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Automotive General Motors is broadening its battery strategy once again, announcing plans to develop sodium-ion battery cells through a new partnership with energy storage startup Peak Energy. While the news may not immediately sound relevant to electric vehicles, the long-term implications could be significant for GM’s future EV lineup. The company says the new chemistry will initially be used for large-scale stationary energy storage systems, but the research and manufacturing expertise gained through the effort could help accelerate battery innovation and lower costs across its entire electrification portfolio. At first glance, sodium-ion batteries might seem like an unusual…

A mock-up of BYD’s flash-charging station displayed at the Beijing Auto Show in April 2026. Credit: CnEVPost Guangdong province aims to build over 3 million charging facilities by the end of 2027 to meet the demand of 8 million NEVs. The move will benefit automakers headquartered in the province, including BYD, Xpeng, and GAC. The southern Chinese economic powerhouse of Guangdong has unveiled an ambitious infrastructure plan to further boost the province’s electric vehicle (EV) industry. Guangdong plans to build a cumulative total of over 3 million EV charging facilities by the end of 2027. This aggressive target is designed…

This year marks the 40th anniversary of one of Lamborghini’s biggest risks the company ever took. Of course, we’re talking about the Rambo Lambo itself, the V12-powered LM002 SUV. It launched in 1986, and well, it wasn’t exactly a smashing success. But it was still a big deal, one that has since found the love it deserved, as the predecessor of the model that has made Lamborghini what it is today. So bust out the champagne, or possibly some Coors, and celebrate the LM002’s 40th birthday. There Wouldn’t Be Another V12 SUV For 20 Years The 1986 Lamborghini Countach and…

The biggest car news and reviews, no BS Our free daily newsletter sends the stories that really matter directly to you, every weekday. Porsche’s Sonderwunsch or “Special Wish” team gets to work on some pretty unique projects, from road-legal versions of Le Mans prototypes to hardcore retro models that never were. Its latest creation is actually three vehicles, honoring a relationship that began about 20 years ago, when the folks at Pixar reached out to Porsche to request permission to cast Cars’ Sally Carrera as a 911. Toy Story 5 hits theaters later this month, and so the two parties…

Drivers are increasingly defining what makes a vehicle stand out by how it feels behind the wheel rather than the badge on the grille, according to a new automaker survey. The study by Mazda North American Operations found that 81 per cent of recent car buyers say the driving experience — including comfort, performance and intuitive technology — is what distinguishes a vehicle. When asked to choose between paying more for a prestigious nameplate or owning a vehicle with features that matter most to them, 93 per cent said they would prefer the latter. Space and practicality ranked highest among…

General Motors has expanded its partnership with Redwood Materials to cover every stage of the battery lifecycle — manufacturing scrap recovery, end-of-life recycling, and now second-life energy storage deployed at a GM factory. It’s the first automaker to hit all three with JB Straubel’s company. The latest piece is a 1.5 MW / 7.2 MWh energy storage system built from roughly 100 repurposed GM battery packs, set to be installed at a GM manufacturing plant in Michigan. Redwood says the system will save the plant more than $3 million in electricity costs over its lifetime. From scrap to storage: the…

Rivian has officially launched the R2, a smaller, more affordable two-row electric SUV. Despite the lower price point, the company does not seem to have cut any corners on the new vehicle. Instead, many of the savings seem to have been achieved through more efficient engineering. Examples of that efficiency can be seen in things like the vehicle’s wiring, which has ditched around two miles of cable when compared to the R1. A lot of the vehicle’s systems and chipsets have been compacted and condensed too. Dave McQuilling / Digital Trends This means the R2 is priced between $44,990 and…

The biggest car news and reviews, no BS Our free daily newsletter sends the stories that really matter directly to you, every weekday. A few months ago, a Mitsubishi prototype of a rebadged Nissan Leaf was spotted being tested on public roads. Today, the three-diamond brand has revealed the vehicle’s look and name: Mitsubishi Eclipse Sportback EV. I don’t hate it. As you may recall, there was a minor grumbling of nerds when Mitsubishi resurrected the Eclipse name almost a decade ago for its Eclipse Cross compact SUV. I see quite a few headlines about this new model are singing…

Looking back, you might guess that cars were still a rare luxury during the Great Depression. In truth, more than half of American families had access to an automobile by 1929, and we had nine cars on the road for every 10 households. The automotive revolution took place over the course of the 1920s. By the start of the Great Depression, we were already on the road. The average income for a family in 1930 was around $2,000, while a new car cost $600. Median family income today is around $90,000, with a car typically costing around $50,000, so, in…

Ford Racing will continue to develop a line of high-performance ‘Demonstrators’ that are intended to push technology – but will broaden them out beyond EVs. The firm has developed a string of electric Demonstrators in recent years, including the Supervan 4.2, an F-150 Lightning Supertruck and a Mustang Cobra Jet 2200. The vehicles have competed in the Pikes Peak hillclimb, appeared at events such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed and been used as testbeds to develop Ford’s high-performance EV powertrains. Speaking exclusively to Autocar, Ford Racing boss Mark Rushbook said that the decision to build the range of electric Demonstrators…