Author: EVAI

This week we traveled to the western edge of Montana near the Blackfoot River to soak in the latest version of the Subaru Forester, details of which we’ll be sharing May 6. Toyota made news with a big investment in its Princeton, Ind., factory, where it makes its three-row passenger cars in the Sienna, Highlander, and Grand Highlander, and where…

Which automaker priced its hardware set allowing its EVs to back up the home?

Which EV brand has the lowest ownership costs of any automotive brand?

This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending April 26, 2024.

The Tesla Model Y undercuts the Model 3 by $5,000—for those who are EV tax credit eligible—under the latest round of Tesla price cuts made last weekend. With it, the base Model Y rear-wheel drive could cost just $37,130, with other state incentives yet to be deducted. Tesla has also dropped the price of what it calls Full Self Driving to $8,000, but it’s eliminated the popular $6,000 Enhanced Autopilot option.

Toyota confirmed a second 3-row U.S.-made electric SUV—in Princeton, Indiana, starting in 2026. That complements the other Toyota 3-row electric SUV set to be made in Kentucky in 2025. According to reports, the Indiana-built EV could be a Highlander EV, while the Kentucky model might incorporate all the leading-edge manufacturing methods Toyota has suggested in recent years are on the way. 

Michelin Uptis airless prototype tires

Michelin believes that airless tires are the future. But with this tech that could be especially well-suited for robotaxis, EVs, and more still under development and at the prototype stage, the company is also focusing on other tech like sustainable materials and retreads. 

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G-Class EV made its debut this week. Although it’s missing the silicon-anode battery chemistry the automaker suggested this model would debut, it’s going to be a serious rival to the Rivian R1S, GMC Hummer EV, and Tesla Cybertruck. Badged the G 580 with EQ Technology, this model will allow a trick G-Turn on low-friction surfaces, and it might return more than 300 miles of EPA range. 

2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology

The Mini Aceman urban EV also made a bow in production form, and it quite closely follows the 2022 concept car of the same name. If this model arrives in the U.S., it would fit between the Cooper and Countryman in the brand’s lineup. 

And Mazda has applied its design flair to an EZ-6 electric sedan that incorporates tech from China’s Changan Automobile. Although its range figures far more effectively represent what American buyers might seek in an EV,  Mazda hasn’t yet confirmed plans for any markets outside China. 

2025 Mazda EZ-6

Honda plans to create an $11 billion EV hub in Canada. Set to ramp up in 2028, the Ontario hub could potentially build up to 240,000 EVs per year, and see that as the demand for Honda EVs builds, they’d be American-made. 

Hyundai is testing a window-tinting film that might save energy in EVs and gasoline models alike, by reducing the dependence on air conditioning. It specifically blocks external heat and radiates heat outward by reflecting at near-infrared wavelengths. 

Tesla revealed its Tesla Model 3 Performance on Wednesday. With a dedicated track mode, an adaptive suspension, and various other improvements already gained by the refreshed Model 3 “Highland,” the Model 3 Performance looks a step closer to a luxury car while upping its performance. It might also be EV tax-credit-eligible while other Model 3 versions aren’t. 

Tesla Model 3 Performance

Vietnam’s Vinfast announced Tuesday that it has signed a dozen new U.S. dealerships to sell its EVs. With the expansion, it will have 18 franchised dealerships in addition to 15 company-owned stores in California. Cinfast has delivered only a fraction of the 100,000 vehicles it targets globally this year, so the sales push might help simply get them out in front of shoppers.  

GM this past week released details regarding the home energy backup functionality that’s available for its Chevy Silverado EV RST electric pickup as vehicle-to-home (V2H). Does it make sense versus other EVs claiming this skill set—or home battery systems like the Tesla Powerwall?

GM Energy – Chevy Silverado EV energy management system

According to the International Energy Agency, in an annual report and forecast out this week, EVs are set for 11% of the U.S. vehicle share, and about 20% of all cars sold globally. Because of all the battery investment, automaker commitments, and emissions regulations, half of new vehicles sold globally could be EVs, it says.

More lower-priced Ford EVs are on the way, the automaker said, as it reported a massive loss on its EVs for the first quarter of the year. As executives explained, Ford has managed to cut costs with the Mustang Mach-E EV, but it can’t keep up with the price cuts needed to stay competitive. 

The U.K.-based company that now owns Protean in-wheel motors has showcased a Land Rover Defender EV conversion that doesn’t gain weight in the translation. Although it’s modest in its electric range, the idea acts as a technology proof point and, perhaps, a lot more. 

Land Rover Defender EV conversion by Bedeo

According to an assessment by Consumer Reports, Tesla has the lowest ownership costs of any brand. Teslas average just $4,035 in maintenance costs over 10 years, which puts the brand well ahead of other brands—even Toyota.

And Disneyland has now confirmed that its Autopia ride will go fully electric in 2026. The attraction for kids, started with sponsorship by an oil company, has run for decades with internal combustion mini-cars, but it’s supposed to represent the future.

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Lamborghini overhauled the Urus for 2025 and added a plug-in hybrid powertrain in the process. The new Urus SE hybrid grade pairs the familiar twin-turbocharged V-8 with a single electric motor for a combined output of 789 hp. Aston Martin also updated its DBX for 2025. The SUV is now being offered exclusively in range-topping DBX707 form, and…

Formula E debuted an updated, quicker version of its electric race car ahead of the series’ 2024 Monaco E-Prix race. The Gen 3 Evo will debut in Season 11, which starts later this year and runs into 2025, replacing the current version of the Gen 3 that was introduced for Season 9. Formula E will continue requiring all teams to use the same chassis…

We drove the 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, the 2025 Ram 1500 RHO debuted, and the 2025 Nissan Frontier broke cover. It’s the Week in Reverse, right here at Motor Authority. We slid behind the wheel of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro for a first taste of next-gen off-road pickup. The latest Tacoma TRD Pro is new for the first time in what feels like…

Ram has been spotted testing a prototype for an updated 2500 HD. The particular prototype is for the Rebel grade, but most of the styling tweaks should feature on the heavy-duty pickup’s other grades. A debut for the 2026 model year is likely for the updated 2500 HD range. It will be the most significant update for the current pickup which first…

Ford EVs are losing money, but hope is on the way with a next generation of vehicles. Mazda shows an appealing electric sedan so far limited to China. Toyota plans a second U.S.-made three-row electric SUV. And Honda is creating another EV hub in Canada. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. 

More lower-priced Ford EVs are on the way, the automaker said, as it reported a massive loss on its EVs for the first quarter of the year. As executives explained, Ford has managed to cut costs with the Mustang Mach-E EV, but it can’t keep up with the price cuts needed to stay competitive. 

Mazda has applied its design flair to an EZ-6 electric sedan that incorporates tech from China’s Changan Automobile. Although its range figures far more effectively represent what American buyers might seek in an EV,  Mazda hasn’t yet confirmed plans for any markets outside China. 

Toyota confirmed a second 3-row U.S.-made electric SUV—in Princeton, Indiana, starting in 2026. That complements the other Toyota 3-row electric SUV set to be made in Kentucky in 2025. According to reports, the Indiana-built EV could be a Highlander EV, while the Kentucky model might incorporate all the leading-edge manufacturing methods Toyota has suggested in recent years are on the way. 

And Honda plans to create an $11 billion EV hub in Canada. Set to ramp up in 2028, the Ontario hub could potentially build up to 240,000 EVs per year, and see that as the demand for Honda EVs builds, they’d be American-made. 

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Honda on Thursday announced plans to push its EV supply chain into Canada, in a move that it said “represents recognition of the long-term attractiveness of the Canadian EV manufacturing ecosystem.”

The investment is significant—$11 billion US, including investments by joint-venture partners—but it doesn’t yet actually commit to an EV assembly plant. Honda says that it “has begun evaluating the requirements to build an innovative and environmentally responsible Honda EV plant and stand-alone Honda EV battery plant in Alliston, Ontario.”

That said, it does set an expected start date of 2028 for the plant, which it says would make up to 240,000 EVs per year, with the EV battery plant making up to 36 gigawatt-hours per year. Honda would maintain the current employee level of 4,200 at the plant but add 1,000 new jobs for EV and EV battery-related facilities. 

Honda Saloon Concept – 2024 CES

What’s proposed would also include a battery materials processing plant with South Korea’s POSCO, plus a joint-venture battery separator plant with Japanese chemical giant Asahi Kasei, and Honda says it would lead to “significant spinoff jobs” around the sites.

It’s unclear whether next-generation batteries will play a big role at this new plant. Honda is developing its own solid-state EV batteries and sees them as a key to enabling more affordable small EVs by 2030. 

The automaker notes that it’s seeking incentives from Canada and the province of Ontario for the facilities. 

In the meantime, in its first move toward U.S. EV mass production, Honda is establishing an EV Hub in Ohio that will spend $700 million to retool three of its plants there and build a new $3.5 billion joint-venture battery plant with LG Energy Solution. Those facilities will have flexibility to mix gasoline models and EVs on the same production line, and Honda recently said that the first facility, at Marysville, Ohio, will have the capability to make hundreds of EVs per day. 

Honda 0 Saloon concept

In Ohio, it will assemble EVs built on Honda’s next-generation EV platform—incorporating a new die-cast process with mega-casting machines larger than what Tesla is using in Texas. Across all of the Ohio EV Hub plants, based on battery capacity, Honda would be able to make 300,000 to 500,000 EVs annually. 

Under a separate arrangement, Honda will also be assembling EVs for Sony-Honda Mobility, with those vehicles bearing the Afeela name and showcasing a new vision for in-car entertainment drawing from Sony’s strengths. 

Does automatic emergency braking (AEB) help cars avoid crashes at higher speeds? The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that, like your mileage, your crash results may vary. A new study released Thursday found that increased speeds diminished the efficacy of stopping in nine out of ten popular crossover SUVs tested by the…

In its quarterly earnings call this week, Ford reported significant losses on EVs—but still promised lower-priced models.

As reported by CNN, Ford said its EV unit lost $1.3 billion in the first quarter, or $132,000 for each of the roughly 10,000 EVs sold by the automaker during that period. Sales were down 20% from a year earlier, but revenue was down 84%, something Ford attributed to industry-wide EV price cuts.

2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E

Ford CEO Jim Farley predicted an EV price war in 2022, although it doesn’t seem like the automaker was able to prepare for it. On the earnings call, Ford CFO John Lawler said the automaker has removed $5,000 in cost from the Mustang Mach-E crossover, but the revenue drop is happening faster than cost removals like this can happen.

Instead of waiting for the traditional mid-cycle refresh, Ford has incrementally re-engineered the Mach-E to lower manufacturing costs, and it’s cut Mach-E prices. But the automaker still has to recoup hundreds of millions of dollars invested in development of next-generation EVs, and that’s not likely to happen for years, CNN noted.

2024 Ford F-150 Lightning

These next-generation EVs will reportedly prioritize both profitability and lower prices, while a more expensive, next-generation electric pickup truck to follow the F-150 Lightning and a three-row SUV have been delayed.

Farley has also said cost parity with internal-combustion vehicles might not happen until 2030, although plans for an LFP battery plant in Michigan that Ford sees as key for EV affordability might accelerate that. But what might really solve the problem of EV profitability is the arrival of higher-volume models than the current Mach-E and Lightning.