VW ID.4 review, Audi Q6 E-Tron preview, Lexus RX PHEV, Trump EV tariff: The Week in Reverse

Which automaker recalled nearly 150,000 U.S. EVs?

Which generation buys the most EVs?

This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at EV kind of cars—for the week ending March 22, 2024.

A first drive of the 2024 Volkswagen ID.4, with a vastly better infotainment interface and a little more acceleration punch complementing an otherwise already great set of attributes, showed us that the ID.4 is now the opening act for trendier VW EVs that it was originally supposed to be. 

In a preview drive of the 2025 Audi Q6 E-Tron, we saw the promise in Audi’s first fully conceived, best executed EV—thanks in part to the new PPE platform it shares with the Porsche Macan EV.

EV kind of cars also drove the 2024 Lexus RX 450h+ and found it to have a usable electric-only range and comfortable ride but rather expensive and unimpressive in its infotainment interface. 

BMW provided a first look at another concept previewing its next generation of EVs. The BMW Vision Neue Klasse X is an electric SUV anticipated for production as soon as 2025 and built on an 800-volt architecture, providing super-fast charging and a bidirectional charging toolkit. 

DOE and EPA rules finalized this week give automakers a little more flexibility in complying with pending rules for model years 2027 to  2032. The EPA estimates it will take about 56% EVs by 2032, along with at least 13% plug-in hybrids.  

Rivian has confirmed that in April it will start shipping the NACS adapters that will, with interface updates, allow owners to plan road trips with Tesla Supercharger stations as waypoints. It also nearly doubles the number of fast-chargers Rivian drivers can access through the interface. 

As it seeks to sell down an inventory of about 4,700 vehicles, Fisker has paused production of its Ocean EV. Meanwhile, it confirmed “a financing commitment” of up to $150 million, said it continues to negotiate with another automaker—reportedly Nissan—over a strategic partnership, and is pursuing a franchised-dealership model.

Shell announced this week that it’s planning to shed some gas stations in favor of EV charging. It also announced that it plans to expand the number of EV chargers it operates from 54,000 today to 200,000 by 2030.

A recently filed GM patent application suggests that the automaker is considering battery cells with Lego-like shapes that might allow easier cooling in battery-pack configurations. It’s unclear whether or not such an idea is serious, as GM is in the midst of ramping up large-format pouch cells for its Ultium EV family and has committed to cylindrical cells for some future EVs. 

Nearly 150,000 EVs from Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis were recalled in the U.S. earlier this week over an electronics issue that could cause 12-volt batteries to fail while driving. It follows an international recall and is over the same component that could result in a sudden loss of drive power. 

Former President Donald Trump said that he will apply a tariff of 100% to cars made in Mexico by Chinese companies for U.S.-market sale, he said in a campaign speech Saturday. Trump also appeared again to deride electric vehicles as short on range and too expensive. 

In a new Saudi Arabian desert EV range and efficiency run of its EQXX design and engineering concept, Mercedes-Benz has shown substantial gains not just from the use of a next-generation heat pump but also from a solar roof—a sign there may be hope after all for the feature in future models from the luxury brand. 

And is there a generational gap in EV interest? As new data from Experian has shown, Gen X and Millennials buy the most EVs—at a time when Baby Boomers dominate policy.

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