EDITOR'S PICK

Whisper Aero Ultralight Aircraft Scores $500K For 'UltraQuiet' Electric Jet Motor Tests

29 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"It's effectively an electrically spun ducted fan jet engine that uses a large number of stiff composite fan blades inside a lightweight, acoustically treated duct. With so many blades, the Whisper Aero propulsor can push more air than a conventional prop while spinning much more slowly.

"The Whisper Aero ultralight is [a] Aeriane Swift3 glider fitted with a pair of Whisper’'s eQ250 propulsors, each capable of up to 80 lbs. of thrust..."

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E-REVs Could Unite A Divided America On Electric Vehicles

26 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"[R]ecent consumer study by McKinsey & Company revealed...as many as 76% of EV buyers plan to buy another EV as their next purchase, a 20% increase from last year...study adds that on average, the sentiment towards EVs has remained stagnant in the U.S. as the country remains deeply divided on EVs...As per the study, a bigger share of suburban, rural and older buyers showed an interest in range-extended EVs...E-REVs will cannibalize from combustion vehicles and regular hybrids, but not from fully electric models and plug-in hybrids."

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Now Kia EVs Can Use Newer Tesla's Superchargers

26 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"Kia is the latest automaker to be granted Tesla Supercharger access, allowing owners of the company’s EVs to connect to over 21,500 stalls across North America...Owners of current EV6, EV9, and Niro EV models can use a CCS1-to-NACS adapter, which can be purchased from Kia dealers

"Kia owners can navigate to Tesla Superchargers and check the locations' statuses on their vehicle infotainment screens." NOTE: older generation Tesla chargers not compatible."

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Mercedes' New Paintwork Could Give EVs Thousands Of Extra Miles Of Range Per Year

26 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"The entire car body is coated with photovoltaic paint which generates electrical energy. This energy can be used immediately for driving or is stored in the battery when the vehicle is stationary

"...94 percent of the energy from sunlight, through the paint, can help power your car...added energy could extend the range of an EV by 12,000KM or 7,456 miles...drivers in Stuttgart, Germany, cover an average of 52 kilometres a day. Around 62 per cent of this distance would be covered using solar energy."

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EVs Could Charge 500% Faster In Sub-Freezing Weather Thanks To Simple New Manufacturing Trick

26 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"razor-thin layer of lithium borate-carbonate can lead to a 500% boost in charging rates when temperatures fall below freezing."

University of Michigan "researchers were able to 'simultaneously achieve extreme fast charging at low temperatures, without sacrificing the energy density of the lithium-ion battery.'

"...in colder conditions, the electrolyte fluid thickens, reducing electrical currents and thereby extending charging time..."

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How Much Can You Save Every Month Charging an EV vs. Paying for Gas? CNET Does the Math.

24 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"Using averages from government data sources and AAA fuel prices, we did the math and mapped out for you all the monthly charging and fueling costs side by side... Using US averages, we found the monthly cost of charging an EV to be $70.72 versus $158 to fuel an ICE car...

"Assuming that you're charging your EV at home using your own charger, the price of doing so really boils down to what you pay for electricity."

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Used EV Prices Fell 40%, And Buyers Are Searching For Them Like Never Before

24 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"CarMax says searches filtered by “electric vehicle” have nearly doubled since January 2022...The online used car marketplace’s Spring 2025 Electric Vehicle Consumer Report shows just how far used EV prices have tumbled, down over 40% between January 2022 and February 2025.

"For the third year running, the Tesla Model 3 and the Model Y were in the No. 1 and No. 2 slots, respectively...The Chevy Bolt jumped into third place..."

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New Twists In The Electric-Vehicle Transition: A Consumer Perspective

24 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"Although EV uptake has increased worldwide, it has always varied by region...about 50 percent of vehicles sold in China were EVs. EVs accounted for only 21 percent of vehicles sold in Europe.. EV sales were lowest in the United States, at 10 percent

"EV uptake is likely to continue to grow across regions. In China, 45 percent of respondents state that their next car will be a BEV; this compares with 23 percent in Europe and 12 percent in the United States."

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US DC fast Charging Network Surges Past 55K Ports - And It's Getting More Reliable

24 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"Paren's latest US Reliability Index – 'Can I successfully charge at this charger?' – increased from 81.2 points in Q4 2024 to 82.6 points in Q1 2025, a notable jump of 1.7%... Utah, Alaska, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Nevada were the top-ranked states for DC fast charging reliability in Q1 2025.

"Charge-point operators and new players in the industry are increasingly focused on creating a great customer experience, improving reliability of chargers, and reaching profitability."

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Verge Just Open-Sourced Electric Bikes The Way Raspberry Pi Did Computers

23 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"Verge is bringing that plug-and-play simplicty to electric bikes by practically open-sourcing its own e-bike framework. Their new B2B arm, titled Verge Next, will help pretty much any third-party... build their own e-bikes directly on Verge's open platform.

"Their hubless rear wheel, powered by the company's famed Donut engine, is both a visual showstopper and a functional revelation. By integrating the motor into the wheel rim, Verge eliminates traditional drive chains or belts..."

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Buick Is So Big in China It Has Its Own Sub-Brand

23 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

Buick..."thriving in China. It has sold more than 10 million cars since SAIC-GM introduced the luxury brand locally nearly 30 years ago...The newly founded Electra will start off with three cars, including the Encasa luxury minivan...Within the next 12 months, it’ll be joined by an SUV and a sedan.

"Upcoming models will utilize lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries from CATL and will support a maximum charging power of 640 kilowatts. Buick claims that a 10-minute charge will provide enough juice for 217 miles."

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Here's How Bad DOGE Has Been For Elon Musk's Business

23 Apr 2025 | Synopsis

"...Musk's electric car company Tesla has seen sales slide and has become a target for protests. Now some believe that damage could be terminal..The Reputation Risk Index...found that being associated with Musk posed the second biggest threat to companies, between the harmful or deceptive use of artificial intelligence and backtracking on DEI...even if Musk were to quit DOGE and get back to his car company "there will be permanent brand damage."

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