#EVs

With longtime CEO Akio Toyoda stepping down from Toyota Motor Corp, the business is reportedly about to shift targets and place a greater emphasis on battery-electric vehicles. However, there are a few caveats to that claim and the entire issue is mired in controversy, with entities clearly trying to pressure the Japanese automaker against doing things its own way.

Mercedes-Benz has officially debuted the all-electric version of the Sprinter and confirmed it will arrive in the United States sometime after the summer solstice. While the van will come in an array of formats to suit varying cargo needs, the initial run will be the long wheelbase variant with the highest roof and largest battery the Germans have to offer. But different versions are said to be forthcoming. Storage in the eSprinter seems to be more or less on par with its combustion-driven counterpart, though it cannot hold quite as much weight due to the heft of the battery pack. Range likewise seems useful, though the electric van will undoubtedly be better suited to localized delivery routes than any long-haul jobs.

Nissan is reportedly on track to have its very first solid-state battery production plant up and running by 2025, with vehicles leveraging the technology by 2028. While these units are supposed to offer increased range and decreased charging times, improving EV ownership, they also have some shortcomings engineering teams have yet to address. However, this hasn’t stopped a majority of manufacturers from pursuing the technology in the hopes of gaining an advantage over the competition as everyone attempts to transition toward all-electric lineups.

The United States Department of the Treasury appears to have caved after receiving sustained pressure from the auto lobby, modifying how vehicles are classified in the updated EV tax credit scheme in a manner designed to make more vehicles eligible. Rather than leaning on Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, the Treasury has said it will instead use the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Fuel Economy Labeling standard to determine when a vehicle is an SUV, pickup, sedan, or van.

If you’re into tackling off-road challenges on a budget or have an unhealthy amount of nostalgia for the Suzuki Samurai that was taken from us in the 1990s, you were probably disheartened to learn that the Jimny (which is what the Samurai is called globally) wouldn’t be coming to North America. Suzuki had already exited our market and the logic at the time was that a super-small ORV probably wouldn’t see a lot of takers in the land where full-sized pickups reign supreme. While Europe was given access to the Jimny, sweeping emission laws have spelled trouble for the K15B engine it uses there. However, Suzuki now seems to have figured out how to get around that problem and indirectly announced on Thursday that the model would eventually become an EV. 

Despite the United States having an entirely new EV tax credit scheme under the so-called Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), there’s nobody adhering to it right now. That’s because the Treasury Department decided to delay issuing specific guidance on battery matters until March, nullifying any restrictions based on content requirements. While this means more automakers have been able to take advantage of government subsidies, it also means they haven’t been required to follow any of the stipulations outlined in the IRA for 2023.

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) believes this is unacceptable and has advanced legislation that would effectively force the U.S. Treasury to do its job.

Have you ever thought about the resale value of electric vehicles? I admit I haven't thought about it as much as I probably should have. Apparently, I am not the only one who is a bit clueless about it -- it's a market mystery.

Ford is reportedly preparing to lay off a minimum of 1,000 German employees as it prepares to manufacture two battery-electric models developed under Volkswagen’s MEB platform. The partnership is old news, as is Ford wanting to pivot toward all-electric vehicles. However, everyone seems surprised that the decision would be accompanied by job cuts – despite countless reports having predicted that the global push toward EVs would mean far-fewer automotive jobs in the years to come.

Renault is vying to get the Alpine brand into the United States by 2028. Though it curiously doesn’t seem interested in selling the A110 enthusiasts have been gushing about ever since the rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car was revived in 2017. Instead, the French automaker wants to go with electrified crossovers.

Earlier this week, we covered legislation introduced in Wyoming that would ban the sale of EVs in that state.

BYD is a massive Chinese company operating in multiple industries, including solar panels, industrial equipment, and autos. Rumors of its imminent arrival in North America have swirled in recent months, and the automaker was expected to mount a strong showing at CES in Las Vegas earlier this month, but nothing materialized. 

A new federal report suggests that EVs, not hydrogen-fueled vehicles, are the way to go, at least when it comes to the passenger-vehicle fleet. Trucks, however, might be best served by hydrogen.

Citroën CEO Vincent Cobée is under the impression that sport utility vehicles are about to become extinct. “The world of SUVs is done,” he remarked in an interview with Auto Express, claiming that the aerodynamics of electrified vehicles – designed to maximize efficiency – will probably put an end to flat-faced SUVs.

BMW has issued a recall on certain 2022-2023 iX, i4, and i7 electric vehicles over a claimed “misdiagnosis” in the high-voltage battery management electronics system. Based on documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the likelihood of a vehicle suffering from the issue is supposedly rare. However, an estimated one percent of recalled models run the risk of erroneously resetting the control unit, resulting in a loss of electrical power.

Additionally, BMW has a much smaller recall that comes with a potential fire hazard and is exclusive to the i4 and iX.

Last week, BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse reportedly claimed that political agendas would not influence its electrification plans. Though the entire discussion was prompted by exactly that, forcing the automaker to address supply chain logistics that likely prohibited it from qualifying for the United States' rejiggered EV subsidy scheme.