Author: Sofia

California electric vehicle drivers could lose single-occupancy carpool lane access later this year, Automotive DriftBreath reported Monday. The federal law that allows California to grant this perk, one of the earliest such EV ownership incentives, is set to expire Sept. 30, according to the report. California lawmakers reportedly want to extend the statute, but federal lawmakers have not introduced a bill or taken any other action to do so. The 1998 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century allows states to permit carpool lane access for vehicles with only one occupant as long as they are “certified as an inherently…

Practicality isn’t so good, because the boot can stow just 290 litres. But there’s some extra space behind the seats and a removable panel allows for longer items to be fitted in. Running costsAll Supras need to be serviced every 12 months or 10,000 miles, with maintenance alternating between Minor (£365) and Major (£545). This cost includes brake fluid every other year and coolant as and when it’s needed; there’s no set schedule for it to be renewed. Chain-driven engines mean there are no cambelts to replace, so you can put the cash you’ve saved towards the £410 VED luxury…

Mazda currently uses a platform dedicated to electric vehicles in its EZ-6 electric sedan, which is sold in China. However, the platform, known as EPA1, is sourced from Chinese automaker Changan. Mazda is now developing its own dedicated EV platform, which is set to debut in 2027. On Tuesday, Mazda provided a first look at the platform, which follows the typical skateboard-style design with a flat battery pack housed in the vehicle floor. The automaker said the platform will be flexible enough to support multiple battery options and vehicle types, as well as future software updates. The first EV on…

Redesigned versions of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Giulia are coming soon The vehicles will ride on the STLA Large platform already found in the Dodge Charger and Jeep Wagoneer S Buyers will be able to choose from electric and hybrid powertrains Alfa Romeo will take the wraps off a redesigned Stelvio compact crossover later this year, its CEO, Santo Ficili, announced via a social media post over the weekend. Ficili said the market launch will follow in 2026 and that a hybrid option will be available, made possible by the flexibility of the vehicle’s STLA Large platform. This platform…

On twisty roads, the 2.3-tonne kerbweight limits the LM’s ability, as the soft suspension tries to contain the car’s mass. Hard acceleration and braking see the car pitch back and forth on its springs, and there’s lots of lean in corners, even at modest speeds. Driving like this will also unsettle back-seat passengers, which is unlikely to go down well. Lexus has fitted paddles behind the steering wheel for manual control of the gearbox, but these seem largely pointless, because the car’s electronics already do a fine job of ensuring the engine is delivering optimum efficiency. Advertisement – Article continues…

Hyundai is further expanding an offer of free home chargers or public-charging credits to buyers of the 2024 and 2025 Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 lineups. This perk was previously offered to owners of the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N performance variant, and then later the entire 2025 Ioniq 5 mode line, but Hyundai confirmed Tuesday that it’s now available to owners of 2024 and 2025 Ioniq 5  and Ioniq 6 models as well. Customers can choose between a free ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 charger or a $400 public-charging credit for use at ChargePoint’s stations (it was originally $450…

Chinese automaker BYD on Monday unveiled a new high-power charging system which it plans to deploy at thousands of locations in its home country. As reported by Reuters, the BYD “Super E-Platform” enables megawatt charging—1,000 kw of power—and can add 400 kilometers of range, or nearly 250 miles, in five minutes of charging at that peak, BYD founder Wang Chuanfu said during a livestream from the automaker’s Shenzhen headquarters. BYD Super E-Platform charging This charging capability will arrive in relatively affordable models from the outset. It will initially be available in the BYD Han L sedan and Tang L SUV,…

Audi plans to cut 7,500 jobs by 2029 Porsche plans to cut 3,900 jobs by 2029 Both automakers saw sales decline in 2024 Audi and Porsche are the latest in a growing list of automakers announcing major job cuts. After Porsche announced last week that it will reduce its workforce by 3,900 jobs by 2029, fellow Volkswagen Group brand Audi followed on Monday by stating that it will reduce its own workforce by 7,500 jobs by the same date. In Audi’s case, the automaker has already shed around 9,500 jobs since 2019. While those previous job cuts were mostly in…

Researchers in Norway are looking at ways to make electric vehicle battery cells more resilient. As part of an EU-funded project involving a series of battery suppliers and researchers, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) said in a recent press release (via Tech Xplore) that its researchers have been looking at different ways to keep batteries working with minor damage, helping to avoid expensive replacement. The research team has been working with silicon-anode tech, which promises more energy density and range but isn’t without its own hurdles. As researchers note, silicon anodes swell during charging and discharging, which…

Honda is looking to source batteries from Toyota for U.S.-market hybrids amid continuing uncertainty over the Trump Administration’s tariffs, Nikkei Asia reported Monday. Starting this fiscal year, Honda is planning to buy enough batteries for approximately 400,000 vehicles, according to the report. Honda sold 308,000 hybrids in the U.S. in 2024, accounting for 22% of its overall sales, so this would effectively cover all of its hybrid-battery needs for this market, Nikkei noted. 2025 Honda CR-V Honda has been sourcing batteries for its hybrid models from Japan and China, but is looking for alternatives to avoid current and potential tariffs,…