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2025 EV & self-driving news

Kaido

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Fenixgoon said:
Counterpoint: in-home or in-complex L2 chargers are like having a gas station at home, since you can charge overnight.

EV charging stations do need to be ubiquitous, but maybe not to the same degree as gas stations because of the advantage of at-home "refueling"
Click to expand...

I still like Tesla's old battery-swap idea, i.e. rent it as a service. In China, NIO has it down pat:

1. Has completed 60 million battery swaps
2. Process takes under 5 minutes (car self-drives into station!)
3. The update process is as fast as 144 seconds (less than half the time)

Make an American version & throw in a free car wash lol


 
Kaido said:
I still like Tesla's old battery-swap idea, i.e. rent it as a service. In China, NIO has it down pat:

1. Has completed 60 million battery swaps
2. Process takes under 5 minutes (car self-drives into station!)
3. The update process is as fast as 144 seconds (less than half the time)

Make an American version & throw in a free car wash lol


Click to expand...
A common battery form factor would do wonders for that possibility!
 
I can't see battery swapping ever becoming mainstream. Maybe in fleets like taxis where you have all the same or similar vehicle. Even then it'll probably cheaper to just have charging stations.
 
Mr.IncrediblyBored said:
I can't see battery swapping ever becoming mainstream. Maybe in fleets like taxis where you have all the same or similar vehicle. Even then it'll probably cheaper to just have charging stations.
Click to expand...
Battery swapping is a rubbish idea for consumers.

5-minute charging is impressive as hell but honestly 10 minutes would be great too. A lot of Americans already spend more than 10 minutes per gas refueling, because the queues at Costco Gas are so long.


 
manly said:
Battery swapping is a rubbish idea for consumers.
Click to expand...

15 minutes is garbage. Some of my contractors have EV's & we've done 15-minute quick-charges. Historically, 15 minutes is a miracle. In practice...it's not for me. Feels aggravating lol.

I would definitely subscribe to a battery swap service if it were available nationwide because it would eliminate the range anxiety issue for me. Between the government's EV reduction, open-sourcing NACS, and import tariffs...ain't no way that will ever happen lol.
 
Kia is pitching Americans an affordable EV sedan with EV4 debut:
Tom Kearns, Kia’s chief designer, said Wednesday that what “many EVs have in common is the pricing that leans more towards the higher end. But our ultimate goal is to make electrified attainable driving for everyone.”
Click to expand...

235 to 330 miles. 2026 debut. Supposedly $35k base price:

techcrunch.com

Kia is pitching Americans an affordable EV sedan with EV4 debut | TechCrunch

Kia debuted its 2026 EV4 sedan at the New York International Auto Show on Wednesday, its first global electric sedan and one designed for customers
techcrunch.com techcrunch.com

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Battery swap seems like a great idea until you get an 8 year old battery put into your 1 year old car. No thanks.

Might work well for fleets where the company owns everything.
 
Xiaomi SU7 Ultra unlocks all 1,548 HP:

electrek.co

Xiaomi SU7 Ultra gets its groove back with all 1,548 hp available NOW

The tire-blistering SU7 Ultra was limited to "just" 900 hp in regular driving – resulting in an outcry from owners. Now, all 1,548 hp is back!
electrek.co electrek.co

It was software-limited before:

It’s hardly any wonder, then, that the customers who signed up – in droves, too – were disappointed to learn that the SU7 they were allowed to buy had been neutered by the safety nannies to the tune of nearly 650 hp. (!)

The outrage from SU7 Ultra owners was immediate. And, facing mounting pressure online and on social media, Xiaomi ultimately decided to withdraw the performance-limiting features while acknowledging the need for more transparent communication about future software updates they messed up, saying in a statement, “we appreciate the passionate feedback from our community and will ensure better transparency moving forward.”

So, rich people can rocket themselves down the road in 9 second hypercars again and all is right with the world. A happy ending – but one that sort of illuminates a fresh set challenges for automakers peddling “software-defined vehicles” to a market that still thinks of their cars as very much hardware defined products.
Click to expand...

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Lectron unveils Vortex NACS to CCS adapter to access Tesla’s Supercharger:

electrek.co

Lectron's Vortex NACS to CCS adapter is a simple tool to access Tesla's Supercharger network [Video]

I recently had the opportunity to test out the new Vortex plug adapter from Lectron, which enabled me and my...
electrek.co electrek.co

Lectron is a charging technology specialist that provides Level 1 and Level 2 EV chargers and a slew of adapters for Tesla to CCS, and vice versa

...

This adapter, designed for CCS BEVs, is compatible with all Tesla DC Superchargers (V3 and V4). It is rated for up to 500 amps and 1,000 volts, so if you find a super fast Tesla plug and your EV can support 350 kW fast charging, you can take full advantage of super quick charge rates.
Click to expand...

This is pretty cool:

1. You can retrofit any supported CCS BEV for NACS v3 & v4 Supercharger usage ($250 MSRP, on ale for $185 & 5% off via email sign-up). They have a separate "Tesla to J1772" adapter for older Tesla Level 2 chargers, if needed.

2. Only Mistubishi & Stellantis are NACS-free. Currently, the adapter is BEV-only; "it is incompatible with Mazda, MINI, Stellantis, or Chrysler models."

ev-lectron.com

Lectron NACS to CCS Adapter | Vortex Plug | 500A | 1,000V | Compatible with Tesla Superchargers

Shop our Lectron Vortex Plug Tesla Supercharger (NACS) to CCS Adapter. Get fast delivery and best prices.
ev-lectron.com ev-lectron.com

Currently compatible: Ford, Rivian, GM (Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac), Polestar & Volvo

ACCESS COMING SOON: AUDI, BMW, HONDA, JLR, KIA, PORSCHE, SUBARU, TOYOTA, VOLKSWAGEN

CURRENTLY NOT COMPATIBLE: MAZDA, MINI, STELLANTIS, CHRYSLER-STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES
Click to expand...


Great news after the Federal government paused NEVI:

www.foxnews.com

More than a dozen states sue Department of Transportation over EV charging station funds

Blue states teamed up to sue the Trump administration Wednesday, claiming the government illegally cut congressional funding for electric vehicle infrastructure.
www.foxnews.com www.foxnews.com

President Donald Trump on Jan. 20 mandated that federal agencies pause disbursement of all funds appropriated under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, including NEVI [National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure] program funding.
Click to expand...

Given this reality, this adapter is a smart move. Otherwise, you'd have to find public or private CCS charging, or find a more rare Tesla "Magic Dock" Supercharger that has CCS support. Downside is that America is essentially entirely reliant on Tesla going forward, a private company with a divisive CEO.


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Lucid Gravity electric SUV offers 450 miles of range:

electrek.co

Lucid reveals Gravity electric SUV lease prices: Here's how much it will run you

The Lucid Gravity is an impressive electric SUV with ultra-fast charging, up to 450 miles of range, and plenty of...
electrek.co electrek.co

Price is yikes tho lol:

According to Lucid’s payment calculator, the 2026 Lucid Gravity Grand Touring can be leased for $1,102 a month. That’s based on an MSRP of $94,900 with a down payment of $8,030. The deal is a 36-month lease with 10,000 miles a month.
Click to expand...

Note that the 512-mile Lucid Grand Air Touring sedan goes for $112k, so the 500-mile range HAS been broken!

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Tesla offers a $45k redesigned Model Y:


357-mile RWD. $45k or $37.5k after $7.5k tax incentive. Note that the nationwide average new car price is $50k:


There are some interesting lease & loan deals going on as well:



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Juniper refresh adds better cooling, wrap-around lights, better sound-dampening, etc.

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