Author: EVAI

Ferrari is developing an augmented-reality display that would help coach drivers. As described in a patent application published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on April 2, and originally filed by Ferrari back in March 2021, this display would be projected through lenses attached to a helmet, and show information such as…

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Lamborghini will launch its first electric vehicle in 2028, but it won’t be one of the brand’s traditional supercars. In an interview with Bloomberg published on Sunday, Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini’s CEO, said demand for electric supercars remains nascent, and that Lamborghini plans to take a wait-and-see approach. The automaker is currently…

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The last Chevrolet Camaro left the factory in late 2023, putting the vaunted muscle-car nameplate on hiatus. But General Motors president Mark Reuss wants to see the Camaro make a comeback as an EV, according to Motor Trend.

GM would take a different approach than rival Ford, which has applied the Mustang name to the Mach-E electric crossover sold alongside the traditional gasoline coupe and convertible. Reuss’ ideal electric Camaro would be a car, not a crossover, according to Motor Trend. The Chevy Blazer EV, arguably the brand’s current rival to the Mach-E, arrived with plenty of cues carried over from the Camaro, though.

2024 Chevrolet Camaro

Unlike every production Camaro to date, though, any future electric version would reportedly have four doors. Sports cars and convertibles built on skateboard EV platforms are scarce, because of all the packaging hurdles, and sales of two-door cars don’t exactly justify extravagant engineering solutions. That still leaves room for a four-door coupe similar to the current BMW i4, though.

Instead of going for the biggest horsepower numbers and quickest acceleration, Reuss also wants a Camaro EV to go back to the nameplate’s roots, emphasizing simplicity and affordability. Reuss told Motor Trend that the base price of a Camaro EV could be similar to the $34,995 starting price of the Chevy Equinox EV crossover.

Possible electric Chevrolet Camaro in GM Ultium teaser video

With an upcoming Chevy Bolt EV, plus the Equinox EV, GM will already have several affordable EVs—both, perhaps, even by then starting under $40,000. If a Camaro-inspired model were to land in that price range too, as a car, it might pivot that performance car’s image in the right way.

While an affordable Camaro EV appears to be more a thing that Reuss would like to do versus something that’s firmly in GM’s product plan, the automaker has hinted for several years that it intends to produce lower-profile EVs based on its Ultium component set—perhaps with the cylindrical batteries it’s planning to make with Samsung.

In real-world driving range, a three-year-old Tesla Model 3 or Model Y will likely retain roughly 64% of its EPA rating, according to analysis from battery-data firm Recurrent.

Recurrent cites battery health reports from used EVs, based on observations of cars already on the road. In 898,504 observations of 7,078 Model 3 sedans and 664,642 observations of 5,120 Model Y crossovers, Recurrent found that range tended to decline steeply during the first 1,000 days, or nearly three years, of battery age, to that 64% EPA-range mark, before stabilizing.

Tesla Model Y range degradation (via Recurrent)

Tesla Model 3 range degradation (via Recurrent)

It should be noted that these vehicles don’t start at 100% of their EPA rating in real-world use—more like 70% of it, representing Tesla’s more generous adjustment factor in calculating its posted range numbers in the first place.

Lithium-ion battery degradation tends to follow an S-shaped curve, according to Recurrent. When a battery is new, there can be some noticeable degradation as it settles into a steady state, the company says, but this levels off for awhile. Ultimately, batteries will start to degrade significantly again later in life, to the point where they need to be replaced.

There’s some parallel here between EV battery degradation and overall depreciation of new cars. That also tends to be the steepest in the first three years of ownership.

2024 Tesla Model Y. – Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.

And, once again, Recurrent’s results emphasize that battery degradation is predictable and isn’t likely to “brick” your EV. And recalls aside, battery replacement is relatively rare. Outside of big recalls, Recurrent estimates that only 2.3% of EV batteries have been replaced—and most of those are in older vehicles. An estimated 13% of EVs from model year 2015 and earlier have had battery replacements, but less than 1% of 2016-and-newer EVs have needed this, according to Recurrent. And many of those replacements were under warranty.

Recurrent also reported last year that Teslas don’t seem to be affected, in terms of degradation, by frequent fast-charging, as much as other EVs. They are affected by hot weather, though, the company has found. And while cold weather doesn’t seem to be as tied to battery degradation, it can put a big dent in range, depending on the model.

EV front trunks, or frunks, provide handy storage space, but a recent Ford patent filing points to a way to make them even more useful. The filing in question outlines giving frunks climate control. It was published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on March 19 but originally filed by Ford in 2022—roughly the same…

What kind of vehicle is the 2024 Acura ZDX? What does it compare to? Acura’s first electric vehicle, the 2024 ZDX is comparable in size to the three-row Acura MDX but sits five people in two rows of seats. Rivals range from the related Cadillac Lyriq to the Audi Q8 E-Tron and Tesla Model Y electric crossovers. Is the 2024 Acura ZDX a good…

Automakers might be losing younger EV shoppers over the lack of affordable models. A Honda hydrogen semi kicks off a new fuel-cell push for the brand.  And megawatt charging for big electric trucks is finally starting to arrive. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. 

Versus last year, interest in EVs is waning, according to a new J.D. Power study. Its analysts saw a decline in consideration of EVs by new-car shoppers for the first time since it started tracking it in 2021, and it suggests it’s partly related to the lack of affordable EVs—an especially important aspect for younger Gen Z and Gen Y shoppers. 

After several years, charging hardware and stations that use the Megawatt Charging Standard (MCS) are starting to roll out. These stations, and their corresponding faster charging rates for big electric trucks, may render the superior fueling speeds of comparable hydrogen vehicles a moot point. 

Today Honda is introducing a hydrogen fuel-cell semi project at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) expo for fleet vehicles, and it signals the start of a new project and the company’s emphasis of fuel-cell tech for uses beyond passenger vehicles. 

And just before the weekend we learned about final class-action settlement documents that mean many Chevy Bolt EV owners might get up to $1,400. The settlement money will even apply to those who’ve already received a completely new battery. 

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