Author: EVAI

Chevrolet Silverado EV prices have been reduced Chevrolet Silverado EV now has multiple battery options Silverado EV WT now available for both commercial and private buyers The Chevrolet Silverado EV enters its second year on the market with some big improvements in range and price. Chevy’s electric pickup truck arrived for the 2024 model year and…

• GM PowerBank home energy storage is now available as part of V2H bundles
• Two capacities offered—10.6 kwh and 17.7 kwh
• Automaker’s V2H bundles are now offered in all 50 states

General Motors is now rolling out its PowerBank energy-storage battery packs, providing the first real competition to the Tesla Powerwall home energy-storage system directly from an automaker.

While other vehicle brands have discussed energy-storage products, and the Ford F-150 Lightning can be had with a home backup power system, GM appears to be the first to bring automaker-branded battery packs to market in the U.S. since Tesla.

Part of GM’s big energy play that sees EVs becoming home power banks and more, PowerBanks are available in 10.6-kwh and 17.7-kwh capacities as part of vehicle-to-home bundles that also include chargers and inverters needed to connect these batteries to EVs and home electrical systems. GM previously said V2H bundles would only be available for purchase in California, Florida, Michigan, New York, and Texas, but now the company boasts 50-state availability.

General Motors energy storage hardware

Customers can also combine two 17.7-kwh packs, with the resulting 35.4 kwh enough to power the average American home for up to 20 hours, GM claims. And the available charger connects energy-storage systems to GM EVs, allowing owners to potentially tap into the entire battery capacity, which for the biggest electric trucks is up to 205 kwh.

GM confirmed last summer that it plans to expand bidirectional charging throughout its entire EV lineup—for what was called Ultium—by the 2026 model year. So owners of all new GM EVs will be able to use their vehicles as home backup power sources by that time.

GM Energy home system with PowerBank energy storage

Complete home-energy systems with PowerBank units start at $12,700. GM previously confirmed pricing of $1,699 for the Powershift Charger that’s initially mandatory to access EVs’ bidirectional charging functionality and $5,600 for the V2H Enablement Kit. The kit includes all necessary hardware for energy-storage installation, minus the battery pack itself.

Tesla currently offers one 13.5-kwh capacity for its Powerwall systems, with varied outputs of up to 11.5 kw and the ability to bundle with home solar installations. But the key difference may be interfaces, as it remains to be seen whether GM’s app can provide anything close to the easy flexibility of the Tesla app for EVs and all things energy.

2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV with GM Ultium Home energy system

GM first detailed this equipment in mid-2023. But at that time a different partner, SunPower, was due to provide installation and support. It had tested the tech leading to this equipment set with pilot programs in California starting in 2022. GM announced a switch to Qmerit as the provider this spring, and in August SunPower—one of the most popular choices for solar a decade ago—filed for bankruptcy.

• GM will drop Ultium name

• Silverado EV will qualify for tax credit

• Honda recall for steering wheel issue

Volkswagen plans to launch eight affordable electric vehicles by 2027, CEO Thomas Schåfer said in a recent interview with German publication Auto Motor und Sport (via Reuters).

“We have to produce our vehicles profitably and put them on the road at affordable prices,” Schåfer said in the interview. 

One of those affordable models will be the ID.2, which the same report said was being expedited. Development is reportedly being compressed to 36 months compared to the previously-discussed 50-month timeline. That’s likely necessary to get the electric hatchback ready for its planned 2025 unveiling.

Volkswagen ID.2all concept

VW previewed the ID.2 in 2023 with the Golf-like ID.2all concept, saying that the production version would be engineered for low production costs and a low sticker price—around $26,500. To help achieve that, the ID.2 will use a modified version of the MEB platform from current VW-brand EVs like the ID.4, called MEB Entry.

The automaker has also discussed an even cheaper EV starting at around $22,000. This could be based on the ID.Life concept VW unveiled in 2021, which the automaker said would be based on a pared-down version of the MEB platform called MEB Small.

Volkswagen ID.Life concept

It’s unclear if the ID.2 and its cheaper sibling will reach the U.S., but VW has said it’s planning an under-$35,000 EV for this market. Based on the timing discussed by VW when this model was first mentioned last November—in three to four years—it’s likely to arrive in 2027 and thus could be one of the eight models referenced by Schåfer.

Looking beyond the namesake VW brand, the Volkswagen Group aims to have 25 all-electric models for the U.S. market by 2030—all of which could qualify for the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit if produced in the U.S.

Most electric vehicles don’t have multi-speed transmissions—and don’t need them. Multiple gears may even hurt efficiency, in fact. But that hasn’t stopped Honda from experimenting with a manual transmission for electric cars.

The automaker is currently testing a manual gearbox—complete with a clutch pedal—for EVs, an engineer told The Drive during a recent media event highlighting tech features for the upcoming Honda 0 Series EVs. Honda wasn’t willing to discuss production plans, though.

Honda Series 0 prototype (Accord)

If it does make it to production, the manual transmission could be accompanied by artificial gas-engine sounds. At the same media event, Honda showed off the ability to replicate the sounds of iconic models like the S2000, CRX, and NSX-R, as well as the more recent NSX Type S and the current Civic Type R, in its EVs.

Manual transmissions may not be necessary for EV efficiency and performance, but some automotive engineers and executives believe they might be worth including in performance EVs to preserve driver involvement and cater to enthusiasts used to combustion cars.

Honda Series 0 prototype (Accord)

While he was still CEO of Toyota, Akio Toyoda championed a manual transmission with clutch pedal in EVs. In a 2023 interview, Toyoda said the goal was to replicate the full experience of a combustion-engine car—complete with stalling—minus the smell of gasoline. It was a predictable move for Toyoda. The grandson of Toyota’s founder, he’s an avid racer who during his tenure also pushed for more performance models like the revived Supra sports car.

Hyundai has already tried to achieve a similar affect without going to the extent of including physical gears and a clutch pedal. The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N features artificial shift points, accompanied by a synthetic soundtrack—all managed by software.

Nissan is recalling certain Leaf electric vehicles due to a risk of batteries overheating and catching fire while fast charging, the NHTSA disclosed this week. Owners are advised not to fast charge their vehicles until recall work is completed.

The recall includes 23,887 Leaf hatchbacks from model years 2019 and 2020, but just 1% are estimated to have the defect, according to the NHTSA. That issue is thought to be related to excessive lithium deposits in the battery cells of affected vehicles, which can increase electrical resistance—and thus heat.

2020 Nissan Leaf

The recall population includes a mix of models with the standard 40-kwh battery pack and the longer-range 60-kwh pack. In cars with the defect, operators may notice smoke, noise, interrupted charging, or smells associated with overheating components, Nissan said in documents submitted to the NHTSA. But the automaker did not say whether it was aware of any actual fires due to this issue.

Nissan is in the process of devising a software update as a fix for this problem. Said update will be installed by dealers free of charge when it’s available, which Nissan anticipates to be sometime during November.

2020 Nissan Leaf

The automaker plans to begin mailing owner notification letters explaining everything later this month. Owners can also contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or visit Nissan’s recall hub for more information. Nissan’s reference number for this recall is R24B2.

Nissan hasn’t changed the Leaf much in recent years, which has led to the hatchback becoming the last EV with CHAdeMO fast charging. The Leaf has also become one of the cheapest EVs available, even undercutting the gasoline Nissan Versa economy car at times. Already phased out in the U.K. and Europe, the Leaf may soon be replaced in this market by a slightly more crossover-influenced sequel.

General Motors on Tuesday filled in some details on plans to use cost-cutting lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells in future EVs.

Now it has a number for the level of cost-cutting that’s potentially gone into the next Bolt EV. As reported by InsideEVs, GM executives said at an investor conference that LFP cells would combine with other changes to packaging and manufacturing to cut $6,000 from the cost of making EVs, compared to current models.

2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV review update – Portland OR

GM previously indicated that it would build a “low-cost” version of the next-generation Bolt EV with LFP cells, which will likely be a key factor in making it the most affordable EV in the U.S., as GM has claimed. The new Bolt EV is expected to arrive in 2025 as a 2026 model, although it’s unclear if the LFP-powered version will be available at launch.

It should be noted that battery-related savings on the Bolt EV specifically, with its more modestly sized battery pack, likely add up to less than the potential $6,000 figure for switching chemistries.

InsideEVs also reports that GM is in talks with Japanese firm TDK Corp. to manufacture LFP cells in the U.S. using tech licensed from CATL. It was reported earlier this year that GM was seeking a U.S. battery-supply deal with CATL directly, despite “foreign entity of concern” language introduced into federal EV tax credit rules presenting a legal gray area for manufacturing of batteries derived from Chinese intellectual property.

Conceptual drawing of Ultium Cells plant in Tennessee

Roughly one-fifth of the world’s EV batteries are LFP. They’re not as dependent on nickel and cobalt, making them cheaper and less environmentally and geopolitically controversial. They’re also less prone to overheating, thermal runaway, and heat-related degradation than the nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) cells used in current GM EVs. Uptake in the U.S. has been slow, but that’s changing, with Ford already seeking to manufacture LFP cells under license from CATL.

To date, GM has focused on a specific NMC pouch cell format co-developed with LG, but in 2023 CEO Mary Barra said the automaker was flexible on battery cells and had been looking at other formats all along. Now the automaker appears ready to put its money where its mouth is, which is likely also a factor in the decision to drop the Ultium branding mostly associated with its initial pouch cells as it looks to diversify.

Uber is looking to increase utilization of EVs for its ride-sharing service, in part by updating its app to help get riders matched with EV drivers more easily.

That starts with making the Uber Green option all-electric—in some cities, at least. Uber Green currently includes both EVs and hybrids, but Uber announced Tuesday that it had enough EV drivers to go fully electric in over 40 cities globally. Prices will remain similar to the UberX fare, the company claims.

Uber and BYD

Uber is also adding a “set and forget” EV preference to its app. This automatically matches customers with an EV anytime an electric vehicle is nearby, rather than going to the Uber Green option separately. That means customers don’t have to search for an EV, although it won’t be helpful if no EVs are around when they need rides.

Instead of the typical Hyundai Ioniq 5 or equivalent, customers in certain cities will also get limited opportunities to ride in high-end EVs. Uber will launch “pop ups” with the Lotus Eletre in London and Rivian R1 models in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Miami.

Arrival Car prototype

For drivers, Uber will add an AI chatbot based on OpenAI’s GPT-4o to answer EV-specific questions, as well as an “EV mentorship program” to connect experienced EV drivers with newbies. In the U.K., 1,000 drivers will receive free home chargers from Octopus Energy and an 8% discount on public charging on that company’s network. The program is co-funded by Octopus and Chinese automaker BYD, which in August announced that it would provide 100,000 EVs to Uber and partner with the company on autonomous vehicles.

Uber has targeted all-electric rides by 2030, but will likely continue to rely on drivers choosing EVs over internal-combustion vehicles. Uber has reportedly been working on its own EVs for ride hailing for years—and showed one designed by startup Arrival in 2021—but none of them have come close to production yet. In urban areas Uber has at least been working to provide better charging facilities—like Revel’s 24/7 Manhattan station.

Bentley close to signing off on Batur Convertible development Limited-edition convertible and coupe siblings are among final Bentleys to feature venerable W-12 W-12’s replacement is a more powerful V-8 plug-in hybrid system Bentley on Tuesday announced that development work on the limited-edition Batur Convertible has reached the final stage…

• The Tesla Cybertruck’s been turned into a police car
• The Irvine Police Department took delivery of its police-spec Cybertruck
• The conversion to police spec was handled by UP.FIT

The world hasn’t gotten quite bad enough for the emergence of RoboCop, but the first police-spec Cybertruck has reported for duty in California.

In July the Irvine Police Department announced on Twitter (now known as X) it would soon take delivery of a Cybertruck. Months later, that Cybertruck is now a police utility vehicle based on a video on Facebook released on Tuesday by the Irvine Police Department.

The Irvine Police Department noted the Cybertruck would be part of its Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program and community outreach efforts. The truck will not be put into patrol or pursuit duty, but it can be used to respond to emergencies and assist the community when needed, according to the department.

UP.FIT, a division of Tesla tuner Unplugged Performance, transformed the Tesla and promoted the police-spec Cybertruck on Facebook.

UP.FIT unveiled a Cybertruck police cruiser in June, saying police departments and other agencies had already expressed interest, and that deliveries would start later this year.

Customers can spec typical police equipment, including radios and any other additional communications equipment, as well as prisoner partitions, storage for weapons and other equipment, and K9 enclosures, UP.FIT said when it unveiled the truck. The company also offers heavy-duty suspension and brake packages, as well as an off-road package.

Irvine Police Department Cybertruck police car via Unplugged Performance

Irvine Police Department Cybertruck police car via Unplugged Performance

While UP.FIT’s offering is an aftermarket conversion, Ford announced an electric police truck based on the F-150 Lightning in 2022, offered through the automaker’s Special Service Vehicle (SSV) factory upfit program. In 2021 the automaker, which has traditionally controlled a large share of the police market, showed a Mustang Mach-E police testbed, and subsequently announced that the NYPD had expressed interest in Mach-E police cars.

But other than small-scale tests, police departments have largely avoided EVs due to a lack of options for suitable vehicles, with cost being a major issue, according to a 2022 report. That changed in July when the City of South Pasadena converted its entire police fleet to electric Tesla Model 3s and Ys.

Note – This story was updated to reflect the police truck now being delivered to the Irvine Police Department