Hummer EV review, Lexus RZ yoke, Fisker battery warranty, Tesla going big: The Week in Reverse

Which EV startup switched its manufacturing plan—and country?

Which two automakers agreed to co-develop the basis for “millions” of affordable EVs?

This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending April 8, 2022.

This week, the main event was something we attended the week before—but could tell you about for the first time this week: a first drive of the 2022 GMC Hummer EV. Efficiency aside, we found that this gigantic truck lives up to its billing and is something different than the Rivian R1T. It’s the electric truck for truck fans, not the truck for EV fans.

GM and Honda expanded their partnership to co-develop a new global vehicle architecture for “millions” of affordable EVs. The platform will be based on what is so far referred to as a next-generation version of GM’s Ultium battery technology.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk was the master of ceremonies at the company’s huge party celebrating Giga Texas, and the message was clear: It’s going big. Musk stressed the importance of scaling up, teased its Optimus robot and a dedicated robotaxi coming next year, and provided an update on the Cybertruck. 

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2022 Tesla lineup (Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.)

esla has also reported some great news last weekend—a record number of deliveries in the first quarter of 2022, despite supply-chain struggles. It was the first quarter in which production from three continents was included in its first quarter, even though its plant in China remained temporarily closed due to covid lockdown. 

The car-rental giant Hertz will soon make Polestar EVs available in the U.S., Europe, and Australia. It plans to purchase up to 65,000 vehicles from the brand, as it also bulks up its EV fleet with the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y. 

Lexus teased the full reveal of its RZ 450h electric SUV in production form, for April 20. And we’d be remiss not to point out that its teaser included a steering yoke—perhaps building on Toyota’s development efforts with steer-by-wire tech, which might make it better than Tesla’s system. 

Sono Sion solar assisted electric car

Sono Motors announced that it’s switching contract manufacturers for its upcoming Sono Sion solar-supplemented EV. It’s now due to be made by Finland’s Valmet—likely at the same facility as another eagerly anticipated solar car, the Lightyear One. 

Porsche continued its investment in synthetic fuels for internal combustion vehicles, with an announcement this week. It sees synthetic fuels made with renewable energy as a business opportunity—perhaps one that extends beyond racing and vintage-car fuel to the aviation sector. 

DeLorean EV teaser

The DeLorean Motor Company brand is back—but not this time on a “Back to the Future” revival. It confirmed, with a first tease, that its upcoming all-electric sports car will be the start of something that leaps past that nostalgia.

Fisker recently confirmed one of the best battery warranties in the industry on its upcoming Ocean EV—an assurance of 75% of the original capacity for 10 years or 100,000 miles. In separate ways, that’s better than either Tesla or Rivian. 

The Chinese EV maker Nio is reportedly looking into producing a line of smartphones. They wouldn’t be competing with Apple or Samsung, but supporting its infrastructure and tech and providing a fluid experience. 

2022 Nio ET5

This week, President Biden and members of the administration met with auto industry leaders—including Tesla’s Elon Musk, Lucid’s Peter Rawlinson, GM’s Mary Barra, Ford’s Jim Farley, and other executives—to discuss EVs and charging. Interoperability and a seamless user experience was one of the key takeaways. President Biden also turned to the Defense Production Act last week to help support the EV supply chain—and the rapid redevelopment of infrastructure necessary for the mining and materials. Will it help reduce U.S. reliance on China? 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that it’s reviewing potentially defective batteries from LG Energy Solution, to make sure all have been recalled. So far, the issue over fire concern has affected plug-in vehicles from GM, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Volkswagen. 

2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV at EVgo fast-charging station

Some Chase bank branch locations are getting DC fast-charging stations from EVgo, at up to 350 kw—as well as solar, in some cases—as part of an initiative that also includes 125 solar carports.

And are poorly timed traffic lights leading to increased greenhouse-gas emissions? Examples cited by the traffic-data and analysis firm Inrix suggest that properly synchronized traffic signals should be included in more environmental initiatives.

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