EV tax credit leases, cold-weather charging, PHEVs not plugged in: Today’s Car News
The EV tax credit continues to take form, and it may mean cheaper leases. Washington and Oregon join California in banning EV-only cars by 2035. EV drivers are charging more in the winter, but are plug-in hybrid drivers charging often enough? And what can we see in all of our past Best Car To Buy winners? This and more as we wrap up some holiday time, here at City Dwellers.
Guidance released by the U.S. Treasury Department Thursday confirms that buyers of some EVs will qualify for a $7,500 EV tax credit starting January 1—although potentially only through March. Ford, Nissan, and Rivian are already among those with qualifying vehicles, with GM and Tesla expected to join the list. And a new loophole may allow automakers with foreign-made EVs to wrap the credit into subsidized leases.
Long-range EVs have batteries that can easily handle daily-driving needs even in the coldest days of winter. And for owners, as verified by a recent well of data from Recurrent, that means one simple winter-weather difference: More time spent charging.
BMW announced last week that it has licensed solid-state battery tech and manufacturing processes from Colorado’s Solid Power. It will result in pilot production lines at BMW facilities in Germany, as the German automaker aims for a solid-state production model by 2030.
With Washington and Oregon recently enacting rules banning sales of gas-only cars by 2035, a West Coast EV bloc has taken form—perhaps to be joined by all of Canada, plus other states following California rules.
A study from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) suggests that drivers of plug-in hybrids are plugging in far less than regulators assume. With both EPA and California vehicle rules hedging so much on the future of plug-in hybrids, the group emphasizes that more data is needed.
And which models have been City Dwellers Best Car To Buy past winners? Through the 12 models that have received the accolade so far, a charge port has been the common thread.
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