Kia EV3 debut, Silverado EV review, Bolt EV settlement, ID.7 delay: The Week in Reverse

Which electric SUV was teased as quicker than the Tesla Model Y Performance?

How much real-world range do Teslas lose over the first three years?

This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at EV kind of cars—for the week ending May 24, 2024.

In a first drive of the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV RST, we found this big electric pickup to be just average in real-world efficiency, and its 1,500-pound payload capacity is modest versus other full-sizers; but given its huge battery pack it likely won’t disappoint for highway range and occasional towing. With its Wide Open Watts (WOW) performance mode it’s very quick, while smooth and quiet for the mission. Just don’t expect to stay fully connected to your own smartphone. 

Kia has revealed the production-bound EV3 electric SUV, and it closely follows both the EV3 concept and the much larger EV9 that’s already on sale. Although not yet confirmed for the U.S., this model is already set for Korea and Europe and with its larger battery pack will go well beyond 300 miles on a charge. And it could make a lot of sense in America at a starting price near the $35,000 originally teased.

The 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid lineup coming this summer will return nearly 50 mpg, the automaker revealed Tuesday, as well as pep and performance that may rival that of the sporty Si model. Civic hybrids, with a larger engine than what’s been used in past versions of this model and a choice of sedan or hatchback layouts, are aiming for 40% of Civic sales. 

The Volkswagen ID.7 EV has been delayed for the U.S., VW confirmed Wednesday. It provided no new timeline for the aero-savvy hatchback, but it verified that this decision doesn’t affect the arrival of the ID.Buzz electric Microbus, still due later this year in extended-length American form. 

The upcoming 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S EV could out-accelerate the Tesla Model Y Performance and be the quickest model from the off-road-focused brand ever, it revealed Wednesday in a teaser. The Wagoneer S is set for a May 30 reveal. 

Final class-action settlement documents that mean many Chevy Bolt EV owners might get up to $1,400. The settlement money will even apply to those who’ve already received a completely new battery. 

GM is reportedly considering an affordable Chevy Camaro EV as part of its rollout of Ultium electric vehicles. In a different approach than what Ford has used for the Mustang Mach-E, the Camaro EV would be a car, not a crossover, according to a recent report citing GM president Mark Reuss. Is this related to the automaker’s plan for cylindrical batteries and, potentially, a lower-profile version of the platform. And on the other hand, GM is pushing ahead with plug-in hybrids. They’re due in 2027, executives recently confirmed, so as to help with stricter fuel efficiency and emissions standards. GM has already hinted that trucks may be first in this rollout, and GM hasn’t sold a U.S. PHEV since the Volt departed after 2019.

Versus last year, interest in EVs is waning, according to a new J.D. Power study. Its analysts saw a decline in consideration of EVs by new-car shoppers for the first time since it started tracking it in 2021, and it suggests it’s partly related to the lack of affordable EVs—an especially important aspect for younger Gen Z and Gen Y shoppers. 

After several years, charging hardware and stations that use the Megawatt Charging Standard (MCS) are starting to roll out. These stations, and their corresponding faster charging rates for big electric trucks, may render the superior fueling speeds of comparable hydrogen vehicles a moot point. 

Honda is introducing a hydrogen fuel-cell semi project at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) expo for fleet vehicles, and it signals the start of a new project and the company’s emphasis of fuel-cell tech for uses beyond passenger vehicles. 

Two lawmakers are demanding that the Department of Energy report the projected emissions created by federal hydrogen hubs. The $8B project aims to scale up hydrogen production for trucking and more, but it needs to do so in a way that can be held up versus diesel as a strong improvement—and oddly, that piece of information was omitted from the original framework.

The charging network Gravity has revealed distributed access points in the form of “trees” for urban streetside EV fast-charging. Set to provide up to 500 kw with no utility upgrades, these stations built onto streets could form a network “more expansive than Tesla’s current Supercharger network,” according to the company.

Wondering how much real-world range Teslas lose in the first several years? Data from thousands of Model 3 and Model Y vehicles shows that they don’t lose very much, but they don’t exactly start near the EPA ratings either.

And according to a survey released this week, younger U.S. drivers are more open to the idea of Chinese EVs, despite data privacy concerns. Those under 40 are also more likely to consider Chinese vehicles of any kind made in Mexico as a tariff workaround. It’s unclear how wrapped up these ideas are in the lack of affordable EVs from existing automakers in the U.S.

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