Author: EVAI
Mercedes’ F1 boss Toto Wolff wants Max Verstappen
Mercedes-AMG is waiting to see if reigning F1 Max Verstappen chooses to leave Red Bull before making any other driver moves for the 2025 season, boss Toto Wolff said in a recent interview with Racer. “He’s the leading driver,” Wolff said, adding that Verstappen may not leave Red Bull, where he’s contracted until the end of the 2028 season. But the…
Report: Trump offered to nix EV incentives for $1B donation from Big Oil
At a meeting with top oil executives at his Mar-a-Lago club last month, Donald Trump offered to reverse Biden administration environmental policies in exchange for a $1 billion donation to his presidential re-election campaign, the Washington Post reports.
The donation would be a “deal,” Trump said, because of the taxation and regulation oil companies would avoid because of him, according to the report, which cited people with knowledge of the conversation who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Under this quid pro quo, Trump reportedly said he would scrap stricter EPA emissions rules anticipated to drive up sales of electric cars—something he is quite critical of—through the beginning of the next decade (while stopping short of an EV mandate) as well as end the Biden administration’s freeze on permits for new liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports and auction off more leases for oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
Oil field (Image: Flickr user johnny choura, used under CC license)
Under Biden, the U.S. is now producing more oil than any country ever has, at nearly 13 million barrels per day last year, the report noted. ExxonMobil and Chevron—the two largest U.S. energy companies—also reported their biggest profits in a decade last year. But the oil industry has still complained about Biden policies—particularly the new EPA emissions rules.
Yet oil companies have been hesitant to fund Trump’s campaign, according to the report. Oil interests contributed more than $6.4 million to Trump’s joint fundraising committee in the first three months of this year, according to an analysis by the advocacy group Climate Power. In contrast, one oil executive reportedly said in the Mar-a-Lago meeting that the industry has spent $400 million on lobbying the Biden administration this year.
It’s worth remembering that these companies diversified their investments, becoming “energy companies” rather than oil companies, and gasoline is seen as a legacy business—nevertheless one that will be important for a long time. So it’s not surprising that they didn’t immediately get on board with Trump’s offer.
BP to purchase Tesla chargers
Were oil executives to take the former president up on said offer, they would be reasonably assured that he’d follow through. During the last Trump presidency, his agencies attempted to revoke California’s emissions authority—and failed—and delayed the imposition of higher fines for automakers that failed to meet emissions targets.
If re-elected, elimination of stricter emissions rules and EV-friendly policies might not be the only way Trump disrupts the auto industry. He’s announced that he will seek a 100% tariff on Chinese vehicles—even if they’re made in Mexico—with some indications he may try to go further in dismantling what’s left of NAFTA, which allows Mexico-built vehicles from other global automakers at no tariff and eligible for some federal incentives.
BP seeks stranded Tesla Supercharger sites in $1B EV charging buildout
BP is eying Tesla Supercharger sites as part of a planned expansion of the oil giant’s U.S. charging network, Bloomberg reports.
The company said it “is aggressively looking to acquire real estate to scale our network, which is a heightened focus following the recent Tesla announcement.”
Tesla CEO Elon Musk earlier this month fired most of the Tesla Supercharger team in a shift away from further fast-paced growth of the public charging network. BP now appears ready to capitalize on that.
“If there are stranded real estate partners who are looking for someone to call, they should feel free to pick up the phone and call me or look me up on LinkedIn,” Sujay Sharma, CEO of BP Pulse Americas, the corporate arm in charge of the company’s U.S. charging network, said in an interview with Bloomberg.
Highway sign for electric-car fast-charging station at BP in Metrolina area of Charlotte, NC
BP reportedly plans to spend $1 billion by 2030, half of that amount within the next two or three years, to install over 3,000 chargers in the U.S. That will include large-scale sites with 12 or more chargers that BP calls Gigahubs.
It first offered EV charging in 2010 and started a serious push in 2017. BP sees EV charging as a business line bound for profitability, with one executive saying in 2022 that chargers were already almost as profitable as gasoline pumps. It’s not the only oil company enthusiastic about charging: Shell announced earlier this year that it’s shedding some gas stations in favor of EV charging.
Nissan Leaf electric car using DC fast-charging station at BP in Metrolina area of Charlotte, NC
The BP charging buildout will be complemented by expansion plans from dedicated charging networks. Electrify America, which was created as part of a fine for Volkswagen’s diesel-emissions cheating, also this week confirmed an expansion push through this year. And Ionna, the national EV charging network funded by investments from seven automakers, is looking to open its first stations this year, on the way to a minimum of 30,000 fast-chargers across North America.
Automaker commitments to the Tesla North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector means, regardless of the gutting of the Tesla Supercharger team, NACS will likely continue to proliferate on these alternative networks. But when it comes to reliability, merely switching to the NACS connector won’t solve much; it’s about interoperability and keeping on top of the software updates to enable that—plus maintenance.
Guest commentary: Go back to basics — with a twist — to thrive in today’s buyer’s market
The shift to a buyer’s market from a seller’s market in the automotive retail space is nothing new. But there’s new technology to help a dealership get back to the basics but with added horsepower behind it.
Bentley Edition 8 collection bids farewell to pure V-8 power
Bentley on Thursday revealed new Edition 8 versions of its Continental GT, Continental GT Convertible, and Flying Spur to mark the end of the road for those models powered solely by a V-8 engine. Updated versions of those cars are due later this year, and while they will still come with a V-8, the engine will be teamed with a plug-in hybrid…
Hyundai Ioniq 6 review, cheaper California charging, EV flame retardants: Today’s Car News
The Hyundai Ioniq 6 is a strong alternative to the Tesla Model 3. California shows ho it can make home EV charging cheaper. And are EV interiors—and car interiors in general—making us sick? This and more, here at Green Car Reports.
In a follow-up Hyundai Ioniq 6 test drive, Green Car Reports found that this electric sedan goes the distance for a competitive price—with more range in the real world, or by ratings, versus the Tesla Model 3. But the Ioniq 6 doesn’t quite get it right on all its details.
Residential electricity rates throughout the nation have soared over the past couple of years. Meanwhile, California is seeking to cut the cost of home EV charging through a fixed-charge plan—essentially a package of energy for a flat, reduced fee, with the cost even less for low-income households.
And are the flame retardants in vehicle cabins making us sick? Citing studies and investigations, Consumer Reports is calling on the federal government to reevaluate the standards, which were adopted in 1971 and haven’t changed much since. What’s more, the chemicals intended to curb a gasoline-fueled fire might not even be relevant in EVs.
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Review: 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV rules as king of off-road hill
If not for its width and weight, the 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV would be the most off-road-capable passenger vehicle direct from the factory on sale today. It climbs more assuredly than a stock Wrangler Rubicon or Bronco Raptor, it negotiates obstacles more easily and more safely than a Rivian R1S, and don’t even come at me with a Cyberfridge…
2024 Hyundai Sonata
What kind of vehicle is the 2024 Hyundai Sonata What does it compare to? Sold in SEL, N Line, SEL Hybrid and Limited Hybrid trims, the Hyundai Sonata midsize sedan sports a new look with an updated interior and three powertrain options, including a hybrid, that should keep it competitive with the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, and…
Test drive: 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6 overshadows Model 3
With more range, better functionality, actual style thanks to a better design, and competitive price, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 just makes better sense than the Tesla Model 3.
But that style does come at a price for taller passengers; Tesla has upped its interior-material game; and the car that’s so forward-thinking still lacks some tech polish found in Tesla and other competitors.
Here are the pros and cons of living with the 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6 after shuttling the kids around town and running errands for a week.
2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6
2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6
2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6
Pro: Ioniq 6 design stands out
At best the Model 3 is clean and inoffensive, and at worst it’s boring and anonymous. The Hyundai Ioniq 6 just looks cool, and its design is functional to boot. It’s more aerodynamic than the Model 3, and it’s one of the most aerodynamic vehicles in production today. Its streamliner design features a front end that arguably has Porsche Panamera and GM EV1 vibes. The rear end harkens back to the Infiniti J30 and finishes it off with a ducktail spoiler. The signature Ioniq chiclet LED light signatures front and back are intricate, neat details that catch the eye.
2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6
Con: Aerodynamics cost some headroom
Taller occupants in front will be just fine, but the slippery design severely impacts rear headroom. It’s the fast roofline in the rear that causes the issue. At 5-foot-10 my head skims the headliner. Anybody 6-foot and over is going to have an issue with comfort, let alone bumps in the road.
2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6
Pro: Hyundai pairs function with form
The Ioniq 6 features a low dashboard and cowl for terrific visibility, a wall of glass with two 12.3-inch screens together comprising the digital gauge cluster and touchscreen infotainment system, and plenty of neat bitmap squares around the interior to match the exterior lighting elements. But unlike the Model 3 it also has buttons, knobs, and toggles for essential functions like climate and audio controls.
2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6
2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6
Con: Hyundai’s Ioniq 6 materials are a mixed bag
There’s zero scratch-prone shiny piano-black plastic in the Ioniq 6, which is great. And the center console in my test car had a matte-finish plastic trim surround that borderline felt like concrete. It was neat. But the Ioniq 6 Limited Long Range with 20-inch wheels, as tested, cost $55,010, and the dashboard, door uppers, and other trim bits didn’t go with the price tag and were mostly hard plastic. The Tesla Model 3 received a refresh that upgraded the car’s interior materials at least a half step above this.
2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6
Pro: Ioniq 6 range goes the distance for a competitive price
The Ioniq 6 has an EPA-rated range of up to 361 miles and costs $43,600 including an $1,150 destination charge. That’s far more than any Tesla Model 3. There’s a base model Ioniq 6 that costs $38,050, undercutting the Model 3, but it only has 240 miles of range. Tesla’s adjustment factor applied in calculating most of its official EPA range numbers means you’re simply more likely to see the Ioniq approach these numbers in real-world driving.
The Long-Range dual-motor Ioniq 6 I had carried an EPA range rating of 270 miles. In good weather I’ve seen an average over 3.0 mi/kwh, while in cold weather with temps hovering in the mid to low 30s with this car I saw that drop to 2.6 or 2.7 mi/kwh in mixed suburban driving. Neither of those quite match its EPA number, but that’s competitive.
2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6
Con: Hyundai EV app and infotainment
Somehow Hyundai’s car of the future doesn’t feature wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Both require a wired USB-A connection, which boggles the mind.
The Hyundai iOS app to control the car was fine, but certainly not in the same league as what Tesla’s developed, or even what Rivian and Lucid are running. Even Ford’s app for the Mustang Mach-E is more polished and quicker. The iOS app is slow, requires loading constantly, then confirmation for functions such as starting the heat ahead of time. It’s clunky and feels a full step behind competitors.
The Tesla Model 3, for now, might be easier to live with on the basis of the Supercharging network and a better app experience, but both of these merits are fleeting. The Ioniq 6 brings style, range, and efficiency in a swoopy package for a competitive price. It should be on the shopping list.
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2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6 Limited Long Range AWD
Base price: $43,600, including a $1,150 destination fee
Price as tested: $55,010
Drivetrain: 320 hp combined, dual-motor AWD
EPA range: 270 miles
The hits: Stylish design, efficient, real buttons, good range and price
The misses: Mediocre iOS app, wired CarPlay, some cheap plastics, rear headroom