Which state might be next to ban the sale of new gasoline vehicles?
How does manufacturing the Apple iPhone tie in with an announcement about electric cars this week?
This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending October 23, 2020.
GM revealed the 2022 GMC Hummer EV, the first of its Ultium electric vehicles to reach the market starting later next year—in small volumes and at a prohibitive price, it turns out, because GM hasn’t fully developed the vehicle yet. The Hummer EV Edition 1 will start at $112,595.
2022 GMC Hummer EV
GM also earlier in the week confirmed that it will be building the upcoming Cadillac Lyriq electric crossover at the Spring Hill, Tennessee plant. Yes, that’s the one where Saturn started.
Tesla reported its fifth profitable quarter in a row, as well as substantive updates on the progress of the Semi, which CEO Elon Musk said is up against battery-supply constraints.
Prototype for Tesla Semi electric semi-trailer truck
South Korean supplier LG Chem revealed to Reuters that it plans to triple its cylindrical cell production for EVs—the sort that Tesla needs for the Semi—while working on a fivefold increase in energy density and “a new form factor,” that might or might not be Tesla’s upcoming 4680 format.
The other big South Korean battery supplier, SK Innovation, teased a new line of cells, coming next year, that will enable over 500 miles of driving with just two 10-minute DC fast charges. It could help the small-car and mass-market EVs catch up with what up until now has been exclusive to premium EVs.
2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge
Volvo set the starting price for its first electric vehicle, the XC40 Recharge, at $54,895. That’s before the $7,500 federal EV tax credit.
Karma put a price tag on its upcoming GSe-6, the fully electric version of its Karma Revero GT, which was originally called the Fisker Karma. Its number is right near that of the Tesla Model S, as well as the base-level Lucid Air that will arrive eventually.
Most of the Tesla lineup recently received a significant range boost—with the Model X now up to 371 miles and the Model 3 ranging up to 353 miles.
2021 Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Executive
The 2021 model-year update for the lineup of Porsche Panamera plug-in hybrids brings quicker acceleration and more electric range.
BMW has made 200,000 of its quirky i3 electric cars—although in the U.S. BMW remains far from hitting the 200,000-vehicle ceiling for the EV tax credit.
The SAE released a revised standard for wireless vehicle charging that permits up to 11 kw and assures a wider range of interoperability between hardware. It could be the long-overdue boost that makes wireless more widespread and sells people who don’t like the clunky cords on EVs.
Wireless charging in parking building - WiTricity
Veloz, Electrify America, and the VW diesel settlement have enabed a new one-stop, brand-neutral website that will help EV shoppers buy and install a home charger and navigate incentives.
New Jersey is looking like the next state to follow California and ban the sale of new gasoline vehicles by 2035.
The maker of the iPhone, Foxconn, revealed an open platform for electric cars, as well as a solid-state battery for EVs that’s due by 2024.
Nikola Badger
Nikola’s CEO revealed that if the deal with General Motors falls through, it will revert to a “base plan” that would completely cancel the Badger fuel-cell-supplemented electric pickup that would have been made by GM.
2021 Hyundai Kona Electric
There were several EV-related fire concerns, which we should preface with the fact that per mile traveled, EV fires are less common than gasoline vehicle fires. That said, BMW broadened its recall of 2020 and 2021 model year plug-in hybrids, over concerns that welding debris was left in the battery pack. And after a fire probe opened to look at Chevy Bolt EV fires the week before, Hyundai last weekend issued a U.S. recall for its 2019-2020 Kona Electric models, over concern about vehicle fires; it includes a stop-sale for models still at the dealership, and Hyundai cautions owners not to park their cars in the garage.
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