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Ford was the most recalled automaker of 2023, and it’s wasting no time getting started for a second consecutive year in 2024. The company recently announced a recall of more than 100,000 vehicles – its second such action in 2024 – for an issue with its three-cylinder engines.

Ford’s 1.0-liter EcoBoost Fox engine could experience an issue where the belt tensioner’s joint breaks down over time. If that happens, the tensioner arm can fall out of position and ultimately cause problems with the oil pump. The failure can cause a drop or loss of oil pressure, and a loss of belt tension could deactivate other components that rely on it, such as the vacuum pump that handles braking. Ford said it’s aware of one crash related to the problem, which resulted in two injuries and no fatalities.

The recall involves 2017-2022 Ford EcoSport SUVs and 2016-2018 Focus Hatchbacks. Owners have long reported problems with the engine, stating that they’re prone to losing oil pressure, sometimes with as little as 50,000 miles on the clock. A group of owners filed a class-action lawsuit, but Ford’s recall should help repair the issue. Dealers will install a shorter tensioner arm and a new drive belt that will help prevent degradation and damage over time.

The Blue Oval also recently recalled more than 100,000 F-150s for an issue that could cause a rollaway accident. The automaker has vowed to make improvements in its quality to help reduce warranty and recall expenses, but this isn’t a hugely promising start. Ford had dozens of recalls affecting millions of vehicles last year, almost twice the number of the second-most recalled automaker, Kia. 

CES 2024 has fallen upon Las Vegas, drawing an international audience to come and see all the latest and greatest in techy goodness and electronic nerdery. Nowadays, much of that includes cars and mobility, especially as the former evolves more into supercomputers with every passing day and as the latter becomes a growing concern in a densely populated world. Poised as the next great car show for its showcase of future tech and mobility solutions, we owe CES our attention as motorists to see just what it has to offer us, and we’re happy to report CES 2024 didn’t disappoint. In fact, we’re actually quite bummed we didn’t take it that seriously if we’re being honest!

But we made it. We covered it. We shot it on our socials and on camera. So here’s our round-up of all the innovative future rides on display at CES, including some of the pens we unfortunately missed–and I’ll say this again: they really got to put up more signs in more places. I couldn’t find squat half the time!

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Sony Honda Mobility Afeela – New ADAS and specs announced

Ah, how refreshing it is to see a fancy new EV launch with relatively normal styling inside and out. The Afeela is as relatable and familiar as it is innovative and cutting-edge, and that’s why this is arguably the biggest star of CES 2024. The lovechild of Sony and Honda, the Afeela is poised to be one of the market’s hottest new EVs when it launches next year.

The Afeela isn’t totally a new thing, as it’s been circulating around headlines and internet discussions since its debut at last year’s CES. But now, the car takes the stage once again, sporting some updated tech and a fresh laundry list of specs. Boilerplate items? How about standard dual motor AWD with a 241-horsepower motor on each axle (combined output TBA)? Or what about a comprehensive ADAS system backed by lidar, radar, and cameras for added safety and better visualization of its environment in a variety of conditions?

On top of all that, go back to the styling and just look at it. The Afeela is a beauty, which is ironic, given how smooth and plain it is. But in an age where it seems companies try too hard to stand out with their design languages, it’s the Afeela’s inoffensiveness that makes it one of the more visually attractive choices.

CES 2024: Sony and Honda show off updated Afeela electric car

XPENG AeroHT eVTOL Flying Car – The mobility solution for those whose net worths are measured in billions

Riiight. Because this will solve all of our problems. But man, it sure is cool!

If anyone remembers XPENG from that one earnable car from the Forza Horizon 5 playlists, well, they also built this in 2022, and it’s been making rounds around the world ever since. Go figure. With zero attempts at subtlety, this is exactly what it looks like: a freaking flying car… literally called “Flying Car.” 

Designed and built from XPENG’s AeroHT spin-off, it’s merely another one of their efforts at normalizing flight as an optional mode of transportation. Among other offerings include the X2 and X1 eVTOLS. However, the Flying Car differs by serving a dual purpose as a semi-practical supercar for shuttling oneself from the mansion to the country club before deploying the retractable quad rotors and departing for the office in the city.

Will it be a practical mobility solution should they ever put this into mass production? Ha. Not for us, it’s not.

VinFast Wild Concept – Vietnam’s take on cyberpunk Americarna

“Get in, choom. We’re going mud-bogging. Sound nova to you?”

Okay, so no one is really going mudding in an electric mid-size pickup, but the VinFast Wild Concept certainly looks the part. Bulging body lines and squared-off edges scream macho pickup, and the large wheels with all-terrain tires carry implications that it’s ready for overlanding excursions (within its range, of course). It’s mid-size, too. This means you waste no less space on the road as a Tacoma, Ranger, or Colorado. 

However, this is merely a concept and a vision of what to expect from a VinFast entry, so certain things definitely did not scream production-ready. There were no visible backup cameras or parking sensors. The seats were bolstered aggressively in a way you’d usually only see at Tokyo Auto Salon. And the pillarless suicide doors, while incredibly fun to adore, seemed a bit far-fetched for a company that prides itself on affordable, accessible EVs.

Should the Wild make it to production, expect it to challenge the lower tungs of Fisker Alaska and Rivian R1T, with anywhere between 230 to 321 miles as those trucks do. Dual motor all-wheel drive ought to be standard, as will street and off-road-oriented packages. If anything, don’t be surprised if production variants just rehash powertrains from the VF8 and VF9.

The next big question is: Will the Wild rectify the VinFast’s past controversies and missteps or perpetuate them?

CES 2024: VinFast shows off the VF Wild electric pickup truck concept

Volkswagen ID.7 and Mk8 Golf GTI – ChatGPT voice commands

I’m not quite sure how to feel about this, really. On one hand, the kid in me thinks, “Wow, cool gizmos! Just like the sci-fi movies.” On the other hand, the cynical adult thinks, “Is that it? Is that really it? Alright then.” But who cares what I think because this entry will certainly enthrall legions of consumers all over the world, regardless if it serves them any practical use or not.

Partnered with Cerence, Volkswagen delivers ChatGPT-based voice controls for most of their ID electric cars, as well as the Golf, Tiguan, and Passat. That’s right. Volkswagen storms onto the scene at CES 2024 with… an AI chatbot-based voice command system for most of their future cars. Not the most groundbreaking thing at this year’s show, but whether you love or hate the idea, it’s certainly interesting enough to talk about it. 

As a traditional system does, you can use it to assist with infotainment functions and navigation, but the system can also be used to control in-car functions like the radio, climate controls, or ambient lighting. It can also be used to provide vehicle status updates, weather reports, general knowledge questions, assist with conversations, and more. Being an AI system, it could be capable of learning over time to better meet the needs of owners as their ownership tenure carries on, which one could infer from VW’s claims of its “continuously expanding abilities.”

Cool or gimmick? I’ll let you decide. But one can easily call it a fun, innovative evolution of a familiar, age-old convenience feature. 

CES 2024: No more lonely trips as Volkswagen brings ChatGPT to future cars

Kia PBV Prototypes – Mix n’ match electric vans

I can see the SEMA maniacs clamoring for one to slam on its battery pack and turn it into an art van or a parts runner for their shop. And you know what? They’d have a hell of a van to do it in. Say hello to Kia’s “Platform Beyond Vehicle” concepts and peek at what they intend to be a production line of modular, customizable urban haulers.

The idea is fairly simple, and it’s an idea hinted at in previous EV concepts from auto shows of years past. Take a skateboard EV platform and make it do many things. In Kia’s case, their idea of “many things” is having niche cargo and people movers with swappable bodies that can be changed to suit a variety of tasks, from handicap-accessible transport to taxis to moving goods for small businesses. The driver’s cab would remain mostly the same, but the space behind the driver can be interchangeable for whatever purpose. 

Kia aims to launch their Transit-sized PV5 in 2025, followed by the larger, extended-wheelbase PV7, and the diminutive PV1. The latter is unique, positioned as an autonomous grunt intended for finishing those last-mile stints to the final destination, complete with four-wheel steering and a crab-walking mode for maximum urban mobility.

Brilliant idea for Kia to possibly steal shares of the market from Rivian or whoever makes those new postal service vans, but one can only imagine the potential and practicality of a privately-owned PV5. Party van or camper, anyone?

CES 2024: The Kia PBV is the modular minivan of the future

Hyundai’s Ease The Way plan – Revitalizing interest in hydrogen cars 

Kia packed the van. Hyundai has the plan. 

Although Hyundai had little vehicular presence outside of an Ioniq demo car here and there, they still managed to make waves for their bold and optimistic plan to revitalize interest in hydrogen power as the first half of their Ease The Way plan. The latter half focuses on software and connectivity to improve mobility, but for the sake of not making this a whole essay, we’ll focus on their hydrogen game plan. 

Key boilerplate items for the hydrogen half? Deploy the means of generating hydrogen, not only from the traditional method of electrolysis but also through recycling waste. Any waste. From sewage slop to plastics and garbage. From there, they aim to build an abundance of regional hydrogen production and distribution plants around the world, including several across the United States and with Georgia plants already under construction. Such a move would give us the much-needed infrastructure boost to adopt more clean energy for not only our cities and homes but also our vehicles, as Hyundai was also eager to tease its upcoming NEXO fuel cell car, due in 2025, and mention its XCIENT fuel cell semi-trucks.

No, this CES announcement was not related to any specific car. But it is related to a clean, green future, where commuters can potentially fuel themselves on clean energy, and gearheads can feel a little less guilty about installing high-flow cats on their two-decade-old muscle car. So, hats off to Hyundai for reinvigorating interest in something other than your traditional battery electric vehicle. 

CES 2024: Hyundai has high hopes for hydrogen – even in the U.S.

This gargantuan John Deere tractor thing – I got a little sidetracked

I don’t know why this was here. There was no panel or spec sheet anywhere detailing what it was or what new-fangled tech it was sporting. Apparently, John Deere was present to showcase autonomous farming equipment and remote-controlled tractors. But I didn’t know that at the time. My small ape brain sees big giant machine. My big monkey brain says climb inside of big giant machine.

To our agricultural trade workers who get to whip these suckers on a regular basis, I envy you. 

Honorable mentions we missed out on…

Honda 0 Series

Separate from the Sony Afeela collab, Honda launches their own headline-grabbing EV pucked straight from video game and sci-fi fantasies. Enter the 0 Series of EVs, wildly outlandish and alien-looking electric cars that Honda insists will enter production within the next few years. Seriously, these concepts look like they belong in Blade Runner. 

The Saloon flagship and the Space Hub minivan thingamajig are mere concepts, and it’s too early to hit anyone with any sort of range estimates, power figures, or powertrain details. Honda does promise superb aerodynamics, a new generation of ADAS, and great battery efficiency. We’re willing to bet a company like that could make it happen. Honda states that a production Saloon based on the concept should debut in 2026, so by then, perhaps we can expect 800V architecture and 400 miles of range as standard. Maybe. Expect the Space Hub to follow not long after.

In addition to these hot new concepts, Honda has also announced a simplified “H” logo for all EVs going forward, reminiscent of old Honda logos without the squared surround. Certainly, these cars can earn that callback to CVCCs of old if they turn out just as innovative today as that car was back then. 

CES 2024: Seize astro-vibes with the Honda 0 Series EVs

Mercedes-Benz CLA Concept

Nothing too earth-shattering here, although it is exciting to see a legacy automaker like Mercedes dive into the realm of 800V architectures. This vision of a next-generation CLA-Class rides on a rear-drive, single-motor, 800V platform with faux-Maybach styling and a proposed 466-mile range. More specifically, it’s Mercedes Modular Architecture or MMA. Should such a vehicle make it into production with the same specs, it’d handily keep up with the very best in the market and blow most rival EVs way out of the water, all with the efficiency of an 800V system. 

The CLA Concept is not all that new, having debuted in the Fall of last year, but it’s nice to see it making rounds at auto and tech shows like CES. Following the lukewarm reception to the EQ family, something like a production CLA Concept could be just what Mercedes needs to launch the brand right towards the front of the pack for dependable, high-performing, far-driving luxury EVs. Perhaps this concept serves as a test bed for future EQs, which will reportedly upgrade to 800V architectures starting in 2025.

Indy Autonomous Challenge

For Sheilah, if she was a robot.

The Indy Autonomous Challenge is exactly what it sounds like. Take Indy cars, or scaled-down clones of them in this case, and tell them to drive themselves around a track and compete to see who’s the fastest Level-4-autonomous supercomputer. It’s a program for colleges to assemble teams of young brainiacs to see who can develop the fastest robo-racer AI.
CES 2024 marks the debut of a faster race car, the AV-24, complete with radar by Continental and lidar by Luminar, the same company that demoed their lidar systems on the Polestar 3 and AMG GT Black Series from our social media. And while it currently sits as a test bed for college students’ brains, it’d be a whimsical spectacle to see OEMs get in on the fun. After all, they say competition improves the breed.

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Reinvention. This concept is almost standard for Honda. The Honda 0 Series will be a new chapter in the Honda story and a very fruitful one from our CES 2024 eyes.

Let’s start with philosophy. Honda calls the design concept for this vehicle “The Art of Resonance.” It means that future designs should align with the world and its people. It should resonate with society.

The joy of driving is a concept that Honda has never strayed away from. The Honda 0 Series will combine modern electric power with classic Honda aero and driving dynamics. The sleek profile of the Honda saloon concept combined with steer-by-wire embodies this.

Like the AFEELA electric car, the Honda 0 series will integrate the internet and AI with the philosophy of “fun to drive, fun to use, and be connected.” For example, the car will learn your favorite music and driving behavior (hopefully, without being too judgemental about the former).

The ADAS is based on Honda’s “human-centric” safety concept. This Level 2 and sometimes Level 3 system will sometimes deliver risk-prediction and preventative action.

Honda’s hybrid and electric technology development seems to culminate in the 0 Series, although it’s still too early to have any concrete power specs, range estimates, or charging rates. All we know is that the 0 Series is coming. E-axles and light high-density battery packs already exist in Honda Motorsport and consumer vehicles. More interesting is Honda’s claim that future cars will charge from 15% to 80% in 15 minutes and achieve a 10-year battery degradation of 10%.

Honda 0 Saloon

Finally, we get to fawn over the spaceship-looking car. The Saloon is the flagship concept of the Honda 0 Series. It doesn’t look like any current EV on the market, and the sloping front can only help for aero and visibility. An intuitive human-machine interface adds to the driving experience. 

It will feature a motion management system and posture control. The aim is to combine Honda’s robotics development knowledge to augment your driving experience. In most cases, steer-by-wire would take away from the driving feel, but in this case, we know Honda will deliver.

Sustainable exterior and interior materials feature as well, although specifics are not known yet, 

Honda 0 Space Hub 

It’s got the new Honda logo, and it has a boxy van-shaped frame. That’s pretty much all we know now, but it will carry the same design language and philosophy as the Saloon. Similar to the Kia PBV, it will cater to the needs of ordinary citizens, connecting people and augmenting their lives.

Honda H mark Logo

As far as logos go, this one might take the cake. We love the original Honda logo, and it’s essentially the same thing. This logo will be used on all future Honda EVs and Honda 0 series models.

Platform Beyond Vehicle — A perfect summation of Kia’s vision for this next generation of vehicles. The Kia PBV is positioned to be the single vehicle that meets most, if not all, your needs. A key line in the sand for sustainability, but is it even possible to build such a vehicle? Kia certainly hopes so.

Revealed at CES 2024, The Kia PBV concept is more than a single vehicle or platform. Kia wants to be the end-to-end “Sustainable Mobility Solutions Provider” for businesses and consumers. The key idea behind the PBV is Modularity.

Life modules will allow you to extend and customize your vehicle for every purpose. Deliver your cargo in the morning and take your family camping in the evening. The tech is still behind closed doors, but Kia calls them “Easy Swap” life modules, secureable with mechanical couplings and electromagnets. A skateboard electric powertrain will have a fixed driver cab, and the rest of the vehicle will be hot-swappable.

Kia PV5 to launch first, followed by larger PV7 and tiny PV1

The Kia PV5 will be this platform’s first proof of concept with innovative and intuitive technology and will likely be the most commonly sold variant, being available in passenger and cargo van configurations. With the consumer model in mind, Perovskite solar roof cells will supply power to the vehicle and provide electricity along the rails for users to use immediately.

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The modular tile system allows you to change your seating and add a desk, lights, or other accessories. So you can face your friends for more intimate drives and fun or have your mobile hustle-station on hand when driving to the meeting. The steering wheel can be equipped with an iPad or Smartphone and put away for more front cabin space. For mobility-impaired people, a lift will place you perfectly in the vehicle with magic folding seats!

The Kia PV5’s high roof is designed with automated commerce in mind for more commercial use. Kia says it can accommodate multiple “cabinets”, essentially large boxes with items in them, enabling large-scale single-trip deliveries. Real-time management software can access delivery information at the touch of a button.

And your spunky little Kia PV1 completes the trip with automated last-mile delivery. Its active electromagnetic suspension allows up-and-down and tilt movement of the floor with 4-wheel steering and a crab-walking mode (like a baby Hummer EV).

The Kia PV5 will hit the market in 2025 with a pricing goal set around $35,000. The PV7, the larger, longer-wheelbase model, is expected in 2027, and the smaller PV1 soon after that. A robo-taxi and pickup are also potential additions to the lineup.

At CES 2024, Sony and Honda unveiled the prototype Afeela electric car. Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) revealed details at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show, but finally, we have a real car on our hands! Well, not in our hands, but in the media’s hands in general. And wow, it’s quite the stunner in person.

This variant of the Afeela is the first time we see more than an announcement, so even though SHM was founded in September 2022, it’s now more than lip slap. These two industry behemoths are more than capable of delivering an excellent electric car; judging by the gorgeous exterior, tastefully premium interior, and a big dollop of fresh specs, the Afeela hits that spot. 

Specs overview

After much waiting, specs for the Afeela have now trickled out, from dimensions to motor power output and tire sizing! Check out what’s now known below.

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Length	4,915mm (16.14 ft.)
Width	1,900mm (6.23 ft.)
Height	1,460mm (4.78 ft.)
Wheelbase	3,000mm (9.84 ft.)
Drivetrain	AWD
Front Motor Type	Interior Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor
Front Motor Power	180kW
Rear Motor Type	Interior Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor
Rear Motor Power	180kW
Battery	Lithium-Ion
Battery Capacity	91kWh
DC charging	150kW
AC charging	11kW
Front Suspension	Double Wishbone
Rear Suspension	Multi-Link
Suspension type	Air Suspension
Front Tires	245/40R21
Rear Tires	275/35R21

Afeela AI and ADAS

SHM calls this “mobility intelligence.” Revealed at CES 2024, the company plans to combine sensors and ADAS technology to deliver a car that redefines the relationship between people and mobility.

Sensors and Cameras — 360º Vigilance

No blind spots. 360º Vigilance is not new in a car. Still, to implement some of the mentioned features and an authentic next-level driving experience for Afeela drivers, a crazy camera setup is needed. The Afeela will park upon arriving at a parking space. It will also open the door when you approach and display your destination if this is a regular trip.

Advanced Driving Assistance 

With great software comes excellent hardware (Uncle Ben). Lidar, radar, and cameras band together to feed information to a litany of driving aids, with each adding a level of redundancy to one another for maximum safety netting and adaptability to a wide variety of conditions and obstacles. To support these features, the Afeela will partner with Qualcomm to achieve Level 2 /2+ and, under certain conditions, Level 3 driving autonomy. They will also use Vision Transformer (ViT) to capture and detect objects. Essentially, it’s the God of image detection for AI. 

SHM and Epic Games

Stemming from a newly-minted partnership with Epic Games (sigh, yes, that Epic Games) SHM will use Unreal Engine 5.3, real-time sensing, and vehicle data to simulate external environmental conditions. This system will give drivers information about other vehicles, pedestrians, terrain, and weather, providing an immersive experience with a real purpose — safety. 

Conversational personal agent

A conversational, personal agent is also in development, using the Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service. So you will have your own personal Delamain in the future!

AI plays an essential role in achieving our goal to redefining the relationship between people and mobility, enhancing emotional user experience. Microsoft is a key partner to provide conversational personal agent. We are pleased to be working with Microsoft to realize our vision.

Izumi Kawanishi, Representative Director, President and COO, Sony Honda Mobility

SHM and Polyphony Digital

SHM and Polyphony Digital (the developers of the Gran Turismo series) will work together to share information. This collaboration will improve player experiences in future GT games. Still, arguably more importantly, it will bring sim data, experience, intuitive operating systems, and more to the Afeela and future vehicles. SHM wants to fuse the virtual and the real, mainly in the area of human senses and emotions.

The announcement at CES 2024 also brought great news for Gran Turismo 7 fans, as the Afeela will be included in a patch update for GT7 later this year (release date TBA.)

Afeela Co-Creation Program

SHM’s Afeela Co-Creation Program will allow developers and creators to work on applications and services running on the Afeela. Android Automotive OS will be the operating environment for apps.

• Contents of Media Bar
• Themes on panoramic screens
• e Motor sound
• Additional information on maps
• Any application

Spatial audio 

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Sony car without spatial audio. Honda’s mobility audio environment expertise with Sony’s renowned spatial audio craftsmanship maximizes multiple speakers throughout the vehicle for an unimaginably immersive experience.

Afeela production model

And a production model is coming! SHM plans to start taking pre-orders in the first half of 2025, begin sales at the end of 2025, and deliver from spring in 2026 in North America and by the end of 2026 in Japan.

After a couple of failed attempts to sell the Toyota Mirai and the Honda Clarity, it’s safe to say the hydrogen-based fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) hasn’t taken off here in the U.S. It doesn’t help that the only fueling stations are in California, where both the Mirai and the more recent Hyundai Nexo are exclusively sold, and that the infrastructure is otherwise nonexistent in the rest of the country. Still, Hyundai has big plans for hydrogen, including using it to power homes and businesses.

The Korean automaker said its hydrogen solutions include commercial trucks and buses, trams, heavy equipment, ships, generators, and air mobility. FCEVs use the element to generate electricity, which can then power an electric motor. Where burning fossil fuels creates carbon and all sorts of nasty emissions, water is the only byproduct of using hydrogen to generate electricity.

As part of its growth strategy, the automaker will bolster its supply chains and expand its control over “production, storage, transportation, and utilization.” Hyundai said it has affiliates across the supply chain, which gives it the ability to develop more tailored hydrogen solutions. It believes this structure will accelerate hydrogen adoption and improve technology. Hyundai is also working on capturing hydrogen from environmental pollutants, utilizing plastics that can’t be recycled as well as organic materials like food waste, livestock manure, and more. 

While Hyundai is testing its hydrogen ambitions in other countries, in the States, it’s using the technology to help build its next EV factory. The Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia is under construction and will employ the automaker’s Clean Logistics Project, which focuses on building hydrogen infrastructure and supply chains. Once it’s up and running, the factory will also use Xcient Fuel Cell tractors to manage logistics as it heads toward its goal of producing 300,000 EVs annually.

If you’ve tried chatting online with your bank or almost any other business lately, there’s a great chance you’ve been talking with a robot – more specifically, artificial intelligence. The rise of AI has been rapid, as companies like OpenAI released their technology. The potential and possible dangers are almost endless, and Volkswagen feels the time is right to give your car a dose of AI, just in case the massive touchscreen and digital gauge cluster didn’t distract you enough already.

VW introduced its ChatGPT integration at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, saying that it will eventually make its way into all of the automaker’s vehicles equipped with the IDA voice assistant system, starting in the second quarter of this year. For now, the list includes the Tiguan, the upcoming new Golf and Passat, ID.7, ID.4, ID.5, and ID.3. 

The technology will enable deeper control of the infotainment, navigation, and climate control systems, and users can ask general questions. VW envisions a world where owners can get help “enriching conversations, clearing up questions, interacting in intuitive language, receiving vehicle-specific information, and more – purely hands-free.”

We already know our vehicles are spying on us, but VW said its AI system does not access vehicle data and noted that it deletes questions and answers immediately to protect privacy. The technology is backed by Cerence Inc., a Massachusetts-based company focused on automotive virtual assistants, which will be responsible for updating and maintaining the system, as well as ensuring its security. 

While VW said it’s the first automaker to develop such technology, it won’t be the last. Companies like Cerence and major automotive OEMs are working to integrate AI with several vehicle systems, including safety and semi-autonomous driving assistants.  

It’s a new year, and the seemingly endless drumbeat of news around EV tax credit changes continues. New rules went into effect on January 1, changing the tax credit eligibility criteria yet again and drastically reducing the number of qualifying vehicles. At the same time, the updated rules now allow for a point-of-sale discount instead of waiting for a year-end credit. Here’s what you need to know.

First, the good news: The $3,750 and $7,500 EV tax credits can now be applied at the time of the sale rather than as a year-end tax credit. That will knock a significant chunk off the sticker price of a new EV purchase, including many 2024 Tesla models, and it alleviates the issue some people experience of not having enough of a tax burden to get the whole credit. 

The bad news is that the number of new EVs qualifying for tax credits in early 2024 is much smaller than it was last year. Changes in the rules prioritize battery materials and components from North America, and cars with battery materials from a “foreign entity of concern” won’t qualify. While there are likely many foreign entities the U.S. government is concerned with, in this case, we’re talking mainly about China.

The list of qualifying vehicles includes:

• 2022-2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV: $7,500
• 2022-2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV: $7,500
• 2022-2024 Pacifica PHEV: $7,500
• 2022-2024 Ford Escape PHEV: $3,750
• 2022-2024 Ford F-150 Lightning (Standard and Extended Range): $7,500
• 2022-2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe: $3,750
• 2022-2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe: $3,750
• 2022-2024 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring: $3,750
• 2023-2024 Rivian R1S Dual and Quad Large: $3,750
• 2023-2024 Rivian R1T Dual Large and Max: $3,750
• 2023-2024 Tesla Model 3 Performance: $7,500
• 2023-2024 Tesla Model X Long Range: $7,500
• 2023-2024 Tesla Model Y AWD and Performance: $7,500
• 2024 Tesla Model Y RWD: $7,500

Dealers have to register with the IRS to issue instant discounts, so it’s a good idea to reach out to your local store if you’re interested in stacking that tantalizing lease deal with a respectable government kickback. Additionally, while the list of qualifying vehicles is short now, automakers have to file documentation that proves their vehicles’ eligibility, so the number of models will grow as more companies submit their paperwork.

General Motors made the controversial decision to stop offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in new EVs, but it might be second-guessing that call now. Just as the first 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EVs started hitting the streets, well-documented troubles with the SUV’s software have led the automaker to issue a stop-sale while it develops a fix.

Chevy announced the stop-sale last Friday, with the automaker’s VP of global quality, Scott Bell, telling Automotive News, “We’re aware that a limited number of our customers have experienced software-related quality issues with their Blazer EV. Customer satisfaction is our priority, and as such, we will take a brief pause on new deliveries.”

Blazer EV owners will be contacted and can get a software update from a dealer to fix the problem. The problems first came to light through two publications’ experiences with the SUV, in which a journalist was stranded at a rural charging station. Edmunds published its account of long-term testing of the EV, noting that it had 23 problems with the vehicle. It said the Blazer EV had “the single longest list of major faults we at Edmunds have ever seen on a new car.”

GM’s decision to cut the massively popular phone interfaces was surprising but not entirely unexpected. Automakers have been salivating over the opportunity to charge subscription fees and generate revenue from in-vehicle technology interfaces, and its move to an in-house system would give it more control over that process. It will be interesting to see if GM sticks to its plan, however, as a vast number – 80% by Apple’s account – of new car buyers demand the features. Turning off buyers to generate a few dollars from a heated seat subscription seems like the wrong call, but here we are. 

Hey, uh. So remember that news bite I did a little while ago about Idaho doing this sort of thing? Well, Kentucky is on it now too. As reported by MSN and making waves throughout the Mustang community, Kentucky State Troopers have been spied with a brand new toy in the form of a 2024 Ford Mustang GT. Such a move comes not long after the car’s arrival at dealerships just earlier this year, with Idaho State Troopers spotted rocking a similar interceptor in their black-and-white police livery.

The car has been spied rocking Kentucky’s own gray-and-blue livery but with no visible exterior lightbar or bullbar. However, there are hidden lightbars behind the front and rear windshields. Other than its livery, it looks mostly stock. Which isn’t a bad thing, given the current S650 Mustang GT’s healthy 480-horsepower output, six-piston Brembos, and revised chassis. While available pics are scarce, the Mustang also seems to be lacking any sort of interior hardware for mounting radios, guns, or computers, or perhaps that’s to come at a later date.

Cough, no one tell them about the Steeda packages they can get, cough.

Street racers and takeover lame-O’s, beware, as it seems state law enforcement is preparing to fight fire with fire. Or just toy around with excess taxpayer money. It’s clear that law enforcement agencies across the country have a keen interest in fast, agile pony cars, which would make for great publicity tools and highway interceptors on these states’ vast expanses of asphalt. The adoption of such vehicles continues to harken back to the days of the Mustang SSP police car, which was adopted by agencies all across the country in the days of the Fox Body ‘Stang, from California to Florida. And while this is no official Ford police car, it’s still a kickass treat nonetheless and even potentially a threat to would-be road delinquents.