Category: General

• Vinfast recalled 4,888 VF 8 electric SUVs
• The center airbag mounted to the driver’s seat could deploy improperly
• Vinfast will replace the airbag free of charge

Vinfast is recalling certain VF 8 electric SUVs because of faulty airbags that could injure drivers.

The recall includes 4,888 vehicles from model years 2023 to 2025. The center airbag mounted in the driver’s seat in these vehicles “may deploy improperly” during a side impact, striking the driver’s arm and potentially causing injuries, according to the NHTSA.

Vinfast estimates that 100% of the recalled vehicles have this defect, which the automaker said it became aware of after a test conducted by the NHTSA in June that led to a safety inquiry.

2023 Vinfast VF 8

The defect is due to the cushion shape and inflation angle of the original airbag design, which allows the airbag to deploy between the driver’s arm and torso in some circumstances, the NHTSA said. Vinfast worked with the agency to redesign the center airbag with a different shape and deployment angle to prevent this from occurring.

Dealers and service centers will replace the center airbag with one of the new design free of charge. Vinfast initially pursued a direct-sales model like Tesla, with company-owned showrooms and service centers, but began pivoting to a franchised dealer model in late 2023.

Vinfast expects to mail owner notification letters Jan. 20, 2025. Owners can also call the automaker’s customer service department at 1-833-503-0600 for more information.

2023 Vinfast VF 8

The VF 8 is Vinfast’s first U.S.-market vehicle, but its launch hasn’t gone smoothly. An initial prototype drive indicated Vinfast had a long way to go, development-wise, before the electric SUV’s 2023 launch. And a follow-up test drive of the production version led us to warn that, even at that stage, it simply didn’t feel ready yet. But Vinfast’s first announced update was a Sony entertainment system that didn’t seem to address the VF 8’s core issues.

Things haven’t gone well for Vinfast since the launch of the VF 8. Earlier this year the company said it was falling behind with sales targets and delayed a planned North Carolina factory. Nonetheless, Vinfast is moving ahead with the launch of its three-row VF 9 SUV.

• EV sales are predicted to increase sixfold by 2030
• Demand for EVs and battery materials, could account for 95% of lithium supply
• Reuse, recycling, and alternative chemistries could take pressure off supply chains

Increased global demand for electric vehicles could tax supplies of raw materials by the end of the decade, according to new analysis from McKinsey & Company.

The firm estimates that EV sales will increase sixfold, from approximately 4.5 million vehicles globally in 2021 28 million in 2030. But analysts believe producers of raw materials may have trouble keeping up with this increased demand.

For example, while McKinsey anticipates increases in lithium supply from the widespread adoption of direct-extraction technology in mining, that will be in parallel with an increase in demand from battery suppliers. They account for 80% of global lithium use today but that could grow to 95% by 2030, McKinsey estimates.

Stack of Rivian battery cells

If demand for NMC-chemistry EV batteries continues to grow, as McKinsey expects, that could also potentially lead to a shortage of nickel despite anticipated increases in mining of that metal as well. in this case, the battery industry competes against the steel industry (which uses nickel to make stainless steel), with both sectors expected to consume more nickel through the end of the decade, McKinsey notes.

That’s assuming NMC continues as the dominant chemistry. McKinsey acknowledges increased interest in LFP chemistry, and notes that an uptick in LFP battery cell production could change the supply scenario.

So could cultivation of additional sources of raw materials as part of efforts by the European Union and U.S. to increase domestic battery production. Although the latter’s policies could be changed by the incoming Trump Administration, throwing away what could be a cost advantage over China on battery production.

Rivian Gen 2 battery pack

Several companies are also looking at reuse and recycling of battery materials, as well as further alternative chemistries beyond LFP, that could come into play at a small scale before the end of the decade, potentially taking some pressure off the main raw-material supply.

Analysis that paints a positive picture of battery raw-material demand—and perhaps those seeking investment—might not surprise those familiar with McKinsey’s work. Goldman Sachs, on the other hand, reported in November that EV battery prices could drop 50% by 2026 in part due to decreasing prices for raw materials like lithium and cobalt. So even among some big names in analysis and forecasting, there are some very different ideas of what path the future might take. 

• Complimentary NACS adapter will allow Supercharger access to CCS EVs
• Details coming early in 2025; Genesis also participating
• 2025 Ioniq 5 has NACS port, needs opposite adapter from CCS connector for max rate

Hyundai on Monday provided more information about when it will start providing adapters good for charging its EVs at Tesla Superchargers—and which Hyundai EVs are eligible for a free adapter. 

Drivers will be able to request a complimentary adapter, shipping included, starting in the first quarter of 2025, Hyundai said, with “details, instructions, and terms and conditions” all yet to be revealed. 

Those who own or lease a Hyundai EV by January 31, 2025—and currently have the vehicle—will be eligible to receive the NACS adapter. 

2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6

Especially of note is that Hyundai isn’t picking and choosing on eligibility; it’s essentially offering drivers of all of its U.S.-market EVs the adapter. Here’s the eligibility list:

Hyundai Kona Electric (model year 2018-2025)
Hyundai Ioniq Electric (MY 2017-2022)
Hyundai Ioniq 5 (MY 2022-2024)
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N (MY 2025)
Hyundai Ioniq 6 (MY 2023-2025)

Hyundai’s Genesis luxury brand is also included in the program, it said, with details set to be revealed in early 2025. 

It’s shaping up to be quite different than Hyundai’s Kia corporate cousin, which is only offering a NACS-to-CCS adapter only for EV6 and EV9 models delivered after September 4, 2024—just to the EV6 from the 2024 model year or the EV9 from the 2024 or 2025 model years. It’s skipping Niro EV buyers entirely in this and it’s not yet clear of the retail price of them to earlier buyers of models including the EV6. 

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

The fast-charge adapter dance: NACS-to-CCS, CCS-to-NACS

Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis also face an adapter issue in the other direction. Most of the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 lineup gets a native NACS port, and it’s the first mass-market, non-Tesla vehicle to do so. The only exception in that lineup is the Ioniq 5 N, which remains built in South Korea for at least this model year. And Hyundai has already confirmed that when it’s introduced later this year, the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 will also have a NACS port, not CCS. 

The 2025 Kia EV6, which is built on the same 800-volt E-GMP underpinnings, will also get a bigger battery pack for more range, plus a native NACS port and U.S. assembly. And the Alabama-made 2026 Genesis Electrified GV70 also gets a range boost and NACS port. 

2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9

As Hyundai has made clear, though, the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 9 will charge slower with NACS on the Tesla Supercharger network than with their CCS adapter, which is needed to tap into the Ioniq 5’s maximum rate and 20-minute 10-80% fast-charging stops. That’s not because of the vehicles but because of the Supercharger network, which is finally due to get upgraded V4 Cabinets in 2025 that will allow full-rate charging of 800-volt EVs like the Cybertruck and these from Hyundai. 

So for a time we all may be juggling a lot of adapters—all for the sake of consolidating on one, eventually. 

• 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is first with native NACS port
• NACS Hyundai EVs might charge faster—for now—with a CCS adapter
• Most Tesla Superchargers can’t charge at 800v at peak rates
• V4 cabinets rolling out in 2025 will finally match CCS

The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5, which ships to U.S. dealerships before the end of the year, is the first mass-market, non-Tesla vehicle that comes standard with the Tesla-based NACS charge port, as part of a standard now also known as J3400.

For Hyundai, it’s the first formal step in a shift away from the Combined Charging System (CCS) port that the Ioniq 5 and most non-Tesla modern EVs have had until now. 

The NACS rollout itself is also a bit different for Hyundai. While other brands are rolling out adapters for Tesla connectors before delivering vehicles with the port, Hyundai will deliver adapters for CCS fast-charging connectors after its new vehicles start getting a native NACS port.

In the meantime, Hyundai will be getting customers what they need to access the Tesla Supercharger network—in the form of a NACS adapter for CCS vehicles, that it announced Monday would be provided for free to owners of its full range of EVs from the current and previous model years, including the Kona Electric, Ioniq Electric, Ioniq 5, and Ioniq 6.

Now that full NACS specs on Tesla’s current Supercharger hardware have been revealed, it’s much easier to understand why Hyundai has done it in this order. For the time being, the Ioniq 5 charges significantly faster with its included CCS adapter than via NACS.

With the larger 84-kwh battery pack that will be included for much of the 2025 Ioniq 5 lineup (up from 77.4 kwh for 2024), the EV charges from 10-80% in just 20 minutes on a CCS connector, via its adapter. Meanwhile, it takes 30 minutes (50% longer) when a Tesla Supercharger NACS connector is plugged directly into the charge port, with no adapter of course. 

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

Adapter needed for the fastest 2025 Ioniq 5 charge

The reason for that is simple: Tesla Superchargers, up until now, aren’t able to deliver the voltage that Hyundai’s EVs built on its 800-volt E-GMP platform can accept. That’s due to change over the next few years, which we’ll get to, but in the meantime the “legacy” CCS chargers do it faster. 

Hyundai confirmed to Green Car Reports that 257 kw is the new peak charge rate for its 84-kwh battery pack (versus 235 kw for the former 77.4-kwh pack on Long Range versions), with the adapter and a 350-kw CCS connector. It specifically mentioned Electrify America as an example for where this maximum would be possible, and said there would be no fringe limitations of the adapter that might slow the charge rate beyond what a CCS connector would otherwise deliver. 

Hyundai Ioniq 5 charge times for NACS (Supercharger) vs. CCS

With the smaller 63-kwh battery pack included in the Standard Range models (up from 58 kwh for 2024), there’s not as much of a disparity, and official 10-80% times land at 20 minutes and 24 minutes with CCS/adapter and via Tesla Supercharger V3 hardware, respectively.

Level 2 AC charging rates aren’t affected by the adapter, and the Ioniq 5’s 10.9-kw onboard charger allows a 10-100% charge in as little as 7.3 hours with the 84-kwh battery pack or 5.7 hours with the 63-kwh pack. 

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

Speediest Ioniq 9 charge rate also relies on adapter

The automaker has released a similar comparison for its upcoming Ioniq 9 electric SUV, which will have a much larger 110.3-kwh battery pack and ship initially with the NACS port. With it and a CCS adapter the Ioniq 9 will charge from 10-80% in 24 minutes (with a peak of 233 kw), whereas it will take 38 minutes natively on NACS, using Tesla Supercharger V3 hardware. 

So in an ideal situation—certainly harder to come by with CCS than with Supercharger hardware—a CCS adapter could save 10-14 minutes with Hyundai’s 800-volt E-GMP EVs. 

Hyundai Ioniq 9 charge times for NACS (Supercharger) vs. CCS

In the coming months, the whole Ioniq 5 lineup is getting the NACS port—except for the high-performance Ioniq 5 N, which will stay Korean-built for now and keep offering its CCS port for this year, while the rest of the Ioniq 5 lineup is shifting to U.S. production. Hyundai has already announced that all U.S.-market Ioniq 5 models are due to be sourced from Georgia eventually. 

It hasn’t yet said exactly when the NACS port will arrive on Ioniq 6 electric sedans, but that’s also due for production at Hyundai’s so-called Metaplant America in Georgia. 

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

Hyundai is using its own charge ports and adapters, rather than buying them from Tesla, and it’s said that this will enable the full range of bidirectional capabilities of its latest E-GMP electric vehicles, including V2L to power accessories, camping gear, and more.

Supercharger access will come in the first quarter of 2025, but it will require that drivers initiate charging through the Tesla app initially rather than using Plug & Charge via Hyundai’s app and interface. 

Superchargers won’t lag for long

Tesla announced its V4 Supercharger hardware in 2022, and it made some first installations in 2023, but there’s been no widespread rollout as of yet. And although a number of locations have included the V4 post, including longer charge cords and upgraded connectors, the hardware behind it remained missing. 

On November 18, Tesla finally confirmed that the full V4 is on the way soon, with sites backed by actual V4 cabinets in permitting now and due to be opened in 2025. 

Tesla Supercharger V4 Cabinet upgrade set for 2025 (screencap)

Each V4 cabinet powers eight charging posts, versus four posts each for V3 cabinets, which Tesla notes means a reduction in the footprint of the hardware and the overall complexity—a factor that means more sites will come online faster. 

Tesla says that the V4 cabinet will be able to deliver up to 500 kw for cars and up to 1.2 megawatts for the Semi. It hasn’t said where exactly peak power will be for the Cybertruck, but it notes that this change will mean 30% faster charging for that model. That roughly corresponds to the peak power of 327 kw that multiple sources have reported for the Cybertruck when using CCS adapters (and tapping into its full 800-volt charging potential).

Charge rates for Tesla’s own Model 3 and Model Y, by the way, won’t change. 

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 fast-charging – Lacey, WA

What it means: Look for the most convenient charger

In all, for Hyundai EVs, a time difference of 10-14 minutes likely won’t matter much in the scope of things—especially considering that Tesla Supercharger stations tend to be more reliable and tend to offer locations that are sometimes better-located along typical road-trip routes. 

That said, it’s pretty close to the difference that Hyundai owners face in whether to choose a 150-kw CCS connector directly on the way, or go slightly off-route for a 350-kw connector. As we’ve pointed out before, the vast majority of the time, 150-kw connectors will provide such a speedy charge on EVs like the Ioniq 5 or Ioniq 6, with relatively lean battery packs and long range from them, that you shouldn’t seek out 350-kw connectors. Just go with the more convenient location. 

But soon, with Tesla Supercharger cabinets and connectors at last able to deliver the voltage that EVs like the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, and Ioniq 9 can all take advantage of, finding a more convenient Tesla connector may no longer mean a longer charging stop. And with a push of infrastructure coming from Ionna, which is supported by Hyundai as well as six other automakers, there’ll be no shortage of high-power, high-voltage connectors, no matter which standard. 

Electric vehicle startup Canoo has placed its remaining employees and what it calls a “mandatory unpaid break” through at least the end of the year, TechCrunch reports.

The report cites an email sent to employees, which said they would be locked out of Canoo’s systems at the end of the day Friday, and that benefits would last through the end of December.

Canoo in Oklahoma

This comes just a few days after Canoo announced that it was furloughing 82 employees and idling an assembly facility in Oklahoma due to lack of funding, TechCrunch notes. That facility hasn’t ramped up production; so far Canoo has only delivered small numbers of demonstration vehicles, including some for the U.S. Postal Service.

Canoo also earlier this year closed the Los Angeles office that originally served as its headquarters. In August the startup announced a move to Justin, Texas, where it’s maintained a corporate office since CEO Tony Aquila took over a few years ago.

Canoo Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle with Walmart logo

Canoo has lost many executives, including its CTO, CFO, and general counsel, meaning most of the original contingent that launched the startup in 2017 is now gone. That’s coincided with a change in direction under current CEO Aquila, who pivoted Canoo from its original plan of selling van-like EVs on a subscription basis toward commercial vehicles.

That pivot as attracted interest from Walmart and fleet-management company Zeeba, which announced orders for 4,500 and 3,000 Canoo electric vans, respectively, in 2022. In addition to the Postal Service, Canoo has also provided a handful of vans to NASA and an electric pickup truck prototype to the U.S. Army. But the startup hasn’t been able to convert this hype into revenue by ramping up vehicle production.

• Merger talks have begun between Honda and Nissan
• The merger will put the automakers under a joint holding company by August 2026
• EVs, hybrids, platforms, and software will be at the core of overlap
  

A potential strategic partnership between Honda and Nissan would ally them on intelligence, EVs, and more, the global automakers confirmed on Monday.

The companies signed a memorandum of understanding as a first step toward merger talks, with Mitsubishi potentially joining as a third partner. Nissan already owns approximately 34% of Mitsubishi shares, and there has been some platform-sharing between the two automakers.

The plan is for the merged automakers to operate under a holding company with a delisting of both automakers on the Tokyo Stock Exchange at the end of July or August of 2026. The shares of both companies would then be transferred into he new holding company.

A report from Japanese news outlet Nikkei cited competition from Tesla and Chinese automakers in the EV segment as one of the main factors behind the merger.

2023 Nissan Ariya e-4orce

This follows a March announcement by Honda and Nissan of a memorandum of understanding for a “strategic partnership in the fields of vehicle electrification and intelligence” expected to cover EVs, hybrids, and software. Mitsubishi was tipped to join that partnership in August. The current alliance between Nissan, Mitsubishi, and French automaker has also collaborated with Honda in the past, most recently on the Altna battery-leasing joint venture.

Combined sales of Honda and Nissan in 2023 totaled more than 8 million vehicles. That would make the merged automaker the third largest by sales volume after Toyota and the Volkswagen Group, which sold 11.2 million and 9.2 million vehicles in 2023, respectively.

A full merger will likely be a needed lifeline for Nissan. The automaker in October announced plans to lay off approximately 9,000 employees, representing 6.7% of its global workforce, and cut production capacity by 20% due to declining sales, primarily in the U.S. and China.

2025 Honda Civic Hybrid

Both automakers are in the midst of an EV reset, with Honda preparing to roll out its 0 Series starting in 2026 and Nissan preparing a next-generation Leaf, as well as larger models for assembly in Mississippi.

The automakers noted the merger would allow for optimization of manufacturing systems and facilities and standardization of vehicle platforms.

Hybrids could present more immediate opportunities for integration. Honda’s two-motor hybrid system could replace Nissan’s e-Power hybrid system, which still hasn’t made it to the U.S. after years of discussion. Nissan, meanwhile, could take the lead in electrifying pickup trucks and SUVs—including the body-on-frame models Honda currently lacks.

This story was updated on Dec. 23 after the automakers confirmed the merger plans.

Rolls-Royce has always prided itself on the quietness of its luxury cars, hence its use of names like Phantom, Ghost, and Spectre. So a near-silent electric powertrain would seem like a good fit.

U.K.-based Evice certainly thinks so. It’s the latest in a crop of companies marketing electric conversions of classic cars, and its first project is a Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow sedan. Known internally as XP1, it’s a prototype for a conversion package for both the Silver Shadow and Corniche convertible that Evice hopes to start offering to customers in Spring 2026.

The prototype has a 77-kwh battery pack providing an estimated range of over 200 miles, likely as measured on the more lenient WLTP testing cycle, along with an 800-volt electrical architecture.

Prototype Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow EV by Evice

Output is 400 hp—substantially more than the original gasoline V-8 engine. Evice also claims to have upgraded the brakes, while an active suspension aims to provide the same pillowy ride as the original hydra-pneumatic suspension (derived from Citroën tech) with a greater degree of handling sharpness.

The interior features modern climate control and audio systems, as well as heated and ventilated power-adjustable seats and a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and a rearview camera.

Several other companies are restoring classic electric cars with modern powertrains—including some vintage Rolls-Royces. Another U.K. firm, Lunaz, has done electric conversions of the 1956 Rolls-Royce Cloud and 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V, as well as Bentley and Jaguar models.

Rolls-Royce Silver Corniche EV by Evice

A few of these have also been undertaken by, or commissioned by, automakers looking to tie their heritage to current electrification plans. Yet another U.K. firm, Electrogenic, built a Kia Pride EV restomod to celebrate that automaker’s 80th anniversary. Apprentices recently turned an Audi A2—a European-market hatchback that was a paragon of fuel efficiency when new—into an EV.

It’s also now possible to buy a new electric Rolls-Royce from the factory—the Spectre coupe. The storied brand is looking to shake its traditional reputation for portly vehicles and gas-guzzling V-12 engines by going all-electric before the end of the decade.

General Motors is recalling certain 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EVs because their federally mandated pedestrian warning systems may not be loud enough.

The recall includes 7,606 vehicles, which may have incorrect software and thus not produce warning sounds at sufficient volume to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 141, according to the NHTSA.

2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV

So-called “quiet car” rules that require electric vehicles and hybrids to emit warning noises at low speeds were first proposed in 2010 over concerns that a lack of engine noise would make vehicles too difficult for pedestrians to hear at these speeds. The rules weren’t finalized until 2018, however, and multiple delays and extensions meant they weren’t actually implemented until 2021.

A software update for the affected vehicles’ body control modules will make them compliant with these rules. However, despite being purely a software issue, the fix can’t be done via an over-the-air update and will require a visit to a dealership, where technicians will perform the work free of charge.

2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV

GM expects to mail owner notification letters Jan. 27, 2025, and has assigned reference number N242479760 to this recall. Owners can also contact Chevy customer service at 1-800-222-1020 for more information.

The Equinox EV arrived for the 2024 model year, but those earlier vehicles are not included in this recall. For 2025, GM finally fulfilled the this model’s value promise by launching a $34,995 version with 319 miles of EPA range. That value proposition, along with good first impressions of the 2024 Chevy Equinox EV, netted the Equinox EV a spot as a Green Car Reports Best Car to Buy 2025 finalist.

The Tesla Cybertruck is being recalled again, this time because its tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) light may not stay on, preventing drivers from seeing warnings of low tire pressure.

This recall includes not only the 2024 Cybertruck but also 2017-2025 Tesla Model 3 sedans and 2020-2025 Tesla Model Y SUVs, for a total of 694,304 vehicles. A software update pushed to these vehicles inadvertently reset the TPMS warning light so that it does not reappear after the car is cycled off and back on again, according to the NHTSA.

Tesla Cybertruck

Driving with improperly inflated tires increases the risk of a crash, which is why TPMS is federally mandated. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 138 requires that TPMS warning lights stay illuminated whenever the vehicle is on until the tire-pressure issue that triggers them is corrected.

Tesla estimates that all recalled vehicles have this issue, and it’s aware of 76 related warranty claims. However, the automaker is not aware of any collisions, injuries, or fatalities connected to the issue.

Tesla Cybertruck

Tesla released an over-the-air update to correct the problem around Nov. 12, so owners don’t have to take their cars to service centers for recall work. The automaker will also follow up with owner notification letters, which are due to be mailed Feb. 15, 2025. Owners can also contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’s reference number for this recall is SB-24-00-018.

This is the seventh recall of the Cybertruck since deliveries began, and not all have involved software fixes. The last recall, for loss of drive power, required replacement of inverters in the affected trucks. Other recalls have addressed busted windshield wiper motors, accelerator pedals that became “trapped” by trim pieces, and rearview cameras with image delay issues.

A pair of California-based companies plan to unveil a prototype electric RV at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) next month.

The vehicle, officially styled as an “AI Transformable Home” (AI-TH), was announced at CES 2024 this past January by startup AC Future. That firm has since partnered with Hydra Design Labs which, says it specializes in design, fabrication and prototyping for the auto industry to move the idea closer to production readiness.

Rendering of AC Future AI-TH electric RV

The vehicle is designed to provide 400 square feet of living space with a slide-out section similar to conventional RVs, along with “complete off-grid capabilities, including solar charging, water generation, and internet connectivity,” the AC Future said.

The prototype being shown at CES 2025, which was built by Hydra Design Labs, will be a more refined version of the initial concept that debuted at the 2024 show, according to AC Future. But the startup still hasn’t confirmed a production timeline.

Rendering of AC Future AI-TH electric RV

Other companies are working on electric RVs. RollAway, for example, aims to rent out luxury RVs made from General Motors BrightDrop electric vans. But RVs also face steeper range and charging challenges than electric cars, due to both the need to extract lots of range from an inefficient package and the lack of high-power charging infrastructure at campsites and RV parks.

Plug-in hybrids might be a better solution, something Airstream’s parent company Thor Industries is already investigating. Battery-powered travel trailers that can help propel themselves, such as the Lightship AE.1 Cosmos Edition due to start production in mid-2025, can also help make zero-emission camping more practical, albeit with the need for a tow vehicle.