Category: General

Struggling electric vehicle startup Canoo has filed for bankruptcy and ceased all operations.

The startup announced its filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Jan. 17 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Delaware. This will result in the federal appointment of a trustee to oversee the liquidation of Canoo’s assets and distribution of proceeds to creditors, the startup confirmed in a press release.

Canoo attributed the decision to declare bankruptcy to unsuccessful efforts to secure additional funding from a Department of Energy loan program and foreign investors. Canoo went public four years ago, raising an estimated $600 million, but the cash-intensive process of developing and manufacturing new vehicles left it looking for other funding sources.

Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle

Canoo has claimed to have substantial numbers of orders from customers like Walmart, but has only managed to deliver small numbers of demonstration vehicles, including to NASA, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Postal Service. It’s mainly focused on electric vans built atop a skateboard chassis, but it also produced two pickup-truck designs, the latter intended for military use and only produced in prototype form.

As first reported by TechCrunch, Canoo’s bankruptcy filing reveals the startup owes approximately $164 million to creditors while holding assets valued at $126 million.

Canoo in December furloughed 82 employees and idled an assembly facility in Oklahoma, then quickly placed the remaining employees on what it called a “mandatory unpaid break.” Earlier in the year, it purchased equipment from defunct U.K. startup Arrival for use at the Oklahoma facility.

Canoo American Bulldog

In 2017, the company was started as Evelozcity by several former Faraday Future executives, although most of the contingent that launched it left some time ago. That’s coincided with a change in direction under current CEO Tony Aquila, who pivoted Canoo from its original plan of selling van-like EVs on a subscription basis toward commercial vehicles and government contracts.

While the broad-strokes plan to manufacture commercial vehicles has remained the same under Aquila’s leadership, the details have changed. Canoo revealed production plans with the Netherlands’ VDL, then canceled them, with a following corporate move to Arkansas and then Texas.

The Michigan State Police (MSP) has acquired its first electric patrol vehicle, joining a growing number of police departments utilizing electric vehicles.

A 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E modified for police use has been assigned to the MSP’s State Security Operations Section to be used by properties security officers at state-owned and leased facilities around Michigan’s capital of Lansing, according to a Jan. 13 press release.

2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E police pilot vehicle

The Michigan State Police is known for conducting through testing of all new police vehicles, and has been testing EVs since 2022. But until now its only deviation from traditional internal-combustion has been with hybrid police cars.

Police departments in other parts of the country are ahead of Michigan in that regard. Ford has been pitching the Mustang Mach-E as a police car since 2021, and the New York Police Department (NYPD) has since acquired a few. Ford also offers a police version of the F-150 Lightning pickup truck, and has said it’s considering “purpose-built electric police vehicles” as well.

2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E police pilot vehicle

Given the state’s leadership in EV sales for civilians, several California police departments operate electric cars—with at least one municipality boasting an all-electric fleet. These tend to be Tesla Model 3 and Model Y crossovers modified by aftermarket companies, which some police departments have said are less than ideal for the job.

Police departments still don’t have many other choices for electric cars, though. It’s unclear whether the Tesla Cybertruck will prove more suitable for police work than the automaker’s smaller vehicles. But Stellantis has teased a possible police version of the all-electric Dodge Charger Daytona, which could make for a more reasonable replacement for previous-generation gasoline Charger sedans as they cycle out of service.

The 2025 BMW i7—an all-electric version of the automaker’s flagship 7-Series—carries over to the new model year unchanged.

Listed pricing even remains the same, although an increase of the mandatory destination charge from $995 to $1,175 somewhat bumps up the effective cost of an i7. The three-tier lineup still starts with the single-motor rear-wheel-drive i7 eDrive50, which now costs $106,875 with the higher destination charge.

2025 BMW i7

The dual-motor all-wheel-drive i7 xDrive60 increases output from the rear-wheel-drive model’s 449 hp to 536 hp at a cost of $125,375. This is the version we initially drove when the i7 launched as a 2023 model, and we found it shockingly good considering that it shares so much with gasoline 7-Series sedans.

For 2024, BMW added a sportier dual-motor i7 M70 with 650 hp, which the automaker claims will get this version of the i7 from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds. It returns for 2025 with a $169,675 sticker price, once destination is factored in.

2025 BMW i7

All i7 models use a 101.7-kwh battery pack that delivers a maximum 314 miles of EPA range in eDrive50 models with 19-inch wheels (the smallest available). The xDrive60 and M70 max out at 311 miles and 285 miles, respectively. Again, that’s dependent on wheel choice. The i7 has an 11-kw onboard charger and can DC fast-charge at up to 195 kw—allowing it to gain 80 miles of range in 10 minutes, according to BMW.

The i7 represents one of multiple course corrections BMW has made with its EV plans. After relatively slow sales of the i3 hatchback, BMW refocused on EVs based on combustion models, yielding the i7 and other current models like the i4 and i5. But BMW is returning to dedicated EVs with its Neue Klasse models, the first of which is now in pre-production, for the European market, ahead of a planned launch there later this year.

Battery supplier SK On recently gave an update on its research into solid-state batteries for electric vehicles, claiming “breakthroughs” that could bring these batteries closer to production-readiness.

In a press release, SK On said it’s developing two types of solid-state batteries: one with a sulfide-based electrolyte, and one with an oxide-based electrolyte, with “commercial prototypes” expected by 2027 and 2029, respectively. The company aims to complete a solid-state battery pilot plant at its research center in Daejeon, South Korea, later this year.

This timeline will be made possible in part by the aforementioned breakthroughs, which SK On claims will allow a longer life cycle for solid-state batteries in the near future. They come from separate studies into methods for improving the robustness of both solid-state chemistries it plans to commercialize.

BlueOvalSK Battery Park – rendering, September 2021

In one study, SK On claims to have gotten encouraging results from photonic sintering of oxide-based electrolyte materials, a process the company says could address the brittleness of material produced using current methods, while potentially reducing costs. Testing was done with a hybrid solid-state battery cell that used a gel electrolyte, but SK On appears to believe that the results extend to all-solid-state batteries as well.

Researchers also tested lithium- and manganese-rich layered oxide (LMRO) cathodes for sulfide-based solid-state batteries. With a special coating applied to prevent oxidization of the sulfide electrolyte, SK On claims to have reached a satisfactory life cycle for these cells.

BlueOvalSK Battery Park – rendering, September 2021

It’s not unusual for startups to hype their achievements in the name of survival, but SK On is a large, established battery manufacturer that’s generally more conservative. So a declaration of breakthroughs from this company—which has automotive customers like Ford, Ferrari, and Hyundai—is a big deal.

The race to develop commercially-viable solid-state batteries has attracted a field of competitors ranging from startups and established firms like SK On to automakers themselves. Both Honda and Toyota are planning to produce solid-state batteries in-house, albeit likely on a small scale, by the end of the decade. Other automakers, such as Stellantis and Volkswagen, are allying with startups for access to the tech.

Stellantis has reportedly cancelled a bigger-battery version of the Ram 1500 REV electric pickup truck that the automaker previously said would offer 500 miles of range.

According to a Wednesday Mopar Insiders report, the truck brand is now telling suppliers that the long-range model has been cancelled, and to cease work and spending on any parts related to it. A Stellantis spokesperson would only say Ram’s decision to launch the Ramcharger first and shift focus is driven by consumer interest.

2025 Ram 1500 REV

The report to drop the bigger battery leaves the 168-kwh pack—also double-layer—which Ram previously estimated would deliver up to 350 miles of range. That’s less than the Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra EV twins and Rivian R1T, but the Ram 1500 REV does at least offer 800-volt charging that Stellantis previously said could recover 110 miles of range in 10 minutes with a 350-kw CCS connector.

Big battery or not, the truck is running behind schedule. Ram confirmed the 500-mile target, to be achieved with a 229-kwh double-layer battery pack, at the 2023 New York auto show, and the truck made its debut in a 2023 Super Bowl ad. Stellantis said the electric truck would arrive at dealerships in 2024 as a 2025 model. But late last year, then-CEO Carlos Tavares it was being pushed back to the first half of 2025 to ensure quality. Stellantis later delayed the electric Ram even further, to 2026.

2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger

Stellantis instead decided to launch the series-hybrid Ram 1500 Ramcharger before the all-electric REV. Now scheduled to arrive in the first half of this year, the Ramcharger uses a 92-kwh battery pack and a 3.6-liter V-6 engine acting as a range extender to deliver 145 miles of pure electric range, toward a total of 690 miles including those from the gas powertrain. The Ramcharger, which also promises similar acceleration, towing, and payload numbers to the REV, offers something novel instead of simply playing catch-up to rivals that have already launched battery-electric pickups. So it was always likely to upstage the REV, a turnabout that’s further enabled by the cancellation of the 229-kwh REV variant.

Hyundai is expanding an offer of free home chargers or public-charging credits for owners of the refreshed 2025 Ioniq 5 electric vehicle.

This perk was previously offered to owners of the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N performance variant, but Hyundai confirmed Thursday that it’s now available to owners of other Ioniq 5 models as well. Customers can choose between a free ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 charger or a $400 public-charging credit for use at ChargePoint’s stations (it was originally $450 for Ioniq 5 N owners).

ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 home charger for 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

The home charger is the same unit Hyundai began offering to other EV customers in 2023. Both the charger and installation services are once again provided through the automaker’s Hyundai Home service, which aggregates home-charging possibilities for EV owners, as well as solar and energy storage options, and provides bids for installation.

As with the previous offer for Ioniq 5 N customers, Hyundai is covering hardwired installation, but not any other installation costs, taxes, or fees. Customers who purchased or leased a new 2025 Ioniq 5 after Jan. 1, 2025, have 60 days to choose the free home charger or charging credit, and 120 days to complete hardwired installation for the home charger. The public-charging credit is good for two years.

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

The Ioniq 5 N, we’ve found, resets expectations for enthusiast EVs with genuine track capability and handling prowess to complement the brutal straight-line acceleration many EVs already offer. But the 2025 Ioniq 5 gets a number of notable updates, too.

Hyundai increased the size of the two available battery packs, boosting estimated range to 318 miles with the larger pack. Charging for all but the 5 N is now accomplished with a Tesla-style NACS connector; a new XRT grade brings off-road features; and all versions feature small styling changes. Hyundai is also shifting most Ioniq 5 production—5 N version aside—to its Georgia “Metaplant.”

ChargePoint aims to curtail vandalism at public electric vehicle charging stations by equipping them with cut-resistant cables and alarm systems.

The company unveiled both features Thursday, confirming that cut-resistant cables will be available for all of its “commercial and fleet charging stations.” It also plans to license the cut-resistant cable design—which uses a novel mix of materials the company claims is more difficult to tamper with—to other charging-equipment manufacturers starting in the middle of this year. But it’s unclear if existing stations can be retrofitted with the new cables.

Porsche Macan EV at ChargePoint charger

Existing owners of certain charging stations can have the alarm system added, though, as it’s a software-based feature that uses the speakers and lights already built into compatible station models. It’s available via a free over-the-air (OTA) software update, and includes email or text-messaging notification options if the alarm is triggered.

EV charging cables have been targeted by copper thieves in the past. A 2024 Associated Press report noted an increase in reported cable thefts that coincided with rising copper prices. Such thefts leave big repair bills for charging-station owners and fewer available chargers for EV drivers.

ChargePoint Omni Port

Additional security measures and tamper-proof cables could help deter cable-cutting thieves, but the solution might also be partly technological. Higher-power 800-volt charging means thinner cables that might be less of a target for theft. Companies have also been aiming to reduce cable bulk through innovative cooling methods, which could at least soften the financial blow when cables need to be replaced due to theft or vandalism.

A more direct solution to cable cutting is to eliminate the cables altogether. Wireless charging offers this, along with added convenience for EV drivers, but it’s been slow to catch on. So far, WiTricity is the only company supplying the tech in an original-equipment, passenger-vehicle, personal-use application outside China—the South Korean-market version of the Genesis GV60.

Slovenia’s Elaphe is emphasizing performance applications for its in-wheel electric motors.

At CES 2025, the company unveiled the Sonic 1, a thin electric motor it claims is compatible with high-performance brakes. That can be difficult with in-wheel motors, as they occupy the same real estate as brake hardware. Slimming down the motor allows for larger 400-millimeter brake rotors to be packaged together with motor hardware within a 21-inch front wheel, Elaphe claims in a press release.

The Sonic 1 is intended for EVs or hybrids. It generates 268 hp and 737 lb-ft of torque by default, but can be tuned for higher outputs. Each motor also adds 88 pounds of unsprung weight, which could make tuning for ride and handling more difficult.

Italdesign Quintessenza concept

Elaphe in-wheel motors were showcased on the Italdesign Quintessenza GT concept, a grand tourer with a raised ride height and pickup-style bed. Italdesign quotes a 0-62 mph time of 2.5 seconds, or 2.2 seconds with performance tires. A 150-kwh battery pack mounted under the floor provides an estimated 466 miles of range, although it’s unclear which test cycle that number is based on.

Elaphe in-wheel motors were slated to be used in the Lordstown Endurance pickup truck and the hyper-efficient Lightyear 0 sedan, but neither reached volume production. In 2023, Elaphe also announced a partnership with McLaren Applied Technologies—the tech arm of the race team and supercar builder—to use its motor tech in “highly efficient and hyper-responsive electric vehicles.”

Italdesign Quintessenza concept

In-wheel motors offer the packaging advantage of moving propulsion hardware to the corners of the vehicle. Despite the tradeoffs, established automakers are also showing more interest. Ferrari has tried to patent an in-wheel motor design for performance EVs, while Ford pickup trucks with what might be in-wheel motors were spotted testing last year.

Elaphe isn’t the only company slimming its in-wheel motors to achieve greater packaging flexibility and reduced unsprung weight. Donut Lab unveiled its own family of motors at CES 2025, claiming record power density and a wide range of sizes for use in everything from cars to drones.

The next Polestar electric vehicle will be a compact SUV called the Polestar 7, the automaker confirmed Thursday in a business update.

The Polestar 7 will be manufactured in Europe, and will mark the beginning of a move to a single common architecture for future vehicles, according to Polestar. The brand currently relies on an assortment of platforms shared with other brands under the Geely corporate umbrella, but has been emphasizing more bespoke engineering work for future vehicles, while further differentiating exterior design. 

Polestar 5 prototype ride

“Polestar is known for its progressive design, with each car standing out and creating its own buzz—so too will Polestar 7,” design boss Philipp Römers said in a statement.

Launch timing was not discussed, but Polestar was two other models already in its queue. The automaker reaffirmed that the Polestar 5 will start sales in the second half of this year. The four-door fastback looks to be a major technical leap for Polestar, with an 800-volt architecture for faster charging and huge battery cells for increased range.

Polestar 6 Concept AT 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed

The automaker didn’t provide any updates this time around, but in 2022 it confirmed the Polestar 6 roadster for production in 2026. The timing was still in effect last July, when Polestar showed the Concept BST, which hinted at a spicier version of the convertible sports car.

Ambitious plans to grow the model lineup are matched by ambitious plans to grow sales. Polestar said it aims to increase global sales volume 30%-35% between 2025 and 2027, aided by a 75% increase in retail spaces, while retaining its current hybrid model of direct sales with servicing handled by traditional dealerships. Polestar claimed a 5.3% increase in global sales in the fourth quarter of 2024, but a 37.2% increase in new orders during that period.

Honda and Acura electric vehicles will be able to use Tesla Supercharger stations starting this spring, Honda said Wednesday in a business update.

As with other non-Tesla brands, Honda and Acura EV owners will receive adapters that allow Tesla’s NACS connectors to plug into their CCS-equipped vehicles. The automaker did not provide any further detail, so it’s unclear whether any adapters will be provided for free, or how much they will cost if not.

2024 Acura ZDX

The Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX SUVs—the only all-electric models currently sold in the U.S. by their respective brands—are based on General Motors architectures and are manufactured by GM. But Honda handles charging matters independently, hence the delay between GM’s rollout of Supercharger access in September 2024 and the Japanese automaker’s scheduled rollout.

Besides Honda and Acura, the next few months will see a few other brands adding Supercharger access. Mercedes-Benz plans to open Supercharger access in February, followed by Kia later in the quarter, and Volkswagen, this summer. BMW, Genesis, Lucid, and JLR (comprising Jaguar and Land Rover) are currently listed as “coming soon” on Tesla’s website, but specific timing has not been confirmed.

Honda 0 Saloon and 0 SUV prototypes

Honda is also one of the eight automakers backing the Ionna DC fast-charging network, which will offer both CCS and NACS connectors. The automaker said four Ionna charging sites—dubbed “Rechargeries”—are now in beta testing, with groundbreaking for a fifth site done in the last month.

The combination of Supercharger access and the Ionna network will support what is set to be a growing number of Honda and Acura EVs developed in-house and built at retooled facilities at Honda’s traditional U.S. manufacturing base in Ohio. The first of these will be the Acura RSX compact SUV launching later this year, followed by the first Honda 0 Series models in 2026. Recently previewed at CES 2025, the 0 Series models will have native NACS ports.