News stories about electric vehicles, alternative energy and other related topics.
Since both the Kia Niro and Hyundai Kona are recent newcomers to the EV marketplace, stories are fast and furious showing recent drives and initial driver impressions.
This one gives driver reviews of each vehicle and their unique features (spoiler alert: since Kia and Hyundai are sister companies, both rank pretty highly). Here’s the link to review them for yourself:
Hyundai and sister company Kia have jumped into the EV market with both feet. The Kona is making waves due to the long range and good price point.
A big THANK YOU to everyone who came out for National Drive Electric Week for 2019! Springs Preserve was jumping this year, as we had nearly 60 electric vehicles on display, with over 250 people in attendance.
Some of the brands represented at this year’s NDEW event included Tesla, Chevrolet, Honda, BMW, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Zero Motorcycles. EV conversions included a sports car built on a 1965 Ford GT frame.
Our thanks to many of our partners, including Sierra Club, Citizens Climate Lobby, FIRST Nevada Robotics, Green Alliance of Nevada, and NV Energy.
And don’t forget, our next event is just a month away!
The Electric Car Guest Drive
By Kirsten Korosec, TechCrunch
Nissan and EVgo said Tuesday they will install another 200 DC fast chargers in the United States to support the growing number of consumers who are buying electric vehicles, including the new Nissan Leaf e+ that came to market earlier this year.
The 100 kilowatt DC fast-charging stations will have both CHAdeMO and CCS connectors, making them accessible to more EV drivers. The inclusion of both charger connectors is logical; it’s also notable for Nissan, once the primary advocates for CHAdeMO chargers.
The announcement builds off of the companies’ six-year partnership, which included building out a corridor of EV chargers along Interstate 95 on the East Coast, as well as between Monterey, Calif., and Lake Tahoe.
Nissan says it has installed more than 2,000 quick-charge connectors across the country since 2010.
Plans to add another 200 fast chargers follows the launch of the 2019 Nissan Leaf e+. The Nissan Leaf e+, which came to the U.S. and Canada this spring, has a range of 226 miles and fast-charging capability.
This new version of the Leaf all-electric hatchback has 40% more range than other versions thanks to a 62 kilowatt-hour battery pack. That 226-mile range puts the Leaf e+ just under the Chevy Bolt EV, which has a 238-mile range, the Kia Niro EV with 239 miles and the Tesla Model 3 standard range plus with 240 miles.
“Given the tremendous driver response to the 2019 long-range all-electric LEAF, Nissan and EVgo will accelerate fast charging by committing to a multi-year charger construction program that will continue to expand fast-charging options for EV drivers across the country,” Aditya Jairaj, director, EV Sales and Marketing, Nissan North America said in a statement.
The companies also plan to partner on a marketing campaign to sell consumers on the benefits of EVs, and for Nissan, hopefully persuade more to buy its Nissan Leaf Plus. Nissan’s July sales figures were down compared to the same month last year, a slump that has affected the Leaf, as well.
By Jon Fingas, Engadget
Chevy hasn’t tweaked the Bolt EV much since its introduction, but an impending refresh could be welcome by giving drivers what they often crave: more range.
The EPA has rated the 2020 Bolt EV as delivering 259 miles of range, up substantially from the 238 miles you’ve seen since the start. As Car and Driver observed, that would give it greater longevity than the Tesla Model 3’s Standard Range Plus trim (240 miles), the Kia Niro EV (239 miles) and the Hyundai Kona Electric (just shy at 258 miles).
It’s not certain just how Chevy wrung out that extra 21 miles of driving, but C&D understood that new battery chemistry was the key. Don’t expect a drastically upgraded car beyond that. The Bolt order guide only makes reference to new color and minor feature options. If you’re not fond of the design, this won’t change your mind. Having said that, added range could be enough of a selling point by itself.
It can make the difference between having to recharge mid-route and making a non-stop trip, and that could reel in buyers who’d either look at other EVs or (gasp) consider a gas- powered car instead.
In my search for a work vehicle, the best deal on a car for my needs turned out to be a used EV. Apparently many others have come to the same conclusion.
Alex Davies of Wired magazine writes about how the market for used electrics has seen a dramatic rise of late:
Wired Magazine: NOW ON USED CAR LOTS: GREAT ELECTRIC VEHICLES FOR CHEAP
Posted by Chris Teague at TheDrive.com:
One of the major questions for new potential EV buyers is, “How long does the battery last?” And it’s a natural concern. After all the battery is the most expensive single part on an EV.
Due to the fact that mass produced EVs are still a relatively new phenomenon, research on the long term life of a battery is not fully clear. However, research is beginning to come in – and the results so far have been surprisingly positive.
In this article from GreenCarReports, Nissan executives have discussed their efforts to repurpose old Leaf batteries. They commented that the batteries are outlasting the vehicles themselves! Read on:
https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1123670_nissan-leaf-batteries-are-lasting-a-very-long-time
Nevada continues to make headlines on the technology and renewable fronts. Now Las Vegas is home to one of the largest and most advanced charging stations on the planet. Take a read for the TechCrunch coverage below:
The Electric Drive Transportation Association has been tracking U.S. Sales of plug-in electric cars since 2010, when the first Nissan LEAF and Chevrolet Volt mass-market cars were introduced:
https://electricdrive.org/index.php?ht=d/sp/i/20952/pid/20952
President Barack Obama during his 2011 State-of-the-Union address challenged the nation to put one million plug-in electric cars on U.S. roads during his term.
It took a little longer, but the benchmark was achieved during October 2018, when 9,465 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and 24,638 battery-electric vehicles were sold.
Total sales since 2010 were estimated at 1,015,980 at the end of October 2018.
NEVA blog posted by Stan Hanel, Outreach Coordinator
