Author: EVAI
TWR Supercat, Ferrari 12 Cilindri: This Week’s Top Photos
Tom Walkinshaw Racing was a British motorsports and engineering company with successes in Formula 1 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It went under in 2002, but now it has been revived by the son of the original company’s founder, and the modern company’s first product is a wild Jaguar XJS. There’s a McLaren F1 up for sale, and it has only been driven…
Lucid Gravity drive, Acura ZDX review, Jeep plug-in hybrid pickup: The Week in Reverse
Which automaker is adding hybrid production at its U.S. dedicated EV plant?
Which Lexus model has gone hybrid-only for 2025?
This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending May 3, 2024.
A brief Lucid Gravity prototype test drive was enough to tell us that this upcoming EV will offer a unique layout and a different driving experience than any other three-row electric SUV.
Lucid Gravity prototype
The 2024 Acura ZDX EV is the quickest SUV ever from the Honda luxury brand—and it definitely looks the part. Yesterday in a review of the Acura ZDX Green Car Reports looked at whether the first fully electric vehicle from this Honda luxury brand keeps it on-brand—even with GM bones.
The 2025 Lexus UX 300h has gone hybrid-only, and the most popular AWD version of this model gets a noteworthy gas-mileage boost. The UX 300h AWD now gets 43 mpg combined, and it starts around $40,000.
2025 Lexus UX 300h
Hyundai last week confirmed that its Metaplant in Georgia, once due to be a dedicated EV plant, will also get U.S. production of more hybrid models, as part of an effort to expand the range of hybrid trims of its gasoline vehicles.
Jeep announced Thursday that a plug-in hybrid version of its Wrangler-based Gladiator pickup will arrive “later next year.” The Jeep Gladiator 4xe PHEV arrives just after a report suggested the brand was considering a hybrid version of its Recon, which at least at launch will be a fully electric model.
2024 Jeep Gladiator
GM’s Cadillac luxury brand might not go all-EV by 2030 as previously said. The brand has clarified that while its EV rollout may proceed as planned its retirement date for ICE models may be extended.
Are electric vehicle sales down in California? A quarterly report out this week underscored some of the complexities of the current EV market. Overall EV deliveries were pulled downward by sagging Tesla sales but mostly countered by strong sales of EVs from other brands, including Hyundai. So overall, EV sales are up in California versus the previous quarter, but with growth of the market as a whole they’ve skewed downward in market share.
The Biden administration provided updated EV tax credit rules for manufacturers and suppliers on Friday, and they amount to an easing of critical-mineral origin requirements over the next two years that could result in more vehicles eligible for the top $7,500 credit. But foreign entity of concern requirements that will keep Chinese automakers and suppliers out are remaining in place.
Polestar 5 prototype
Polestar reports that with StoreDot’s “silicon-dominant” cells it has a prototype EV capable of 10-minute 10-80% charging. Although it might still be years away from large-scale production and the Polestar 5 used as a basis for the testing will launch with different batteries, it’s a proof point for the tech.
The company behind the Emily GT EV, engineered by a braintrust of former Saab engineers, might build it in Italy, as part of a whole electric vehicle family with other body styles including a wagon, coupe, and convertible.
NEVS Emily GT
Toyota is looking to localize U.S. hydrogen fuel-cell development of all kinds with the opening of a California Hydrogen Headquarters. Toyota’s H2HQ will showcase a flexible microgrid and lead the application of fuel cells in trucks, stationary power generation, and more.
According to a recent brief from Department of Energy researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, more flexible controls and a gas-station-like layout might go a long way in boosting EV charging station reliability.
2024 Tesla Model Y. – Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.
An annual update from the used-vehicle retail giant CarMax revealed that the most popular used EVs cost up to $5,000 less than last year. Once again, that list includes the Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model Y, and Nissan Leaf—all down significantly. And this year’s list of top-selling EVs included fewer non-Tesla luxury EVs.
Or if you’re looking for the best price on a new EV, it might pay to first head to Costco first. The big-box retailer is now offering incentives of $1,000 applying to the the Volvo XC40 Recharge, C40 Recharge, and EX40 EVs,, several Volvo plug-in hybrids, and three General Motors EVs—the Cadillac Lyriq, Chevrolet Blazer EV, and Chevrolet Equinox EV. Or they’re offering a $2,000 incentive on the Polestar 2.
Matchbox Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology premium die-cast
And while last week marked the debut of the 2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology—the electric G-wagen to the rest of us—this week a more affordable version arrives. With a premium die-cast electric G-wagen made of recycled metal and sustainable plastic from Mattel’s Matchbox, and a mass-produced version of that on the way this fall, those dreaming of electric off-roading have a way to show it off.
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2024 Chevy Traverse, Lexus GX top this week’s new car reviews
From the hills of Missoula to the forests of Germany, we traveled far and wide this week to cover the latest cars coming to market this summer if not sooner. In the immediate term, we finally got to publish our impressions of the latest three-row SUVs with completely different attitudes, one for the supersizing family and the other for off-road…
Jay Leno checks out a 1923 Hispano Suiza
Spain and Switzerland aren’t known as automotive powerhouses, but citizens of those countries came together to create one of the greatest automakers of the prewar era: Hispano Suiza. Recently featured on an episode of “Jay Leno’s Garage,” this 1923 Hispano Suiza H6B exemplified the work of the automaker, the name of which means “Spanish Swiss” in…
Jeep plug-in pickup, Acura ZDX, Cadillac’s EV shift, tax credit rules: Today’s Car News
A plug-in hybrid Gladiator will join the Jeep lineup next year. Cadillac gets cold feet about its 2030 end date for gasoline. And Biden agencies ease one area of the EV tax credit that could mean more qualifying EVs. This and more, here at Green Car Reports.
The Biden administration provided updated EV tax credit rules for manufacturers and suppliers on Friday, and they amount to an easing of critical-mineral origin requirements over the next two years that could result in more vehicles eligible for the top $7,500 credit. But foreign entity of concern requirements that will keep Chinese automakers and suppliers out are remaining in place.
Jeep announced Thursday that a plug-in hybrid version of its Wrangler-based Gladiator pickup will arrive “later next year.” The Jeep Gladiator 4xe PHEV arrives just after a report suggested the brand was considering a hybrid version of its Recon, which at least at launch will be a fully electric model.
According to recent comments from top executives, GM’s Cadillac luxury brand might not go all-EV by 2030 as previously said. The brand has clarified that while its EV rollout may proceed as planned its retirement date for ICE models may be extended.
The 2024 Acura ZDX EV is the quickest SUV ever from the Honda luxury brand—and it definitely looks the part. Yesterday in a review of the Acura ZDX Green Car Reports looked at whether the first fully electric vehicle from this Honda luxury brand keeps it on-brand—even with GM bones.
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The V-12 engine, Ayrton Senna, Tesla Cybertruck: The Week In Reverse
The 12-cylinder engine is alive and well with two debuts this week, a trailer dropped for the upcoming Ayrton Senna mini-series, and a software update completed the Tesla Cybertruck months after deliveries began. It’s the Week in Reverse, right here at Motor Authority. The V-12 engine received a new lease on life as it was announced for two new…
EV tax credit supply chain rules ease, but China restrictions remain
In a coordinated push through federal agencies, the Biden administration on Friday released a revised set of regulations applying to the EV tax credit that will ultimately make the credit easier to claim for a wider range of vehicles in 2025 and 2026 but no easier for Chinese companies to gain a foothold on the market. The news came in updated…
Ford designing a midgate pass-through for pickup trucks
A Ford patent application for a pickup truck midgate pass-through assembly has surfaced, hinting that Ford might follow rival General Motors in adding this feature to its trucks. As described in the application, which was published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on May 2 and originally filed by Ford on Oct. 31, 2022, the…
Report: GM’s Cadillac might not go all-EV by 2030 after all
Executive comments suggest that Cadillac could continue to sell gasoline vehicles beyond its 2030 target date for going all-electric, reports Automotive News.
Cadillac boss John Roth told media during a sales and business briefing that electric and gasoline powertrains “will coexist for a number of years,” adding that “we will be offering an all-electric portfolio by the end of the decade, and we will let the customer be our guide.”
2024 Cadillac Lyriq
A Cadillac spokesperson also told media that the General Motors luxury brand has not changed its plan to introduce more EVs, but that the shift away from internal-combustion powertrains may be slower than expected, reports Automotive News.
Cadillac was the first of GM’s brands to be on board with its strong EV-focused vision, and announced plans to go all-EV by 2030 in 2019. Since then it made that target more definite, and required its dealerships to update for it—or ship out. Many dealerships opted to exit.
2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ
Cadillac didn’t have any EVs at the start of the decade. But in just a few years it’s shown five of them and put one of them on sale. The Cadillac Lyriq was first to arrive, launching for the 2023 model year.
Since then, the pace of Cadillac EV introductions has picked up. Cadillac as shown the $300,000 Celestiq flagship and the Escalade IQ as more high-end models sitting above the Lyriq, along with the Optiq and Vistiq crossovers. The Cadillac Vistiq is a bit larger than the Lyriq, while the Optiq is due to be the smallest and most affordable Cadillac EV.