Tesla delivered 485,000 vehicles during the fourth quarter, bringing total sales for the year to 1.8 million, an all-time record. But the automaker fell short of the 2 million target CEO Elon Musk set early last year. And it has BYD, breathing down its neck, even though that major Chinese competitor has yet to enter the North American market.
The New Year brings bad news for potential EV buyers as only a handful of models now qualify for federal tax credits of up to $7,500. That’s because of new requirements covering the sourcing of batteries and raw materials like lithium and cobalt. Among the brands impacted are Tesla, Nissan, General Motors and Ford. And analysts worry this could further slow growth of EV sales.
Federal tax credits can make buying an EV a lot more affordable. And the good news is that rule changes coming Jan. 1, 2024 make it easier for retail customers to get up to $7,500 on a qualifying vehicle, buyers no longer having to wait until the next time they file taxes. Commercial buyers also will find it easier to get EV incentives. The bad news is that a number of EVs no longer will be eligible for federal incentives this coming year. Headlight.News helps clear things up.
At least 40 new battery-electric vehicles are due to reach U.S. showrooms in 2024 — and that’s a conservative estimate as we’ve had a number of surprises dropped on us by both domestic and foreign-owned brands. If anything, the flood of EV offerings will likely accelerate going forward. Here’s a look at some of the models we’re expecting in 2025 and 2026. Headlight.News checks out 45 of them.
As recently as 2019 you’d have to struggle to find an EV at your local showroom. Today, however, there are more than 50 different nameplates available in the U.S., the vast majority offered with range exceeding 200 miles – and some products doubling that figure. But the pace of introductions is only set to accelerate, with dozens of new battery-electric vehicles soon coming to market. Headlight.News checks out the most interesting and important products debuting in 2024.
While its products are no longer available in the U.S., Daihatsu is an important part of the Toyota brand empire, with sizable markets in Japan and other parts of the world. But the minicar maker has halted Japanese production after it acknowledged that it has cheated on safety tests for the last 30 years. And that’s just the latest problem for Daihatsu, reports Headlight.News.
Tesla is wrapping up 2023 with another record under its belt. But while sales hit an all-time high they still fell short of CEO Elon Musk’s ambitious forecast. And the Texas-based automaker has a growing list of problems on its plate, including mounting pressure for another recall following the one it announced two weeks ago.
At an average cost of $60,000, most of today’s battery-electric vehicles fall into the luxury category — and that’s one reason why the growth of the EV market has slowed down this year. But as we head into 2024, motorists who want to go electric could soon find more affordable options. Get details at Headlight.News.
The Volkswagen ID.GTI will reach market sometime late in 2026, according to the brand’s design chief, marking the latest VW icon to make the transition to all-electric power. More from Headlight.News
General Motors has issued a stop-sale order on the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV due to mounting reports of problems with the battery-powered SUV. The issues appear to be software-based, and among those motorists have cited, are problems getting the vehicle to charge. A spokesman told Headlight.News the concerns impact a “limited number” of Blazer EVs, adding that Chevy is looking to make very quick fixes.
Like the rest of its North American assembly lines, the Stellantis plant in Brampton, Ontario will be idled over the long holiday break. But unlike the rest of the production network it will stay off-line through the 2024 model year. The three models produced in Brampton – the Dodge Charger and Challenger muscle cars, and the big Chrysler 300 sedan – are going out of production. An all-electric version of Challenger is in the works, but plans to replace the other two models are uncertain. More from Headlight.News
It was supposed to provide a high-speed alternative to air travel, but Elon Musk is quietly shutting down his once-promising hyperloop company at the end of this year. Its assets are being sold off to a Dubai-based shipping company, though it’s far from clear that will ever bring the maglev system into real-world operation. Get details at Headlight.News.