-gravity-fastest-charging-ev-in-north-america%22%7D">quickest-charging EV outside of China</a>, according to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L_H9kInVNU" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">testing</a> by <a href="https://insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">InsideEVs</a> contributor and State of Charge YouTube host Tom Moloughney.&nbsp;</p>
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    <img src="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/L3XoyG/s1/2025-lucid-gravity.jpg" alt="2025 Lucid Gravity">
    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs</div>
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<p>2026 Lucid Gravity</p>
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<p>So when I attended a <a href="https://insideevs.com/reviews/756457/lucid-gravity-first-drive-2026/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22756457%22%2C%22section%22%3A%222%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22lucid-gravity-first-drive-2026%22%7D">media preview for the Gravity this month</a>, I was eager to catch up with Emad Dlala, Lucid’s senior vice president of powertrain, about charging tech. Dlala gave me the download on how Lucid got its SUV to charge so quickly and why BYD’s news may not be all it’s cracked up to be.&nbsp;</p><div class="item m1-ap-native " style="height: 0px; overflow: hidden; transition: height 1.5s linear;"></div>
<h2><span class="arrow-holder"></span>The Gravity: A 400 kW Charging Monster</h2>
<p>First, though, just how fast does this SUV juice up? For that, we turn to Tom’s test at a 350-kilowatt EVgo dispenser.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Gravity is theoretically able to accept <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/748736/lucid-gravity-nacs-charge-rate/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22748736%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22lucid-gravity-nacs-charge-rate%22%7D">400 kW of peak charging power</a>. In Tom’s test from a depleted battery, it maxed out at 375 kW. That’s only a bit more than EVs like the <a href="https://insideevs.com/reviews/707284/2025-porsche-taycan-range-test/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22707284%22%2C%22section%22%3A%222%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%222025-porsche-taycan-range-test%22%7D">Porsche Taycan</a> or <a href="https://insideevs.com/gmc/hummer-ev/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">GMC Hummer EV</a>, which top out at 350 kW.</p>
<p>What may be even more important is that the SUV also sustained high charging power for a significant chunk of the charging session. The way charging power ramps up and then declines over the course of a fueling stop is known as an EV’s “charging curve,” and the Gravity has a very good one. It charged at over 300 kW until almost a 40% state of charge. It maintained over 200 kW up to nearly 50%.&nbsp;</p>
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    <img src="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/bglnP6/s1/2025-lucid-gravity.jpg" alt="2025 Lucid Gravity">
    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs</div>
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<p>The 2026 Lucid Gravity</p>
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<p>In mileage terms, the Gravity added 100 miles of EPA-rated range in just over five minutes, 200 miles in 10.9 minutes, 250 miles in 15 minutes and a whopping 300 miles in 20 minutes. These numbers are pretty much unheard of this side of the Pacific.&nbsp;</p>
<h2><span class="arrow-holder"></span>How Lucid Did It</h2>
<p>So, how did Lucid beat Tesla, <a href="https://insideevs.com/rivian/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Rivian</a>, Hyundai and everybody else at charging? That started with a new battery cell capable of accommodating lots of energy in a short period of time, Dlala said. Lucid worked with Panasonic to develop a new cell with better energy density (800 watt-hours per liter) and charging abilities than what came in the startup’s first car, the <a href="https://insideevs.com/lucid/air/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Air</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>According to Dlala, the new cell also performs better in extreme heat and cold. It’s a cylindrical 2170 cell, meaning it’s 21 mm wide and 70 mm tall.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There’s always a push and pull between how much energy (aka miles) a battery can store and how quickly it can recharge. This is because packing more active material into a cell creates resistance as lithium ions flow from one electrode to the other.&nbsp;</p>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs</div>
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<p>2026 Lucid Gravity</p>
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<p>“Here's the thing people still don't understand: You can get a power cell that gives you much less energy, but gives you much faster charging speed,” Dlala said. Importantly, he said, Lucid’s new cell charges quickly without compromising energy density. That helped the Gravity land a stellar EPA range rating of 450 miles.</p>
<p>The battery was just the start. Lucid then had to engineer the rest of the Gravity to also accept super-fast charging speeds. “We had to also rethink and redesign the entire thermal system and architecture in order to support this very high-power cell,” Dlala said. Thermal issues are a big reason why many cars cannot charge at peak rates for too long. Overheating can cause parasitic <a href="https://insideevs.com/features/703437/10-minute-ev-charging-speed/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22703437%22%2C%22section%22%3A%223%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%2210-minute-ev-charging-speed%22%7D">reactions in a battery</a> that degrade its capacity over time, for example.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Gravity isn’t just a taller, longer Air. It uses an entirely new powertrain and platform. It runs at 926 volts—more than double the voltage of typical EVs—which was <a href="https://insideevs.com/features/756260/byd-five-minute-charging-america/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22756260%22%2C%22section%22%3A%223%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22byd-five-minute-charging-america%22%7D">key for increasing charging speeds</a>. At higher voltages, you need less current (aka fewer amps) to achieve the same level of charging power and speed (aka kilowatts). That’s a big help because more current generates exponentially more heat.&nbsp;</p>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs</div>
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<p>2026 Lucid Gravity</p>
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<p>To help manage the heat of faster charging, Dlala’s team developed a new thermal system. They changed the layout of the vehicle’s radiators, optimized for better air intake up front, installed separate cooling systems for the drive units and charging system and developed a new cooling plate for the battery pack.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Why doesn’t every automaker do this? Many are moving in the direction of higher-voltage systems. But the development costs are higher, and there are <a href="https://www.magna.com/stories/inside-automotive/2023/over-1000-v-in-the-future--integration-of-hv-battery-and-drivetrain-in-the-electric-car" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more 400-volt components available</a> off-the-shelf. Excluding engineering costs, Lucid’s 926-volt system doesn’t add much cost to the Gravity, if any, Dlala said. That likely wouldn’t be true for legacy automakers, though, which often source many components from existing suppliers. Lucid, Tesla and other newer companies design far more components in-house, making it easier to transition to higher-voltage systems.</p>
<p>Since the system is working at a lower current, Lucid actually saved money on cables, connectors, inverters and motors, he said. The battery management system gets a little more expensive because it’s dealing with more cells. “So overall I think it’s a wash, or $100, $200 more expensive,” he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Efficiency is also a critical ingredient here that many other automakers overlook. (Looking at you, General Motors, with your 9,000-lb <a href="https://insideevs.com/reviews/753628/cadillac-escalade-iq-electric-review/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22753628%22%2C%22section%22%3A%222%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22cadillac-escalade-iq-electric-review%22%7D">electric Cadillac Escalade</a>.) Maximizing the distance the Gravity can travel per kilowatt-hour goes a long way toward shortening charging stops. The Gravity can go just about as far as the Escalade, but the latter has an additional <a href="https://insideevs.com/tesla/model-y/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Tesla Model Y</a>’s worth of battery capacity. So even though the Escalade offers up to 350 kW charging, its real-world charge time on a road trip will be far longer.</p>
<p>Dlala said <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/726704/lucid-air-2025-efficiency-range/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22726704%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22lucid-air-2025-efficiency-range%22%7D">Lucid thinks about efficiency</a> in terms of three major areas: rotating parts (wheels, brakes, motors), electronics (the battery and other systems) and aerodynamics.&nbsp;</p>
<p>“You break it down in those families of energy consumption sources, and you start tackling all of them,” he said. Small improvements can have cascading effects across the whole vehicle. For example, by making the motors more compact, the automaker was able to also shorten the overall height of the vehicle and reduce drag.</p>
<h2><span class="arrow-holder"></span>The Tesla Supercharger Problem</h2>
<p>One challenge was making sure the Gravity could perform well on Tesla Superchargers. The Gravity is among the first EVs to come from the factory with the Tesla-designed North American Charging System port that <a href="https://insideevs.com/features/743912/nacs-277-volt-power/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22743912%22%2C%22section%22%3A%223%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22nacs-277-volt-power%22%7D">the auto industry is slowly migrating toward</a>. And the Gravity, <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/735724/non-tesla-ev-tesla-supercharger-access/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22735724%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22non-tesla-ev-tesla-supercharger-access%22%7D">like an increasing number of EVs from non-Tesla manufacturers</a>, can access the formerly exclusive Tesla Supercharger network.&nbsp;</p>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: Lucid Motors</div>
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<p>The Lucid Gravity plugged into a Tesla Supercharger station.</p>
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<p>The problem is that most Superchargers operate at 500 volts, because most Teslas can’t accept more than that. Lucid needed a way to step the electricity coming from a Supercharger up to 926 volts, or else charging wouldn’t work. So it repurposed the Gravity’s rear drive unit to act as a voltage booster. I won’t pretend to understand how this works, but you can listen to <a href="https://youtu.be/0L_H9kInVNU?feature=shared&amp;t=426" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dlala explain it in-depth here</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Gravity still can’t do 400 kW on most Superchargers—that’s only possible on more modern 1,000-volt dispensers like those from Electrify America and EVgo—but it can manage a solid 225 kW. Tesla is also slowly rolling out its so-called V4 chargers, with 1,000-volt capability. They currently support <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/748952/tesla-v4-supercharger-speed-boost-325kw/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22748952%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22tesla-v4-supercharger-speed-boost-325kw%22%7D">charging speeds of up to 325 kW</a>, and promise to <a href="https://x.com/MdeZegher/status/1889172565425615117" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">support 500 kW later this year</a>.</p>
<p>Dlala said Lucid also developed the first NACS port rated for 500 amps and 1,000 volts.&nbsp;</p>
<h2><span class="arrow-holder"></span>Charging Showdown: Lucid vs. BYD</h2>
<p>So what about <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/756144/byd-han-l-megawatt-charging/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22756144%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22byd-han-l-megawatt-charging%22%7D">BYD’s bombshell charging breakthrough</a>? I was curious to hear Dlala’s thoughts, given that the Chinese firm beats Lucid’s charging performance on paper. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he sees some drawbacks to BYD’s approach and thinks Lucid’s tech is better.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>The BYD Tang L and Han L (pictured above) are the first to use the automaker's new "flash charging" platform.</p>
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<p>He said that BYD clearly prioritized charging power and speed over energy density and range for its new battery, which isn’t Lucid’s style. Sure enough, the BYD Han L, which uses its “flash-charging” tech, has an EPA-equivalent range rating of under 300 miles.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Plus, BYD’s tech works best with 1,000-kilowatt charging stations. Dlala doubts the usefulness of that, given that that caliber of infrastructure isn’t widely available right now. The highest-powered chargers in America dispense 350-500 kW.&nbsp;</p>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: BYD</div>
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<p>BYD and other Chinese manufacturers are deploying chargers rated for 1,000 kW and above.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Of course, you could also argue that the reason we don’t have even beefier chargers is that we don’t have any vehicles that could use them. In China, BYD, <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/755163/chinese-evs-1-megawatt-chargers/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22755163%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22chinese-evs-1-megawatt-chargers%22%7D">Huawei and Zeekr</a> are deploying ultra-high-powered charging dispensers to meet demand from a new generation of fast-charging cars. And, to BYD’s credit, its new cars have dual charge ports and can juice up from two stalls simultaneously. That means they can get a lot out of current EV charging infrastructure.&nbsp;</p>
<p>“We could even make this charge faster. But is it going to be utilized on our infrastructure? And also: Is it worth the added cost and, of course, compromising some of the range? That’s the question,” he said. “I think we really hit the right balance.”</p>
<p><em>Got a tip about the EV world? Contact the author: <a href="mailto:Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com</a></em></p>

How The Lucid Gravity Became A Fast-Charging Monster

<p>It’s no secret that Walmart has been quietly working on its own electric vehicle charging network. The <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/661274/walmart-add-thousands-ev-charging-stations-stores-2030/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22661274%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22walmart-add-thousands-ev-charging-stations-stores-2030%22%7D">company announced</a> as much over a year ago. However, since then, it has been tight-lipped about how it would go about doing so—until now.</p>
<p>I secured an exclusive interview with Adam Happel, Walmart’s General Manager of Retail EV Charging, as the company agreed to talk in detail about the Walmart EV charging network plans for the first time.</p>
<p>After my 20-minute interview with Happel, it’s clear to me that Walmart plans to do what Walmart always does, and that's offer its customers a better overall shopping experience than competitors, including cost, convenience, and value. After all, Walmart didn’t become the largest retailer in the world by accident.</p>
<h3 class="subheader"><span class="arrow-holder"></span>High-Speed, Reliable Fast Chargers Everywhere</h3>
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<p>Happel explained that the retailer intends to install Walmart EV charging stations at “thousands of its locations by 2030” and continue installing more in the next decade. He didn’t offer any specific number of stalls per location, only that “each site stall count will depend on market conditions”. Happel said they will take into consideration the number of EVs in each specific market as well as how many other networks operate nearby.</p><div class="item m1-ap-native " style="height: 0px; overflow: hidden; transition: height 1.5s linear;"></div>
<p>If there aren’t any other EV charging stations in the area, Walmart will install more charging stalls than if there are other fast charging options. He also explained that Walmart will monitor utilization, and the sites will be designed to easily add more chargers when needed to prevent customer queuing.</p>
<p>After testing charging equipment from various vendors, Walmart has selected Alpitronic and ABB as suppliers for its initial sites, although I was told it is brand-agnostic. Customers use the Walmart app to initiate and pay for charging, and the process will be the same regardless of the brand of charger at the site.</p>
<p>I also asked Happel what happens to the chargers that are on the other networks that currently operate on Walmart properties. <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/752565/electrify-america-2024-charging-sessions/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22752565%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22electrify-america-2024-charging-sessions%22%7D">Electrify America</a>, for instance, has many of its sites on Walmart grounds. Happel said that Walmart's partners have been great to date, and as they continue to grow the Walmart network, they will reassess how they move forward with their partners.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>I visited Walmart's first official network site (there are currently two other sites—one in Texas and the other in Arkansas, but they are pilot test sites) in McKinney, Texas, to test out the network and charged a rented <a href="https://insideevs.com/gmc/hummer-ev/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="1" data-params="%7B%22make_alias%22%3A%22gmc%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22hummer-ev%22%7D">GMC Hummer EV</a> on a 400 kW Alpitronic charger. That site has four chargers that serve eight charging bays. Each charger has one NACS and one CCS1 connector and can charge two EVs at once, dynamically splitting the 400 kW and offering each cable up to 600 amps. Unfortunately for <a href="https://insideevs.com/nissan/leaf/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="1" data-params="%7B%22make_alias%22%3A%22nissan%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22leaf%22%7D">Nissan LEAF</a> owners, there will not be <a href="https://insideevs.com/tag/chademo/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="7" data-params="%7B%22tag%22%3A%22CHAdeMO%22%2C%22originalTitle%22%3A%22chademo%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22chademo%22%7D">CHAdeMO</a> connectors at any of the locations.</p>
<p>The Hummer took in over 300 kW for a while, and I charged from 1% to 53% in 27 minutes, and the charger dispensed 100 kWh of electricity. I was billed $42.00 as this site is currently set to charge $0.42 per kWh. Happel told me Walmart won't have consistent pricing throughout the network. Instead, it will do as most other EV charging networks do, which is adjust pricing from site to site depending on local electricity rates. Happel also indicated that Walmart Plus customers may get a discount on charging, just like they do on other goods and services offered by the company.&nbsp;</p>
<h3 class="subheader"><span class="arrow-holder"></span>Walmart Charging Will Be Different</h3>
<p>Walmart currently operates over 4,600 stores and over 600 Sam’s Clubs in the United States, giving it over 5,200 potential locations. In fact, over 90% of the US population lives within 10 miles of one of its stores, and the remaining &lt;10% live mostly in extreme rural areas where electric vehicle adoption is currently very low.</p>
<p>That fact is important because one of the biggest challenges EV charging networks face is securing locations. Until now, every EV charging network has had to search for potential locations, contact the property owner, and attempt to negotiate a long-term lease deal for dedicated parking spaces to install its chargers and power cabinets. The new Ionna network is a slight exception because it is purchasing the properties for some of its locations, which are typically abandoned gas stations, which we love to see.</p>

<p>Walmart owns most of the real estate where the stores sit, so it doesn’t need to find locations or ask anyone for permission. Plus, as utilization increases, it can simply add more chargers to accommodate more EV throughput without an issue. No other network can do that.</p>
<p>Another challenge facing EV charging networks is the extraordinary capital needed for each site. The cost of a single 10-stall 350 kW DC fast charging site can cost $300,000 to over $500,000 in some cases. Walmart’s 2025 revenue is projected to be over $700 billion, so allocating whatever funds are necessary to build a comprehensive nationwide network isn’t a question of can they, it’s <em>will</em> they.</p>
<p>Additionally, since its retail stores are on-site, so are its employees. So if an EV charging customer needs help, a trained Walmart employee will be there to assist during business hours, which typically range from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm.</p>
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<p>I believe having chargers on your property with employees on hand may also help reduce a problem that many networks struggle with: identifying and repairing broken chargers. You can be sure that as soon as a charger goes offline or a connector is damaged, customers will be very quick to walk into the store and report it to management. The way broken charger reporting is done with all of the other networks is by leaving a comment through the app.</p>
<p>Confronting a Walmart manager in person and complaining about broken chargers will most likely have a much deeper impact than a remote customer service representative reading a comment left the night before from a user who’s 500 miles away. The manager will be personally involved and incentivized to repair it quickly. After all, they won’t want to see that same person a week later asking them why it’s still broken.</p>
<h3 class="subheader"><span class="arrow-holder"></span>The Walmart Charging Impact</h3>
<p>Make no mistake about it, the Walmart charging network has the potential to be a game-changer for the industry in the US. Imagine if by 2030 it builds out 2,000 to 3,000 charging stations with 25,000 to 30,000 stalls that can charge CCS and NACS-equipped vehicles at speeds up to 400 kW.</p>
<p>To put that into perspective, Tesla currently has about 2,600 Supercharger locations with 30,000 stalls in the US. Walmart could match what it took Tesla 13 years to do in under five years. It has the money, the locations, and it appears the desire to do so.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Additionally, think about the impact this will have on Walmart's competitors like Costco and Target. I believe they will have to step up their own EV charging plans or risk losing their EV customer base to Walmart. If they can get the same goods at Walmart and charge while they shop, why not just go there?</p>
<p>I believe the Walmart charging network will be appreciated more by individuals who cannot charge at home and rely on public infrastructure than those using fast chargers for long-distance travel. They can now charge their EVs without inconvenience while they perform their usual weekly shopping. And Walmart, being a value brand, I'm sure will offer competitive pricing for EV charging if not find a way to undercut the competition.&nbsp;</p>
<p>I know a lot of people with EVs, and others thinking of buying one were concerned with the Trump administration's decision to shutter the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) plan. However, with Walmart now committed to building a nationwide network, the <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/750250/ionna-rechargery-reliability/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22750250%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ionna-rechargery-reliability%22%7D">Ionna network</a> just getting started, and Tesla, Electrify America, EVgo, and the other networks continuing to expand, high-speed public EV charging in the US is going to be just fine.&nbsp;</p>

Walmart Opens Up About Its EV Charging Network: Charge Better

<ul>
<li>Kia EVs finally have access to the Tesla Supercharger network in the U.S.</li>
<li>Customers with the EV6, EV9 or Niro EV can now plug-in at 21,500 additional DC fast charging ports in the country.</li>
<li>The rollout was delayed by about four months.</li>
</ul>
<p>Kia's electric vehicle customers can now hit the open road with a lot less charging anxiety. After a four-month delay, the carmaker has officially unlocked access to Tesla’s massive Supercharger network for its electric lineup.</p>
<p><a href="https://insideevs.com/tesla/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Tesla</a> offers by far the most comprehensive public fast charging network in the U.S., and also the most reliable one. If you pull into a charging station, the chances of you finding dispensers that are out of order or broken are extremely low. Although the reliability for non-Tesla networks such as Electrify America and EVgo is also steadily improving.</p>
<p><a href="https://insideevs.com/kia/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="2" data-params="%7B%22alias%22%3A%22kia%22%7D">Kia</a> EV owners can now access more than 21,500 DC fast charging ports in the Tesla Supercharger network. The model year 2025 <a href="https://insideevs.com/kia/ev6/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="1" data-params="%7B%22make_alias%22%3A%22kia%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ev6%22%7D">EV6</a> and 2026 <a href="https://insideevs.com/kia/ev9/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="1" data-params="%7B%22make_alias%22%3A%22kia%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ev9%22%7D">EV9</a> get the Tesla-developed North American Charging Standard (NACS) port right from the factory. <a href="https://insideevs.com/kia/niro-ev/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="1" data-params="%7B%22make_alias%22%3A%22kia%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22niro-ev%22%7D">Niro EV</a> owners and those with older model year EV6s and EV9s can use the NACS-to-CCS adapter to plug into the Superchargers.</p>
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<p>Owners will also be able to find and navigate to the Tesla Superchargers through the infotainment screens and via the Kia smartphone app which can also show charger availability, status and pricing. Enrollment is required for the Tesla charging program though, which can be accessed through the app.</p>
<p>The automaker said before the Tesla deal, its owners had access to about 22,000 public fast charging stations across the country. Tesla Supercharger access doubles that number, with combined access to more than 40,000 ports. That could fundamentally improve road trips for Kia drivers, likely making that experience much, much easier.</p>
<p>“Tesla Superchargers are critical infrastructure, and Kia America condemns the recent attacks that disrupt the availability of convenient and affordable charging for our customers,” Kia said in a statement.</p>
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<p>The Tesla Supercharger network now supports 11 brands, including Ford, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and more. Access is coming soon to nine more carmakers, with BMW, Jaguar Land Rover, Honda, Acura, Toyota, Subaru, Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche next in line.</p>
<p><em>Have a tip? Contact the author: <a href="mailto:suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com</a></em></p>

Kia’s Fast Charging Network Just Doubled In Size

<p>Electric vehicle sales have exploded, with over 3 million of them hitting U.S. roads in the last three calendar years alone. Is America’s public EV charging infrastructure keeping up? It’s a surprisingly tough question to answer. But it’s an important one, given that a perceived lack of charging stations is one of the biggest hurdles to wider EV adoption.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Simply calculating the ratio of EV chargers to EVs across the country doesn’t tell the whole story, said Loren McDonald, chief analyst at Paren, a charging data firm. If it were that simple, then a place like Oklahoma, which has tons of chargers but few EVs, would be considered an EV owner’s paradise.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Using those ratios could lead you to the wrong conclusion,” he told <a href="https://insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">InsideEVs</a>. What’s more useful is comparing utilization across key markets—that is, how busy charging stations are throughout the day. Crunch the numbers, and you realize that the answer to the question of “do we have enough chargers?” varies drastically depending on where you are in the country.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For <a href="https://www.paren.app/reports" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a report on the state of the EV charging industry</a> out on Tuesday, Paren tracked utilization of EV fast chargers during the peak hours of 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. in major markets. Las Vegas had the highest utilization rate at 43.3%. Columbus, Ohio, had the lowest at 14.3%.&nbsp;</p><div class="item m1-ap-native " style="height: 0px; overflow: hidden; transition: height 1.5s linear;"></div>
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</span> <div class="spi_wrapper"><a class="lightzoom" href="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/custom/utilization-rate-at-peak-hours-12pm-6pm.png"> <img class="custom-image" draggable="false" src="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/custom/thumbnail/utilization-rate-at-peak-hours-12pm-6pm.png" alt="EV fast charger utilization during peak hours" width="1000" height="1142" loading="lazy" pinger-seen="true"> </a></div> <div class="photo-title">DC fast charger utilization during peak hours.</div> <div class="source-title">Photo by: Paren</div> </section>
<p>According to McDonald, that means you’ll likely have to wait in line for a charger in some of the top markets. But on the flip side, there’s more than enough infrastructure to meet demand in many U.S. cities and states. On the whole, he says the U.S. is doing pretty well.&nbsp;</p>
<p>“In most of the country, we have plenty of charging infrastructure, at least in the core markets,” he said.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Average utilization has surpassed 25% in several markets, which McDonald says is an encouraging sign for a business that’s historically struggled to make ends meet. It’s part of why he says the EV charging industry has entered a new era: “Charging 2.0.”&nbsp;</p><div class="item m1-ap-native m1-ap-native-mobile" style="height: 0px; overflow: hidden; transition: height 1.5s linear;"></div>
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</span> <div class="spi_wrapper"><a class="lightzoom" href="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/custom/industry-snapshot-q1-2025.png"> <img class="custom-image" draggable="false" src="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/custom/thumbnail/industry-snapshot-q1-2025.png" alt="Paren EV Charging Industry Snapshot: Q1 2025" width="2168" height="1218" loading="lazy" pinger-seen="true"> </a></div> <div class="photo-title">Paren EV Charging Industry Snapshot: Q1 2025</div> <div class="source-title">Photo by: Paren</div> </section>
<p>“We’re moving from those sort of pimply-faced teenage years into being an adult,” he said. McDonald points to a few signals that things are moving in the right direction.&nbsp;</p>
<p>New, serious players are moving aggressively into the space. Convenience store and gas station chains like Wawa, Sheetz, 7/11, <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/693405/bp-pulse-tesla-fast-charging-hardware-us/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22693405%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22bp-pulse-tesla-fast-charging-hardware-us%22%7D">BP</a> and Circle K see dollar signs in the longer duration of EV pit stops. Plus, car companies now realize they need to provide better charging to sell more cars. That’s enticed <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/696433/mercedes-north-america-fastest-ev-charging-network-400kw/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22696433%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22mercedes-north-america-fastest-ev-charging-network-400kw%22%7D">Mercedes-Benz</a>, Rivian and <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/722916/ionna-chooses-durham-nc-headquarters/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22722916%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ionna-chooses-durham-nc-headquarters%22%7D">Ionna</a>—funded by a super-group of automakers—to launch charging networks of their own, like Tesla did back in the day.&nbsp;</p>
<p>“All these major players are coming in with lots of capital and a different reason for building charging stations,” McDonald said.&nbsp;</p>
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</span> <div class="spi_wrapper"><a class="lightzoom" href="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/custom/utilization-rate-of-all-fast-charging-stations.png"> <img class="custom-image" draggable="false" src="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/custom/thumbnail/utilization-rate-of-all-fast-charging-stations.png" alt="utilization rate of fast charging stations Paren" width="2160" height="1210" loading="lazy" pinger-seen="true"> </a></div> <div class="photo-title">Utilization rate of DC fast charging stations by state in Q1</div> <div class="source-title">Photo by: Paren</div> </section>
<p>According to Paren’s report, EV charger reliability among non-Tesla sites—a nagging issue for years—improved in Q1 too. The firm’s reliability index ticked up from 81.2 to 82.6 quarter-over-quarter. It says that's thanks to efforts to replace aging hardware.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 17px;">New stations are getting bigger as well. The average new non-Tesla site built in Q1 had 3.9 ports, up from 2.7 during the same period last year. And the U.S. gained 3,667 chargers and 794 stations in the first three months of 2025.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>To be sure, large swathes of rural America are still sorely in need of more charging stations. Not helping matters: the uncertain fate of funds from the $5 billion National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program. The Trump administration <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/749891/trump-nevi-program-rescinds-approval/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22749891%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22trump-nevi-program-rescinds-approval%22%7D">effectively paused that initiative in February</a>, as InsideEVs was first to report.&nbsp;NEVI was designed to subsidize the buildout of fast-charging stations along major travel corridors, and especially in places where charging networks might not see a business case.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With that money in jeopardy, charging firms will focus on the high-demand areas where they know they can make money, McDonald said, potentially widening the charging infrastructure divide and keeping more potential EV buyers on the fence.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>“There’s no money to be made in Wyoming and Montana and places like that. And the whole point of NEVI was to solve that problem,” McDonald said. “The good news is fast charging has grown up, and it’s now a business. But it’s not a business everywhere.”</p>
<p><em>Got a tip about the EV world? Contact the author: <a href="mailto:Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com</a></em></p>

Does America Have Enough EV Chargers? It's Complicated

<p>It was a delight to see the new <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/756687/2026-kia-ev4-us-official-specs-range-charging/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22756687%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%222026-kia-ev4-us-official-specs-range-charging%22%7D">2026 Kia EV4</a> in U.S.-spec form at the New York Auto Show this week. It's no secret that the American market isn't exactly kind to sedans these days, especially electric ones, but the EV4 should be something pretty special. It packs up to 330 miles of range, striking looks and an anticipated mid-$30,000 price tag. Plus, its standard Tesla-style North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug sweetens the deal.&nbsp;</p>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: Patrick George</div>
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<p>2026 Kia EV4</p>
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<p>I have a strange affinity for seeing NACS plugs on non-Tesla cars, because let's face it; having such easy Tesla Supercharger access will make your next road trip a lot easier. But when I went to check out the EV4's charging port at the show, I realized the car is getting something else right about EV charging.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Unlike its bigger brothers, the <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/741756/2025-kia-ev6-specs-us/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22741756%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%222025-kia-ev6-specs-us%22%7D">Kia EV6</a> and <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/752679/kia-ev9-v2h-wallbox-quasar2/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22752679%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22kia-ev9-v2h-wallbox-quasar2%22%7D">EV9</a>, the EV4 does away with the motorized charging door for a simpler flap that pops open, just like a gas-powered car. Let me tell you, folks: This is how it should be.</p><div class="item m1-ap-native " style="height: 0px; overflow: hidden; transition: height 1.5s linear;"></div>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: Patrick George</div>
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<p>2026 Kia EV4</p>
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<p>The powered charging door is one of my least favorite features on modern EVs. My own EV6 works like that; you walk up to it, press the little notch in the door (or a button inside the car) and then pray that it hasn't broken and will still open without any headaches.</p>
<p>Granted, I've never had an issue with the power door on my car. But I worry about it constantly. What if some tiny motor inside it breaks? What if dirt or debris gets inside? What if it somehow gets damaged from the outside? How will I charge my car if any part of this system fails? It's such a vital part of the car ownership process that it needs to be as simple as possible, and motorizing the charging door—while it may feel "futuristic" and "luxurious"—adds a concerning degree of complication.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Let me put it this way: In all of my years covering the auto industry, and in more than two decades of driving myself, I've never heard much about the failure rates of the good, old-fashioned gas tank flap. When things aren't broken, they don't need to be fixed.&nbsp;</p><div class="item m1-ap-native m1-ap-native-mobile" style="height: 0px; overflow: hidden; transition: height 1.5s linear;"></div>
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<p><a href="https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/charge-door-not-opening.268555/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Forums</a>, <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/TeslaModelY/comments/1c7z07m/charge_port_door_stuck/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reddit</a> and <a href="https://x.com/SnazzyLabs/status/1806499423637426549" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">social media accounts</a> are full of horror stories about charging door failures. Above, you can see <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/BlazerEV/comments/1gfndso/charge_door_issue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a video</a> about a busted door on the Chevy Blazer EV, which has a motorized port where the Equinox EV and related Honda Prologue do not. Note, too, that the <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/680875/2024-chevrolet-blazer-ev-ppv-has-498-horsepower-250-mile-range/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22680875%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%222024-chevrolet-blazer-ev-ppv-has-498-horsepower-250-mile-range%22%7D">police version of the Blazer EV</a> gets a manual charge door—a tacit admission that, if you're relying on the car, you really can't afford to have such a crucial part fail.</p>
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<p>Hyundai Kona Electric</p>
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<p>Granted, it's not as if every EV has a powered charging door. Not even every Hyundai Motor Group EV offers one. The standard flap seems to be reserved for the lower-end, more affordable EVs, like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xEP32DzSbc&amp;t=11s" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the Hyundai Kona Electric</a> and Kia Niro EV. (Naturally, the EV4's sibling, the boxy <a href="https://insideevs.com/reviews/732165/kia-ev3-first-drive-ama/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22732165%22%2C%22section%22%3A%222%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22kia-ev3-first-drive-ama%22%7D">EV3 crossover</a>, also works the same way.) But I think that the manual door flap should spread to all of its EVs, and even become some kind of regulated industry standard. At the very least, cars should be required to offer a manual backup option if there is a failure. Keeping this process as simple as possible seems like the best way to avoid problems with arguably your EV's most important function.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Now, some automakers have argued that including a motorized door gives these cars a more "premium" feel. But I would argue that every Polestar I have driven so far has been a pretty nice car, yet none of them&nbsp;have had a motorized door. They do just fine with the good ol' gas cap-style part instead. Unfortunately for the paranoid among us,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DoNCR8P_Ew" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the new Polestar 4</a>&nbsp;goes the power route, and I don't think the car is any better for it.</p>
<p>My worst experience with this feature happened last year <a href="https://insideevs.com/reviews/752033/2025-rivian-r1t-review/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22752033%22%2C%22section%22%3A%222%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%222025-rivian-r1t-review%22%7D">on a Rivian R1T</a>, which I otherwise found to be extremely impressive. That truck's charging door got stuck in a half-closed, half-open position after the mechanical arm that moves it out and around broke off in a car wash.</p>
<p>Granted, part of the problem was user error. I went looking for Rivian's <a href="https://insideevs.com/features/377816/electric-vehicle-car-wash-info/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22377816%22%2C%22section%22%3A%223%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22electric-vehicle-car-wash-info%22%7D">Car Wash mode</a>, but couldn't find it in the software system. That feature keeps the door locked so that the charging door won't pop open when the brushes come out or it's being blasted with water. Then again—why does any car need a Car Wash mode? Are normal users really going to remember every time, and be on the hook for a hefty repair bill if they don't enable it? It feels like all of this can be avoided by just having a normal access door for your charging plug.</p>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: Patrick George</div>
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<p>Rivian Broken Door</p>
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<p>As EVs move on from being expensive spaceships and become more mainstream vehicles that everyone can drive, it's time the auto industry also moves on from this&nbsp;unnecessary complication. It's not a dealbreaker for any EV, at least in my mind; but if you ask me, the EV4 is doing this right.&nbsp;</p>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: Patrick George</div>
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<p>2026 Kia EV4</p>
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<p><em>Contact the author: <a href="mailto:patrick.george@insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">patrick.george@insideevs.com</a></em></p>

The 2026 Kia EV4 Gets One Thing Very Right About EV Charging

<p>When I saw the recent article on the early <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/14/the-1969-all-electric-gm-xp-512e-concept/">GM electric car prototypes</a>, it reminded me of how the company over the years has been way out in front of its peers from an engineering perspective, but failed to turn that first mover advantage into success in the showroom. When the Detroit Big Three finally decided to address the challenge of the Japanese imports, Ford and Chrysler came up with parts bin specials like the Falcon and Valiant that were as exciting as week-old Wonder bread. GM countered with the Corvair, which although saddled with a flawed rear suspension, featured a lot of creative new thinking. It was the first mass production car in America to offer a turbocharged engine — a decade or more ahead of its peers.</p>
<p>GM next introduced the Chevy Vega, a tidy little hatchback with an aluminum overhead cam four-cylinder engine while Ford and Chrysler continued with iron block pushrod engines. Next came the Fiero, the first mid-engine car from a US manufacturer, and the Cadillac Allanté, a car that was so crazily over-engineered that it was a nightmare to keep running. Fast forward to the EV1 and the Chevy Volt, both of which were on the cusp of the EV revolution but flamed out before reaching exit velocity.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">GM Is Building Compelling EVs</h3>
<p>Now GM is bringing compelling electric cars to market like the Cadillac Lyriq, the Chevy Equinox EV, and the Chevy Blazer EV. The next generation Chevy Bolt is nearing production, while the electric Hummer, Silverado, and Suburban will be on sale soon. All those cars are going to need batteries, and for that GM has partnered with LG Energy Solution to build a new battery manufacturing facility near Nashville, Tennessee. When completed, that factory and another one in Ohio will be able to produce enough cells to make a new EV battery pack every minute. Already they are producing more battery cells than Tesla, according to <em><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-04-14/inside-gm-mary-barra-s-35-billion-bet-on-electric-cars">Bloomberg Hyperdrive</a></em>.&nbsp;Josh Tavel, the head of project engineering and manufacturing at GM, told <em>Bloomberg</em> recently, “If the market wants more EVs, we can make them.”</p>
<p>Mary Barra, the CEO of GM since 2014, has a goal to make the company a leader in electric vehicles. The past year has been difficult for Barra and GM. First, interest in EVs has cooled somewhat in the US. Second, the new administration is hellbent on smashing what it calls the “green new scam.” While those factors have convinced Ford and Stellantis to pivot to building more conventional cars, Barra has mostly stayed the course. She has hired Tesla veterans to make GM’s battery capabilities more competitive and taken steps to slash costs in order to achieve the goal of “low cost EV architecture.”</p>
<p>As part of that plan, GM is building another battery factory in Indiana and has made investments in US-based mines for lithium and other minerals. Eventually, Barra’s vision is to create a nationwide supply chain similar to the one BYD has in China. “We’re about giving customers choice. Over the long term, we think EV demand will grow,” Barra said.</p>
<p>GM depends on a global supply chain. The absurd tariff policies of the new administration are raising costs for automakers across the board. GM executives say electricity simply makes for a better car and represents the future of transportation. Batteries are key to solving the cost equation, according to Barra. “There has to be more of a charging infrastructure. There has to be more choice at the lower price points. I think it will happen over time,” she says. “Core battery technology will continue to get better.”</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">To Ultium And Beyond!</h3>
<p>In 2018, Barra and GM president Mark Reuss came up with a plan to push harder into EVs by investing in the battery design that would become Ultium. The idea was to use the same battery cells and modules for every model the company produces and all developed in-house. With one system for every electric car, development costs for new EV models could be dramatically reduced over time. Government subsidies, such as the ones lawmakers would later bundle into Biden’s IRA, didn’t factor into the equation, Reuss says. “This whole business and strategy was planned without any IRA benefit,” he says. Nevertheless, “Kicking the can down the road and hoping for different legislative and greenhouse gas rules happening is a pretty tough way to play the business.”</p>
<p>Kurt Kelty used to work for Tesla. Mary Barra tried to recruit him for years but he didn’t believe GM was serious about its EV intentions. What changed his mind was a tour of GM’s low cost EV architecture of the future. Kelty is now vice president for battery, propulsion, and sustainability. “This is my passion in getting us off fossil fuel,” he told <em>Bloomberg</em>.</p>
<p>His success at GM is largely measured in cost reductions. The company slashed the cost of its battery packs by $60 per kilowatt-hour last year, Kelty says. That achievement was primarily the result of increased sales volume and improved production yields at the cell plants. This year he wants to take out another $30 by selling more cars and enhancing yields even further.&nbsp; That would get the cost of GM battery packs to about $100 per kilowatt-hour — 50% less than in 2022. Kelty said if that happens, GM’s battery costs will be lower than they are for Tesla.</p>
<p>Kelty’s long term solution is to take a different approach to batteries. Currently GM and LG use a mix of lithium, nickel, manganese, and aluminum in their Ultium cells. The cells are stacked and stuffed into boxes known as modules. Two dozen cells make a module, and 10 modules make up the battery pack for an entry level Blazer or Equinox. The separate modules are necessary to protect the cells, but they also add significant weight. Kelty, who was deeply involved in the development of the 4680 cylindrical battery cells at Tesla, now thinks prismatic cells are the future.</p>
<p>Contrary to their name, prismatic cells are not shaped like prisms. They are more like bricks that stack neatly together. They are encased in hard metal, which provides structure without requiring individual modules. They are the ideal combination of light and space-efficient, Kelty says. (BMW used to use prismatic cells but has now <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2022/09/10/bmw-getting-cylindrical-batteries-from-catl/">transitioned to cylindrical cells</a> similar to the ones Tesla uses for its next generation Neue Klasse electric cars. Clearly, there is no agreement yet within the auto industry regarding which battery format is best.)</p>
<p>GM signed a deal to purchase its first batch of prismatic cells from Samsung SDI, and will develop its own version of the technology with LG. Over time, GM will convert more of its batteries to prismatic, Kelty says. As part of that transition, he plans to ditch the Ultium name. “The beauty of prismatic cells is that we can reduce the part count by about 50%,” he says. “You reduce your labor, you reduce your initial investment. Overall, you just get a massive price reduction.”</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">The Advantages Of LFP Technology</h3>
<p>Using different battery chemistries can also lower costs, and for that reason GM is incorporating lithium iron phosphate cells into some cars. Although they store less energy than traditional lithium-ion batteries, they are significantly less expensive. GM will use them in the new Chevy Bolt and a version of its Chevy Silverado pickup. Instead of 490 miles a charge, the truck will go 350 miles on a battery charge, Kelty says, but it will cost $6,000 less.</p>
<p>Kelty is also trying to make GM less reliant on foreign suppliers. EV batteries require graphite, 90% of which comes from China. Kelty wants to switch from graphite to <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2024/03/12/no-graphite-no-problem-silicon-ev-batteries-really-are-coming/">silicon</a>, which can be sourced from suppliers in the US. GM also formed a $625 million joint venture with Lithium Americas Corp. in Nevada to mine lithium closer to home. These moves require significant upfront investment in the short term but, especially in the age of tariffs, could bring costs down in the long term, especially if the current tariff insanity persists.</p>
<p>GM EV sales doubled in 2024 and maintained nearly the same pace in the first quarter of 2025. Executives regard EVs as a big opportunity to introduce GM brands to drivers who never would’ve considered them before. More than 60% of the company’s EV customers have never owned a GM car before, says Tavel, the project engineering head. If GM can get the cost of its EVs closer to that of gas cars, sales will take off, he says. “Every customer that buys one will tell you the same thing,” he says. “To me, it’s a no-brainer.”</p>

GM & Mary Barra Place A $35 Billion Bet On EVs

<p>Which auto brands and auto groups are now ruling the US pure electric vehicle (EV) market? How much competition is there at the top now? Let’s roll into the numbers and charts and see.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-BEV-sales-by-auto-brand-q1-2025-logo.png"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-351743" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-BEV-sales-by-auto-brand-q1-2025-logo.png" alt="" width="2040" height="2130" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-BEV-sales-by-auto-brand-q1-2025-logo.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-BEV-sales-by-auto-brand-q1-2025-logo-383x400.png 383w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-BEV-sales-by-auto-brand-q1-2025-logo-766x800.png 766w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-BEV-sales-by-auto-brand-q1-2025-logo-768x802.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-BEV-sales-by-auto-brand-q1-2025-logo-1471x1536.png 1471w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-BEV-sales-by-auto-brand-q1-2025-logo-1961x2048.png 1961w" sizes="(max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Share-of-US-BEV-market-q1-2025-logo.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-351744" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Share-of-US-BEV-market-q1-2025-logo.png" alt="" width="2040" height="2130" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Share-of-US-BEV-market-q1-2025-logo.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Share-of-US-BEV-market-q1-2025-logo-383x400.png 383w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Share-of-US-BEV-market-q1-2025-logo-766x800.png 766w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Share-of-US-BEV-market-q1-2025-logo-768x802.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Share-of-US-BEV-market-q1-2025-logo-1471x1536.png 1471w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Share-of-US-BEV-market-q1-2025-logo-1961x2048.png 1961w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p>First of all, yes, despite <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/14/non-tesla-us-ev-sales-up-472-vs-2021/">Tesla losing sales year over year for two years in a row</a>, it is still far and away the king of the US EV market. (And, again, this ain’t no democracy.) That said, whereas Tesla used to be so far in the lead that it was unfathomable it could ever be caught, Ford is now at the point where it “just” needs to grow its EV sales 5.7 times over in order to catch the leader. I know — that’s still really, <em>really</em> far away. But it’s something one could imagine happening over time … if Ford was growing its EV sales more notably. The <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/14/tesla-model-y-model-3-continue-to-dominate-us-ev-market-but/">Ford Mustang Mach-E increased its sales by 2,018 units year over year</a> and the Ford E-Transit grew by 865 units, but the F-150 Lightning’s sales declined by 556 units year over year. Ford got closer to Tesla much more because of Tesla’s large drop in sales.</p>
<p>Anyway, after Tesla’s 43.2% share and Ford’s 7.6% share, Chevrolet’s 6.5% share of the US EV market was the only other share above 5%. BMW, as a smaller premium brand, does fairly well to score 4.6% market share, and then you’ve got mass-market builders Hyundai (4.3%), Honda (3.2%), Volkswagen (3.2%), and Kia (2.9%) before EV startup Rivian (2.9%, but a lower 2.9%) and luxury automaker Cadillac (2.7%). The rest, well, do they deserve mention at such low volumes?</p>
<p>I think most interesting there is how quickly Honda shot up from being a zero-EV-sales laggard to 6th in the ranking. It’s brand reputation and customer loyalty pushed it forward quickly, despite the Honda Prologue actually being a Chevy Blazer EV underneath (and with the Prologue even beating the Blazer EV).</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-BEV-sales-by-auto-group-q1-2025-logo.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-351745" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-BEV-sales-by-auto-group-q1-2025-logo.png" alt="" width="2040" height="1218" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-BEV-sales-by-auto-group-q1-2025-logo.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-BEV-sales-by-auto-group-q1-2025-logo-400x239.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-BEV-sales-by-auto-group-q1-2025-logo-800x478.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-BEV-sales-by-auto-group-q1-2025-logo-768x459.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-BEV-sales-by-auto-group-q1-2025-logo-1536x917.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Share-of-US-BEV-market-by-auto-group-q1-2025-logo.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-351746" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Share-of-US-BEV-market-by-auto-group-q1-2025-logo.png" alt="" width="2040" height="1218" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Share-of-US-BEV-market-by-auto-group-q1-2025-logo.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Share-of-US-BEV-market-by-auto-group-q1-2025-logo-400x239.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Share-of-US-BEV-market-by-auto-group-q1-2025-logo-800x478.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Share-of-US-BEV-market-by-auto-group-q1-2025-logo-768x459.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Share-of-US-BEV-market-by-auto-group-q1-2025-logo-1536x917.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p>Looking at auto groups or alliances together, Tesla remains in the same position, of course, but GM looks much more significant and dangerous (to Tesla’s #1 spot) after consolidating all of its brands and EV models. In fact, GM’s 10.8% share is exactly ¼ of Tesla’s 43.2% share. Could this competition get interesting one day? I don’t know. We’re a long way off from that, but at least its a discussion that could be had now. What GM needs, though, is to double the output of some of its more popular models (most notably, the <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/01/05/chevrolet-equinox-ev-wins-cleantechnica-car-of-the-year-in-usa/">2024 <em>CleanTechnica</em> Car of the Year Chevy Equinox EV</a>) and also roll out some more popular electric models. <em>Then</em> it could get interesting.</p>
<p>Notice that we’re talking about GM not Ford now, as Ford Motor Company’s got a narrower brand and EV model portfolio. Ford relies completely on … Ford for its EV sales. It’s a bit weird in a market where luxury vehicle brands have the highest proportion of their sales coming from EVs that Lincoln has been sitting on its hands, but this is where we are.</p>
<p>In fact Ford Motor Company isn’t even third, with Hyundai–Kia taking the last podium position. Hyundai and Kia get a lot of praise for their EVs, and they are doing “better than the rest,” but I have been disappointed with these automakers for years that they don’t push out their EV models more. They have <em>potential</em>, and we all know that it’s the ones with potential who can really let you down. It’s good to see Hyundai–Kia in 3rd, not 10th, but I think we could really see a lot more EV sales from Hyundai and Kia if they put a little more effort into it.</p>
<p>Volkswagen Group rounds out the top five, being the German version of GM with a boatload of brands to benefit from. It’s not doing horribly, easily beating a lot of other large automakers thanks to its wide and compelling lineup, but it could certainly be doing much better and is another company I was hoping to see a little more from. I’d love to see Volkswagen Group — like Ford Motor Co. and Hyundai–Kia — rise above 30,000 sales a quarter soon. Next quarter? Though, of course, they are now at the whims of a tariff-crazed lunatic who is more intent on firing people, deporting people, and raising living costs for people than actually doing something to help Americans. We’ll see what the rest of the year brings, but I guess I can’t say I’m hopeful.</p>

Auto Brands Leading the US EV Revolution — CHARTS

<p data-sourcepos="1:1-1:340">The AITO M9, a flagship SUV from the Chinese carmaker, Seres is poised to redefine the Philippine luxury electric vehicle market with its blend of advanced technology and sophisticated design. First presented at the 20th Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) 2025, the M9 is distributed by QSJ Motors.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="1:1-1:340">According to company executives at the MIAS launch, the M9 was assembled with software and hardware technology from Huawei and components from leading global suppliers. The “M9 aims to deliver a transformative driving experience for discerning consumers,” Kevin Chiang, managing director of QSJ Motors, said.</p>
<p>QSJ Motors Philippines first showcased the Seres 5, Seres 5 Saker Falcon Edition (SF), and Seres 7 in July last year.</p>
<figure id="attachment_351732" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351732" style="width: 2048px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/att.Ye0b44vPCGkB31EVAwYC5pnQ0IrOESZpxSLkXFoR_7c.jpeg"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-351732 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/att.Ye0b44vPCGkB31EVAwYC5pnQ0IrOESZpxSLkXFoR_7c.jpeg" alt="" width="2048" height="1365" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/att.Ye0b44vPCGkB31EVAwYC5pnQ0IrOESZpxSLkXFoR_7c.jpeg 2048w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/att.Ye0b44vPCGkB31EVAwYC5pnQ0IrOESZpxSLkXFoR_7c-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/att.Ye0b44vPCGkB31EVAwYC5pnQ0IrOESZpxSLkXFoR_7c-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/att.Ye0b44vPCGkB31EVAwYC5pnQ0IrOESZpxSLkXFoR_7c-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/att.Ye0b44vPCGkB31EVAwYC5pnQ0IrOESZpxSLkXFoR_7c-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351732" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Other Seres vehicles on display. (Photo by Deriq Bernard Tribdino)</em></figcaption></figure>
<h3 style="text-align: center;"><b>A Huawei-on-wheels</b></h3>
<p data-sourcepos="5:1-5:556">China’s leading tech supplier Huawei has been behind Seres in the development of AITO, which according to company executives means “Adding Intelligence to Auto,” after Huawei sold its electric vehicle trademark Aito to Seres, its car manufacturing partner, late last year. This strategic move underscores the Shenzhen-based technology conglomerate’s evolving focus towards becoming a primary supplier of automotive systems and technological expertise, rather than a direct competitor in the vehicle market. This decision marks a notable adjustment in Huawei’s approach to the burgeoning EV sector, where it initially explored the possibility of direct vehicle manufacturing.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="7:1-7:851">Seres, after co-developing the AITO brand in collaboration with Huawei, last July announced its intention to acquire the complete trademark and patent portfolio of the brand for a sum of 2.5 billion yuan (approximately US$343 million). This transaction was finalized by the close of 2024, as indicated in a filing by the Shanghai Stock Exchange-listed Seres in March 2024.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="9:1-9:730">This announcement serves as a reiteration of Huawei’s long-held position that it will not independently engage in the production of automobiles, instead opting to empower its partners with its advanced technological innovations. This strategic pivot allows Huawei to capitalize on the growing EV market as a key enabler, supplying critical components and software without the capital-intensive undertaking of establishing its own car manufacturing operations.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;" data-sourcepos="11:1-11:820"><strong>The AITO M9</strong></h3>
<p data-sourcepos="3:1-3:510">The exterior of the M9 presents a striking aesthetic, characterized by a streamlined two-tone body that evokes a sense of both elegance and power. Measuring 5230mm in length, 1999mm in width, and 1800mm in height, with a 3110mm wheelbase, the vehicle is designed for both urban maneuverability and stable, comfortable long-distance travel. Its aerodynamic profile, achieving a drag coefficient of 0.279 Cd, is complemented by distinctive Galaxy headlights and Starlight taillights, enhancing its visual appeal.</p>
<figure id="attachment_351733" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351733" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/att.k6QWxrQ7Yhx0CPfhXwx6Rh5BLTWEtisLKn61vYYPLBc-e1744722540680.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-351733" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/att.k6QWxrQ7Yhx0CPfhXwx6Rh5BLTWEtisLKn61vYYPLBc-e1744722540680.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1066"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351733" class="wp-caption-text">The AITO M9 at the Manila International Auto Show. (Photo by Deriq Bernard Tribdino)</figcaption></figure>
<p data-sourcepos="5:1-5:543">Performance is a key attribute of the AITO M9, featuring a smart dual-motor all-wheel-drive system that delivers 365 kW of power and 675 Nm of torque. This enables the vehicle to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds. The 52 kWh battery provides over 200 kilometers of electric range, while the intelligent Range Extender platform, utilizing an efficient onboard generator, extends the total range to over 1,200 kilometers. The fuel tank, capable of being filled in just five minutes, effectively acts as a range extending “power bank.”</p>
<p data-sourcepos="7:1-7:540">Inside, the M9 prioritizes passenger comfort and luxury. The spacious cabin features flexible seating arrangements, including Zero Gravity seats designed for optimal support. High-quality materials such as white ash wood trim, crystal knobs, genuine leather seats, and a panoramic sunroof contribute to the vehicle’s premium feel. An adaptive dual armrest, a 25-speaker sound system, intelligent storage spaces, a dual-mode in-car refrigerator, a fragrance system, and 16.8 million color LED ambient lights enhance the overall experience.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="9:1-9:319">Technological integration is central to the M9’s design, with a seamless connection between the instrument cluster, central control, and passenger screens. Intelligent driving systems, including million-pixel intelligent headlights and real-time power management, are designed to ensure a worry-free driving experience.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="11:1-11:405">Safety is paramount in the AITO M9, which boasts a robust vehicle body structure and advanced safety features. It is equipped with nine airbags and has achieved a “super” five-star rating from the China New Car Safety Assessment Program, with a record-breaking score of 93.9%. The vehicle includes a comprehensive suite of 20 active safety features, providing advanced front, lateral, and rear protection.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;" data-sourcepos="11:1-11:405"><strong>AITO as a strategy</strong></h3>
<p data-sourcepos="11:1-11:405">By consolidating the AITO brand under Seres, Huawei signals a clear intent to operate as a Tier 1 supplier, similar to established global automotive technology providers. This approach allows Huawei to potentially partner with a wider range of automakers in the future, offering its specialized technologies to enhance their EV offerings. For Seres, acquiring full ownership of the AITO brand provides greater autonomy in its market strategy and strengthens its position as a significant player in the EV landscape.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="11:1-11:405">The financial transaction also provides Seres with valuable intellectual property, further solidifying its long-term growth prospects in the rapidly expanding electric vehicle sector.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="13:1-13:346">The AITO M9 pre-orders and reservations are currently being accepted.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="13:1-13:346"><em><strong>With reporting from Deriq Bernard Tribdino</strong></em></p>

Huawei-Backed AITO Releases M9 SUV at Philippine Auto Show

150,000 Miles, 5 Years, & 5+ Months on My 2019 Tesla Model 3 Long Range — Where Do I Stand Now?

<p><i><b>By Sam McEachern, <a href="https://news.gm.com/home.detail.html/Pages/topic/us/en/2025/apr/0414-1969-all-electric-GM-XP-512E.html" rel="nofollow">GM News</a></b></i></p>
<figure id="attachment_351716" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351716" style="width: 1280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-351716" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="853" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV.jpg 1280w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-400x267.jpg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351716" class="wp-caption-text">Front ¾ view of the GM 512E.</figcaption></figure>
<p>In the first quarter, General Motors saw sales of its electric vehicles nearly double from the comparable year-ago quarter — we’re now the #2 seller of EVs in the U.S.<sup>1</sup> But this was no overnight success story — GM has been dabbling with electric cars for more than half a century.</p>
<p>The GM EV1, which debuted in 1996, was the first mass-produced electric car from a major automaker. The Chevrolet Volt, which first hit the market in 2010, was the first commercially available plug-in hybrid in the U.S.<sup>2</sup>&nbsp;But there’s a far more obscure (and tinier) GM EV that debuted&nbsp;<i>much</i>&nbsp;earlier:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gm.com/heritage/collection/gm-concept/1969-512-electric-experimental">the 1969 XP 512E concept car</a>.</p>
<p>While the car was never sold commercially, there is no question about this: it’s simply adorable.</p>
<p>The 512E – more formally known as the 512 Electric Experimental – debuted in May 1969 as part of GM’s “Progress of Power” exhibition for innovative vehicles. This tiny runabout boasted a wheelbase of 52 inches, an overall length of 86.3 inches and was just 56 inches wide. It had a fiberglass body with a steel floor pan, and weighed in at 1,250 pounds. With a lightweight 84-volt lead acid battery pack and a DC electric motor mounted on the rear axle, the 512E could travel up to 58 miles at 25 mph, or 47 miles at its top speed of 30 mph. It could accelerate from 0-30mph in a sluggish 12 seconds. This was no speed demon.</p>
<figure id="attachment_351717" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351717" style="width: 1280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-interior.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-351717" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-interior.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="853" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-interior.jpg 1280w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-interior-400x267.jpg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-interior-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-interior-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351717" class="wp-caption-text">The GM 512E with the canopy top raised and front entry door opened.</figcaption></figure>
<p>The 512E was unveiled well before the arrival of modern Level 2 chargers; the 512E’s battery juiced up using a typical 115-volt household outlet, which would take around 7 hours. The charger would also supplement the onboard 12-volt battery, which was used to power the car’s onboard accessories, which included a heater-defroster, head and tail lamps, turn signals, windshield wipers, and a horn.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;"><em>Watch video of GM 512E in action at GM’s Warren Tech Center in Michigan <a href="https://news.gm.com/home.detail.html/Pages/topic/us/en/2025/apr/0414-1969-all-electric-GM-XP-512E.html">here</a>.</em></p>
<p>A side-pivoted canopy top and lower front entry door made entering the rather tight interior a breeze, where passengers were greeted with a bench seat, a regular throttle and brake, a steering wheel and even an ashtray. The 512E was designed to be driven with the canopy front raised in nicer weather, which gave the car a “unique convertible appearance,” according to GM’s press release announcing the car. The canopy was also removable, allowing users to transform it into a tiny electric roadster.</p>
<figure id="attachment_351718" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351718" style="width: 1280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-creator.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-351718" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-creator.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="821" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-creator.jpg 1280w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-creator-400x257.jpg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-creator-800x513.jpg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-creator-768x493.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351718" class="wp-caption-text">A GM engineer sits in the 512E with the canopy top raised.</figcaption></figure>
<p>The 512E was one of three 512 city car concepts that GM showed at Progress of Power — which was held at the company’s Warren Technical Center in Michigan. The other two included a gasoline powered roadster model with a fuel-sipping 12-horsepower two-cylinder engine, as well as an impressive plug-in hybrid model that could operate in either all-electric or hybrid mode. The plug-in could travel up to 150 miles with a full fuel tank and battery, sipping only three gallons of gasoline for the trip.</p>
<figure id="attachment_351719" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351719" style="width: 1280px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-lineup.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-351719" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-lineup.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="960" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-lineup.jpg 1280w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-lineup-400x300.jpg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-lineup-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GM-512E-EV-lineup-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351719" class="wp-caption-text">(From right) The GM 512 Hybrid, 512 Electric, 512 Gasoline, and the three-wheeled XP511 on display at the 1969 Progress of Power exhibition in Warren, Michigan.</figcaption></figure>
<p>The 512E was one of three 512 city car concepts that GM showed at Progress of Power — which was held at the company’s Warren Technical Center in Michigan. The other two included a gasoline powered roadster model with a fuel-sipping 12-horsepower two-cylinder engine, as well as an impressive plug-in hybrid model that could operate in either all-electric or hybrid mode. The plug-in could travel up to 150 miles with a full fuel tank and battery, sipping only three gallons of gasoline for the trip.</p>
<p><i>Editor’s note: Retro Rides highlights noteworthy vehicles from the long history of General Motors. Over more than a century, GM has produced a huge variety of cars, trucks, SUVs, vans, station wagons, and even buses, some fondly remembered and sought after by collectors, others largely forgotten but worthy of rediscovery. With Retro Rides, we’re casting a fresh spotlight on some of GM’s great design, engineering and technology ideas of the past. Big thanks to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gm.com/heritage">GM Heritage Center and Archives</a>&nbsp;for making this series possible. If there’s a GM vehicle you think we should revisit, reach out to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:news@gm.com">news@gm.com</a>.</i></p>

The 1969 All-Electric GM XP 512E Concept

<p>We just looked at overall electric vehicle sales in the United States in the 1st quarter of 2025 compared to the 1st quarter of the previous four years. Overall, the sales trend is great. Sales of fully electric vehicles (EVs) were up 200% compared to Q1 2021. While Tesla still accounts for 43% of the market, though, it saw sales declines compared to the previous three years, and non-Tesla EV sales were up 472% (rather than 200%) in Q1 2025 versus Q1 2021. But — let’s look more closely model-specific sales.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-by-model-logo.png"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-351669" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-by-model-logo.png" alt="" width="2040" height="5170" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-by-model-logo.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-by-model-logo-158x400.png 158w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-by-model-logo-316x800.png 316w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-by-model-logo-768x1946.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-by-model-logo-606x1536.png 606w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-by-model-logo-808x2048.png 808w" sizes="(max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p>The Tesla Model Y and Tesla Model 3 are still far ahead of any other models — so far ahead that they warp the chart. However, they warp the chart less than in previous quarters! In fact, rather than their sales being about 10 times higher than all non-Tesla models, the Model Y and Model 3 are now seeing “just” about 5 to 6 times more sales than the 3rd and 4th best selling electric models. Those would be the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Chevrolet Equinox EV, respectively, the only other models to have more than 10,000 sales in the quarter.</p>
<p>After those top models, there’s actually a pretty consistent, gradual slide downward in 1st quarter sales. Small to midsize SUVs/crossovers seem to do particularly well, but the Ford F-150 Lightning and Tesla Cybertruck also sneak into the top 10. Interestingly, the F-150 Lightning actually took back the title of #1 electric pickup truck from the Cybertruck. Meanwhile, the BMW i4 joined the Tesla Model 3 as the only other car in the top 10.</p>
<p>In terms of year-over-year sales increases and decreases …</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-change-logo.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-351670" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-change-logo.png" alt="" width="2040" height="3954" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-change-logo.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-change-logo-206x400.png 206w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-change-logo-413x800.png 413w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-change-logo-768x1489.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-change-logo-792x1536.png 792w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-change-logo-1057x2048.png 1057w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p>… The Honda Prologue broke the chart, going from 19 sales in the 1st quarter of 2024 as it began to trickle into the market to 9561 sales in the 1st quarter of 2025. So, yeah, I had to remove that from the chart, and also dropped the Chevy Blazer EV while I was at it since it grew from 600 sales in Q1 2024 to 6,187 sales in Q1 2025.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chart-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-change-logo.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-351706" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chart-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-change-logo.png" alt="" width="2040" height="3780" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chart-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-change-logo.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chart-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-change-logo-216x400.png 216w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chart-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-change-logo-432x800.png 432w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chart-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-change-logo-768x1423.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chart-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-change-logo-829x1536.png 829w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chart-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-change-logo-1105x2048.png 1105w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p>Looking at the adjusted chart, it’s a very interesting mix of vehicles at the top of the chart for sales growth — Toyota BZ4X (+196%), Subaru Solterra (+173%), Mercedes EQB (+142%), Tesla Cybertruck (+129%), Chevy Silverado EV (+125%), GMC Hummer EV (+109%), Nissan LEAF (+103%), Genesis GV70 (+72%), Tesla Model 3 (+70%). There’s no real rhyme or reason to that list.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, a couple dozen models saw their sales decline, and not just discontinued models. Well, I guess this is another sign of a maturing market, though. There are dozens of models, and some are beating out others in their class. And that can flip back and forth for various reasons — new model entrants, promotional campaigns, refreshes, etc.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chart-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-logo.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-351705" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chart-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-logo.png" alt="" width="2040" height="5170" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chart-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-logo.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chart-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-logo-158x400.png 158w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chart-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-logo-316x800.png 316w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chart-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-logo-768x1946.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chart-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-logo-606x1536.png 606w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chart-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-logo-808x2048.png 808w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p>Just looking at volume change, we get a bit of a different story. The Tesla Model 3 rebounded a bit for the biggest volume growth year over year (+21,678), the Chevy Equinox EV was a clear second (+10,329), and the Honda Prologue was a strong third place (+9,542). On the other end, the Tesla Model Y lost 32,678 sales, the Chevy Bolt EV/EUV (discontinued) lost 7,027 sales, and the Mercedes EQE lost 4,371 sales.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-change-logo.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-351674 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-change-logo-e1744669357656.png" alt="" width="2037" height="3425" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-change-logo-e1744669357656.png 2037w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-change-logo-e1744669357656-238x400.png 238w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-change-logo-e1744669357656-476x800.png 476w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-change-logo-e1744669357656-768x1291.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-change-logo-e1744669357656-914x1536.png 914w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-change-logo-e1744669357656-1218x2048.png 1218w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2037px) 100vw, 2037px"></a></p>
<p>Here, again, we have an extreme case — massive growth from the GMC Hummer EV going from 2 sales to 3,479 sales. So, let’s look at the chart with the Hummer EV removed.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-change-new-logo.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-351675 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-change-new-logo-e1744669412368.png" alt="" width="2040" height="3404" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-change-new-logo-e1744669412368.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-change-new-logo-e1744669412368-240x400.png 240w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-change-new-logo-e1744669412368-479x800.png 479w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-change-new-logo-e1744669412368-768x1282.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-change-new-logo-e1744669412368-921x1536.png 921w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-change-new-logo-e1744669412368-1227x2048.png 1227w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p>In general, given that this is a two-year change, we see a lot of models at the top of the chart here that were introduced about two years ago and have matured into much higher sales levels. And then the bottom of the chart has models that have been phased out.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-new-logo.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-351673" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-new-logo.png" alt="" width="2040" height="5474" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-new-logo.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-new-logo-149x400.png 149w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-new-logo-298x800.png 298w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-new-logo-768x2061.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-new-logo-572x1536.png 572w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2023-new-logo-763x2048.png 763w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p>To end, looking at volume change from two years ago, we have several new models at the top (Chevy Equinox EV, Honda Prologue, Tesla Cybertruck, Chevy Blazer EV, Acura ZDX), but we also have significant increases in sales from some older models (Ford Mustang Mach-E, Rivian R1S).</p>
<p>Down at the bottom, we have the huge drop in sales of the Tesla Model Y (which has a refreshed version coming, and had production line retooling in Q1, but also suffered from backlash to Elon Musk’s extreme political shenanigans). Then we’ve got the discontinued Chevy Bolt EV/EUV again. Unfortunately, several other EVs dropped in sales by more than a thousand units with less obvious reasons, including the Rivian R1T, Mercedes EQS, and Volkswagen ID.4 — but perhaps that’s just the price to pay for growing competition.</p>
<p>Are there any other notable highlights (or lowlights) you see in the charts above?</p>

Tesla Model Y & Model 3 Continue to Dominate US EV Market — But …

Hydrogen vs. Battery Buses: A European Transit Reality Check

<p><a href="https://www.electrathonamerica.org/">Electrathon America</a> is an organization that provides hands-on opportunities for participants to learn about STEM principles as they design and build an electric vehicle for competition. The race is not always won by the swiftest. In Electrathon competition, each contestant starts the race with a the same amount of electrical energy. The race lasts one hour and the winner is the car that has traveled the farthest when the checkered flag drops. That means efficiency is a priority, rather than top speed.</p>
<p>Florida Power and Light is an active supporter of Electrathon America in Florida. It supplies dozens of teams of high school students from around the state with starter kits consisting of the basic chassis, the motor, the motor controls, and running gear, including wheels and brakes. The students then design and build the bodywork for the cars, test their vehicles to determine their energy usage under various conditions, and plan how to get the most distance out of their cars at the next race.</p>
<figure id="attachment_351692" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351692" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-351692" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Electrathon-America-Pace-Car-.jpg" alt="Electrathon America" width="1200" height="668" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Electrathon-America-Pace-Car-.jpg 1200w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Electrathon-America-Pace-Car--400x223.jpg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Electrathon-America-Pace-Car--800x445.jpg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Electrathon-America-Pace-Car--768x428.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351692" class="wp-caption-text">Credit: Steve Hanley for CleanTechnica. All rights reserved.</figcaption></figure>
<p>On April 12, 2025, the latest Electrathon America event took place at Homestead-Miami Raceway as part of the Formula E race weekend. My wife and I were guests of Jaguar TCS Racing, one of eleven teams that participate in the Formula E series that brings all electric racing to venues around the world. As we were waiting for our introduction to the team, we wandered into the FPL area outside the grandstands were a dozen teams were busy preparing for their competition later that day.</p>
<p>What captured our attention was not the cars themselves but the sense of excitement rippling through each school’s team area. Students were working feverishly to prepare their entry, adjusting this, tweaking that, and generally having a wonderful time. This is a curriculum that excites students. No one was on their phone or stuck off in a corner playing video games. They were all engrossed in what they were doing and having the time of their lives while learning valuable lessons about science, technology, engineering, and math.</p>
<p>“You can learn about being a leader or a problem solver. You can learn about wiring or turning wrenches. You can learn about body paneling and graphic design, getting sponsorships,” Isabella Buckhardt, an associate project manager for FPL told <em><a href="https://lakeonews.com/stories/south-central-and-west-florida-students-build-electric-go-kart-with-fpl,71881">Lake Okeechobee News</a></em> earlier this year. “Building cars, racing them; I come from a long line of racing and building cars and ever since I can remember,” said Rhet Osterhoudt, a junior at Okeechobee High School. “I’ve been in and out of race cars and building them throughout my family.”</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Electrathon America And Florida Power &amp; Light</h3>
<p>2025 is the third year FPL has supported students across the state as part of the Electrathon America initiative, providing materials and training to more than two dozen high schools from Miami to Pensacola. Electrathon America offers an exciting, hands-on opportunity for students to dive into engineering concepts by designing, building, and racing their own electric go-karts. The program aligns with FPL’s commitment to empowering the workforce of tomorrow with vital STEM skills and fostering future careers in the field.</p>
<p>Electrathon America is not restricted to bulked-up gym rats, and there were as many young women involved in the pre-race preparations as young men. This is an educational opportunity that not only focuses on STEM skills, it also teaches teamwork, cooperation, and sharing of ideas and strategies. It goes without saying that the teams seek out the lightest member of the team to drive the car.</p>
<p>Once the green flag waves, the race begins. Each car starts with a maximum of 1000 Watt-hours (1 kWh) of electrical energy. Lead acid batteries are used in the events sponsored by FPL because they are readily available and inexpensive. They also do not require a battery management system, which adds complexity and costs. Lithium-ion batteries are allowed in national Electrathon America events. The competition focuses on how efficiently each car and driver can travel with unpredictable traffic and a variable road course. One hour after the green flag, the checkered flag is waved and the car that traveled the farthest wins.</p>
<p>Electrathon America is partly funded through a modest membership fee of $30 for the first team vehicle, and $15 for each vehicle thereafter of the same team. Event entry fees range from free and up, averaging around $25 per car.&nbsp; Costs vary widely because each team decides what parts and components to buy. Frame materials, system voltage, motor type, battery and so forth are up to the designers, although in Florida, FPL does supply the basics for each car. Typical vehicle costs from new parts will likely fall between $2000 (scratch built) and $5000 (a kit). Electrathon America says that building a car from used parts can save significantly on costs. It also has a resource manual with links to parts suppliers to assist teams that are just starting out.</p>
<p>The racing is just as intense as any motorsports event, even if the speeds are considerably slower. Reliability issues are often a big factor in the competition. Chains and sprockets tend to break or become misaligned. Electrical connections fail and batteries don’t always perform as expected. Nevertheless, the contestants remain undaunted and there are always opportunities for celebration and camaraderie when the competition is over. Contestants share their experiences and may pick up hints from other teams that will serve then well in future events.&nbsp;Here is a video of the Electrathon America sponsored by FPL event a year ago at Homestead-Miami Raceway.</p>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="High School Students Take Over Homestead-Miami Speedway for Electrathon Go-Kart Race" width="800" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u1XpGMRhw4w?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
<p>The Electrathon America series is designed to appeal to young students of all ages. It encourages them to include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in their lives and develop skills that will stand them in good stead for securing good paying jobs in the future. In addition to building an electric car for the competition, the team needs to figure out the complex mathematics required to travel the maximum distance possible with the limited amount of electrical energy available.</p>
<p>There is a tremendous desire to go as fast as possible from the start, but that will just leave you with a flat battery on the side of the track as other contestants who drive more judiciously catch up and pass. This is a real world application of the lessons we all learned in elementary school about the tortoise and the hare — life lessons that will endure long after the competition is finished.</p>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Aesop's Fables | The Hare And The Tortoise | HooplaKidz" width="800" height="450" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pjokVI0LJzw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

Electrathon America Comes To Homestead-Miami Raceway

<p>US electric vehicle sales continue to grow. 100% electric vehicle (EV) sales were up 200% in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2021. They were up 66% compared to Q1 2022, up 12% compared to Q1 2023, and up 11% compared to Q1 2024.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-q1-2023-q1-2022-q1-2021-logo.png"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-351679" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-q1-2023-q1-2022-q1-2021-logo.png" alt="" width="2040" height="494" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-q1-2023-q1-2022-q1-2021-logo.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-q1-2023-q1-2022-q1-2021-logo-400x97.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-q1-2023-q1-2022-q1-2021-logo-800x194.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-q1-2023-q1-2022-q1-2021-logo-768x186.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-US-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-q1-2023-q1-2022-q1-2021-logo-1536x372.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-q1-2023-q1-2022-q1-2021-change-logo.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-351681" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-q1-2023-q1-2022-q1-2021-change-logo.png" alt="" width="2040" height="494" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-q1-2023-q1-2022-q1-2021-change-logo.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-q1-2023-q1-2022-q1-2021-change-logo-400x97.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-q1-2023-q1-2022-q1-2021-change-logo-800x194.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-q1-2023-q1-2022-q1-2021-change-logo-768x186.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-USA-EV-sales-q1-2025-vs-q1-2024-q1-2023-q1-2022-q1-2021-change-logo-1536x372.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p>That said, there are very notable changes in the market. Tesla has gone from dominating it to … well, it’s still far ahead of the competition with about 43% of all US EV sales. However, that’s down from a peak of about 80% and years sitting between 60% and 80%.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-US-BEV-market-Q1-2025-logo.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-351677" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-US-BEV-market-Q1-2025-logo.png" alt="" width="2040" height="1282" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-US-BEV-market-Q1-2025-logo.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-US-BEV-market-Q1-2025-logo-400x251.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-US-BEV-market-Q1-2025-logo-800x503.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-US-BEV-market-Q1-2025-logo-768x483.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NEW-US-BEV-market-Q1-2025-logo-1536x965.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p>Also, while the overall EV market has been growing, Tesla sales were down a lot compared to Q1 2024, down even more compared to Q1 2023, and even down slightly compared to Q1 2022! That means that non-Tesla EV sales are actually growing stronger than the overall trend indicates, since Tesla is bringing that overall trend down.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/New-US-BEV-market-volume-change-Q1-2025-logo.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-351676" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/New-US-BEV-market-volume-change-Q1-2025-logo.png" alt="" width="2040" height="1124" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/New-US-BEV-market-volume-change-Q1-2025-logo.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/New-US-BEV-market-volume-change-Q1-2025-logo-400x220.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/New-US-BEV-market-volume-change-Q1-2025-logo-800x441.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/New-US-BEV-market-volume-change-Q1-2025-logo-768x423.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/New-US-BEV-market-volume-change-Q1-2025-logo-1536x846.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p>Looking at specific percentage-change figures, Tesla sales were down 9% compared to Q1 2024, down 21% compared to Q1 2023, and down 1% compared to Q1 2022. They were up 85% compared to Q1 2021.</p>
<p>On the other hand, non-Tesla EV sales were up 32% compared to Q1 2024, up 63% compared to Q1 2023, up 244% compared to Q1 2022, and <em>up 472%</em> compared to Q1 2021.</p>
<p>In coming articles, I’ll provide charts and dive into sales figures and rankings on the EV model leaders and the EV brand and automotive group leaders in the US market. Stay tuned!</p>

Non-Tesla US EV Sales Up 472% vs. 2021!

<p>There are actually <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/752136/level1-ev-charging-rivian-r1t/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22752136%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22level1-ev-charging-rivian-r1t%22%7D">lots of ways</a> to live with an electric vehicle even if you don't have access to a home Level 2 charger. But in general, if you can install a home plug, you'd be kind of crazy not to. Of all the benefits to going electric, that one is probably the strongest.</p>
<p>Evidently, more and more EV drivers are figuring this out. Charging installation giant <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/339965/qmerit-aims-to-simplify-ev-home-charger-installations/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22339965%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22qmerit-aims-to-simplify-ev-home-charger-installations%22%7D">Qmerit</a> told <a href="https://insideevs.com" target="_blank">InsideEVs</a> that the first quarter of 2025 was the best one in the company's nine-year history for home charger hook-ups in North America. In fact, installations even went up 57% compared to the final quarter of 2024.</p>

<p>Those results <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/756400/ev-sales-q1-tesla-slump/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22756400%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ev-sales-q1-tesla-slump%22%7D">mirror the EV sales growth seen in the United States over the past few months</a>, even as many experts predicted a downturn if tax credits were to go away. They have not yet, and many customers could be rushing to buy new cars before any tariffs go into effect. But no matter the reason they're buying cars, they're turning to home plugs more and more as part of the deal,&nbsp;Qmerit Chief Operating Officer Oliver Phillips said in an email.</p>
<p>"Once they experience the convenience of home charging, of waking up every morning with a fully charged vehicle, then that sows&nbsp;the seeds for more acceptance,"&nbsp;Phillips said.</p><div class="item m1-ap-native "></div>
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    <img src="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/3W4Qyp/s1/2025-hyundai-ioniq-5-n-owners-can-get-either-a-complimentary-home-charger-or-450-in-chargepoint-credits.jpg" alt="2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N owners can get either a complimentary home charger or $450 in ChargePoint credits">
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<p>Qmerit declined to offer the exact number of installations it performed in Q1, but said that&nbsp;they happened across a wide swath of the U.S. and not just a few electric-friendly states.&nbsp;"Our numbers&nbsp;not only signal that EVs can grow, but that they can cross geographic and ideological boundaries,"&nbsp;Phillips said. "EVs can represent the next chapter in that story as charging becomes more reliable, home-based and streamlined."&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Qmerit is one of a growing field of companies that offers <a href="https://qmerit.com/faq/how-does-the-installation-process-work/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">full-service EV charger installation</a>, from home assessment to permitting to the job itself. That process can sometimes be a complex and onerous one, especially if electrical work is needed that a contractor isn't familiar with.</p>
<p>But Qmerit may want to thank the car companies for <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/753185/home-charging-ev-study-installation/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22753185%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22home-charging-ev-study-installation%22%7D">getting their acts together here</a> above all.</p><div class="item m1-ap-native m1-ap-native-mobile"></div>
<p>For the longest time, automakers wanted to focus solely on making electric cars while other companies handled everything else. They never had to get into the gas station business, for example, and few wanted to deal with the potential liabilities involved with a home installation.</p>
<p>Now, however, more and more of them are realizing they need to make charging easy from the get-go, and that includes throwing in a home charger—and sometimes helping with or covering install costs—when the car is purchased. <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/714992/automaker-provide-level-2-home-ev-charger/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22714992%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22automaker-provide-level-2-home-ev-charger%22%7D">Several automakers offer this</a>&nbsp;now, including General Motors, Honda, Ford, Hyundai and others. Many will partner directly with Qmerit for this service, while others simply refer new EV drivers to the company.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Most EV drivers charge their cars at home. But in recent years, as automakers sweetened purchases with deals around free public fast-charging, many of them treated those as replacement gas stations instead—leading to <a href="https://www.marketplace.org/episode/2023/12/21/long-lines-and-broken-chargers-demand-for-powering-evs-outpaces-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">long lines at chargers</a> when they could be doing it at home more easily and cheaply. The emphasis finally seems to be shifting to home chargers instead, and that's the better way to go for anyone with a garage and a panel.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"The power of partnerships is reflected in these numbers," Phillips said. "We are working creatively with automakers and dealers to reduce the friction in acquiring home charging—to make it a less expensive, more embedded part of the car-buying experience."</p>
<p><em>Contact the author: <a href="mailto:patrick.george@insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">patrick.george@insideevs.com</a></em></p>

Home Level 2 Charger Installations Are Skyrocketing

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">About a dozen years ago, more battery-based energy storage projects began to be completed, which was exciting because they were, and continue to be, a solution to the “intermittency problem.” Sunshine and wind are not available 24/7, so it is necessary to store some solar and wind power electricity for the down times.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There is a similar situation with electric vehicle chargers because they are one solution to electric vehicle “range anxiety.” Manufacturing electric vehicles with 600 miles of range or more is not necessary because the more obvious solution is simply to install more EV chargers in places that don’t have any or have too few. Reducing the distance between public chargers is the solution, not having EVs with absurdly large batteries. At some point, if there are enough public EV chargers within an easily reachable distance of every EV, there will be no reason for anxiety. For the people who are unaware, most EV charging happens at EV owners’ homes, and another big chunk of EV charging happens at their workplaces. In that sense, there are already enough EV chargers for local driving for many EV owners.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While most EV news is about the vehicles themselves, expanding EV charger infrastructure developments are at least as important. On that matter, Kempower Senior Product Manager Kevin Lindley answered some questions for <em>CleanTechnica</em> about the <a href="https://kempower.com/america/news/kempower-announces-flex-satellite-for-public-charging/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Flex Satellite chargers</a>.</span></p>
<p><strong>What is the Flex Satellite and what about it is new?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Kempower Flex Satellite is designed for public charging applications, providing light-duty EV drivers with an accessible and functional fast-charging experience while helping meet NEVI Formula funding requirements and state regulations. While allowing for faster charging and a better user experience, the Flex Satellite provides a dual-cable satellite with (1) DC input from the Kempower Power Unit, and a choice of either 400 A CCS1 or 380 A J3400/NACS connectors for each parking space, allowing drivers to choose which connector is needed for their vehicle for reliable charging without the hassle of adapters.&nbsp;</span></p>
<figure id="attachment_351640" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351640" style="width: 2000px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Satellite-3.png"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-351640 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Satellite-3-e1744640189196.png" alt="" width="2000" height="2000"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351640" class="wp-caption-text">Image Credit: Kempower</figcaption></figure>
<p><strong>Is it compatible with CCS1 or NACS?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yes, the Kempower Flex Satellite allows drivers to select the best connector for their vehicle, saving time and money. The dual-cable satellite allows for an adapter-free experience with the ability to choose between CCS1 and J3400/NACS connectors seamlessly.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><strong>What is the charging rate or rates?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Kempower Flex Satellite is capable of charging some current or future vehicles at over 300 kW using continuous rated, 400 Amp CCS1 or 380 Amp J3400/NACS connectors. For many EV drivers, this results in a typical charge time of less than 30 minutes.</span></p>
<p><strong>What are the best places to install it?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Designed for public charging applications, the Kempower Flex Satellite can be installed in confined spaces while still providing superior performance. More than six states require CCS1 and NACS to be offered at NEVI-funded charging sites, making the Kempower Flex Satellite the optimal solution. The Kempower Flex Satellite works well when one Flex Satellite is installed for each parking space, allowing every driver to have a choice of both common connectors.</span></p>
<p><strong>What is the installation cost and time?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Kempower Flex Satellite is typically installed within one day on a prepared site.</span></p>
<p><strong>Who will be the customers?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Kempower Flex Satellite is intended for general public charging applications, designed with NEVI-funded charging sites in mind.</span></p>
<p><strong>What is the cost of the Satellite?</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Kempower Flex Satellite is part of the Kempower Satellite Charging System that combines a centralized Power Unit with distributed Satellites for charging where it is needed the most. The flexibility of the Kempower solution can accommodate the unique needs of each site, allowing for cost to be optimized. Please contact a Kempower Sales and Service Partner or Kempower directly for more information.</span></p>
<p><strong>Where is it available?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Kempower Flex Satellite is available for charging sites in the US and Canada.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><strong>What is the expected lifespan and warranty?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though every site has its own unique environmental and other factors that can affect the lifespan, the Kempower Flex Satellite is designed for up to 10 years or more of reliable service.</span></p>
<p><strong>How much space is required to install and operate it?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Kempower Flex Satellite base occupies approximately 1 square foot, allowing it to be mounted in applications where space is limited. An installation only requires appropriate clearance for charging cable use and space in front of the satellite for service and driver interaction.</span></p>

Kempower Announces Fast-Charging Flex Satellite EV Chargers

<p>What's your biggest issue with owning and driving an electric vehicle? I'm guessing it's related to public charging, and you're not alone. <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/708414/public-ev-charger-reliability-availability-jd-power-q4-2023/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22708414%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22public-ev-charger-reliability-availability-jd-power-q4-2023%22%7D">Fast chargers are getting better</a>, but there still aren't enough of them across the country—and they <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/753915/shell-ea-evgo-tesla-cahrging/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22753915%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22shell-ea-evgo-tesla-cahrging%22%7D">don't always work</a>.&nbsp; And nothing is worse than arriving at a station with a nearly empty battery and finding every stall filled.</p>
<p>A new study suggests that giving people that knowledge alone could bring more buyers into the EV world. The National Bureau of Economic Research believes EV sales could rise 8% by 2030 if there was better real-time data for charging locations.</p>
<p>Mind you, that's an 8% rise solely based on knowing where the functional chargers are, and if they're being used. It doesn't take into account improvements in charging speeds, reliability or an expanded network of charging stations.</p>

<p>The study, called <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w33342" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Charging Uncertainty: Real-Time Charging Data and Electric Vehicle Adoption</a>, monitored PlugShare for a six-month period from March through August 2024. Specifically, researchers focused on DC fast chargers along six major U.S. highways—I-5, I-10, I-75, I-80, I-90 and I-95—covering 13,538 miles across 40 U.S. states. All charging stations in the study were located within two miles of a highway exit, mirroring what a typical EV driver might explore while traveling. To go even deeper, the study reduced that off-highway distance to just a half-mile in densely populated areas to account for heavier traffic.</p><div class="item m1-ap-native "></div>
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<p>EV6 ABRP Route</p>
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<p>What did the study find? Drawing on information from the PlugShare app, it was found that only 33.2% of all charging stations reported real-time data. However, with Tesla and Electrify America excluded from the data set, the real-time reporting goes up to 70.9 percent. These two companies account for a significant number of fast chargers but don't play well with PlugShare.</p>
<p>Of course, you can get real-time info for both EA and Tesla Supercharger stations but it requires having the specific app for each company. It's free to find stations and check real-time status, but both apps also offer a premium subscription that provides other benefits. The study points out that accessing multiple apps to find real-time information on chargers is an inconvenience at best. At worst, drivers may not be able to switch between and search through multiple apps while driving. PlugShare is proposed as a convenient, universal solution since it's free to use and already incorporates numerous charging networks.</p>
<p>So, real-time reporting on chargers could definitely be better. But how does this correlate to more EV sales? Researchers surveyed EV and non-EV owners, asking the same series of questions about EV chargers, locations, and the probability that they'd be able to successfully charge up at various locations. 1,820 completed surveys were received, the majority of which came from non-EV owners.</p><div class="item m1-ap-native m1-ap-native-mobile"></div>
<p>Based on the answers to those questions, researchers found that prospective EV buyers would be more apt to pull the trigger if they had more information on chargers. After a plethora of equations, the study reached an 8% bump by 2030.</p>
<p>The full study also shows potential impacts on emissions should those 8% buyers step up, but the takeaway is that knowledge is power. If real-time reporting on chargers could be consolidated, it would benefit current EV owners while bringing new owners to the segment.</p>

One Simple Charging Feature Could Could Boost EV Sales: Study

<p>In April 2025, the International Maritime Organization did something rare for a UN body: it passed a <a href="https://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/PressBriefings/pages/IMO-approves-netzero-regulations.aspx">binding climate policy</a>. Not advisory, not aspirational, but actual mandatory rules. The agreement commits international shipping to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions “by or around 2050,” and despite the ambiguity of that phrasing, the intent is clear. The industry that accounts for roughly 3% of global CO₂ emissions is now officially on the clock. That’s not nothing. But before we break out the low-sulfur champagne, it’s worth unpacking what, exactly, this agreement commits to—and more importantly, what it ignores.</p>
<p>The strengths of the IMO agreement are obvious if you squint through the regulatory fog. It’s the first global climate mandate for an entire industry. It includes a global greenhouse gas fuel intensity standard, phased in from 2027, and a two-tiered carbon pricing mechanism that will penalize ships for emissions exceeding their annual allotment. At the lower tier, ships pay $100 per ton of CO₂ for moderate non-compliance. At the upper tier, that penalty jumps to $380 per ton. For a large vessel burning 100 tons of fuel per day and emitting roughly 3.1 tons of CO₂ per ton, that’s over $117,000 in fines per day of operation if they’re significantly over the benchmark. Over a 20-day trans-Pacific voyage, you’re staring down more than $2 million in carbon costs. That’s not a rounding error.</p>
<p>But the weaknesses are just as plain. The 2030 target—a 20% to 30% reduction in absolute emissions—is unlikely to be met, even with these rules, because the carbon pricing doesn’t bite until 2028. The agreement gives ships another three years of business-as-usual, precisely when cuts are most urgent.</p>
<p>Worse, the path to 2040 is a mystery. The current structure ends with 2035 fuel intensity targets, and the next set of rules won’t be decided until 2032. That means the trajectory to 70% emissions reduction by 2040 is based on policy that doesn’t yet exist.</p>
<p>And of course, the current four-year version of the United States walked out. The same country that was once pushing the IMO for stronger targets abruptly reversed course, reportedly calling the carbon levy “unfair to American shipping.” That’s rich, considering the U.S. barely has any international flag carriers left to be taxed and makes fewer commercial ships than either tiny Norway or fashion- and wine-giant Italy every year. The combination of the <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2024/03/27/europe-usa-sailing-against-tide-asia-sails-with-it-in-decarbonizing-shipping/">Jones Act, a fetishization of unregulated markets and zero interest in industrial policies for 45 years</a> has led to the USA, once the biggest ship building country in the world, mostly building a few very, very expensive military ships.</p>
<figure id="attachment_319704" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-319704" style="width: 1308px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-319704" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Global-Shipping-in-Megatonnes-of-Freight-1.png" alt="Megatons of freight shipping through 2100" width="1308" height="737" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Global-Shipping-in-Megatonnes-of-Freight-1.png 1308w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Global-Shipping-in-Megatonnes-of-Freight-1-400x225.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Global-Shipping-in-Megatonnes-of-Freight-1-800x451.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Global-Shipping-in-Megatonnes-of-Freight-1-768x433.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1308px) 100vw, 1308px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-319704" class="wp-caption-text">Megatons of freight shipping through 2100 by author</figcaption></figure>
<p>What the IMO agreement fails to reflect is that the problem it’s trying to solve is shrinking. It’s based on legacy assumptions that shipping demand will continue to rise in step with global GDP, and that the only way to deal with emissions is to swap out fuels while keeping fleet size and cargo volumes constant. Their modeling is based on 40 or so people who apparently never heard of climate change projecting shipping volumes into the future based on 1990 to 2019 numbers. But that’s not what the real-world decarbonization trajectory looks like.</p>
<p>The most basic fact the IMO, or at least its preferred source material, doesn’t account for is that global trade in fossil fuels makes up nearly 40% of all seaborne tonnage. Coal, oil, gas—these aren’t just big emitters when burned; they’re big shippers. And in a decarbonizing world, they go away. Coal shipping collapses first, already down in key markets. Oil demand peaks in the 2020s. LNG persists longer but still declines before mid-century. That alone wipes out 40% of maritime volume. And that’s before considering the 15% of shipping currently devoted to iron ore, much of which becomes obsolete when China stops building infrastructure and nations start making steel from recycled scrap in electric arc furnaces located near demand.</p>
<p>The IMO’s projection? Doubling of bulks through 2050. However, their target is zero before my projection gets there. Aggression is good sometimes.</p>
<p>When you strip out the declining fossil cargo, switch to electrified inland and coastal shipping, and introduce modest efficiency improvements, the remaining deep-sea shipping problem shrinks fast. In my <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2022/04/01/global-shipping-less-of-co2e-problem-today-than-aviation-more-by-end-of-century/">2022 projection</a>, I estimated that by 2100, shipping emissions would plummet without relying on synthetic fuels or radical redesigns—just through declining fossil trade, electrification of sub-1,000 km routes, and a rational energy transition. The IMO, in contrast, has designed a zero-carbon regulatory apparatus to solve a problem multiples of the size of what will actually exist by mid-century. It’s planning to replace all bunker fuel, when in fact a lot of that demand is going away.</p>
<p>Which brings us to the solution that actually fits the scale of the remaining problem. If the goal is to decarbonize the remaining deep-water cargo routes, covering voyages longer than 2,000 km and vessels over 5,000 gross tons, the IMO agreement limit, then you don’t need e-methanol or ammonia for every ship. You need a battery on board, a tank of biodiesel, and some math. Let’s run it.</p>
<p>Start with the port and nearshore segments. For environmental and regulatory reasons, these are the zones most urgently in need of zero-emissions operation. A 200 nautical mile stretch from shore in each direction, 400 NM total, is enough to cover emission control areas (ECAs), port maneuvering, and loading and unloading windows. ECAs are zones designated by the IMO where ships must meet stricter limits on sulfur, nitrogen oxides, and particulate emissions to protect coastal air quality. There are currently four ECAs: the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, North America, and the U.S. Caribbean.</p>
<p>For a 5,000+ ton vessel using about 2.4 MWh per NM, you need roughly 960 MWh of battery capacity. At 300 Wh/kg LFP cells, that’s a battery weighing 3,200 metric tons. On a 60,000 DWT containership, that’s about 5% of payload. It’s a tradeoff, but not a dealbreaker. At $65/kWh, the latest LPF BESS price out of China’s auctions , the full battery costs ~$60 million. Assuming a 3,000-cycle life, it can be amortized over a 30-year vessel lifetime and contribute less than $20 per MWh delivered. The electricity to charge it at port? In countries with clean grids or dedicated renewables, figure $0.10/kWh, or ~$100,000 per voyage segment. Total nearshore energy cost: less than $300,000 per voyage. Zero local pollution. Zero carbon emissions. Zero future retrofit cost.</p>
<p>For the remaining 3,400 NM on a trans-Atlantic or 6,100 NM on a trans-Pacific route, the battery isn’t going to cut it. That’s where the fuel comes in. But it doesn’t need to be ammonia or e-methanol. It doesn’t even need to be fancy. It just needs to be biodiesel. At 42 MJ/kg and roughly 85% lower lifecycle GHG emissions than fossil marine gasoil, HVO biodiesel does the job. A ship burning 1,600 tons of biodiesel for the Atlantic or 2,900 tons for the Pacific pays about $1,100 per ton, or $1.8 to $3.2 million per trip. That’s more than fossil fuel, but not dramatically so—and it avoids $1.5 to $2.8 million in carbon fines at $380 per ton of CO₂. Better yet, it doesn’t require engine replacement, retrofitted bunkering tanks, or a multi-decade port fuel transition plan. It just goes in the same tank as before.</p>
<p>Biomethanol costs more, but may be required simply because—as chemical process engineer and plant designer Paul Martin points out when we discuss this—the molecules matter, and the molecules in biodiesel are somewhat limited, hard to make and absolutely required for long haul aviation. The numbers may crunch out to biomethanol being what ends up in much bigger fuel tanks for crossing oceans. Bigger because methanol has 45% the energy density of current bunker fuels.</p>
<p>Synthetic methanol, by contrast, costs about $1,400 per ton, and that energy density bites hard. For the same 6,100 NM trans-Pacific crossing, that’s 5,300 tons of fuel, or $7.4 million. You save the carbon penalty, sure, but you still pay more than double the biodiesel hybrid. Green ammonia is even worse: you need over 5,700 tons of fuel for the same trip, at $1,000 per ton, and you also need cryogenic or pressurized tanks, new combustion tech, and safety systems for a fuel that’s toxic, corrosive, and flammable in all the wrong ways. Ammonia’s only advantage is that it doesn’t contain carbon. But neither does logic, and logic says you don’t carry around three times the volume of a fuel that will kill the crew if you don’t have to.</p>
<p>What the IMO needs to do now is match policy to physics. The shipping sector is not going to decarbonize on a one-size-fits-all molecule. It’s going to decarbonize on fewer ships, fewer kilometers, and fewer tons of fuel. Most short-sea shipping will go electric. Inland shipping already is. Fossil cargo will vanish. Trade will regionalize. The long-haul shipping sector will shrink. And what remains can be served by batteries and biofuels for virtually all trips. That’s the map. Anything else is drawing zero-carbon lines on an evaporating ocean.</p>

Net-Zero by 2050: The IMO’s Victory—and the Case for Less Fuel, Not More

<p>To be honest, I hadn’t thought a lot about Waymo’s market share in the cities it operates in. I just figured it’s still fairly small and niche as it works hard to improve its software and hardware. However, it turns out Waymo is getting a lot more business than I expected.</p>
<figure id="attachment_351238" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351238" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Waymo-robotaxi-Phoenix.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-351238 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Waymo-robotaxi-Phoenix.jpg" alt="" width="1600" height="890" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Waymo-robotaxi-Phoenix.jpg 1600w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Waymo-robotaxi-Phoenix-400x223.jpg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Waymo-robotaxi-Phoenix-800x445.jpg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Waymo-robotaxi-Phoenix-768x427.jpg 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Waymo-robotaxi-Phoenix-1536x854.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351238" class="wp-caption-text">Photos by Paul Fosse/CleanTechnica.</figcaption></figure>
<p>I know that we report on total trips provided and total miles driven from time to time here, and they are always impressive figures, but it’s hard to really judge much looking at large numbers. That doesn’t let us judge how much market share the company has unless we have an absurd knowledge of the taxi industry in our heads. So, I didn’t know — and it hadn’t even crossed my mind — that Waymo’s market share had risen as much as it had.</p>
<p>Venture capital firm A16z’s Alex Immerman reportedly indicated that Waymo had scooped up 22% of the San Francisco rideshare market by last November, equal to Lyft and eating into Uber’s lead. More than one-fifth of the rideshare market?! Already as big as Lyft in San Francisco?!</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024.02-waymo-phoenix-arizona-tempe-autonomous-robotaxi-lidar-KYLE-08-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-325189" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024.02-waymo-phoenix-arizona-tempe-autonomous-robotaxi-lidar-KYLE-08-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="2448" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024.02-waymo-phoenix-arizona-tempe-autonomous-robotaxi-lidar-KYLE-08-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024.02-waymo-phoenix-arizona-tempe-autonomous-robotaxi-lidar-KYLE-08-400x382.jpg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024.02-waymo-phoenix-arizona-tempe-autonomous-robotaxi-lidar-KYLE-08-800x765.jpg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024.02-waymo-phoenix-arizona-tempe-autonomous-robotaxi-lidar-KYLE-08-768x734.jpg 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024.02-waymo-phoenix-arizona-tempe-autonomous-robotaxi-lidar-KYLE-08-1536x1469.jpg 1536w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024.02-waymo-phoenix-arizona-tempe-autonomous-robotaxi-lidar-KYLE-08-2048x1958.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px"></a></p>
<figure id="attachment_325200" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-325200" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024.02-waymo-autonomous-robotaxi-phoenix-glendale-tempe-arizona-scottsdale-KYLE-scaled.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-325200" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024.02-waymo-autonomous-robotaxi-phoenix-glendale-tempe-arizona-scottsdale-KYLE-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1871" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024.02-waymo-autonomous-robotaxi-phoenix-glendale-tempe-arizona-scottsdale-KYLE-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024.02-waymo-autonomous-robotaxi-phoenix-glendale-tempe-arizona-scottsdale-KYLE-400x292.jpg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024.02-waymo-autonomous-robotaxi-phoenix-glendale-tempe-arizona-scottsdale-KYLE-800x585.jpg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024.02-waymo-autonomous-robotaxi-phoenix-glendale-tempe-arizona-scottsdale-KYLE-768x561.jpg 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024.02-waymo-autonomous-robotaxi-phoenix-glendale-tempe-arizona-scottsdale-KYLE-1536x1123.jpg 1536w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024.02-waymo-autonomous-robotaxi-phoenix-glendale-tempe-arizona-scottsdale-KYLE-2048x1497.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-325200" class="wp-caption-text">Waymo in Arizona. Photos by Kyle Field/CleanTechnica.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Data from YipitData also indicates that Waymo is getting a much faster start in new cities it’s entering. In Austin, it reportedly had more than an 80% faster start than in San Francisco (looking at the first 27 days). That is to be expected, though, as the company was at a much earlier stage of development and capability when it starting providing fully driverless, paid rides in San Francisco than it was when it did so in Austin. Nonetheless, it’s good to see that confirmed. I expected the DC, Miami, and Atlanta rollouts will be even faster than the Austin one again.</p>
<p>But, really, when you consider all of that, how long until Waymo has 20–25% of the rideshare market in those cities? Or even how long until it has +30% market share? And how about we throw on the next 5–10 cities Waymo will enter? Things are getting big and significant quickly.</p>
<p>Every account I see of Waymo from first-time riders is that they love it. It’s calm, peaceful, clean, and enjoyable. So, it’s no surprise the service is becoming popular fast. Aside from stealing customers from human-driven ride-hailing companies, I imagine there are people who didn’t use such services who feel comfortable using Waymo and enjoying the privacy of the ride and no social pressure of any sort.</p>
<figure id="attachment_336748" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-336748" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Waymo-Zeekr.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-336748" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Waymo-Zeekr.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="890" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Waymo-Zeekr.jpeg 1600w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Waymo-Zeekr-400x223.jpeg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Waymo-Zeekr-800x445.jpeg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Waymo-Zeekr-768x427.jpeg 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Waymo-Zeekr-1536x854.jpeg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-336748" class="wp-caption-text">Waymo Zeekr concept robotaxi. Image courtesy of Waymo.</figcaption></figure>
<p>I’m eager to see how much and how fast Waymo grows in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Miami, Atlanta, and Washington, DC. Probably even more so, though, I’m very eager to see what cities it provides services in next. When will it enter New York City? When will it enter Chicago? When will it enter Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Gainesville, and other cities large and small across the South, Southwest, and rest of the country? Also, will it have limits to what size cities it enters? And when will Waymo vehicle be willing to go from one city to another — for example, Orlando to Miami?</p>
<p>There are numerous questions to have answered, but at least the company is now providing service beyond Phoenix and we’re seeing how fast geographic expansion, customer uptake, and market share can grow.</p>

Waymo’s Quickly Taking More Market Share Than I Expected

<p>EV sales in the United States rose 11 percent during the first quarter of 2025, to about 300,000 cars and light trucks, according to <a href="https://www.coxautoinc.com/market-insights/q1-2025-ev-sales/#:~:text=Nearly%20300%2C0001%20new%20electric,of%2011.4%25%20year%20over%20year">Cox Automotive</a>. That is much better than the overall new car market, which showed no increase from 2024. Overall, about 8 percent of new domestic car sales were electric, Cox said, a slight increase from 2024. “Despite many obstacles — and what you may read elsewhere — electric vehicle sales continue to grow at a healthy pace in the US market,” Cox said.</p>
<p>One electric car company that is not experiencing growth is Tesla. It still is the electric car sales leader in the US, with 44 percent of the market according to Cox Automotive, but a year ago in the first quarter it had 51 percent of the market. Its performance in the US mirrors its performance globally. Tesla sales in March were 337,000 cars worldwide, 13 percent fewer than in March of 2024. <em>CleanTechnica</em> readers know the reasons — an aging selection of models, poor sales of the Cybertruck, increasing competition, retooling production lines for the new Model Y, and Musk’s embrace of MAGAlomaniac policies which has led to protests at Tesla dealerships and alienated many buyers.</p>
<p>Sales of the Cybertruck were 6,400 in the first quarter — double the total from a year ago — but the company was just ramping up production last year, so any comparison is skewed. The true test of what is happening with the Cybertruck is the fact that Tesla now refuses to accept them as trade-ins for new Tesla vehicles, a policy no other manufacturer has ever instituted. If Tesla doesn’t want its own vehicles, why would anyone else? It is now attempting to boost sales by lowering prices on decontented models, but would you buy any vehicle if you knew the manufacturer would refuse to give you ten cents for it after you take delivery?</p>
<p>The big winner appears to be GM, which delivered 10,300 Chevy Equinox EV cars in the first quarter, a strong showing for a car went on sale toward the end of last year. The <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/02/02/driving-the-chevy-blazer-ev/">Chevy Blazer EV</a> is now in showrooms and enjoying strong interest from customers. All together, sales of GM electric cars, including Cadillac and GMC, accounted for 11 percent of the electric vehicle market in the first quarter — up from 6 percent a year earlier. While GM suffered through slow and sometimes painful product launches for its electric cars in 2023 and 2024, those models are now starting to see significant numbers of sales.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">GM Is An EV Sales Leader</h3>
<p>More than 30,000 EVs from General Motors brands were sold last quarter, nearly doubling the volume from a year ago and passing both Ford and Hyundai along the way. The Ford Mustang Mach-E was the best selling EV in the US that was not a Tesla, while Honda and Acura added more than 14,000 EVs to the US market last quarter. That’s up from zero a year ago. Anyone who tries to say the EV revolution in the US is dead is either misinformed or lying.</p>
<p>The rest of 2025 will likely be a volatile one for EV sales in the US, despite the introduction of new models. If the new auto tariffs hold, they will pose a monumental challenge for many automakers, particularly due to the tariffs on steel and aluminum. About two-thirds of the EVs sold in the U.S. last year were assembled in the US, but like all modern automobiles, the required parts and components are sourced from around the globe. China is the world’s leading supplier of EV battery materials, which suggests the current tariff war between the US and China will distort the market significantly.</p>
<p>The current so-called president loves nothing more than forcing others to “kiss his ass,” as he is so fond of saying. How classy. Add to that the heavy speculation that the new administration will reverse Biden-era EV sales incentives and the story for EV sales in Q2 and beyond is murky at best. Cox Automotive analyst Stephanie Streaty said, “The year certainly started strong, but the road ahead will be anything but smooth.”</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">EV Sales Are Up Worldwide</h3>
<p>A week ago, my colleague Jose Pontes <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/03/global-ev-sales-1-2-million-units-in-february-49-growth-yoy/">reported</a> that sales of EVs — both plug-in hybrids and battery electrics — were up 49 percent in February 2025 compared to February 2024 and now account for 19 percent of the global new car market. In Norway, well over 95 percent of all new cars have plugs and Pontes speculated that Singapore will likely be the next new car market to become virtually all EVs. It should be noted that EV incentives in many countries have been reduced or eliminated recently. Germany in particular has sharply curtailed its incentive program, which led to a steep drop in EV sales in 2024.</p>
<p>However, in the first few months of this year, EV sales in Europe have been <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/03/europe-ev-sales-report-in-2025-bev-sales-jumping-49-excluding-tesla/">up strongly</a> — up 17 percent in February despite the overall market being down 3 percent. That last stat should grab your attention. Globally, new car sales are declining. Fewer new cars are being sold, and more of them are battery electrics or plug-in hybrids.</p>
<p>And yet, the mood in America about electric cars is still quite chilly. The major US automakers have a plan to counter the new tariff insanity from the Moron of Mar-A-Loco and it is this — build more pickup trucks and large SUVs. The furor over Elon Musk’s fascist diatribes has had a knock-on effect on all electric cars because, for the past decade or more, America has associated electric cars with Tesla. In my condo community in DeSantistan, a modest proposal to add two EV chargers is facing opposition from owners who are convinced they will make their insurance premiums go up and subject their pets to electrocution. We have neighbors who still tell us we cannot drive our Tesla through a puddle or take it to a car wash.</p>
<p>Fortunately, despite their mania for bigger, heavier vehicles, Ford and GM have kept their electric car programs alive, with Chevrolet now the leading electric car company not named Tesla. The Equinox EV is selling well and the Blazer EV is now readily available after a rocky start caused by software glitches forced the company to suspend production for a while to figure things out. The new updated Chevy Bolt will be in production soon. Hyundai now has its first dedicated EV factory in operation near Savannah, Georgia, and continues — along with Kia — to offer Americans a selection of appealing electric and plug-in hybrid models at affordable prices.</p>
<p>The EV revolution in the US may be taking longer than many of us had hoped, but it continues to build momentum. EV advocates like to tout a long list of benefits that come from owning an electric car — no oil changes, no smelly gas pumps, no transmission repairs, fewer brake jobs, etc. — but the best reason to own one is the driving experience. People need to feel the effortless flow of instant power, the joy of regenerative braking, and the quietness of the ride for themselves. It is like the difference between an old fashioned propeller-driven airplane and a jet. Once you experience it, there is no going back.</p>

US EV Sales Rise As Tesla Sales Fall

<p>In motorsport, Formula E is still new to a lot of sports fans. It was conceived as being net zero carbon right from the start, and it is an organization that is trying to advance electric vehicle (EV) technology while providing a competitive racing spectacle — after all, <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/01/12/taking-it-to-the-tracks-ev-development-pushes-the-need-for-racing-speed/">that’s what fans demand</a>. When Jaguar TCS Racing secured last season’s ABB FIA Formula E Teams’ World Championship title — Jaguar’s first world title victory since 1991 — it was a feat to celebrate. Their two drivers competed against some heavy competition and some of the biggest names in motorsport — and they came away with the trophy.</p>
<p>So, when <em>CleanTechnica</em> got the chance to conduct an exclusive interview with Jaguar TCS Racing driver Mitch Evan, who has been with the team for eight years, we grabbed it.</p>
<p>The venue was <a href="https://www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com/">Homestead-Miami Speedway,</a> and the event was the <a href="https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/523825#:~:text=The%20legendary%20Homestead%2DMiami%20Speedway,on%20Saturday%20April%2012%2C%202025.">ABB FIA Formula E Miami e-Prix</a> weekend. It was a hot spring day prior to practice sessions. The air hung thickly with humidity.</p>
<p>The 26-year-old New Zealander made his <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/11/abb-fia-formula-e-miami-e-prix-empowers-young-women-in-motorsport/amp/">ABB FIA Formula E</a> debut with Panasonic Jaguar Racing in 2016 when the British team returned to racing. Sitting under a black umbrella embossed with the Jaguar logo, Evans laughed, saying that he has been racing “from the moment I was born.” He started karting at the age of six and was, at 16, the youngest driver ever to win the NZ Grand Prix.</p>
<p>Evans started 2024–2025 Season 11 with a record-breaking <a href="https://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/515368">victory</a> from last on the grid, a win he attributes to “a bit of luck and good strategy from me and the team.” The team put together “good speed, the right calls with Attack Mode. On the first lap I made up 10 places.”</p>
<p>Evans really likes that São Paulo track layout, and “street circuits are my favorite.” In fact, he wishes more Formula E races were set on street circuits rather than dedicated tracks. “I much prefer to be racing around the streets,” he admitted. “With zero emissions, we should be in the streets to promote this amazing technology.”</p>
<p>Newly engineered for Season 11, the Jaguar TCS Racing team introduced the new Jaguar I-TYPE 7 — which they hope will make them competitive enough to obtain another championship. Faster and more efficient than its previous iteration, with all-wheel-drive technology, the I-TYPE 7 can reach 60 mph in just 1.82 seconds. That’s faster than today’s Formula 1 cars. An F1 car typically accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in about <a href="https://www.redbull.com/us-en/how-fast-do-f1-cars-go">2.1 to 2.7 seconds</a>.</p>
<p>Formula E regulations require all teams to adopt the same chassis, bodywork, and battery. The Jaguar I-TYPE 7’s powertrain, which consists of an inverter, motor generator unit, and transmission, though, are specific to the company. So is the software that helps the devices understand what to do and how to do it. The Jaguar I-TYPE 7 can switch seamlessly between 350kW all-wheel-drive traction and 600kW regenerative braking.</p>
<p>We learned from our garage tour that the Jaguar needs no rear disc brakes and begins the race with only 60% of the energy it needs to finish. The remainder of the energy is derived from <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2023/09/06/does-the-new-language-of-evs-baffle-you-this-guide-should-help/">regen</a>.</p>
<p>To maintain physical strength for racing, Evans says, “I like running, cycling.” He also noted that, “there’s no power steering in the car,” with the implication that driving the I-TYPE 7 is exerting in and of itself. There’s no hydration system built into the car, unlike F1, but, “with 45 minutes” of race duration, “you can get away with it.”</p>
<p>His diet prior to the competition is to “eat clean,” but he actually doesn’t “eat much on race weekends.” The adrenaline and excitement take over, so he eats “nothing too heavy. Outside of the track, I eat healthy.”</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">The Day of the Race</h3>
<p>Evans came into the Miami e-Prix with 25 points to the season. He and his partner, Nick Cassidy, had a lackluster qualifying, and Evans was stuck in 16th place for the early part of the race. All the cars were monitoring their energy usage at this point. Cassidy variously jumped ahead and then stayed close by Evans in the running. When Evans engaged Attack Mode, he jumped up to 8th place on lap 13. He used up his allotment, though, and fell quickly back to 16th place.</p>
<p>When Nick DeVries went off the track at lap 18, a safety car was deployed, so drivers in the middle of Attack Mode were disadvantaged. A queue of cars bunched together down a straight as the safety car was released. The green flag came with seven laps left in the race. Evans had 36% energy remaining then. At lap 20, however, he had six minutes of Attack Mode, but so did several of the cars ahead of him.</p>
<p>Three cars crashed in the chicane, and Evans was one of them. Günther punched into the wall, and Evans had no place to go but into the back of Günther. Evans told his engineer there was damage “probably to the front wing and suspension.” Evans, however, was able to maneuver back to the pit. He sat in position 20 near the back of the grid under a red flag with the race stopped. Team principal Jame Barclay said Evans was “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”</p>
<p>Teammate Cassidy found himself moved up to 8th position during the race stoppage, which meant that there would be a frantic conclusion to the end of the race — four laps to go, with an almost flat-out sprint to the finishing line. The cars whirred and screamed, sounding like a jet engine accelerating, then poised in place for a standing start. After the restart, Cassidy moved up and down the rankings, while Evans made a little progress from the back of the field.</p>
<p>The exciting end of the race was punctuated by several teams that were not able to fulfill their allotment of Attack Mode time due to the safety car. Nato came across the finish line first, but Weirlein was named the <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/09/nissan-formula-e-team-looking-to-maintain-championship-lead-in-miami/">actual winner</a> due to all the sporting penalties.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Final Thoughts about Jaguar TCS Racing</h3>
<p>Evans is the Dow Ambassador for Jaguar TCS Racing, which is one of the sponsors for the Jaguar TCS Racing team. All of its sponsors are technical partners of the team: Wolfspeed, Google Cloud, Tata, and Dow. “We are lucky that all partners are integrated into the team through material science — efficiency, thermally,” Evans allowed, “which helps us to go quicker.”</p>
<p>Evan paused, then added, “Everyone wins out.”</p>
<p>He is proud of the effect that the Jaguar TCS Racing team has on everyday driving, noting that Formula E is about more than mere racing. “We’re racing to make electric driving better for everyone,” acknowledging that Formula E is a <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2024/01/27/legacy-automakers-turn-to-formula-e-as-a-laboratory-for-ev-technology/">test bed</a> to develop new EV technologies for the benefit of future EV customers.</p>

Formula E Miami E-Prix: A Look Inside Jaguar TCS Racing — A CleanTechnica Exclusive

<p>Rwanda is one of the countries with some of the most progressive electric vehicle policies. A &nbsp;couple of years ago, Rwanda introduced some really cool incentives for EVs that included:</p>
<p><strong>Fiscal Incentives:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Electricity tariffs for charging stations to be capped at the industrial tariff. This means that charge point operators will be billed at close to USD 10 cents/kWh instead of close to 20 cents/kWh.</li>
<li>Electric vehicles will also benefit from reduced tariffs during off-peak periods.</li>
<li>Electric vehicles, spare parts, batteries, and charging station equipment will all be exempted from import and excise duties. All of these would also be treated as zero rated VAT products and will also be exempt from withholding tax.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Non-Fiscal Incentives:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Rent-free land for charging stations on land owned by the government.</li>
<li>Provisions for EV charging stations in the building code and city planning rules.</li>
<li>Green license plates to allow preferential parking for EVs and free entry into any future congestion zones.</li>
<li>Access to dedicated bus lanes.</li>
<li>Provide preference to electric vehicles for government-hired vehicles.</li>
<li>Regulate the importation of used vehicles by imposing an age limit.</li>
<li>Establish restricted zones where only green vehicles can have access.</li>
<li>Enforcement of existing emission standards to discourage the purchase of polluting vehicles.</li>
</ul>
<p>Rwanda is actively encouraging investment in the e-mobility sector, and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) also gave a presentation outlining some of the initiatives to encourage investment. Some of these incentives include a preferential corporate income tax rate of 15% for investors operating in e-mobility. Firms operating in the energy, ITC, and mass transport industries also qualify. And from January 1, 2025, only electric motorcycles can be registered in Rwanda.</p>
<p>Hybrids also benefited from incentives, but some of these incentives are now being rolled back. Hybrids will continue to get import duty exemptions, but will now pay VAT. In a market dominated by used vehicle imports, the Rwanda government wants to encourage newer hybrids that still have good battery health and discourage older hybrids. Therefore, there is now a new excise duty for hybrids that varies with the age of the vehicle. For vehicles that are 3 years and below from the age of manufacture, the excise duty is 5%. This excise duty will be 10% for vehicles between 4 and 7 years, and 15% for vehicles older than that.</p>
<p>We are already starting to see the benefits of these kinds of incentives. Although Rwanda is a much smaller market than some of its regional peers, these incentives have led to Rwanda having more electric cars than most of the larger markets in East Africa. There are about 360,000 vehicles registered in Rwanda, with about 30,000 added each year. 99% of these vehicles are still ICE vehicles. Since the introduction of incentives for EVs, there has been some significant traction, though, with Rwanda now having an estimated electric car fleet of around 700 vehicles. This number becomes more impressive for this small market when you look at larger markets in the region such as Kenya. Kenya has a fleet of around 4 million vehicles (across all vehicle categories), and about 100,000 cars are added each year. Kenya doesn’t have all these nice EV incentives yet, and it shows, as there are still just about 200 electric cars in Kenya. This means Rwanda now has 3.5 times the number of electric cars in Kenya, despite being a much smaller market.</p>
<figure id="attachment_351604" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351604" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kabisa-EV-House.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-351604" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kabisa-EV-House.jpg" alt="" width="1600" height="890" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kabisa-EV-House.jpg 1600w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kabisa-EV-House-400x223.jpg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kabisa-EV-House-800x445.jpg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kabisa-EV-House-768x427.jpg 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kabisa-EV-House-1536x854.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351604" class="wp-caption-text">Kabisa says its new Kabisa EV House is more than a car showroom, the centre will provide charging stations, tech-enabled maintenance facilities, meeting space for community events and training, and staff headquarters for the fast-growing EV player Kabisa. Image courtesy of Kabisa.</figcaption></figure>
<p>One of the companies leading this growth in Rwanda is Kabisa. <a href="https://gokabisa.com/">Kabisa</a>, is one of East Africa’s leading providers of electric vehicle (EV) sales, maintenance, and charging. Kabisa recently held a grand opening reception last month at <a href="https://maps.app.goo.gl/AriHEY13Me7QNgDWA">EV House</a>, their new headquarters in Kigali located above Camp Kigali on KN 77 Street.</p>
<figure id="attachment_351605" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351605" style="width: 2000px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kabisa-EV-showroom.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-351605" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kabisa-EV-showroom.jpg" alt="" width="2000" height="1291" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kabisa-EV-showroom.jpg 2000w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kabisa-EV-showroom-400x258.jpg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kabisa-EV-showroom-800x516.jpg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kabisa-EV-showroom-768x496.jpg 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Kabisa-EV-showroom-1536x991.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351605" class="wp-caption-text">Image courtesy of Kabisa</figcaption></figure>
<p>Kabisa intends for EV House to serve as a one-stop-shop for EV owners in Rwanda, providing charging and maintenance services for EVs regardless of where they’re purchased. The new telemechanic-enabled diagnostics bay and maintenance facilities are custom-built for the needs of EV owners and drivers. The space will also host events, meetups, and training sessions for all interested parties, from executives to drivers to technologists.</p>
<p>Given the growing e-mobility landscape in Rwanda, partnerships are core to Kabisa EV House. Clean energy infrastructure company Meshpower took the lead in installing new solar panels at EV House, meaning customers can charge off-grid at the facility using renewable solar power. At the grand opening, SLS Energy (specializing in battery operations and recycling) offered demonstrations of its battery technologies in a nod to the full range of partners sharing the mission to move Rwanda to a clean, sustainable transportation future.</p>
<p>At the ground floor showroom, Kabisa’s most popular vehicles were on display and available for test drives, including Farizon commercial trucks and vans, the BYD Song Plus SUV, the Radar pickup, and the Chery iCar SUV.</p>
<p>At the Grand Opening, Pophia Muhoza, Kabisa Rwanda Managing Director, thanked the 130+ attendees and acknowledged the progress and potential of e-mobility in Rwanda: “It’s a blessing to see so many customers, supporters, partners, and friends gathered in our new space, an exciting physical representation of the progress we are making — but we’re truly only getting started.”</p>
<p>To support this growing fleet of electric vehicles in Rwanda, Kabisa also recently launched a new ultra-fast charging facility at SP’s Kanombe station, in Kigali. The ultra-fast charging facility has chargers with a power capacity of up to 240 kW, compared to most of the existing charging stations in Kigali averaging 7.43 kW to 22kW. The six charging bays allow both private electric cars and entire commercial fleets of electric trucks, vans, or buses to charge simultaneously. Electric vehicles will charge up to 10 times faster with the ultra-fast charger compared to normal AC or DC chargers — so most vehicles can charge in 15–25 minutes instead of more than one hour at conventional charging stations. This will go a long way in enticing operators of commercial fleets to transition to electric, as they need their vehicles to be on the road more often than drivers of personal vehicles do, who can have the luxury of charging at home or at the office where the vehicles spend most of their time parked.</p>

Kabisa EV House Opens in Kigali as New Hub for e-Mobility in Rwanda

<p data-sourcepos="1:1-1:271">The 2025 Manila International Auto Show opened its doors on April 10. It includes a larger presence than ever before of electrified vehicles as new and existing brands present their latest innovations and strategies for a more sustainable automotive future. <em>CleanTechnica</em> is covering the event, and below is a list of the notable players at the Philippines’ now longest running automotive show, with a track record of 20 years.</p>
<figure id="attachment_351585" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351585" style="width: 960px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0041.jpeg"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-351585 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0041-e1744467774882.jpeg" alt="" width="960" height="675" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0041-e1744467774882.jpeg 960w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0041-e1744467774882-400x281.jpeg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0041-e1744467774882-800x563.jpeg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0041-e1744467774882-768x540.jpeg 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0041-e1744467774882-130x90.jpeg 130w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351585" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Aito M9 EV. (Photo by Ron de los Reyes)</em></figcaption></figure>
<p data-sourcepos="3:1-3:541">First on the list is AITO, a new entrant to the Philippine market under QSJ Motors Philippines. It introduced its flagship <strong>M9</strong> SUV. This premium vehicle is notable for offering consumers a choice between a range-extended electric vehicle (REEV) configuration, providing longer driving distances without range anxiety, and a battery electric vehicle (BEV) variant for those prioritizing pure electric driving. Pre-orders for the AITO M9 were initiated at the show, signaling the brand’s intent to establish a strong presence in the burgeoning electrified segment.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="5:1-5:524">BAIC showcased its commitment to electrification with the introduction of the <strong>B60e Beaumont rEV</strong>, marking the brand’s entry into the full-size electrified SUV category. This vehicle features a range-extended electric powertrain coupled with an intelligent all-wheel drive system, boasting a substantial total driving range. Alongside this debut, BAIC also presented the <strong>B30e Dune</strong>, a hybrid model already part of their lineup, further illustrating their multi-pronged approach to offering more fuel-efficient vehicles.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="7:1-7:528">BYD, a prominent global player in the electric vehicle market, made significant announcements at MIAS 2025. The brand officially launched the <strong>eMAX 7</strong>, introducing the Philippines to its first fully electric multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), available in both six- and seven-seat configurations, catering to families and businesses alike. Furthermore, BYD showcased the <strong>Shark</strong>, a plug-in hybrid pickup truck, demonstrating the versatility of electrified powertrains extending into traditionally fuel-dependent vehicle segments.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="9:1-9:653">Changan significantly expanded its electrified vehicle offerings under the Nevo sub-brand. The fully electric <strong>Lumin Battery EV</strong> was officially launched, entering the compact EV segment. Changan also introduced the <strong>Nevo Q05 Plug-In Hybrid EV</strong>, a compact SUV combining electric driving with the flexibility of a gasoline engine. A groundbreaking introduction was the <strong>Nevo Hunter K50 Range-Extended EV</strong>, touted as the world’s first range-extended electric pickup truck. Additionally, Changan provided an initial glimpse of the <strong>Nevo A05 Plug-In Hybrid EV</strong>, a plug-in hybrid compact sedan, hinting at future additions to their electrified lineup.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="9:1-9:653"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0053.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-351587 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0053.jpeg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0053.jpeg 960w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0053-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0053-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0053-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"></a></p>
<p data-sourcepos="11:1-11:629">Chery is the pioneer in electric vehicles in the Philippines, having introduced the first commercially viable QQEV and M1 EV at the 2011 MIAS. It is previewing the <strong>Tiggo ReV C-DM</strong>. This 7-seat SUV features Chery’s advanced Dual Motor (C-DM) plug-in hybrid technology, promising a long combined driving range and highlighting the brand’s strategic shift towards more sustainable powertrains. The existing <strong>Chery Tiggo 8 Pro PHEV</strong> was also present, reinforcing the company’s current electrified offerings. The anticipated fully electric <strong>Chery eQ7</strong>, previously showcased, was also a point of interest, suggesting its potential future launch in the Philippine market.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="13:1-13:314">GAC Motor offered a glimpse into its electrification strategy by unveiling the <strong>M5 PHEV</strong>, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. This introduction indicates GAC’s intention to incorporate electrified options into its range, catering to a growing demand for more fuel-efficient and environmentally conscious vehicles.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="15:1-15:356">Jaecoo, a newer brand in the Philippine market, previewed the <strong>J7 SHS PHEV</strong>. This model features Jaecoo’s Super Hybrid System, underscoring the brand’s focus on integrating advanced hybrid technology into its vehicles. The preview included opportunities for test drives, allowing attendees to experience the capabilities of their hybrid system firsthand.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="17:1-17:539">Kia, under ACMobility, presented a strong portfolio of electrified vehicles. The fully electric <strong>Kia EV9</strong>, the brand’s flagship electric SUV, took center stage, showcasing its design and technology. Alongside the EV9, Kia also highlighted the <strong>Kia Carnival</strong>, now available with a hybrid powertrain, offering a more fuel-efficient option for the popular MPV. The enhanced <strong>Kia Sorento Turbo Hybrid</strong> was also showcased, further demonstrating Kia’s commitment to providing a diverse range of electrified choices across its model lineup.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="19:1-19:468">Lynk &amp; Co, another relatively new brand in the Philippines, debuted its first all-electric vehicle, the <strong>02 EV</strong>. This compact electric crossover signifies the brand’s entry into the pure electric vehicle segment, appealing to consumers seeking stylish and sustainable urban mobility solutions. Lynk &amp; Co also displayed the <strong>08 EM-P</strong>, a plug-in hybrid SUV with a focus on long-range capabilities, hinting at future expansions of their electrified offerings.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="21:1-21:360"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0042-1-e1744447683741.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-351586 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0042-1-e1744447683741.jpeg" alt="" width="720" height="622" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0042-1-e1744447683741.jpeg 720w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0042-1-e1744447683741-400x346.jpeg 400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px"></a></p>
<p data-sourcepos="21:1-21:360">MG Philippines made its foray into the hybrid market with the introduction of the <strong>MG ZS Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV)</strong>. This marks a significant step for the brand, combining a traditional gasoline engine with an electric motor and battery to offer improved fuel efficiency and a more eco-conscious driving experience within their popular compact SUV model.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="21:1-21:360">Amidst the turmoil in the U.S., Tesla made its presence at the show. The brand showcased its currently available models, the <strong>Model 3</strong> and the <strong>Model Y</strong>, which were also offered for test drive. Tesla’s debut at MIAS 2025 signifies a potential shift in the local electric vehicle landscape, hinting at a more direct engagement with Filipino consumers in the future.</p>
<figure id="attachment_351588" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351588" style="width: 960px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0052.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-351588 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0052.jpeg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0052.jpeg 960w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0052-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0052-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0052-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351588" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Awaiting the VinFast VF6 launch. (Photo by Deriq Bernard)</em></figcaption></figure>
<p data-sourcepos="21:1-21:360">VinFast officially launched of the <strong>VF 6</strong>, a fully electric B-segment SUV available in Eco and Plus variants priced at P1.419 million ($24,751) and P1.610 million ($28,074). Sales inquiries for the cars are being accepted and processed and deliveries of the Eco variant will begin in May 2025. “We hope it will replicate its segment-leading success in Vietnam and receive the same enthusiastic response as it had in Europe,” <strong>Pham Sanh Chau</strong>, CEO of VinFast Asia said in a press statement. The brand also showcased its broader lineup of electric vehicles, including models like the VF 3, VF 5, VF 7, and VF 9, reinforcing its ambition to be a key player in the country’s EV transition. It also announced the opening of 60 more dealerships in the country within 2025.</p>
<p data-sourcepos="21:1-21:360">— <em>Reporting and coverage by Deriq Bernard Tribdino.</em></p>
<figure id="attachment_351591" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351591" style="width: 960px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0049.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-351591" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0049.jpeg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0049.jpeg 960w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0049-400x267.jpeg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0049-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_0049-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351591" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Over 200,000 are expected to flock to his year’s Manila International Auto Show. (Photo by Deriq Bernard)</em></figcaption></figure>
<p data-sourcepos="21:1-21:360">
</p>

Manila International Auto Show Marks 20 Years, Displays More Electrified Vehicles Than Ever Before

<p>After sending me 5 emails trying to sell me a Tesla Cybertruck in the past month and a half, Tesla sent one more earlier today. It was announcing a new “Long Range” Cybertruck. The new version offers a range rating of 362 miles on a full charge. It’s also cheaper than the pre-existing All-Wheel Drive model and Cyberbeast model. The Long Range trim starts at $69,990 (or $62,490 after the US EV tax credit brought into law by Joe Biden and Democrats, which Donald Trump and Republicans haven’t repealed yet), while the All-Wheel Drive trim starts at $79,990 ($72,490 after the tax credit) and the Cyberbeast starts at $99,990 (not eligible for a tax credit).</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tesla-Cybertruck-Price-Cut.png"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-351577" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tesla-Cybertruck-Price-Cut.png" alt="" width="2100" height="1173" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tesla-Cybertruck-Price-Cut.png 2100w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tesla-Cybertruck-Price-Cut-400x223.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tesla-Cybertruck-Price-Cut-800x447.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tesla-Cybertruck-Price-Cut-768x429.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tesla-Cybertruck-Price-Cut-1536x858.png 1536w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tesla-Cybertruck-Price-Cut-2048x1144.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2100px) 100vw, 2100px"></a></p>
<p>Typically, a significant step down in price increases the buyer pool exponentially. So, one has to ask, will a $10,000 lower price — point combined with more range — lead to significantly more Cybertruck demand and sales?</p>
<p>Tesla sold 6,406 Cybertrucks in the 1st quarter, up 128.5% from the 2,803 Cybertrucks sold in the 1st quarter of 2024. Though, notably, Elon Musk expected to sell 150,000 Cybertrucks a year, and 6,406 sales a quarter translates to just 25,624 sales a year, just over one-sixth of that 150,000 vehicle target.</p>
<p>Also, of course, it was long hyped that there had been over a million reservations for the Cybertruck, but a tiny fraction of those turned into sales, perhaps because the vast majority of interested consumers were waiting for a cheaper version of the truck and more range. Or perhaps because people decided they didn’t like the Cybertruck that much anyway, expected Full Self Driving to actually be robotaxi capable by now, or just got sick of Elon Musk. Who knows?</p>
<p>The question now is how much this price drop and range increase will help move more Cybertrucks. It’s got to help, but I’m a bit skeptical that it will do much. A starting price of $69,990 (or $62,490 after the US EV tax credit if it doesn’t get axed by Republicans soon) is still quite a hefty starting price. (It’s too much for me to spend.) Also, 362 miles for a truck (not towing) is plenty for a normal person using it for basic commuting and kid duty, but many people buying a truck do want to use it for more and might still be unsure about that range. (I think such range is probably fine for the vast majority of people, but I’m not a truck person and I know many people massively inflate their range needs in their heads.)</p>
<p>More than anything, though, the Cybertruck stands out a lot — and I don’t think in a good way. Someone pointed out in a comment thread here that it looked like a dumpster, and I can never unsee that. I’ve actually seen a handful of dumpsters that bear a striking resemblance. Overall, though, even if you don’t have the dumpster comparison in your head, it is super clunky looking, the stainless steel isn’t exactly pretty, and the vehicle looks so different from the trucks people normally buy that I just have a hard time believing it could attract a mass-market customer base.</p>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Frobdenbleyker%2Fposts%2Fpfbid08LNVZEfFwTtK5NKpSYA4ngqGHpsAZY2mJUFWEWAH1JBZCJgDGLnRQYTMA2cDcKV5l&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="372" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@mclovin.caplock.queen/video/7374576406954593566" data-video-id="7374576406954593566">
<section><a title="@mclovin.caplock.queen" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mclovin.caplock.queen?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@mclovin.caplock.queen</a> HAVING TROUBLE TELLING THE DIFFERENCE <a title="cybertruck" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/cybertruck?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#cybertruck</a> <a title="cybertrucktesla" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/cybertrucktesla?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#cybertrucktesla</a> <a title="garbagecan" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/garbagecan?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#garbagecan</a> <a title="electric" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/electric?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#electric</a> <a title="fyp" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#fyp</a> <a title="fypage" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fypage?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#fypage</a> <a title="fypシ゚viral" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp%E3%82%B7%E3%82%9Aviral?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#fypシ゚viral</a> <a title="easttennesseegirl" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/easttennesseegirl?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#easttennesseegirl</a> <a title="tennessee" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/tennessee?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#tennessee</a> <a title="tiktok" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/tiktok?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#tiktok</a> <a title="look" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/look?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#look</a> <a title="plugin" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/plugin?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#plugin</a> <a title="♬ Stressed Out - twenty one pilots" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Stressed-Out-6704980690787633153?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ Stressed Out – twenty one pilots</a></section>
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<p><script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script></p>
<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@wavecamper23sonic/video/7487462833488153899" data-video-id="7487462833488153899">
<section><a title="@wavecamper23sonic" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@wavecamper23sonic?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@wavecamper23sonic</a> spot the difference <a title="cybertruck" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/cybertruck?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#cybertruck</a> <a title="nocyberbulling" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/nocyberbulling?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#nocyberbulling</a> <a title="meme" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/meme?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#meme</a> <a title="♬ original sound - adrianaaaa" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7183349001629010730?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ original sound – adrianaaaa</a></section>
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<p><script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script></p>
<blockquote class="reddit-embed-bq" style="height: 500px;" data-embed-height="740"><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/CyberStuck/comments/1d42jwy/i_see_the_inspiration_now/">I see the inspiration now…</a><br>
by<a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/wandpapierkritiker/">u/wandpapierkritiker</a> in<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/CyberStuck/">CyberStuck</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async="" src="https://embed.reddit.com/widgets.js" charset="UTF-8"></script></p>
<p>Can Tesla double its sales of the Cybertruck with this new Long Range Version? I don’t think so, but maybe. But even if it can, what does that mean — 26,000 sales a year? That’s almost nothing!</p>
<p>Any other thoughts on the new Cybertruck option and consumer demand for the model?</p>

Will New Lower-Cost Tesla Cybertruck Double Cybertruck Sales?

<p>Andrew Forrest has scoffed at “net zero” and challenged the mining industry and maritime shipping to go for “real zero.” To this end, he has purchased battery electric mining equipment — <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2024/12/09/steps-to-achieving-real-zero-at-fortescue/">we wrote about it here</a>. Now, the big news is that he is expanding his renewable energy resources to power that equipment. By the end 2030 (5 years away) Fortescue aims to have 100% of its electricity demand met by renewables — “real zero.” Two to three GWh of energy generation will be needed to do this — consisting of wind, solar, and battery storage. Fortescue’s Pilbara mining operations use millions of litres of diesel per year.</p>
<figure id="attachment_344981" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-344981" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-344981" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Fortescue-electric-mining-truck.png" alt="Fortescue" width="1200" height="667" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Fortescue-electric-mining-truck.png 1200w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Fortescue-electric-mining-truck-400x222.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Fortescue-electric-mining-truck-800x445.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Fortescue-electric-mining-truck-768x427.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-344981" class="wp-caption-text">Fortescue electric mining trucks trucks.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Fortescue Metals’ latest move is to propose a <a href="https://www.pv-tech.org/fortescue-proposes-644mw-solar-pv-plant-to-decarbonise-mining-operations-in-western-australia/">644 MW solar power plant at Turner River</a> to augment its existing renewable energy ecosystem in the Pilbara, West Australia. The ecosystem will consist of solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries all connected by a 750 km transmission network, the Pilbara Energy Connect (PEC) transmission system. This will aid Fortescue’s ambition to run its iron ore operations on “real zero” emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency is yet to approve the project.</p>
<p>The Western Australian state government is encouraging the decarbonisation of mining in the Pilbara and wants to transform the area “into a renewable powerhouse and future-proof our economy, communities, and environment.” It is supporting Fortescue in its endeavours.</p>
<p>The Pilbara is acknowledged as a major global hub for mineral and energy resources. In the process, it produces 40% of the state’s emissions, and currently uses only 2% renewable energy. By contributing nearly 20% of Western Australia’s total economic output, it drives the state’s economy. “Additionally, the Pilbara is renowned for its environmental and cultural significance, boasting one of the largest and most diverse collections of rock art worldwide.” The government believes that by reducing emissions, it will future proof the Western Australia (WA) mining industry. As such, its policies will dovetail with those of Fortescue Metals. You can read more about WA’s plans <a href="https://www.wa.gov.au/organisation/energy-policy-wa/pilbara-energy-transition-plan">here</a>. A helpful map is included.</p>
<p>The first stage of the PEC was completed last year — a 100 MW solar farm at North Star, 145 km south of Port Headland. The farm consists of 196,188 solar panels which tilt to follow the sun for maximum generation. Construction on the next project — the Cloudbreak Solar Farm — was due to start last month. The North Star and Turner River solar farms will help to decarbonise the Iron Bridge magnetite mine 25 km away. Fortescue’s solar farms are expected to have a lifespan of at least 25 years.</p>
<p>Twiggy Forest still hasn’t given up on green hydrogen to produce green iron. Just a few months ago, he <a href="https://www.fortescue.com/en/articles/fortescue-starts-works-on-green-metal-project">took hold of the shovel again</a> for a groundbreaking ceremony at the Christmas Creek Green Energy Hub. With production to begin this year, the project is expected to produce 1,500 tonnes per annum of green iron metal. Green hydrogen will be supplied by Fortescue’s gaseous and liquid hydrogen facility. High-purity green metal will be produced in an electric smelting furnace. The Green Energy Hub is also home to Fortescue’s battery electric haul truck and a three-megawatt fast charger prototype.</p>
<p>At the ceremony, Dr Forest said: “Today is a celebration of innovation, collaboration and stretch targets, and marks a pivotal moment in Fortescue’s journey to build a green metal supply chain.Iron and steel are the backbone of our infrastructure, however traditional iron and steel production processes are among the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions. By rethinking the entire iron and steel value chain we can produce an entirely new, green industry here in Australia.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;">“Today’s milestone is the culmination of bringing together green sustainable mining, large-scale renewable power and green hydrogen to produce green metal. Right now, we have a once in a generation opportunity to build a green supply chain, and Fortescue is wasting no time to seize it.”</p>
<p>Fortescue’s green hydrogen plant produces 530 kg of hydrogen per day. It is powered partly by solar during the day. The hydrogen is currently used to refuel a fleet of 10 fuel cell powered coaches. The hydrogen refuelling station was supported by a AU$2 million grant from the WA government. </p>
<p>The Western Australian government sees hydrogen as an important part of the energy mix at remote mine sites.</p>
<figure id="attachment_331419" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-331419" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-331419" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/dji_20240425132350_0872_d-01-scaled-e1715599901382.jpeg" alt="Fortescue" width="1600" height="797" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/dji_20240425132350_0872_d-01-scaled-e1715599901382.jpeg 1600w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/dji_20240425132350_0872_d-01-scaled-e1715599901382-400x199.jpeg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/dji_20240425132350_0872_d-01-scaled-e1715599901382-800x399.jpeg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/dji_20240425132350_0872_d-01-scaled-e1715599901382-768x383.jpeg 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/dji_20240425132350_0872_d-01-scaled-e1715599901382-1536x765.jpeg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-331419" class="wp-caption-text">Fortescue Green Pioneer.</figcaption></figure>
<p>In breaking news, the <a href="https://www.fortescue.com/en/articles/fortescue-green-pioneer-makes-splash-in-uk-as-critical-moment-looms-for-global-shipping">75 m Fortescue Green Pioneer,</a> powered by ammonia, has arrived in London from Singapore, <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/11/un-shipping-agreement-a-victory-for-multilateralism-but-a-failure-for-the-climate/">giving a nudge to international shipping at a key time</a> — it’s time to transition to greener fuels. The arrival was timed to coincide with the King’s Sustainable Markets Initiative 5th Anniversary.</p>
<p>“Leading CEOs and VIP guests attending the Terra Carta Roundtable &amp; Exhibition joined Fortescue Executive Chairman and Founder Andrew Forrest for a tour of the vessel.” The vessel demonstrated the use of ammonia in its converted engines. The UN International Maritime Organisation’s Safety Committee approval in December 2024 of interim guidelines for the use of ammonia fuel onboard vessels marked an important step towards ammonia becoming a viable fuel for shipping.</p>
<p>The UN International Maritime Organisation is considering a global shipping carbon levy.</p>
<p>Stop the presses! As I wrote that last line, news just in from <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/11/un-agrees-deal-on-shipping-emissions-despite-us-threats">al Jazeera</a>: “A majority of countries at the IMO voted on Friday to approve a scheme that from 2028 will charge ships a penalty of $380 per metric tonne on every extra tonne of CO2-equivalent they emit above a fixed emissions threshold, plus a penalty of $100 a tonne on emissions above a stricter emissions limit.”</p>
<p>This is a step on the path to shipping’s complete decarbonisation by 2050. Of course, Trump is not happy. Dr Forest is advocating for the bypassing of transitional fuels such as LNG and biofuels. Green ammonia is seen by many as the long-term solution. The Fortescue Green Pioneer is on a world tour to make that point. “This will not only deliver a better future for the planet but accelerate a reduction in shipping costs through the widespread adoption and scaling of renewable energy,” Dr Forest says.</p>
<p>In the meantime, Fortescue continues to <a href="https://www.fortescue.com/en/articles/transforming-youth-safety-in-the-pilbara">build community capital</a> at home, recently launching the Hedland and Newman Safe Spaces programs. This initiative is designed to provide essential support and safety for at-risk children and young people. “The Safe Spaces Program is a collaborative initiative led by the Pilbara Development Commission in partnership with Department of Communities and codesigned with locally based ACCOs Julyardi Aboriginal Corporation in Hedland and Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa Aboriginal Corporation in Newman to support vulnerable and at-risk children and young people.”</p>
<p>This critical program will be funded over the next 5 years in partnership with BHP to the tune of AU$22 million. The program will provide a temporary safe space and transport home for unsupervised and vulnerable children found on the streets at night.</p>
<p>“The Pilbara Safe Spaces Program is about more than just providing a safe place; it’s about creating real opportunities for young people to build a brighter future. Fortescue is committed to supporting initiatives that drive meaningful change and help create safer, stronger communities,” Warren Fish, Director Approvals, Communities and Environment, said. This program will facilitate culturally responsive services such as: life skills development, education, and employment pathways to create long-term positive change.</p>
<p>It looks like Fortescue is progressing on all fronts to preserve the Earth and be socially responsible. I hope more billionaire CEOs follow his example on the path to real zero.</p>
<p>The future of mining and shipping is bright, electric, and green.</p>

Green Mining, Green Iron, Green Shipping, and Community Support — the Andrew Forest Report

<p>Arran from <a href="https://regenevcharginginstall.com.au/">Regenev</a> has bought himself an electric Mercedes! No, not a luxury sedan to swan around in, but a van to cart around his stuff for installing EV chargers. The eVito Tourer has proven itself economical and fit for purpose, a better choice than the vans bought for the ARENA trials I reported on <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/03/29/fleet-electrification-in-australia-lessons-learnt/">here</a>. Perhaps one of the lessons learnt might be — don’t go for the cheapest option or wait for a little bit.</p>
<figure id="attachment_351561" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351561" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-351561" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Unknown-scaled.jpeg" alt="Mercedes eVito" width="2560" height="1356" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Unknown-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Unknown-400x212.jpeg 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Unknown-800x424.jpeg 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Unknown-768x407.jpeg 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Unknown-1536x814.jpeg 1536w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Unknown-2048x1085.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351561" class="wp-caption-text">RegenEV Mercedes eVito. Photo courtesy RegenEV</figcaption></figure>
<p>If you are interested in the specs, <a href="https://www.mercedes-benz.com.au/content/dam/australia/vans/models/vito-panel-van-fl/Mercedes-Benz%20Vans%20Australia%20-%20VS20%20Vito%20Technical%20Data%20(SEPT2024).pdf">you can check them here</a>. Here are the basics:</p>
<ul>
<li>Engine power: 204 hp (150 kW)</li>
<li>Vehicle length: 5.14 m</li>
<li>Vehicle height: 1.89 m</li>
<li>Seats (series/max. count): 8/9</li>
<li>Payload: 652 kg</li>
<li>Gross vehicle weight: 3.5 t</li>
</ul>
<p>In a wise move, Mercedes-Benz doesn’t quote a range.</p>
<p>Arran was impressed with the 90 kWh battery and the 300 km range, even when not in eco mode. The eVito Tourer is designed as a people mover. Arran and his family spent the first week driving it around as the family car. Then, when he was sure of the vehicle, he ripped out the extra seats and had the van kitted out for work — livery and all. Now he has a van with six cubic metres of space!</p>
<figure id="attachment_351563" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351563" style="width: 768px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/0da58af4-0c88-4c69-a8df-77afb727d66a.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-351563 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/0da58af4-0c88-4c69-a8df-77afb727d66a-e1744428945155.jpg" alt="Mercedes eVito" width="768" height="930" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/0da58af4-0c88-4c69-a8df-77afb727d66a-e1744428945155.jpg 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/0da58af4-0c88-4c69-a8df-77afb727d66a-e1744428945155-330x400.jpg 330w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/0da58af4-0c88-4c69-a8df-77afb727d66a-e1744428945155-661x800.jpg 661w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351563" class="wp-caption-text">Mercedes eVito. Photo courtesy RegenEV</figcaption></figure>
<p>Removing the seats was quite a task. “I was surprised at how heavy they were. Naturally that made a difference to the range. I think it added about another 200 km!” When empty, Arran gets about 500 km. The van is now a working vehicle, fitted out with racks and stock, and he gets about 450 km of range, which is plenty for a normal day’s run around Queensland’s tourist capital, the Gold Coast. If “the boys” have to go further for an installation (say, to the Sunshine Coast — 100 km away), there are plenty of Tesla Superchargers to keep them on the road.</p>
<p>Arran has long driven electric vehicles, starting with a Nissan Leaf. He reminisces: “The Leaf had a 42 kW battery on board, the range was around 260 km most days. The problem I had with the Leaf was, when we stacked it with the pod and ladders on the top of the roof, it reduced the range. I’m estimating it would have been reduced by 80 to 100 km, leaving me not enough to run around Brisbane and back to the coast without a DC fast charge. Don’t get me wrong it’s a great car as a run around, we purchased the Nissan Leaf new from a dealership on the Gold Coast, I owned the Leaf for a year and a half, it was white with the ReGenEV logos and printing.”</p>
<figure id="attachment_322780" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-322780" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/422882015_364604969647028_1421664046071356125_n-scaled-e1707528267601.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-322780 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/422882015_364604969647028_1421664046071356125_n-scaled-e1744429137330.jpg" alt="Mercedes eVito" width="600" height="703" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/422882015_364604969647028_1421664046071356125_n-scaled-e1744429137330.jpg 600w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/422882015_364604969647028_1421664046071356125_n-scaled-e1744429137330-341x400.jpg 341w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-322780" class="wp-caption-text">Tesla Model 3 loaded. Photo courtesy of RegenEV.</figcaption></figure>
<p>Arran’s small business fleet now consists of two Tesla Model 3 sedans, one Model Y, a Model X (mainly used for trade shows), and of course the Mercedes eVito. He has his eye on an MG Cyberster. I joked that the MG would be his “midlife crisis car!” The Mercedes van is replacing the Model Y. “It is better to get all the equipment inside the van, rather than stacked on top of the SUV. The ladders and equipment pod really reduced the efficiency of the vehicle,” He explained.</p>
<figure id="attachment_351568" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351568" style="width: 473px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3f3b068d-42d8-4671-97be-7af46c1d67b3.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-351568 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3f3b068d-42d8-4671-97be-7af46c1d67b3.jpg" alt="Mercedes eVito" width="473" height="1024" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3f3b068d-42d8-4671-97be-7af46c1d67b3.jpg 473w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3f3b068d-42d8-4671-97be-7af46c1d67b3-185x400.jpg 185w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/3f3b068d-42d8-4671-97be-7af46c1d67b3-370x800.jpg 370w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 473px) 100vw, 473px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351568" class="wp-caption-text">Loaded Tesla, ready for work. Photo courtesy RegenEV.</figcaption></figure>
<p>In 2021, Arran started looking for a van for his business. He needed significant range and the ability to carry stock and tools. The closest he found was the newly introduced MG ZS EV, but the range was too low. The vans I wrote about in the <em>CleanTechnica</em> article above were not available in 2021. So, the Model Y it was. Arran had also been using his Model 3s as packhorses, loaded up and with tools on top. Not ideal! <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2024/12/01/outback-charging-odyssey-getting-the-regions-ready/">Especially when going bush</a>!</p>
<p>Australia has had a couple of good options arrive in the last few months. He checked out the VW ID. Buzz Cargo (Arran thinks he will buy one of these just for the nostalgic fun!) and the LDV eDeliver 7 (the range wasn’t high enough). But when a Regenev customer told him about the Mercedes eVito Tourer that he had driven on holidays in New Zealand, Arran took a looksee. (This demonstrates the power of word of mouth.) The tourer is the same price as the Mercedes tradie van version, but with a better battery. Perhaps Mercedes should spend some money and advertise this vehicle.</p>
<figure id="attachment_351566" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351566" style="width: 768px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/69ac118a-d254-4b8c-9ecb-d5052a7da2a5.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-351566 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/69ac118a-d254-4b8c-9ecb-d5052a7da2a5-e1744429450433.jpg" alt="Mercedes eVito" width="768" height="639" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/69ac118a-d254-4b8c-9ecb-d5052a7da2a5-e1744429450433.jpg 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/69ac118a-d254-4b8c-9ecb-d5052a7da2a5-e1744429450433-400x333.jpg 400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351566" class="wp-caption-text">Charging the eVito. Photo courtesy RegenEV.</figcaption></figure>
<p>At AU$80,000, the Mercedes offered the best value for money. The electric version is still AU$20,000 more expensive than the diesel model, but I am sure the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) will even that out. Plus. Customers might be left scratching their heads if an EV charger installer showed up in a vehicle powered by diesel.</p>
<p>Arran has driven the van for over 6,000 km during the last 3 months, so I asked him what the pros and cons were. He enthusiastically replied: “The regen is fantastic. The van has heaps of room. The efficiency is unbelievable. The range on the Y would go down as you watched, when fully loaded. The Mercedes seems to manage the energy better. Combining regen with eco mode and not having the equipment pod on the roof gives greater efficiency. If I turn off the air conditioning, the range goes up another 30 km!”</p>
<p>On the downside, the Mercedes does not have the “smarts” to take into account external factors like wind speed and gradient when calculating range. “The software is not as sophisticated as the Tesla,” he told me. “Yet,” I added.</p>
<p>One day, just as “the boys” were returning from a job, the Mercedes bricked itself. Thankfully they were only a few hundred metres from the depot and on a slope. They were able to roll the van down the hill and into the driveway. Arran had to use the key to restart the vehicle. I asked him if he opened and shut the windows. Apparently, this has happened a couple of times — but so far, not in a dangerous situation. Arran is yet to discuss this issue with Mercedes.</p>
<figure id="attachment_351562" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351562" style="width: 576px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-351562" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/5c46d257-34f2-46b6-9dbf-c25ec5f4fa1b.jpg" alt="Mercedes eVito" width="576" height="1024" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/5c46d257-34f2-46b6-9dbf-c25ec5f4fa1b.jpg 576w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/5c46d257-34f2-46b6-9dbf-c25ec5f4fa1b-225x400.jpg 225w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/5c46d257-34f2-46b6-9dbf-c25ec5f4fa1b-450x800.jpg 450w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351562" class="wp-caption-text">End of the day for the eVito. “The boys” need to tidy up. Photo courtesy RegenEV</figcaption></figure>
<p>Regen braking has to be turned on each time you drive. A bit annoying. Another time, the brakes took a couple of seconds to respond.</p>
<p>In 2025, Australia is seeing more and better electric utes and vans becoming available. I’m looking forward to seeing all niches of the electric vehicle eco system well represented on our roads. The future for tradies is bright and electric.</p>
<figure id="attachment_351567" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-351567" style="width: 576px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/7bc7abc8-0ac3-4838-9992-cf368fbbed7c.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-351567 size-full" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/7bc7abc8-0ac3-4838-9992-cf368fbbed7c-e1744429827617.jpg" alt="Mercedes eVito" width="576" height="734" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/7bc7abc8-0ac3-4838-9992-cf368fbbed7c-e1744429827617.jpg 576w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/7bc7abc8-0ac3-4838-9992-cf368fbbed7c-e1744429827617-314x400.jpg 314w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-351567" class="wp-caption-text">Tidy Mercedes eVito. Photo courtesy RegenEV.</figcaption></figure>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

Three Months with a Mercedes eVito Van (vs. Tesla Model Y)

<p>Well, these are not exactly big sellers in China — or anywhere — but nonetheless it’s notable that Tesla has just removed the “Order” button for the Model S and Model X in China, because this is almost certainly due to Donald Trump’s tariff policies — and things could get more interesting in that regard.</p>
<p>In response to fresh tariffs from Donald Trump and the United States that China considers silly, the country jacked up its own tariffs on US imports — from 84% (an already ridiculously high tariff) to 125%.</p>
<p>With that increase in cost, Tesla has apparently decided that it doesn’t make sense to sell new Model S or Model X units in China at the moment. Whether it will change course on that at some point, we don’t know. However, Model S and Model X sales are such a small portion of Tesla’s sales that one has to wonder if there’s any real plan at all for the Model S and Model X. (Note that every single Model X SUV or Model S sedan is produced in the US.)</p>
<p>“Chinese customers can still purchase the vehicles from existing inventory in the country. Though Tesla only sold&nbsp;<a class="link " href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tesla-suspends-taking-new-orders-model-s-model-x-chinese-website-2025-04-11/#:~:text=China%20imported%201%2C553%20Model%20X,than%20657%2C000%20vehicles%20last%20year." target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" data-ylk="slk:around 2,000 Model S and Model X EVs;cpos:1;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" data-rapid_p="13" data-v9y="1">around 2,000 Model S and Model X EVs</a> in China, the move highlights the precarious situation Tesla and other automakers find themselves in amid a trade war world,” <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tesla-stock-moves-lower-as-ev-maker-pulls-us-made-cars-from-china-adds-cheaper-cybertruck-trim-in-us-150017249.html"><em>Yahoo Finance</em></a> writes.</p>
<p>Tesla could just be figuring out the math and coming up with what will be future prices for these high-end Tesla models, while also unloading the units in inventory. But, again, it doesn’t really matter that much since sales are dominated by the Model Y and Model 3 — globally and in China.</p>
<p><a href="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tesla-vehicle-sales-quarterly-deliveries-Q1-2025-logo.png"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-351140" src="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tesla-vehicle-sales-quarterly-deliveries-Q1-2025-logo.png" alt="" width="2040" height="1290" srcset="https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tesla-vehicle-sales-quarterly-deliveries-Q1-2025-logo.png 2040w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tesla-vehicle-sales-quarterly-deliveries-Q1-2025-logo-400x253.png 400w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tesla-vehicle-sales-quarterly-deliveries-Q1-2025-logo-800x506.png 800w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tesla-vehicle-sales-quarterly-deliveries-Q1-2025-logo-768x486.png 768w, https://cleantechnica.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tesla-vehicle-sales-quarterly-deliveries-Q1-2025-logo-1536x971.png 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px"></a></p>
<p>The question is how much further this goes. With Elon Musk being very close to Donald Trump, the Chinese government could put more pressure on Musk and Tesla in order to try to go back to how things were. Tesla could end up with a much more serious problem than it’s had before if things go badly in this regard. China could put the squeeze on Tesla in a variety of ways and just let BYD, Geely, Changan, XPENG, Xiaomi, and NIO run away with the domestic auto market.</p>
<p>Perhaps there was great value in bringing Tesla to the Chinese market at one point, in order to excite consumers, put pressure on legacy automakers, and raise EV sales and market share. However, at this point, Chinese EV producers are quicker to innovate, have extremely compelling tech, and have released hundreds of diverse EV models. If Tesla was to suddenly disappear from the market, I don’t think a lot would change in the grand scheme of things. Other automakers would fill its place in terms of EV sales and EV market share would continue to <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/07/estimating-the-growth-of-electric-vehicles-a-2024-update-on-s-curve-modeling/">rise up the s-curve</a>.</p>
<p>Of course, at the moment, there should be no risk to pricing or sales of the Model 3 and Model Y, as Tesla does produce those models in China. However, who knows what’s in store for the future with Donald Trump acting like a bloated bull in a big blue marble.</p>

Tesla Stops Selling Model S & Model X in China

<p>When Ford finished shipping its 140,000 complimentary Tesla charging adapters to its electric vehicle customers in the U.S., it bragged about the part's toughness in a dramatic <a href="https://www.fromtheroad.ford.com/us/en/articles/2025/unlocking-access-how-ford-is-expanding-charging-options" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">video</a>. It showcased the <a href="https://insideevs.com/ford/f-150-ev/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="1" data-params="%7B%22make_alias%22%3A%22ford%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22f-150-ev%22%7D">F-150 Lightning</a> driving over the adapter. The little accessory emerged seemingly unscathed.</p>
<p>The North American Charging System (NACS) to Combined Charging System (CCS) adapter, which Ford co-developed with EV accessory maker Lectron, allows drivers to charge at thousands of Tesla Superchargers in the U.S.&nbsp;During the initial rollout, Ford provided free adapters to customers. Now, it’s available to <a href="https://www.ford.com/product/ford-fast-charging-adapter-nacs-p2999073032" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">purchase for $200</a>. (Although&nbsp;<a href="https://insideevs.com/news/756076/electron-tesla-supercharger-adapter-tariff-trouble/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22756076%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22electron-tesla-supercharger-adapter-tariff-trouble%22%7D">tariffs may make it more expensive.</a>)</p>
<p>And now, thanks to Lectron, we’re getting a closer look at the engineering that went into the adapter which ensures it doesn’t break under high voltage and current loads.</p>
<p>“In the aftermarket, you optimize for value. On the [automaker] side, you're optimizing for durability that goes above and beyond,” Christopher Maiwald, the CEO and founder of Lectron, told InsideEVs.</p>
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<p>The aftermarket adapter Maiwald referred to is Lectron’s Vortex adapter, which theoretically allows EVs with a CCS port to charge at Tesla Superchargers. An early batch of Vortex adapters got&nbsp;<a href="https://insideevs.com/news/718894/lectron-nacs-ccs1-adapter-recall-latch/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22718894%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22lectron-nacs-ccs1-adapter-recall-latch%22%7D">recalled</a>&nbsp;last year because the Supercharger cable could snap out from the adapter when DC fast charging if you pulled hard enough.</p>
<p>Unplugging a DC fast-charging cable mid-session isn’t similar to casually pulling the plug of your coffee machine. These chargers dispense massive amounts of current—hundreds of amps at high voltage—through thick cables, via adapters, into your EV battery. An accidental disconnect is a safety hazard that could expose users to damaged pins and hot connectors.</p>
<p>Lectron issued a fix, so the adapter could no longer be yanked out like before. The cable can only detach from the adapter when owners end the charging session from the car, or by pressing the button the Tesla cable.</p>
<p>The early struggles obscures how much work went into this project.&nbsp;<a href="https://insideevs.com/ford/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="2" data-params="%7B%22alias%22%3A%22ford%22%7D">Ford</a>&nbsp;co-developed its adapter with Lectron along with some design changes and added redundancies on top of the standard-issue Lectron unit. Despite it being just a passive device connecting the vehicle and the charger—with no software wizardry or communication protocols built-in—it required plenty of engineering.</p><div class="item m1-ap-native m1-ap-native-mobile"></div>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: Ford</div>
    
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<p>On the Ford adapter, the pin that buckles into the CCS charging port is thicker, as InsideEVs’ contributor and <em>State of Charge</em> YouTube channel host Tom Moloughney <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOXf0z4s-Ug" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">explained in a video</a>. There’s also a second interlocking pin, which prevents the cable from being detached unless the charging session has stopped.</p>
<p>“There were extreme drop tests that made us change certain components,” Maiwald said. “The latches are made of stainless steel instead of zinc alloy,” he added. “Ford and our other customers insisted on an interlock design for extra redundancy and extra safety.”</p>
<p>That interlock brought another challenge: It’s a moving part, which meant the whole system had to meet an IP67 waterproofing standard. Lectron engineered a seal that could move with the interlock mechanism—again and again, at least 10,000 times—without letting water in.</p>
<p>Ford showcased the torture tests in a <a href="https://www.fromtheroad.ford.com/us/en/articles/2025/unlocking-access-how-ford-is-expanding-charging-options" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">clip</a>. It was frozen to -40 degrees Celsius (-40 degrees Fahrenheit), dropped from height and repeatedly run over by the 6,000-pound F-150 Lightning. Each time, it worked like nothing happened.&nbsp;That’s at least what we saw in the video. We’ll have to see what owners report from real world usage.</p>
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<p>But it’s worth noting that using certified, manufacturer-recommended EV accessories such as adapters made by Tesla or Lectron is crucial. Buying cheap, low-quality adapters on Amazon or any website can be dangerous, as they may not be built to safety standards.</p>
<p>“In order for a company to put their logo on it, there’s a lot of effort that goes into it,” Maiwald said. “Each one of these adapters has fulfilled the requirements of Ford, GM, and Mercedes after a ton of extensive testing.”</p>
<p><em>Have a tip? Contact the author: <a href="mailto:suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com</a></em></p>

Ford’s Tesla Charging Adapter: The Fascinating Tech That Powers It

<p>Almost everyone knows that if you need to urgently charge your electric vehicle in a hurry, a home Level 2 charger isn't the best way to do it. Those chargers work best overnight or when a car can be parked for a while. But while <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/755010/ev-fast-charging-mercedes-byd/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22755010%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ev-fast-charging-mercedes-byd%22%7D">ever-more-powerful public DC fast chargers get lots of attention</a>, don't think that the home Level 2 charging industry is slacking off, either.</p>
<p>Today, U.S. charging giant ChargePoint announced that its next lineup of home Level 2 AC chargers for EVs will be even more powerful than its current ones are. With a capable electric vehicle, plus the proper installation and home electrical setup, the unit could deliver speeds of up to&nbsp;19.2 kilowatts (kW) at home. In Europe, which <a href="https://zdwl-tec.com/news/why-do-the-us-and-europe-use-different-ev-chargers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">often has faster AC charging</a>, that goes up to 22 kW.</p>

<p>For context, my own home ChargePoint unit generally charges my <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/748019/2024-kia-ev6-winter-update/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22748019%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%222024-kia-ev6-winter-update%22%7D">Kia EV6</a> and other cars I test for <a href="https://insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">InsideEVs</a> at a rate of about 7.2 kW. That takes my car from a low charge in something like six to eight hours. With this upgraded unit, I could juice up a lot more quickly—if the right conditions are met. ChargePoint claims this unit may charge a typical EV battery from zero to 100% in about four hours.</p>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: ChargePoint</div>
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<p>ChargePoint Gen 2</p>
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<p>“ChargePoint’s next generation of EV chargers will be revolutionary, not evolutionary,” Hossein Kazemi, ChargePoint's hardware CTO said in a news release. “The architecture underpinning them enables highly anticipated technologies which will deliver a significantly better experience for station owners and the EV drivers who charge with them.”</p>
<p>It's worth noting that these speed upgrades will only work if your home charger is wired correctly and your panel and connections can support this level of power. Moreover, not many EVs can support 19 kW AC charging speeds, but that is changing quickly. <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/752884/2026-toyota-bz4x-range-power-charging/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22752884%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%222026-toyota-bz4x-range-power-charging%22%7D">The updated Toyota bZ4X</a>, for example, jumps from 11 kW AC speeds like my Kia to 22 kW. If everything aligned correctly, then that car could see four-hour home charging speeds, theoretically.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But wait, ChargePoint says; there's more. The new unit supports "vehicle-to-everything capability" so that it can turn your EV into an electrical generator for your home or a building or even return it to the grid (again, if the car supports this.) It uses&nbsp;<a href="https://insideevs.com/news/729424/chargepoint-omni-port-charging-adapter/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22729424%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22chargepoint-omni-port-charging-adapter%22%7D">ChargePoint's Omni Port technology</a> to work with any North American plug type, and is also designed for more seamless solar panel and fleet charging integrations.&nbsp;</p>
<p>More details on pricing, the design of the unit and its release date are coming soon, a ChargePoint spokesperson said. But just from what we know here, this seems like an upgrade that many customers may want to pull the trigger on.</p><div class="item m1-ap-native m1-ap-native-mobile"></div>
<p><em>Contact the author: <a href="mailto:patrick.george@insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">patrick.george@insideevs.com</a></em></p>

ChargePoint May Soon Double Your Home-Charging Speeds

<p>When Ford inked a deal with Tesla to adopt its charging standard for electric vehicles back in 2023, it was a watershed moment for the U.S. auto industry. One by one, all major car makers followed suit, giving their EV customers access to the gold standard of charging, the Tesla Supercharger network.</p>
<p>But now at least one of the suppliers that produces the NACS-to-CCS adapters is caught in the tariff crossfire.</p>

<p>Christopher Maiwald, the CEO and founder of charging equipment maker Lectron, told <a href="https://insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">InsideEVs</a> that the adapters are made in China. The U.S. has slapped 104% tariffs on all Chinese goods whereas China has retaliated with 84% tariffs on American imports. Lectron plans to move some production to Vietnam by Q3, but the Trump administration has imposed a 46% tariff on Vietnam, too. (On Wednesday, President Trump increased the tariffs on China to 125% and paused his reciprocal tariffs on other nations by 90 days.)</p>
<p>The $200 Ford-branded NACS adapter is available on the automaker’s <a href="https://www.ford.com/product/ford-fast-charging-adapter-nacs-p2999073032" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a> with just two to three days of shipping time. Now, the must-have accessory for EV owners could become more expensive if the tariffs stick.</p><div class="item m1-ap-native "></div>
<p>“Even if the adapter is assembled in China, some of the resins that we use to make the plastic come from an American supplier,” Maiwald said. “Are those going to become more expensive now, too?”</p>
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<p>The adapter connects Tesla’s charging cable to EVs with CCS ports. Several companies make them. Tesla churns them out of its Buffalo gigafactory, A2Z makes aftermarket versions and Lectron is one of the largest OEM suppliers apart from Tesla—building adapters for <a href="https://insideevs.com/ford/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="2" data-params="%7B%22alias%22%3A%22ford%22%7D">Ford</a>, <a href="https://insideevs.com/general-motors/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="2" data-params="%7B%22alias%22%3A%22general-motors%22%7D">General Motors</a>, and <a href="https://insideevs.com/mercedes-benz/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="2" data-params="%7B%22alias%22%3A%22mercedes-benz%22%7D">Mercedes-Benz</a>.</p>
<p>Lectron also sells its own version, called the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lectron-Tesla-CCS1-Charging-Adapter/dp/B0CFXPL4QZ/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.m_nWYAIev37FBC4aRSv4c9ebIV1W90kf55PMe9XbpDHLNH1hnoEFz6NxKsjVsKyfkrmj-t0biukUG9V2GhbY96S_sA6dL-8JTB8ElLl_8fc5bCbGMwL4gq11KeCJ36maLXQ_fkGuH0i5fRifgqG63__0WimF9DzGu4M8_yi1oL5BXYY-W8LQblXpKAbUhcQY5k1Yt0G-gp8njbfaBMKzBDaIGUdFFMMA8qtGITff9k6G9kIQ1aoT8yloIX9w0bcFv5kVPr-RJMq2AOJ7R2bwHvf4cFS8s_Kx3uUmm4tY4V4.Jj0kBLTMV6dIdPCwdDpz2uKZ5wwF7sSX2ltGgtI_mFk&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;hvadid=693968790921&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvexpln=67&amp;hvlocphy=9060351&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvocijid=11234840290663534447--&amp;hvqmt=b&amp;hvrand=11234840290663534447&amp;hvtargid=kwd-2252327663513&amp;hydadcr=19109_13454446&amp;keywords=lectron+vortex+plug&amp;mcid=c62b74b1cc103c1e8966767dc6348fc5&amp;qid=1744211928&amp;sr=8-1-spons&amp;sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&amp;psc=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vortex</a>, but the adapters it builds for automakers are made to tougher standards for durability and design.</p><div class="item m1-ap-native m1-ap-native-mobile"></div>
<p>Despite being a somewhat boring, nondescript, piece of equipment, the NACS adapter became a hot commodity last year. A <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/741543/lectron-12000-nacs-ccs-adapters-tesla-supercharger-access/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22741543%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22lectron-12000-nacs-ccs-adapters-tesla-supercharger-access%22%7D">demand frenzy</a> was triggered by limited supply initially. In the early phase of the rollout, Ford and Rivian EV owners couldn’t wait to get their units so that they could finally road trip freely. Plus, an early batch of the adapters made by Tesla <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/737960/ford-nacs-adapter-tesla-recall/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22737960%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ford-nacs-adapter-tesla-recall%22%7D">turned out to be faulty</a>, with Ford notifying its EV owners to stop using them until they got a replacement. The automaker announced that it would diversify its adapter supply chain, roping Lectron in.</p>
<p>“When you have people live tweeting ‘Where’s my adapter?’ 20 times a day, it’s a lot of pressure,” Maiwald said.</p>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: Ford</div>
    
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<p>Now that pressure could intensify. If production costs rise in China and tariffs inflate import prices in the U.S., EV buyers could end up paying more, which can hurt demand.</p>
<p>“It's too early to say what exactly the impact is,” Maiwald said. “We are studying this right now. But it will definitely make stuff more expensive.” That’s bad news for this transition away from polluting gas cars.</p>
<p>Lectron has so far shipped roughly 200,000 NACS-to-CCS adapters—most of them to the U.S. and some to parts of Canada, Maiwald said. That includes both its Vortex adapter and the one it supplies to automakers. Despite the tariffs, he expects business to grow this year, but he’s not forecasting any demand fluctuations.</p>
<p>“We could spend a lot of time forecasting and then an announcement gets made from the policy side. And then we spend another week reforecasting,” Maiwald said. “It's not very good news, right? But let's see what happens.”</p>
<p><em>Have a tip? Contact the author: <a href="mailto:suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com</a></em></p>

Lectron's Tesla Supercharger Adapter May Be In Big Trouble

The 2026 Lucid Gravity Is The Fastest-Charging EV Outside Of China

<ul>
<li>Spark Alliance is a collaboration between Ionity, Fastned, Atlante and Electra.</li>
<li>The new virtual DC fast charging network is now the biggest in Europe.</li>
<li>With just one smartphone app, EV owners get access to over 11,000 chargers.</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>Electric vehicle drivers in Europe will soon need fewer smartphone apps to use DC fast chargers. That’s because <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/667285/ionity-largest-fast-charging-station-italy/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22667285%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ionity-largest-fast-charging-station-italy%22%7D">Ionity</a>, Fastned, Atlante and Electra–four of the largest charging operators in the region–have joined forces under the Spark Alliance name to make it easier to charge on the go.</p>
<p>Under the new umbrella, the four companies will create a single seamless charging network that includes over 1,700 stations and roughly 11,000 stalls. EV drivers can use any of the four individual operators’ smartphone apps to gain access to all of the Alliance’s chargers.</p>
<p>The collaboration was confirmed yesterday by the four companies’ CEOs in Paris, where the new Spark Alliance was touted as being Europe’s largest charging network in one app. By comparison, Tesla has over 1,400 Supercharger stations in Europe, the majority of which are also open for non-Tesla EVs, according to community data from <a href="https://supercharge.info/data" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Supercharge.info</a>.</p>

DC Fast Charging In Europe Will Get A Lot Easier This Summer

<ul>
<li>Zeekr and Huawei announce EV chargers capable of delivering over 1,000 kilowatts of power.</li>
<li>They promise to supply up to 1,200 kW and 1,500 kW, respectively.</li>
<li>Typical family EVs don't really need this much charging power, so this may be a case of Chinese carmakers battling it out for bragging rights.</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>There is an electric vehicle charger power war happening right now in China as the country’s biggest automotive names battle it out for supremacy. Last year, we were impressed by the news that China had produced chargers capable of supplying over 500 kilowatts. More recently, BYD announced that <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/753913/byd-ev-one-megawatt-charging/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22753913%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22byd-ev-one-megawatt-charging%22%7D">it had doubled that number</a>&nbsp;with a system that can charge an EV in about as much time as it takes to fill up a gas tank.</p>
<p>Now, <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/741120/zeeker-will-take-over-lynk/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22741120%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22zeeker-will-take-over-lynk%22%7D">Zeekr</a> has unveiled an even more powerful charger than BYD’s, making us wonder how much more powerful these chargers will get. The Geely-owned carmaker says its ultra-fast chargers can deliver up to 1,200 kW (1.2 megawatts) of power, which is several times more than any American or European EV can take today.</p>
<section contenteditable="false" draggable="true" data-widget="special_image" data-align="center" data-source="{&quot;source_id&quot;:&quot;937&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Zeekr&quot;}"><span class="svg-search">
    
</span> <div class="spi_wrapper"><a class="lightzoom" href="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/custom/zeekrch-1-800x456.jpg"> <img class="custom-image" draggable="false" src="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/custom/thumbnail/zeekrch-1-800x456.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="456" loading="lazy" pinger-seen="true"> </a></div> <div class="source-title">Photo by: Zeekr</div> </section>
<p>Zeekr—a cousin of Volvo and Polestar—has already deployed some of the world’s most powerful EV chargers, capable of taking <a href="https://insideevs.com/reviews/750645/zeekr-7x-first-drive-review/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22750645%22%2C%22section%22%3A%222%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22zeekr-7x-first-drive-review%22%7D">a 7X SUV</a> from 10 to 80% state of charge in just over 10 minutes, almost twice as quick as a Kia EV6, which needs 18 minutes. <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/749125/worlds-fastest-charging-ev-zeekr-7x/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22749125%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22worlds-fastest-charging-ev-zeekr-7x%22%7D">When the 7X was independently charged</a> from flat, it was already pulling 300 kW at 3%, soon reaching a peak of 460 kW; it was still drawing 300 kW at 70%, making for a pretty remarkable charging curve.</p><div class="item m1-ap-native "></div>
<p>However, Zeekr won’t remain the EV charging power leader in China once Huawei releases its charger, which promises to deliver 1.44 MW of power (which it rounds out to 1.5 MW). This charger, which will be revealed on April 22, promises to add 20 kWh per minute and take a passenger EV battery from zero all the way to 100% in 15 minutes.</p>

<p>Huawei says this charger is aimed at trucks and other heavy-duty applications with much larger batteries. These vehicles’ productivity and commercial viability would depend on having as little charging downtime as possible. However, chargers that can deliver this much power may not be needed for passenger EVs if it increases their cost and also the complexity of the charger itself, which will require a liquid-cooled cable to not melt from the heat generated by so much passing electricity.</p>
<p>It could be a case of diminishing returns. And while we’re sure we will see 1 MW public EV chargers pop up in China soon, that’s probably as high as they’ll ever need to go. BYD said that its 1 MW charger can add 249 miles of range in 5 minutes, comparable to gaining range by filling up a combustion car.</p><div class="item m1-ap-native m1-ap-native-mobile"></div>

Two More Chinese Companies Announce 'Megawatt' EV Charging

<p>The Chinese automaker BYD shocked the world this month when it <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/753913/byd-ev-one-megawatt-charging/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22753913%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22byd-ev-one-megawatt-charging%22%7D">announced ridiculously quick charging times for its next-generation electric cars</a>. BYD says these vehicles will accept 1,000 kilowatts of charging power—about four times more juice than your typical Tesla—leading to charging times as low as five minutes for 250 miles of range.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It's been clear for years that charging times across the EV world need to get faster to get more buyers onboard. But five minutes may just be overkill, said Andrew Cornelia, CEO of Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging, <a href="https://insideevs.com/features/754947/mercedes-hpc-podcast-cornelia-17/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22754947%22%2C%22section%22%3A%223%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22mercedes-hpc-podcast-cornelia-17%22%7D">during an interview</a> on the <a href="https://insideevs.com/features/category/podcast/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="8" data-params="%7B%22section_route%22%3A%22features%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22podcast%22%7D">InsideEVs Plugged-In Podcast</a> this week.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgb(var(--vamc-fill-soft-100)); color: rgb(var(--vamc-text-contrast-ink),var(--tw-text-opacity)); font-family: var(--vam-normal-body-paragraph-font-name); font-weight: var(--vam-normal-body-paragraph-font-weight); letter-spacing: var(--vam-normal-body-paragraph-font-tracking);">"This is an amazing breakthrough. The industry will follow," he said. "That said, faster is not always better."</span></p>
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<p>Today, <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/660686/how-long-to-charge-electric-car/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22660686%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22how-long-to-charge-electric-car%22%7D">most mainstream EVs take anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes</a> to gain a significant amount of charge at a powerful enough DC fast-charging station. We're talking enough energy for a couple hundred miles of highway driving on a road trip. Cornelia says that developing faster-charging cars is key, but that the industry is actually a lot closer to the sweet spot than it seems.&nbsp;</p><div class="item m1-ap-native "></div>
<p>"Do we need to charge in five minutes? The answer is probably no, because actually the average dwell time for filling up your gas tank is about 10 to 12 minutes," he said. "So that's actually the number that we're solving for.”</p>
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<p>Mercedes High Power Charging Stations</p>
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<p>That makes sense. It may only take three or five minutes to fill a gas tank, but people often wind up grabbing a coffee or some scratchers too. (This leads to what is, in my opinion, the unforgivable act of parking your car at the pump. But that's another story.)&nbsp;</p>
<p>Moreover, he argues, people are thinking about charging times all wrong. It's not about making charging as fast as possible all the time—but rather making the charging time fit the stop or activity you're doing. After all, a big pro of EVs is that they can be plugged in and sucking up juice whenever they're parked, whether that's for five minutes or five hours.&nbsp;</p><div class="item m1-ap-native m1-ap-native-mobile"></div>

<p>To take an extreme example, he says, 1,000-kilowatt charging would make no sense for a home garage, because you're always going to be parked there for several hours anyway.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"If you show up at a movie theater, you still don't need 1,000-kilowatt charging. You need something that matches a two-hour dwell time," he said. "If you show up at a coffee shop, maybe you want something faster, but still it's a 15-minute stop to go in and out."</p>
<p>As far as five-minute charging goes, "there's only a limited number of use cases where that actually makes sense," Cornelia said.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Mercedes-Benz Charging Hub at the headquarters of Mercedes-Benz USA in Sandy Springs, Georgia.</p>
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<p>Of course, Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging is still focused on making charging stops as quick and painless as possible. It deploys 400-kW stalls, which dispense more than enough power for almost any EV sold in the U.S.</p>
<p>Plus, as you might surmise from Cornelia's argument here, the company places a big emphasis on placing chargers at locations where drivers will have something to do for a little while as their cars fill up. It's inked deals with retailers like Starbucks and Buc-ee's, the chain of super-sized gas stations.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Still, as a mic-drop moment that shows the future potential of EV charging, BYD's announcement has a lot of value, Cornelia said.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"This is important. It's important to promote the message that charging can hypothetically and in certain use cases deliver power at this output and at this speed," he said. "But it's not the predominant use case."</p>
<p><em>Got a tip about the EV world? Contact the author: <a href="mailto:Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com</a></em></p>

Do We Even Need Five-Minute EV Charging?

<ul>
<li>General Motors, Pilot and EVgo have installed DC fast chargers at over 130 locations in more than 25 states.</li>
<li>The chargers are located on major traffic routes.</li>
<li>The three companies' goal is to install up to 2,000 DC fast chargers at up to 500 Pilot and Flying J locations.</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://insideevs.com/general-motors/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">General Motors</a>, EVgo and Pilot Company are striving to expand the fast charging network in the US with a travel-friendly twist. The companies have installed chargers at over 130 locations in over 25 states, focusing on high-volume traffic routes using a gas station layout. That’s the latest milestone of the three companies’ collaboration that aims to install up to 2,000 DC fast-charging stalls at up to 500 Pilot and Flying J locations.</p>
<p>The team-up was announced in 2022. A year later, <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/699685/pilot-gm-evgo-first-ev-charging-stations/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22699685%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22pilot-gm-evgo-first-ev-charging-stations%22%7D">there were 17 locations already online</a>. Now, that number has increased to more than a hundred, with many more to come in the following months.</p>
<p>All the fast chargers are dual-cord units provided by EVgo that can dispense up to 350 kilowatts of power if there is just one EV connected. If there are two EVs charging at the same time from the same stall, the power is shared between the two cars. Plug-and-Charge, which eliminates the need to manually pay for each charging session as long as everything is set up beforehand, is also supported.</p>

GM’s Gas Station-Like DC Fast Chargers Are Now In Over 25 States

<ul>
<li>Genesis EV owners in the U.S. can now use roughly 20,000 Tesla Superchargers.</li>
<li>The automaker will ship free NACS to CCS adapters to owners who got their EVs before January 31.</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>American owners of the <a href="https://insideevs.com/genesis/gv60/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Genesis GV60</a>, <a href="https://insideevs.com/genesis/electrified-gv70/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Electrified GV70</a> and <a href="https://insideevs.com/genesis/electrified-g80/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Electrified G80</a> can now use roughly 20,000 Tesla Superchargers in the United States to top-up their cars’ batteries. The news comes hot off the heels of <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/754495/hyundai-tesla-nacs-adapter-ioniq/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22754495%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22hyundai-tesla-nacs-adapter-ioniq%22%7D">Hyundai’s announcement</a> that its EVs can now use Tesla’s expansive DC fast charging network.</p>
<p><a href="https://insideevs.com/kia/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Kia</a>, the other automaker in Hyundai Motor Group’s portfolio, does not officially have Supercharger access yet, although <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1D9svliN74" target="_blank" rel="noopener">some owners</a> found out that they can charge using a third-party adapter at certain Superchargers.</p>
<p><a href="https://insideevs.com/genesis/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Genesis</a> said it will start shipping free manufacturer-approved NACS to CCS adapters to its customers starting the week of April 7. Those who have purchased or leased their EVs on or before January 31, 2025 are eligible.</p>

Genesis EVs Get Tesla Supercharger Access In The U.S.

<p>The Tesla Supercharger network is no longer exclusive to <a href="https://insideevs.com/tesla/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="2" data-params="%7B%22alias%22%3A%22tesla%22%7D">Tesla</a> EV owners, whether you like it or not. It all started at the end of February 2024, when <a href="https://insideevs.com/ford/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="2" data-params="%7B%22alias%22%3A%22ford%22%7D">Ford</a> EVs gained access to what is generally known as the best and most reliable DC fast-charging network in North America.</p>
<p><a href="https://insideevs.com/news/712748/rivian-r1s-r1t-tesla-supercharger-access-open/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22712748%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22rivian-r1s-r1t-tesla-supercharger-access-open%22%7D">Rivian</a> and <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/734171/gm-evs-charge-tesla-superchargers/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22734171%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22gm-evs-charge-tesla-superchargers%22%7D">General Motors</a> came after Ford, with many more manufacturers—almost all, in fact—working with Tesla to give their customers access to an additional 20,000 or so DC fast chargers. That’s a big win for non-Tesla EV owners, especially those who like to go on long road trips.</p>
<p>But what cars can be plugged into a <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/727716/tesla-supercharger-q2-2024/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22727716%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22tesla-supercharger-q2-2024%22%7D">Tesla Supercharger</a> right now? You’ve come to the right place because this article will tell you exactly that. We’ll update this piece as more and more manufacturers gain access to the Supercharger network. Also worth mentioning is this only applies to North America—Europe, China, Japan and other markets use different charging standards.</p>

All The Non-Tesla EVs That Can Use Tesla Superchargers (Updated)

<ul>
<li><strong><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgb(var(--vamc-fill-soft-100)); color: rgb(var(--vamc-text-contrast-ink),var(--tw-text-opacity)); font-family: var(--vam-normal-body-paragraph-font-name); letter-spacing: var(--vam-normal-body-paragraph-font-tracking);">Revel opened its first EV charging station in California on Monday.&nbsp;</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgb(var(--vamc-fill-soft-100)); color: rgb(var(--vamc-text-contrast-ink),var(--tw-text-opacity)); font-family: var(--vam-normal-body-paragraph-font-name); letter-spacing: var(--vam-normal-body-paragraph-font-tracking);">The hub is located in San Francisco's Mission neighborhood and offers 12 320-kilowatt plugs.&nbsp;</span></strong></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgb(var(--vamc-fill-soft-100)); color: rgb(var(--vamc-text-contrast-ink),var(--tw-text-opacity)); font-family: var(--vam-normal-body-paragraph-font-name); font-weight: var(--vam-normal-body-paragraph-font-weight); letter-spacing: var(--vam-normal-body-paragraph-font-tracking);"><strong>The New York-based startup plans to open 125 more chargers in the San Francisco Bay Area in the next 12 months, plus expand in its home market.</strong> </span></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgb(var(--vamc-fill-soft-100)); color: rgb(var(--vamc-text-contrast-ink),var(--tw-text-opacity)); font-family: var(--vam-normal-body-paragraph-font-name); font-weight: var(--vam-normal-body-paragraph-font-weight); letter-spacing: var(--vam-normal-body-paragraph-font-tracking);">Brooklyn-based electric mobility startup Revel has big plans to expand its EV charging infrastructure outside of its home city. That started in earnest on Monday with the opening of the firm's first charging hub in California.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>Located in San Francisco's Mission district, the new station features 12 EV chargers rated to dispense a healthy 320 kilowatts each. Half of the units have the <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/735724/non-tesla-ev-tesla-supercharger-access/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22735724%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22non-tesla-ev-tesla-supercharger-access%22%7D">Tesla-style plugs that the auto industry is slowly adopting</a>, while the other half use Combined Charging System (CCS) hardware that's used by just about every non-Tesla EV on the road today.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"At Revel, our goal is to build urban fast charging that all EV drivers can rely on," Revel cofounder and COO Paul Suhey said at a ribbon-cutting event on Monday. "Why is that important? Well, without widespread access to fast charging, EV adoption will stop. It will slow. Rideshare electrification will stop. It will slow."</p><div class="item m1-ap-native "></div>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs</div>
    
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<p>Revel is unique in the charging space in that it's focused on building out stations in America's densest cities.&nbsp;In San Francisco, where there are tons of EVs and many fast-charging stations already, Revel wants reliability to set its locations apart, Suhey told <a href="https://insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">InsideEVs</a>. It's an admirable goal in an industry perennially <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/753915/shell-ea-evgo-tesla-cahrging/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22753915%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22shell-ea-evgo-tesla-cahrging%22%7D">plagued by glitchy or outright broken plugs</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"You need to have the confidence that when you show up, you will have access to a charger, you'll be able to seamlessly initiate a session, you'll charge as fast as your EV will allow and you'll get in and out quickly," he said.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In part, that means focusing on bigger stations with many chargers. That will help reassure drivers that a plug will probably be available when they need it.&nbsp;</p><div class="item m1-ap-native m1-ap-native-mobile"></div>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: Tim Levin/InsideEVs</div>
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<p>San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie speaks at Revel's ribbon-cutting on Monday.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>"A&nbsp;primary focus of our sites is building sites with more chargers, sites that have eight, 12, 24, 30 chargers," Suhey said. "So really, charging-dedicated gas stations of the future. Not just charging that happens to be at an amenity, where you have two chargers in a parking lot that's sort of an afterthought."</p>
<p>Revel operates <a href="https://gorevel.com/charge" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">88 chargers across five locations in New York City</a>, including the recent addition of a 24-stall hub by John F. Kennedy Airport. In New York, Revel also runs an electric rideshare service that helps guarantee the utilization of its chargers. It won't bring its bright-blue Teslas and Kias to the San Francisco Bay Area, since the region is already home to plenty of EV drivers, Revel CEO Frank Reig <a href="https://insideevs.com/features/749977/tesla-revel-podcast-plugged-in/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22749977%22%2C%22section%22%3A%223%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22tesla-revel-podcast-plugged-in%22%7D">told InsideEVs in February</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Indeed, at Monday's event, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said that over the past two years electric cars have made up one-third of the city's vehicle sales.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Within the next 12 months, Revel plans to open seven more stations in the Bay Area for a total of 125 additional charging plugs. That includes two more in San Francisco, two in Oakland, two by San Francisco's airport and one in downtown San Jose. With more charging hubs planned in New York, including a massive 60-stall location in Queens, Revel aims to operate 300 chargers in the city by the end of 2025.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Got a tip about the EV world? Contact the author: <a href="mailto:Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com</a></em></p>

EV Charging Startup Revel Launches California Expansion

<ul>
<li>Hyundai EVs gained access to the Tesla Supercharger network on Tuesday, the automaker announced.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Hyundai says customers who bought or leased their EV by January 31 can get the adapter required for using Tesla stations for free.&nbsp;</li>
<li>The automaker says it will make adapters available for purchase at a later date.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>Charging out in the wild is about to get a whole lot easier for Hyundai's electric vehicle owners in the U.S. On Tuesday, the automaker announced that its EVs can now utilize over 20,000 Tesla Supercharging stations and that the adapters required will be going out to eligible owners soon.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Let's get one thing out of the way up front. The recently refreshed <a href="https://insideevs.com/reviews/751141/2025-hyundai-ioniq-5-first-drive/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22751141%22%2C%22section%22%3A%222%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%222025-hyundai-ioniq-5-first-drive%22%7D">2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5</a> crossover is the brand's first EV to come with the Tesla-style charging port—also known as the <a href="https://insideevs.com/features/743912/nacs-277-volt-power/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22743912%22%2C%22section%22%3A%223%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22nacs-277-volt-power%22%7D">North American Charging Standard (NACS)</a>—built right in. Owners and lessees of that model have <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/751308/hyundai-charging-tesla-v3-interview/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22751308%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22hyundai-charging-tesla-v3-interview%22%7D">already been able to visit Superchargers</a>.</p>
<p>Now, that same privilege is expanding to older Hyundai EVs that still use the Combined Charging System (CCS) port, the previous standard that many automakers are quickly moving to replace with NACS.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="item m1-ap-native "></div>
<p>Drivers of the Kona Electric, <a href="https://insideevs.com/hyundai/ioniq-6/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Ioniq 6</a>, pre-2025 Ioniq 5, <a href="https://insideevs.com/reviews/749155/hyundai-ioniq-5-n-track-review/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22749155%22%2C%22section%22%3A%222%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22hyundai-ioniq-5-n-track-review%22%7D">Ioniq 5 N</a> and original Ioniq hatchback can plug into Superchargers as of Tuesday—once they get their NACS-to-CCS adapter first. Hyundai says customers who bought or leased their CCS-equipped electric model on or before Jan. 31 qualify to receive an automaker-authorized adapter free of charge. So, starting the week of April 1, look out for an email with instructions on how to redeem your free adapter.&nbsp;</p>
<p>To get this email, you'll need to have an active MyHyundai.com owner's account and opt in to receiving emails. A Hyundai spokesperson tells <a href="https://insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">InsideEVs</a> that NACS adapters will also be available for purchase at a later date.&nbsp;</p>
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</span> <div class="spi_wrapper"><a class="lightzoom" href="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/custom/screenshot-2025-03-24-at-43310-pm.png"> <img class="custom-image" draggable="false" src="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/custom/thumbnail/screenshot-2025-03-24-at-43310-pm.png" alt="EMBARGO: Hyundai NACS Adapter" width="1764" height="1174" loading="lazy" pinger-seen="true"> </a></div> <div class="source-title">Photo by: Hyundai</div> </section>
<p>The ongoing migration to Tesla's plug standard is a big deal for the U.S. EV market. <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/736333/tesla-supercharger-growth-q3-2024/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22736333%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22tesla-supercharger-growth-q3-2024%22%7D">Superchargers</a> are abundant, reliable and easy to use—qualities missing from many other networks. But, historically, they were a perk reserved for Tesla owners. Now, <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/735724/non-tesla-ev-tesla-supercharger-access/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22735724%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22non-tesla-ev-tesla-supercharger-access%22%7D">Tesla is gradually allowing access to its walled garden</a>. Automakers are making this happen first through adapters and eventually by building the NACS port directly into their vehicles, just like all Teslas have.&nbsp;</p><div class="item m1-ap-native m1-ap-native-mobile"></div>
<p>The transition is in its early stages, and the Hyundai Motor Group is ahead of the curve. Soon, it should have several <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/742221/hyundai-kia-genesis-nacs-charging/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22742221%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22hyundai-kia-genesis-nacs-charging%22%7D">Hyundai, Genesis and Kia EVs on the road with native NACS ports</a>. Lucid, too, has a NACS-equipped vehicle on the road: the <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/748736/lucid-gravity-nacs-charge-rate/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22748736%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22lucid-gravity-nacs-charge-rate%22%7D">Gravity SUV</a>.</p>
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</span> <div class="spi_wrapper"><a class="lightzoom" href="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/custom/screenshot-2025-03-24-at-43343-pm.png"> <img class="custom-image" draggable="false" src="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/custom/thumbnail/screenshot-2025-03-24-at-43343-pm.png" alt="EMBARGO 3/25: Hyundai NACS Adapter" width="1766" height="1170" loading="lazy" pinger-seen="true"> </a></div> <div class="source-title">Photo by: Hyundai</div> </section>
<p>Several automakers have access to the Supercharger network: Ford, Rivian, General Motors, Volvo, Polestar, Nissan, Lucid and Mercedes-Benz. Others will join <a href="https://www.tesla.com/NACS" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">that list</a> soon.</p>
<p><em>Got a tip about the EV world or the NACS transition? Contact the author: <a href="mailto:Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com</a></em></p>

Hyundai EV Owners: Your Tesla NACS Adapters Are Coming Soon

<p>Every time I visit California for business or pleasure, I'm amazed at the sheer&nbsp;preponderance of electric vehicles I see everywhere. The state is the original home of Tesla and Rivian, the heart of the tech industry, and has <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=CA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">some of the most comically expensive gasoline</a> you can find anywhere in the United States. It's no wonder then that given <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/739774/tesla-leads-california-ev-market/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22739774%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22tesla-leads-california-ev-market%22%7D">California's nation-leading EV adoption</a>, charging ports are now more numerous than gas stations are.</p>
<p>That factoid comes from California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office, which explained this week that there are now 48% more EV chargers than gasoline nozzles in the state. "The California Energy Commission (CEC) estimates there are about 120,000 gas nozzles in the state, compared to 178,000 public and shared private chargers," officials said in a news release.</p>

<p>Granted, it's not exactly the same experience as filling up. Officials with the governor's office say that the vast majority of chargers—162,000 out of 178,000—are <a href="https://insideevs.com/features/707489/ev-charger-types-levels/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22707489%22%2C%22section%22%3A%223%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ev-charger-types-levels%22%7D">slower Level 2 chargers</a>. Only about 17,000 are DC public fast chargers, which are the closest analog to a gas station in the EV world. However, as we've reported at <a href="https://insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">InsideEVs</a> previously, <a href="https://insideevs.com/features/730299/hyundai-kona-dc-fast-charging-test/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22730299%22%2C%22section%22%3A%223%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22hyundai-kona-dc-fast-charging-test%22%7D">DC fast-charging is most ideal for road trips</a>, range-boosts during longer driving stints or for folks without easy home charging access. Across the U.S., the vast majority of EV drivers charge at home.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The state also provided graphs that show how charging access has grown exponentially in recent years, with the number of available plugs nearly doubling in 2024 alone. That makes sense, given how <a href="https://calmatters.org/environment/climate-change/2025/02/electric-car-sales-stall-california/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">about a quarter of all of California's new car sales last year were EVs</a>, though that growth rate has begun to slow somewhat.&nbsp;</p><div class="item m1-ap-native "></div>
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<p>EV Chargers in California</p>
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<p>"As the federal government works to make it harder for you to charge your electric car, California is doing the opposite," Newsom said in a statement, taking direct aim at the Trump administration's <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/751074/nevi-funding-update-2025-trump/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22751074%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22nevi-funding-update-2025-trump%22%7D">efforts to de-fund public charging money</a> once allocated by Congress and <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/751656/trump-ev-policy-charging-tax/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22751656%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22trump-ev-policy-charging-tax%22%7D">end the electric vehicle tax credit</a>. The state is working on a&nbsp;$1.4 billion investment plan to expand EV charging and hydrogen fuel access as well. It is also working to improve charger reliability and&nbsp;<a href="https://insideevs.com/news/722801/charger-permitting-delays-slow-rollout/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22722801%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22charger-permitting-delays-slow-rollout%22%7D">speed up the permitting</a> of EV charger installation.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It will need all of that and more to meet its zero-emission car goals—if the current federal government doesn't succeed in ending them first, anyway. As nonprofit news organization <a href="https://calmatters.org/environment/climate-change/2025/02/electric-car-sales-stall-california/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>CalMatters</em></a> reported recently, California will require 68% of all new cars sold by 2030 to be zero-emission, and by 2035, the sale of gas cars will be banned entirely. That's <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/750930/trump-epa-california-tesla-cm/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22750930%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22trump-epa-california-tesla-cm%22%7D">due to be challenged in court or legislatively</a> by the Trump administration soon, along with California's longstanding ability to set its own, stricter emissions rules that about a dozen other states follow as well.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For now, at least, EV charging is getting better and better in the Golden State. And everything else aside, if you ask me, that beats the hell out of paying $4.65 for a gallon of regular gas.&nbsp;</p><div class="item m1-ap-native m1-ap-native-mobile"></div>
<p><em>Contact the author: <a href="mailto:patrick.george@insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">patrick.george@insideevs.com</a></em></p>

California Now Has More EV Chargers Than Gas Pumps

<ul>
<li>Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX owners will soon be able to use the Tesla Supercharger network.</li>
<li>The two companies will gain access to the expansive DC fast-charging network in June.</li>
<li>Honda and Acura will offer a manufacturer-approved NACS to CCS adapter.</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://insideevs.com/honda/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Honda</a> and <a href="https://insideevs.com/acura/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Acura</a> electric vehicle owners in the United States should find it much easier to go on long road trips starting this summer. That’s because the <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/752185/2025-honda-prologue-update-price/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22752185%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%222025-honda-prologue-update-price%22%7D">Honda Prologue</a> and <a href="https://insideevs.com/reviews/744476/acura-zdx-type-s-review/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22744476%22%2C%22section%22%3A%222%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22acura-zdx-type-s-review%22%7D">Acura ZDX</a> will gain access to the Tesla Supercharger Network in June.</p>
<p>The two automakers are the latest to join <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/735724/non-tesla-ev-tesla-supercharger-access/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22735724%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22non-tesla-ev-tesla-supercharger-access%22%7D">a growing list of non-Tesla car brands</a> that can access a part of the Supercharger network in North America. As a reminder, <a href="https://insideevs.com/tesla/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Tesla</a>’s DC fast charging network is widely regarded as <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/753915/shell-ea-evgo-tesla-cahrging/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22753915%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22shell-ea-evgo-tesla-cahrging%22%7D">the best in terms of availability and reliability</a>, at least in the U.S. However, not all Superchargers are available to non-Tesla vehicles. In Honda and Acura’s case, we’re talking about more than 20,000 stalls across the country.</p>
<p>It all started with <a href="https://insideevs.com/ford/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Ford</a>, which was the first to offer Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning owners the ability to recharge at Superchargers. General Motors, Rivian, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Polestar and Volvo followed, and more are waiting in line.</p>

Honda And Acura EV Owners Will Soon Get Tesla Supercharger Access

<ul>
<li>EV drivers reported problems nearly half the time they pulled up to Shell Recharge stations, according to a new study.&nbsp;</li>
<li>EVgo and Blink charging stations also fared poorly for reliability among consumers, with the most common issues involving payment systems and broken hardware.</li>
<li>Tesla Superchargers and the Rivian Adventure Network have the highest reliability among charging stations in the U.S. &nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>Road-tripping in an electric vehicle is becoming increasingly easier in the U.S. thanks to a burgeoning network of public charging stations. But that experience is far from perfect. A new <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Consumer Reports</em></a> study found that some charging networks are so buggy that drivers have nearly a 50/50 chance of running into problems when they pull up to recharge.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/hybrids-evs/most-common-ev-charging-problems-and-how-to-avoid-them-a1108537217/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">study</a> surveyed 1,230 owners of fully electric cars and plug-in hybrids. It ranked charging networks from driver feedback by how often charging sessions faltered. The <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/748952/tesla-v4-supercharger-speed-boost-325kw/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22748952%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22tesla-v4-supercharger-speed-boost-325kw%22%7D">Tesla Supercharger</a> network continued to be on top, with issues reported in just 4% of the sessions.</p>
<p><a href="https://insideevs.com/rivian/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="2" data-params="%7B%22alias%22%3A%22rivian%22%7D">Rivian</a> has a far smaller network of chargers but it wasn’t far behind Tesla in reliability. Only 5% of its charging sessions were buggy. That means if you plug into either of these networks, you can be pretty certain that the charger will actually work.</p>
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<p>Rivian R1S at a Rivian charging point</p>
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<p>The same can’t be said for Shell Recharge and EVgo stations. Drivers using Shell Recharge stations experienced problems during 48% of their charging sessions. EVgo chargers also left customers hanging, with issues emerging 41% of the time they plugged in, as per the report. Electrify America (35%) and ChargePoint (21%) fared better but still have room for improvement.</p>
<p>Glitchy payment systems, broken hardware and slow charging speeds were the most serious problems. A whopping 76% of the issues involved dead touchscreens or those displaying cryptic error messages.</p>
<div class="table-wrapper">
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Charging Networks (As per Consumer Reports)</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">% Of Charging Sessions Laced With Problems</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Shell Recharge</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">48%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">
<p>EVgo</p>
</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">43%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Blink</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">41%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">AmpUp</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">38%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Electrify America</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">35%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Volta</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">33%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">EV Connect</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">31%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">ChargePoint</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">24%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">FLO</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">24%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Rivian</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Tesla</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%;">Other</td>
<td style="width: 50%;">16%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p>While charging speeds also depend on the vehicle and how much voltage and current it can accept, the responsibility for broken hardware and payment systems falls on electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) providers and charge point operators (CPOs). (That is, if they're not vandalized.)</p><div class="item m1-ap-native m1-ap-native-mobile"></div>
<p>Charging stations with fragmented ownership or those working with a patchwork of different providers need more collaboration to diagnose and fix any given issue.</p>
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<p>EVgo fast charging station</p>
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<p>“One big factor at play could be that charging network operators are using different hardware and software components that do not interact well together,” Drew Toher, the sustainability campaign manager for <em>Consumer Reports</em>, told <a href="https://insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">InsideEVs</a>. “This adds additional complexity to tracking, diagnosing and fixing the issues,” he added.</p>
<p>Tesla and Rivian get it right because they design, manufacture and operate their charging stations. They also own and control the full software stack, meaning rolling out updates, fixing bugs and ensuring a high uptime is streamlined. They also have seamless vehicle integration. Tesla owners, for example, can simply plug in and charge after they set up the app and membership account during purchase. That means no figuring out payments or fiddling with credit cards on the go.</p>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: Rivian</div>
    
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<p>Toher said problems at charging stations involving different parties to help things run smoothly can be solved with improved transparency.</p>
<p>“Charging networks can provide open access to real-time station data, provide better methods for consumers to identify problems at stations, take measures to address them quickly and track their progress to ensure network health steadily improves." We’re already seeing this happen in some capacity with Electrify America having <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/725069/electrify-america-reliability-q1-2024/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22725069%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22electrify-america-reliability-q1-2024%22%7D">improved its charging experience over time</a>.</p>
<p>"When it comes to broken or nonresponsive screens, which is the most common problem EV drivers are reporting, a possible reason could be because charging networks are defining uptime as whether the station is receiving electrical power and not whether it is actually functioning,” Toher said. So a station could be receiving power from the grid, but the components that funnel that electricity onto EVs might fail. Like the cables or the dispensers themselves.</p>
<p>“For drivers, this issue shows up as chargers looking operational on apps or maps but can leave them stranded and searching for another option,"&nbsp;Toher said.</p>
<p>EV drivers can themselves solve the issues with some planning and practice. Community-based apps such as <a href="https://www.plugshare.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">PlugShare</a>&nbsp;can tell you the real-time availability and status of public charging stations. If battery preconditioning is available, drivers can ensure that's on before they reach the charging station to ensure optimal pack temperature for faster charging.</p>
<p>And getting a Level 2 home charger would satisfy most of your driving needs. About 80% of EV charging happens at home, anyway, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.</p>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: InsideEVs</div>
    
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<p>Nonetheless, charging companies need to do more to improve reliability. In fact, the study says 19% of problems EV owners faced involved the charger not starting even though payment was accepted. That means they paid for a service they didn’t receive.</p>
<p>“With these findings, CR is encouraging all charging networks to take ownership of their performance and implement measures to improve reliability,” Toher said.</p>
<p>"By calling out broken screens, payment issues, and slow charging power, community members are crowdsourcing data that will hold charging networks accountable and improve drivers’ experience with public charging,” he added.</p>
<p><em>Have a tip? Contact the author: <a href="mailto:suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com</a></em></p>

America's Best And Worst EV Charging Networks: These Fail Half The Time

<ul>
<li>Most DC fast-charging operators in the U.S. prohibit non-approved adapters.</li>
<li>Extension cables and breakaway adapters are also banned.</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>Using an adapter at a DC fast charging station in the United States is slowly becoming the norm. Whether it’s a <a href="https://insideevs.com/reviews/502492/ford-mustang-mache-pros-cons/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22502492%22%2C%22section%22%3A%222%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ford-mustang-mache-pros-cons%22%7D">Ford Mustang Mach-E</a> charging at a Tesla Supercharger or a <a href="https://insideevs.com/features/751357/inside-evs-podcast-hyundai-tesla/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22751357%22%2C%22section%22%3A%223%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22inside-evs-podcast-hyundai-tesla%22%7D">NACS-equipped Hyundai Ioniq 5</a> charging at an Electrify America DC fast charger, an adapter is involved.</p>
<p>So, we thought it would be a good idea to remind everyone that while charging adapters are the hot new thing, not all of them are welcome. We poked around several DC fast charging operators’ terms of use and also asked around, and the gist of it is this: you better have a manufacturer-supplied DC fast charging adapter.</p>
<p>Let’s start with <a href="https://insideevs.com/tesla/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Tesla</a>. The only adapters legally accepted at Superchargers are those sold or provided by Tesla or other automakers. “Tesla prohibits the use of any other device that plugs in between a vehicle and the charging cable such as third-party adapters, extension cords, and breakaway devices,” according to the company’s <a href="https://www.tesla.com/legal/terms#:~:text=Third%2DParty%20Adapter%20Policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">third-party adapter policy</a>.</p>

Don’t Forget: Many DC Fast Charging Adapters Are Technically Prohibited

<ul>
<li>Ford said last year that it would hand over free Tesla adapters to its EV customers to improve charging access.</li>
<li>The Tesla Supercharger network is the largest and the most reliable charging option for EV drivers in the U.S.</li>
<li>Don't worry if you missed out on the offer. You can still get an adapter. It's just not free anymore.</li>
</ul>
<p>Road-tripping in an electric <a href="https://insideevs.com/ford/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="2" data-params="%7B%22alias%22%3A%22ford%22%7D">Ford</a> is getting simpler by the day. A growing number of Ford EVs now have access to over 20,000 Tesla Superchargers across the U.S. It all started with a free adapter program, which Ford promised to its EV customers last year for a limited time. A year and a few <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/737960/ford-nacs-adapter-tesla-recall/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22737960%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ford-nacs-adapter-tesla-recall%22%7D">roadblocks</a> later, it has delivered on that promise.</p>
<p>The automaker <a href="https://www.fromtheroad.ford.com/us/en/articles/2025/unlocking-access-how-ford-is-expanding-charging-options" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announced</a> on Tuesday that it had shipped 140,000 complimentary <a href="https://insideevs.com/tesla/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="2" data-params="%7B%22alias%22%3A%22tesla%22%7D">Tesla</a> charging adapters to its customers. These adapters allow EV owners to use tens of thousands of additional fast-charging ports from the Tesla Supercharger network. Those who couldn’t order the free adapters can still get one, but it’s not free anymore. It’s available on Ford’s <a href="https://www.ford.com/product/ford-fast-charging-adapter-nacs-p2999073032" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a> for $200.</p>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: Ford</div>
    
</section>
<p>All Ford EVs currently on sale, the <a href="https://insideevs.com/ford/mach-e/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="1" data-params="%7B%22make_alias%22%3A%22ford%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22mach-e%22%7D">Mustang Mach-E</a>, <a href="https://insideevs.com/ford/f-150-ev/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="1" data-params="%7B%22make_alias%22%3A%22ford%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22f-150-ev%22%7D">F-150 Lightning</a> and the <a href="https://insideevs.com/ford/e-transit/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="1" data-params="%7B%22make_alias%22%3A%22ford%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22e-transit%22%7D">E-Transit</a> van, are compatible with the adapter. They already have access to the growing network of chargers with CCS connectors from companies like Electrify America, EVgo, and ChargePoint. Now with access to Tesla Superchargers, Ford EVs can charge at over 44,000 chargers nationwide combined.</p><div class="item m1-ap-native "></div>
<p>This has also improved the frequency of chargers along highways. Ford said its customers have access to a fast charger every 18 miles on most major highways. That’s good news for road trippers and should help quell range anxiety. Usage of Tesla Superchargers among Ford EV owners is also at an all-time high. About 20% of all charging done away from home in February was at Tesla Superchargers, so the adapter rollout is working as intended.</p>
<p>As with most things EV-related, the Tesla adapter rollout has been far from smooth. Tesla is manufacturing these adapters at its gigafactory in Buffalo, New York, and then supplying them to Ford and all major automakers adopting the North American Charging Standard (NACS). Early on, supply shortages slowed things down. Then, an early batch of the Tesla-made adapters turned was defective, prompting Ford to warn customers <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/737960/ford-nacs-adapter-tesla-recall/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22737960%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ford-nacs-adapter-tesla-recall%22%7D">to stop using them</a>.</p>
<p>At the same time, Ford was working on a back up plan of sorts. Partnering with charging equipment maker Lectron, it co-developed another NACS-to-CCS adapter—one it says has been tested to withstand serious abuse. Ford <a href="https://www.fromtheroad.ford.com/us/en/articles/2025/unlocking-access-how-ford-is-expanding-charging-options" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">showed</a> the adapter surviving a drop test, submersion test, vibration test and even surviving after getting run over by an F-150 Lightning.</p>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: Ford</div>
    
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<p>All said, Ford isn’t alone in this NACS transition. The adapter <a href="https://www.tesla.com/NACS" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">rollout is also underway</a> for Rivian, General Motors, Volvo, Polestar, Nissan, Lucid and Mercedes-Benz. The brands that are next in line are BMW, Genesis, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover and Kia.</p>
<p><em>Have a tip? Contact the author: <a href="mailto:suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com</a></em></p>

Ford Just Finished Shipping 140,000 Free Tesla Charging Adapters

<p>Here's the thing few people, even in the automotive industry, realize about electric vehicles: By and large, the cars aren't the problem.</p>
<p>They're faster, cleaner, quieter and generally run better than anything that runs on gasoline. The problem, as always, is keeping them charged up. And <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/686903/ford-ceo-says-charging-anxiety-hampers-widespread-ev-adoption/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22686903%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ford-ceo-says-charging-anxiety-hampers-widespread-ev-adoption%22%7D">the fear of not being able to charge up easily</a> is often what keeps people from going electric.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One of the most important things that car companies can do to beat&nbsp;perceptions around <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/709425/recurrent-ev-driving-distance-america/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22709425%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22recurrent-ev-driving-distance-america%22%7D">range and charging anxiety</a> is to throw in free home chargers, according to a new study from&nbsp;the marketing research firm Escalent. Their report, called the&nbsp;<a href="https://escalent.co/industries/automotive-and-mobility/evforward/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2024 Charging Experience DeepDive from EVForward</a>, says that the inclusion of home charging options—yes, including installation—would do a lot more to get consumers to embrace EVs.</p>
<p>"New car buyers, particularly EV owners and EV intenders, would be most comfortable with the manufacturer installing its preferred Level 2 home charger," the study said. This "removes the stress and burden of choosing and installing a home charger from the consumer completely."</p><div class="item m1-ap-native "></div>
<p>The study's authors spoke to more than 1,300 people in the U.S., including more than 100 EV owners, 324 people who intend to buy one, 433 people who are open to the idea and 461 people who say they're resistant to going electric. In other words, it's a good cross-section of the current market: a lot of early adopters, a good amount of people who are into EVs and many who say they're not interested.&nbsp;</p>
<p>While it's certainly true that modern EVs can't yet meet everyone's needs across the board, the latter category of drivers is often resistant due to misconceptions, a lack of experience with these cars or just fears that they won't be able to charge easily.</p>
<p>That's a valid concern, and so the&nbsp;Escalent report stressed that automakers need to be more proactive in throwing in home chargers if they want people to get into electric cars.&nbsp;</p>
<section contenteditable="false" draggable="true" data-widget="special_image" data-align="center" data-source="{&quot;source_id&quot;:&quot;36&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;InsideEVs&quot;}"><span class="svg-search">
    
</span> <div class="spi_wrapper"><a class="lightzoom" href="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/custom/screenshot-2025-03-11-at-114101am.png"> <img class="custom-image" draggable="false" src="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/custom/thumbnail/screenshot-2025-03-11-at-114101am.png" alt="screenshot-2025-03-11-at-114101am" width="2488" height="1400" loading="lazy" pinger-seen="true"> </a></div> <div class="source-title">Photo by: InsideEVs</div> </section><div class="item m1-ap-native m1-ap-native-mobile"></div>
<p>The study said that if a car manufacturer threw in a home Level 2 charger, covered the installation costs and required nothing else from the consumer, then the "EV resistant" crowd gets a lot more comfortable with their purchase. After all, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/29/one-of-the-biggest-ev-decisions-youll-make-isnt-which-car-to-buy.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">about 80% of all EV charging happens at home</a>, and we've seen the pitfalls when people rely on public <a href="https://heatmap.news/electric-vehicles/level-2-charging-slow-flash-plugshare" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DC fast charging stations as they would gas stations</a>: long lines, problems with connectivity and reliability, inconsistent charging speeds and more.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Historically, however, automakers have been reluctant to reach outside their comfort zones and become infrastructure companies. They're used to everything that supports cars springing up around them, from gas stations to repair shops to insurance providers and more. It's why they were happy to <a href="https://www.edmunds.com/car-news/evs-with-free-charging.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">add in DC fast charging credits</a> with a new EV purchase and call it a day. (Many also have not wanted to deal with the liability of installing chargers at people's homes, which could have any number of questionable wiring and safety issues.)&nbsp;</p>
<p>Yet that switch hasn't happened as quickly as they projected with EVs. Now, the car companies are realizing they need to change tactics a bit. They're teaming up to <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/736910/ionna-charging-station-design/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22736910%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ionna-charging-station-design%22%7D">fund the Ionna fast-charging network</a>, for example, and now more and more of them are doing what the Escalent study recommends: <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/714992/automaker-provide-level-2-home-ev-charger/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22714992%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22automaker-provide-level-2-home-ev-charger%22%7D">tossing in the home Level 2 charger</a>, and in some cases covering installation costs.&nbsp;</p>
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    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: InsideEVs</div>
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<p>Ford Power Station Pro</p>
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<p>Right now, Ford is doing this at <a href="https://www.ford.com/electric/?gclid=CjwKCAjwvr--BhB5EiwAd5YbXsSumRDPe7XAn32HtZHm5ux8aW3varzzwu0Xqn2U4ScHZcgAfw-gPRoC6E0QAvD_BwE&amp;searchid=21768352978|166599905925|aud-485005395546:kwd-2367531025840&amp;fcid=pse_21768352978_google&amp;ef_id=CjwKCAjwvr--BhB5EiwAd5YbXsSumRDPe7XAn32HtZHm5ux8aW3varzzwu0Xqn2U4ScHZcgAfw-gPRoC6E0QAvD_BwE:G:s&amp;s_kwcid=AL!2519!3!723876466467!b!!g!!ford%20power%20promise!21768352978!166599905925&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds&amp;gad_source=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">least through the end of this month</a>. Hyundai <a href="https://www.hyundaiusa.com/us/en/special-programs/charging-benefit" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">offers it</a>&nbsp;for the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 5 N.&nbsp;Honda and Acura do this as well, or offer DC fast-charging credits as an alternative option. Escalent's study said this should be standard practice across the board.</p>
<p>"Overwhelmed by the process of choosing and installing a home charger on their own, the study found that 71% of buyers would be more likely to purchase a BEV from a manufacturer that handles all aspects of setting up home charging," its authors said.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>There's also the problem of education, something we cover here often. Owning an EV is a different experience than owning a gas car and most people aren't familiar with the complex terminology involved, nor the very concept of being able to "fuel" at home. "With new car buyers concerned about charge time, there’s more familiarity with fast chargers. Although they’re both fast chargers, buyers are more familiar<br>with Tesla Superchargers than DC fast chargers," the study said.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Taking the time to stress to buyers that they can plug in at home, and that the process to do so will be made as seamless as possible for them, will yield increased EV sales. Many buyers also don't understand <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/752136/level1-ev-charging-rivian-r1t/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22752136%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22level1-ev-charging-rivian-r1t%22%7D">how and when to use standard Level 1 wall charging</a>, suggesting that dealers too need to step up in terms of telling people what to expect.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Above all, this study suggests some common-sense tactics not every automaker or car dealer has embraced yet: educate the buyer, and make it cheap and easy for them to "fuel" at home.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"Setting up home charging could be a selling point for manufacturers," the study said. "Offering a service that sets up home charging likely won’t be the sole deciding factor in a buyer’s BEV purchase decision, but could sway their decision when considering the pros across several brands."</p>
<p>Will more automakers step up and do what Hyundai, Ford and Honda are doing? Clearly, it'd be in their best interest to try, especially as the EV market continues to heat up.</p>
<p><em>Contact the author: <a href="mailto:patrick.george@insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">patrick.george@insideevs.com</a></em></p>

The One Thing Car Companies Should Do To Sell More EVs

<ul>
<li>Ford passenger EVs get access to Tesla Supercharger routing with Apple Maps and CarPlay.</li>
<li>CarPlay pulls the estimated remaining range from the EV's brain and displays it on the screen.</li>
<li>However, en-route preconditioning is not available when using Apple Maps on CarPlay.</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://insideevs.com/news/735480/ford-ev-power-promise-charger/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22735480%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ford-ev-power-promise-charger%22%7D">Ford F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E</a> owners in North America can now use Apple Maps on CarPlay to navigate to fast chargers that offer <a href="https://insideevs.com/tesla/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Tesla</a>’s NACS plug.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.fromtheroad.ford.com/us/en/articles/2025/nacs-fast-charger-routing-ford-customers-apple-maps-carplay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blog post</a>, <a href="https://insideevs.com/ford/" data-inline-widget="internal-links">Ford</a> said that owners don’t need to update any software to make this happen, but that an iPhone running iOS 17 and later is required. That said, drivers need to set their charging network preference in the Apple Maps settings to a NACS fast charging operator such as the Tesla Supercharger network. This is a one-time thing, though.</p>
<p>After setting everything up, Apple Maps on CarPlay will plan a route to the destination accounting for the appropriate charging stops along the way. It will also display the estimated state of charge level remaining at each charging stop and the destination. Ford said it worked with Apple to develop communications between the EV and iPhone, but that the battery level will only update when an Apple device connects through CarPlay. In other words, using your iPhone on a phone mount without connecting it to CarPlay will not show you the range estimates.</p>

Ford EVs Can Now Navigate To Tesla Superchargers Via Apple Maps On CarPlay

<p>Building EV chargers in America’s densest, most chaotic city can be a logistical nightmare. Space is scarce, real estate costs are exorbitant and the <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/722801/charger-permitting-delays-slow-rollout/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22722801%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22charger-permitting-delays-slow-rollout%22%7D">permitting processes</a> can drag on for months or even years. That’s why reliable and easy-to-access charging networks have been limited in New York City. But the tide is turning, thanks to aggressive expansion efforts from the City of New York as well as startups like <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/750255/revel-new-york-charging-funding/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22750255%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22revel-new-york-charging-funding%22%7D">Revel</a> and Google-backed <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/715496/gravity-charging-highest-power-station/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22715496%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22gravity-charging-highest-power-station%22%7D">Gravity</a>.</p>
<p>Gravity, especially, is out to prove that EV charging can be both fast and flawless. It reached 40,000 charging sessions in its first year of operation at its flagship charging station in Midtown Manhattan. That may pale in comparison to Electrify America’s <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/752565/electrify-america-2024-charging-sessions/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22752565%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22electrify-america-2024-charging-sessions%22%7D">16 million customer charging sessions</a> in 2024. But Electrify America’s now-improved user experience has come after years of <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/725069/electrify-america-reliability-q1-2024/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22725069%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22electrify-america-reliability-q1-2024%22%7D">reliability issues</a>. Gravity said its uptime—when the chargers were functioning and not broken—was 100%.</p>
<p>The start-up claims the indoor charging station in Manhattan also broke charging speed records for several EVs, including the <a href="https://insideevs.com/tesla/cybertruck/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="1" data-params="%7B%22make_alias%22%3A%22tesla%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22cybertruck%22%7D">Tesla Cybertruck</a> (289 kW), <a href="https://insideevs.com/cadillac/escalade-iq/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="1" data-params="%7B%22make_alias%22%3A%22cadillac%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22escalade-iq%22%7D">Cadillac Escalade IQ</a> (369 kW) and <a href="https://insideevs.com/gmc/hummer-ev/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="1" data-params="%7B%22make_alias%22%3A%22gmc%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22hummer-ev%22%7D">GMC Hummer EV</a> (374 kW). The Cybertruck, however, charges faster on Tesla’s own V4 Superchargers with owners reporting a peak of as high as 325 kW.</p>
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<p>Last year, it installed 24 DC fast chargers inside a parking lot at 401 West 42nd Street, just a block from Times Square. Each dispenser delivers 500 kilowatts, the fastest any U.S.-based company has claimed so far.</p><div class="item m1-ap-native "></div>
<p>If you can make high-quality and reliable charging work in New York City, you can make it work anywhere, Gravity CEO Moshe Cohen told <a href="https://insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">InsideEVs</a>. “We're literally building for one of the most constrained areas in the world, like Manhattan,” Cohen said.</p>
<p>“We design the hardware and software and we operate sites,” he added. “So, we have a unique ability to react to different things that happen in the market and adapt the technology.”</p>
<p>In addition to its vertical integration, the company also benefits from Google’s backing, with several former engineers from the tech giant now helping the start-up accelerate its charger expansion. “We have an excellent software team with leaders that have spent many years at Google, many years at Microsoft,” Cohen said.</p>
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<p>Its chargers are claimed to charge at a rate of 2,400 miles per hour, enough to add 200 miles of range in just five minutes. But that also depends on the type of EVs being charged and their voltage architecture. Plus, charging speed alone isn’t the metric for success. A truly seamless experience requires intuitive design, ease of access, reliability and low cost compared to refueling a gas car.</p>
<p>The Manhattan station didn't require any utility upgrades to work. It uses surplus electricity from the block, which is adequate to power the site at any given time. Its chargers are mounted high on the walls, keeping the floor space uncluttered, while overhead cables eliminate the hassle of heavy, unwieldy cords.</p>
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<p>I charged at this station a couple of times and faced no issues. But like a Tesla Supercharger, these dispensers don’t have screens displaying information like charging speeds and amount of electricity being added. We’re seeing a growing number of charging companies such as the <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/750250/ionna-rechargery-reliability/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22750250%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ionna-rechargery-reliability%22%7D">Ionna consortium</a> bring key charging information in the direct line of sight of users, to make the experience more gas-station-like.</p>
<p>For now, Gravity employs an on-site attendant to initiate charging, with users paying after their session like a checkout at a grocery store. But Cohen says a more streamlined system is coming, including an app-based interface and possibly a large on-site display.</p>
<p>“A lot of the for hire vehicle drivers want to come in and authorize a specific amount of charging, like $15,” Cohen said. “So we've had that attendant to understand the different populations and what they need in terms of future plans.”</p>
<p>A huge number of New York City cab drivers went electric in the recent past due to the <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/717112/nyc-rideshare-evs-two-million-trips-march/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22717112%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22nyc-rideshare-evs-two-million-trips-march%22%7D">Green Rides Initiative</a>, which requires the city’s rideshare fleet to be fully electric or wheel-chair accessible by 2030. As a result, 12% of the city’s for hire vehicles, or nearly 13,000 cars are now fully electric, according to <a href="https://data.cityofnewyork.us/Transportation/NYC-Rideshare-Data/6pkm-4kgd" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">public records</a>. And the number is expected to increase gradually in the coming years.</p>
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<p>These drivers were incentivized to go electric, but initially got little charging support in return, with many of them <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/705575/tesla-supercharger-nyc-long-lines/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22705575%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22tesla-supercharger-nyc-long-lines%22%7D">losing hours of business due to long lines at charging stations</a>. That’s beginning to change. With new fast-charging hubs from Revel and Gravity, wait times are dropping and charging access is improving.</p>
<p>Gravity is seeing at least 12% month-over-month growth in traffic and utilization is approaching 50% overall, Cohen said. It also has big expansion plans this year, with 20 more sites currently in development, including in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston.</p>
<p>“What I would like to see next is that we realign what we're doing,” he added. “You have to buy an EV not just because it's good for the planet, but because it's cheaper, faster and better for your life.”</p>
<p><em>Have a tip? Contact the author: <a href="mailto:suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suvrat.kothari@insideevs.com</a></em></p>

America's Fastest EV Charging Company Had A Big Year

<p>Public fast charging for electric vehicles isn't always the easiest or most reliable experience, but it's getting better all the time. Case in point: <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/725875/electrify-america-charging-congestion-pilot/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22725875%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22electrify-america-charging-congestion-pilot%22%7D">Electrify America</a>, the country's second-largest&nbsp;DC fast-charging network and the one that lays claim to having the most hyper-fast EV chargers, reports that it saw big growth and big improvements in 2024.</p>
<p>In its latest report, Electrify America (EA) says it served more than 16 million EV charging sessions in 2024, a 50% increase from the previous year. That added up to more than 600 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity dispensed—up 65% from 2023. The network itself grew to 4,800 DC fast chargers at 1,000 stations in 47 states and the District of Columbia.</p>

<p>For context,&nbsp;EA reported 11 million customer charging sessions in 2023, which itself was 106% more than in 2022's 5.3 million. The network also dished out&nbsp;over 380 GWh that year, up 118% from 175 GWh in 2022. In other words, the network is continuing to see exponential use growth, albeit at a steadier, more tempered pace compared to earlier years.</p>
<p>That may be due to the fact that for a long time, EA was pretty much the only game in town for non-Tesla DC fast charging. These days, America's charging network is made up of many more players and many more plugs. According to <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/investing-america-biden-harris-administration-announces-635-million-awards-continue" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">data from the U.S. Department of Transportation</a>, some&nbsp;38,000 new public chargers turned on in 2024. There are now <a href="https://driveelectric.gov/stations-growth" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more than 200,000 public EV chargers in America</a> and about 50,000 of those are DC fast chargers.&nbsp;</p><div class="item m1-ap-native "></div>
<p>Still, public fast charging across all networks can be a major pain point for EV drivers on the go. The industry writ large still suffers from issues with connectivity, payment apps and overall reliability, with J.D. Power <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/752187/ev-charging-getting-worse-nevi/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22752187%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ev-charging-getting-worse-nevi%22%7D">reporting an increase in EV drivers unable to charge</a> at a public location in 2024. That situation could get worse if the Trump administration <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/751074/nevi-funding-update-2025-trump/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22751074%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22nevi-funding-update-2025-trump%22%7D">successfully ends the U.S.'&nbsp;national charging infrastructure program</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Nonetheless, EA says it's working across several fronts to make its experience better.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"Larger stations were opened in convenient locations, including the company’s first indoor flagship station in San Francisco, CA, which offers 20 Hyper-Fast chargers, restrooms, lounge areas, and other amenities," the company said in a statement. "Electrify America also implemented new policies to help reduce wait times, such as idle fees, for a seamless experience."</p>
<p>Electrify America, a subsidiary of the&nbsp;Volkswagen Group of America formed after that company's diesel cheating scandal, turned on its first plugs in 2018. Its glowing green posts have become a common sight across America's highways, especially for those with EVs seeking the shortest possible wait times.&nbsp;</p><div class="item m1-ap-native m1-ap-native-mobile"></div>
<p>EA officials said they've made progress on that front too. It has introduced <a href="https://www.electrifyamerica.com/soc-pilot/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">idle fees that kick in after an EV reaches an 85% charge</a> and sits there for 10 minutes, starting with pilot stations in California, New York, Florida and other places.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>How has your experience been with EA lately? Let us know in the comments.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>Contact the author: <a href="mailto:patrick.george@insideevs.com">patrick.george@insideevs.com</a>&nbsp;</em></p>
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Electrify America's 2024 Stats Reveal How The EV Market Is Blowing Up

<ul>
<li>One in five drivers (20%) has been unable to charge at a public location. This is up from 18% in 2023.</li>
<li>The perception of bad charging infrastructure is one of the biggest roadblocks to wider EV adoption.</li>
<li>Without NEVI funding to build more chargers, there could be a cooling of EV demand.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://insideevs.com/features/752024/ev-tariff-uncertainty-jd-power/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22752024%22%2C%22section%22%3A%223%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ev-tariff-uncertainty-jd-power%22%7D">The last time I spoke with J.D. Power, things looked grim.</a> The auto market is in a weird state of flux, as President Trump’s policies and helter-skelter tariff threats make things very hard to predict. Plus, the likely dismantling of the Inflation Reduction Act will have a chilling effect on the EV market. Because of this, the group predicted that <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/751788/jd-power-ev-owners-like-evs/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22751788%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22jd-power-ev-owners-like-evs%22%7D">EV growth would stay flat at 9.1% of the total U.S. market, identical to last year’s numbers.</a></p>
<p>Another 1.3 million new EVs sold in America this year wouldn’t be bad news. But EV charging may be in a worse spot. J.D. Power just released another not-so-good report: “<a href="https://www.jdpower.com/business/resources/e-vision-intelligence-report-february-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Public EV Charging Experience Continues to Languish as Federal Funds Expected to be Paused, Reduced or Eliminated</a>,” the title claimed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Admittedly, this sounds scary. But when I chatted with Brent Gruber, the Executive Director of EV Practice at J.D. Power, to get to the bottom of this, I learned that things may look bad on the surface—but there’s still a glimmer of hope.</p><div class="item m1-ap-native "></div>
<p>It’s an accepted fact that the EV charging experience isn’t all that great, but according to polling from J.D. Power, things have gotten slightly worse. One in five drivers (20%) have been unable to charge at public charging stations, up from 19% in 2024 and 18% in 2023. The issues facing these non-service rendered events are wide-ranging, from the chargers being in disrepair, charging lines being too long, or payment methods not functioning.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>“Public charging availability has been consistently the top rejection reason for EVs for years now; we measure that monthly,”&nbsp; Gruber said. “And you know, when we look at those people who aren't interested in EVs, and those rejection reasons that one has stood out because it's been so incredibly consistent over the years.”&nbsp;</p>
<p>He said that one of the biggest ways to allay some of those fears is by simply building out more infrastructure. If we had more charging spaces, we’d likely see a rise in EV adoption.&nbsp;</p><div class="item m1-ap-native m1-ap-native-mobile"></div>
<p>This goes hand in hand with J.D. Power’s original point: non-Tesla owners who now have Tesla Supercharger access have an improved outlook on charging infrastructure since there are now more options.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Conversely, the perception of Tesla Supercharging is slipping amongst Tesla owners because now the charging stations are crowded with other vehicles. The “simple” solution here would be to just build more chargers of all types, including more CCS chargers.</p>
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<p>This isn’t so easy. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) had earmarked $5 billion for a national charging infrastructure, with the goal of at least one charging station every 50 miles. <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/751074/nevi-funding-update-2025-trump/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22751074%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22nevi-funding-update-2025-trump%22%7D">Those funds are suspended, and it’s not clear if they'll ever return.</a> J.D. Power finger-wags that if more chargers aren’t built, adoption of EVs could seriously be hurt.</p>
<p>“Perception becomes reality for a lot of people,” Gruber said, referring to the fact that, although public charging woes are holding larger EV adoption back, most actual EV owners surveyed don’t necessarily share the same general concerns about EVs in general. EV skeptics may have qualms about charging times, or range anxiety, but Gruber said that the data at J.D. Power shows that most owners don’t necessarily have those issues.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Most EV drivers will charge at home; <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/752136/level1-ev-charging-rivian-r1t/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22752136%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22level1-ev-charging-rivian-r1t%22%7D">even Level 1 charging would be a substantial benefit</a> to cars that sit in areas with long dwell time, that is, when the car is simply sitting there not being used. But Gruber is worried that the perception that EVs aren’t capable or that charging infrastructure is on the brink would hurt more than any loss of funding.</p>
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    <img src="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/40KBgz/s1/hyundai-kona-l2-charging.jpg" alt="Hyundai Kona L2 Charging">
    <div class="source-title" data-source-id="">Photo by: InsideEVs</div>
    
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<p>With that in mind, Gruber says that perhaps it's time to help improve perception by investing in other types of charging stations. “If funding is decreased for chargers, and we know NEVI funding was set aside to install fast chargers, the industry could focus on Level 2 chargers,” he said. I certainly agree.</p>
<p>America’s policymakers and charging companies should be focusing on other avenues of charging, such as public Level 2 charging, workplace charging, and places where it may not be feasible or practical to implement a full DC fast charging station. That’s an expensive, time-consuming process that requires a lot of electricity, when slower chargers are much easier to execute and just as valuable. Just the act of seeing more visible stations in public would go a long way to instilling confidence in EV fence-sitters.</p>
<p>There’s still a silver lining, though. NEVI funding may soon be kaput, but <a href="https://insideevs.com/news/750250/ionna-rechargery-reliability/" data-inline-widget="internal-links" data-type-id="0" data-params="%7B%22article_edition_id%22%3A%22750250%22%2C%22section%22%3A%221%22%2C%22alias%22%3A%22ionna-rechargery-reliability%22%7D">startups like the automaker-funded Ionna could pick up the torch.</a> Either way, Americans need far more stations on the road, and we don’t really care who pays or how they get there.</p>
<p><em>Contact the author:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Kevin.Williams@InsideEVs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin.Williams@InsideEVs.com</a></em></p>

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