Just a couple weeks after Kia announced a European release window for its EV9, the automaker has revealed when US drivers will be able to get behind the wheel of the electric SUV. It said at the New York Auto Show that the EV9 is coming Stateside in the second half of 2023.

Kia didn't announce any more details at the show, as Autoblog notes, meaning pricing is still unknown. Still, at least the timeframe has been narrowed down.

The automaker hasn't spilled the beans on how the road-ready version of the EV9 differs from the boxy concept model. In November, Kia offered an early look at the concept EV9, which had a 27-inch dashboard display and a yoke-style wheel. It said the EV offered up to 300 miles of range and 350kW charging that boosts the battery level from 10 percent to 80 percent in 30 minutes.

Hyundai will manufacture EVs in the US starting in December this year with the electrified Genesis GV70 crossover model, the company announced at the NY Automotive Forum in a video seen by Automotive News. It's part of a grand plan to invest $7.4 billion in the US by 2025 to develop a family of EVs and smart mobility technology. 

Hyundai will start electrified production at its Montgomery, Alabama plant in October with the Santa Fe Hybrid, the company announced at a ceremony with Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. It'll invest $300 million to start with, creating 200 new jobs at the plant (its only manufacturing facility in the US). The company currently builds the Elantra sedan, Santa Fe and Tucson SUVs and Santa Cruz sport adventure vehicle on the Montgomery assembly line.

Genesis

The Genesis GV70 EV was quietly revealed late last year at the Guangzhou Auto Show in China. The company has yet to announce US specs, which may be why it didn't mention the GV70 EV at all in its press release. However, the Korean version will come with an 800 volt charging system and 77.4 kWh battery good for about 400 km (247 miles) of range according to the Korean testing cycle. 

It also features two electric motors that produce 482 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, considerably more than the ICE version of the GV70. According to photos, the luxury and tech-adorned interior will be similar to the one on the current gas-powered GV70. 

It's taken Hyundai awhile to establish US EV production dates, and follows recent, similar announcements by Toyota and Volkswagen. All three companies, which operate non-union plants in the US, opposed the Biden administration's plan to provide extra tax incentives to unionized automakers. At the same time, Hyundai's unionized workers in Korea want the company to boost domestic EV production rather than investing abroad. It has to balance all that with US vehicle import tariffs, set at 2.5 percent for cars and 25 percent for pickups and SUVs. 

After announcing the company's first electric vehicle last year (not counting the weird old RAV4 EV), Toyota has finally released pricing for its upcoming bZ4X SUV before it arrives at dealers later this spring. 

For the base XLE model with front-wheel drive, the bZ4X will start at $42,000 while providing 252 miles of range on a single charge. Meanwhile, if you prefer a slightly more premium kit, you can upgrade to the Limited package (which starts at $46,700) that adds more luxurious satin and soft-touch finishes and upgraded seats, with Toyota offering FWD and X-MODE AWD drive options across both trim levels. 

Toyota

While similar in size to the Toyota's popular RAV4 (it's 3.7 inches longer but two inches shorter), the bZ4X is going for a sleeker, more futuristic design featuring an emphasis on aerodynamics and improved driver visibility thanks to a lower hood height. On the base model, Toyota is claiming 0-60 times of 7.1 seconds, or 6.5 seconds for the AWD version. That said, the AWD model's speedier acceleration does come with slightly reduced range, topping out at around 228 miles on a charge.

Inside, the car offers seating for five passengers and an infotainment system with a 12.3-inch touchscreen that supports wireless CarPlay and Android Auto. And for those who really want to stay connected, you can also pay for a Wi-Fi Connect subscription that will add hotspot functionality powered by AT&T's 4G network. You'll also get a handful of USB ports (both Type-A and Type-C), a built-in wireless charger and a three-year trial for Toyota's Remote Connect service, which allows owners to control things like the car's temperature controls, horn, window defroster and more from an app on their phone. 

Toyota

Finally, when it comes to recharging, the bZ4X will come with an included 6.6kW adapter that should be able to bring the car from low to full in about nine hours when connected to a Level 2 charger, with new owners even getting the option to purchase ChargePoint Home Flex charger direct from select dealers. And as an added bonus, for anyone who buys or leases a 2023 bZ4X, Toyota is throwing in one free year of unlimited complimentary charging at all EVgo charging stations nationwide. 

If you missed out on your chance to score a Lucid Air Dream Edition last year, you’re in luck. Lucid Motors is releasing two versions of its latest all-electric sedan, the 2022 Air Grand Touring. The Air Grand Touring and Air Grand Touring Performance are Lucid’s first production series after the limited run Dream Edition. Both cars offer speed and mileage that is comparable to their predecessors from 2021. The Air Grand Touring delivers 819 horsepower and can accelerate to 60 mph in three seconds flat. Its faster cousin, the Air Grand Touring Performance, promises 1050 horsepower and can go from 0-60 mph in 2.6 seconds. Both cars are powered by two miniaturized dual motors, one mounted at each axle

Both cars will easily get you from Los Angeles to San Francisco on a single charge, with some battery power to spare. The Air Grand Touring with 19-inch wheels has an EPA-estimated range of 516 miles, with 21-inch wheels its range is 469 miles. The Air Grand Touring Performance has an EPA-estimated range of 446 miles. Both are ahead of the Tesla with the longest driving range, the Model S Long Range, which has a range of 405 miles. Given Elon Musk’s not-so-secret derision for Lucid, this one has got to hurt.

The two all-electric sedans are packed with the type of premium features you’d expect in a car that costs six figures. Both are equipped with a 34-inch floating glass cockpit and a 5K display. They include DreamDrive Pro, Lucid’s proprietary advanced driver assistance system that includes LIDAR. It also comes with more than 30 semi-autonomous features, including traffic sign recognition, cross-traffic alerts, parking assist and more. They include an ultra-fast 900V charging system that allows drivers to add up to 300 miles in 21 minutes if they’re at a 350 kW DC fast charger.

Customer deliveries for the Air Grand Touring, which starts at $139,000, have started today. The Grand Touring Performance has an MSRP of $179,000, and deliveries are scheduled to begin in June 2022.

Lectric already has a good reputation for delivering solid electric bikes at budget prices, thanks to models like the $1,000 XP 2.0. Now, it has taken that to a new level with the launch of the Lectric XP Lite. It's a 46 pound folding e-bike with a 48 volt electrical system that can hit speeds of 20 MPH, and costs just $800. 

To get the price down to that level, Electric reduced the battery size from 9.6Ah (461Wh) on the XP 2.0 to 7.8Ah (375Wh). It also has smaller, narrower wheels than the XP 2.0 and lacks its 7-speed gearshift and front suspension.

Still, Lectric claims you'll get 40 miles of autonomy, just five miles less than the XP 2.0, though that'll require a lot of pedaling as range drops to 15 miles with the throttle only. Speed-wise, it can hit up to 20 MPH with pedal assist or throttle, compared to 28 MPH for the XP 2.0

It's got the same style of folding frame that lets you get it down to a portable size (36x16x26 inches) for travel or storage, and at 46 pounds, it's very light for a foldable e-bike. It can use many of the same accessories as the XP 2.0, including the racks, baskets, lights, comfort package and more. 

Other features include an easily swappable battery compartment, twist throttle, backlit LCD display with a large readout, 160mm disc brakes, integrated front/rear lights and IP65 water resistance. It's also what the company calls its "most customizable e-bike to date" with four color options (Arctic White, Midnight Black, Lectric Blue, and Sandstorm) and three accessory package options at $99 each (Carry, Commuter and Comfort). 

Lectric gave first ride on the new model to Electrek, which has tested the company's previous models like the XP 2.0 in the past. It noted that a lot of bikes in the $500-$800 category are "junk," but called the XP Lite "a quality offering at a super low price." As mentioned, Lectric's XP Lite e-bike costs $799 without accessories and is now available to order. 

Last year, Honda revealed that it intends to shift all its car sales to electric and fuel cell vehicles by 2040. To make phasing out gas-powered cars feasible, it has to release a wide selection of zero-emission vehicles that customers can choose from. Now, the automaker has announced that it's spending 5 trillion yen or around $40 billion on its electrification efforts over the next 10 years. 

In a live briefing, the company also said that it plans to launch 30 EV models by 2030 with a production volume of 2 million vehicles a year. The aim is for electric vehicles to make up 40 percent of its fleet by the end of the decade,

As TechCrunch reports, Honda plans to get the ball rolling in Japan by introducing an ultra-cheap mini EV model that costs around $8,000 by 2024. It will also release the Prologue and Acura electric vehicles, both being co-developed with GM, in North America in the same year. In early April, Honda and GM announced that they're working together to co-develop a series of affordable EVs based on a global architecture and GM's Ultium battery technology. 

Honda has plans that don't involve GM, however, and is using part of its $40 billion budget to develop its own electrification platform. It's also exploring the possibility of teaming up with other companies for battery production. In addition, it's investing 43 billion yen ($343 million) into building a demonstration line for solid-state batteries by 2024.

Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe has also reiterated that a big part of its electrification efforts is making sure it has a solid presence in China, which is currently the world's biggest EV market. Like the company announced in the past, Mibe said Honda will launch 10 new models in China under its e:N Series branding by 2027. The company will also build plants in Guagzhou and Wuhan to manufacture its electric vehicles for the country.

Lincoln is finally ready to say more about its electrified future. Ford's upscale badge has teased its first EV concept ahead of an official unveiling on April 20th. The company didn't offer much beyond a brief peek at the vehicle's outlines, but did say in a statement that the concept would serve as an "inspiration" for EVs arriving soon.

The automaker previously said its Zephyr Reflection concept sedan would serve as an aesthetic reference point for future EVs. The teaser you see here isn't a one-for-one match (the logo on the side isn't present on the Reflection, for example), but the sloping roof line suggests Lincoln is happy to borrow some design cues.

The Lincoln brand is expected to electrify its full lineup by 2030, with half of its vehicles producing zero emissions by 2025. This includes an electric version of the Aviator SUV. The concept's imminent debut isn't a surprise, then — the company has just eight years to dramatically expand its EV selection.

Since February, GM’s Cruise self-driving unit has offered public taxi rides in San Francisco. And for the most part, it seems the service hasn’t run into any notable problems. That is until a strange situation played out last weekend when one of the company’s vehicles left police seemingly confused by its response to a routine traffic stop.

The video you see above was first posted on April 2nd but only began to circulate widely after 9to5 publisher Seth Weintraub shared it on his personal Twitter account on Saturday. It shows San Francisco police attempting to pull over a driverless Cruise vehicle in the city’s Richmond District, only for the car to temporarily take off as a group of onlookers watch the scene in disbelief.

One day after Weintraub shared the video, Cruise commented on the clip, stating its vehicle yielded to police and moved to the nearest safe location for that traffic stop. “An officer contacted Cruise personnel and no citation was issued,” the company said. “We work closely with the SFPD on how to interact with our vehicles, including a dedicated phone number for them to call in situations like this.”

It’s unclear why police stopped the vehicle, but it would appear the car didn’t have its front lights on. It's safe to say we may see more episodes like the one that played out on April 2nd occur as autonomous vehicles become a more common sight on US roads. It should come as no surprise then Cruise produced a video designed to teach first responders how to approach its vehicles. Check it out above.

Solid-state batteries promise to shake up the electric car world by reducing prices and improving performance, and Nissan wants to be one of the earliest adopters. The automaker now plans to release its first EV with completely solid-state batteries by the company's fiscal 2028. To that end, it just unveiled a prototype production facility for these batteries at a Japanese research center and will open a pilot manufacturing line in Yokohama in fiscal 2024.

The shift away from conventional batteries is already expected to make EVs considerably more affordable thanks to the use of less expensive materials. Nissan aims to reduce the cost of solid-state batteries to $75 per kilowatt-hour in 2028, and $65 afterward. EVs would cost roughly as much as gas-based cars at those prices, Nissan said.

The technology has other benefits. Solid-state batteries charge faster and offer roughly twice the energy density of existing lithium-ion batteries, potentially delivering greater range, reduced weight and shorter recharging times. Those, in turn, could make EVs practical for would-be owners 

Nissan isn't the only brand racing to introduce solid-state batteries. Toyota, for instance, expects to use the technology in hybrid vehicles by 2025. However, this is one of the clearest and more ambitious strategies for the tech. It also suggests that Nissan's still-small EV range will expand significantly in the next few years as electrification becomes practical for more of its lineup.

Tesla will finally start selling the Cybertruck next year, Elon Musk has announced at the opening party for the company's Giga Texas factory. During his presentation on stage, Musk showed off the production Cybertruck vehicle, which still looks like the previous versions, except its doors no longer have handles. The car will be able to tell that you're there and will know that it's supposed to open the doors. He also apologized for the delay on releasing the Cybertruck that was first announced back in 2019. Tesla's original (and highly optimistic) target release date was 2021, but it delayed the vehicle's launch to 2022, and now to 2023.

The automaker will manufacture the Cybertruck at its Texas Gigafactory, which it expects to become the "highest volume" car factory in America. Musk touched upon its other planned Gigactories around the world, as well, and how manufacturing vehicles near where they're going to be shipped is much more environmentally friendly. This year is all about scaling up production — a scale that "no company has ever achieved in the history of humanity," Musk said during the presentation — while next year is all about releasing a "massive wave of new products." 

In addition to the Cybertruck, the company also plans to release the Tesla Semi EV next year, as well as other products it hasn't revealed yet. The electric big rig that's designed to haul cargo across long distances was supposed to be released in 2019, but its launch also got pushed back a few times. Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot will also start production in 2023, Musk said, and will be designed to accomplish any task humans don't want to do. Another future product we can apparently look forward is a dedicated robotaxi that will be designed to look quite futuristic. Before all those, however, Tesla will be launching a wide beta of its Full Self-driving Technology in North America this year.

You can watch Musk announce Cybertruck's new launch date below: