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Union-made bonus for EV tax credit proposal is gone, Manchin confirms

2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV and EV production startsDemocratic senator Joe Manchin on Tuesday said a proposed $4,500 EV tax-credit bonus for union-made vehicles is now gone from the Senate’s version of the Build Back Better Act, according to Automotive News (subscription required). The bill, which was passed by the House of Representatives last year but has been held back by the Senate, includes a…

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Volkswagen teases US-bound ID.Aero electric sedan, due in concept form June 27

Volkswagen ID.Aero conceptVolkswagen plans to show an electric sedan concept June 27. Called the ID.Aero, it previews a future production model bound for the United States. The concept will share a design language and MEB platform with other ID-family models, VW said Wednesday in a press release. But at 16.4 feet long, it’s possibly the largest-footprint model to be built…

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Tesla Model Y, Model 3 are the most American-made vehicles, annual study finds

2022 Tesla lineup (Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.)Tesla vehicles took four of the top six spots in the 2022 American-made Index, from Cars.com. The Tesla Model Y and Model 3 took the top two spots, as all of those models for the U.S. are made in either California or Texas. The Kentucky-built Corsair, which is offered in a plug-in hybrid Corsair Grand Touring, was ranked third. The Honda Passport…

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2023 Nissan Leaf starts at $28,895 in base S form: Refreshed look, 149-mile range

2023 Nissan LeafThe refreshed 2023 Nissan Leaf starts at $28,895 (including destination) for the base S model, Nissan confirmed Tuesday in a press release. That base MSRP is $400 higher than the 2022 model, but Nissan also increased the destination fee from $1,025 to $1,095, bringing the total price hike up to $470. The current-generation Leaf dates back to the…

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Hyundai and Michelin partner to make EV tires more environmentally friendly

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5Hyundai and Michelin on Monday announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding to partner on environmentally friendly EV tires. Joint research between the two companies aims to increase use of sustainable materials while optimizing tires for EVs, Hyundai said in a press release. The partnership also encompasses a real-time tire monitoring…

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Wireless charging, EV batteries’ second life, megawatt charging for semis: Today’s Car News

BMW 5-Series plug-in hybrid wireless charging systemWe take a look at the technology and market potential of wireless charging for EVs. Automakers are lining up second uses for EV batteries. Range anxiety still exists—without the anxiety—find researchers. And the Megawatt Charging System is ready for next-level infrastructure for electric trucks. This and more, here at Green Car…

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Bring on the electric truck stops: Megawatt standard for charging electric semis is formalized

Electric Island - Daimler Trucks North America and PGE - Portland ORFully electric heavy-duty trucks and buses aren’t going to be widely accepted until they can charge, as the standards group CharIn puts it, “within a reasonable time.” This last week marked another important step, with the official inaugural demonstration (or simulation), at EVS35 in Oslo, of the higher-power hardware intended…

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Forget range anxiety: Study suggests non-EV drivers underestimate capabilities

2023 Nissan LeafBetween longer-range EVs and increased charging infrastructure, the reasons for range anxiety are decreasing. But not everyone believes that, according to a new University of Geneva study. Published in the journal Nature Energy, the study of 2,000 drivers in the United States and Germany found that many drivers chronically underestimate EVs’…

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From rickshaws to renewables: Automakers are focused on EV batteries’ second life

Electric rickshaw powered by Audi battery modulesMost automakers haven’t fully ramped up production of EVs, but they are already considering second-life uses for the batteries going into those vehicles. Audi is working with startup Nunam to install battery modules from decommissioned test vehicles into electric rickshaws, which are scheduled to hit Indian streets in early 2023 as part of a pilot…

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Why wireless charging matters for electric cars

Mahle wireless chargingIf you’ve cut the cord for your smartphone with a charging pad for the bedside table and one in the car—and, if you’re lucky—wireless CarPlay or Android Auto—you likely get the idea of what a game-changer wireless inductive charging could be for electric cars. Instead of trying to juggle a toddler or a bag of…