VW ID.4 review, Tesla sales surge, Bolt EV restart, EV6 and Ioniq 5 availability: The Week in Reverse

Which automaker opened reservations for an Ohio-built EV?

Which automaker announced plans to build two EV models in Mississippi?

This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending February 18, 2022.

In a review of the Volkswagen ID.4 AWD, we wondered whether its dual-motor traction and quicker acceleration make it the best option for everyone. It’s a little more nuanced than that, we conclude, although with the cabin tech feeling more smoothed over and driving range predictable and plentiful, the EV bound for millions is growing on us.

We also took a look at why for Americans it’s easier to buy a Kia EV6 than a Hyundai Ioniq 5. The gist of it: Kia dealerships are more prepared to sell EVs. 

Heard the Tesla Model 3 called the new Prius in California? It’s not far from the truth, given recent sales. Tesla topped a 10% market share in California in the last quarter of 2021—or, crunching the numbers a different way, the Golden State is about one eighth of global Tesla sales. Will the market-share gain continue in 2022? 

2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance

We reported on how, in Consumer Reports’ annual brand rankings, Tesla tumbled, while the Ford Mustang Mach-E replaced the Model 3 as the consumer organization’s top-rated EV. 

Toyota’s Lexus brand will emphasize range and performance in its upcoming EVs, the brand hinted on Monday, with new photos of three of its upcoming EVs—including the 2023 RX 450h SUV.

Fisker this week started taking reservations for its $29,000 “agile urban EV” called Pear, even though the company hasn’t shown the model yet or detailed its features. With Foxconn as a contract manufacturer, the Pear is due to be built in Lordstown, Ohio, starting in 2024. 

Teaser for Fisker PEAR due in 2024

Production of the Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV is due to restart April 4, as GM continues to balance the supply of cells and modules and keep up with battery replacements; it’s all related to a fire-risk-related recall potentially affecting every Bolt EV made through last August. 

Official EPA range and efficiency ratings have rolled in for the 2022 Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrid. It achieves 26 miles of electric range from its 17-kwh battery pack, and gets 23 mpg combined on gasoline after that. 

Nissan EV to be made in Mississippi

Nissan announced Thursday that it’s planning to build two fully electric vehicles at its Canton, Mississippi plant starting in 2025—one for Nissan itself, the other for its Infiniti luxury brand.. Infiniti confirmed that its vehicle from the effort will be its first U.S.-market EV. Is the other one a fully electric replacement for the Maxima sedan?

Polestar provided more information about the weight-saving bonded-aluminum body and platform it’s developing in the UK for its upcoming flagship model, the Polestar 5 electric fastback, due in 2024 and set to rival the Tesla Model S, Porsche Taycan, Audi E-Tron GT, and more. 

Polestar 5 teaser

The U.S. DOE and DOT recently made formal the start of a national EV charging network. For the first $615 million of the $5 billion divvied out for 2022, states need to submit plans for the infrastructure—with the Interstate highways and Alternative Fuel Corridors the starting point. 

According to a recent paper assessing hydrogen fuel-cell technology, hydrogen has already passed the window of opportunity for passenger cars, while the benefits are already diminished for trucks—based on the progression of battery electric tech. But there remain plenty of other opportunities for the hydrogen economy.

2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid

Stellantis is advising owners not to charge the 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, and to park away from structures or other vehicles, out of fire concern. An estimated 19,808 of the plug-in hybrid minivans are being recalls, although the company is still investigating the cause of the fires. 

A recent study funded in part by the U.S. Department of Energy has found that corn ethanol is worse for global warming than gasoline. Although a 2019 Department of Agriculture study suggested various greenhouse-gas benefits for ethanol, these results find it to be at least 24% more carbon-intensive than “fossil fuel” formulations.

2023 Mercedes-Benz AMG EQE

Mercedes’ AMG performance division has shown its second volume-produced all-electric model: the 2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE sedan. With a 0-60 mph time as low as 3.2 seconds and items like carbon-ceramic brakes, it looks ready to deliver some impressive performance; but its sub-250-mile range is less so. 

Aptera provided a behind-the-scenes look at some of the dynamic testing for its solar-supplemented 1,000-mile EV, which will offer 0-60 mph times of as little as 3.5 seconds and handling that, if the latest video is any indication, could outperform that of some sports cars. 

Chevy Silverado EV – Sopranos Super Bowl ad, 2022

And Super Bowl LVI featured more EV ads than any Big Game ever. The roster of celebrities included Eugene Levy, Salma Hayek, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and many more—plus, an unexpected return of Dr. EVil and the Sopranos, in separate GM commercials. If you missed any of these, some of them are quick-fix entertainment for EV fans. 

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