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EVs and batteries

Drivers in California May Soon Pay By the Mile

Drivers in California May Soon Pay By the Mile

States have long relied on gas taxes to cover the cost of building and maintaining their highway infrastructure. That approach falls apart as more and more EVs take to the road. California is exploring another option: tracking the mileage motorists log and charging them according to how far they drive. That could help prevent a gas tax shortfall of more than $4 billion over the next decade.

First Drive: 2025 Mazda CX-70 PHEV

First Drive: 2025 Mazda CX-70 PHEV

There was a time when the little Miata defined the Mazda brand. Though the roadster remains a much beloved part of the Mazda portfolio, the new CX-70 is much closer to what the automaker is all about these days. New for 2025, it’s the two-row sibling of the Mazda CX-90 that made its debut a year ago. Like that three-row crossover, it’s well equipped and well appointed. And it offers some intriguing powertrain options, including the plug-in hybrid I had the chance to drive during a couple days behind the wheel in Palm Springs earlier this month.