BMW i7 review, Honda Accord Hybrid, Audi Q8 E-Tron, Volvo EX90: The Week in Reverse

Which 1,000-mile EV is getting carbon-fiber composite bodywork?

Which automaker balks at the idea of building U.S. EVs because it can’t compete with fast-food wages? 

This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending November 11, 2022.

In a first drive of the 2023 BMW i7, we found this big luxury EV to be shockingly good in nearly every respect—even though it’s virtually indistinguishable from its gasoline 760i sibling, unless you’re a Bimmer fan. Consider it serious competition for the Tesla Model S and Lucid Air, although not as competitive on range. 

The 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid is now a big part of the Accord lineup, with the redesigned 11th-generation version that was previewed this week. Honda is hoping hybrids will make up half of Accord sales, and the Accord Hybrid gets a sportier revamped version of its two-mode hybrid. 

With the 2023 Toyota Crown arriving soon, a recent 2022 Toyota Avalon Hybrid test drive reminded what a tough act this big, comfortable, fuel-efficient 43-mpg sedan is to follow. Will the all-hybrid, all-wheel-drive Crown measure up?

Audi has given its E-Tron SUV and Sportback an extensive styling and technology refresh, renaming it the 2023 Audi Q8 E-Tron SUV and Sportback. With sportier tuning, faster charging, and am expected U.S. EPA range around 300 miles, including “new tricks” to improve efficiency—without gaining much weight—it’s improved in all the right ways. 

2023 Audi Q8 E-Tron Sportback

The 2024 Volvo EX90 points to the Swedish brand’s fully electric future while providing a parallel entry to the gasoline XC90 SUV, which will continue. But with a projected range of up to 300 miles, three-row seating, broadened safety tech, and bidirectional charging on the way, it might provide a great combination of strengths for big families. 

2024 Volvo EX90

The most affordable version of the 2023 Kia EV6 costs $7,100 more than for 2022, with the base 58-kwh Light version gone from the lineup and a price hike on the mid-level Wind version, making the starting price near $50,000. Kia set the starting line for the high-performance, 576-hp EV6 GT at $62,695. 

Lightweight carbon fiber bodywork for Aptera’s 1000-mile EV is being made by a supercar supplier—Italy’s C.P.C. Group.

2023 Subaru Solterra

According to a recent report, Subaru isn’t likely to build EVs in the U.S., despite the recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that incentivizes U.S. production in various ways. Subaru claims it comes down to wages, and it’s quite a different decision versus Honda, Hyundai, and Kia, which have recently stepped up American-made EV plans. 

Formula E revealed the basics on its upcoming Gen3 race car earlier this year, and it’s the most significant remake of the all-electric race series yet. But this week it got real with the reveal of the first Gen3 racer, the Porsche 99X Electric. Like all of Gen3, it’s shaping up to be lighter and faster, with more recuperation—all the stuff of more exciting races.

Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 Formula E race car

The Honda e:N2 Concept previews an upcoming model in the Japanese automaker’s line of joint-venture EVs for China—and perhaps a distinctive hint of future Honda EVs. But with the GM Ultium-related Prologue, the upcoming affordable EV with GM, Honda’s own dedicated EV platform, Sony-Honda EVs, and the European Honda E, it’s a lot to reconcile. 

A software issue that might lead to the loss of power steering assist has prompted the recall of more than 40,000 Tesla vehicles. The recall affecting certain 2017-2021 Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles has already been remedied with an over-the-air update. 

In the shift to electric, BMW won’t abandon affordable entry-level EVs, according to its CEO in recent comments to Reuters. That’s different than the strategy being followed by Mercedes-Benz—although BMW does have Mini.

2022 BMW i4 eDrive40

The Michigan battery firm Our Next Energy (ONE) will supply its cell-to-pack tech for upcoming Bollinger commercial EVs. That could be a net positive for both, as Bollinger ramps up production in late 2023 and the battery firm has a reputation to build.

And as part of a quarterly business update, Rivian revealed that it has delayed the arrival of its R2, the smaller and more affordable model line, to 2026, versus the 2025 it had originally suggested. The R2 platform “will unlock a global market opportunity” for the EV maker,” it said. 

_______________________________________

Follow Green Car Reports on Facebook and Twitter