Volkswagen

I’m going to be blunt and completely honest, car dealers have erected a huge roadblock on our path to a sustainable transportation future. They are the second largest obstacle to EV sales growth, and actually have a major role in the first obstacle too.

The latest economic analysis on EV battery tech, the 250,000-mile EV battery, and how EV shoppers are mistaken in what they want.

Chevrolet is beginning deliveries of its new Blazer EV model, but how does their latest EV model stack up to its competition and just what do you get for its starting price of around $57,000? Let’s take a peek and find out.

Electrify America is making two important changes to its prices. Here’s what you need to know.

As far as plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) go, most have between 20 something and 30 something miles of electric only range. A few have range in the 40’s, but hardly any have ever had much over 50 miles of range. VW is one upping just about everyone with their next generation Tiguan PHEV, as it should have 62 miles of EV only range when it debuts.

A year or so ago, the competitive landscape for electric vehicles (EVs) in the US auto market looked a little different than it does now. This was before the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) revised which plug-in electric vehicles are subsidized by the US federal government. The key brands leading rapidly increasing EV sales have shifted somewhat in the months since, and the top 3 sellers in the US are now: Tesla, General Motors (GM) and Hyundai (if my estimate for Kona EV sales is accurate).

These are Tesla's actions that it needs to do for the Model 3 against VW's aim to dethrone the Tesla Model 3 with its long-ranging ID.7 electric sedan.

The Kia Niro EV Wind is the most expensive “entry level” EV on the market. I am using the base MSRP of $40,000 as the upper limit of what defines “entry level” considering that is about the price point where the more expensive EVs with larger batteries and higher performance start showing up and it is also below the current average price of a new car. EV’s in this category start at $26,500 MSRP (excluding destination and other fees) for the Chevy Bolt.

Earlier this week I promised a follow up on my initial review of the 2023 Kia Niro EV Wind. This good looking, well equipped, and enjoyable to drive EV deserves more attention than I could give it in a single article. It also deserves some comparison to other EVs that are closest to it in price since it is currently priced a little higher than its closest competitors, but that is no reason to discount this excellent entry level EV, especially considering its standard features are better than most.

Some may say that 2022 was the year that electric vehicles (EVs) really took off, saleswise, or (finally) began to rapidly increase market share in the U.S. It is certainly true that electric vehicles sold in larger numbers than ever before in the U.S. last year, and almost every automaker is hurriedly bringing new EVs to market too. But how big are these increases really, and which automakers are capturing the most EV market share?

And the beat of the Takata airbag recall continues to go on nearly two decades after it started. This time Volkswagen has joined Ford and Stellantis in recalling a number of VW Beetles to repair defective driver's side airbags that may explode.

There’s no denying that new vehicles have become terribly expensive in recent years. The average price of all new vehicles for sale in the U.S. is now a little over $48,000. That’s enough to make your head spin, your wallet groan, and your jaw to drop all at once!

A team of researchers says they have solved one of mankind’s biggest challenges.

I’ve written up several predictions of which automotive brands will round out the top 5 plug-in electric sales spots (behind 1st place Tesla). Now that we are near the end of another year, we can pretty well see how those predictions turned out, but what does next year have in store for the U.S. plug-in electric vehicle market? Will the same 5 brands retain their lead spots next year too, or will we start to see some shifts?

The other day I shared a nice lunch and conversation with an older stranger at a winery. We talked about wine, the stories behind each bottle and label, and after a while the conversation turned to electrified vehicles. He was very interested to hear about my experiences and thoughts as he was considering purchasing his first EV or plug-in hybrid for himself, or possibly for his wife.

For a little TGIF humor, here’s one of those “you just have to see it to believe it” wonders about a DIY mechanic who apparently gets his car repair parts and supplies out of a Home Depot.

Some vehicles have different front and rear tire sizes. In vehicles where this is the case, you must avoid tires with a directional tire tread. Here’s why.

I just wrapped up a visit with my auntie and uncle in Kauai. They want to purchase either a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or electric (EV) subcompact - midsize SUV/crossover. My family are most concerned about seating position, cargo and passenger volume, and adequate ground clearance. To help them and others looking for similar vehicles at somewhere near the average price of a new vehicle, I have collected information on all such vehicles currently or soon to go on sale in the U.S (by end of 2023).

Conspicuously, Bloomberg Intelligence has completely ignored one of the largest and fastest growing electric vehicle (EV) producers in the world in its recent business intelligence piece on global battery-electric vehicles sales. More accurately, I should say they ignored two of the largest and fastest growing companies, Kia and Hyundai, which are so closely tied we can justifiably consider them as one company.

Automakers cannot get enough of Star Wars marketing tie-ins. Here’s what Obi-Wan and Volkswagen have in common.

The E for Electric analysts make a case for why VW will pass Tesla eventually, as soon as by 2025. Let's go over why they think this is.

VW acquired the rights to the Scout name in 2020 and plans to launch a pickup and rugged off-roading SUV capitalizing on its image.

Volkswagen's CEO says he's run out of arguments against the pair entering F1 after bosses at both companies made compelling cases for joining.

The R within the Golf family is the ultimate version, like the Z06 for the Chevrolet Corvette, the Shelby 500 for the Ford Mustang, etc. And this year, with now 315 horsepower under the hood, more than ever, the word ultimate takes on its full meaning, as does the presence of four-wheel drive. This may be the last Golf R before VW presents an electric version.

We'll have to wait until 2024 to try it out, but the new ID. Buzz combines the best bits from VW buses of old with technology for the future and a healthy does of nostalgia.

Last week the Washington State legislature passed a bill, now heading to Governor Inslee’s desk, that bans the sale, registration, and purchase of new gasoline powered vehicles, beginning with model year 2030. An earlier bill proposing the same, though also including a controversial road usage fee, was rejected last year. This time the bill doesn’t include the fee and is likely to pass. If it does, Washington State’s ban will go into effect before all other states.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine is causing more problems for a European auto market only just rebounding from production slow-downs caused by the pandemic and semiconductor shortages.

This week, the price of nickel has jumped up significantly. This almost certainly will lead to significant price increases, and or production halts, for electric, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid vehicles from most manufacturers since nickel is commonly used in most propulsion batteries in these types of vehicles. In fact it already seems to be happening.

Lucid's flagship shares top honors with two other very different EVs on its way to another accolade. Find out which ones here, as well as the features that brought each to the top.

Even been to a lube center for a quick oil change only to be told you have a problem with your car that is dangerous and needs to be fixed immediately? One customer did and made the right decision by going to another mechanic for a second opinion. Here’s what was found.