F-150 Lightning wins, Ram electric truck concept, VW ID.7 prototype, Rivian vans: The Week in Reverse

Which popular EV got a price hike the same week it once again became eligible for the $7,500 EV tax credit?

What did the Sony-Honda electric car venture choose as its brand name?

This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending January 6, 2023.

The Ford F-150 Lightning is our Green Car Reports Best Car To Buy 2023. Yes, it’s a truck, not a car, but the Lightning is the kind of catalyst for EV adoption that we can stand behind—for showing people how the familiar can be made better, electric. 

This week’s CES in Las Vegas served as the backdrop for several significant EV and technology announcements. Stellantis revealed a fully electric Ram truck, called the 1500 Revolution BEV Concept. A cavernous frunk, third-row jump seats, and an 18-foot (or more) pass-through for lumber or such cargo suggest that Ram is aiming for usability, while a flamboyant design and near buttonless interface hint at a radical remake. We’ll see in just a few months with a production-bound Ram electric truck. 

The company also confirmed this week that a range-extended Ram electric truck is also on the way—and it will play a key role in the Ram lineup and making sure it outdoes rivals. 

Afeela electric sedan prototype

The Sony-Honda electric car, due to be built in Ohio, now has a name—or at least a brand name. A refreshed prototype version of Sony’s 2020 Vision-S concept was revealed at CES, along with plans for Level 3 automation and Epic Games cloud-based features, under a new EV brand to be called Afeela.

BMW has gone back to basics with its i Vision Dee concept for CES. Previewing a new family of “Neue Klasse” EVs on the way mid-decade, this “reductive design” seems like a throwback to the 3-Series lineup of decades ago—without screens or a traditional interface. 

Volkswagen ID.7

Volkswagen revealed its upcoming ID.7 electric sedanat CES, as a camouflaged prototype. While tech specs are yet to come, look for an upgraded interface and a range of around 350 miles in some versions for this spacious model. VW’s MEB platform for mass-market EVs—including the ID.4 crossover and upcoming ID.Buzz electric van—is also later due to get a mid-decade tech update including faster charging, new batteries, and support for more advanced driver-assist tech.

Rivian EDV700

Away from CES, we took a look at the Rivian EDV electric van that serves as a backstop for the company’s business—and its funding with Amazon. We took an up-close look at these key workhorse models that will share drive units with their more glamorous R1T and R1S counterparts. 

Shortly after the Chevrolet Bolt EV family once again became eligible for the EV tax credit—at up to $7,500 for the next few months—GM hiked prices on the Bolt EV and EUV by $900 and $600, respectively. 

A South Korea regulator has hit Tesla with a $2.2 million fine for allegedly minimizing the effect of cold weather on driving range. As the latest allegation against the U.S. EV maker, it joins criticisms about how Tesla has compared cost-effectiveness versus gasoline vehicles.

2019 Chevrolet Volt

Even ahead of the $4,000 used EV tax credit that now applies to some purchases of EVs and plug-in hybrids for tax year 2023, interest in PHEVs has surged. 

A new study from the consultancy Deloitte highlights that among car shoppers, there’s a growing level of concern over the cost of EVs, while concern over driving range and charging time carry over from previous years’ studies. 

Meanwhile, based on several pricing authorities, it appears that prices on used EVs are finally falling, and that the Tesla bubble most notably has burst. Prices on used Teslas are dropping fast—down 17% from a July peak, versus 4% for used-car prices over the same period.

Revel and Fermata Energy V2G pilot program using Nissan Leaf EVs.

And could vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging earn each EV up to $15,000 over 10 years? That’s what the maker of some V2G hardware, Fermata Energy, suggests is possible by storing energy in an EV during off-peak hours and releasing it during peak hours.

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