What upcoming vehicle did Hot Wheels celebrate with radio-control toys?
Which automaker has set up the highest-power fast-charging station in Europe?
This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending February 28, 2020.
This week, Honda revealed some of the key numbers for its CR-V Hybrid, which goes on sale as soon as this weekend.
Honda CR-V Hybrid introduced at 2017 Shanghai auto show
Mercedes-Benz teased its upcoming EQA compact EV and said that it will arrive in production form by the end of the year.
Lucid has partnered with LG Chem for battery cell supply—although it won’t be using the pouch cells that have been subject to supply issues. And it was quite surprising from a technical standpoint to learn that the upcoming Lordstown Motors Endurance pickup, to be built at a former GM plant in Ohio, plans to use in-wheel hub motors.
Lordstown Endurance wheel hub motor
There was more than the typical amount of concept-car news and new designs this week—partly because of next week’s (now cancelled) Geneva Motor Show. Polestar released its Precept concept, a long, sleek fastback sedan that showcases some of the advanced-interface and sustainable-materials ideas the brand has recently previewed. The French carmaker PSA showed, through a concept for its DS luxury brand, a potential high-performance EV that looks very different. And an electric reboot of the Isetta bubble car is due to be shown.
Volkswagen is reportedly mulling the possibility of an electric sports car based on its mass-market MEB platform and harnessing some of the spirit behind its ID R race car.
Volkswagen ID R at Nürburgring
Hyundai is working to improve the efficiency of automatic transmissions by connecting them to a lot more information.
The Japanese company Yamaha has abandoned plans to build electric vehicles, but it is entering the business of supplying electric motors.
A research prototype from Russia suggests that solar cells could provide up to double the efficiency in the near future.
The Electrify America build-out required by part of the Volkswagen diesel settlement isn’t just about a DC fast charging network. This week EA announced that EV ARC will build 30 entirely solar-powered Level 2 stations in rural California. And separately, the highest-power DC fast-charging station in Europe isn’t from Tesla, but Teslas are invited.
Porsche Turbo Charging park - Leipzig, Germany
Even though BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and GM have slimmed down their car-sharing efforts in the past couple years, Renault is launching a new electric car-sharing service in Paris.
Hybrids tend to cost more up front, and manufacturing them involves more carbon emissions. So it’s reassuring that several popular hybrids—led by the Toyota Highlander Hybrid—are lasting significantly longer than the market average.
Hot Wheels 1:10-scale remote control Tesla Cybertruck
With the Tesla Cybertruck nearly two years away, anticipation builds over every little detail. CEO Elon Musk, for instance revealed that it will have a “game-charging” active suspension system. And the release of some RC Hot Wheels Cybertrucks probably excited parents as much as kids.