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--- transportation:electric_cars [2025/04/25 18:23] – [Slate Auto] timb
+++ transportation:electric_cars [2026/01/11 21:17] (current) – [BYD] timb
@@ Line 1365: / Line 1365: @@
 ===== Taxes / Government Fees =====
+== Republicans In Congress Want a Flat $200 Annual EV Tax ==
+Posted by BeauHD on Wednesday April 30, 2025 05:20PM
+New submitter LDA6502 writes:
+<blockquote>
+The Republican chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is proposing a new annual federal vehicle registration fee of $200 for full EVs, $100 for hybrid EVs, and $20 for combustion vehicles. The tax would be tied to inflation, would be collected by the states, and would expire in 2035. Critics of the proposal note that it could result in low mileage EVs paying a far higher tax rate than heavy ICE trucks and SUVs.
+</blockquote>
+Ars Technica notes that the bill "exempts commercial vehicles, which should see a rush from tax avoiders to register their vehicles under their businesses [...]." Farm vehicles will also be exempt from the tax.
+"The Eno Center for Transportation calculates that this new tax will contribute an extra $110 billion to the highway Trust Fund by 2035 but that cuts to other taxes and more spending mean that the fund will still be $222 billion short of its commitments -- assuming that this added fee doesn't further dampen EV adoption in the U.S., that is."
+https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/04/30/2227225/republicans-in-congress-want-a-flat-200-annual-ev-tax
 ==== Tennessee ====
@@ Line 1956: / Line 1976: @@
 https://www.economist.com/briefing/2024/01/11/western-firms-are-quaking-as-chinas-electric-car-industry-speeds-up
+===== Technology =====
+== 'China Inside': How Chinese EV Tech Is Reshaping Global Auto Design ==
+Posted by msmash on Thursday September 11, 2025 09:01AM
+Global automakers are licensing Chinese electric vehicle technology to accelerate development and cut costs. Audi built its E5 Sportback in 18 months using SAIC's batteries, powertrain and software after the Zeekr 001 "shocked quite everyone" in 2021, according to Stefan Poetzl, president of SAIC Audi Sales and Marketing. Toyota and Volkswagen have joint development agreements for China-specific models using GAC and Xpeng technology respectively.
+Renault and Ford plan to develop global models on Chinese platforms, according to Reuters. The licensing deals provide Chinese automakers additional revenue amid domestic price wars. Ready-made Chinese EV chassis and software can save billions of dollars and years of development time, industry experts told the publication. CATL and other Chinese suppliers are expanding chassis production for domestic and international customers.
+https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/09/11/1542239/china-inside-how-chinese-ev-tech-is-reshaping-global-auto-design
@@ Line 2238: / Line 2274: @@
 https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/03/new-ev-battery-boasts-5-min-charge-time-adding-250-miles-of-range/
+== This ‘Magical’ Material That Dissolves Like Candy Is Exactly What EVs Have Been Missing ==
+The material self-assembles and dissolves easily, making it an easy-to-recycle alternative for manufacturing EV batteries.
+Gayoung Lee - August 29, 2025
+The irony of eco-friendly electric vehicles is the mountainous load of electronic waste they produce. So far, most targeted efforts to recycle EV batteries have been expensive and chemically toxic—and they haven’t stuck. That could change soon, however, thanks to a promising breakthrough from MIT.
+In a Nature Chemistry paper published August 28, researchers describe a new type of self-assembling material that easily dissolves in organic solvents. It works reasonably well as the electrolyte in a solid-state battery cell—the design major EV producers are racing to implement. Notably, the process doesn’t require the harsh chemical and thermal conditions that make EV battery recycling so difficult, offering promising opportunities for recycling the batteries at scale, the researchers said.
+“Our approach is to start with easily recyclable materials and figure out how to make them battery-compatible,” Yukio Cho, study lead author and a material scientist at Stanford, told MIT News. “Designing batteries for recyclability from the beginning is a new approach.”
+https://gizmodo.com/this-magical-material-that-dissolves-like-candy-is-exactly-what-evs-have-been-missing-2000650429
+===== GM Battery =====
+== GM Says New Battery Chemistry Will Enable 400-Mile Range EVs ==
+Posted by BeauHD on Wednesday May 14, 2025 12:00AM
+General Motors is partnering with LG to develop lithium manganese-rich (LMR) batteries, which are safer, denser, and cheaper than current EV battery tech. The automaker aims to begin U.S. production by 2028 and become the first to deploy LMR cells in electric vehicles. Ford also announced it would start adopting LMR batteries for its EVs, but not until 2030. The Verge reports:
+<blockquote>
+GM's current crop of electric Chevys and Cadillacs use high-nickel batteries, which supply enough energy for around 300-320 miles of range. The new LMR batteries are denser, with greater space efficiency due to their prismatic shape, enabling up to 400 miles of range, GM says. Prismatic cells are packed flat in rigid cases and are generally thought to be less complex to manufacture than cylindrical cells. Less complexity and cheaper materials will hopefully lead to lower-cost EVs, which has been a significant challenge for the auto industry's shift to electric vehicles.
+"The EV growth rate is really dependent on how quickly we can bring the costs down over time," says GM's VP for batteries Kurt Kelty. "And this is the biggest lever we have. Batteries make up roughly 30 to 40 percent of the cost of vehicles. And if you can drop that down significantly like we're doing here, then it ends up being a lower cost to the consumer."
+</blockquote>
+https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/25/05/14/0056248/gm-says-new-battery-chemistry-will-enable-400-mile-range-evs
@@ Line 2337: / Line 2413: @@
 https://spectrum.ieee.org/mercedes-benz
+== Race for All-Solid-State EV Batteries Heats Up with New Samsung SDI/BMW/Solid Power Partnership ==
+Posted by EditorDavid on Saturday November 01, 2025 02:59PM
+All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) "are widely viewed as the 'holy grail' of EV battery tech," writes Electrek, "promising to double driving range, halve charging times, and reduce costs." Toyota hopes to launch its first production EV powered by the batteries in 2027 or 2028, and Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen are also testing the technology.
+But now Samsung SDI is teaming up with BMW and US-based battery company Solid Power for their own effort at commercializing all-solid-state EV batteries "in what's expected to be a trilateral powerhouse."
+<blockquote>
+BMW and Solid Power have been working together to develop the next-gen battery tech since 2022... Under the new agreement signed this week, Samsung will supply all-solid-state battery cells. Samsung will use Solid Power's Sulfide-Based Solid Electrolyte solution, while BMW will develop the battery pack and modules.
+</blockquote>
+https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/11/01/2158238/race-for-all-solid-state-ev-batteries-heats-up-with-new-samsung-sdibmwsolid-power-partnership
@@ Line 2683: / Line 2775: @@
 https://technode.com/2024/05/29/byd-achieves-1300-mile-driving-range-with-latest-phevs/
+== China's BYD overtakes Tesla as world's top EV seller ==
+Osmond Chia & Danielle Kaye - 2 January 2026
+China's BYD has overtaken Elon Musk's Tesla as the world's biggest seller of electric vehicles (EVs), marking the first time it has outpaced its American rival in annual sales.
+Tesla car sales dropped by nearly 9% in 2025 to 1.64 million vehicles sold worldwide, the carmaker said on Friday - its second consecutive year of falling car deliveries.
+Those figures placed Tesla behind BYD, which said on Thursday that sales of its battery-powered cars rose last year by almost 28% to more than 2.25 million.
+The US firm has faced a tough year with a mixed reception to new offerings, unease over Musk's political activities and intensifying competition from Chinese rivals.
+Tesla's car sales fell 16% during the last three months of 2025. The drop was partly due to the repeal of a government subsidy that had helped knock as much as $7,500 (£5,570) off the price of certain battery electric, plug-in hybrid or fuel cell vehicles.
+Wall Street analysts have recently lowered their Tesla sales estimates for 2026, signalling an increasingly gloomy outlook.
+Chinese firms such as Geely, MG, and BYD - now the country's largest electric car company - have put pressure on Western rivals by pricing their vehicles below established brands.
+https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj9rjwpvmpzo
+== BYD’s cheapest electric cars to have LiDAR self-driving tech ==
+January 2026 - Riz Akhtar
+Chinese car giant BYD has reportedly been offering LiDAR sensors in upcoming versions of some of its cheapest cars on the market.
+According to CNC, the latest to be approved versions of both the Seagull, known as the Atto 1 in Australia, and the Dolphin hatchback will come equipped with LiDAR sensors to improve advanced driver assistance system offerings on these cars.
+With this tech, both models are expected to come with 12 cameras, 5 mm wave radars, a dozen ultrasonic sensors as well as the new LiDAR sensor.
+These roof-mounted LiDAR sensors have previously been spotted on BYD and other EV makers’ models priced at more than  $A25,000, at least in international markets, so seeing them on cars that are priced under that is quite a big step in bringing this technology to the mass market.
+https://thedriven.io/2026/01/11/byds-cheapest-electric-cars-to-have-lidar-self-driving-tech/
@@ Line 3098: / Line 3225: @@
 https://electrek.co/2024/05/29/why-this-electric-car-the-size-of-two-motorcycles-should-be-on-your-list/
+====== Fiat ======
+== Fiat Will Sell Tiny EV in the U.S. With a 28 MPH Top Speed ==
+It's morning in America for cute little cars that Americans have historically rejected.
+Zac Estrada - December 9, 2025
+Just days after President Donald Trump declared tiny cars would make new vehicles more affordable (as if affordability had nothing to do with tariffs imposed by the White House earlier this year), one of the smallest electric cars for sale in Europe is set to appear Stateside next year.
+Fiat USA announced on Monday that it would import the all-electric Topolino to the U.S. starting next year. While exact federal specifications haven’t been detailed yet, the Topolino uses an 8-horsepower, 6-kilowatt electric motor with a top speed of 28 mph and a roughly 40-mile driving range.
+It accommodates an adult driver somewhat comfortably on what’s basically a plastic seat, and two adults somewhat less comfortably because of the car’s narrowness, but at least it has conveniences that a golf cart doesn’t normally have, such as doors, windows, a Bluetooth speaker, and a smartphone dock for directions.
+Stellantis has been strongly hinting at bringing the Topolino to the U.S. since it went on sale in some European countries in 2023, with the car making the rounds at auto shows across the country. While Fiat had some early success with its reintroduction in the early 2010s after it gained a controlling share of the former Chrysler Group, sales collapsed with lower fuel prices and an aging lineup. Its only model available in the U.S. now is the slow-selling, all-electric 500e small hatchback that has been adversely affected by the end of EV tax incentives, tariffs, and a relatively high price given its roughly 150-mile range.
+https://gizmodo.com/fiat-will-sell-tiny-ev-in-the-u-s-with-a-28-mph-top-speed-2000697415
@@ Line 3171: / Line 3320: @@
 https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/02/ford-wants-to-sell-evs-online-only-and-at-a-set-price/
+== Ford to reveal more about its new low-cost electric vehicles on August 11 ==
+Sean O'Kane - 7:14 AM PDT July 31, 2025
+Ford is set to reveal more information about its upcoming low-cost electric vehicles at an event in Kentucky on August 11. And the company is talking a very big game: CEO Jim Farley said Wednesday that the announcement is “a Model T moment” for Ford.
+Farley made the comments after Ford revealed its electric vehicle division posted a loss of around $1.3 billion in the second quarter of 2025. Sales of the company’s top two EVs, the F-150 Lightning and the Mustang Mach-E, are declining, all while things are looking increasingly tough for electric vehicles under the second Trump administration.
+Farley first revealed that Ford had a skunkworks team developing a low-cost electric vehicle in February 2024. As TechCrunch first reported, the effort is being led by former Tesla executive Alan Clarke, and the team is brimming with talent from companies like Tesla, Rivian, Apple, and Lucid Motors.
+The company has been deliberately vague about any specifics, but has admitted that the first vehicle to be built on this new low-cost platform will be a mid-size pickup truck set for release in 2027. Ford has said it will build “multiple vehicle styles — for both retail and commercial customers” on the platform, and that these vehicles will feature “personalized digital experiences.”
+https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/31/ford-to-reveal-more-about-its-new-low-cost-electric-vehicles-on-august-11/
@@ Line 4082: / Line 4243: @@
 https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/the-kia-ev4-makes-its-us-debut-at-the-new-york-auto-show-140036813.html
+== Here’s Kia’s new small, affordable electric car: The 2026 EV4 sedan ==
+The sedan goes on sale in the US toward the end of this year.
+Jonathan M. Gitlin – Jun 16, 2025 6:01 AM
+SEOUL, South Korea—Drive enough electric vehicles from enough different manufacturers and something becomes clear: the Korean automakers know what they're doing. From small cars like the Niro all the way to three-row SUVs, the EVs coming out of Kia (and its sibling Hyundai) are as efficient as anything out there, usually with a distinctive style. It's fair to say they're at the front of the pack, at least as far as EVs offered to North America.
+And soon, there will be a new one to consider. It's the Kia EV4, a small electric sedan that uses a new version of the E-GMP platform that has so impressed us in cars like the EV6. Originally designed for midsize and larger vehicles and operating at 800 V, the E-GMP powertrain is very capable but also relatively expensive to make. Now Kia has taken what it learned with the 800 V experience and applied it to the new 400 V version that's suitable for smaller and cheaper EVs.
+https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/06/kia-hasnt-forgotten-the-small-electric-sedan-we-try-the-2026-ev4/
@@ Line 4295: / Line 4470: @@
 https://tech.slashdot.org/story/22/02/07/2234242/nissan-is-ending-engine-development-except-for-us-bound-vehicles
+===== Leaf =====
+== Nissan unveils the third-generation Leaf EV ==
+It's a totally redesigned all-electric crossover SUV with 300 miles of range.
+Andre Revilla - Updated Tue, Jun 17, 2025, 7:56 AM PDT
+Nissan has unveiled its third-generation Leaf EV with a completely new design. The 2026 model sheds the last vestiges of its original compact car body and leans fully into crossover SUV territory. The new look offers some design features that are commonly seen in the all-electric vehicle marketplace, allowing it to compete against other models in its class. These include available dual 14.3-inch displays, flush door handles for better aerodynamics, and liquid-cooled lithium-ion batteries.
+The new Leaf is also the latest EV to adopt the NACS charging port after Tesla made it open-source in 2022. Since then, just about every major automaker from Ford to Mercedes has adopted the standard, with these brands getting access to Tesla's Supercharger network on a rolling basis. For added convenience, a J1772 port, the most common standard for Level 2 chargers, is included on the driver's-side fender. The Leaf's video announcement highlights bi-directional V2X technology that allows drivers to power their homes, send power to the grid, or provide power when camping, though details are sparse.
+In the same video, Nissan’s head of global design, Alfonso Albaisa, explains the lengths the company went to in making the car as aerodynamic as possible in order to achieve the car’s stated 300-mile range. The rear door handles, for instance, are built into the C-pillar, which could make for an awkward angle when trying to open the door with your hands full. The body of the Leaf has a chunky, SUV-like stance, with a wide front reminiscent of the Volkswagen ID.4. In the end, all these design choices helped the new Leaf reduce its drag coefficient by 10 percent from the previous generation.
+https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/nissan-unveils-the-third-generation-leaf-ev-145620303.html
+==== 2025 ====
+== Nissan's redesigned Leaf EV starts at $29,990 ==
+The price remains affordable even as the driving range grows to about 300 miles.
+Anna Washenko - Tue, August 19, 2025 at 11:15 AM PDT
+We learned earlier this summer that Nissan was working on a redesign of its Leaf EV, but today the company shared some additional information about the vehicle. One of the most notable details is the price, which will be $29,990 for the Leaf S+ trim. That's a lower amount for the third-generation car than the original 2011 Leaf cost, continuing what has become a trend of Nissan offering electric vehicles for modest prices. The Leaf SV+ will retail for $34,230 and the Leaf Platinum+ will cost $38,990, but no price has been shared yet for the entry-level Leaf S model.
+Another compelling aspect of these 2026 Leaf models is the maximum driving range of up to 303 per charge, depending on the model. This performance is a marked improvement over the range for most of its previous iterations. All the models will have a quick-charge time of 35 minutes and will be compatible with NACS charging ports. The higher-end trims will have additional perks such as bigger dual display screens, more audio speakers, and wireless phone charging for the interior.
+https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/nissans-redesigned-leaf-ev-starts-at-29990-181520692.html
 ====== Polestar ======
@@ Line 4339: / Line 4550: @@
 https://techcrunch.com/2021/12/15/the-entry-level-2022-polestar-2-will-have-an-epa-estimated-range-of-270-miles/
+===== Polestar 5 =====
+== The Polestar 5 electric sedan makes its world debut ==
+The electric grand tourer charges fast, accelerates even faster.
+Jonathan M. Gitlin – Sep 8, 2025 11:00 AM
+Today, Polestar debuted its newest model. Just as three is followed by four, next in the series comes five—in this case the Polestar 5. And the new EV is a little departure from the products we've seen so far from this Swedish/Chinese startup. It's a handsome if angular sedan that, like the Polestar 4 SUV, eschews a rear window in favor of more headroom for passengers and a rear-view camera.
+"Polestar 5 is bringing the future to our present. Our vision for Polestar's design, technology, and sustainability direction is no longer a dream but a reality our customers can buy," said Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller. "With its pure Scandinavian design inside and out, unique platform, powerful motors, sophisticated chassis, cutting-edge technology, and consciously sustainable materials, the Polestar 5 is a guiding star for the industry and the perfect Polestar flagship."
+As we found out when we met the car early during its development, the Polestar 5 uses a bonded aluminum chassis, similar to various Lotuses and most current Aston Martins. Indeed, plenty of the development engineers working at Polestar's UK R&D center in Coventry can count those brands on their CVs. The bonded aluminum approach results in a very stiff but quite light chassis, making it a good starting point for a performance car.
+The quick passenger ride we got back then convinced me that the Polestar 5 was going to be a problem for Porsche's Taycan, and a look at the powertrain specs confirms that. It's an 800 V setup, powered by a 106 kWh (useable, 112 kWh gross) battery pack that can fast-charge from 10–80 percent in just 22 minutes.
+https://arstechnica.com/cars/2025/09/polestar-unveils-electric-gt-rival-to-the-porsche-taycan/
@@ Line 4746: / Line 4978: @@
 https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/16/subaru-debuts-trailseeker-an-all-electric-suv-coming-for-rivians-outdoorsy-ev-customer-base/
+===== Uncharted =====
+== Subaru's third EV is the Uncharted (yep) with 300 miles of range and 338 horsepower ==
+It shares a platform with Toyota's C-HR and looks a lot like it, too.
+Steve Dent - Fri, Jul 18, 2025, 6:00 AM PDT
+Subaru just screwed up our SEO with the launch of the Uncharted, an electric crossover with up to 300 miles of range that probably has nothing to do with the video game. It uses the same E-TNGA platform as Toyota's CH-R EV and strongly resembles that model.
+Due to arrive next year, the 2026 Uncharted will come in two versions, both with 74.7kWh batteries. The first is a front-wheel drive version with 228 horsepower and 300 miles of range, while the second is a much grunt-ier dual-motor four wheel drive version with 338 horsepower and a sub-five-second 0-60mph time in either Sport or GT trims, but slightly less range (290 miles). The latter specs are identical to the CH-R EV, by the way.
+https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/subarus-third-ev-is-the-uncharted-yep-with-300-miles-of-range-and-338-horsepower-130015496.html
@@ Line 5203: / Line 5451: @@
 https://www.motorious.com/articles/news/toyota-warns-about-rushing-electrification/
+===== Bz =====
+== Toyota hopes for a smoother start with its redesigned bZ all-electric SUV ==
+The bZ is the second generation vehicle in Toyota's "beyond Zero" lineup.
+Andre Revilla - Tue, May 13, 2025, 11:24 AM PDT
+In an increasingly competitive EV landscape, Toyota hopes its newly redesigned and renamed Toyota bZ can stand out. As brands from Subaru to Volkswagen continue to expand all-electric offerings, Toyota is placing its bets on a single EV model for the American market.
+The change in name may be partly in hopes of distancing the new model in consumers’ minds from the original bZ4X, which began stateside sales in 2022, only to be met with recalls and buybacks.
+Toyota, for its part, states in a press release that the branding change is just “simplifying the name for customers.” Toyota is hoping for a fresh start and has brought several key improvements to the table.
+The new bZ will have an estimated range of 314 miles, up from just 252 in the previous model. There is also a significant horsepower boost for all-wheel drive models, reaching 338 hp, and a modest 20-hp boost for front-wheel drive models, measuring in at 221 hp.
+https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/toyota-hopes-for-a-smoother-start-with-its-redesigned-bz-all-electric-suv-182426253.html