[Dormant] Electric Vehicles

Unfortunately, being stuck in the USA means I cannot access the interesting Chinese EV models coming out. If I have a great distaste for all things Elon, what is there left that is even worth considering? Kona?

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/47023122

The number of EVs on the road is growing. Recent figures show the EV market share closing in on ten percent nationally. EV infrastructure — with the help of substantial government investment — is improving to meet the demand. The number of EV charging points in America increased by 29 percent nationwide in 2023. But is that increase happening quickly enough?

The picture becomes a bit murkier, looking at individual states. Different states have different needs for EV charging. An interesting metric for how successful states have been at providing EV infrastructure is to look at their EVs per charging point ratio. The more registered EVs a state has, the more public charging points it needs. And many states — even avowedly EV-friendly ones — may be far from where they need to be with EV charging infrastructure.

The HERE-SBD EV Index for 2024 scores states out of 25 for their EVs per charging point ratio. And it tells a slightly different story than the raw numbers. California, for instance, has by far the most EV charging points of any state. However, California also has the second-worst EVs to charging point score of any state, suggesting far more needs to be done.

With the slick Kia EV6 and the family-loving EV9, one can be forgiven for forgetting that the Kia Niro EV is still around. While the Niro EV is from a different era, it’s still going strong, and a new 2025 version now has some details announced — most importantly, pricing.

The Niro EV had 2,349 sales in the US last quarter, a bit less than half of the EV6’s 5,044 sales, but perhaps it will get a boost from the 2025 model options. Pricing for the Kia Niro EV Wind starts at $39,600, while pricing for the Kia Niro EV Wave starts at $44,600 (MSRP).

The 2025 Kia Niro EV has a 64.8 kWh battery that provides 253 miles of range on a full charge (EPA estimate). “The 2025 Niro EV retains its extensive list of features while adding even more technology. Rear seatbelt pre-tensioners are now standard on both trims, with the Wave trim receiving Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance Assist – Rear with Parallel Exit as an additional Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS),” Kia writes. Rear seatbelt pre-tensioners? Well, it’s something…. That’s the baseline upgrade for the 2025 model.

The battery blitz in America continues and the newest beneficiary of that is the upcoming Rivian R2.

Rivian just inked a battery supply deal with Korean battery giant LG Energy Solution (LGES) for its next-generation R2 model that's set to launch in the second half of this decade. The Irvine, California-headquartered automaker showcased the R2 electric SUV—which looks like a baby R1S—in March and is now inching closer to bring that model to market.

LGES said on Thursday that it will provide Rivian with its advanced 4695 cylindrical cells for over five years, with a capacity totaling 67 gigawatt-hours. The new cell type has a diameter of 46 millimeters and is 95 mm tall, the battery maker said in a press release. It will feature six times the capacity of the existing 2170 cylindrical cells.