Author: EVAI

• Acura teased an electric SUV concept that will debut in Monterey next week
• The production version of the electric SUV concept will ride on Acura and Honda’s own BEV platform
• Acura will build the electric SUV in its Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio

Acura is due to debut an electric SUV concept at this month’s 2024 Monterey Car Week, and Friday it teased the upcoming EV in a photo.

Although the teaser photo doesn’t reveal much, Acura has confirmed that the depicted vehicle is based on an in-house-developed dedicated EV platform, and destined to spawn a production model to be built in Ohio.

Acura and its Honda parent have been slow to bring credible electric vehicles to the market, at least in the U.S., but they plan to accelerate things this decade.

The new EV push has already started with the 2024 Acura ZDX and 2024 Honda Prologue, though both SUVs ride on General Motors’ Ultium EV platform and battery technology set and are built at GM plants.

For their next generation of EVs, Acura and Honda plan their own platform, and in the U.S. production will take place at a revamped Marysville Auto Plant in Ohio. The batteries will also be sourced from an Ohio plant Honda is establishing with LG.

The platform will feature an electric and electronic (E&E) architecture that will utilize Honda’s own vehicle operating system and in-vehicle software, including a new generation of user interface and digital services. The platform is flexible enough to support vehicles in various segments, though the first vehicles will be in the “mid-to-large” segments, Honda has confirmed. The targeted range will be 300 miles or more.

The first Honda vehicle to ride on the platform is expected to be a member of the recently announced 0 (Zero) Series family of EVs. The first 0 Series EV will be a U.S.-built model starting sales in 2026, and that’s likely when the Acura SUV previewed by the concept will also arrive at showrooms.

Monterey Car Week runs Aug. 9-18 and includes multiple car-enthusiast events like The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering and the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Acura hasn’t said at which event the concept will be presented, but these showcases of luxury and performance auto enthusiasm are a great place to usher in a formative EV.

Electric cars and plug-in hybrids outsold non-hybrid internal-combustion cars in China—the world’s largest new-car market—in July, reports Reuters. Sales of plug-in cars increased 37% last month from the same period a year earlier, reaching a record 50.7% market share, according to the report, which cites data from the China Passenger…

The 2025 Subaru Outback and 2025 Subaru Crosstrek both channel the same kind of rugged crossover appeal, offering the layout and interior accommodations of a roomy hatchback or wagon, combined with all-weather all-wheel-drive capability and lots of ground clearance. In both cases, these models offer a lot of value for the money and have a robust…

Stellantis aftermarket division Mopar has expanded its lineup of crate engines with the new Hurricane inline-6. The Hurricane is a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 that’s slowly making its way into Stellantis vehicles as a replacement for the automaker’s V-8 lineup, including eventually in the redesigned Dodge Charger where it will be offered…

As automakers and charging networks move to adopt the Tesla North American Charging Standard (NACS) for EV fast charging, ChargePoint is releasing new hardware that combines Tesla and non-Tesla connector types.

The ChargePoint Omni Port can accommodate NACS and Combined Charging Standard (CCS) connectors, as well as the SAE J1772 connector for AC charging that is normally incorporated into CCS ports. The Omni Port will be incorporated into new charging stations, and retrofitted to some existing stations, ChargePoint said in a press release.

ChargePoint Omni Port

Drivers simply enter their vehicle’s make and model into the ChargePoint app and tap to start charging. The charging station will then automatically release the correct connector for their vehicle. This is similar to what Tesla does with its Magic Dock, and it could help eliminate hassles in charging at sites with multiple connector types.

With all necessary hardware permanently attached to each charging station, drivers don’t need to find a parking spot that matches their vehicle’s connector type, or deal with adapters that could get lost or stolen. Omni Port is also UL-approved, so drivers don’t have to worry about cheap adapters that aren’t up to safety standards.

Porsche Macan EV at ChargePoint charger

Omni Port connectors will begin shipping by the end of 2024, ChargePoint said. The company will also retrofit them onto its existing CP6000 Level 2 AC public charger and Express Plus Power Link 2000 DC fast charger at a “nominal cost” to operators. 

As of June 2024, ChargePoint includes a total of 62,536 chargers across 34,569 locations, according to the Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center. That breaks out to 2,783 locations with DC fast charging and 31,789 with AC charging. Achieving decent reliability for those stations across different makes and models with different charge ports will be a challenge, but streamlined hardware seems like a good start.

• Tesla charger network’s appeal

• Record profit for Honda

• EVs and factory utilization

• Sustainability’s cost benefits

• 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe

Tesla customers will soon use home energy-storage systems to support the Texas power grid.

A partnership between Tesla Electric, a retail electricity provider operated by the automaker’s Tesla Energy, and solar company SunRun announced Tuesday is enrolling customers a program that will use Tesla Powerwall battery packs to supplement the grid during periods of high demand.

Tesla Powerwall – Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.

SunRun said that it has already enrolled 150 of its customers, and plans to further ramp up enrollments from there. Enrollment is open to SunRun customers who have that company’s solar panels connected to Tesla Powerwall batteries, and who have chosen Tesla Electric as their electricity provider.

While the company is enrolling them, these customers will actually be participating in a pilot program run by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the state’s electricity grid. They’ll receive $400 per Powerwall for participating in the program for the 2024 calendar year. SunRun will also earn incremental revenue from the program.

Tesla Powerwall – Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.

Battery backups can help bolster the grid in the event of severe weather, SunRun noted. Just three weeks ago, Hurricane Beryl caused power outages that, the company said, impacted nearly three million homes and businesses. And in 2021 a winter storm knocked out large portions of the Texas power grid.

This marks SunRun’s first pilot program in Texas, but the company has experience with home backup batteries. SunRun is Ford’s preferred installer for the backup power system sold with the F-150 Lightning, which was also used in a 2022 study by California utility Pacific Gas & Electric looking at how such hardware could interconnect with the grid. SunRun also provided free battery backup systems to low-income households in California through a state-funded program announced in 2020.

Ford’s version of the Explorer built for police agencies all around the country has been enhanced for the 2025 model year. Known as the Ford Police Interceptor Utility, the Explorer police cruiser misses out on tweaks made to the civilian Explorer for 2025, like revised styling and a new infotainment screen, but there are key updates that will…

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