Enlarge/ The regular Hyundai Elantra is a perfectly fine compact sedan. But once the boffins at Hyundai N got hold of it, they transformed it into something with a lot more character.
Peter Nelson
Few cars are aimed quite at driving enthusiasts like the wholesome sport compact. In terms of everyday usability and fun factor, little can touch them, and luckily, there’s still a good variety of them on the new market. Among the best is the Hyundai Elantra N, which, for the 2024 model year, received a styling and chassis refresh. Pricing starts at $33,245 for three pedals and a manual gearbox, or $35,515 for a dual-clutch eight-speed, and either is a massive value for the performance and fun factor that they offer.
Amply sporty styling, plenty spacious
The 2024 Elantra N’s biggest change is in its face. Where previously it had beady eyes surrounded in a sea of black trim—kind of like the vehicular equivalent of a Belgian Malinois—its headlight, grille, and intake are now more geometric. Looks are subjective, but I’m a fan of the headlights, and the functional inlets improve radiator and brake cooling over the previous fascia.
Elsewhere, it’s pretty much the same angular four-door wearing some trapezoidal accents across its body panels and a pronounced rear spoiler. A new set of forged 19-inch wheels is wrapped in 245/35/19 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires—these also shave off 8.25 lbs (3.75 kg) of unsprung weight at each corner, which bodes well for acceleration and handling.
The Elantra N is easy to distinguish via its bodykit and rear wing.
Peter Nelson
Hyundai
The Elantra N’s seats hold you in place.
Peter Nelson
There’s a grab handle for the passenger.
Peter Nelson
the turbocharged four-cylinder engine has character.
Peter Nelson
Inside, the Elantra N is spacious, offering great head- and legroom for tall folks up front and much of the same in the back. The front seats are some of the best on the market, offering excellent firmness and very assuring bolsters to keep you held in place when cornering. The steering wheel’s rim is thick and confidence-inspiring, though I wish I could have telescoped it closer to my torso.
Materials quality is good for its price, with substantial soft-touch surfaces where it matters, and the various switchgear and controls are laid out in a very clean manner—as is its infotainment system, which is lag-free. Conveniently, there’s a grab handle carved into the center console for the front-seat passenger. Finally, the N’s spacious interior translates to good overall visibility from a sporty driving position; you don’t sit up high but rather down in it, as any good sport compact ought to be.
Enlarge/ The Clip attached to a late-90s vintage mountain bike.
Eric Bangeman
Shortly after World War II, a French manufacturer by the name of Solex started selling mopeds. These were not your “typical” moped that looks kind of like a motorcycle with pedals—the mopeds made by Solex were essentially bicycles with a small, two-stroke engine mounted over the front wheel that could propel the rider around 100 km on a single liter of gas mixture. The downside: Solex mopeds were loud and cumbersome to ride due to the weight distribution, and they never really caught on in North America.
Clip, a startup based in Brooklyn, New York, has come up with its own twist on the Solex. Its only product, the eponymously named Clip, is a friction drive unit that attaches to the front fork of any bicycle, turning it into an e-bike. At $499 for the Commuter model and $599 for the Explorer, it is a relatively inexpensive way to turn just about any bicycle into an e-bike for a fraction of the cost of a new one.
Enlarge/ The Clip mounts to the front fork just below the brake caliper.
Eric Bangeman
Weighing in at 8.8 lb (4 kg) for the Commuter model (the Explorer is a pound heavier), the Clip is at its essence a portable friction-drive. There’s a detachable controller that mounts on the handlebar and the unit itself. The Explorer model, the one we reviewed, has a 192 Wh battery that takes an hour to fully charge. Its range is pegged at “up to 12 miles,” a claim that is pretty accurate based on our testing, and the top speed is 15 mph. The Commuter model offers half the battery capacity, charge time, and range.
Twelve miles may not seem like a lot, especially in contrast to e-bikes with ranges that exceed 70 miles. But the Clip isn’t designed for long, leisurely rides. It’s a tool for folks who want to resuscitate old bikes that might be gathering dust in the garage. In my case, that bike is a 1997 Gary Fisher Marlin mountain bike that is now only ridden once or twice a year.
Clipping the Clip to your bike
The Clip arrived in a box with a single sheet of instructions glued to the inside with a pair of QR codes. One leads to the product manual, but the other one has a surprising function: scheduling a one-on-one orientation session with Clip, which is unusual and fantastic at the same time. Mine took about 20 minutes.
Enlarge/ The Clip remote. Hold the red button down to go; the white button below will regenerate the battery.
Eric Bangeman
In theory, attaching the Clip to a bike is simple, and it is fairly easy once you get the hang of it. First, remove the remote from the Clip, which attaches to the bicycle’s handlebar with a clever rubber loop. Next, grab one side of the Clip, slide the button on the handle, and push the handle forward. Then align the top edge so that it sits just below the brake caliper and pull down on the handle of the Clip. If you’ve done it right, you’ll hear a satisfying click, and the white LED battery charge indicators on the Clip will light up. The wheel of the Clip should now be resting on the front wheel of the bike, so congratulations—you now have an e-bike.
Operation is dead simple. Press and hold the red button to activate the friction drive. Press and hold the white button for some regenerative braking action. The lack of displays and apps means we have to take Clip’s word that the regen function can restore 12 to 18 percent of the device’s range. In practice, it acts as a low-key brake as it sends charge back to the battery.
Immediately after mounting, I found that I had to pedal for a second or two before a button press would register with the Clip. After that, it worked like a charm. Positioning the remote close to the grip worked the best, and I gradually got used to holding the button while pedaling. Remembering to switch to the regen button while slowing down was a bit harder.
The extra 10 pounds of gear attached to the front wheel messes with the weight distribution, leading to one or two “whoa” moments my first time riding with it attached. But I figured out how to handle the bike and its new center of gravity fairly quickly. If you’re feeling lazy, you don’t need to pedal at all, and the Clip will eventually get you moving around 15 mph. Start pedaling, and you’ll feel the Clip adding to your effort—unless the road is wet. The Clip works best on dry roads; leave it at home if it’s raining.
Enlarge/ At the end of the ride, unmount the Clip and take it with you.
Clip
Once you’ve reached your destination, grab the handle, pull it back toward you, and remove the Clip from the bike. Drop the remote back into its spot, and carry the Clip with you.
There are loads of e-bike conversion kits to choose from, but I have a hard time imagining something easier to install and use. And that’s what makes the Clip such a good product—there’s no messing with tools, installing motors, and mounting batteries. The Clip literally clips to your bike and electrifies it. I wouldn’t use it for a trip to the grocery store because I wouldn’t want to lug the Clip up and down the aisles. But for quick trips or short commutes, it’s a fantastic way to give new life to an old bike.
Enlarge/ Jeep is ready to join the electric SUV fray with the new Wagoneer S, which goes on sale later this year.
Jeep
The Jeep brand has finally debuted its first purpose-built electric vehicle. It’s targeting the hotly contested SUV segment with the new Wagoneer S, which goes on sale this fall. But other than its name, it shares little with the gasoline-powered Wagoneer; the Wagoneer S uses the same EV architecture—called STLA Large—as the forthcoming electric Dodge Charger.
It looks like Jeep is using a similar playbook to Dodge and Ram as it introduces its electric models: Give them the same name and styling as a familiar bestseller to keep customers comfortable, then give them serious power output and some headline-grabbing numbers to generate a halo effect.
Powerful
That’s why the Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition will offer 600 hp (447 kW), 617 lb-ft (837 Nm), and a 0–60 mph (0-98 km/h) time of 3.4 seconds. It’s powered by a 100.5 kWh battery pack with nickel manganese cobalt chemistry operating at 400 V.
Jeep said that’s sufficient for at least 300 miles (482 km) of range on a single charge, which is far from the 4.3 miles/kWh (6.9 kWh/100 km) that parent company Stellantis said it was targeting for US-bound EVs when it originally announced the STLA Large platform. Despite the size of the pack, it should fast-charge quite rapidly, going from 5–80 percent state of charge in just 28 minutes (20–80 percent takes 23 minutes, we’re told).
Enlarge/ Don’t expect to get access to the Tesla Supercharger network.
Jeep
Native J3400 ports won’t show up until model-year 2026, so it’s CCS1 for the time being. When Stellantis announced it was adopting the Tesla-style J3400 port, it made no mention of having negotiated access to the Tesla Supercharger network, and the Wagoneer S reveal is similarly silent on the matter.
Each Wagoneer S axle is driven by a permanently excited electric motor rated at up to 335 hp (250 kW), and the front drive unit can be disconnected by a clutch for better efficiency. Befitting an SUV wearing the Jeep name, it features a range of on- and off-road drive modes.
According to the spec sheet, this is the most aerodynamic vehicle ever to wear the Jeep badge, albeit with a drag coefficient of 0.29 that’s merely average when compared to other electric SUVs.
Not cheap
If you were expecting a bare-bones cheap Jeep EV, you’ll have to keep waiting. Jeep invented the entire concept of a luxury SUV with the original Wagoneer in 1963, and it says this new Wagoneer S evolves the brand “with a new embrace of technology, luxury, and innovation.”
The Wagoneer S is 192.4 inches (4,886 mm) long, 74.8 inches (1,900 mm) wide, and 64.8 inches (1,645 mm) tall, with a 113-inch (2,870 mm) wheelbase. It’s quite heavy, with a curb weight of 5,667 lbs (2,571 kg).
Jeep
2024 Jeep® Wagoneer S Launch Edition Radar Red Interior.
Jeep
The launch edition of the Wagoneer S doesn’t lack for power.
Jeep
The Wagoneer S has user-customizable interior LED lighting.
Jeep
The Launch Edition—which starts at $71,995 and is eligible for the full $7,500 IRS clean vehicle tax credit—comes with a lot of equipment standard, including heated and ventilated seats in the front and back, a 19-speaker McIntosh sound system, and a bevy of screens that include the main instrument display, the main infotainment screen, an infotainment screen for the front passenger, and a fourth screen for the climate controls.
But in keeping with the increased social responsibility that comes with building EVs, the interior uses synthetic leather instead of cow hides, and the headliner and carpets are made from recycled materials.
“The launch of the all-electric Jeep Wagoneer S marks a new chapter in the storied history of the Jeep brand,” said Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa. “Building upon nearly a century of innovation and design, this first global EV will introduce a whole new generation of owners to an experience that is distinctly Jeep and 100 percent electric in every way. With new energy in the Jeep vehicle lineup, ranging from EV to V8, customers have never had more freedom to choose their own adventure.”
Trailhawk concept
Since the Jeep name is synonymous with off-road activity, the company also showed off a Trailhawk concept of the Wagoneer S. This “showcases what the all-electric Jeep Wagoneer S lineup is truly capable of, whether cornering tight turns with ease or traversing new ground off the beaten path,” Filosa said.
Jeep also showed off this Trailhawk concept based on the Wagoneer S.
Jeep
The interior was probably designed with dudes who collect axes and morale patches in mind.
Jeep
There’s lifted suspension for better ground clearance and a more aggressive off-road look, with body cladding protecting the Jeep’s lower extremities. The interior features a grab bar for the front passenger to hold onto while the EV negotiates steep angles, or for you to mount gear onto. There’s also a meteorite-inspired stone veneer on the dash and an octagonal steering wheel with “tactical-inspired grip section[s]” at the 9 and 3 positions.
Enlarge/ No one’s entirely sure if driverless racing will be any good to watch, but before we find that out, people have to actually develop driverless race cars. A2RL in Abu Dhabi is the latest step down that path.
A2RL
ABU DHABI—We live in a weird time for autonomous vehicles. Ambitions come and go, but genuinely autonomous cars are further off than solid-state vehicle batteries. Part of the problem with developing autonomous cars is that teaching road cars to take risks is unacceptable.
A race track, though, is a decent place to potentially crash a car. You can take risks there, with every brutal crunch becoming a learning exercise. (You’d be hard-pressed to find a top racing driver without a few wrecks smoldering in their junior career records.)
That’s why 10,000 people descended on the Yas Marina race track in Abu Dhabi to watch the first four-car driverless race.
Test lab
The organizers of the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) event didn’t brief me on what to expect, so I wasn’t sure if we would see much car movement. Not because the project was likely to fail—it certainly had a lot of hardware and software engineering behind it, not to mention plenty of money. But creating a high-speed, high-maneuverability vehicle that makes its own choices is an immense challenge.
Just running a Super Formula car—the chassis modified for the series—is a big task for any race team, even with an expert driver in the cockpit. I was ready to be impressed if teams got out of the pit lane without the engine stalling.
But the cars did run. Lap times weren’t close to those of a human driver or competitive across the field, but the cars did repeatedly negotiate the track. Not every car was able to do quick laps, but the ones that did looked like actual race cars being driven on a race track. Even the size of the crashes showed that the teams were finding the confidence to begin pushing limits.
Enlarge/ Each of these Dallara Super Formula cars has been modified by its team to operate without a human driver onboard or in control.
A2RL
Is it the future of motorsport? Probably not. But it was an interesting test lab. After a year of development, six weeks of code-jam crunch, 14 days of practice, and one event, teams are going home with suitcases full of data and lessons they can use next year.
The track and the cars
A2RL is one of three competitions being run by Aspire, the “technology transition pillar” of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council.
Yas is an artificial island built as a leisure attraction, housing theme parks and hotels alongside the circuit, with an influencer photo opportunity around every corner. The island was the focus of the Emirate restyling itself for tourism, and its facilities now play secondary host to another image makeover as a technology hub. An F1 track is now finding a second use as a testing lab, and it’s probably the only track in the region that could afford the kind of excess that two weeks of round-the-clock, floodlit, robotic testing represents.
Although the early ambition was to use Formula 1 cars to reflect Yas Marina’s purpose as a circuit, the cost compared to a Super Formula car was absurd. Plus, it would have required eight identical F1 chassis. Even in the days of unrestricted F1 budgets, few teams could afford that many chassis in a season.
So Aspire’s Technology Innovation Institute (TII) went to the manufacturer Dallara, which supplies almost every high-level single-seater chassis, including parts of some F1 cars, but also every IndyCar, Super Formula, Formula E, Formula 2, and Formula 3 car, plus a whole array of endurance prototypes. Dallara was also involved in the 2021 Indy Autonomous Challenge via the IndyNXT chassis.
TII in Abu Dhabi was also involved in the Indy Autonomous Challenge as part of a university’s team, so it got to see how the cars had been rapidly adapted to accommodate a robotic “driver.”
The computer that controls the driving and interprets the sensor stack, situated in the cockpit—almost like a human driver.
Hazel Southwell
The Meccanica42 actuators that operate throttle, brake, and steering onboard the adjusted SF23 chassis.
Hazel Southwell
L-R: The robotic array that sits lower in the car’s cockpit for the actuators to operate the car, and the computer that sits above it for maximum ventilation.
Enlarge/ Until the Bolt returns, this is Chevrolet’s entry-level electric car, the Equinox EV.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
A new entry-level EV from General Motors hits the market this year bearing the name Equinox, but other than nomenclature, this Chevy is not at all related to the current internal-combustion compact crossover. Instead, the new Equinox EV rides on the smallest iteration of GM’s Ultium platform until the Bolt reboots with a new (lithium iron phosphate) Ultium battery pack.
The Equinox EV shares its chassis with the forthcoming Cadillac Optiq but aims instead to hit the market as cheaply as possible and significantly undercut Tesla’s Model Y. Deliveries will start later this year with the LT trim level, which has a starting MSRP of $34,995. Eager to prove what it no doubt hopes will be the new cash-cow EV’s bona fides, Chevrolet invited media to Detroit to drive a fleet of Equinoxes in various trim levels.
On paper, the Equinox’s stats look fairly solid. A smallish 85 kWh battery is sufficient for an EPA range estimate of 319 miles (513 km) for the front-wheel-drive base model. Output for the single motor clocks in at a respectable 213 hp (159 kW) and 236 lb-ft (320 Nm) of torque. Perhaps the only downside appears to be a max DC fast-charging rate of 150 kW, though thanks to the battery’s overall capacity, the Equinox should still add 77 miles (124 km) of range in about 10 minutes.
Chevrolet brought along both RS (pictured) and LT trims of the Equinox EV.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
The shape shares little with the gasoline-powered Equinox.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
The Equinox EV is 191 inches (4,851 mm) long, 77 inches (1.956 mm) wide, and 65 inches (1,651 mm) tall.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
The 3RS can be specced with a rather bold interior.
Chevrolet
A look at the back seat. This stormtrooper-spec interior is available with the 3LT.
Chevrolet
There’s 26.4 cubic feet (748 L) of storage space with the rear seats in use, or 57.2 cubic feet (1,620 L) with the rear seats folded flat.
Chevrolet
What’s the single-motor version like on the road?
From behind the wheel, I expected the FWD Equinox’s less-than-overwhelming power figures to result in sluggish acceleration. Luckily, instantaneously available grunt can produce just enough pep to cause a bit of torque steer, and I kept up with traffic without concern. Harder pulls above 45 mph (72 km/h) seem blunted, though—perhaps to maximize range.
In typical Ultium fashion, the steering can be best described as vague-ish, which Chevy’s increasingly thick-rimmed steering wheels don’t exactly help. But the Equinox never tries to play at sports car ambitions. And on Detroit’s battered roadways, the suspension runs the full gamut from smooth to stiff, depending on speed and driving style.
Keep things easy, and the Equinox treads lightly. Push harder or shift the battery pack’s mass aggressively over two wheels (via acceleration, braking, or cornering) and the dampers appear to struggle a bit. Jumping between test vehicles all day, I noticed a difference between the 19-inch and optional 21-inch wheel-and-tire combos. Making the right choice will come down to desired performance and, really, what region customers live in and how the local roads fare.
Enlarge/ This is not a car to hustle through the turns.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
Real-world range matters most in a commuter car, and the Equinox performed admirably, if not as well as the Silverado fleet also on hand in Detroit. For one vehicle I tracked, I used 86 miles (138 km) of claimed range to drive 78 miles (126 km), with the air conditioning blasting on a hot day in a black car, and mostly at highway speeds, where larger EVs with upright profiles—and therefore a larger frontal area—tend to struggle.
Enlarge/ The Mustang Mach-E Rally is the latest version of Ford’s electric crossover. It features plenty of power and a new drive mode, as well as plenty of rally-inspired accoutrements.
Tim Stevens
Mildly off-road-ready performance variants are extremely trendy right now, and it’s easy to turn your nose up at them. But when cars like the 911 Dakar or Huracan Sterrato actually improve the day-to-day drivability and comfort of the road-focused machines upon which they’re lifted, you have to respect them.
Me? I’m a die-hard rally fan and someone who’d rather drive sideways than straight. It’s no surprise that I love these special editions, from their top-boxes down to their all-terrain tires. But I also love electric vehicles, and while there are plenty of electrified crossovers and SUVs out there, it’s slim pickings if you want something rally-ready.
Today, that changes.
Meet the Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally, a car with a name so clear you can’t ignore the purpose. It takes the $53,995 2024 Mach-E GT and gives it a few key upgrades, all in the name of providing better performance for low-grip motorsport—or at least the appearance thereof. But is this package more show than go?
Ford has integrated fog lights into the front fascia panel.
Tim Stevens
The white alloy wheels are meant to remind you of the Compomotive wheels that Ford’s rally cars used.
Tim Stevens
The Mach-E Rally’s rear wing probably does nothing to help range, but it looks very cool.
Tim Stevens
Ford missed a trick by not giving the Mach-E Rally a suede or Alcantara wheel rim. At the very least we would expect a rally special to have a strip at 12 o’clock on the wheel rim.
Tim Stevens
The rear seat backs are a little different.
Tim Stevens
Here’s why: It adds more shoulder bolstering.
The stripes have a triangular pattern on them that’s also replicated on some interior trim.
Tim Stevens
The Mach-E Rally is just as practical as all the other Mach-E variants.
Tim Stevens
It starts with a standard Mach-E GT, which, for the 2024 model year, gets some significant updates in its own right. A new rear motor, lifted from the Ford Lightning, gives both the GT and Rally 480 hp (358 kW) and 700 lb-ft (950 Nm) of torque. That’s up from 634 lb-ft (860 Nm) before.
This Mach-E stands out from the crowd
A revised battery pack offers 265 miles (426 km) of range in the Rally, down slightly from the GT’s 280 miles (451 km), which is itself a 40-mile (64 km) penalty from the maximum range of 320 miles (515 km) you can now get in a 2024 RWD Extended Range Mach-E Premium. The new GT also gets slightly updated headlights, and the Brembo brakes and sport seats that were formerly an option now come standard.
Tick the “Rally” box, and you get several other goodies—most notably a revised suspension. It’s still the Mach-E’s adaptive MagneRide dampers but now outfitted with new “rallycross-tuned” springs delivering a 1-inch (25 mm) lift. That suspension is designed to keep the new 19-inch wheels on the ground.
Ford calls them “rally-style” wheels, but fans will spot them as an ode to the classic Compomotive TH seen on many iconic gravel machines of the ’80s and ’90s. Someone at Ford has a good eye for classic rally style.
Enlarge/ This could be the ideal EV if you live near a bunch of forestry roads.
Ford
The wheels look good and should keep the worst of the gravel from dinging up your brake hardware, but more significant is what they’re wrapped in. The Rally has Michelin CrossClimate2 tires on all four corners, an interesting proposition that promises good grip in all conditions yet low rolling resistance for EV use. Their chunky, V-shaped tread is not what you’d typically expect on an electric car, but they further seal the Rally’s all-terrain look.
Under the nose, there’s a slender bit of aluminum, a faux skid plate of sorts that I don’t think will protect much. Up higher, the Rally nose has a different grille insert with a pair of inset fog lights, while out back, a chunky, ornate wing hangs off the top of the rear hatch. The requisite custom graphics are here, including classy stripes running up the hood and tacky “Rally” graphics smeared across the doors. The more important appliqué, however, is invisible: Ford put paint-protecting film along the lower portions of the car to again fend off the worst of the gravel damage.
Enlarge/ Used Tesla Model 3s can be had for less than $20,000 now.
Getty Images
The launch of a new electric vehicle these days is invariably met with a chorus of “this car is too expensive”—and rightfully so. But for used EVs, it’s quite another story, particularly used Teslas, thanks to a glut of former fleet and rental cars that are now ready for their second owner.
“Due to a variety of reasons, Tesla resale values have plummeted, making many Tesla models very affordable now. Plus, for some consumers, an additional $4,000 Federal tax credit on used EVs may apply, sweetening the deal even further. Buying a used Tesla can be a great deal for the savvy shopper, but there are significant things to look out for,” says Ed Kim, president and chief analyst at AutoPacific.
Indeed, a quick search on the topic easily reveals some horror stories of ex-rental Teslas, so here are some things to consider if you’re in search of a cheap Model 3 or Model Y.
“The prices are very appealing, but shoppers must keep in mind that rental cars can and do get abused, and some of these ex-rental units may have nasty surprises stemming from their hard lives. Be sure to have yours checked out thoroughly by a mechanic before buying,” Kim says.
Mismatched tires and minor dents, scrapes, and rock chips are fairly common minor issues. Many of the Teslas that Hertz is selling have been used as Ubers—you can tell it’s one of these if the odometer is approaching 100,000 miles. Battery degradation could be an issue, although most cars will not have lost more than 4–5 percent capacity, and Long Range Teslas should have a powertrain warranty for up to 120,000 miles (or eight years).
“One side effect of Tesla’s widespread and reliable DC fast charging network is that many owners end up relying on it to keep their cars charged rather than dealing with the often considerable expense of installing a home charger and associated home electrical upgrades,” Kim told Ars. As such, you should make sure to check the battery’s health (which can be done on the touchscreen or as part of the inspection) before you buy.
Rental cars can suffer from an excess of slammed doors and trunks—slamming the latter can mess up the powered strut. In the interior, you should expect high signs of wear on some touchpoints, especially the steering wheel and the rear door cards, which can bubble or flake, particularly if the Tesla was used as a ridehailing vehicle.
Other potential headaches
Teslas are very connected cars, and many of their convenience features are accessed via smartphone apps. But that requires that Tesla’s database shows you as the car’s owner, and there are plenty of reports online that transferring ownership from Hertz can take time.
Unfortunately, this also leaves the car stuck in Chill driving mode (which restricts power, acceleration, and top speed) and places some car settings outside of the new owner’s level of access. You also won’t be able to use Tesla Superchargers while the car still shows up as belonging to Hertz. Based on forum reports, contacting Tesla directly is the way to resolve this, but it can take several days to process; longer if there’s a paperwork mismatch.
Once you’ve transferred ownership to Tesla’s satisfaction, it’s time to do a software reset on the car to remove the fleet version.
Not every car will qualify for the $4,000 IRS used clean vehicle tax credit. It has to be at least two model years older than the calendar year in which it is bought used, so only MY2022 and earlier EVs are currently eligible, and it can’t be offered for sale for more than $25,000. The income caps are also half as much as the new clean vehicle tax credit, meaning a single-filing individual can’t earn more than $75,000 a year to qualify.
There are plenty of complaints among the Tesla community that Hertz wasn’t set up to deal with the tax credit, although more recent buyers have reported this has gotten a lot smoother. It’s worth planning ahead and contacting the specific sales branch you plan to buy the Tesla from to make sure they are able to process that paperwork, particularly if you are expecting the credit to be applied to the car’s price at the point of sale rather than waiting until you file your taxes next year.
Buying an ex-rental or ex-fleet Tesla from an independent dealer is also an option. Lots of used car lots have bought Teslas at auction from Hertz and elsewhere, and online anecdotes suggest this is often a more painless experience, particularly when transferring ownership and registering the new owner with Tesla. Then again, you’re more likely to encounter useless third-party warranties and the like if you go this route.
Ex-rental or fleet cars may have had a hard life, but they are also usually maintained far more regularly than most privately owned vehicles. As long as you make sure you aren’t buying a lemon, it’s a good way to get an EV for less than $20,000.
Enlarge/ The Cadillac Optiq is the brand’s next EV, slotting underneath the electric Lyriq in the range.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
Earlier this month, Cadillac showed off the all-new, all-electric 2025 Optiq to select media in downtown Los Angeles. The Optiq will slot in below the larger Lyriq, Celestiq, and Escalade IQ SUVs but is still based on GM’s steadily proliferating Ultium electric vehicle architecture.
Having driven no fewer than five different Ultium-based vehicles in the past year, I visited the Optiq preview, hoping to learn how Cadillac can differentiate this compact crossover from other offerings in an increasingly competitive segment. I also wanted to see whether GM has effectively made the case for EV converts who are looking at entry-level options versus a lower price point for the similarly specced Chevrolet Equinox EV.
In person, the Optiq’s exterior styling continues the language established by Lyriq and Celestiq, if toned down to a slightly less-aggressive futuristic level. Straked patterns on the angular, faded quarter panels make for a nice touch, though the details looked two-dimensional, as if they were stickers, until I got up close enough to inspect the use of real glass layering.
On the other hand, piano black plastic cladding around most of the lower panels comes non-negotiable, creating a slightly less premium aesthetic compared to the extensively worked-over, if somewhat familiar, interior. Here, we’re at a new level of materials and patterns compared to any other Ultium vehicle I’ve experienced—including the baffling Acura ZDX, and especially considering the starting price tag of “an estimated $54,000.” Woven textures of 100 percent recycled yarn allow for much more subtle lighting patterns than the de rigueur mood strips that so many EV manufacturers believe are necessary.
The Optiq is very… shiny.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
GM continues to quote how much range its EVs can gain in 10 minutes at a DC fast charger instead of telling us how long it takes to charge to 80 percent.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
Not stickers, actual layered glass here.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
At that price, the Optiq manages respectable, if not overwhelming, specs and stats. Cadillac hopes the 85 kWh battery pack will achieve an EPA-rated 300 miles (482 km) of range and allow customers to add up to 79 miles (127 km) of range in 10 minutes of DC fast-charging. Output steps up to 300 hp (223 kW) and 354 lb-ft (480 Nm) of torque for all trim levels, thanks to dual motors and all-wheel drive coming standard.
How will handling compare to the Equinox?
But this Cadillac era is defined by Blackwings and V packages, not dentists cruising around in land yachts. So the real challenge I laid to Caddy’s reps on hand involved driving dynamics since other Ultium cars tend to pair vague steering with a heavy chassis that seems to overwhelm suspension engineering. Thomas Schinderle, lead development engineer on the Optiq, happily fielded my questions.
“When you have the high-voltage battery enclosures as a structural element of the car,” he began, “it’s a really stiff structure overall that gives us a strong foundation to react to the steering forces.”
But that statement applies to all Ultium vehicles, I suggested. Schinderle nodded and explained that reduced electric steering assist, versus the Equinox in particular, will contribute to more resistance when the steering wheel turns off-center. Optiq’s steering ratio also tightens up significantly when compared to the Lyriq.
Enlarge/ Cadillac uses this same 33-inch screen in the Lyriq and the facelifted XT4.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
“We’re leaning into this sporty, fun-to-drive aspect,” he said. “At 6 inches [152 mm] shorter wheelbase than the Lyriq, immediately, just based on physics, we’re 400 pounds [181 kg] lighter. Then you choose [antiroll] bar sizes, when I looked at roll gradient—that’s degrees per g that you’re leaning into the corner—we lowered that number for Optiq.”
I pressed for differences versus the Equinox, Chevrolet’s forthcoming compact EV that shares the same chassis as Optiq.
Damping things down
“We actually have technology on here that’s different than the Equinox,” Schinderle revealed. “We have what we’re marketing as ‘passive-plus dampers.’ Equinox does not have that.”
These dampers use a valve stack that flexes to open a dedicated orifice that allows fluid flow to reduce high-frequency chatter in the suspension. Schinderle brought up expansion cracks and frost heaves as an example, but the point was really that the “passive-plus” valving allowed his team to focus elsewhere while tuning the rest of the suspension.
“I can add control to that low-speed event,” he went on, “where you’ve got body roll and you’re coming through the big swells on the road. We’re able to tie those events down and add control to the damper without sacrificing isolation in those high-frequency events.”
Enlarge/ The current 911—known to Porschephiles as the 992 generation—has just been given its midlife refresh. The most obvious visual indicator is the presence of vertical strakes in the front air intakes. But we’re much more interested in what’s gone on under the skin.
Porsche
Today, Porsche gave the venerable 911 a bit of a spiff-up, putting an updated engine in the base 911 Carrera and making some design tweaks to keep the 992-generation machine looking fresh. But the most interesting update is an all-new powertrain in the 911 Carrera GTS. For the first time, you can now buy a hybrid 911.
When Porsche has been asked about adding electrification to the 911, the answer has generally been some variation of “we’ll do it when the technology gets light enough.” Plug-in hybrid Cayennes, Panameras, and battery electric Taycans are all well and good because they are big cars.
But a Porsche 911 remains a relatively small car, even if it has grown a little since 1963. The engine bay behind the rear axle isn’t exactly expansive, and adding a high-voltage battery and electric motors had to be done thoughtfully.
F1-style
There’s still a flat-six engine at the back—Porsche didn’t decide to downsize to the 718’s four-cylinder version to free up space. In fact, it increased the engine’s bore (to 97 mm) and stroke (to 81 mm) to increase the engine capacity to 3.6 L, up from 3.0 L in the previous 911 Carrera GTS. On its own, the six-cylinder turbocharged boxer engine generates a fraction more power and the same amount of torque as the old engine—478 hp (357 kW) and 420 lb-ft (570 Nm).
The GTS engine grows in capacity by 20 percent.
Porsche
I’m going to have to stop writing that F1 MGU-Hs have no road relevance now, because that’s what Porsche has fitted to the GTS’ turbocharger.
Porsche
This is the rear-wheel drive GTS powertrain. The traction battery is that silver box above the front axle.
Porsche
But it’s not on its own. And, like an F1 car—or perhaps the all-conquering Porsche 919 Hybrid endurance racer—it actually has a pair of hybrid systems. A permanently excited synchronous motor is integrated into the eight-speed PDK transmission, which generates 54 hp (40 kW) and 110 lb-ft (150 Nm) and can send power to the wheels, boosting or filling in gaps in the engine’s torque curve as well as regenerating energy under braking.
A second motor-generator unit is integrated into the engine’s single-scroll turbocharger. This is rated at just 11 kW, but it can spin up the turbine to create boost or harvest electrical energy from the exhaust gases, just like an MGU-H in F1.
Obviously, a hybrid needs a battery, and the 911 Carrera GTS’ high-voltage traction battery lives under the hood up front, where you’d normally find a 12 V battery for starting. The traction battery operates at 400 V and is about the same size and weight as a conventional AGM 12 V battery used in a 911, but it has a storage capacity of 1.9 kWh. There is still a 12 V battery for starting the car, but it’s now a compact lithium-ion battery that lives under the rear parcel shelf.
Working in concert, the hybrid powertrain has a combined rating of 532 hp (398 kW) and 449 lb-ft (609 Nm). And the weight penalty is just 103 lbs (47 kg) more than the old 911 Carrera GTS Coupe.
(Yes, technically, there has been a hybrid 911 before—the 911 GT3-R Hybrid race car, which we’ve written about a couple of times in the past. But it’s now a museum piece, and its flywheel hybrid system has been permanently deactivated.)
Rear seats are now optional
Interestingly, Porsche is now making the 911 a two-seater by default. However, you can still spec one with rear seats—best used by small children or pets and a little torturous for adults for any period of time—as a no-cost option. That applies to all 911s, not just the GTS.
The interior also gets the same 12.6-inch curved digital display in front of the driver as you’ll find in a Taycan or Panamera, replacing the old setup of two smaller digital displays on either side of a large physical tachometer.
There’s a new dashboard for model-year 2025 Porsche 911s.
Porsche
The GTS also comes in a Cabriolet.
And even a Targa, as long as you’re OK with all-wheel drive.
Porsche
A closer look at the new front air intakes.
Porsche
The changes at the rear are pretty subtle.
The 911 Carrera GTS is available in rear- or all-wheel drive and three body styles. Both RWD and AWD are available as either a coupe or convertible, and the AWD Carrera 4 GTS is also available with a retractable hard top (Targa). All come with the eight-speed PDK transmission, as there’s no option for a manual transmission with the new hybrid powertrain.
The GTS carries a hefty $44,800 premium over the entry-level 911 Carrera, however. The 911 Carrera GTS starts at $164,900, with the Carrera GTS Cabriolet starting at $178,200. An AWD Carrera 4 GTS will cost at least $172,700, and both the Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet and Targa will start at $186,000. Porsche says the GTS is expected at the end of 2024.
European car manufacturers are currently tripping over themselves to figure out how personal transport and “last mile” solutions will look in the years to come. The solutions are always electric, and they’re also tiny. What most companies (bar Citroen, Renault, and Fiat) seem to have forgotten is that we’ve had an answer to this problem all along: the microcar.
The microcar is a singular little thing—its job is to frugally take one person (or maybe two people) where they need to go while taking up as little space as possible. A few have broken their way into the public consciousness—Top Gear made a global megastar of Peel’s cars, BMW’s Isetta remains a design icon, and the Messerschmitt KR200 is just plain cool—but where did these tiny wonders come from? And do they have a future?
Well, without the microcar’s predecessors, we may not have the modern motorcar as we know it. Sort of.
Let’s roll back to the genesis of the car: the Mercedes-Benz Patent Motorwagen. While not a microcar by any means (though it seats only two people and has a tiny engine and only three wheels), it got plenty of people thinking.
While Karl Benz was inventing the car and his wife was road-tripping it in 1885, a French inventor named Léon Bollée put his thinking cap on. He was 15 at the time, but it gave him time to be with his thoughts. At that age, he had a keen brain—one that invented a pedal boat of sorts. Bollée was smart, to say the least—he built calculators to help his father’s business, one of which won an award at the 1889 Paris Exposition and went on to be patented all over the world.
Most people agree that the 1885 Mercedes-Benz Patent Motorwagen was the first automobile.
Newspress
By 1898, Louis Renault had created the Renault Voiturette.
Newspress
The 1905 Laurent and Klement Voiturette.
Skoda
In 1895, Bollée and his father created “La Novelle,” a steam-powered trike, and in the same year, Bollée created a gasoline-powered… thing as well. A year later, Bollée founded Léon Bollée Automobiles to mass-produce his tiny cars, dubbing them “Voiturette”—a mashup of the French for automobile (voiture) and the suffix you throw on a word to make it small (ette). Small car, basically.
A few years later, Renault (maker of tiny hatchbacks and the gloriously silly Avantime and popularizer of the people carrier in Europe) became a car manufacturer with the release of its descriptively named Voiturette. Louis Renault’s small mechanical wonder was built in 1898, and the first was sold on Christmas Eve of the same year to a friend of Louis’ father—he liked the fuel economy from its one-cylinder De Dion-Bouton 273 cc 1.75 hp (1.3 kW) engine and the fact that it could get around town with ease.
That same night, the story goes, Renault sold a further twelve cars. Over its mere five-year production run, the first Renault went from open-top two-seater to a four-seat covered wagon capable of over 35 mph (56 km/h). Bear in mind that less than a century earlier, Stephenson’s Rocket and its almost 30 mph (48 km/h) top speed caused great concern about whether human physiology could withstand such speeds. 35 mph was quite the achievement.
Voiturettes and their less “ette” siblings were very successful, but they were a bit too much for some people. That’s where the cyclecar came in.
First appearing around 1910, cyclecars took small engines—single cylinders, V-twins, the odd four-pot—and attached them to simple, lightweight four-wheeled bodies. To be a cyclecar, a vehicle had to have a gearbox and clutch. A huge industry popped up around them, and for good reason—regular cars were expensive to tax and run, whereas a cyclecar wasn’t.
Enlarge/ BMW’s single-motor, rear-wheel drive i4 eDrive40 ticks an awful lot of my boxes.
Jonathan Gitlin
I have a theory about electric vehicles, and with a few notable exceptions, it’s this: The cheaper, less powerful version is usually the one to get. Big power outputs and short 0–60 times have been the industry’s go-to, but always with the trade-off being less range and a bigger sticker price. Today’s EV is a good example. It’s the BMW i4 eDrive40, a single-motor version of BMW’s smaller electric fastback sedan. It has taken a while to get some seat time in one, but the wait was worth it, because this is one of the best electric sedans we’ve tested so far.
I’ve driven the BMW i4 a few times now since its launch in 2021, but always the very fast, very powerful, rather expensive i4 M50. Which is fine, but not exciting like the M3. The i4 eDrive40 undercuts the twin-motor, all-wheel drive M50 by more than $10,000—it starts at a more reasonable $57,300 and goes more than 30 miles (48 km) farther on a single charge of the same capacity 84.3 kWh (net) battery pack, with an EPA range of 301 miles (484 km).
BMW made its name on the back of a string of driver-focused, rear-wheel drive sedans, and I had high expectations for the eDrive40 to live up to. With no front motor, there’s less weight on the front axle, and the front wheels just have to worry about steering and braking, not laying down power as well. Less power to put down means smaller wheels, which translates into a better ride and more range, although our test car was equipped with 19-inch wheels (a $600 option), which reduced its range to 283 miles (455 km) compared to the 18-inch option.
Enlarge/ Although you can pay extra for leather, the standard trim is a synthetic fabric called Sensatec, which comes in four different shades.
Jonathan Gitlin
Open the door via the aero-optimized recessed handle and things look promising as you slip down into the tan-colored seat. The steering wheel’s rim is thinner than you’d find in most modern BMWs, and its multifunction controls are proper buttons. Otherwise, the ergonomics are the same as the more speedy version, with a large double-screen display that stretches across from the A pillar to the center stack running BMW iDrive 8.5. This might be the last version of iDrive to still offer a physical scroll wheel as an input option alongside touchscreens and voice commands, so enjoy it while it lasts.
BMW builds good electric powertrains
At maximum output, the i4’s electrically excited motor can send up to 335 hp (250 kW) and 317 lb-ft (430 Nm) to the rear wheels. And in Sport mode, the first inch of throttle pedal travel delivers more than enough of that torque to jolt your passengers’ heads back into their headrests. Zero to 60 mph (98 km/h) takes 5.5 seconds, which might not sound like much in a 21st-century game of Top Trumps, but it’s more than enough for the real world.
Truth be told, I spent most of my time driving the i4 in Eco Pro, which dials back the power delivery even more than Comfort mode. Still, it never felt slow on the roads in and around Washington, DC. With the transmission set to B, there was a strong one-pedal driving effect; in D, lifting the throttle leaves the car free to coast, only regenerating (up to 116 kW) when you use the brake pedal.
I prefer D for highway driving, as any kind of downhill gradient, however slight, equals a chance to glide along, often gaining a little speed for free in the process. (This is one benefit of an electrically excited motor, which creates no drag on the drivetrain when not energized; the other main benefit is no use of rare-earth materials in the motor construction.)
Enlarge/ Don’t get distracted by the fact that the i4 thought it would only have 264 miles by the time it was fully charged—I drove to the charger in Sport mode to warm the battery as much as possible for better charging.
Jonathan Gitlin
Indeed, 4.1 miles/kWh (15.2 kWh/100 km) was possible without much effort, and over the course of about 2,000 miles (3,200 km) and who knows how many journalists, this particular car had averaged 3.7 miles/kWh (16.8 kWh/100 km). But then, this is BMW’s fifth-generation electric powertrain, so it’s had plenty of time to learn how to make them efficient.
BMW quotes a DC fast-charging time of as little as 31 minutes from 10–80 percent, with charge rates as high as 200 kW. If you set a DC fast charger as your location in the built-in Navigation, the car should precondition the battery pack for optimum fast charging, but there’s also a way to turn that on manually in iDrive.
In practice, I arrived at the charger with 24 percent state of charge and saw a peak of 186 kW shortly after plugging in. As EV drivers will know, charge curves are definitely not linear, particularly past 80 percent SoC, and getting all the way to 88 percent—55.8 kWh in total—took 1 hour and 2 minutes. (Since that was spent enjoying brunch at Mama Chang, conveniently located next to a bank of Electrify America chargers, it was time well spent.) BMW says an AC charge from 0–100 percent SoC takes 8: 15 at 11 kW.
Enlarge/ Chevrolet is starting at the top with the Silverado EV RST First Edition. It’s betting that EV truck buyers want a lot of range and towing capability and will pay handsomely for the experience.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
The latest addition to Chevrolet’s growing family of Ultium electric vehicles recently began shipping to dealers in the form of the Silverado EV’s early RST First Edition package. Silverado’s top spec level now joins the lineup’s previous fleet-only WT trim, meaning the general public can now purchase an enormous electric pickup that strongly resembles the Avalanche of 2001 to 2013. But despite any other similarities to the Hummer EV, which shares a related chassis, or ICE trucks of old, the 2024 Silverado aims to change the game for GM’s market positioning despite arriving a full 24 months after Ford’s F-150 Lightning.
With a large crew cab, a longer truck bed, and angular sail panels, the Silverado EV looks less boxy than GMC’s Hummer EV. Aero gains thanks to the smoother design pair with lower rolling-resistance tires, allowing the Silverado to achieve an EPA range estimate of up to 450 miles (724 km), though the RST First Edition I recently drove over the course of a long day in Michigan earns a rating of 440 miles (708 km).
On the highway, judging by wind noise around the cabin alone, the aerodynamic gains of the Silverado’s styling seem to make a noticeable difference versus the Hummer. On the other hand, tire hum might cover up any aero deficiencies because the RST’s single weirdest detail constantly occupies center stage here: a set of 24-inch wheels, the largest ever equipped to a car, truck, or SUV straight from the factory.
Enlarge/ At 24 inches, the Silverado RST rides on simply gargantuan wheels. While it means acceptable towing performance, it comes with quite a hit to the ride.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
Shod in low-profile Michelin Primacy LTX tires pumped up to 61 and 68 PSI front and rear, which simultaneously maximizes range and load rating, the large wheels and minimal sidewall clearly stress much of the new truck’s suspension and ability to filter out noise, vibration, and harshness. Even in town, on the first few blocks of Detroit’s rough roads, the setup immediately challenged the Silverado EV’s adaptive air suspension, which otherwise worked surprisingly well on the mammoth Hummer.
But the Hummer EV I drove rode on 18-inch wheels, despite the similar 35-inch overall tire diameter. The much more compliant ride quality therefore creates a conundrum, since GM clearly intends for the Silverado to represent a much more rational and capable vision for electric performance in the full-size pickup truck market.
Specifically, the Silverado adds a longer bed, a Multi-Flex tailgate, and a central mid-gate (also à la Avalanche) to provide far more payload volume than the Hummer, as well as that of Silverado’s main electric competition, the F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, and Tesla Cybertruck. But the mid-gate required far more rugged materials for the Silverado’s interior to enhance weatherproofing, so even the top-spec RST First Edition that starts at $94,500 now slots in at a much lower luxury level than the aforementioned EVs, as well as most internal-combustion Silverados.
The Silverado EV uses GM’s new Ultifi infotainment system, which is built atop Android Automotive OS.
Chevrolet
Super Cruise now works with a trailer attached.
Chevrolet
The flexible midgate allows you to carry longer loads.
Chevrolet
Onboard AC power is quite useful.
Chevrolet
Still, Chevy says EV buyers love tech and packed the Silverado EV full of big screens, Google built-in (though no Apple CarPlay), and Super Cruise partially automated driving assist (the latter including for towing). That air suspension pairs 2 inches (50 mm) of ride height adjustability with up to 7.5 degrees of rear-wheel steering to make the large truck surprisingly maneuverable, but in the back of my mind, I always knew that the ease with which I just climbed in and started driving comes down to playing with physics as much as possible to mask the Silverado’s significant heft.
Those 440 miles of range come at a serious cost, after all, in the form of a 205 kWh battery pack (around 200 kWH usable). All in, the RST tips the scales at a whopping 9,119 pounds (4,136 kg), not quite as much as a Hummer but fully 2,000 pounds (907 kg) more than a Lightning, R1T, or Cybertruck. No wonder the suspension struggles without taller tire sidewalls to help out. I fiddled through the 17.7-inch touchscreen to set the air suspension on Tour, which reduced unwanted feedback noticeably but created some rafting effects and still never fully eliminated clunking on the worst road surfaces. Future models, including a Trail Boss on the way, should come with smaller wheels and taller tires—to match the current WT’s 18-inch wheels and 33-inch tires, hopefully.
But the prospect of actually off-roading such a heavy EV definitely approaches a level of absurdity that the Hummer EV similarly delivered in spades. Neither comes with a spare tire, despite impressive storage volume that only improves on the Silverado. Flipping down the tailgate and mid-gate allows for up to 10 feet, 10 inches (3.3m) of bed length, or 9 feet (2.7m) with the mid-gate closed and just the Multi-Flex tailgate down. The bed alone measures 5-foot-11 (1.8m).
Chevrolet was keen to impress that its truck bed is bigger than other electric pickups.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
The aerodynamic detailing was presaged by the turn-of-the-century Avalanche pickup.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
There are a whole range of towing assists.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
The controls here are for trailer settings.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
Two miles/kWh is not great but in the range of what we expect for an electric pickup truck.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
On the interior, at 6-foot-1 (1.85m) with long limbs, I actually needed to scoot the driver’s seat up and forward. The RST’s (not-optional) panoramic glass roof helps to enhance the perceived spaciousness but required that I keep the air conditioning and ventilated seats at full blast on a hot Michigan day—other than when I struggled to figure out how to keep the system running while parked since the truck has no dedicated on-off button other than a pair of widget icons at the left of the home screen. A retractable screen for the roof is on the way, I was told.
The Silverado EV’s range proved more than legitimate, at least based on this first drive. Over the course of 107 miles (172 km) of combined city and highway driving in one truck, I used 24 percent of the battery and 105 miles (169 km) of estimated range. And that’s including two hard eighth-mile launches with WOW (Wide Open Watts) mode activated, which unleashes the dual motor drivetrain’s full 754 hp (562 kW) and 785 lb-ft (1,064 Nm) of torque. Those two launches alone used eight miles of range, for better or worse.
GM won’t disclose non-WOW power figures, but responsiveness definitely drops to help extend overall range performance. In Tow/Haul mode with a 5,800-lb (2,630 kg) trailer hooked up for 21 miles (34 km), I nonetheless accelerated easily up to highway speeds and even used Super Cruise’s towing capability—all while eating through only 22 claimed miles of range at speeds around 40-60 miles per hour (64-96 km/h).
Enlarge/ Chevy set up an impromptu drag strip so we could test the Silverado’s launch.
Michael Teo Van Runkle
The Silverado EV’s range sets it far ahead of the Lightning (at 240 miles or 386 km), though Rivian and Tesla do better. Various levels of home-charging setups help to make the large battery pack more attractive, and though I never needed nor got a chance to charge, expect GM’s claimed 350 kW max charging speed to similarly hold up. As usual, charging stations will likely throttle that speed back more regularly than the truck itself, which should manage a 10–80 percent charge time of around 40 minutes in ideal circumstances.
In the end, although it’s not quite as cartoonishly large and simultaneously far more practical than the Hummer EV, the Silverado uses 205 kilowatt-hours worth of lithium and other rare earth metals, contributing mightily to the RST weighing well north of 9,000 pounds. Yes, the truck combines the best utility of any EV on the market, with solid tech and range to attract stubborn EV holdouts. But how many hybrids could Chevy have built using so much battery? Until pricing drops lower than this truck’s $94,500 sticker, the Silverado RST ends up as a reminder of the diminishing returns, environmentally and economically, of building what customers, unfortunately, believe is necessary using today’s technology, which likely still needs to take another major leap forward to make such a truck more feasible for widespread adoption.
