2025 Volvo EX30 review, Ram Charger pickup, Nissan hybrids, under $35K Volkswagen EV: The week in reverse

When will the all-electric Jeep Wrangler arrive?

Where will the next Chevy Bolt EV be manufactured?

This is our look at the reversal week — here at Green Car Reports — for the week ending November 10, 2023.

The 2025 Volvo EX30 electric crossover will be available soon, and represents a new step for the Swedish brand, with a size not much larger than a Mini Cooper and its smallest carbon footprint ever. However, it is also the fastest accelerating Volvo model ever. Read our first impressions of the Volvo EX30.

Volvo also announced last week the formation of Volvo Energy Solutions at Volvo Cars which will seek to make the most of its cars’ two-way charging capability both at home and in grid assistance – which is set to begin with the arrival of the EX90. Meanwhile, the automaker is launching a vehicle-to-grid (V2) pilot program using low-cost AC wallboxes.

Ram on Tuesday unveiled its completely redesigned Ram 1500 truck lineup. In addition to the 2025 Ram 1500 REV and its 500-mile all-electric range, the lineup will include the Ram 1500 Ram Charger Plug-in Hybrid that allows for 145 miles of electric range and then channels the hybrid technology to use the full-size V-Power. 6 gasoline engine extends range to 690 miles. Will this technology, which didn’t quite make sense in American driving courses in the past, make sense in tow and haul trucks?

2025 Ram 1500 Ram Charger

Nissan’s e-Power series hybrid system still hasn’t made it to a single model in the U.S. market, even after it has become a key technology in Europe and elsewhere in its shift to all-electric models. At the Tokyo Motor Show last week, Nissan hinted that it might finally make sense for America, with potential plans for both hybrid and electric pickups, perhaps.

The 2025 Toyota Camry Hybrid is getting a complete redesign, which will be revealed next week, along with an all-wheel drive system for the first time. If it can maintain its mpg versus the Honda Accord Hybrid and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, it’s definitely an advantage in the market.

Lucid Air charges a Tesla Model S

The Lucid Air will soon be able to charge other electric vehicles at up to 9.6 kilowatts, which could give some models a range of up to 40 miles per hour. The hardware that enables it is already up in the air, but it needs to be enabled by software, and you’ll also need a specific cable. Lucid also announced earlier in the week that it will switch to Tesla’s NACS port in 2025.

Subaru has joined the majority as well, announcing that it will begin adopting the Tesla NACS charging port for its electric vehicles in the US market. Furthermore, Subaru EVs will gain access to the Supercharger in the same year as the CCS adapter becomes available for existing models like the Solterra, the company confirmed Wednesday.

Engine family for electric vehicles based on GM Ultium

Earlier this week, General Motors announced a partnership that it hopes will produce permanent magnet electric vehicle motors without rare earth materials, controversial sourcing ethics and supply chain. It is worth noting that General Motors invented the rare earth permanent magnet as we know it.

Hyundai is said to be in the midst of developing a new generation of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells for affordable electric vehicles in the future. According to a report, the automaker hopes to finish development work in 2024 and start production in 2025 with batteries that could also help reduce Western automakers’ dependence on Chinese suppliers.

Polestar showed off a number of technology announcements and product previews at its first Polestar Day event yesterday. Perhaps most notably, it plans to test its ultra-fast charging StoreDot technology in a Polestar 5 prototype that could travel 100 miles in 5 minutes. It also gave the Polestar 5 an official bow.

Polestar 5

Among many other news from Polestar: It plans to use battery cells from supplier SK On for its flagship Polestar 5 vehicle – with high-nickel construction and in a massive 22-inch-long form, not unlike a large one. Cells used by GM in Ultium EVs. Polestar says it will give the upcoming premium electric car a “superior driving range.” Polestar’s Life Cycle Assessment indicates that the brand’s Polestar 4 has a lower carbon footprint than the Polestar 2 hatchback. This goes against conventional guidance that suggests SUVs have a larger footprint, and points to some big gains in China’s green manufacturing and efficiency of this upcoming electric vehicle.

Live images of the 2014 BMW i3 concept, Frankfurt Motor Show 2011

The BMW i3 EV is making a comeback, a senior executive at the German automaker confirmed in a recent report. The new version will be part of BMW’s upcoming Neue Klasse family, but you won’t find the previous “polarizing design” and “outdoorsy” design ethos of the i3 in the reboot. BMW produced more than 250,000 i3 models during the nine years that ended last year.

Will a $35,000 Volkswagen EV put the brand in growth mode in North America? A senior American executive at the automaker indicated that it is in the works, with assembly in the United States or Mexico, but it may not arrive until 2027.

Much information about future electric vehicles and their production locations has emerged this week due to tentative labor agreements between the UAW and both GM and Stellantis. On Monday, a UAW document revealed several upcoming hybrid models and electric vehicles from Jeep and Dodge. Details and timeline in the business agreement ensure a new generation of Wrangler with battery-electric powertrains, extended-range electric powertrains, a Dodge Durango SUV, and more.

Jeep Recon

The next generation Chevrolet Bolt EV may be manufactured in the United States – at GM’s Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas, according to a report by Automotive News, also citing working documents. GM has already said that the Bolt EV will be the first U.S. Ultium EV to use LFP cells — not the lithium-ion cells it is setting up joint ventures to build — so it can be built alongside internal combustion models. .

According to a report published on Monday, a $27,000 Tesla car will be manufactured in Germany. It’s still unclear whether this is the same affordable car project that was originally confirmed in 2021 and set to roll out in China, or whether this is on the automaker’s platform for smaller electric cars that it has claimed It will cost half as much to manufacture. .

The Rivian Adventure Network begins

This month, Rivian began billing customers for fast charging at its Rivian Adventure Network stations. Pricing will soon be integrated into the app and UI, and this does not affect the company’s Waypoint destination chargers. Although this doesn’t yet open up the network to other EV drivers, it’s something the company is considering.

Electric vehicle sales continue to rise in California, according to the latest report from state dealers. Electric vehicles represented 22.3% of vehicle sales in the Golden State in the third quarter, higher than the previous quarter and defying statements by executives that demand is waning.

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