Tag Archives: electric vehicles

Toyota 2026 bZ XLE

Posted on by

Something to know about some numbers. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

Some people spend a lot of time searching out stats before buying a vehicle, which is certainly a good thing to do because there is that very big stat, which is the MSRP, which then comes along with plenty of additions that make what might have started out as a reasonable number a whole lot higher.

When it comes to electric vehicles, one of the stats that is highly significant is range: how many miles the vehicle is expected to go on a full charge of its battery.

(It has occurred to me that there are few vehicles powered by gasoline that ever even talked about range. Miles per gallon, which is more about efficiency than anything else, yes, but range? The only ad I can remember touting range was in the mid-teens, pre-Dieselgate, when two guys were driving a VW Golf TDI across country and refueling wasn’t an issue because the vehicle had a combined range of nearly 500 miles.)

So if someone looks at the range stat for a 2023 Toyota bZ4X XLE FWD they’re going to see a range of 252 miles. Since that 2023 model Toyota has dropped the last two alphanumerics on the name and made some other changes.

Like the range of the 2026 bZ XLE FWD being 235 miles.

Toyota bZ. Charged up. (Images: Toyota)

Clearly a move in the wrong direction, right?

What’s more (or less) is that the power output of the 2023 model is 201 hp. It is 168 hp in the 2026 model.

But then we get to the really important number, the base MSRP for each of the vehicles.

For the 2023 XLE FWD it was $42,000.

For the 2026 XLE FWD it is $34,600.

Toyota did something else for the 2026 model.

It added the XLE FWD Plus model.

It provides 314 miles of range. It generates 221 hp. And it has a starting price of $39,100.

And it—and the other bZ trims—has the NACS charging port (a.k.a., the Tesla port) so the bZ can use Tesla Superchargers. (It also comes with an adapter so it can use the non-Tesla CCS stations, too.).

A most interesting feature of the bZ is it offers support for Apple Maps EV Routing via Apple CarPlay. What this means is that Apple Maps has access to real-time vehicle information so that drivers can get routed to chargers on their way to wherever they’re going. Not only does it take into account the battery performance and charge, but any elevation changes along the way (which, again, is something that drivers of ICE vehicles pay little attention to unless they are traversing the Alps or something). This is displayed on the bZ’s 14-inch multimedia screen.

Know that Toyota has developed its own operating system (Arene) so it is not wholly relying on third parties like Apple.

Apple Maps connect to the system to help drivers find charging stations along their routes.

But it clearly recognizes lots of customers—including customers of EVs—are part of the Apple ecosystem and want to use it, something that General Motors thinks isn’t particularly important.

The 2026 bZ is a competent car crossover. (It looks like an enlarged hatch, not like any of the other Toyota crossovers, with the exception of the Crown, which also seems very car-like to me.)

Going back to the spreadsheet, there are a total five variants of the bZ, the two mentioned, as well as the XLE AWD (288 miles; 338 hp), Limited FWD (299 miles; 221 hp), and Limited AWD (278 miles, 338 hp).

2026 Volvo EX30 Single Motor Plus

Posted on by

Looks go a long way even if the vehicle doesn’t. . . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

The Volvo EX30 received a “Best of the Best” design award in the RedDot 2024 design competition. While the small electric SUV has won other awards—like the World Urban Car from the World Car of the Year jury and the Eco Warrior of the Year award from Top Gear—arguably this design award is something that is more significant, for the simple reason that when you walk up to a vehicle you’re looking at the exterior styling, and, of course, when you get in it, the interior cues make a tremendous difference.

The RedDot jurors said of the EX30:

“Typical design elements have been convincingly reinterpreted and integrated into the EX30 – both on the exterior and in the interior. This vehicle is clearly recognisable as a Volvo, even without resorting to too many quotes. It is a product as if cast from a single mould with a consistent, very high design quality that convinced us across the board.”

So from the outside is a stylish small hatch (while it might be in the subcompact SUV category, that probably has a lot more vis-à-vis market positioning than anything else, and whereas “SUV” is acceptable, hatches have a growing but limited acceptance), measuring 166.7 inches long, 72.3 inches wide, 61.2 inches high, and with a 104.3-inch wheelbase. Sometimes designing a small vehicle can be tough to pull off, but this is clearly a contemporary Volvo, which means (were this something designed with tools of a long-gone era) the T-square has been replaced by the French curve. Well, comparatively speaking.

Volvo EX30: An award-winning design. (Image: Volvo)

And the real design win is on the interior of the vehicle.

One of the things that seems to be forgotten about electric vehicles, as everyone talks about 0 to 60 times, is that they are more environmental than ICE vehicles.

Even some OEMs seem to have forgotten that when developing their EVs (except when they were concerned about meeting regulations, which led to attention on the propulsion system primarily).

But the designers, engineers and materials specialists at Volvo worked to develop an interior that is far more sustainable than the common approach. So there are recycled and renewable materials used throughout the cabin. There are fibers used for seats that come from the leftovers from producing denim or a wool blend with some 70% recycled polyester. There’s trim that uses flax fibers (fun fact: that material is used to produce high-quality paper, some of which is used to print banknotes, so, and now we get to the point of a bad pun: the EX30 interior is money).

While you might think, “An interior that uses lots of recycled materials: this must be as comfortable and as attractive as a pile of wood shavings.” And you would be wrong. This is really well executed and provides a contemporary appearance, one that underlines the overall minimalism of the cabin.

One place where there is a bit too much minimalism is on the IP, where the gauges that you are familiar with is not where you are familiar with seeing them.

Rather, looking forward the only thing in that area is an infrared eye tracking sensor that will cause a “look at the road” warning if your eyes are wandering.

All of the information is available on a 12.3-inch touchscreen centered on the IP. Which means if you want to know how fast you are going you have to move your eyes to the right. If you want to know what time it is you have to read a small font on a screen with lots of other information.

The reduction in instrumentation is not a good thing.

Another thing that seems rather minimal is the range, with the EPA number 261 miles. Maybe the Michigan winter had something to do with it, but that number was cut by about 20%.

Now Volvo undoubtedly wanted to make sure that it was able to give the EX30 a starting MSRP around $40K (it is $40,345), and batteries are the most expensive part of an EV, so it is using a 69-kWh NMC battery in the vehicle. Although a somewhat bigger vehicle, the Chevy Equinox EV has an 85-kWh battery for an estimated 319 miles of range. That’s more reasonable. Even if the EX30 achieved the full 261 miles, it really seems that 300 miles is the number a competitive EV needs to reach.

But one might give that a pass, given the award-winning design it brings.

Barra Still an EV Believer

Posted on by

One of these days. . . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

General Motors is a legacy auto manufacturer that positioned itself as an EV champion. Back in 2021 corporate execs, including Mary Barra, chairman and CEO, said they intended to be all-electric by 2035.

Plans change, of course.

“We have to meet customers where they are,” Barra said yesterday at a meeting of the Automotive Press Association in Detroit.

She didn’t mean in a dealership.

GM, like other OEMs, discovered in 2025 that (a) customers were not buying EVs at a rate that had been anticipated and (b) there is still a keen interest in the customer base for vehicles powered by internal combustion engines.

Still, Barra is confident that EVs are the end game so the company is going to keep offering and developing EVs.

She claimed that 80% of EV customers say their next vehicle will be an EV.

She probably wishes, however, there were more of them.

In 2025 GM delivered 169,764 EVs in the US, so if every one of them went into a GM store only 135,811 would come out with an EV.

Barra said that based on what GM analysts have determined it takes about six months to have a good sense of what the real market impact is when something significant happens to the EV market, like the elimination of the $7,500 tax credit at the end of September 2025. So when Q1 2026 wraps up, there will be a better idea of where EVs are going.

She said there are a few things that will make customers more inclined to get an EV. Yes, there is the instant torque provided by the electric motors, which is always something EV enthusiasts cite.

But she said there needs to be (1) more affordable EVs (the average transaction price for an EV in December 2025 was in excess of $58,000 according to Kelley Blue Book, which is certainly not the defintion of “affordable”) and (2) there needs to be a more robust charging infrastructure.

The way things are looking, even if EVs gain great ground there will still be a place for vehicles with engines under their hoods, a place that in non-trivial. Barra pointed out that even if EVs were to take 50% of the market at some point, that still means 50% for gasoline-powered vehicles.

EV Intentions in the UK

Posted on by

A survey of UK drivers finds that 18% of those ages 18 to 34 say they will buy an EV as their next vehicle.

Eleven percent of older drivers—those over 55—say they’ll go EV.

When hybrids are included in the question along with EVs, 42% of the 18-42 cohort say that’s what they’ll go for and 36% of the older group, too.

These findings are from the Kwik Fit annual survey on the subject. Kwik Fit is a leading vehicle service provider in the UK.

Observation

Given that according to the UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) the year-to-date (through October) market share of EVs in the UK is 25.4%.

Add in the market share of hybrids and plug-in hybrids and the market share goes up to 50.8%.

All of which indicates there isn’t exactly a burgeoning future demand for electrified vehicles in the UK given the results of the Kwik Fit survey (although that demand would be awfully appealing to US OEMs).

Dan Joyce, operations director at Kwik Fit, said of the findings: “The overall proportion of drivers planning to switch to low emissions for their next car has remained the same since last year.  However, our study shows that younger drivers are much more open to moving to EVs – and new car brands – than many older drivers.”

(Which leads to a question of whether younger or older buyers are actually likely to buy a new vehicle, and my money is on the latter.)

The reference to “new car brands” in the quote goes to Chinese vehicles. According to Kwik Fix BYD had a year-over-year sales increase in September of 880%.

2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 XRT

Posted on by

An EV that let’s you play in the dirt. But you can’t get too carried away. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

The stylists who created the Hyundai IONIQ 5 pulled off a feat that is not at all easy to accomplish.

They devised a design that looks absolutely futuristic but—and here’s the tricky bit—doesn’t make one think that it is too advanced to be on the road with other vehicles that, well, don’t have appearances that would make them relevant in, say, 2030.

Realize that the IONIQ 5 was launched as a model year 2022 electric vehicle and is still striking.

So for MY 2025 they made a bit of a swerve with the IONIQ 5, a swerve that takes the vehicle off road.

Now we’re not talking Jeep Trail Rated terrain here.

Hyundai IONIQ % XRT. Yes, take it to the dirt. (Images: Hyundai)

But the XRT trim is more capable than the SE, SEL or Limited models.

For example, there is modified suspension tuning and the suspension is lifted by 0.9 inches—but lest one gets carried away, realize that this brings it to 7 inches. (The ground clearance for a Jeep Cherokee is 8 inches.)

There are off-the-beaten-path approach and departure angles: 19.8 degrees and 30 degrees, respectively.

There are red-painted recovery hooks on the front fascia that are said to be functional. (Those are something that you’re not likely to utilize in your daily commute unless your commute takes you through some tough territory.)

There is a composite cladding on the fascias, around the wheel arches and on the door panels that has a subtle pixelated camo pattern to provide a more-capable appearance. (The XRT wouldn’t look out of place driving on Mars thanks to this addition.) There are XRT black 18-inch wheels wrapped with 235 / 60 R 18 all-terrain tires.

As mentioned, the IONIQ 5 XRT is an electric vehicle. One of the aspects of this 2025 model (and the other trims) is that it comes equipped with the NACS port, standard, which means it can be used at the Tesla Supercharger network, adapter-free. (Which ought to annoy owners of the Tesla Model Y, given the aforementioned still-fresh design of the Hyundai and the aging Tesla exterior, Juniper update tweaks notwithstanding.)

It is worth noting that for those who aren’t using a Supercharger there is a CCS adapter that comes along for the ride.

And while this doesn’t matter as much as it did before the tax credits for EVs were pulled but is still non-trivial: the 2025 IONIQ 5 is built at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Ellabell, Georgia.

Clever pixilation on the cladding.

The vehicle is, of course, all-wheel drive.

There is a 99-hp permanent magnet synchronous AC motor in the front. A 221-hp motor of the same type in the rear.

The system output is 320 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque.

It has a liquid-cooled 84-kWh battery pack. The peak DC fast charge rate is 250 kW, which means that the battery, on a DC fast charger, can be charged from 10 to 80% in 20 minutes. The EPA estimated range is 259 miles.

On the inside there are H-Tex seating surfaces (a synthetic leather that offers easy clean-up, because let’s face it: this trim wants to get dirty) featuring XRT-unique pattern and logo. And there are XRT badged all-weather floor mats (because you’re going to take this out in, well, all types of weather that you’re likely to bring into the vehicle with you when you go out in it).

Hyundai has some of the best screens in the business, with a 12.3-inch screen for the driver’s info and a 12.3-inch screen for infotainment. There are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and wireless charging. There is BlueLink+, the connected vehicle service that provides capabilities from remote starting to receiving diagnostic alerts to performing automatic collision notification and more.

And the BlueLink+ services are free, not for a trial period, but for as long as you own the vehicle.

While on the subject of costs, the MSRP for the 2025 IONIQ 5 XRT is $55,400. The one I drove had an optional paint color (Atlas White Matte) that added $1,000; carpeted floor mats for $210; and $1,475 for inland freight and handling, to a total sticker of $58,085, which is in keeping with average transaction prices for EVs.

The Market for Electric Trucks

Posted on by

Apparently there’s not much of one in the U.S.

By Gary S. Vasilash

While it is common knowledge that the Chinese electric vehicle market vastly outpaces that of the U.S. on a per capita basis, when people think about that it is likely to be in the context of passenger vehicles.

But here is a remarkable finding from BloombergNEF and Smart Freight Centre:

  • In the first half of 2025, there were some 89,000 electric trucks—as in medium-duty trucks and big rigs, not pickups—sold globally.
  • Of that total, nearly 80,000 were sold in China.

How many were sold in the U.S.?

According to Colin McKerracher, Head of Clean Transport, BloombergNEF, “just 200 units.”

200.

Or 0.25% of the Chinese total.

Given the U.S. population is about 24% that of China, one might think that number might be somewhat bigger.

Europe (Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Greece, Denmark, Iceland, Germany, UK, France, Austria, Belgium) accounts for the remaining ~8,800 electric trucks sold in the first half.

Another stat from the BloombergNEF/Smart Freight Centre that is notable:

  • “nearly 100 to 1”

That’s the comparison of sales of electric medium and heavy trucks with those powered by fuel cells.

McKerracher: “The prospects for hydrogen in road transport look dim.”

Which leads to a question of whether commercial electric truck volumes—battery- and fuel cell-powered—in the U.S. are any brighter.

Polestar 3: Dual Motor, Pilot, Plus, Performance

Posted on by

(That’s a lot of Ps in that name. . )

By Gary S. Vasilash

One of the things that interests me when I am in a vehicle is the extent to which people notice it.

You may be surprised at how few vehicles garner some comment from people. The last vehicle I had that drew lots of attention was the VW ID.Buzz. And as I think about that vehicle, I realize that I’ve not seen a lot of them since.

And while that van drew attention largely because of the nostalgia factor, the Polestar 3 has no such fond memories for anyone, as it has been available in the US market only since late summer 2024.

A friend I was meeting at a restaurant came in and pointed out a window to the Polestar 3 in the lot: “Are you driving that? What is it?” The waiter stopped and looked at it, too, while listening to my explanation of how it is a brand from a company headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, once a sub-brand of Volvo. (This gets into organizational complexity with the bottom line essentially being that there is Volvo, owned by Geely, and there is Polestar, owned by Geely. So while the two companies are separate, they have the same parent and there is a non-trivial amount of sharing between the two siblings.)

They were both unaware of the brand.

Which is not entirely surprising. Through the third quarter 2025 Polestar has delivered 44,482 vehicles. Globally.

To put that into context, Cadillac delivered 46,525 vehicles. Domestically. In the third quarter alone.

Polestar is still a stealth brand.

This is not particularly pricy when you realize this is a performance vehicle. (Images: Polestar)

A neighbor who was walking her dog past my house while I pulled into my driveway literally turned around and came back to talk to me about the Polestar 3, wondering what it was, saying that she liked the way it looks, both in terms of size and styling. (She is right about that.)

The not-so-good news for the folks at Polestar: She is in the market for a vehicle and is likely going to buy a Chevy Equinox. “EV?” I asked. “No. Gasoline.”

That is not-so-good on two levels.

First of all, the top trim level AWD Equinox has an MSRP, including destination, of $37,395.

The MSRP, including destination, for this AWD Polestar, which is at the top of the line, is $86,300.

Clearly, my neighbor has a good eye, even though she has a different kind of budget.

And second, of course, the Polestar 3 is an electric vehicle, not fueled with gas, which accounts for part of the difference.

And it is interesting to note that whereas that 2025 Equinox she is considering is built in the GM San Luis Potosí plant in Mexico, the Polestar 3 is assembled in Ridgeville, South Carolina (that is nominally a Volvo plant, which goes back to the previous comment about the sibs).

Without going too Volvo about this, it is worth noting that the Polestar 3 is based on the Scalable Product Architecture 2 platform, which underpins the Volvo EX90, that brand’s flagship electric vehicle.

And because it has Volvo DNA it is engineered with safety in mind, ranging from having a boron steel safety cage to an extensive list of sensor-based safety tech that facilitates accident-free driving (note: it helps; it is up to the driver and others to prevent accidents).

One interesting thing is that while model year 2025 vehicles have to have a rear seat reminder system to advise the driver to check the back seat to make sure that a child or pet is not being left behind, many of these systems are simply based on the vehicle being put in park and the alert showing up.

In the Polestar 3 there is actually interior radar that monitors the situation.

So what does one get for the not-minor amount of money.

Well, there are two electric motors that provide a combined output of 517-hp, which means this can be quick. They also provide AWD. But this power also means that the range is somewhat limited: an EPA estimate of 279 miles.

There is active air suspension. 22-inch wheels. A panoramic glass roof. Over-the-air-updates for life.

An example of the interior details that show considerable consideration was paid to the execution of the inside.

The infotainment is based on the Android Automotive OS, with Google built in. (There is wireless Apple CarPlay, too).

The interior is both comfortable and well designed, with details on things like the door trim that subtly make you know that someone spent time considering what they were doing.

A Better Battery Range Predictor

Posted on by

You’ve undoubtedly seen someone—or been that someone—walking along carrying a gas can having run out of fuel. What happens when an EV is out of energy? This project is working to keep that from being a question that needs an answer. . . .

Apparently, the battery management systems in EVs are little better than crap shoots when it comes to providing accurate information as to whether there is sufficient charge in a battery to get from point A to point B.

One reason is there are lots of parameters that need to be taken into account in order to make the assessment, ranging from the condition of the battery to its discharge rate, from the traffic between A and B and the ambient temperature.

To address this overall uncertainty, engineers at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), have developed a metric, State of Mission (SOM). Mihri Ozkan, a UCR engineering professor described it: “It’s a mission-aware measure that combines data and physics to predict whether the battery can complete a planned task under real-world conditions.”

Some models use physics equations that don’t deal with changing environments. Some use machine learning models that provide output but no information regarding how that output was achieved.

The SOM takes into account both information from the batteries’ performance over time as well as electrochemistry and thermodynamics.

Cengiz Ozkan (also a UCR engineering prof): “By combining them, we get the best of both worlds: a model that learns flexibly from data but always stays grounded in physical reality. This makes the predictions not only more accurate but also more trustworthy.”

But there is still a hurdle that the UCR team needs to get over as the SOM development continues.

“Right now,” Ozkan said, “the main limitation is computational complexity. The framework demands more processing power than today’s lightweight, embedded battery management systems typically provide.”

It always comes down to sufficient power, one form or another.

Beyond the Heated Steering Wheel

Posted on by

During the Aspen Ideas Festival, Jim Farley, Ford CEO, brought up heated steering wheels (as an analogy, but it works here). He said that when you first hear about a heated steering wheel you think, “’Well, that won’t be a big deal.’ On a cold day, ‘Wow! that’s pretty amazing.’”

Yes, anyone who lives in a cold clime and has the opportunity to grip a heated steering wheel on a frosty morning knows that it is a very big deal.

Which came to mind when I saw the announcement for the ZF LIFETEC Heat Belt 2.0.

It’s a seat belt that’s embedded with four heating wires. The coverage area goes from the chest down to the pelvis.

Thermal image of the Heat Belt 2.0 (Image: ZF LIFETEC)

The belt, when activated, takes the temp from 23 degrees F to 104 degrees F in less than two minutes.

It has a maximum heating output of 60 W; the average is ~20 W.

There’s an algorithm that calibrates several factors (sun load in the vehicle; HVAC output; etc.) so tte heating is optimized.

One useful aspect of this is for electric vehicles.

HVAC systems use a lot of energy, so warming up the passengers with the belt can help minimize that.

It is even possible to reduce the size of the HVAC unit in the vehicle.

ZF LIFETEC estimates a potential 6% range increase by the efficient use of heating for the occupants.

That’s arguably bigger than Farley’s “’Wow! that’s pretty amazing!’”

Aloha, EVs

Posted on by

By Gary S. Vasilash

Among the many things that you’ve heard/read about Chinese vehicle manufacturers such as BYD and SAIC is something that may not have resonated a whole lot (after all, the amounts of praise that is heaped on the companies, BYD, in particular, for its EV product development approach and consequent products pretty much buries everything else):

They have built their own vehicle-carrying cargo ships.

The BYD Shenzhen is said to be the world’s largest roll-on/roll-off vehicle carrier in the world, with a capacity of 9,200 cars.

BYD is certainly vertically integrated, but it seems that this is really taking things to a whole other level.

But there may be something to it that goes beyond just being able to coordinate production with logistics in a way that probably can’t be done as efficiently with a third-party being involved.

Shipping company Matson, which describes itself as providing “a vital lifeline to the economies of Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Micronesia, and the South Pacific and premium, expedited service from China to Southern California,” noting, “The company’s fleet of vessels includes containerships, combination container, and roll-on/roll-off ships and barges” has announced that when it comes to electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, it is no longer interested.

“Matson has more experience shipping cars for consumers, manufacturers, businesses, and the military than any other carrier in the Pacific.” With experience, presumably, comes knowledge.

And in boldface type on the Matson site there’s this:

No battery-powered electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles can be transported from any Matson location due to the hazardous material classification of their components.

It is worth knowing that on a per capita basis, Hawaii is third among the 50 states when it comes to EV ownership. This is not going to do much for increasing those numbers.

Given that U.S. tariffs on Chinese EVs is up to 145%, odds are there isn’t going to be much in the way of deliveries by the BYD Shenzhen to U.S. ports anytime soon.

But one day they may be ready with a whole lot of capacity.