Another EV Bites The Dust. Is That A Good Thing?

Issue #149

The EV segment is slowing down to a halt, or is it?

You can think of it more as an adjustment, and it’s one that will greatly benefit it.

We explain why.

Market News

• Mercedes-Benz eliminates its confusing branding for EVs. Here’s why.

• Subaru announces the return of a special edition for its sportscar, and it’s very yellow.

• The redesigned Ford Expedition is stealing buyers from GMC and Chevy, while Toyota falls behind in the full-size SUV segment.

• Scout CEO says dealerships are “pure noise”, and here’s what he plans to do instead. 

• Genesis takes on the G-Wagon with its new luxury SUV, the Equator. It looks stunning.

• Honda sales stumbled last month, but their EV stood firm. Here’s more. 

• Toyota will build two new SUVs in Kentucky while axing one of its legendary sports sedans.

• Do you hate pop-out door handles? Volkswagen’s CEO also does, and vows never to use them.

• CARB states won’t get this Durango special edition. 

• Canada might drop 100% on the tariffs on Chinese EVs to help its farmers. Here’s how. 

Safety and Recalls

• Toyota recalls 591,000 vehicles and halts EV sales because of an infotainment glitch. Here’s more.

• Here’s more on how “Do not drive” recalls have jumped 65% in one year.

• A new NJ law issues protection to the driver when a vehicle gets recalled. Here’s how.

Car Culture

• Here are five used cars that can get you more than 200,000 miles for less than $20,000.

• The most expensive car in the world in 1971 was not a Ferrari or Rolls-Royce. It was this American car. 

• Redline is one of the worst car movies of all time, and it also helped fuel the 2008 crisis. Here’s how.

• A 1984 Impala might seem boring, but not this one, especially when it produces 1,000 horsepower.

• This article explores the dilemma: repair your older car or buy a new one? 

• Mercedes-Benz wins an award for being vegan. You read that right. Here’s more on it.

• The new Ferrari Testarossa already has an army of haters. It shouldn’t be a surprise when using such a legendary nameplate. Here’s more. 

• Here’s how drum brakes are making a comeback, with a magnetic twist.

• Here’s what to know when filing a “Lemon Law” complaint to avoid a rejection.

• This mystery Porsche prototype could mark the revival of an icon. 

Video Of The Week

Hoovie bought an EV truck for 50% off. It still feels overpriced. What do you think?

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In The Know

Another EV Bites The Dust And It’s A Good Thing

Audi’s RS line might not be as popular as AMG or the M Division, but it’s still one of the company’s lifelines. It’s so valuable that Audi decided to only offer the RS line in some models, as explained here. 

With so much riding on the RS division, it came as a surprise that Audi canceled the RS6 EV. This was one of the company’s ambitious projects to create high-performance EV counterparts to their popular station wagons. (Yes, there was a time where station wagons were a thing, and these were some of Audi’s best). 

It was no grocery-getter slouch either. The RS6 EV promised over 700 hp and looked great.

That’s not the only casualty in the EV front. Stellantis had recently announced that it was ditching all EV efforts by 2030. Then, it doubled on its promise by cancelling the Ram 1500 EV. 

Reuters reported that Stellantis cited low demand and a change in policies. 

It shouldn’t come as a surprise. As this video explains, EV trucks are a bust. 

Stellantis is promising to get out of the struggle, so they decided not to gamble on their comeback.  Volvo has also backed off its 2030 EV commitment. The automaker had promised to “go all-electric” by that year, but new plans show it will continue with hybrids and delayed EV rollouts instead. 

Last week we discussed how GM is backing off the pedal in its EV development. These moves by Audi, Ram, and Volvo show it’s not just GM feeling the pressure. 

The industry’s big swing toward EVs is slowing in certain segments, especially high-performance, full-size electric trucks and luxury wagons.

These drastic changes have sent the industry into a stalemate. Some years ago, automakers were focusing on developing new EV products, and easing off their ICE production. 

With new policies in place, these companies are backtracking and now focus on developing gas cars, much to the criticism of Rivian’s CEO, who considers America’s embrace of gasoline engines mindblowing. Here’s more on what he said. 

These changes take time and money. GM is investing billions to focus on gasoline and hybrid engines made in the US. Here’s more on it. 

Ford has recognized that, for customers, there’s more value in hybrids than paying $60,000 (or more) for EVS. 

However, that doesn’t mean that the EV movement is dead. Instead, it’s becoming what it should have been all along.

EVs provide excellent performance — the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, for example, delivers 641 horsepower and surprises many, with this magazine calling it a racing sim in real life. It’s also practical and ideal for urban driving. 

I’ll be the first to point out that a small, practical car that’s also fun to drive is a perfect equation. At the same time, it’s not an equation for everyone. Some people just want practicality. 

That’s where Nissan has managed to overcome its woes by creating the new Leaf, which is a serious leap from the previous models. Granted, that’s not saying much, but for many, it’s going to be a solid option. 

Audi, Volvo, and Ram cutting back on models and EV programs isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In the end, the EV movement shouldn’t be about putting electric motors everywhere; it’s about putting them where they make sense.