Category: General
Ferrari builds a new factory—just for electric cars
- Ferrari is prepping its first EV
- The new electric car will be built at its own newly-built factory in Maranello
- Ferrari plans for most of the factory’s power to come from sustainable sources
Ferrari recently unveiled an expansion of its factory to accommodate production of the automaker’s first EV.
The reconfigured “e-building” factory will produce internal-combustion engines, electric motors, battery packs, and hybrid powertrain components, allowing Ferrari to adjust the mix of traditional gasoline cars, hybrids, and EVs depending on demand, the automaker said in a press release.
Ferrari e-building
The goal is for the building to be powered entirely by renewable energy from both external and internal sources, the latter including more than 3,000 solar panels on the roof that generate a combined 1.3 megawatts of power, according to Ferrari. More than 60% of the energy used in battery and motor testing can also be recovered for other uses, the automaker claims.
The facility also incorporates rainwater-capture hardware to cut down on freshwater usage and is minimally disruptive to the surrounding area, Ferrari claims. It’s situated just north of the existing Ferrari campus in Maranello, Italy, on redeveloped land, replacing older industrial structures.
Ferrari e-building
It was only a decade ago that Ferrari was vehemently against launching an EV, but it’s now slated to do exactly that in 2025. A recent report put the price tag at $500,000 or more. That would put Ferrari’s first EV at the higher end of the automaker’s pricing spectrum, above the current SF90 Stradale plug-in hybrid and Purosangue SUV.
Similar to its approach with gasoline engines, Ferrari intends to develop its own electric motors, inverters, and batteries. In the latter area, though, Ferrari is also working with battery supplier SK On. The two already have a deal for supply of batteries for Ferrari’s existing plug-in hybrids, and in March announced a collaboration on advanced battery-cell development.
CA wants EVs to be more affordable
- California residents can qualify for an incentive of up to $14,000 for EVs and charging hardware
- Some incentives depend on scrapping an older vehicle
- The state wants all new vehicles sold there to have charge ports by 2035
California is introducing a new EV incentive program to give up to $14,000 to low-income shoppers.
First spotted by CarsDirect, the Driving Clean Assistance Program (DCAP) is available for California residents with income at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level and have not previously participated in other incentive programs. Like those other programs, DCAP is overseen by the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the regulatory agency also responsible for California’s emissions standards.
2024 Hyundai Kona Electric
DCAP offers a maximum purchase or lease incentive of $12,000 for shoppers who live in disadvantaged communities and also plan to scrap an older vehicle when trading in, plus a $2,000 charging incentive. Shoppers must apply for the program before purchasing or leasing an EV, however.
Those not living in disadvantaged communities qualify for a $10,000 purchase incentive, while those not scrapping an older vehicle can get up to $7,500. The $2,000 charging incentive remains the same in both cases, though.
2025 Volkswagen ID.4
California has been working to pivot EV incentive to lower-income drivers since last year, when it expanded the Clean Cars 4 All program statewide as a replacement for the previous Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP). Clean Cars 4 All incorporates incentives for hybrids and plug-in hybrids as well as EVs, but includes more restrictive limits than the DCAP program, according to CarsDirect.
As of 2023, one of four new vehicles in California was an EV or plug-in hybrid. That puts California well ahead of other states, but still means it has a long way to go to meet a goal of making all new vehicles have charge ports by 2035. Incentives aimed at low-income drivers will likely be part of the solution, and so might incentives targeting so-called “gasoline superusers,” who burn an outsized amount of fuel.
Tesla recalls Cybertruck for busted wiper motor, loose trim
- Tesla recalls 11,688 Cybertrucks for a faulty windshield wiper motor
- Tesla recalls 11,383 Cybertrucks for a loose trim piece in the bed
- The recalls affect nearly every Cybertruck manufactured through June 6
Tesla issued two separate recalls covering nearly unit of the 2024 Cybertruck, the NHTSA disclosed Tuesday. A piece of trim on the trunk bed frame can loosen and detach, creating a road hazard for other drivers. Separately, the motor powering the massive front windshield wiper can fail.
Like many new cars, the Cybertruck has had a rough rollout into the real world. The recalls include all Cybertrucks built since Nov. 13, 2023 through the end of May or early June. Together, these mark the third and fourth recall since the Cybertruck went on sale late last year, including a recall for unintended acceleration in April that covered virtually every Cybertruck made up until that point.
Tesla Cybertruck
Tesla Cybertruck windshield wiper motor recall
The Cybertruck’s futuristic design includes a steeply raked front windshield that’s so long it reaches above the front axle. Instead of equipping it with two wipers as in most traditional passenger vehicles (the GMC Hummer EV SUV has three small wipers because the front windshield is so squat), the Cybertruck uses one long wiper that measures about four feet long.
The motor powering that long blade may not work due to “electrical overstress to the gate driver component,” according to the NHTSA’s filing. Tesla found the wiper motor supplier used excessive current in testing that may have damaged it. Late in May, the supplier performed tests successfully on the motor with a lower current.
The recall of 11,688 Cybertrucks built from Nov. 13, 2023 through June 6, 2024, will be remedied by a new windshield wiper motor installed at Tesla stores and service centers at no cost to owners. Owners can expect notification and instructions by mail as early as Aug. 18.
Tesla Cybertruck
Tesla Cybertruck loose bed trim recall
The second recall involves 11,383 Cybertrucks built from Nov. 13, 2023 to May 26, 2024 for a loose piece of trim on the bed frame that can lose its adhesion and separate from the vehicle. The “sail applique” are on either side of the bed frame rail on the top sides of the truck. Owners may notice a flapping noise in the cabin, or may see it come loose.
Tesla said it will replace or rework the sail applique with appropriate adhesion. Owners can expect notification and instructions by mail as early as Aug. 18, to take their Cybertruck into a service center at no cost.
For more information on either recall, contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752 or visit Tesla’s recall portal.
McLaren CEO asks UK to lead “power-dense battery cell manufacturing”
- The CEO of McLaren wants the U.K. government to help create a battery supply chain
- The new supply chain would lead to power-dense battery cell manufacturing
- This would all lead to future McLaren electric supercars being produced in the U.K.
McLaren Automotive CEO Michael Leiters is calling on the U.K. government to invest in the country’s battery supply chain to pave the way for electric supercars.
“We have an opportunity to invest in next-generation, high power-dense battery cell manufacturing and ensure the U.K. is at the forefront of future performance car powertrain technology,” Leiters said in a statement.
McLaren Artura Spider
The U.K. is no stranger to EV manufacturing. Nissan’s Sunderland factory has built over 500,000 Leafs, for example. But Leiters believes the supply chain isn’t ready for all-electric versions of McLaren’s supercars. The McLaren Artura plug-in hybrid boasts 64% U.K. content, but that would be only 13% if it was an EV, he said, adding that smaller automakers like McLaren need government help to “de-risk” investments in electrification.
“The costs of this technological shift are astronomical, especially for low-volume, highly-specialized suppliers,” Leiters said. He also says customer demand for electric supercars “remains extremely low” but that this could change as battery technology continues to develop. Once that happens, Leiters believes a McLaren electric supercar “could help drive the transition towards pure electrification among mass-market customers.”
McLaren Artura Spider
It’s unclear when we’ll see an all-electric McLaren, though. Last year the company’s McLaren Applied Technologies division announced a partnership with Elaphe to marry its racing tech with the latter’s in-wheel motors. But the applied-technologies division is run separately from the road-car division within the company.
McLaren currently exports more than 90% of its cars, according to Leiters, and thus may need to introduce an EV depending on the state of emissions standards in its main markets. The U.K. itself has moved to end sales of new internal-combustion vehicles, but has delayed the ban by five years to 2035.
Do EVs need to simulate gear shifts? BMW and Hyundai think so
- Hyundai and BMW think consumers want EVs to simulate shift points
- Hyundai already sells the Ioniq 5 N, which is a sporty EV featuring fake shift points
- BMW’s now working on simulating gearshifts for its future EVs
The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N brought simulated gear shifts to a production EV. Now it appears BMW is working on something similar.
In an interview with Top Gear (via BMW Blog), Frank van Meel, the boss of BMW’s M performance division, said he liked Hyundai’s approach, adding that BMW is also working on simulated gearshifts. Most EVs lack multi-speed transmissions, but simulating them in a performance car could be useful for providing feedback to the driver, van Meel suggested.
BMW Vision Neue Klasse concept
“In a pure EV with one gear, no sound and no emotion, you don’t know if you’re doing 125, 150, or whatever,” van Meel told Top Gear. “You need a solution for that.” He also said BMW M has been working on simulated gearshifts “for some years already” and has developed “some very interesting approaches.”
In a similar vein, BMW M is considering fake engine noises synced with a driver’s inputs, according to van Meel. That’s also something Hyundai has done with the Ioniq 5 N, which replicates the snaps, crackles, and pops of the gasoline Elantra N. Toyota and Dodge have developed simulated gearshifts in forthcoming EVs, as well. As long as they sound convincing, the BMW M boss doesn’t see a problem with this.
2025 BMW M3
“We wouldn’t do a fake supercar or spaceship noise,” van Meel said, adding that while he didn’t think the artificial engine noises in the Ioniq 5 N sounded realistic, he liked the way Hyundai thinks.
This comes after van Meel, in a separate interview, said BMW M is developing an electric version of the M3 based on its next-generation Neue Klasse platform that will “beat everything.” Whether it will do so with simulated shifts and engine noises remains to be seen.
EVs dominate 2024 Pikes Peak Hill Climb, preview next-gen motorsports
- Annual Pikes Peak run took EVs to the top of the 14,115-foot summit
- Ford’s F-150 Lightning SuperTruck set this year’s pace
- Hyundai, Rivian also raced versions of the Ioniq 5 and R1 vehicles, respectively
EVs had a strong showing at the 2024 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, showing the potential for electric powertrains in motorsports.
This is not the first time EVs have competed at Pikes Peak, an annual contest in which vehicles make timed runs up the 12.5-mile road to the 14,115 summit of that Colorado mountain. But they dominated this year, with French racing driver Romain Dumas setting the fastest time of 8:53.533 in the wild Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck.
The SuperTruck is a one-off demonstrator fitted with a tri-motor powertrain that, for Pikes Peak, was tuned to produce 1,600 hp. The truck was also fitted with an aerodynamics package generating a claimed 6,000 pounds of downforce at 150 mph that effectively erased any resemblance between the SuperTruck and a stock Lightning.
2025 Rivian R1T Quad-Motor at Pikes Peak
Extensive aerodynamic aids are necessary at Pikes Peak because the thinner air at altitude lessens the effectiveness of spoilers, splitters, diffusers and other parts that generate downforce, which pushes the vehicle into the racing surface to create more grip. Less dense air also impacts oxygen-breathing internal-combustion engines, but not electric motors.
Dumas also holds the Pikes Peak overall record of 7:57.148, which he set in 2018 in the Volkswagen ID.R—another one-off EV demonstrator. Dumas also drove the similar Ford SuperVan 4.2 at Pikes Peak in 2023, setting a time of 8:47.682. Ford said it used lessons from the SuperVan to develop the SuperTruck.
Overall victory isn’t the only goal for Pikes Peak competitors. Gardner Nichols completed the course in 10:53.883 in a 2025 Rivian R1T, beating the time he set last year in a Rivian by 30 seconds and setting a record for fastest production truck. For the 2025 model year, both the R1T and its R1S SUV sibling have been revamped to boost efficiency and comfort.
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N TA Spec at 2024 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
Hyundai, meanwhile, deployed both a stock 2025 Ioniq 5 N and two modified TA (Time Attack Spec) versions. The stock Ioniq 5 N was driven by Pikes Peak rookie Ron Zaras, who managed a 10:49.267 time and set a record for a production SUV, which was how the Ioniq 5 N was classified for the purposes of this event.
The TA Spec cars featured big rear wings, racing-specific shock absorbers, brakes, and tires, and software changes to increase power output. Rally driver Dani Sordo recorded a 9:30.852 time in one car, winning the exhibition class. Veteran racing driver Randy Pobst set a 9:55.551 time in the other car.
EVs also race in dedicated series such as Formula E and Extreme E. But the Pikes Peak hill climb shows that EVs can also race alongside internal combustion—and win.
BMW nixes Northvolt battery deal
- BMW cancels deal with Swedish EV battery supplier worth $2 billion
- Northvolt, based in Sweden, still has deals with Volvo and Volkswagen Group
- BMW has shifted to more energy-dense cylindrical battery cells
BMW has canceled a contract worth roughly $2 billion for EV battery cells from Swedish firm Northvolt, Reuters reported Thursday.
German media, including Manager magazine, initially reported that Northvolt could not deliver on time on a supply contract signed in 2020 and worth $2.3 billion at the time. That contract specified that Northvolt would begin making electric-car batteries for BMW in 2024.
BMW cylindrical battery cells
“Northvolt and the BMW Group have jointly decided to focus Northvolt’s activities on the goal of developing next-generation battery cells,” BMW said in a statement to Reuters. “The BMW Group continues to have a strong interest in establishing a high-performance manufacturer of circular and sustainable battery cells in Europe.”
BMW already contracts with Samsung SDI and CATL for batteries. Both Asian companies have factories in Europe, but the Northvolt deal would have given BMW a supplier that was also headquartered in Europe—a box German automakers have been pressured to check.
BMW Vision Neue Klasse X concept
BMW said in 2020 that batteries would be manufactured by Northvolt at a factory then under construction in Skelleftea, Sweden, using 100% renewable energy. Around the same time, Northvolt announced a German factory as part of a partnership with the Volkswagen Group. It also announced a joint-venture battery plant with Volvo in 2022 that’s expected to make cells for an electric Volvo XC60 SUV, and a Canadian plant in 2023.
BMW is shifting to cylindrical battery cells with its next-generation Neue Klasse (German for “new class”) EVs, claiming boosts to energy density and charging performance. The cars themselves will be assembled at two European sites starting in 2025, with production for the North American market at a factory in Mexico following in 2027.
Electric BMW M3 coming to “beat everything”
- An electric BMW M3 variant is in the works
- BMW M division’s boss expects his electric sports car to “beat everything”
- The electric M3 variant, possibly called i3 M, probably won’t arrive until 2026 or 2027
Luxury automaker BMW, known for making sports car icons, has mapped out a performance plan for its next-gen EVs.
Work is underway on those vehicles, which will be based on the Neue Klasse platform. BMW’s M performance division is dedicating resources to create M cars from these new vehicles. One of those vehicles will be an electric M3, which is among the most important and historic models the division churns out.
Frank van Meel, the man in charge of BMW’s M division, told Motor Trend the upcoming electric sports car based on the Neue Klasse platform “will beat everything you have ever seen.”
Expected to be part of an expanded 3-Series lineup, the sedan might revive the i3 nameplate to be badged i3 M.
BMW began testing a 4-motor performance powertrain in an i4 prototype back in 2022. BMW never said how much power that prototype made. Motor Trend said the upcoming performance vehicle will have about 1,000 kw, which is about 1,341 hp. That would make the electric sport sedan the most powerful production M car in history. It would also be more powerful than nearly every production electric car on the market including the Lucid Air Sapphire and Tesla Model S Plaid.
BMW has been developing its next-generation electric motors in-house with an emphasis on lightweight and compact design.
M cars have always had a strong focus on driving dynamics rather than outright power. The electric era sounds like it will be no different despite the extreme power output coming in this electric car. Van Meel told the magazine that a strong emphasis will be put on “neutral, linear, and predictable” handling, limits, and chassis control.
Purists will be delighted to hear van Meel confirmed rear-wheel drive will be available in the EV era, though obviously not with a 4-motor powertrain.
The electric M3 variant will likely arrive around 2026 or 2027.