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The 2017–2023 model Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan has a potential issue with a transmission wiring connector that has led to a recall of 76,000 of the vehicles worldwide, 67,000 of which are in the U.S., Reuters reported today.The problem could cause unexpected engine shutdown, Stellantis said.The recall will include an update to the power inverter software and a potential instrument panel software update as well.The Reuters news service is reporting today, citing Chrysler parent company Stellantis, that about 67,000 2017–2023 models of the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid will be recalled in the U.S. The recall will be to fix an issue that could lead to an unexpected shutdown of the minivan’s engine. The automaker said the problem has been reported in about 0.2 percent of Pacifica Hybrid minivans, and no accidents or injuries have been reported as a result of this issue. No date has been given yet for the recall, which will include a power inverter software update and a potential update to the instrument panel cluster’s software. We have reached out to Stellantis for more information and will update this story as it becomes available. In the meantime, Pacifica Hybrid owners can check the NHTSA recalls website, where recall information should be posted soon.Other Recent Recalls More

Toyota’s bZ4X EV was subject to a recall and stop-sale last year.It’s now back on sale, but sales expectations are modest for 2023.Toyota prefers to emphasize its hybrid sales over its plans to expand its EV lineup.After a recall and stop-sale thwarted the launch of Toyota’s first mass-market EV last year, the company is starting over as it starts to sell the 2023 bZ4X to customers in the U.S. once again. But even now that there’s a fix for the faulty wheel hub bolts and dealerships have bZ4Xs in stock, expectations are modest for this new electric vehicle—as are Toyota’s broader plans for EVs overall.During an interview at the Washington, D.C., auto show last week, Toyota executives discussed how the bZ4X fits in with the company’s wider electrification strategy. We spoke with Jason Keller, director of dealer policy and government affairs, and Rick Gezelle, senior principal engineer of regulatory affairs, about how the recall “hurt the momentum” of the bZ4X’s launch and how expectations are now being set as the car is relaunched.More on the bZ4XWhy Toyota Prefers HybridsToyota is aiming to sell only 10,000 units of the bZ4X this year, meaning it could be rarer than even the GR86 sports car, which sold nearly 12,000 units in 2022. That would also put the bZ4X significantly behind the 2022 sales performance of several of its EV rivals: Ford sold just under 40,000 Mustang Mach-Es and Volkswagen sold more than 20,000 ID.4 models, and sales of those SUVs could increase even more in 2023 due to expanded production.Toyota likes to emphasize its strong hybrid sales instead. The company sold over 500,000 electrified vehicles in 2022, the vast majority of which were hybrids and plug-in hybrids (the fuel-cell Mirai is also included in this number, but only made up just over 2000 units of that total). Toyota has been clear about how it plans to prioritize hybrid production over EVs as a way of managing the finite amount of raw materials, particularly for batteries, that go into building an electrified vehicle. With the same amount of materials needed for a single bZ4X, Toyota says it can build 90 Prius hybrids or 60 plug-in-hybrid RAV4 Primes. The company believes that maximizing hybrid sales is a better play for reducing carbon emissions, at least given current market conditions.Even though the sales expectations are small, Toyota acknowledges that a renewed push to get the word out about the bZ4X is still necessary after the recall and stop-sale grounded the initial rollout. There will be a renewed marketing campaign launching in May to make sure that customers haven’t forgotten that the bZ4X exists. We found a few hundred new bZ4X models for sale through a search of nationwide dealer inventory, and a slightly lower number of the Toyota’s twin, the Subaru Solterra. While Subaru says that the Solterra is available in all 50 states, Toyota describes the bZ4X on its website as, “available in select states only and in extremely limited quantities.”No More Tax CreditThe bZ4X also enters a different regulatory landscape than it would have had it launched on schedule. For one thing, it no longer qualifies for the $7500 federal tax credit. Under the old rules, Toyota ran out of time for the bZ4X to qualify because, in July 2022, it reached the sales volume cap due to sales of its plug-in hybrids. Per the new parameters of the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the bZ4X and Solterra do not qualify for the credit because they are built in Japan, not the U.S.Keller did mention a different subset of the IRA for commercial vehicles that could potentially apply for bZ4X customers who choose to lease. But the details around this loophole remain murky—not to mention confusing for consumers. Toyota has not yet announced any plans for U.S. EV production that could make the bZ4X—or future bZ models such as the rumored bZ3X small SUV and bZ5X three-row SUV—eligible for the broader tax credit.More Toyota EVsRecall and FixThe bZ4X initially went on sale in spring 2022, but in June the company announced a recall involving a flaw with the wheel hub bolts that could cause the wheels to detach from the car. Only 258 cars were involved in the U.S., but those early customers were told to stop driving their cars. Toyota offered these owners an extended warranty, loaner vehicles, reimbursements, loan/lease credits, complimentary charging, and even initiated a buyback program for those who wanted to give back their bZ4Xs (the company did not disclose how many of those customers opted to participate). The closely related Subaru Solterra, the bZ4X’s twin, was also affected by the recall, but Subaru had yet to sell any units in the U.S. before it was announced.It took until October for Toyota to come up with a fix, which involves replacing the hub bolts and wheels. The company started implementing the fix late in 2022 and the cars went back on sale in November, with Toyota moving 988 units of the bZ4X in the fourth quarter and Subaru selling 919 Solterras (Subaru has not shared sales targets for the Solterra in the U.S.).Only time will tell if this rocky launch mars the bZ4X’s larger narrative, but either way this new model tells the story of where Toyota’s priorities stand. As the industry continues to shift towards electrification, Toyota appears to be hedging its bets until it becomes clear which solution will win out in the end.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Nissan currently only sells the mid-size Frontier and the full-size Titan on American shores. With the Titan struggling to sell even half as well as domestic pickup-truck stalwarts such as the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado 1500, it’s only a matter of time until Nissan puts its half-ton truck and heavier-duty XD sibling out to pasture. However, a report by Automotive News suggests the Japanese automaker is considering building a small electric pickup for the U.S. that might not only help offset the Titan’s inevitable death but also appeal to new types of customers.FrontierNissanTitan NissanTyler Slade, chairman of the Nissan Dealer Advisory Board, told AN that dealers want the company to build a mid-size electric truck. He also said it would be logical for Nissan to build an EV pickup similar to the Frontier model. That idea makes sense since the mid-size truck has consistently sold considerably better than the Titan. This isn’t the first time there have been hints at the idea of Nissan building a light-duty electric truck. In fact, AN also reported last year that the company was studying a new model to slot below the Frontier, citing a source familiar with the situation. The new model wasn’t explicitly said to be an EV, but the possibility was left on the table with the acknowledgment that it would be smart for Nissan to enter a segment that remains wide open as far as competition. Although full-size electric trucks such as the Ford F-150 Lightning and Rivian R1T are starting to flood the market, there currently aren’t any fully electric compact or mid-size options. However, it won’t be long before other automakers strike at the opportunity. For example, Chevy is already reportedly exploring a compact EV truck to steal sales from the hybrid Ford Maverick.While it’s too early to say if or when Nissan will come out with a small electric pickup truck, it definitely teased what such a thing might look like with the Surf-Out concept (pictured above) that the company showed last year. The futuristic-looking truck appeared along with several other funky concepts. At the time, Nissan also laid out plans to release 15 new EV models by 2030. Could an electric version of the Frontier be one of them? We’ll just have to wait and see.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

In his inaugural State of the State address, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo announced a new Tesla plant to be unveiled sometime today.While it’s still unofficial, Lombardo said the Tesla Semi is set to be produced at the new facility.Lombardo also said the manufacturing plant will be built in northern Nevada and cost an estimated $3.5 billion.Tesla is expected to build a new manufacturing facility in Nevada that will produce its electric semi-truck. While Tesla isn’t expected to officially announce the plans until sometime today, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo mentioned the deal last night during his State of the State address.TeslaLombardo said the new facility is planned to be built in northern Nevada. He also said it’ll cost an estimated $3.5 billion. The advanced manufacturing facility is said to be the production site for the Tesla Semi, the first batch of which was delivered to Pepsi last month. This is a developing story. We will update this story as more information becomes available. Other Tesla Semi-Related News More

Polestar is updating the 2 for the 2024 model year with additional range and power.The base model, which previously had a single motor powering the front wheels, is now rear-wheel drive.Range increases to 300 miles for the single-motor version and 270 miles for the dual-motor version.Polestar has been continuously improving the 2 electric car since its debut, and the 2024 model year brings some significant revisions that improve the four-door hatchback’s range and power. There are also some visual differences and additional equipment.Power is up across the board, with the base single-motor model going from 231 horsepower up to 299 horsepower, the dual-motor model increasing from 408 horsepower to 421 horsepower, and the 2 with the Performance package offering 455 horsepower. More significantly, the single-motor car now has its electric motor powering the rear wheels rather than the fronts. Even the all-wheel-drive dual-motor model now has more of a rear bias, Polestar says, and the front motor can disengage under certain circumstances. The company claims that each model is quicker than before, and we look forward to driving the updated cars to see how the shift to rear-wheel drive (and the reconfigured AWD system) affects handling. More on PolestarA larger battery for the single-motor car increases range from 270 miles up to 300 miles. The dual-motor cars have the same battery as before, but Polestar says that improvements in efficiency help it deliver a bit more range than before, too, with the EPA estimate rising from 260 miles to 270 miles.Polestar has not yet released pricing, but we expect it to rise somewhat from the current car’s starting price of $49,800 for the single-motor car and $53,300 for the dual-motor car. You’ll get more equipment for your money, though, as the base car now has driver-assistance features as standard and the dual-motor car now comes with the Pilot package as standard. Polestar says the updated car will go on sale later this year.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

DC fast-charging is the gold standard for electric vehicles, but providers of the service—other than the better-established Tesla network—haven’t got the user experience down quite yet.Even experienced EV drivers find they have to use multiple apps to find a charging station, and even then they too frequently find non-working charging equipment or reduced power levels.In response, the California Energy Commission is looking to make charging networks more accountable and responsive to complaints as EVs continue to proliferate.It’s no secret among electric-car drivers that the public DC fast-charging experience, Tesla aside, is nowhere near as reliable as it should be.Now it appears California will take the initiative and set rules on how the reliability and availability of public EV charging stations is evaluated. The state’s California Energy Commission plans to open a public feedback process it expects will lead to a definition of station “uptime” that does not “allow excessive exclusions” of the sort often used by charging networks to evade accountability.What Does “Working” Actually Mean?Today, for example, an EV charging network may define a charger as “working” simply if it receives a response after pinging the station from a remote control center. But cellular connectivity with a charging station is far from a guarantee it can actually charge an EV, at the appropriate power level. Its payment validation software may be down; the credit-card reader may be jammed; station software may have bombed (showing only Windows code on the screen); the site may receive reduced power levels, and so forth. None of these issues may be visible to the charging network, which thinks its station is operating fine because it pinged back. In many cases, user feedback—from angry tweets to comments and ratings on apps such as PlugShare or Chargeway—receives a response only 24 to 72 hours later, if at all, generally during standard weekday business hours.California Department of EnergyNetworks can also exclude from their uptime calculations any times when their cellular connection to a station is lost. Electrify America says it defaults to free charging if this happens, but not every network follows suit—meaning if the network can’t get paid, the EV driver can’t recharge, period.If you arrived at a gas station that had eight separate hoses and only one provided gasoline, would you grade it 100%?An Assemblyman’s QuestionsCalifornia’s plans for accountability were flagged in the below tweet by Loren McDonald, CEO of the EV and EV charging analysis and consulting firm EV Adoption. He highlighted a response by the Energy Commission to a letter it received from California State Assemblyman Phil Ting, who has proposed state legislation on charging reliability. This content is imported from twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Broadly speaking, the Commission said it will no longer rely on the networks’ self-reported claims about the uptime and availability of their charging stations. Instead, it will survey multiple data sources and qualitative feedback from the public—which could include, say, reports of dead charging stations on apps—to assess the reliability and availability of chargers.One further note: California plans to measure uptime at the individual charging station (cable or pedestal) level, unlike draft standards being developed by the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program that may look only at the overall site. If one charging station functions at a given location, that would be considered a 100 percent score. That’s what charging networks prefer, because it’s easier. But ask yourself this: If you arrived at a gas station that had eight separate hoses and only one provided gasoline, would you give it a 100 percent score?George Rose|Getty ImagesTesla Works; Others May NotThe exception to often unreliable public charging sites is Tesla. The company operates its own Supercharger network, open only to Tesla drivers, which was designed from the start as a seamless part of the EVs’ navigation. The company designed and installs its own charging stations, with software tightly integrated into the Tesla ownership experience.For other brands of EVs, long-distance travel can be more fraught. Multiple competing EV charging networks have spent five years in a furious arms race to get as many stations into the ground as they can. There are major incentives to do so—primarily increased footprint they hope will boost their valuations as the industry ancticipates future consolidation. There are virtually no incentives, however, to keep the damn things working once they’ve been installed.To be fair, non-Tesla networks must cope with tougher integration than Tesla does. Historically, they have bought off-the-shelf DC fast-charging hardware, often using multiple vendors within a network. Their software must accommodate dozens of different EV models from automakers who may update the cars’ operating software without re-testing at every station operated by every network. They must offer multiple payment options, from credit cards to RFID fobs to phone apps, with membership plans and variable prices from state to state. None of that is easy.The list of reasons a charging station may not work could fill a book, but it’s quickly getting to the point where EV users no longer care what went wrong. Take, for example, the recent bitter cold snap over much of the United States. Some customers complained that a new station design, launched by a large EV charging network, had failed to work in extreme cold. Gasoline stations, by and large, worked just fine during the same weather.While glitches may have been tolerable in the early days of EVs, public DC fast-charging has existed for around five years now—but experienced EV drivers must still check multiple apps to ensure critical fast-charging sites along a planned route are actually functioning. California’s efforts to get more data on public-charging reliability, and its efforts to institute some kind of accountability among networks, are long overdue. Let us hope other states follow its lead. This content is imported from twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More