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The Subaru BRZ has long been a revered favorite among driving enthusiasts for its razor-sharp inputs, heaps of engagement, and, best of all, an agreeable price tag. But now, the mildly revised 2024 Subaru BRZ gets a bit less friendly with frugal enthusiasts as a recent pricing announcement reveals a mild price hike across the board. Such an increase can be attributed to the addition of a new high-performance tS trim level and a suite of standard safety tech that’s new to the BRZ for 2024, which means the value per dollar should remain strong.

The BRZ sees a minimum price increase of $1,700, elevating the base price of a Premium BRZ from 2023’s $28,565 to $30,265. Factor in a $1,050 destination and handling charge, and you’re looking at $31,315 to start. The higher-trim Limited with 18-inch wheels wrapped in summer tires, cornering headlights, suede interior accenting, heated seats, and an upgraded stereo system will now cost you $33,815. The tS model, with Brembo brakes, a revised STI-inspired interior, and higher-performance Hitachi dampers, rings the bell at $36,465, with the manual transmission as its only option. The automatic transmission is now only available on the Limited for $950, having also been plucked from the Premium’s options list.

However, the price jump thankfully includes Subaru’s EyeSight driving assist systems as standard, a first for any manual-equipped BRZ. Manual transmission vehicles can enjoy adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, collision prevention, and lead car start warning systems. No, none of it is the slightest bit necessary in a purist’s sports car, but those intending for their BRZ to pull double shifts as a commuter will appreciate the extra watchful eye.

The BRZ is still affordable by modern car standards, but that’s a healthy chunk of change over what the BRZ had recently cost. Figure that a $1,700 hike before destination charges could buy you a semi-decent set of coilovers, some nice tires, or even a high-quality catback exhaust. But it certainly won’t be the factor that deters many would-be buyers. That’s dealer markup’s job. To anyone yearning for a tS, now’s the time to get cunning.

Sustainable mobility is an “ethical responsibility,” according to Stellantis, the multinational conglomerate you probably knew as Fiat-Chrysler before the UAW strikes began. Now the Italian-American automotive conglomerate Stellantis is turning those words into action, announcing a partnership with French nuclear fuel cycle company Orano for all future EV battery recycling plans. All in the name of the Stellantis “Dare Forward 2030” plan to reduce carbon in the atmosphere as a net-zero company by 2038.

The joint venture capitalizes on Orano’s innovative, low-carbon technology, which breaks with existing processes, allowing the recovery of all materials from lithium-ion batteries, and the manufacturing of new cathode materials. The joint venture will produce materials also known as “black mass” or “active mass.” This can be refined in Orano’s hydrometallurgical plant to be built in Dunkirk, France so that the materials could be re-used in batteries, thus closing the loop of a circular economy.

Stellantis and Orano Press Release

This deal means that Stellantis brands like North American brands like Fiat, Chrysler, and Dodge will have access to reclaimed battery materials. Orano claims an up to 90% metal recovery rate from lithium-ion batteries and can manufacture new battery cathode materials. This will be done at existing Stellantis facilities and is the first time a major automotive player has involved itself in the value chain in this way.

The sought-after material here is black mass. Black mass is the material that comes from dismantling and shredding an EV battery. Through chemical processes, high amounts of lithium, manganese, cobalt, and nickel metals can be recovered from dead batteries and reused for new ones.

Are electric vehicle batteries recyclable today?

China is currently a major recycler of EV Battery materials – with the largest being Ganfeng Lithium. The country averages over 20,000 tons of waste lithium iron phosphate batteries and 14,000 tons of waste ternary lithium batteries per year. As of October 2022, China has 61 existing lithium-ion battery recycling plants. However, there are some serious competitors closer to home too:

• Umicore: Belgian-French multinational materials battery recycling and materials company.
• Ecobat LLC: U.S.-based company specializing in the collection, recycling, production, and distribution of energy storage solutions and other commodities.
• Glencore plc: Swiss multinational trading and mining company.
• Ganfeng Lithium Group: Chinese conglomerate with a focus on lithium recycling and raw material supply.

Reclamation of lithium and cobalt is especially important as the International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that supply shortages could be a reality as early as 2025.

Green NCAP has announced the first vehicles to be awarded its new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) award. So who is Green NCAP, what even is that, and which other vehicles were recognized besides the Tesla Model 3? Let’s get right to it.

The independent UK organization Green NCAP’s mission is to promote the clean, energy-efficient development of cars while minimizing environmental impact. A noble cause. It achieves this through its star rating and index system which can summarize a vehicle’s performance in clean air, energy efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Since 2019, Green NCAP’s star ratings have provided consumers with an easy way to compare the on-road environmental performance of new cars under identical driving conditions.  LCA information complements the rating as it assesses the vehicle’s complete environmental impact, taking into account factors like production, energy supply, and end-of-life.  We believe that this award helps consumers to make an informed and greener choice about the true sustainability of their cars – it will be a true differentiator for the wide choice of electric cars currently on offer on the forecourt.  Moreover, it is hoped that the award will act as a catalyst for the industry to innovate and accelerate its development of more sustainable cars.

Dr. Aleksandar Damyanov, Green NCAP Technical Manager

The LCA award is given to the best performers, tested since 2022 — receiving five stars in their assessments. Four cars have been given the LCA Award: the Dacia Spring, the ORA Funky Cat, Renault’s electric Megane E-Tech, and the Tesla Model 3. These vehicles currently have total life cycle greenhouse gas emissions equal to or less than 120 g CO2‑eq./km.

Green NCAP hopes the LCA award helps encourage consumers to make a “greener choice” when shopping for a new vehicle. Time will tell which new vehicles will join LCA club going forward. Our money is on the 2025 Tesla Model 2.

General Motors took notice of the recent slowing of EV sales, including Ford’s current struggles with its F-150 Lightning, and announced Tuesday it will delay the planned upgrades to the factory set to make the highly anticipated Silverado EV and the GMC Sierra EV. 

The affected plant is in the Orion Township in Detroit, Michigan. General Motors is using the factory in its current configuration to finish off Bolt and Bolt EUV production. Once all of those happy little cars are finished, GM was planning to invest 4 billion dollars in retooling the factory to produce its new electric pickups on the Ultium platform to help meet its ambitious plan to make 400,000 electric vehicles by 2024.

One thing on everyone’s mind, does this have to do with the ongoing UAW strike? According to General Motors Senior Director Kevin Kelley, it doesn’t. They’re just figuring things out, I guess.   

“General Motors today confirmed it will retime the conversion of its Orion Assembly plant to EV truck production to late 2025, to better manage capital investment while aligning with evolving EV demand. In addition, we have identified engineering improvements that we will implement to increase the profitability of our products.” 

At the moment, the plan is to produce the Silverado EV and its GMC counterpart at Factory Zero, which sits in Detroit and the city of Hamtramck, Michigan.  It is currently used for the production of the GMC Hummer EV and is GM’s first dedicated electric vehicle factory. The workers from the Orion Township plant will be able to transfer to Factory Zero when the Bolt ends production at the end of the year.

The Japan Mobility Show is fast approaching, and Toyota is ready to showcase what they have in mind for the “future of mobility” with a duo of BEV concept cars. While there’s not a lot of information surrounding these vehicles yet, or if they’ll even enter production, there are some key takeaways that hint towards what Toyota has planned. It’s also worth noting that Toyota says these vehicles share “major components.”

The FT-3e is a low-slung vehicle with sharp lines and an aggressive angle to the rear window with wrap-around taillights. The side profile shows off an almost box-flared look to the fenders and rear quarter. A display on the lower part of the body displays information to the driver as they approach, including charge status, interior air quality, and cabin temperature. Dare I say it? This could be a battery-electric wagon. 

The other one, which Toyota calls the FT-Se is a sports car that is reminiscent of the early days of the GR Supra concept, with a long hood and aerodynamic shape. Complete with the integrated spoiler. However, it looks wider, and the lines are more pronounced. A shot of the interior shows a trio of screens, all driver-facing, and a yoke-style steering wheel. There is a prominent GR badge affixed to the front fender, which helps drive home the claim that the FT-Se is part of their vision for the next generation of performance driving.

These two concepts represent a bright future. In a future where Toyota hopes vehicle ownership will become more than just a point A to point B appliance, it will become a bond between the owner and the machine.

Toyota has over 20 million hybrids worldwide, more than any other automaker. So, no one can question that Toyota has been at the forefront of hybrid electric vehicle production, which was an important step in the electrification of the automobile. But as the world moved towards battery electric vehicles (BEVs), Toyota began to fall behind. However, in recent months, Toyota has made numerous announcements about its commitment to producing more BEVs across its product line. They have even said they plan to have 30 BEVs across their product line and up production to 3.5 million globally by 2030.

Anyone can see that this is a lot to get done in a short amount of time, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Toyota. And they’ve just made a major move to help solidify that goal by signing a deal with LG Energy Solution to produce NCMA battery modules at LG’s facility in Michigan. Investing 3 billion dollars to fit their factory with the needed assembly lines to meet their 2025 goals of producing 20 GWh annually. The modules will then be shipped off to Kentucky, assembled into complete batteries, and find their way into Toyota’s planned 3-row electric SUV.

“Having secure supplies of lithium-ion batteries at scale with a long-term relationship to support Toyota’s multi-pathway approach and growth plans for BEVs in North America is critical to achieve our manufacturing and carbon reduction plans,” states Tetsuo “Ted” Ogawa, Toyota’s North American president and CEO. “Working with LG Energy Solution, we are excited to be able to offer products that will provide the performance and quality our customers expect.”   

LG, like Toyota, has a long history of supplying quality products to companies and consumers around the world. This is their largest agreement with an automaker for battery production and also means they now supply batteries to the Top 5 global automakers. And if all goes as planned, this partnership should help to push Toyota to the upper echelon of the BEV market. Soon, it won’t just be hybrids like the Prius making headlines, but a Toyota-branded electric car as well.

Well, isn’t this bad news for punks in the Gem State who might be thinking of tearing up the highways? Courtesy of reputable Mustang forum, Mustang7G, and user, br_an, we have a good look at what’s very much an S650-generation Ford Mustang GT dressed up in Idaho State Trooper attire. From the blacked-out paint to the decals, it’s all there.

Note that there’s currently no public statement or press release from the Idaho state troopers regarding the car, nor is there any follow-up in the forum about its authenticity. So we can’t even guarantee this is a real in-service police car. But it’d be hard to believe someone would blow all that money on a new Mustang plus the convincing livery to risk getting nabbed for impersonating law enforcement.

With mostly flat lands and occasionally cascading hills, it’d make sense to demo the return of any sort of Mustang police interceptors on Idaho highways. Given the storied history of the Mustang SSP, which saw widespread use across the country in the ’80s and ’90s, it certainly wouldn’t be the first time. Nowadays, the idea of a bespoke highway patrol interceptor built from a repurposed sports car isn’t totally alien. But it’s indeed uncommon for a department to shell out the money on a new one rather than pluck one from a crime scene or auction. A few tuners even offer packages to police departments that source vehicles that will “chase Porsches for a living.“

Does this mark the return of a Mustang SSP model or the widespread use of Mustangs in law enforcement? Nah. Most definitely not. But it sure is a badass way to rile up the children and blow through your local government’s taxpayer dollars.

There is some good news for future Rivian buyers and electric car fans in general. At long last, the Max pack battery launches for the Rivian R1S electric SUV and R1T electric pickup. As expected, it gives the twins a healthy jump in energy capacity, resulting in a handy range boost to further quell the range anxious out there.

According to Rivian, the new Max pack battery sits atop the food chain as the flagship variant of the dual-motor electric utes. Capacity jumps from the Large pack’s 135 kWh to a stout 149 kWh, notably lower than the originally quoted 180 kWh. Range leaps from an already-commendable 352 miles in both the dual-motor R1T and R1S to 410 and 400 miles, respectively. Note that this is with the most efficient, road-oriented wheel-and-tire package. Stepping to a 20-inch wheel package with beefier all-terrains slashes the range considerably, knocking the Rivians down to roughly 350 miles. In accordance with their configurator, pricing rings in at $16,000 over the Standard battery and $10,000 over the Large.

We must also note that this is the maximum range variant, meaning it’s only available in a dual-motor configuration. Quad-motor Rivians with the Max pack battery is a combination we’ll have to wait for, but it’s not currently in the cards. But one can dream.

You can say it’s about time these Max batteries finally arrived, as it’s reportedly one of many hot features promised for the Rivian twins that have faced delays for one reason or another. Despite the hiatus, anticipation and hype for the long-range Rivians stood strong, having been tossed around from headline to headline for months.

Interestingly, some aren’t impressed by the debut of the new pack, citing the exuberant cost and potentially longer charge times. But that’d be partly ignoring how the Rivians stack up against its peers, now being among the highest-range electric trucks on sale, far exceeding the best figures from the F-150 Lightning, Tesla Model X, Kia EV9, or Hummer EV and being just as competitive as them when equipped with all-terrains. Only the upcoming Silverado EV, with a promised range of 450 miles, can best them. How this new battery option actually performs in the real world is yet to be seen.

R1Ts can be specced and delivered with the Max pack battery now, while R1S models will begin deliveries in the fall.

Volvo has officially released the pricing for next year’s entry-level electric crossover SUV – the 2025 EX30. The MSRP will be set at $34,950. After adding in the destination fee of $1,295, consumers are looking at $36,245 for the new Volvo EV.

The Swedish manufacturer is offering their latest electric crossover in two variants: a single motor and a twin motor. Each of these breaks down further with the single motor offering Core, Plus, and Ultra trims while the twin just has the Plus and Ultra. The 275-mile single-motor extended range will be the most affordable to the widest range of drivers, but if you’re looking for the twin-motor’s AWD, you’ll have to shell out nearly another $10k.

Below is the full pricing breakdown:

Single Motor Extended Range

• Core – $36,245
• Plus – $40,195
• Ultra – $41,895

Twin Motor Performance

• Plus – $46,195
• Ultra – $47,895

While the twin motor performance variant is quite a jump up in price above the single motor, the MSRP of all trims is below the current average transaction price for a new vehicle in the United States. However, bear in mind that Volvo’s assembled-in-China models will not qualify for the EV federal tax credit.

Hold your horses on that used Kia or Hyundai purchase! A combined 3.37 million Hyundais and Kias from the previous decade are being recalled due to reports of an engine fire risk. Owners are being instructed to park outside and away from structures until repairs are completed. Such news of the Korean duo comes courtesy of a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, as detailed below.

Owners of the approximately 1.64 million select Hyundai and Genesis vehicles listed below should park their vehicles outside and away from homes until their vehicles have been repaired, due to a new recall for the risk of fire.

Hyundai’s safety recall (NHTSA ID: 23V-651000) applies to the following vehicles and model years: 2012-2015 Accent, 2012-2015 Azera, 2011-2015 Elantra, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2011-2015 Genesis Coupe, 2013-2015 Santa Fe, 2013 Santa Fe Sport, 2011-2015 Sonata HEV, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, 2012-2015 Veloster and 2010-2012 Veracruz. 

Owners of the approximately 1.73 million select Kia vehicles listed below should also park their vehicles outside and away from homes until their vehicles have been repaired.

Kia’s safety recall (NHTSA ID: 23V-652000) applies to the following vehicles and model years: 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2011-2013 Forte/Forte Koup, 2015-2017 K900, 2010-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2011-2017 Rio, 2010 Rondo, 2011-2014 Sorento, 2011-2013 Soul and 2010-2013 Sportage. 

The vehicle’s anti-lock brake system module could leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short. An electrical short could result in significant overcurrent in the ABS module, increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire while driving or parked.   

NHTSA

As reported by NHTSA, the engine fire risk is a matter of potential brake fluid leaks, which can lead to an electrical short, causing a fire. Hyundai has announced its plans to inform owners to have their ABS module fuse replaced at a local dealer. Owners should follow instructions to refrain from driving their Hyundai or Kia unless they bring it to their dealer to remedy.

Thankfully, this shouldn’t affect new buyers or used car buyers shopping for some Korean metal from the last few years. According to the release, the engine fire recall seems to only affect Kias from 2010 to 2017 and Hyundais from 2011 to 2015. So new buyers are, in theory, safe. But that’s still a fat chunk of cars to call back for a wellness check.

Such a recall is sure to blemish the reputations of the highly respected pair who have worked tirelessly to transcend their past associations with mediocrity with genuinely compelling products. This is especially disconcerting given how brake fluid, while flammable, is rarely ever a cause for car fires. But then again, this isn’t the first instance of widespread modern car fires, and it surely won’t be the last.