Latest news with #Ultium
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
GM's New LMR Battery Could Change the Game: Is it Ready to Lead?
General Motors GM is setting the stage for a big leap in EV battery innovation. The company just revealed plans for a new lithium manganese-rich (LMR) battery technology that could dramatically lower costs and boost the performance of its largest electric vehicles (EVs). If all goes according to plan, GM could become the first automaker to bring LMR prismatic battery cells to market — a move targeted for 2028. These new batteries are designed for GM's full-size electric trucks and SUVs like the Chevrolet Silverado EV and the Cadillac Escalade IQ. The LMR chemistry swaps out pricey materials like nickel and cobalt for more common and affordable manganese. This shift not only cuts raw material costs but could also help GM improve the range and weight efficiency of its EVs. GM claims that LMR batteries offer 33% higher energy density than today's top lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells, all while maintaining comparable costs. This means more miles per charge without driving up sticker prices. Production is already on the horizon. Ultium Cells, GM's joint venture with LG Energy Solution, aims to begin preproduction in late 2027 and full commercial production in 2028. It's all part of GM's broader push to scale its Ultium platform and improve EV profitability. But GM isn't the only auto giant chasing this battery breakthrough. Ford F is also in the race, and it's moving fast. Last month, the company announced that it is developing its own LMR battery chemistry at its Ion Park R&D center in Michigan. Ford has already begun pilot production of second-generation cells and aims to roll out LMR-powered EVs before the decade ends. Ford sees LMR as the 'what's next' solution following its current use of nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) and LFP batteries. The company believes the chemistry could unlock longer-range, lower-cost EVs, especially crucial for scaling up mass-market adoption. Tesla TSLA, meanwhile, planted early seeds in this space. CEO Elon Musk floated the idea of high-manganese batteries as far back as 2020 during Tesla's 'Battery Day.' At the time, he said Tesla aimed to create cathodes with one-third manganese content to stretch its nickel supply further. Tesla holds patents related to LMR chemistry, but it is yet to share firm production plans. GM looks set to be the first to market with LMR batteries, Ford is close behind, while Tesla's earlier concepts still await a clear update. Shares of General Motors have lost around 6% year to date compared with the industry's decline of 13%. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research From a valuation standpoint, GM trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of just 5.28, significantly below the industry. It carries a Value Score of A. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GM's 2025 sales and EPS implies a 6% and 12% decline, respectively, year on year. Estimates have been southbound over the past 30 days for the current and next quarter, as well as for 2025 and 2026. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research GM stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Ford Motor Company (F) : Free Stock Analysis Report General Motors Company (GM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Miami Herald
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Every Major Automaker's EV Roadmap: What to Expect by 2030
Electrification was and is the tsunami that eclipsed autonomous driving as the next big wave in the automotive industry. Despite the slowing growth rate that began in 2024, there's no stopping the onslaught of EVs globally. This easily counts as the automotive industry's biggest transformation since the invention of the assembly line. With tightening emissions regulations, shifting consumer demands, and intensifying global climate targets, automakers are racing to electrify their lineups. There are still obstacles such as battery technology, infrastructure challenges, and EV adoption behaviors, but every major automaker is still on board with EVs. While some legacy brands have pared their growth plans back, others are still committed to going fully electric in the not-too-distant future. As we approach the end of the decade, here's a detailed look at what every major automaker has planned for their electric vehicle lineup by 2030. GM has been one of the most vocal about its EV ambitions. GM initially planned to reach 1 million EV production capacity in North America by 2025, but that target is in question due to slowed production timelines. By 2030, the automaker aims to offer 30 all-electric models globally, with more than two-thirds of them available in North America. GM plans to expand its EV lineup, including models from Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC, all underpinned by the Ultium battery platform. The Chevrolet Equinox EV has found great success and is one of the best-selling EVs in the U.S. market today. Target by 2030: Over 1 million EVs sold annually in North America; the majority of the vehicle portfolio electrified. Ford's EV plans have changed to be more conservative given changes in the market, but its plans are still ambitious. By 2030, the company wants 50% of its global sales to consist of EVs. A new EV platform is in development, and Ford is building two huge battery plants in the U.S. through its BlueOval SK joint venture. Ford is also focusing on a new platform for smaller, less expensive EVs based on what buyers want. The automaker will launch a mid-size electric pickup truck in 2027 as the first affordable vehicle using the platform, and is also investing in battery technology to lower costs and expand U.S. battery production. Ford even plans to launch a new electric commercial van in 2026 and expand its commercial vehicle lineup to be fully zero-emission capable. Target by 2030: 50% of its global vehicle sales to be fully electric. 40–50% of its U.S. vehicle sales to be electric (including BEV, FCEV, and PHEV). Stellantis has been struggling of late, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have a plan for its expansive suite of brands, which includes Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Chrysler, and Fiat. Stellantis has a complex and ambitious EV strategy, and it has to make up for some pretty big losses over the past year. The company has committed to launching 75 battery-electric vehicles globally by 2030, with 25 EVs aimed for the U.S. market. Ambitiously, it aims for 100% of sales in Europe and 50% in the U.S. to be EVs by 2030. Jeep has already revealed EVs like the Recon, Wagoneer S, and the recently dropped electric Compass, while Dodge debuted its Charger muscle car electric, but with poor results. Ram will join the EV truck space with the 2026 Ram 1500 REV. Target by 2030: 50% EV sales in the U.S., 100% in Europe. Toyota/Lexus has been pretty cautious when it comes to full battery-electric vehicles. Its only current EV offerings are the bZ4x (bZ for 2026) and the RZ. However, the company has signaled a shift, announcing plans for 10 global models by 2027, 30 models by 2030, and an investment of $70 billion in electrification. Its battery investment includes the development of solid-state batteries with extended range and faster charging capabilities, and plans to begin mass production around 2030. Toyota is also betting on solid-state battery tech, which could dramatically increase range and reduce charging times. Target by 2030: Toyota aims for 70% of its new vehicle sales in the U.S. to be electrified, encompassing hybrids, PHEVs, BEVs, and FCEVs. 30 BEV models by 2030. Honda plans to phase out internal combustion engines (ICE) in major markets by 2040, with a more gradual EV rollout leading up to 2030. It has announced 30 new EV models globally by 2030, with an annual production capacity of 2 million units. The Honda Prologue SUV (built in partnership with GM) marks the brand's first serious EV effort for North America, and it has become one of the best-selling EVs in America in a very short time. Honda is also developing a new global EV platform dubbed e:Architecture for models launching later this decade. Honda had planned for Acura to lead its EV charge, with 60% of its sales to be electric by 2030, but the market shift has led Acura to slow its electric roll and reintroduce hybrids, which it wanted to bypass on its path to EVs. Target by 2030: 2 million EVs annually; 30 EV models globally. Hyundai Motor Group is one of the most aggressive Asian automakers when it comes to EVs. They have proven themselves in the real world, too. With brands like Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis, the group plans to sell 3 million EVs per year by 2030 and launch 31 new EV models across its brands. In 2024, Hyundai sold 61,727 EVs in the U.S. The company's IONIQ 5 was one of the best-selling EVs, with 44,400 models sold. Kia was close with 56,099 electric vehicles sold in the U.S. last year. The IONIQ 7, IONIQ 9, and the Kia EV4 will be coming soon, while Genesis currently has three EV models: the GV60, the Electrified GV70, and the Electrified G80. It plans to get more all-electric new vehicles on the road in the next few years, potentially bringing an electrified G70 sedan, and attain carbon neutrality by 2035. Target by 2030: 3 million EVs per year; 31 EV models globally. The Volkswagen Group was taking some big hits last year with the interruption of its ID.4 production, but it's back up to speed and selling like hotcakes in 2025. VW Group, which includes VW, Audi, and Porsche, plans to become the world's top EV seller by 2030. It plans to launch numerous new EV models, develop more affordable EVs, and expand its EV production capacity. VW is also investing heavily in battery cell production and charging infrastructure. The group is aiming for 70% of its European sales and 50% of its U.S. and China sales to be EVs by the end of the decade. Porsche now needs to boost profits, given the slipping sales of its once popular Taycan. The all-electric Macan has been a hit, but it's not yet clear when the electrified 718 lineup will arrive. Target by 2030: Half of global sales electric; Europe at 70%+ EV penetration. Mercedes's original plan was 100% electrification of its entire lineup by 2030. The company now expects sales of electrified vehicles, including hybrids, to account for up to 50% of its sales volume by 2030, essentially amounting to a five-year shift of its forecast for 2025. In 2021, the plan was to hit the 50% mark by 2025. The EQ family-EQE, EQS, and EQB-is expanding, and Mercedes is developing new EV platforms for cars, SUVs, commercial vans, and performance models. However, its large electric SUV platform has been put on hold as the company is also investing in solid-state battery tech and fast-charging networks. Target by 2030: 50% of total global sales of electrified vehicles, including hybrids. BMW's goals include fully electric vehicles accounting for approximately 50% of its global sales by 2030, along with its broader commitment to reduce CO2 emissions by 80% and meet long-term sustainability goals. To achieve this, BMW is expanding its electrified product lineup and developing a new generation of electric vehicles using the dedicated Neue Klasse EV platform. The German automaker also acknowledges the continued demand for gas and plug-in hybrid vehicles, thus taking a more flexible approach to EV adoption. That said, it still wants Mini and Rolls-Royce to be 100% electric. Target by 2030: 50% of global BMW sales will be EVs; Mini and Rolls-Royce brands will be fully electric. Nissan was an early EV pioneer with the LEAF, but it has since been overtaken by rivals and is struggling to find an EV partner now that Honda has bowed out. Nissan is placing electrification at the heart of its long-term strategy, dubbed Nissan Ambition 2030, with plans to invest 2 trillion yen (~$13.5 billion) over the next five years to accelerate both its vehicle electrification and technology innovation efforts. In response to growing customer demand for a diverse and exciting vehicle lineup, the company will launch 27 new electrified models-including 19 EVs-by 2030 with the goal of 55% electrification (hybrids, PHEVs, EVs) across Nissan and Infiniti. The Ariya SUV is the first major product from Nissan's next-generation EV portfolio. Nissan has cancelled plans to build two electric sedans in the United States and will instead focus on electric SUVs. A new LEAF is also finally on the way in the form of an SUV. Target by 2030: 55% EV mix globally; 100% of new models in key markets to be fully electric Volvo Cars originally planned to sell only fully electric vehicles by 2030, and it was working ambitiously toward that goal. However, Volvo has since revised its EV strategy, admitting that a full transition to electric vehicles may not be attainable in five years. By 2030, Volvo now expects 90 to 100% of its global sales to consist of electrified vehicles, including both EV and PHEV models, with a small percentage of mild hybrid assist vehicles potentially making up the remaining 10%. Target by 2030: 90 to 100% EV mix globally, which will include both EVs and PHEVs. Electrification is a reality, but there have been some market hiccups on the road to some pretty ambitious goals. That doesn't mean manufacturers are taking their foot off the accelerator, but the pace has slowed. While challenges like charging infrastructure, raw material shortages, and consumer adoption remain, the direction is still very much electric. Some are ahead of the game, others are catching up, and then there are those who will get left behind. For consumers, the next five years will bring a wave of new EV options across every segment-from entry-level hatchbacks to luxury sedans and rugged pickup trucks. Whether every automaker meets its 2030 goals remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the electric future is no longer a question of if, but rather how fast. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
WIRED
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- WIRED
GM's New Battery Tech Could Be a Breakthrough for Affordable EVs
May 13, 2025 10:00 AM General Motors has cracked the chemistry of lower-cost, energy-dense electric vehicle batteries. Budget-conscious gasoline holdouts may soon have no excuse. Photograph: Steve Fecht for General Motors General Motors is bringing in potentially groundbreaking new battery tech that not only has 30 percent more energy density at the existing production cost for cells, but would also circumvent China's stranglehold on intellectual property for EV batteries. The company even claims this new type of battery pack could lower the cost of its electric SUVs so they're comparable to their gasoline counterparts. The news came today as GM has announced it will use lithium manganese-rich (LMR) battery cells in its largest electric vehicles, the full-size trucks and SUVs sold by Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac. They are to be produced by Ultium Cells, its joint-venture battery company with LG Energy Solutions. The first such cells will come from a pilot line in 2027, with full volume production in 2028 at a plant it hasn't yet disclosed. The new cells are in the prismatic format, versus Ultium's current pouch cells, which use a nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminum (NCMA) chemistry. Those cells, in large standardized modules, power GM's entire current EV lineup, from the compact Chevrolet Equinox EV all the way up to the GMC Hummer EV. The new prismatic cells appear even larger than Ultium's pouch cells, though GM did not provide dimensions. They will be housed in modules that, overall, have 50 percent fewer parts than their predecessors. That may prevent delays like those that delayed volume production of its Ultium modules by 12 to 18 months, pushing deliveries of several models from late 2022 to early 2024. Lower Cost, Higher Energy Density A full-size prototype GM LMR battery cell. GM has apparently prototyped 300 full-size LMR cells to crack the code on the new chemistry that offers up a third more energy density at no extra production cost. Photograph: Steve Fecht for General Motors Crucially, GM claims its Ultium battery engineers have created a chemistry that provides one-third greater energy density than comparable lithium iron-phosphate (LFP)—at a comparable cell cost. China owns virtually all the intellectual property around LFP chemistry, which costs less in materials than NMCA because it uses none of those metals. The tradeoff for lower cost is lower energy density by volume. The earliest NMC cells used roughly equal thirds of nickel, manganese, and cobalt. GM's current 'high-nickel' Ultium cells swapped out much of that cobalt for nickel, while adding aluminum as well. They use, said GM battery engineer Andy Oury, roughly 5 percent cobalt and 10 percent manganese, with the rest being nickel and aluminum. The LMR cells, however, substitute manganese—which is cheaper and more globally plentiful—for some of the pricier nickel and virtually all of the cobalt. They are, Oury said, 60 to 70 percent manganese, 30 to 40 percent nickel, and only up to 2 percent nickel. The new chemistry, in a second type of cell, will also use a new module format. Standardized Ultium NMCA modules for every vehicle were the right solution for GM to launch its current lineup of 12 different EV models, its execs said. Going forward, the company envisions using different chemistries for different purposes: NMCA for high-performance and its most capable models, now LMR for long range at lower cost, and LFP for its least expensive models. Cheap Long-Range Electric SUVs and Trucks So if LMR chemistry actually produces a cell that costs as little to make as LFP with greater energy density, that could be a game changer—including for North American competitiveness against China in the critical sphere of battery development and production. 'LMR will complement our high-nickel and iron-phosphate solutions to expand customer choice in the truck and full-size SUV markets,' said Kurt Kelty, GM's vice president of battery, propulsion, and sustainability. It will, he said, 'advance American battery innovation, and create jobs well into the future.' A battery technician at the General Motors Wallace Battery Cell Innovation Center in Warren, Michigan takes a chemistry slurry sample. Photograph: Steve Fecht for General Motors Specifically, LMR packs will lower the cost of some full-size EV truck and SUV models to bring their prices closer to those of their gasoline counterparts. That's crucial to boosting sales of the full-size EV models, which have not so far reached the same volumes and market penetrations as those of GM's compact and midsize EV crossovers. GM has said little about its plans for cells using the third chemistry, lithium-iron phosphate. However, the upcoming 2026 Chevrolet Bolt EV—a reboot of the compact hatchback that was its first and only battery-electric model from 2017 through 2022—has long been expected to use LFP cells to keep its price close to the $30,000 level of earlier models. Expect more details within weeks or months. Tesla's Ex-Battery Chief at Work Hiring Kelty was a coup for GM, given his previous 11-year tenure as Tesla's battery czar—and 15 years before that with Japanese cell maker Panasonic. He told WIRED he arrived at GM with 'some preconceptions' about what directions the company should take for its cells going forward. He was, he said, initially resistant to the idea of using LMR cell chemistry, but GM's own battery engineers had worked on developing the chemistry since 2015—and persisted in their advocacy. LMR's clear advantages, Kelty said, ultimately brought him around. Its cell partner LG Energy Solutions brought its own portfolio of more than 200 LMR patents dating back to 2010 to the table, and this week's announcement is the result. A GM battery technician aligning electrodes on an anode sample for a prototype LMR battery cell. Photograph: Steve Fecht for General Motors 'LMR' is not yet an industry-standard term for the battery chemistry; following the formats of the other two, it should really be 'LMN,' for lithium-manganese-nickel. Regardless of name, GM hopes to be the first to bring it to market in volume. Ford used the same term and beat GM to the punch on the PR front when Charles Poon, its global director of electrified propulsion engineering, published a LinkedIn post in late April. That post said Ford had developed 'a game-changing battery chemistry that will lead to enhanced safety, lower cost and industry-leading energy density' it was working to integrate into Ford electric vehicles 'within this decade'. GM's LMR announcement, while later, specified the year 2028.
TechCrunch
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- TechCrunch
GM's new ‘manganese rich' battery promises cheaper EVs in 2028
General Motors revealed Tuesday a new battery chemistry called lithium-manganese-rich (LMR), which it says should slash costs while delivering driving range that's just shy of the most advanced batteries on the market. 'With LMR, we can deliver over 400-mile range in our in our trucks while significantly reducing our battery costs,' Kurt Kelty, GM's vice president of battery, propulsion and sustainability, told TechCrunch. LMR will also dramatically reduce the amount of nickel and cobalt compared with GM's most advanced cells, two critical minerals that aren't readily available from domestic sources in the United States. Today, the Chevrolet Silverado EV uses nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) cells to drive 492 miles on a full charge. That impressive range comes with a hefty price tag. The electric trucks start at over $73,000 for the general public (a fleet version costs less). GM is planning a version with cheaper lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cells, which would drop the price by $6,000, but also cuts range to 350 miles. The new technology would preserve the LFP price cuts without sacrificing as much range. GM says the new cells will be cheaper for a few reasons. For one, manganese is cheaper than cobalt or nickel. The LMR chemistry will have zero to 2% cobalt, 30% – 40% nickel, and 60% – 70% manganese. That's significantly less than today's leading NMC cells, which are up to 10% cobalt and 80% nickel. Previous attempts at manganese-rich batteries have tended to degrade quickly. GM thinks it has cracked the problem. The automaker experimented with a range of materials and manufacturing processes to arrive at the current formulation. Techcrunch event Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot for our leading AI industry event with speakers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. For a limited time, tickets are just $292 for an entire day of expert talks, workshops, and potent networking. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | REGISTER NOW LMR battery packs will contain prismatic cells instead of pouches. Today's Ultium batteries use the latter. Kelty said switching to prismatic cells, which have a rigid shell, will help the company build a battery pack with more than 50% fewer parts. 'It's a huge, huge cost savings we'll get,' he said. GM has big plans for LMR, with the chemistry potentially spreading throughout the EV lineup. Andy Oury, business planning manager at GM, said that LMR could 'take up a huge chunk in the middle' of the market, pushing LFP to entry level vehicles and pricey NMC to applications that need long range and high energy density. The new cells will be made by Ultium Cells, GM's joint venture with LG Energy Solution. Through Ultium, the two companies have invested billions of dollars in battery manufacturing in the United States. Both have been pursuing LMR for years. GM has more than 50 patents on LMR, though LG has also been working on the technology itself. Kelty acknowledged it's possible that LG could make it's own version of LMR cells that don't infringe on GM's patents, making the chemistry more widely available. 'It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out,' Kelty said. GM's LMR research has been underway for a decade. Its efforts kicked into high gear in the last couple years as engineers successfully produced large-format cells similar to those in EVs on the road today. GM has made about 300 large format cells so far, and its testing regime equates to around 1.5 million miles of typical driving, said Kushal Narayanaswamy, director of advanced cell engineering at the automaker. That leaves just a few short years for the company to modify its existing manufacturing plants to accommodate the new chemistry and then scale up production. Scaling, in particular, tripped up the first Ultium cells. Kelty is confident that GM can hit the 2028 target. 'It meets all our performance metrics, we have a partner that's going to manufacture it, and we've got a manufacturing location,' he said. 'The other thing is, the supply chain is much more local than high-nickel or LFP, so we're really incentivized to do this. There's a lot of things coming together here that really make us want to go quickly.'
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
The Most Exciting Electric Cars Hitting the Market by 2027
While electric vehicles are much more popular than they used to be, they still remain fairly niche in the grand scheme of the market. However, production is ramping up on the next generation of EVs, and these new vehicles could completely change the landscape of the automotive market. The technology behind electric vehicles is rapidly changing, and has been for the past decade or so. This development has meant that EVs are constantly improving and becoming a more viable option. Taking a look at what some companies have been working on, we will definitely have some exciting options to choose from in the next couple of years. Exploring the EVs scheduled to hit the market, we've found what we believe are the ten most exciting and important models that should be released before 2027. We explore the ideas behind these electric vehicles as well as some of the core features that may help them change the minds gas enthusiasts. In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources. Models are ranked based on the year in which they are expected to hit the market. The Chevrolet Bolt was an excellent budget electric car, with a palatable starting price and plenty of standard features. This is why we were so sad when it was discontinued after the 2023 model year. Its hiatus, however, has proven to be short-lived, with the next generation expected later this year. Ultium platform Expected range of 250-300 miles Similar price to old model Faster charging Improved exterior design Where before the Bolt EV could be had in hatchback or mini-SUV form, the upcoming model is expected to only be offered as a small crossover. While there aren't a ton of details available for this small electric vehicle, we know it will run on GM's Ultium platform and it will have more range and charge faster than the previous model. A mid-engined Corvette was already a break from convention and had people losing their minds. Then Chevrolet announced a hybrid version of the sports car. Expected next is the first ever all-electric Corvette, which is expected to hit the market sometime later this years. Ultium battery platform Expected all-wheel drive Sleek and aerodynamic Tri- or quad-motor setup Sub-three seconds 0-60 time Chevrolet has been fairly tight-lipped when it comes to the actual features or specs we can expect from the all-electric Corvette. Mostly, we just know that it is confirmed to hit the streets. Other than knowing that it will make use of General Motors' Ultium platform, everything else is speculation. Cadillac was once seen as the pinnacle of luxury, developing cars that weren't just luxurious but were status icons. The Celestiq is an attempt to return to that era, aiming to take on the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce. This impressive electric vehicle will reset the trajectory for the American brand. Hand-built Over 300 miles of range Large 55-inch pillar-to-pillar touchscreen Advanced autonomous driving $300,000+ price tag Cadillac aims to build the Celestiq by hand, with a small number of orders being fulfilled. This aspirational, ultra-luxury sedan will likely cost well over the $300,000 mark, and it will be stacked with details to justify this price tag. This is a gamble, though, as we're unsure that the Cadillac badge has the clout to carry it into this segment of the market. Ferrari initially claimed that the full reveal of their first venture into the world of electric vehicles would debut at the end of this year, on October ninth. However, they have since said that the reveal will happen in multiple stages, with the first reveal only being for the powertrain, the second stage being for the design, and the third being the full reveal. Unique electric sound profile Potential simulated shifting Lightweight construction Prioritizes driving feel over power Sub-three second 0-60 time Ferrari has been incredibly tight-lipped about their upcoming electric vehicle. The one thing that we have been given is that the sound it makes will be "authentic". Head of Product Marketing, Emanuele Carando, has said that "electric cars are not silent", and test mules have been spotted making a raucous sound despite their lack of a gasoline engine. BMW has never been scared to push the envelope when it comes to exterior styling. Their Vision Neue Klasse concept car that was unveiled in 2023 was a perfect demonstration of this. The next generation of the 3-Series, which we expect to hit roads next year, takes heavy inspiration from this concept. Based on Neue Klasse platform Minimalist interior Range of 300+ miles Next generation iDrive system Built with sustainable materials The electric 3-Series has been spotted wearing heavy camouflage, but keen-eyed individuals will easily be able to see the relation to the Neue Klasse concept. Alongside the electric i3, BMW has also confirmed the development of a high-performance iM3, which will be an alternative option to the gas-powered model. Honda has partnered with Japanese media brand Sony to create a brand-new automotive brand, Afeela. Their first car, which they have been showing off at CES for the last couple of years, is a sedan creatively named the 1. The sedan aims to take on competitors like the Tesla Model S and the Lucid Air. Advanced AI system Fully-autonomous driving Minimalist design Panoramic screens Gaming integration Rather than offering a more traditional luxury experience in their new EV, the fresh company aims to deliver a tech-laden experience. The dashboard is fully digital, even including cameras instead of side mirrors. It also makes use of 40+ different cameras and sensors which will help drive the autonomous system for hands-free driving. The RSX is a revival of a pretty beloved name from the 2000s. It was teased earlier this year as the Acura Performance EV Concept and features a sloping roofline and sleek curves. While it isn't the JDM-esque sedan that it used to be, Acura's second electric vehicle shows plenty of promise already. Coupe-like styling Uses Honda's EV architecture Premium performance Possibly using LG batteries A-C-U-R-A script on the rear Acura has kept most of the details surrounding the new EV a secret. However, test mules have been spotted that show how the upcoming Acura will make use of SUV-coupe styling, targeting competition like the BMW X6. It will also set the bar for Acuras moving forward, with new standard styling elements, like the brand name printed on the back, becoming the norm. Just like the 3-series, the upcoming generation of the X5 will also feature an all-electric option, dubbed the iX5. This model also takes heavy inspiration from the Neue Klasse concept, with spy shots revealing a smaller grille and new lighting elements. BMW's electric model will aim to take on the Genesis GV80 and the Porsche Cayenne. CLAR Platform Will likely use motors from the i5 sedan Expected range of 300+ miles Large curved screen Semi-autonomous driving One of the things we expect the new generation of the X5 to make use of is the CLAR platform currently used by the 7-Series, 5-Series, and the iX. This platform allows BMW to deliver gas, hybrid, and electric models. It would make sense for the German brand to use the same motors used in the i5 sedan, with some tweaks here and there. Alfa Romeo has been really indecisive in the last little while. They have canceled their plan to become all-electric by 2027 and they have been hot and cold about turning the Giulia into a crossover instead of a sedan. We do know that the Giulia will be reworked for the 2028 model year, with the introduction of an electric option. Stellantis STLA platform Focus on driver engagement Could potentially use motors from the new Dodge Charger Approximately three-second 0-60 time 300+ mile max range Alfa Romeo's indecisiveness means that there hasn't been all that much solid information revealed around the upcoming Giulia. However, it would make a lot of sense for Stellantis to make use of the high-performance parts utilized in the Dodge Charger Daytona EV. Alpine is a French brand that has been producing some exciting performance EVs over in Europe. They have made their intention to enter the North American market by 2027, and a strong candidate for their launch is the upcoming A390. Teasers have been seen, with the full reveal scheduled for later this month. Co-developed with Lotus Lightweight construction Dual-motor All-wheel drive Rally-inspired design Right now Alpine is best known for their A110 gas-powered coupe. However, their plan to enter the United States revolves around a new lineup of electric vehicles. The A390 has been teased as a major rival to models like the Porsche Macan EV, focusing on performance and spirited handling. It has recently been spotted completing its cold-weather testing.
