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.
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Toyota’s Daihatsu Arm Halts Production After Admitting it Faked Decades of Safety Tests
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.
Automotive Journalists Save Needy Puppies
Automotive journalists combined forces with automakers and with dog rescue operations in the Midwest to bring 12 adoptable dogs westward to find permanent homes. The doglift balances the supply and demand and delivers new pets in time for Christmas. Read the whole heartwarming story at Headlight.News.
Porsche, Audi Recall 130,000 EVs and PHEVs Due to Fire Risk
Porsche and Audi dealing with two actions, one of which isn’t about the vehicles, but the charging cables. The other recall covers just 205 Porsche Taycans at risk for fire due to overcharging. Get details at Headlight.News.
Volkswagen Design Boss Confirms 2026 Debut of ID.GTI
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
Chevy Orders Dealers to Stop Sales of Blazer EV
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.
Dodge Charger and Challenger, Chrysler 300 Reach the End of the Line
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
Musk Shuts Down Hyperloop
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.
Discounts Driving December Auto Sales Upward
What was initially expected to be an uncharacteristically slow December has been turbocharged with discounts by automakers. Find out what kind of impact they’re having at Headlight.News.
Hyundai’s Ioniq 2 Could Be the Low-Cost EV the Market Needs
The EV share of the U.S. new car market has grown over 800% since 2019 – but it’s flattened out in recent months and industry analysts say the high cost of today’s all-electric models is a major problem as EVs go from niche to mainstream. Hyundai hopes to address that problem, a senior exec has hinted, with a new entry model likely to be dubbed the Hyundai Ioniq 2. More from Headlight.News.
Update: Honda Fuel Pump Recall Expands to 4.5M Vehicles Globally
Japanese automaker Honda’s recall of potentially faulty fuel pumps grows to nearly double. The problem has been ongoing as the company’s issued previous recalls for the same issue in 2020 and 2021. Find out more at Headlight.News.
EVs Help Blunt Impact of Jumps in Oil Prices
Oil prices declined for months, taking gas prices down with them. However, that’s turn in recent weeks, but the price of gas continues to fall. Discover the role electric vehicles are playing in the fossil fuel trends at Headlight.News.