EVs

The federal EV tax credit has an uncertain fate. What car shoppers should know

5:00am December 16, 2024

Currently, drivers can get a tax credit worth up to $7,500 for buying or leasing an EV. But the incoming administration promised to roll back those credits, which they consider wasteful spending.

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California Opens Up Telsa Charging Network To All Non-Tesla Electric Vehicles

Tesla won the plug war. Enter the age of the EV charging adapter

5:00am November 22, 2024

The auto industry is embracing Tesla's charging technology in order to share its vast Supercharger network. This is going to be a slow transition — expect to see a lot of adapters.

Tesla Under Pressure To Expand Supercharger Network Despite Layoffs

EVs are cleaner than gas cars, but a growing share of Americans don't believe it

5:00am September 23, 2024

Electric vehicles are caught up in the culture wars. Data from Ipsos shows the percentage of Americans who believe EVs are better for the environment than gas cars has dropped 5 points since 2022.

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A lithium mine in Serbia could rev up Europe's e-vehicles, but opposition is fierce

5:00am August 23, 2024

A proposed lithium mine in Serbia is spurring protests over its potential impact on the environment. The mineral is in high demand because it’s crucial for the batteries that run electric vehicles.

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Ford scraps all-electric SUV plan, saying drivers want hybrids

5:24pm August 21, 2024

Ford will write down hundreds of millions of dollars because of the pivot. A key reason for the change, an analyst tells NPR, is that big batteries bring big costs.

China is aiming to become a global automotive powerhouse, particularly when it comes to electric vehicles. Here, cars wait to be loaded onto a ship at a port in Nanjing.

Politics & Government

5 takeaways from Biden's tariff hikes on Chinese electric vehicles

9:37am May 15, 2024

by Camila Domonoske

The Biden administration is quadrupling tariffs on China-made EVs. The tariffs are part of a broad swath of protectionist policies first imposed by former President Trump.

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Tenke Fungurume Mine, one of the largest copper and cobalt mines in the world, is owned by Chinese company CMOC, in southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Minerals like cobalt are important components of electric vehicle batteries, but mines that produce them can hurt the environment and people nearby.

Their batteries hurt the environment, but EVs still beat gas cars. Here's why

5:31pm May 09, 2024

by Camila Domonoske

NPR listeners wrote to ask whether the environmental harm from building EVs "cancels out" the cars' climate benefits. Experts say the answer is clear.

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BYD electric cars wait to be loaded onto a ship at a port in Yantai, China, on April 18. China has rapidly become a major auto exporter, but tariffs have kept cheap Chinese EVs out of the U.S. market — so far.

Economy

China makes cheap electric vehicles. Why can't American shoppers buy them?

5:42am May 06, 2024

by Camila Domonoske

American drivers want cheap EVs. Chinese automakers are building them. But you can't buy them in the U.S., thanks to tariffs in the name of U.S. jobs and national security. Two car shoppers weigh in.

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Morning traffic fills the SR2 freeway in Los Angeles, California. The EPA released new rules for vehicle emissions that are expected to cut tailpipe pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, which are fueling climate change.

In a boost for EVs, EPA finalizes strict new limits on tailpipe emissions

5:09pm March 20, 2024

The Biden administration says it is imposing the "strongest-ever" tailpipe emission rules to protect public health and fight climate change.

A $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicles will see substantial changes in 2024. It will be easier to get because it will be available as an instant rebate at dealerships, but fewer models are likely to qualify.

Economy

The $7,500 tax credit for electric cars will see big changes in 2024. What to know

5:00am December 28, 2023

by Camila Domonoske

The electric vehicle tax credit will be easier to get next year — but fewer models could qualify, as the government imposes stricter eligibility requirements.

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