More EVs Needed to Meet Fuel Efficiency Requirements Ford’s all-electric F-150 Lightning offsets eight 30 mpg gas-burners for the automaker today. By 2030, under new rules, it could take four F-150 Lightnings to have the same impact on Ford’s annual average fleetwide fuel efficiency./Ford Motor Co. In a move strongly opposed by the auto industry, the federal Energy Department has dramatically changed the way carmakers can use plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles to offset production of internal combustion cars and trucks. The move means that in order to comply with the federal fuel effi ..read more

Ford said it is “retiming” launch plans for its new three-row EVs, setting 2027 as the new target date – a two-year delay. The automaker said it will continue development of EVs but also will be expanding development of conventional hybrids. The company also said that while work on its Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center continues on schedule, retail deliveries of the “next-generation” electric pickup slated to be built there will now begin in 2026 instead of 2025. The truck, code-named the T3 (Trust the Truck) is expected to replace the F-150 Lightning after 2026, It will be built on a dedicate ..read more

Volkswagen VW says it will launch its 2025 ID.7 electric sport sedan in the U.S. in two trim levels and with both rear- and all-wheel drive formats. Pricing, though, hasn’t been revealed and won’t be until “closer to launch” in the third quarter. Typically, a two-trim strategy provide a more basic entry-level model and a mid- or top-range premium version. But Volkswagen in marketing the ID.7 as a “near luxury” sedan, so its base Pro S trim should come very well-equipped. the Pro S Plus will offer even higher levels of posh. For other VW EVs, the Pro S and Pro S Plus are the top trims on the li ..read more

Big Battery Models Also Get Improved Infotainment System ‘Standard’ Trims Unchanged 2024 ID.4/Volkswagen Volkswagen has listened to its customers and given the bulk of its 2024 ID.4 lineup a much-needed increase in horsepower and range along with a revised infotainment system that’s actually s pleasure to use. The changes apply to 2024 models with the 82 kWh battery pack. Versions with smaller 62 kWh pack carry over from the 2023 model year with no changes in order to continue serving as an affordable entry point for the ID.4. As VW announced earlier, all 2024 models are eligible for the full ..read more

Most will qualify for full $7,500 federal tax credit Honda says its 2024 Prologue EV will start at under $50,000 while Acura’s ZDX, an electric crossover built on the same platform, will start at just over $65,000. 2024 Honda Prologue The automaker said all ZDX models and all Prologues built after Feb. 26, 2024, will qualify for the full $7,500 federal clean vehicles tax credit for buyers (those who lease – regardless of the vehicle’s production date – also get the credit in the form of reduced monthly lease payments). Honda is offering the Prologue in three trims, two available with single-mo ..read more

EVs will be the real muscle in next-generation Charger family Electronic noisemaker will be standard In dealerships by fall 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack./All photos courtesy Dodge The revamped Dodge Charger muscle car goes electric for 2024 with the Charger EV – the Charger Daytona R/T and Scat Pack EVs, to to be precise. A pair of supercharged, gasoline-burning versions will follow in 2025. The Daytona name will be reserved for electric models. Unlike other EV makers, though, Dodge won’t be selling the Charger EV on range, or on its quiet electric power. It is still a muscle car, th ..read more

Mercedes-Benz minivan fans have something to look forward to – a new V-Class electric luxury van for the U.S. market will go on sale in 2026. The Mercedes-Benz EQV luxury van – a 2024 model pictured here – will become the V-Class van in 2026 and will be sold in the U.S. – the first Mercedes minivan here since the Metris was discontinued./Mercedes-Benz The internal combustion Metris 8-seat passenger van was discontinued here at the end of the 2023 model year as sales slumped. Mercedes electrified its passenger van in 2019 and has been selling it as the battery-electric EQV outside of the U.S. s ..read more

Meet the 2025 Honda CR-V e:FCEV. The name’s a mouthful, it’s a California-only model and it has a plug (note the dual fuel doors), making it a plug-in hydrogen CR-V. The hydrogen-electric system was co-developed with General Motors, which doesn’t have fuel cell passenger cars of its own./All photos courtesy of Honda. Honda has lifted the covers on its next fuel cell-electric vehicle, the 2025 CR-V e:FCEV, and if the name doesn’t kill it, the automaker might have a limited edition, small-volume hit on its hands. The hydrogen-electric CR-V replaces the discontinued Honda Clarity FCEV in Honda’s ..read more

But sleek electric wagon not (yet) slated for the U.S. Volkswagen has turned out a wagon version of the ID.7 – the ID.7 Tourer- and while not yet scheduled to be sold outside of Europe, we can hope. The automaker showed a camouflaged ID.7 Tourer last fall and has just released photography of a near-production-ready model. In the spirit of “show ’em and they just might lobby for it to come here,” we’re sharing those photos and the few pieces of info about the touring, or wagon, version of the ID.7. VW says that it will be available to European customers with two battery choices, 77 or 86 kilow ..read more

Credit Can Now Be Applied to Down Payment But Far fewer vehicles eligible Under new-for-2024 eligibility rules, 2023 and 2024 models of Volkswagen’s ID.4 EV are eligible for a $7,500 tax credit when equipped with SK On batteries./Volkswagen As 2024 dawns it bring with it some big changes in the federal tax credit program for EVs and plug-in hybrids. On the plus side, the tax credit – for those few vehicles that still qualify – can be transferred to the dealership and applied immediately and directly as all or part of a down payment as of Jan. 1. [A 10-minute read] On the negative side ..read more