The first Rolls-Royce EV, the Spectre, is going on sale soon at a cool $425,000 — and at that price, purchasing slots will be limited, to say the least. But any buyers planning to flip one for a quick profit may want to think twice. CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said that any customers attempting to resell their Spectre models for profit will be banned for life from ever buying another Rolls-Royce from official dealers, according to a report from Car Dealer.

"I can tell you we are really sanitizing the need to prove who you are, what you want to do with the car – you need to qualify for a car and then you might get a slot for an order," he said. And anyone who violates the policy and sells the Spectre for a profit is "going immediately on a blacklist and this is it – you will never ever have the chance to acquire again."

The British, BMW-owned company isn't the first to impose bans on flipping its vehicles. Last year, GM said it would ban buyers from flipping Hummer EVs, Corvette Z06's and other vehicles within 12 months under the threat of limiting the transferability of certain warranties. On top of that stick, it offered a carrot in the form of $5,000 in reward points for customers who kept their eighth-generation Corvette Z06's for at least a year.

With a potential lifetime ban, Rolls-Royce's rules are even more strict, but some secondhand dealers aren't happy. A London dealer told Car Dealer that he had already agreed to pay a £50,000 ($65,000) premium for two Spectre EVs, and will have them for sale "within two weeks of it being launched" this fall. "I do not think it is fair for carmakers to tell customers who have spent close to half a million pounds on a car what they can do with it," he said. 

The Rolls-Royce Spectre has generally received positive reviews, as you'd hope at such a price. A 102kWh battery pack gives it a 329 mile WLTP range, and it should be relatively quick for a 2.9 tonne (3.19 ton) vehicle thanks to the 576 HP/664 pound-feet powertrain. "Only a Rolls-Royce, maybe a Bentley, really lets you close the door on the world, like a house deep in parkland," said Autocar — though you might be able to buy that parkland house for less. 

Another European car manufacturer is adopting Tesla's charging technology. Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that it will use the North American Charging Standard (NACS) on new North American EVs starting in 2025. Drivers will initially get access to the Tesla Supercharger network before through a CCS-to-NACS adapter arriving in 2024.

This won't affect Mercedes' plans to deploy a high-speed charging network of its own starting this fall, according to the company. The company expects to build over 400 "Charging Hubs" in North America by 2030, with a total of 2,500 chargers available. The first installations are now set to include both CCS and NACS connectors, and will be open to non-Mercedes EVs.

Executives are clear about the reasoning. This expansion makes sure drivers have "fast, convenient and reliable" charging that improves the overall EV experience, Mercedes board chairman Ola Källenius says. Supercharger support provides access to many more charging points (over 12,000 Superchargers) — you're more likely to buy an EQB or EQS if you know you can travel cross-country and minimize charging times.

Mercedes is the first German automaker to adopt NACS, and the third European badge following Volvo and its sibling Polestar. Volkswagen is considering a switch, but hasn't committed to the idea apart from adding NACS to Electrify America chargers. In the US, companies like Ford, GM and Rivian have pledged support for Tesla's technology. The mobility association SAE is producing a standardized version of the plug that could help other vendors use the format.

This isn't a worldwide transition, and Mercedes' upscale focus will limit its reach compared to more affordable makes like Ford and GM. The switch to NACS increases pressure on VW and other rivals still using CCS in North America, though. They risk clinging to a less common EV plug that might hurt long-distance driving and, by extension, car sales.

Volkswagen is no stranger to testing self-driving cars, but now it's finally bringing those experiments stateside. The car maker is rolling out its first US fleet of autonomous test vehicles in Austin this month. The 10 modified ID.Buzz electric vans will use longtime partner Mobileye's Level 4 self-driving system (that is, full autonomy in some conditions) to collect driving data that will "validate and refine" technology. These early machines will include safety drivers.

The German brand plans to both expand its Austin fleet and grow testing to "at least" four more US cities. If all goes well, VW will launch commercial self-driving service in Austin by 2026. It will court third parties, too, by offering fleets of driverless ID.Buzz EVs to other mobility and transportation companies. The company also expects to employ people who previously worked with the defunct autonomous driving startup Argo AI.

The deployment isn't surprising. Although Ford shuttered Argo to focus on semi-autonomous features in the short term, full self-driving remains a hot category in the US. GM's Cruise is bringing its robotaxis to more cities, and Waymo is rapidly expanding its service areas. American testing is vital if VW expects to compete with these robotaxi rivals.

The emphasis on self-driving tech also reflects VW's ongoing transformation into an all-encompassing mobility company. It's adapting to an era where ridesharing and robotaxis will reduce the need for personal car ownership. Ride hailing and fleet deals could help VW thrive even if its car sales decline over time. Of course, that depends on driverless tech being ready in a timely fashion. Level 3 autonomy (hands-off motoring where the driver must be ready to take control) is only just reaching passenger cars in the US, and then only in limited circumstances. It could be a while before these platforms are advanced enough that autonomous taxis are practical on a large scale.

You knew it was just a matter of time before Polestar echoed Volvo's adoption of Tesla's charging technology. The EV-oriented brand has confirmed that it will use Tesla's NACS connector in North America. You'll see "convenient" CCS-to-NACS adapters for existing cars in mid-2024, and cars released in 2025 onward will have the standard built-in. An adapter will help those future models charge at CCS stations.

The news complicates the expansion of Polestar's lineup. The Polestar 3 SUV and Polestar 4 SUV coupe are expected in 2024, while the Polestar 5 grand tourer and Polestar 6 roadster are coming later. In other words, some models will have as little as one year of CCS-native charging before moving to Tesla's port while others will ship with NACS from the outset. You may have to decide if it's worth dealing with an adapter just to get an EV as soon as it's available.

The reasoning behind the switch is the same as for Volvo: using NACS gives Polestar drivers access to Tesla's much larger (not to mention more reliable) Supercharger network in North America, with over 12,000 charge points available so far. This could "greatly increase" EV uptake in the area, Polestar chief Thomas Ingenlath argues. You could buy a Polestar 3 knowing you'd have enough charging stations to complete a long-distance trip.

Volvo and Polestar aren't alone. Ford, GM and Rivian have also committed to using Tesla's tech in North America, while Hyundai and Stellantis have said they're evaluating that move. For Polestar, however, the decision may be more symbolically significant than for other marques. It's considered one of the closest competitors to Tesla — the Polestar 2 is an obvious Model 3 alternative. This isn't an outright capitulation to Tesla, but it is an acknowledgment that access to the Supercharger network is a major advantage that sways customers.

It makes sense that a majority of EVs are crossovers. It's a market segment that does well. Sure, they're essentially raised hatchbacks, but they offer enough cargo space and seating for a couple or small family. On the other hand, if you have a large brood or need to transport a lot of supplies, gear, or groceries, the electrification of a three-row vehicle has been slow. Fortunately, the Kia EV9 is here with seating for up to seven and a cavernous cargo space.

We had a chance to take the Korean-spec EV9 for a first drive in Korea and while the suspension was a bit softer than what we're used to in the United States and there's a good chance that the acceleration will be tweaked to deliver more zip, it delivered the electric vehicle experience we expect from the automaker.

With a targeted range of up to 300 miles and DC fast charging that Kia says will take the 99.8kWh capacity battery from 10 percent to 80 percent in about 24 minutes, the automaker has something that should appeal to families looking for a road trip SUV. For more details on the EV9 and how it fared on the road, check out the video below.

It's not just US manufacturers adopting Tesla's EV charging technology. Volvo has confirmed that its electric cars in the US, Canada and Mexico will use Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) port. Current and recently announced cars (such as the C40 Recharge, EX30 and EX90) will connect to Supercharger stations through an adapter starting in the first half of 2024, while models from 2025 onward will have NACS built-in. An adapter will be available to connect those upcoming EVs using the Combined Charging System (CCS) format.

Volvo isn't shy about its reasoning. It wants drivers to have access to an "easy and convenient" charging network, and that means Tesla Superchargers. The company claims the deal will give owners access to 12,000 more fast charging locations. The Volvo Cars app will help users find and pay for stations.

The move makes Volvo the first European marque to use Tesla's port. It joins American brands that have made the leap, including Ford, GM and Rivian. Those companies are also promising adapters for current designs followed by native NACS ports.

Tesla opened up NACS in late 2022, making the technology available to any company that wanted to use it. At the time, it hoped charging networks like Chargepoint and Electrify America would support the system. While that has yet to materialize, NACS is quickly gaining support beyond just automakers. Texas will require Tesla's connector on state-funded charging stations, and SAE International is working on a standardized version of the plug.

Other car giants are uncertain about using Tesla's tech. Stellantis (owner of Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and other brands) toldReuters it's "evaluating" NACS, while Hyundai is also considering adoption. A switch isn't necessarily easy. Makers like Hyundai and Porsche have 800-volt architectures that allow faster charging than existing Superchargers, and they'd either have to press Tesla for upgraded technology or accept less-than-ideal charging rates. Still, there's clearly mounting pressure to embrace Tesla's format.

Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) is one step closer to becoming the de-facto electric vehicle charging system in the US. On Tuesday, SAE International, one of the automotive industry’s most important standards bodies, shared it is working to support the plug, a move that will make it easier for manufacturers to add NACS connectors to their vehicles and charging stations.

“Standardizing the NACS connector will provide certainty, expanded choice, reliability and convenience to manufacturers and suppliers and, most of all, increase access to charging for consumers,” the SAE said in a statement. According to the organization, the US Joint Office of Energy and Transportation helped bring together Tesla and the SAE. The association says it will create a standardized NACS connector on an “expedited timeframe,” all in hopes of improving the country’s charging infrastructure that much faster.

As The Verge points out, the announcement comes on the same day that ChargePoint said customers could begin ordering charging stations with NACS connectors. Starting later this year, the company will offer the port as an option on its home AC charging systems. More broadly, the last month has seen Ford, General Motors and Rivian all announce they plan to adopt NACS. In turn, that has pushed states like Texas to mandate government-funded EV charging stations feature Tesla’s connector. With the momentum behind NACS growing, holdouts like Electrify America may reconsider their stance on the connector.

Rivian is joining GM and Ford in gaining access to Tesla's Supercharger network. The automaker will offer R1T and R1S owners an adapter to connect their EVs to Supercharger stations as soon as spring of next year. Rivian will also adopt North American Charging Standard (NACS) charge ports as standard in R1 vehicles starting in 2025, as well as in the upcoming R2 platform.

The move means that Rivian owners will soon be able to top up their vehicle's battery at more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers across the US and Canada. Rivian plans to keep expanding its Adventure Network of DC fast chargers too.

"The adoption of the North American Charging Standard will enable our existing and future customers to leverage Tesla’s expansive Supercharger network while we continue to build out our Rivian Adventure Network," Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said in a statement. "We look forward to continuing to find new ways to accelerate EV adoption.”

Last year, Tesla said it would open source the NACS, which has taken strides toward becoming a true standard for EV charging in North America. Ford, GM and now Rivian are all embracing it as part of an apparent move away from the Combined Charging System (CCS). In November, Tesla pressed its case for the NACS, noting that the breadth of the Supercharger network meant that standard had far wider availability than CCS. The automakers' shift toward NACS could pressure the likes of Electrify America and Chargepoint to adopt it in their infrastructure too.

The US has routinely lagged behind Europe and other regions in terms of EV adoption, but no longer. Counterpoint estimates that American EV sales jumped 79 percent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2023, helping it move past Germany to become the world's second-largest electric car market. Only China is larger, the analyst group says.

EV tax credits are believed to have played a "crucial role" in spurring sales, and may have helped the US automotive industry as a whole. Where sales of combustion engine cars were flat, EVs surged ahead, according to Counterpoint.

It won't surprise you to hear which brands are out front. Tesla represented 62.7 percent of EV sales in the quarter, with the Model Y and Model 3 taking the top two spots. GM was a distant second, with the Bolt EUV and regular Bolt taking it to 7.6 percent. Volkswagen had 6.3 percent of the market thanks to the ID.4. Plug-in hybrids are a different story — Stellantis has nearly 43.9 percent courtesy of Jeep's PHEV Wrangler and Grand Cherokee models as well as the Chrysler Pacifica minivan. BMW was next at 16.1 percent with the X5, and Toyota's RAV4 helped push it to 15.4 percent.

Counterpoint is optimistic about American EV sales going forward. While revised rules narrowed the list of cars that qualify for tax credits, they're still poised to influence demand. The early stages of economic recovery could also help drive interest. We'd add that increasing domestic production of some EVs, such as the VW ID.4 and future Hyundai models, should expand the range of cars eligible for credits.

EV sales were poised to spike at some point. States like California and New York will require that all new passenger car sales are electrified by 2035, and makes like GM have already committed to going all-electric around the same time. If this analysis is accurate, though, that accelerating growth is already underway.

Mercedes-Benz is putting ChatGPT on the road. The automaker is using Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service to bring the viral natural-language model to its in-car voice assistant. It will initially be available in a three-month beta program for US customers in select vehicles, but Mercedes says it will consider a broader and more permanent rollout in the future.

ChatGPT integration could put the automaker’s “Hey Mercedes” voice assistant on steroids. Rather than merely answering simple and pre-programmed commands like “Turn up the heat” or “What’s the forecast,” it can carry natural conversations about virtually any topic, including contextual follow-up questions. (Children of the 1980s can finally live out their Knight Rider fantasies.) In addition, Mercedes says it’s “exploring” ChatGPT plugins to enable tasks like making restaurant reservations or booking movie tickets through natural language.

Although holding a lengthy chat on the road could lead to distracted driving, the fact that it’s voice-only should lessen the concern for recklessness. Perhaps it could even help by answering questions you’d otherwise be tempted to look up on your phone while behind the wheel.

Mercedes and Microsoft tout Azure’s “enterprise-grade security, privacy and reliability” for data protection. Still, the companies clarify that your conversations will be “stored in the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Cloud, where it is anonymised and analysed.” In other words, assume people will listen to your recordings for training and data analysis, so be wary about uttering anything that’s private or could identify you personally.

The three-month beta begins on June 16th and will only cover select Mercedes models running the MBUX infotainment system. (You can view the list of eligible vehicles in the footnotes here.) To enter the program in a qualified model, tell the car’s built-in voice assistant, “Hey Mercedes, I want to join the beta program.”