Electric Vehicles

I'm shocked. Shocked, I tell you. Shocked to learn that dealers are ignoring Volkswagen's now-former CEO's strongly-worded caution for dealerships not to add additional dealer markup the already expensive ID Buzz.

Okay, well, maybe not that shocked. But it's happening—dealerships are doubling down on Volkswagen's egregiously-priced electric people hauler by adding markups as high as $15,000, effectively locking out consumers who were already stretched thin on their budget following the German automaker's surprisingly high price announcement earlier this year.

Despite several new EV models facing delays, Volkswagen’s cheapest model yet, the ID.2, is still on track to launch. The company confirmed the entry-level EV will launch as early as late 2025, marking a new “starting point” for the German auto giant. Volkswagen unveiled the ID.2all concept last March, a new entry-level EV that will start under $27,000 (€25,000).

Volkswagen’s ID.2 will be the first EV based on its new MEB Entry Platform, while the SUV will follow. The ID.2all concept features up to 279 miles range (450 km).

The company describes the entry-level EV as “as spacious as a Golf” yet “as inexpensive as a Polo.” Although smaller than the Polo, it includes more interior space thanks to an extended wheelbase.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/22758824

Nov 21 (Reuters) - Northvolt, the Swedish maker of battery cells for electric vehicles, said on Thursday it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S., dealing a blow to Europe's hopes that its most developed battery player would reduce Western car makers' reliance on Chinese rivals.

Northvolt said it has only enough cash to support operations for about a week and said it has secured $100 million in new financing for the bankruptcy process. It said operations will continue as normal during the bankruptcy.

"Northvolt's liquidity picture has become dire," the company said in its Chapter 11 petition, filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Houston. The company, which has operations in California, has about $30 million of cash, which can support its operations for only about a week. It has $5.8 billion in debts.

Northvolt, which employs around 6,600 staff across seven countries, said it expects to complete the restructuring by the first quarter of 2025.

Perhaps the biggest headline feature is a larger battery, with 63kWh on the base model and 84kWh on the larger battery – both around 7kWh more than the 2024 model. The 84kWh battery now has an improved 2,700lb towing capacity.

The new battery comes with enhanced vehicle-to-load capabilities. Whereas the previous EV6 was capable of ~1.8kW of power supply, the new EV6 is now capable of a whopping 12kW output – which is more than even the top-spec F-150 Lightning. So, when paired with a Wallbox Quasar charger, you could use your EV6 to power your home.

The EV6 GT model will also get one of the headline features we’ve seen in the popular Ioniq 5 N – a new “Virtual Gear Shift” feature which “enhances driving immersion by simulating gear shifts with visuals, engine sound effects, and a tactile sensation through motor torque adjustment.”

Why would anyone would want this? Why did they think anyone would want this?

Going back to the charging point, charging will now be even easier as the 2025 Kia EV6 will have a native NACS port. This is one of the first non-Tesla vehicles to have a native NACS port, alongside Hyundai’s offerings. Most other vehicles plug in through adapters so far, though in the next year or two we expect to see more native ports show up.

One of the most significant changes is the added NACS port upfront so drivers can charge at Tesla’s extensive Supercharger network. The 2026 Genesis Electrified GV70 will have access to over 36,000 NACS and CCS DC fast chargers, double the number available to current EV drivers.

Powered by a larger 84 kWh battery (up from 77.4 kWh), the updated 2026 model will also offer more range. Although Genesis didn’t provide specific range numbers, it’s expected to add only a few miles, similar to the new Hyundai IONIQ 5.

The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5, with an 84 kWh battery, has a range of up to 318 miles, up from 303 previously. The current 2025 Genesis GV70’s range is 236 miles, but the new model is expected to reach close to 250 miles.