What company will build Fisker’s upcoming electric vehicle?
Which Presidential candidate us pro-ethanol and pro EVs?
This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending October 16, 2020.
The more affordable versions of the Lucid Air electric luxury sedans were given a price tag this week—starting at $77,300 for the base rear-wheel drive version. Tesla didn’t wait a full day before CEO Musk announced the company was lowering the price of the Model S—the second time in several days—to a base $69,420. Giggles ensued, and we can consider this one on the way to a true rivalry.
Fisker and Magna announced what could prove to be a big deal on Thursday. Under the agreement, Fisker will gain access to Magna’s EV architecture, and Magna will build the Fisker Ocean electric SUV in Europe. Financial details haven’t yet been released.
The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid will get quicker acceleration, although neither its power output nor its EPA combined fuel economy rating of 48 mpg have changed. Active-safety features and cabin tech have been upgraded, too.
2021 Honda Accord Hybrid
Volkswagen claims that its electric-car factories making the ID.4 and other upcoming mass-market EVs will be the most advanced in the industry. And GM has renamed its Detroit-Hamtramck plant Factory Zero—signifying the company’s transition to electric vehicles, as the first plant for the automaker exclusively intended to build EVs like the upcoming GMC Hummer EV.
2021 Volkswagen ID.4
The recent California ban on gasoline new vehicle sales by 2035 has Iowa corn-ethanol farmers concerned. And now both Presidential campaigns seem eager to step up to support them.
The California Air Resources Board sent automakers and other companies a warning letter, urging them to come clean on emissions-related workarounds and defeat devices before higher penalties next year and a new lab to sniff them out.
2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS prototype and Vision EQS concept
One surprising—albeit not entirely unexpected—story this week was Mercedes-Benz’s reported rethink on its electric-vehicle rollout for the U.S. After multiple delays of the EQC electric crossover and a slow rollout of other aspects of the EQ sub-brand in America, it’s decided to launch its new generation of EVs in 2021 with the EQS luxury car.
Electric vehicles will likely triple their market share in Europe in 2020, to 10%—and hit 15% in 2021, according to a report from Transport & Environment. To that, the Renault Mégane eVision concept shows the way in which the French automaker might use the CMF-EV platform, shared with Nissan and its upcoming Ariya crossover, to one of Europe’s most important segments of the market.
InoBat, a Slovakian battery startup that includes former Aston Martin and Nissan executive Andy Palmer, claims to incorporate AI in its cells and aims for dramatic improvements in EV range and energy density.
Rotary engine
Mazda’s rotary engine is coming back—as a range extender in the EV version of its MX-30 crossover. There’s no word yet on whether it will come to the U.S., or even Europe.
The federal government opened a safety probe to examine fires that started in Chevrolet Bolt EV electric cars when they were parked or unattended. And due to charging related fires, Ford has delayed the introduction of its 2021 Escape plug-in hybrid to next year.
2021 Ford Escape
The trend continues to electrify commercial vehicles. To that, the UK company Arrival is setting up shop in South Carolina, to build electric buses and perhaps delivery vehicles for U.S. use. And Israel’s REE Automotive demonstrated its three different skateboard platforms—intended for a wide range of vehicles—in action.
And last weekend, Colorado’s Lightning Systems will be placing its electric cargo van and truck conversions across the country for use as rentals. Your next move could very well be electric.
_______________________________________