How much does the cheapest U.S.-market electric car cost?
Which automaker announced it will be designing its own electric motors?
This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending November 7, 2020.
After U.S. votes have been cast but the vote count dragged on, at least one CEO spoke up about how having Joe Biden as the next President will be a positive for electric vehicles.
Election Day brought the passage of an expanded “right to repair” measure that could put EV makers—and probably any vehicle with over-the-air updates—on notice, with requirements to disclose to owners what’s being transmitted.
2022 Audi E-Tron GT prototype
The 2022 Audi E-Tron GT is arriving next year, and the brand revealed some new details about this performance flagship, related to the Porsche Taycan.
Although the past week has been short on product announcements, multiple automakers announced significant plans for electrifying their vehicle lineups.
Aston Martin announced that, with a deal made with Mercedes-Benz the previous week, it will be able to electrify 20% of its fleet by 2024. Bentley announced a long-awaited cohesive plan for electrifying the brand, with all of its models by 2030 going all-electric. And Mitsubishi said that it’s planning to ramp up its range of plug-in hybrid offerings over the next decade—such that PHEVs, hybrids, and electric cars combined will make up 50% of its global sales.
2020 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid
Mitsubishi also became an investor in WiTricity, one of the leading companies developing wireless EV charging technology, and plans to enable it in future urban mobility projects and infrastructure services.
Volvo announced a new lab that will help it develop its own motors for electric vehicles, along with all the other propulsion pieces, so as to help boost efficiency.
Ford is taking a completely different approach than other automakers in its transition to electric vehicles, betting on commercial vehicles and all-electric versions of icons like the Mustang, Transit, and F-150. It’s also changing to a “digital kind of service model” for the whole EV ecosystem.
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E First Edition
In the meantime, Ford has some hurdles. Issues with plug-in hybrid batteries have prompted the company to seek a deal in Europe to pool CO2 credits with Volvo.
The U.S. importer of Kandi electric cars from China—yes, that's the brand that dispensed its car-sharing vehicles in its home market from vending machines—announced that one of its vehicles, the K27, has been cleared for U.S. road use and costs just $7,999 in California if buyers can claim the EV tax credit.
Nissan Ariya
The Nissan Ariya electric crossover won’t arrive in Europe until later this year, but the carmaker already started teasing its arrival there this past week.
Also in Europe, new registrations of hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and EVs combined have passed diesels for the first time. In a place where diesel used to be king, that’s a symbol of the sea change sweeping the Continent.
Volkswagen demonstration project on Greek island of Astypalea
Volkswagen is turning a Greek island into a model of sustainability mobility, with renewable energy and a suite of electric vehicles.
Britain’s Swindon Powertrain has released a piecemeal kit for turning a classic Mini into an EV. And last weekend, we showcased the all-electric version of the classic Chevy Blazer SUV that GM used to tease the potential of its upcoming eCrate package.
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