2+ day, 22+ hour ago (384+ words) Last July, I leased a 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV LT2. I got a stunning lease deal, leaving me conflicted about the car. I love my Blazer EV, but I wouldn't have paid its $52,000 sticker price. The good news is, I didn't, and you don't have to, either. Used Blazer EVs are shockingly cheap. The best price I've seen so far is $21,499 at used car retailer CarBravo, for a Radiant Red LT2 with 14,000 miles. But while that price is an outlier, it is exceedingly easy to find examples for under $25,000. Most of them have very few miles, and all appear to be in good condition. Of course, if you've been following the Blazer EV story, you may know why these are cheap. The Blazer got off to a rough start, with software problems that were bad enough to strand our own Kevin Williams. That…...

3+ week, 3+ day ago (464+ words) It seems crazy to me how some journalists are still making jokes about the fact that BYD is Chinese, suggesting that it can never be as good as the Western car brands that we all grew up looking up to (at least here in Europe). BYD is a global Goliath with over 100,000 engineers on its payroll, giving it the largest research and development workforce of any automaker in the world. It shows. If you haven't been paying attention to the rise of BYD, it's not too late. If you live in Europe, you can go test drive one of its cars to rid yourself of your bias. I will admit that, like any European car journalist, I once looked down on Chinese cars. However, as I've had the chance to drive more of them in the last few years, I…...

3+ week, 4+ day ago (543+ words) Next year is a pivotal one for Rivian. The electric-vehicle startup has seen strong critical success with its R1S and R1T, but long-term viability depends on its more affordable R2 being a huge hit with a wider audience, just like the Tesla Model Y once was. Maybe that's why the first Rivian R2 to debut won't be its most expensive configuration." On tonight's third-quarter earnings call, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe offered a few new details about the R2 when it goes on sale in 2026." "We're going to limit the number of variants that we're building, and so we have a launch edition for the R2," Scaringe said. "And this is a classic challenge, because there's thousands and thousands of people who are excited for R2. Some will want the most base version, the lowest-price version. Others are going to want the highest-end version." The goal for the…...

2+ week, 5+ day ago (424+ words) Tesla has started a pilot program where it will rent cars directly to customers who are looking to buy a new electric vehicle, as spotted by EV enthusiast Sawyer Merritt. It's an interesting approach to try and boost sales, as the first month without the $7,500 federal tax credit for new EVs revealed most automakers had significant drops in sales. Despite being the biggest player in the industry, Tesla is not immune to the effects caused by the tax credit's cancellation. While sales in the United States went up 7.5% in the third quarter, Tesla's year-to-date figures are less rosy, with a 4.3% drop in deliveries, according to data from Cox Automotive. That $60/day rate applies to the Model Y and Model 3, but customers can also rent a Cybertruck for $75/day or a Model S or Model X for $90/day. There are, however,…...

1+ week, 6+ day ago (328+ words) Ford is now selling certified pre-owned vehicles on Amazon Autos, the American e-commerce giant's car sales platform. The move effectively puts local dealers' inventory on Amazon's website, allowing customers to browse what's available, finance their next vehicle and prepare some of the paperwork before scheduling a pick-up date at the dealership. The two companies said that all of the certified pre-owned cars that are now up for sale on Amazon Autos are backed by Ford's Blue Advantage warranties, which include roadside assistance. Customers can also check out the full service history online, as well as the final price. The third category is reserved for "Blue Certified" vehicles, which are sold by Ford dealers but may include vehicles for other brands, not just the blue oval automaker'think trade-ins. These cars come with just a 90-day or 4,000-mile limited warranty. Whatever the…...

1+ week, 3+ day ago (327+ words) Autonomy, the smartphone app that offers all-in-one subscriptions for EVs, will add 1,250 Polestar and Volvo electric cars to its fleet, as well as additional Tesla models. The company, which currently operates an all-Tesla fleet in several American states, secured a $25 million loan from Fincity Corporation through SR Alternative Credit. The company said customers can expect to see the Polestar 2 and facelifted Tesla Model 3 and Model Y in the app soon, with additional vehicles from Volvo and other automakers set to join the fleet. Autonomy did not detail what other models would be available in the future. Tesla Model 3 EVs available as long-term rentals through Autonomy Back in 2023, the startup had roughly 1,300 cars in its fleet, but was forced to cut back on its initial goal of acquiring 23,000 EVs from no fewer than 17 automakers due to the plummeting value of EVs....

4+ week, 1+ day ago (359+ words) You can already order one in the UK for $111,700 (84,995), although you will have to wait until 2027 to get one because the first year of production has already been allocated. The electric Speedster weighs just 1,973 pounds (895 kg), and its single rear-mounted electric motor pushes it to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.5 seconds. That's a pretty good acceleration time, but it's a lot slower than some EVs, the quickest of which easily dip below 3 seconds. This car's featherweight construction promises to make it good through the corners. The design of the Speedster has more than a whiff of Ferrari Monza SP2 about it, which is to say it looks very good. The lack of a windshield in the front likely means you'll have to wear a helmet even when driving it on the road, but a more conventional hardtop model is on the way. That…...

1+ week, 4+ day ago (439+ words) If you love serious off-roading in an electric vehicle, your options so far have been extremely limited and prohibitively expensive. The Rivian R1S ($76,990), Mercedes-Benz G-Class with EQ Technology ($163,200) and the Hummer EV ($96,600) are all capable electric off-roaders, but cater to a small number of rich buyers. When the $65,000 (before destination) Jeep Recon goes on sale in the U.S. and Canada early next year, it will appeal to a broader audience. It comes with some serious off-roading equipment that no other EV currently has in its price bracket. Heck, it might even be Stellantis" most serious EV effort so far, at least on paper. The Recon is a mid-size SUV riding on Stellantis" STLA Large dedicated BEV platform, which it shares with the Wagoneer S and the Dodge Charger Daytona EV." While the Wagoneer S is an on-road focused alternative to the Grand…...

3+ week, 5+ day ago (560+ words) A Houston resident's unconventional electric vehicle captured the internet's attention and left viewers asking about the conventionality and the price point. On Oct. 27th, TikTok user Tommy Clark (@tommy.clark) posted a video, which has amassed over 80,300 views as of Saturday, of the Club Car CRU being delivered to his home." The vehicle resembles a modernized golf cart, with a futuristic, rounded frame and a spacious open-air cabin. The back seat area even includes a removable table, perfect for neighborhood coffee runs or weekend cruising. "Whether it's a coffee run, the golf course, or a neighborhood cruise " this thing turns heads everywhere it goes," read the caption." The vehicle caught the attention of the video's viewers, with the comments overwhelmingly remarking on their interest. "I don't want," wrote one comment. "I NEED!!!!!!" While the vehicle resembles a high-end golf cart, the…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago (953+ words) It's hard to argue that Toyota isn't operating from a position of strength right now. As global electric vehicle sales remain uneven, the Japanese automaker continues to generate robust profits from its broad hybrid lineup and has managed the U.S. tariff challenges more effectively than many of its competitors. What about what comes next? It's similarly hard to argue that Toyota is some kind of industry leader on software and autonomous vehicles'both of which are experiencing a boom right now. But being the world's largest automaker by volume has its perks, and that includes the scale and capital needed to build a whole city devoted to testing next-generation mobility technology. Almost six years after it was first announced at CES 2020, Toyota's Woven City is open for business. Or living. Or a mix of both. It's one of the more bold and…...