DECEMBER 12, 2022

Test Drive
As a second truck, just for hammering the dunes or running the backwoods trails, the Ford F-150 Raptor R makes perfect sense.

GMC Hummer Crushes BEV Stereotypes

Wards 10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems
Is it a bit over the top? Of course. But in an era when the industry is still figuring out what’s possible with electrification, the GMC Hummer EV is the moon shot, an in-your-face demonstration of what can be done at the very outer limits of battery-electric-vehicle engineering.

Hyundai’s Big BEV News; Tesla to Rule U.S. Manufacturing?; Charging News

For Wards Intelligence Subscribers
The South Korean heavyweight is lining up as much as 90 GWh of new battery capacity in the U.S.

Lucid Details Air Pure, Touring Grades, Announces Plant Ready for Gravity

The $87,400 Pure grade and $107,400 Touring grade join the Air lineup as its most affordable models.

Q&A: Chicago Fed Automotive Policy Advisor Talks Chip Crisis

For Wards Intelligence Subscribers
Kristin Dziczek sees the higher number of chips per vehicle, reliance on mature technology, uncertainty regarding automakers’ long-term needs and the mismatch between product lifecycles as the main reasons for the ongoing automotive chip shortage.

Cadillac Celestiq a Manufacturing Masterpiece

What caught my eye is the business case built around the car, and how it’s manufactured.

What’s Next for Electric-Vehicle Battery Technology?

For Wards Intelligence Subscribers
Makers of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) face high demand for their cars and therefore the batteries that go with them. The supply of raw materials can’t keep up. Industry executives foretell dire consequences if prices don’t come down. But alternatives to the lithium-ion battery are hard to come by.

Mercedes Preps Hardcore Electric SUV

An electric Geländewagen is in the works at Mercedes-Benz, featuring four-motor drive and the ability to perform tank-like turns. It’s slated for U.S. sale in 2024.

Revel Latest Fast-Charging Player?; Volvo, Volkswagen, Lucid, Lightning News

For Wards Intelligence Subscribers
The company, which has just one fast-charging station, wants to expand across the U.S., while Volvo wants to speed up the zero-emission-vehicle rollout.

GM Says EVs to Turn Profit in North America by 2025

Paul Jacobson, executive vice president and chief financial officer, says GM will have multiple entries in the pickup, SUV and luxury segments which represent about 70% of EV industry volume.

2023 Volkswagen ID.4 a Stealth Choice

Test Drive
Volkswagen’s battery-electric CUV is a solid option for those wanting a more affordable BEV with good range and creature comforts.