CES is so much more than just a trade show for the latest televisions, phones and wacky tech. It’s also one of the largest and most popular automotive shows in the US. If you want to know where the travel industry is headed, then there’s no better place to be than Las Vegas in January.
This year at CES 2023, hundreds of exhibitors from across the automotive sector have already unveiled some of their latest products and cutting-edge technologies. BMW announced the futuristic i Vision Dee electric car, while Sony and Honda revealed their EV prototype Afeela, integrated with Epic Games’ Unreal Engine technology to provide next-level entertainment, communication and safety features.
If you want to take a closer look at the new auto technology that’s been unveiled at CES 2023 so far, check it out below. For more, here are the wildest highlights we’ve seen this week and the wackiest tech, too.
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Hearing Dolby Atmos in a Car Blew Me Away
5:11
Mercedes-Benz is one of the first car companies in the world to get immersive Dolby Atmos surround sound tech
Dolby Atmos is immersive surround sound technology that you’ll really only find at the theatre or in a few pricey speakers, soundbars and headphones for consumers. Unlike your typical left and right audio experience, Dolby Almost brings you sounds from every direction imaginable, and that immersive audio experience is coming to the Mercedes-Benz Maybach. Check out our experience with Dolby Atmos at CES 2023 in the video above.
Dolby Atmos is currently only available in a few select luxury vehicles.
BMW’s color-changing concept car
BMW unveiled the i Vision Dee, a futuristic midsize electric sedan with a digital assistant, color-changing technology and an augmented-reality windshield. The car’s exterior is equipped with 240 E Ink segments that can be controlled individually; you could go with a solid color if you want, but each separate panel can be customized, so you can go wild with patchwork designs. But the most exciting new feature has to be the fully digital, mixed reality windshield. You’ll be able to decide how much “digital content” you see in front of you while you drive, such as driving information, communications, AR projections and virtual worlds.
Crank the Mixed Reality Slider to max and the windshield is filled with information or even fully virtual worlds.
BMW
Sony and Honda’s electric sedan has Unreal Engine-designed interfaces
Sony and Honda unveiled the Afeela, an electric midsized sedan, at CES on Wednesday. The alliance between the two companies works like this: Honda provides the automotive engineering and after-sales service part, while Sony covers the tech side of things, including electronics, sensors and entertainment. The front of the EV has a built-in display that can be used to show off information to other drivers and pedestrians, while the entire body comes equipped with dozens of cameras and sensors to detect objects and provide an autonomous driving experience. Inside, the interface of the car is powered by Qualcomm technology and Epic Games’ Unreal Engine to enhance the driving experience and provide a quality entertainment system.
The two companies plan to have preorders up and running for the EV in 2025.
James Martin/CNET
Amazon Ring now wants to live in your car
Amazon’s Ring creates security cameras for your home and business, to provide security and allow you to keep an eye on package deliveries and other activities, and now it wants to do the same thing for your automobile. The Ring Car Cam is a dashboard-mounted dual-facing camera that can record both inside and outside your car, while you’re driving or parked. While the camera stores footage locally, it can connect to your Wi-Fi network whenever you’re parked nearby to upload footage. You can also get LTE support to always stay connected, allowing you to view a live feed in case someone else has your car; you’ll need to pay for a Ring Protect Go subscription for that. You can preorder the Ring Car Cam for $200 right now, or wait to buy it when it’s released in February for $250.
You can remotely talk with anyone in the car thanks to the camera’s built-in speaker and microphone.
Ring
An electric pickup truck… that follows you around?
Ram unveiled the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV, its first ever fully electric pickup truck, at CES 2023. The electric truck is equipped with back-swinging suicide doors, three rows of seats, an AR display, an AI personal assistant and “themes” for the interior of the car. For example, you can enable party mode or relax mode — each changes the seat positions and orientation, lighting, sound system and even the opacity of the skylight. But the most interesting thing about the electric truck has to be its “shadow mode” feature, which allows the truck to follow the driver around, sort of like a dog, when they’re on foot.
Arriving in 2024.
Stellantis
Nvidia will bring its gaming platform to select cars
GeForce Now, Nvidia’s popular cloud gaming service that allows you to play games like Fortnite and Apex Legends on your phone, tablet and TV, is soon coming to your car. During its showcase at CES 2023, Nvidia announced a partnership with Hyundai Motor Group, Polestar and BYD to integrate the gaming platform to several internet-connected vehicles. A passenger in the car can load up GeForce Now in a built-in display and play games such as Rocket League with a connected gamepad.
More than a thousand games will be available.
Nvidia
Google launched its new Android Auto update
On Thursday, Google announced the release of its latest Android Auto software. The redesign prioritizes navigation, communication and music — for starters, Maps is now closer to the driver’s seat, making it easier to view, and there’s also a new quick launcher that lets you access the apps you need most, faster. A new split-screen layout adapts to your screen size and orientation, and Google Assistant provides smart suggestions like arrival time sharing, message replies and music or podcast reminders. If you have one of the latest Pixel or Samsung phones, you’ll soon be able to make WhatsApp calls via Android Auto.
Android Auto will better adapt to a variety of screen sizes and aspect ratios.
Google
Oh yeah, a four-seater flying car was announced
Flying cars haven’t quite taken off yet, but we seem to be one step closer. US company Aska announced what may be the world’s first four-seater flying car at CES this year. The Aska A5 is an electric-powered vehicle, the size of a small SUV, that can travel on the road and up to 250 miles by air with a single charge. It’s also equipped with a small gas engine that can give you an extra 50 miles. And you can expect it to hit the roads (and the skies) pretty soon. According to CEO Guy Kaplinsky, the Federal Aviation Administration could approve the A5 this month, and the company plans to begin a ride-sharing service with a fleet of its flying vehicles in 2026. The A5 comes with a hefty price tag of $789,000, and you can pay a $5,000 deposit to get on the preorder list right now.
Why fight traffic on the street when you can just fly over it?
Everything from the economy, to inflation, to the Russian invasion of Ukraine dealt body blow after body blow to the electric carmaker—and the rest of the tech and auto industry at large. However, the recent actions of company CEO Elon Musk, following his reluctant purchase of Twitter, have only dragged the beleaguered Tesla further into the deep trenches of a financial crisis. In fact, Tesla has lost nearly 70 percent of its market cap over the year to date.
It’s a whiplash shift from just a year ago when the company, valued at an eye-popping $1 trillion, seemed like it could do no wrong. Some are questioning Musk’s leadership, while others are going further—speculating that this might just be the beginning of the end of Tesla.
There’s no denying the impact that the company has had in both producing and selling electric cars. After all, it did something that once seemed impossible: convincing the public that EVs are pretty damn cool, actually. Now legacy automakers are playing catchup to get customers to buy their own takes on electric cars.
Tesla revolutionized the way the world sees and drives EVs—but with its back against the wall and the financial situation looking more and more bleak by the tweet, we might very well soon find ourselves in a situation where the biggest name in the game has gone belly up.
Let’s be clear: there’s a fairly low chance of that happening… but what if it does?
How to Make (and Burst) an EV Bubble
To understand the impact Tesla’s disappearance would have on the future of EVs, it’s important to wrap our minds around how exactly we got here.
“I give Elon Musk a lot of credit. He almost single-handedly made electric vehicles glamorous and sexy,” Ragunathan “Raj” Rajkumar, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and autonomous vehicle researcher at Carnegie Mellon University, told The Daily Beast. “People associated them with the person who was transforming the automotive industry and doing the right thing for the planet.”
However, this was a double-edged sword. Musk hyped Tesla up through lofty—if a bit unrealistic—promises and shitposts on Twitter. He cultivated an army of Elon stans willing to go to war for him online to defend his companies from the smallest of slights. Meanwhile, the cars were finally selling well. All this resulted in the perfect mixture to fuel the rise of Tesla’s stock into the stratosphere like so many SpaceX rockets.
“If Tesla collapses and they’re completely out of business, I believe that there’ll be dancing in the streets at every giant [automaker] on the planet.”
— Sandy Munro
But the value was always tenuous at best. It’s not like other automakers weren’t ever going to make electric cars. So Tesla’s market cap became a bubble of epic proportions.
One of the people who held a needle was Musk himself—which he wound up popping with the acquisition of his favorite social media platform, Twitter.
“It was just complete baloney,” Rajkumar added. “At the end of the day, business has to be a business. Sooner or later, things that go up have to come down, and that’s what we’re seeing, and will continue to see.”
There’s also fundamental economic factors. Demand is low across the board due to a flailing economy. Plus the market looks vastly different than it did even a year ago. Tesla’s not the only horse in the race anymore. The EV industry is much bigger now, and with the added competition, it was really only a matter of time that Musk’s company started feeling the pressure.
That sink in feeling: Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter unintentionally caused further turmoil and instability for Tesla’s finances.
Getty
A World Without Tesla
Given the profound impact of Tesla on the automotive industry and consumer habits, there’s really no question that it would have a profoundly negative impact on the future of EVs.
“If Tesla collapses and they’re completely out of business, I believe that there’ll be dancing in the streets at every giant [automaker] on the planet,” Sandy Munro, an independent automotive engineer, consultant, and industry expert, told The Daily Beast.
Munro’s known for his famous teardown reports providing incredibly detailed analysis of different vehicles. His glowing review of Tesla’s Model Y in 2020 resulted in him not only being bullish on the future of the company but also electric vehicles in general. A few years ago, he predicted that EVs would make up more than 50 percent of total vehicles on the market by 2030. Due to Tesla’s success, he’s updated that prediction to 2028.
However, Munro admits that, if Tesla were ever to go bankrupt, neither prediction would likely ever happen and he would “definitely walk away from EVs.”
That’s because, to him, the fall of Tesla would put out the proverbial fire underneath the asses of every legacy automaker to pivot to new, emerging technologies—and instead, incentivize them to go back to old ones. No longer would there be the push to build new plants and devote so much of their resources into R&D for batteries, charging stations, and electric powertrains. Even regulators would have much less incentive to make the change in the nation’s transportation and energy infrastructure.
Overall, we’d see a return to our gas-guzzling, greenhouse gas emitting normal. “If Tesla goes out of business, you watch how fast that Keystone pipeline goes through,” Munro added.
Rajkumar’s assessment isn’t quite as dire. He believes that the technologies and innovations that Tesla has championed will ultimately continue. After all, consumers already want EVs more than ever—and that number is only expected to grow. Car companies see this too, and are ready to capitalize on it.
“The global automotive industry has been emphasizing EVs now, and many companies are publicly announcing that they will switch to a completely electric line of products. I don’t think it’s going to stop anytime soon.,” Rajkumar said. However, he concedes that it’s not clear if many of the goals outlined by these automakers are realistic due to an inadequate charging infrastructure and a slow rate of EV adoption by consumers overall.
The only real winner that would emerge from the death of Tesla would be China. The country is already making a concerted effort towards electrifying its transportation infrastructure, with goals to have 40 percent of all vehicles sold domestically be EVs by 2030, and have enough charging stations to service more than 20 million vehicles.
Munro said that this might cause a kind of geopolitical tortoise-and-hare situation where China plays catchup and soon advances much more exponentially than the Western world, eventually eclipsing the sleeping U.S. with technologies like EVs that will be vital for our collective future.
“China will survive,” Munro explained. He added that we might get to the point where the U.S. has relatively little EVs because we were so focused on short term gains.
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Employees work on the assembly line of electric vehicles at a factory of Dayun Automobile Co., Ltd on Dec. 8, 2022 in Yuncheng, Shanxi Province of China.
Getty
Tesla Will Die Another Day
The future might seem a bit uncertain for Tesla—but it will likely survive its current downturn. Sure, it might not reach the $1 trillion zenith it hit last year (at least, for a while) but it will probably see this through.
“There’s no way Tesla is going to go belly up,” Munro said. “It’s just not going to happen.” He added that there are two primary factors why the company will keep driving along.
The first is actually Musk. Though many might be bothered by his antics on Twitter (Tesla stock investors chief among them), there’s no denying that he helped revolutionize and championsome of the very industries that the world will be relying on the most in the future: electric cars and space travel. If he can pull himself away from the social media albatross that he’s wrapped around his neck, he might be able to help usher Tesla through a rapidly crowding EV market and beyond 2030.
The second, said Munro, is children. Yes, children. He believes that kids—more than any other market indicator, stock trend, or McKinsey consultant—accurately point the way for the future of things like automobiles and, therefore, Tesla.
“If you talk to kids, all of a sudden you understand what they don’t like,” he said. “‘I don’t like the smell of gasoline. I don’t like the black smoke coming out of the car. I want to do more for the environment.’ That’s why I don’t think Tesla is going away.”
Each year at CES the world’s biggest and most innovative companies showcase exciting (and sometimes very strange) tech for your house, from impressive TVs to clever kitchen gadgets. But CES is also where the giants of automotives come to show their wares, and 2023 was a particularly fun show for car enthusiasts.
Sustainability and environmental friendliness are growing trends in every segment of the tech industry, so it’s a no-brainer to see more electric vehicles and related innovations at CES 2023. Here are some of the best.
Mercedes Benz Vision EQXX is a sexy EV that makes gas guzzlers drool
Mercedes
The Vision EQXX concept car was designed from the ground up and can travel up to 620 miles on a full charge without adding additional bulky batteries, making this concept car the most efficient Mercedes to date. The EQXX has an AI avatar like K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider, only more futuristic; all of this is on a single free-floating display. I need to figure out which I find more attractive, the interior or the exterior.
Verge TS Ultra Motorcycle has serious Tron vibes
Verge Motorbikes
The Verge TS line is coming to the US in 2023. The high-end Ultra will have a top speed of 124 mph and be able to charge quickly in 25 minutes, making it the coolest bike on the block. With an estimated 233 miles on a full charge, the Ultra puts out 201 horsepower. The bike can go 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds. The motor is located in the rear rim, giving the bike a lower center of gravity and allowing for a larger battery in the bike frame. The Ultra will cost you $44,900. If that’s too rich for your blood, there are two other models: the TS Pro for $29,900 and the TS for $26,900.
Who needs an outlet when you have a Squad?
Squad
The Squad is a two-passenger car with a small solar panel on its roof that offers up to 19.2 miles on a sunny day. The golf cart-style vehicle can travel up to 60 miles on a single full charge. The powertrain consists of two 2-kilowatt rear in-wheel motors powered by four 1.6kWh batteries that are swappable. It has a top speed of just under 30 mph. The car has four-wheel disc brakes, seat belts and a roll cage for safety. It may not be the sportiest car on the block, but it saves you money both at the pump and with its US price of $6,250.
Ride a bike in the snow
Moonbikes
The Moonbike is a 163-pound rideable that’s part snowmobile, part bike. It can support a rider weight of 264 pounds, puts out 170 nm of torque and hits a top speed of 26 mph. The latest Moonbike adds mobile support for its products, with an iOS and Android app that allows riders to track their trails and altitude, and connect with other moonbikers. The bike is currently retailing for $8,900.
BMW’s concept car doubles as your buddy
Technology can be so impersonal. BMW’s i Vision Dee hopes to fix that. Using sophisticated AI, this concept car ditches the servant schtick of Siri and Alexa. Instead, it hopes to double as both your car and your friend. The i Vision Dee is an EV sports car with an exterior made up of 240 E Ink panels. You can use those panels to program a digital face into the car’s grille — because it’s an EV, the ventilation that a grille typically provides isn’t needed — or change the car’s colors at the click of a button.
Now playing: Watch this:
BMW i Vision DEE Concept Debuts Massive AR Windshield,…
4:13
The BMW i Vision Dee is for now, just a concept, but some of its features will trickle out to BMW’s actual cars. BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said, for instance, that the AI-powered HUB technology the company put into the i Vision Dee will come to real cars in 2025. — Daniel Van Boom
A flying car is actually happening, for real this time
Bree Fowler/CNET
We’ve been waiting on flying cars since at least the Jetsons, and we now appear on the precipice of realizing that dream. And by “we” I mean a company called Aska, which revealed its A5 flying car at CES 2023. It’s more than a concept: Aska has opened preorders for the $789,000 vehicle. At CES 2023, Aska cofounder Guy Kaplinsky said Federal Aviation Administration approval for the A5 could happen “within a month.” Aska hopes to use the A5 to start a ride-sharing service in 2026. — Daniel Van Boom
Read more: This $789,000 Flying Car Could Get Off the Ground Faster Than You Think
The Tesla of the sea
Candela’s C8 EV hydrofoil boat wants to stir up the waters with autonomous tech and more.
Candela
As you’ve probably noticed, EVs are hot right now. But why stop on the roads? Candela’s C8 EV hydrofoil boat is a slick vessel that glides along the water like a flying carpet, according to CNET’s Bridget Carey. Apart from making EVs sexy, Candela’s C8 takes cues from Tesla in another key way: Its autonomous boating, where the C8 can stick to a set course. The entire boat is made of carbon fiber, including the seats, which explains the $390,000 price tag. — Daniel Van Boom
Read more: CES 2023 Car Tech: The Coolest Auto News Out of Las Vegas This Week
Sony’s first car is coming in 2026
James Martin/CNET
EVs are big business, and Sony wants in. The electronics giant is teaming up with Honda on a new brand of electric vehicle called Afeela. The Afeela logo appears on a narrow screen, or “media bar,” on the vehicle’s front bumper. This can also interact with people outside the vehicle and share information such as the weather or the car’s state of charge.
Unlike the car Sony showed off at CES 2020, all those years ago, this one is actually hitting the market. No word yet on pricing, but Sony said its Afeela car will hit North American roads in 2026. Japan and Europe will follow. — Daniel Van Boom
A Transformers-inspired bike that fits under a desk
Icoma
Is this electric bike more than meets the eye? There’s little risk of confusing the Tatamel with a robot in disguise, but it isn’t often you see an electric bike that can fold up like a Transformer to the size of a suitcase and fit under a desk. At CES 2023, that’s exactly what Japanese company Icoma showed off with the Tatamel. It’s more than a last-mile bike, too. Its electric battery pack can be used to charge devices, which can be handy in an emergency.
Read more: A Transformers-Inspired EV Bike That Folds Up to Fit Under Your Desk
You might think of CES as being filled with TVs, laptops, smart home gear and all sorts of wacky miscellaneous gadgetry. But the annual tech show in Las Vegas is also a huge car tech show. And with people more environmentally aware than ever, it’s a no-brainer to see more electric vehicles and related innovations at CES 2023. Here are some of the best.
The Mercedes Benz Vision EQXX is the sexy EV that makes gas guzzlers drool
Mercedes
The Vision EQXX concept car was designed from the ground up and can travel up to 620 miles on a full charge without adding additional bulky batteries, making this concept car the most efficient Mercedes to date. The EQXX has an AI avatar like K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider, only more futuristic; all of this is on a single free-floating display. I need to figure out which I find more attractive, the interior or the exterior.
Verge TS Ultra Motorcycle has serious Tron vibes
Verge Motorbikes
The Verge TS line is coming to the US in 2023. The high-end Ultra will have a top speed of 124 mph and be able to charge quickly in 25 minutes, making it the coolest bike on the block. With an estimated 233 miles on a full charge, the Ultra puts out 201 horsepower. The bike can go 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds. The motor is located in the rear rim, giving the bike a lower center of gravity and allowing for a larger battery in the bike frame. The Ultra will cost you $44,900. If that’s too rich for your blood, there are two other models: the TS Pro for $29,900 and the TS for $26,900.
Who needs an outlet when you have a Squad?
Squad
The Squad is a two-passenger car with a small solar panel on its roof that offers up to 19.2 miles on a sunny day. The golf cart-style vehicle can travel up to 60 miles on a single full charge. The powertrain consists of two 2-kilowatt rear in-wheel motors powered by four 1.6kWh batteries that are swappable. It has a top speed of just under 30 mph. The car has four-wheel disc brakes, seat belts and a roll cage for safety. It may not be the sportiest car on the block, but it saves you money both at the pump and with its US price of $6,250.
Ride a bike in the snow
Moonbikes
The Moonbike is a 163-pound rideable that’s part snowmobile, part bike. It can support a rider weight of 264 pounds, puts out 170 nm of torque and hits a top speed of 26 mph. The latest Moonbike adds mobile support for its products, with an iOS and Android app that allows riders to track their trails and altitude, and connect with other moonbikers. The bike is currently retailing for $8,900.
BMW’s concept car doubles as your buddy
Technology can be so impersonal. BMW’s i Vision Dee hopes to fix that. Using sophisticated AI, this concept car ditches the servant schtick of Siri and Alexa. Instead, it hopes to double as both your car and your friend. The i Vision Dee is an EV sports car with an exterior made up of 240 E Ink panels. You can use those panels to program a digital face into the car’s grille — because it’s an EV, the ventilation that a grille typically provides isn’t needed — or change the car’s colors at the click of a button.
Now playing: Watch this:
BMW i Vision DEE Concept Debuts Massive AR Windshield,…
4:13
The BMW i Vision Dee is for now, just a concept, but some of its features will trickle out to BMW’s actual cars. BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said, for instance, that the AI-powered HUB technology the company put into the i Vision Dee will come to real cars in 2025. — Daniel Van Boom
A flying car is actually happening, for real this time
Bree Fowler/CNET
We’ve been waiting on flying cars since at least the Jetsons, and we now appear on the precipice of realizing that dream. And by “we” I mean a company called Aska, which revealed its A5 flying car at CES 2023. It’s more than a concept: Aska has opened preorders for the $789,000 vehicle. At CES 2023, Aska cofounder Guy Kaplinsky said Federal Aviation Administration approval for the A5 could happen “within a month.” Aska hopes to use the A5 to start a ride-sharing service in 2026. — Daniel Van Boom
Read more: This $789,000 Flying Car Could Get Off the Ground Faster Than You Think
The Tesla of the sea
Candela’s C8 EV hydrofoil boat wants to stir up the waters with autonomous tech and more.
Candela
As you’ve probably noticed, EVs are hot right now. But why stop on the roads? Candela’s C8 EV hydrofoil boat is a slick vessel that glides along the water like a flying carpet, according to CNET’s Bridget Carey. Apart from making EVs sexy, Candela’s C8 takes cues from Tesla in another key way: Its autonomous boating, where the C8 can stick to a set course. The entire boat is made of carbon fiber, including the seats, which explains the $390,000 price tag. — Daniel Van Boom
Read more: CES 2023 Car Tech: The Coolest Auto News Out of Las Vegas This Week
Sony’s first car is coming in 2026
James Martin/CNET
EVs are big business, and Sony wants in. The electronics giant is teaming up with Honda on a new brand of electric vehicle called Afeela. The Afeela logo appears on a narrow screen, or “media bar,” on the vehicle’s front bumper. This can also interact with people outside the vehicle and share information such as the weather or the car’s state of charge.
Unlike the car Sony showed off at CES 2020, all those years ago, this one is actually hitting the market. No word yet on pricing, but Sony said its Afeela car will hit North American roads in 2026. Japan and Europe will follow. — Daniel Van Boom
A Transformers-inspired bike that fits under a desk
Icoma
Is this electric bike more than meets the eye? There’s little risk of confusing the Tatamel with a robot in disguise, but it isn’t often you see an electric bike that can fold up like a Transformer to the size of a suitcase and fit under a desk. At CES 2023, that’s exactly what Japanese company Icoma showed off with the Tatamel. It’s more than a last-mile bike, too. Its electric battery pack can be used to charge devices, which can be handy in an emergency.
Read more: A Transformers-Inspired EV Bike That Folds Up to Fit Under Your Desk
You might think of CES as being filled with TVs, laptops, smart home gear and all sorts of wacky miscellaneous gadgetry. But the annual tech show in Las Vegas is also a huge car tech show. And with people more environmentally aware than ever, it’s a no-brainer to see more electric vehicles and related innovations at CES 2023. Here are some of the best.
The Mercedes Benz Vision EQXX is the sexy EV that makes gas guzzlers drool
Mercedes
The Vision EQXX concept car was designed from the ground up and can travel up to 620 miles on a full charge without adding additional bulky batteries, making this concept car the most efficient Mercedes to date. The EQXX has an AI avatar like K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider, only more futuristic; all of this is on a single free-floating display. I need to figure out which I find more attractive, the interior or the exterior.
Verge TS Ultra Motorcycle has serious Tron vibes
Verge Motorbikes
The Verge TS line is coming to the US in 2023. The high-end Ultra will have a top speed of 124 mph and be able to charge quickly in 25 minutes, making it the coolest bike on the block. With an estimated 233 miles on a full charge, the Ultra puts out 201 horsepower. The bike can go 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds. The motor is located in the rear rim, giving the bike a lower center of gravity and allowing for a larger battery in the bike frame. The Ultra will cost you $44,900. If that’s too rich for your blood, there are two other models: the TS Pro for $29,900 and the TS for $26,900.
Who needs an outlet when you have a Squad?
Squad
The Squad is a two-passenger car with a small solar panel on its roof that offers up to 19.2 miles on a sunny day. The golf cart-style vehicle can travel up to 60 miles on a single full charge. The powertrain consists of two 2-kilowatt rear in-wheel motors powered by four 1.6kWh batteries that are swappable. It has a top speed of just under 30 mph. The car has four-wheel disc brakes, seat belts and a roll cage for safety. It may not be the sportiest car on the block, but it saves you money both at the pump and with its US price of $6,250.
Ride a bike in the snow
Moonbikes
The Moonbike is a 163-pound rideable that’s part snowmobile, part bike. It can support a rider weight of 264 pounds, puts out 170 nm of torque and hits a top speed of 26 mph. The latest Moonbike adds mobile support for its products, with an iOS and Android app that allows riders to track their trails and altitude, and connect with other moonbikers. The bike is currently retailing for $8,900.
BMW’s concept car doubles as your buddy
Technology can be so impersonal. BMW’s i Vision Dee hopes to fix that. Using sophisticated AI, this concept car ditches the servant schtick of Siri and Alexa. Instead, it hopes to double as both your car and your friend. The i Vision Dee is an EV sports car with an exterior made up of 240 E Ink panels. You can use those panels to program a digital face into the car’s grille — because it’s an EV, the ventilation that a grille typically provides isn’t needed — or change the car’s colors at the click of a button.
Now playing: Watch this:
BMW i Vision DEE Concept Debuts Massive AR Windshield,…
4:13
The BMW i Vision Dee is for now, just a concept, but some of its features will trickle out to BMW’s actual cars. BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said, for instance, that the AI-powered HUB technology the company put into the i Vision Dee will come to real cars in 2025. — Daniel Van Boom
A flying car is actually happening, for real this time
Bree Fowler/CNET
We’ve been waiting on flying cars since at least the Jetsons, and we now appear on the precipice of realizing that dream. And by “we” I mean a company called Aska, which revealed its A5 flying car at CES 2023. It’s more than a concept: Aska has opened preorders for the $789,000 vehicle. At CES 2023, Aska cofounder Guy Kaplinsky said Federal Aviation Administration approval for the A5 could happen “within a month.” Aska hopes to use the A5 to start a ride-sharing service in 2026. — Daniel Van Boom
Read more: This $789,000 Flying Car Could Get Off the Ground Faster Than You Think
The Tesla of the sea
Candela’s C8 EV hydrofoil boat wants to stir up the waters with autonomous tech and more.
Candela
As you’ve probably noticed, EVs are hot right now. But why stop on the roads? Candela’s C8 EV hydrofoil boat is a slick vessel that glides along the water like a flying carpet, according to CNET’s Bridget Carey. Apart from making EVs sexy, Candela’s C8 takes cues from Tesla in another key way: Its autonomous boating, where the C8 can stick to a set course. The entire boat is made of carbon fiber, including the seats, which explains the $390,000 price tag. — Daniel Van Boom
Read more: CES 2023 Car Tech: The Coolest Auto News Out of Las Vegas This Week
Sony’s first car is coming in 2026
James Martin/CNET
EVs are big business, and Sony wants in. The electronics giant is teaming up with Honda on a new brand of electric vehicle called Afeela. The Afeela logo appears on a narrow screen, or “media bar,” on the vehicle’s front bumper. This can also interact with people outside the vehicle and share information such as the weather or the car’s state of charge.
Unlike the car Sony showed off at CES 2020, all those years ago, this one is actually hitting the market. No word yet on pricing, but Sony said its Afeela car will hit North American roads in 2026. Japan and Europe will follow. — Daniel Van Boom
A Transformers-inspired bike that fits under a desk
Icoma
Is this electric bike more than meets the eye? There’s little risk of confusing the Tatamel with a robot in disguise, but it isn’t often you see an electric bike that can fold up like a Transformer to the size of a suitcase and fit under a desk. At CES 2023, that’s exactly what Japanese company Icoma showed off with the Tatamel. It’s more than a last-mile bike, too. Its electric battery pack can be used to charge devices, which can be handy in an emergency.
Read more: A Transformers-Inspired EV Bike That Folds Up to Fit Under Your Desk
DETROIT (AP) — When a futuristic-looking electric Ram pickup truck goes on sale next year, it will hardly be the first in line.
By then, at least seven EV competitors are scheduled to be on sale, all of them vying for a share of the huge full-size truck market that now includes the three top-selling gasoline and diesel powered vehicles in the United States.
Four models — Ford’s F-150 Lightning, Rivian’s R1T, Lordstown Motors’ Endurance and the GMC Hummer EV Pickup — already are on the road. And this year or next, three others — the Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV and Tesla’s Cybertruck — are scheduled to roll out.
Yet executives at Ram, which is Stellantis’ truck and commercial vehicle brand, say it doesn’t bother them to be following rather than leading their competitors.
“It’s actually an advantage for us,” Mike Koval Jr., CEO of the Ram brand, said in an interview. “Because we have full knowledge of what the other guys have announced.”
On Thursday afternoon, company executives unveiled a concept version of the Ram 1500 Revolution battery-powered truck at the CES gadget show in Las Vegas. The production truck isn’t likely to be as edgy as the one shown on stage, which looks like a halfway point between Tesla’s angular Cybertruck and a conventional gas pickup. But the Ram EV, Koval said, will surpass competitors in the areas that customers value the most: payload, towing, range and technology.
GM has announced that the Silverado EV will be able to travel over 400 miles (640 kilometers) on a single charge. (Its rivals have ranges of between 230 to 400 miles, depending on battery size.) Koval insists that the production Ram “will push past everything that our competitors have announced.”
By next year, he noted, more charging stations and other infrastructure will be in place, making the market for EVs more attractive.
Jessica Caldwell, executive director of insights for Edmunds.com, said the Ram won’t be overly late to the market because the electric trucks on sale now can’t fully satisfy the sustained growth in consumer demand.
GM says more than 170,000 people have put down $100 refundable deposits on the Sierra. Last year, Ford sold over 15,000 Lightning trucks, even though the vehicles weren’t available until May. The company closed reservations after receiving $100 deposits from nearly 200,000 potential buyers.
Last year, Americans bought more than 2.1 million full-size pickups, most of which still run on gasoline. Big pickups accounted for more than 15% of all U.S. new vehicle sales, a huge and lucrative market. Electric vehicle sales are growing fast: Last year, 807,000 of them were sold in the United States — up 65% from 2021.
The prices of the EV trucks, which are comparatively costly, will have to move closer to those of gasoline versions to pull buyers away, said Michelle Krebs, executive analyst for Cox Automotive.
Ford’s electric pickup initially was to have a version starting around $40,000. But the starting price now is just under $56,000, driven up by demand and price increases for raw materials. That’s far more than the base gasoline-powered F-150 which starts just below $34,000.
“The problem with the pricing,” Krebs said, “is the costs are rising to build EVs. Lithium and other (battery) mineral prices are high.”
Automakers say that prices should decline as the companies spread costs across more vehicles and as breakthroughs in battery chemistry reduce the quantity or even eliminate minerals now needed to store energy.
Koval says he’s well-aware that the electric Ram will have to appeal to customers who want base-model work versions as well as those who want higher-priced luxury and technology — even with “insane” costs of raw materials.
“We’re going to try to have something for everybody,” he said, “but with an eye on that critical price point.”
The truck also will offer fast 350 kilowatt charging that can add up to 100 miles of range in about 10 minutes, a large interior accessed through “saloon style” doors with a interior with multiple configurations.
Getting people to give up their gas-powered trucks may take a while, Krebs acknowledges. In Midwestern states and Texas, where most pickups are sold, there aren’t many EV charging stations that enable longer trips.
Electric trucks may also appeal to companies that buy fleets of work trucks and want to receive tax credits and avoid paying for gasoline.
Caldwell thinks the market for electric pickups will include buyers who use them for work and those who otherwise would buy an electric SUV for personal use.
Electric trucks, she said, “kind of give people who maybe were on the fence about (an EV) more reason to buy.”
Sony and Honda hope you’re feeling their new car company’s name.
The tech and auto giants created Sony Honda Mobility last year to develop an electric vehicle brand and announced at CES on Wednesday that it will be called Afeela.
“Afeela expresses an interactive relationship where people “feel” mobility as an intelligent entity, and mobility “feels” people and society using sensing and network IT technologies,” the company said.
The name was rolled out on a prototype of the brand’s first vehicle, which will be built in the United States starting in 2026.
HONDA LAUNCHING $7,400 VAN
Afeela will begin selling cars in 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)
The four-door sedan features simple styling that is equipped with a massive suite of electronics.
The Afeela sedan has 45 sensors on it. (Afeela)
It includes 45 sensors made by Sony inside and out that include cameras, radar and lidar to enable its safety, semi-autonomous driving and interactive systems.
The Afeela’s interior has a widescreen digital display and video sideview mirrors. (Afeela)
The interior features digital displays spanning the dashboard, two more for the rear passengers and video camera sideview mirrors, which are legal in some countries, but not yet in the United States.
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The electronics are run by the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon Digital Chassis and use infotainment software developed by Epic Games.
The Afeela’s drivetrain specifications have not been announced. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Powertrain specifications, driving range and pricing were not announced, nor was the exact location where it will be produced.
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Honda will be launching the all-electric Prologue SUV next year in partnership with General Motors, but it is also building its own electric vehicle and battery manufacturing facilities in Ohio, which are scheduled to begin operating in 2026.
Gary Gastelu is Fox News Digital’s automotive editor.
By ADRIANA MORGA, HALELUYA HADERO and CARA RUBINSKY
January 4, 2023 GMT
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Tech companies of all sizes are showing off their latest products at CES, formerly known as the Consumer Electronics show.
The show is getting back to normal after going completely virtual in 2021 and seeing a significant drop in 2022 attendance because of the pandemic.
Exhibitors range from big names including Sony and LG to tiny startups. You might see the next big thing or something that will never make it past the prototype stage.
On Tuesday night, the show kicked off with media previews from just some of the 3,000 companies signed up to attend. CES officially opens Thursday.
Here are some highlights:
POKEMON, BUT MAKE IT BIRDS
Bird Buddy showed off a smart bird feeder that takes snapshots of feathered friends as they fly in to eat some treats. The startup says its AI technology can recognize more than 1,000 species of birds, allowing users to share through a mobile app what kind of birds they’re feeding.
“We try to kind of gamify the collection so it’s a really fun game that you can play — almost like a real life Pokémon Go with real animals and wildlife in your backyard,” said Kyle Buzzard, the company’s co-founder and chief hardware officer.
The product has already sparked some interest from consumers who want to show the world what birds are coming into their backyards.
The company, which began as a Kickstarter project in 2020, says it started shipping its bird feeders in September and has already sold all 100,000 in its inventory. The price for the basic feeder is $199.
ELECTRIC SKATES
Journalists had fun zipping around the exhibit hall on remote-controlled, electric inline skates from French startup AtmosGear.
The battery lasts for 20 miles (32 kilometers), said founder Mohamed Soliman, who hopes people will see them as a viable way to commute, like electric bikes or scooters.
“My goal is for everyone to go skating again because it’s so much fun, every time you see people skating you see them with a big smile,” Soliman said.
A waist bag holds the battery and cables connected to the skates. They also can be used as regular skates when they need to be charged or skaters simply want to travel under their own power.
The $500 skates are available for pre-order. The company has taken orders for 150 pairs so far and is aiming for 200 orders to start production.
DIGITAL TEMPORARY TATTOOS
A handheld device displayed by South Korean company Prinker allows you to quickly and easily apply temporary tattoos.
The device uses cosmetic-grade ink with a library of thousands of designs or the option to make your own with the company’s app. After picking a tattoo, you just wave the device over wherever you want it applied. The tattoos are waterproof but wash off with soap.
The flagship model is $279 and a smaller model is $229. Ink cartridges good for 1,000 tattoos are $119.
HELPING FIND YOUR WAY
Japan-based Loovic has created a device designed to solve the challenges of those who have difficulty navigating while they walk.
The device worn around the neck employs sounds and vibrations to guide users to destinations, enabling them to look at what’s around rather than focusing on a phone’s map app.
Loovic co-founder and CEO Toru Yamanaka said he was inspired to create the device for his son, who has a cognitive impairment making it difficult for him to navigate.
The prototype device is not yet available to the public.
A FITNESS TRACKER FOR YOUR DOG
If you wonder what your dog is doing while you’re not home, French startup Invoxia has a product for you. The company’s smart dog collar monitors your pet’s activity and sleep, sending the data to your phone.
The latest version unveiled at CES, which has a GPS tracker, includes more advanced heart health monitoring.
The collar is $149 in the U.S. while a monthly $8.25 subscription to the app monitors the data and shares it with your veterinarian.
METAVERSE FOR KIDS
The creators of Roybi, an educational AI robot that helps children learn about STEM topics and new languages, are venturing into the metaverse.
The RoybiVerse is expected to offer stations where K-12 and higher education students can learn about a wide range of educational topics.
Users walking around the RoybiVerse will be able to visit an area where they’ll learn about dinosaurs or walk over to the virtual library where they can pick a book and read it.
The RoybiVerse, which is expected to launch by mid-2023, will be available in virtual reality headsets and on a website. No robot needed.
___
For more on CES, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/consumer-electronics-show
As sales of electric vehicles continue to surge, many new and prospective customers have questions about qualifying for federal tax credit on electric vehicles, especially now that a slew of new credits have been reinstated to US consumers.
Whether you qualify is not a simple yes or no question… well, actually it sort of is, but the amount you may qualify for varies by household due to a number of different factors. Furthermore, there are other potential savings available to you that you might not even know about yet.
Luckily, we have compiled everything you need to know about tax credits for your new or current electric vehicle into one place. The goal is to help ensure you are receiving the maximum value on your carbon-conscious investment because, let’s face it, you’ve gone green and you deserve it.
How does a federal tax credit work for my EV?
The idea in theory is quite simple — “All electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles that were purchased new in or after 2010 may be eligible for a federal income tax credit of up to $7,500,” according to the US Department of Energy.
With that said, you cannot simply go out and buy an electric vehicle and expect Uncle Sam to cut $7,500 off your taxes in April. In reality, the amount you qualify for is based on both your income tax as well as the size of the electric battery in the vehicle you own.
Now, thanks to the freshly inked Inflation Reduction Act, there are a lot more parameters to be mindful of, like the requirement that the EV must be assembled in North America for instance. We have dug into those new terms more below.
To begin, here’s how the Federal EV tax credit currently works.
How much is the federal tax credit?
First and foremost, it’s important to understand three little words the government slips in front of the $7,500 credit – “may” and “up to.” As in, you may qualify for up to $7,500 in federal tax credit for your electric vehicle. At first glance, this credit may sound like a simple flat rate, but that is unfortunately not the case.
For example, if you purchased a Ford F-150 Lightning and owed say, $3,500 in income tax this year, then that is the federal tax credit you would receive. If you owed $10,000 in federal income tax, then you would qualify for the full $7,500 credit.
It’s important to note that any unused portion of the $7,500 is not available as a refund, nor as a credit for next year’s taxes. Bummer.
However, under new terms of the tax deal, you may be able to snag that credit up front at the point of sale of your EV. More on that below.
The Biden administration continues to expand EV adoption
President Biden first vowed to make the nation’s entire federal fleet all-electric. The White House has introduced two bills to expand EV adoption, one of which was signed by the President and includes funding for heavily expanded EV charging infrastructure.
Previously, there were rumors that the federal tax credit would be increased to $10,000. In President Biden’s previous $174 billion investment plan for electrification, the tax credit was quickly mentioned as a reform. However, the summary remained vague about the reform – only confirming that it will not only take the form of tax rebates but also “point of sale rebates” and it will now be for “American-made EVs.”
The second and larger bill sat within Biden’s “Build Back Better Act” and subsequent increases to the federal tax credit, but it couldn’t get past the Senate in late 2021. At that point, the revamped tax credit we all have sought was in limbo, possibly DOA. Until this past summer…
Revived EV federal tax credits were officially signed by POTUS
In late July 2022 the US Senate shared it was moving forward to vote on EV tax credit reform after Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) took a break from huffing coal to finally agree to include investments to curb climate change.
One of the most prominent parts of the bill (to us) includes the long-awaited and fought over electric vehicle tax credit reform. In this iteration of the bill, access to the tax credit will be returned to those who have already exhausted the threshold, including Tesla and GM vehicles.
On August 7, 2022 it was approved by the Senate and a week later signed into law by President Biden.
The biggest issue we all are having with the Inflation Reduction act, is how cloudy and confusing its EV requirements are. Bear with us as we sort through it all, to once again provide you with the most up to date details of this ever evolving tale.
We have learned that the reform bill will also apply to EVs delivered after December 31, 2022. Here’s a breakdown of the terms of the new Inflation Reduction Act.
New Federal Tax Credits under the Inflation Reduction Act
Federal tax credit for EVs will remain at $7,500
Timeline to qualify is extended a decade from January 2023 to December 2032
Tax credit cap for automakers after they hit 200,000 EVs sold is eliminated, making GM, Tesla and Toyota once again eligible
The language in the bill indicates that the tax credit could be implemented at the point of sale instead of on taxes at the end of the fiscal year
That means you can get your credit up front at the dealer, but these terms may not kick in until 2024
In order to get the full credit, the EV must be assembled in North America and…
The majority of battery components need to come from North America and…
A certain percentage of “critical minerals” must come form North America or countries with free trade agreements with the US
New federal tax credit of $4,000 for used EVs priced below $25k
Subject to other requirements like lower annual income (see below)
Revised credit applies to BEV cars with an MSRP below $55k
Also includes zero-emission vans, SUVs, and trucks with MSRPs up to $80,000
New credit also expands to commercial fleet customers
Includes separate qualifications and limits
The federal EV tax credit will be available to individuals reporting adjusted gross incomes of $150,000 or less, or $300,000 for joint filers
The new credit will also continue to apply to Plug-in Hybrid EVs (PHEVs) as long as they meet the same requirements outlined above and are equipped with a battery over 7 kWh.
Here are more detailed terms of the tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act, detailed by lawyer, Chris Stidham:
Revamped Credit for new BEV/PHEVs
Manufacturer caps eliminated. (Page 370, line 15)
Credit applies for vehicles purchased beginning January 1, 2023. (Page 386, line 1)
Transition provision for EVs with written sales orders dated in 2022 prior to the date of President signing the bill but delivered in 2023 allows purchaser to claim the “old” credit in 2023. (Page 386, line 20)
Vehicle must be assembled in North America to qualify for new credit. (Page 366, line 15)
North American assembly requirement applies to vehicles sold after the date of adoption of the bill. (Page 386, line 3)
$7,500 credit is broke into two binary pieces meaning the vehicle either qualifies for each piece of the credit or it doesn’t. No longer based on size of battery. (Page 366, line 6)
$3,750 of the new credit is based upon the vehicle having at least 40% of its battery critical minerals from the United States or countries with a free trade agreement with the United States. This is a list of countries with free trade agreements with the US. (Page 371)
The other $3,750 of the new credit is based on at least 50% of the battery components of the vehicle coming from the United States or countries with a free trade agreement with the US. (Page 372, line 13)
The 40% minerals requirement increases to 50% in 2024, 60% in 2025, 70% in 2026 and 80% in 2027. (page 371 line 23)
The 50% battery components requirement increases to 60% in 2024, 70% in 2026, 80% in 2027, 90% in 2028 and 100% in 2029. (Page line 373)
The government has until the end of the year to develop guidance on the battery requirements. (Page 374)
Beginning in 2025, any vehicle with battery minerals or components from a foreign entity of concern are excluded from the tax credit. (Page 374, line 20).
One credit per vehicle. (Page 375, line 12)
Modified gross income limit of $150k for individuals, $225k for head of household, and $300k for joint returns. Definition of MAGI (page 375, line 22)
MSRP of vehicle must be $80k or less for SUVs, Vans and Trucks. $55k for all other vehicles. (Page 377, line 4)
Dealer can apply credit at time of sale. Dealer must disclose to buyer the MSRP of the vehicle, the applicable tax credit amount and the amount of any other available incentive applicable to the purchase. (Page 378, line 6)
Credit terminates December 31, 2032.
RevampedUsed Vehicle Credit
Tax credit of 30% of value of used EV with $4,000 cap (Page 387, line 23).
Used vehicle must be at least two model years old at time of sale. (Page 389, line 7).
The original use of the vehicle must have occurred with an individual other than the one claiming the used tax credit. (Page 389, line 10).
Used vehicle must be purchased from a dealer. (Page 390, line 3).
Used vehicle price must be $25k or less. (Page 390, line 5).
Used vehicle qualifies for tax credit only once in its lifetime. (Page 390, line 7)
Purchaser must be an individual (no businesses) to qualify for used credit. (Page 390, line 14).
Purchaser may only claim one used vehicle credit per three years. (Page 390, line 20).
Modified gross income cap of $75k for individuals, $112,500 for head of household and $150k for joint returns. (Page 388).
Credit may be applied at time of sale by dealer. (Page 391, line 15).
Credit terminates on December 31, 2032. (Page 391, line 12).
Credit only applies to the first transfer of the used vehicle.
What are the current electric vehicle credits before the terms change?
As you’ll see from the rather barren list below of EVs that might qualify under the new terms of the Inflation Reduction Act, a majority of EVs currently available for credits to US consumers will soon no longer qualify.
That isn’t to say they won’t be back on in the yes column come January 1, 2023 since many of these automakers do have North American production facilities. Other EVs like Rivian models for example are American made, but some are priced above the $80k threshold for trucks.
Fisker has been long touting is flagship Ocean SUV as an EV priced below $30k for those who qualify for the entire $7,500 credit. However, under the new terms, the Austrian built SUV will qualify for zero federal credits. That being said, its current MSRP of $37,499 is still pretty enticing, but this is a major blow to its marketing strategy to the point that the American automaker is now considering adding US production for the Ocean.
The quick workaround that felt like a mad scramble was some verbiage allowing for “written binding contracts” under a “transition rule” in the Inflation Reduction Act. That rule allowed consumers to still qualify if they signed the binding contract before the date of bill being signed into law, even if the car is delivered after the bill is signed. This is covered on page 393-394 of the bill.
Since the bill has been signed into law, this quick workaround is no longer possible. We’ve put together a full breakdown of where those tax credits stand for EV automakers not currently assembling in the North America.
Vehicles purchased and delivered between August 16 and December 31, 2022
Following the official signing of the Inflation Reduction Act, the IRS has included the following transition rule for those who already had an EV on the way but are wondering if they still qualify before the new credit terms kick in. In certain circumstances, the answer is yes. Per the IRS page:
If you purchase and take possession of a qualifying electric vehicle after August 16, 2022 and before January 1, 2023, aside from the final assembly requirement, the rules in effect before the enactment of the Inflation Reduction Act for the EV credit apply (including those involving the manufacturing caps on vehicles sold).
The upcoming Fisker Ocean, starting at an MSRP of $37,499 / Source: Fisker Inc.
What electric vehicles could qualify for tax credit as of January 1, 2023?
Alright, this is probably the main reason why you’re here. If you scrolled through the details above, you may want to consider going back and at least skimming, because there are some major changes to federal tax credits to electric vehicles under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Following a revision by the IRS and a delay in battery material guidance, these are the following terms for EVs for some form of qualification as of late December 2022. To qualify, a vehicle must:
Have a battery capacity of at least 7 kilowatt hours (kWh)
Have a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of less than 14,000 pounds
Made by a qualified manufacturer (see below)
Fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) do not need to be made by a qualified manufacturer to be eligible.
EV must undergo final assembly in North America
Vehicle’s manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) can’t exceed $80,000 for vans, sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks
Cannot exceed $55,000 for other vehicles
Furthermore, the sale of the EV only qualifies for tax credits only if:
The vehicle is purchased new
The seller reports required information to you at the time of sale and to the IRS
Sellers must report your name and taxpayer identification number to the IRS for you to be eligible to claim the credit
Under the terms mentioned above, these are the EVs that could qualify for the full $7,500 credit beginning January 1, 2023.
Please note that the list below features EVs assembled in North America and comes directly from The IRS who, like all of us is still figuring out which EVs will actually qualify. Bear with us and trust we will keep this list updated often.
All-electric vehicles
Make and Model
Full Tax Credit
CADILLAC (GM)(would not qualify until 1/1/23)
Lyriq (2023)
$,7500
CHEVROLET(GM)(would not qualify until 1/1/23)
Bolt EUV (2022-2023)
$7,500
Bolt EV (2022-2023)
$7,500
FORD
F-150 Lightning (2022-2023)
$7,500
Mustang Mach-E (2022-2023)
$7,500
E-Transit (2022-2023)
$7,500
NISSAN
LEAF SV, S Plus, SL Plus (2021-2022)
$7,500
LEAF S / SV Plus (2021-2023)
$7,500
RIVIAN
R1T (2022-2023)
$7,500
R1S (2022-2023)
$7,500
TESLA(would not qualify until 1/1/23)
Model 3 RWD/Long Range (2022-2023)
$7,500
Model Y AWD/Long Range/Performance (2022- 2023)
$7,500
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4 Pro/Pro S/AWD Pro/AWD Pro S (2023)
$7,500
Current as of 12/29/22 (changes in bold)
Hummer EV off road Source: GMC
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Make and Model
Full Tax Credit
AUDI
Q5 TFSI e Quattro (2023)
$7,500
BMW
330e (2021-2023)
$7,500
X5 xDrive45e (2021-2023)
$7,500
CHRYSLER
Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid (2022-2023)
$7,500
FORD
Escape Plug-in Hybrid (2022-2023)
$7,500
JEEP
Grand Cherokee 4xe (2022-2023)
$7,500
Wrangler 4xe (2022-2023)
$7,500
LINCOLN
Aviator Grand Touring (2022-2023)
$7,500
Corsair Grand Touring (2022-2023)
$7,500
VOLVO
S60 Recharge /Extended Range (2022)
$7,500
S60 T8 Recharge (Extended Range)(2023)
$7,500
Current as of 12/29/22 (changes in bold)
What electric vehicles qualify under the current tax credit?
Although the credits above should be the focus going forward, we wanted to keep the previous credit details below. Less of a trip down memory lane, but more of a list of what EVs previously qualified, so you can gather how many will be lost under upcoming terms.
As we previously mentioned however, some of these EVs could eventually once again qualify, as automakers pivot to bring their assembly to North America.
All-electric vehicles
Make and Model
Full Tax Credit
AUDI
e-tron Sportback (2020-2022)
$7,500
e-tron SUV (2019, 2021-2022)
$7,500
e-tron GT / RS e-tron GT (2022-2023)
$7,500
e-tron S (Standard and Sportback) (2022)
$7,500
Q4 50 e-tron Quattro (2022)
$7,500
BMW
i3 Sedan (2014-2021)
$7,500
i3s (2018-2021)
$7,500
i4 eDrive40/M50 Gran Coupe (2022-2023)
$7,500
iX xDrive50/M60(2022-2023)
$7,500
i7 xDrive60 (2023)
$7,500
BYD
e6 (2012-2017)
$7,500
CANOO
Lifestyle Vehicle (2023)
$7,500
FIAT
500e (2013-2019)
$7,500
FORD
Focus EV (2012-2018)
$7,500
Mustang Mach-E (all 2021/2022 trims including GT)
$7,500
E-Transit (2022-2023)
$7,500
F-150 Lightning (standard/extended range) (2022)
$7,500
GENERAL MOTORS (GM)
Not currently eligible for tax credits
–––––
GENESIS
GV60 (2023)
$7,500
Electrified G80 (2022)
$7,500
HYUNDAI
Ioniq Electric (2017-2021)
$7,500
Ioniq 5 (2022-2023)
$7,500
Kona Electric (2019-2023)
$7,500
JAGUAR
I-Pace (2019-2022)
$7,500
I-Pace HSE (2022-2023)
$7,500
KANDI
EX3 (2019-2021)
$7,500
K22 (2019-2020)
$7,500
K23 (2020-2022)
$7,500
K27 (2020-2022)
$7,500
KIA
Niro EV (2019-2022)
$7,500
Soul Electric (2015-2020)
$7,500
EV6 (58 kWh, 77.4 kWh) (2022)
$7,500
LUCID MOTORS
Lucid Air Dream Edition (2022)
$7,500
Lucid Air Grand Touring (2022)
$7,500
MAZDA
MX-30 (2022)
$7,500
MERCEDES-BENZ
EBQ 350 4matic (2022)
$7,500
EBQ 400 4matic (2022)
$7,500
AMG EQS (2022)
$7,500
EQS 450 4matic (2022)
EQS 450+ (2022)
$7,500
EQS 580 4matic (2022)
$7,500
EQS 450+ SUV (2022)
$7,500
EQS 450 4matic SUV (2022)
$7,500
EQS 580 4matic SUV (2022)
$7,500
B-Class EV (2014-2017)
$7,500
MINI
Cooper S E Hardtop 2 & 4 Door (2020-2023)
$7,500
MITSUBISHI
i-MiEV (2012, 2014, 2016, 2017)
$7,500
NISSAN
LEAF (2011-2023)
$7,500
Ariya (2023)
$7,500
POLESTAR
Polestar 2 (2021)
$7,500
Polestar 2 Long Range – Single & Dual Motor (2022-2023)
$7,500
PORSCHE
Taycan (2020-2022) (all trims)
$7,500
RIVIAN
R1T (2022)
$7,500
R1S (2022)
$7,500
EDV 700 (2022)
$7,500
SMART USA
EQ fortwo Coupe (2019)
$7,500
EQ fortwo Cabrio (2019)
$7,500
SUBARU
Solterra (2023)
$7,500
TESLA
Not currently eligible for tax credits
–––––
TOYOTA
Toyotas purchased after 9/30/23 are no longer eligible for tax credits
–––––
RAV4 EV (2012-2014)
$7,500
VOLKSWAGEN
e-Golf (2015-2019)
$7,500
ID.4 EV (First/Pro/Pro S) (2021-2022)
$7,500
VOLVO
C40 Recharge Pure Electric (2022-2023)
$7,500
XC40 Recharge Pure Electric (2021-2023)
$7,500
Last Update 12/13/2022
The 2023 Subaru Solterra
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs)
The US Department of Energy offers the full detailed list on its website.
Make and Model
Full Tax Credit
AUDI
A3 e-tron / e-tron ultra (2016-2018)
$4,502
A7 55 TFSI e Quattro (2021)
$6,712
A7 TFSI e Quattro (2022)
$7,500
A8L PHEV (2020)
$6,712
A8L 60 TFSI e Quattro (2021)
$6,712
Q5 PHEV (2020)
$6,712
Q5 55 TFSI e Quattro (2021)
$6,712
Q5 TFSI e Quattro (2022-2023)
$7,500
BENTLEY
Bentayga Hybrid (2020-2021)
$7,500
Flying Spur Hybrid (2022)
$7,500
BMW
i3 Sedan w/ Range Extender (2014-2021)
$7,500
i3s w/ Range Extender (2018-2021)
$7,500
BMW i8 (2014-2017)
$3,793
i8 Coupe/Roadster (2018-2020)
$5,669
X3 xDrive30e (2020-2021)
$5,836
X5 xDrive40e (2016-2018)
$4,668
X5 xDrive45e (2021-2022)
$7,500
330e (2016-2018)
$4,001
330e/330e xDrive (2021-2023)
$5,836
530e/530e xDrive (2018-2019)
$4,668
530e/530e xDrive (2020-2023)
$5,836
740e (2017)
$4,668
740e xDrive (2018-2019)
$4,668
745e xDrive (2020-2022)
$5,836
CHRYSLER
Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid (2017-2022)
$7,500
FERRARI
SF90 Stradale (2020-2021)
$3,501
296 GTB (2022)
$3,334
FISKER AUTOMOTIVE
Karma Sedan (2012)
$7,500
FORD
C-Max Energi (2013-2017)
$4,007
Fusion Energi (2013-2018)
$4,007
Fusion Energi (2019-2020)
$4,609
Escape Plug-in Hybrid (2020-2022)
$6,843
GENERAL MOTORS (GM)
Not currently eligible for tax credits
–––––
HONDA
Accord Plug-in Hybrid (2014)
$3,626
Clarity Plug-in Hybrid (2018-2021)
$7,500
HYUNDAI
Ioniq Plug-in Hybrid (2018-2022)
$4,543
Sonata Plug-in Hybrid (2016-2019)
$4,919
Tucson Plug-in Hybrid (2022-2023)
$6,587
Santa Fe Plug-in Hybrid (2022-2023)
$6,587
JEEP
Grand Cherokee PHEV (2022-2023)
$7,500
Wrangler Unlimited PHEV (2021-2023)
$7,500
KARMA
GS-6 (2021-2022)
$7,500
Revero (2018-2022)
$7,500
KIA
Niro Plug-in Hybrid (2018-2022)
$4,543
Optima Plug-in Hybrid (2017-2020)
$4,919
Sorento Plug-in Hybrid (2022)
$6,587
Sportage PHEV (2023)
$6,586.60
LAND ROVER
Range Rover/Sport PHEV (2019)
$7,087
Range Rover/Sport PHEV (2020-2022)
$6,295
Range Rover SE PHEV (2023)
$7,500
Rover Range Rover Sport Autobiography PHEV (2023)
$7,500
LEXUS
Lexus’ purchased after 9/30/23 are no longer eligible for tax credits
–––––
NX Plug-in Hybrid (2022)
$7,500
LINCOLN
Aviator Grand Touring (2020-2023)
$6,534
Corsair Reserve Grand Touring PHEV (2021-2022)
$6,843
Corsair Grand Touring PHEV (2022)
$6,843
McLAREN
Artura (2022-2023)
$4,585
MERCEDES-BENZ
S550e Plug-in Hybrid (2015-2017)
$4,460
GLE550e 4matic (2016-2018)
$4,460
GLC350e 4matic (2018-2019)
$4,460
GLC350e 4M EQ (2020)
$6,462
S560e EQ PHEV (2020)
$6,462
C350e (2016-2018)
$3,501
MINI
Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 (2018-2019)
$4,001
Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 (2020-2022)
$5,002
MITSUBISHI
Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in (2018-2020)
$5,836
Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in (2021-2023)
$6,587
POLESTAR
Polestar 1 (2020-2021)
$7,500
PORSCHE
Cayenne S E-Hybrid (2015-2018)
$5,336
Cayenne E-Hybrid / Coupe (2019-2020)
$6,712
Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid / Coupe (2021)
$7,500
Cayenne E-Hybrid / Coupe (2021-2022)
$7,500
Panamera S E-Hybrid (2014-2016)
$4,752
Panamera 4 E-Hybrid (2018)
$6,670
Panamera 4 E-Hybrid (2019-2020)
$6,712
Panamera 4 E-Hybrid (2021-2022)
$7,500
SUBARU
Crosstrek Hybrid (2019-2022)
$4,502
TESLA
Not currently eligible for tax credits
–––––
TOYOTA
Toyotas purchased after 9/30/23 are no longer eligible for tax credits
–––––
Prius Plug-in Hybrid (2012-2015)
$2,500
Prius Prime Plug-in Hybrid (2017-2022)
$4,502
RAV4 Prime Plug-in Hybrid (2021-2022)
$7,500
VOLVO
S60 (2019)
$5,002
S60 (2020-2022)
$5,419
S60 Extended Range (2022-2023)
$7,500
S90 (2018-2019)
$5,002
S90 (2020-2022)
$5,419
S90 Extended Range (2022-2023)
$7,500
V60 (2020-2022)
$5,419
V60 Extended Range (2022-2023)
$7,500
XC60 (2018-2019)
$5,002
XC60 (2020-2022)
$5,419
XC60 Extended Range (2022-2023)
$7,500
XC90 (2016-2017)
$4,585
XC90 / XC90 Excellence (2018-2019)
$5,002
XC90 (2020-2022)
$5,419
XC90 Extended Range (2022-2023)
$7,500
Last Update 12/13/2022
Other tax credits available for electric vehicle owners
So now you should know if your vehicle does in fact qualify for a federal tax credit, and how much you might be able to save.
Find out where an EV is assembled using its VIN
The US Department of Energy offers a VIN decoder tool to confirm where a given EV is assembled. Check it out here.
Check out our complete breakdown of state tax incentives, sorted by state
In additional to any federal credit you may or may not qualify for, there are a number of clean transportation laws, regulations, and funding opportunities available at the state level.
For example, in the state of California, drivers can qualify for a $2,000-$4,500 rebate or a grant up to $5,000 under the Clean Vehicle Assistance Program on top of any federal credit received (all rebate and grant amounts are based on income). Furthermore, states like California offer priority driving lanes and parking spots for EV drivers who qualify.
In New York, residents can receive either a $500 or $2,000 rebate depending on the base price of the EV purchased. Again, these incentives vary by state, and much like the federal tax credit, are contingent on multiple factors.
Want to learn more? Of course you do! Luckily, we’ve compiled each and every state rebate, tax credit, and exemption for you and sorted it by state. Whether its a purchase or lease of a new or used EV, or the purchase and/or installation of an EV charger, you could get money back, depending where you live. Here are all those tax credits, rebates, and exemptions, sorted by state.
Source: Fueleconomy.gov
Tax incentives on electric vehicles are worth the research
Hopefully this post has helped to incentivize you to use the resources above to your advantage.
Whether it’s calculating potential savings or rebates before making a new EV purchase or determining what tax credits might already be available to you for your current electric vehicle, there is much to discover.
Ditching fossil fuels for greener roadways should already feel rewarding, but right now the government is willing to reward you further for your environmental efforts.
Use it to your full capability while you can, because as more and more people start going electric, the less the government will need to reward drivers.
Electric Vehicle (EV) tax credit FAQ
How does the EV tax credit work?
At the federal level, the tax credits for EVs (electric cars, vans, trucks, etc) operates as money back at the end of the fiscal year you purchased or leased your vehicles based on a number of factors.
The awarded credit is up to $7,500 per vehicle, but how much you may get back will depend on the your annual income, whether you are filing with someone else like a spouse, and what electric vehicle you purchased.
For example, if you purchased a Ford Mustang Mach-E and owed $3,500 in income tax this year, then that is the federal tax credit you would receive. If you owed $10,000 in federal income tax, then you could qualify for the full $7,500 credit.
It’s important to note that any unused portion of the $7,500 is not available as a refund, nor as a credit for next year’s taxes.
You may also be able to receive money back right away as a point of sale credit, but those terms probably won’t kick in until 2024 at the earliest.
What electric vehicles qualify for tax credits?
As things currently stand, there is a lot up in the air right now. The second list above details all of the electric vehicles that previously qualified before the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act this past August outlining new qualifying terms for automakers.
Some of the electric vehicles still qualify for tax credits if they are purchased and delivered before the end of 2022. Click here to learn more.
What electric vehicles qualify for the new tax credits starting in 2023?
This answer is even less clear than the one above. As previously mentioned, qualifying terms for electric vehicle will become more strict beginning in 2023, and EVs and their battery components must be assembled in North America to qualify.
When the revised tax credit terms kick on January 1, 2023, very few electric vehicles will likely qualify, but as time goes on, more and more automakers will adapt their production strategies to operate within North America and start selling vehicles that qualify.
American companies like Ford and GM should qualify to some extent to begin, but others will follow. We will continually update the list above as we learn more.
Do hybrids qualify for tax credits?
Excellent question. Since traditional hybrid vehicles rely primarily on combustion and do not use a plug to charge, they do not qualify for tax credits at the federal level. Credits apply to plug-in electric vehicles which includes plug-in hybrid EVs and battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
Do used electric cars qualify for federal tax credits?
Soon! Under revised terms in the inflation reduction act. Used EVs will now qualify in addition to new vehicles as previously stated.
Starting January 1, 2023 qualifying used EVs priced below $25,000 can qualify for up to $4,000 in federal tax credits. There are some terms to note however: – Used vehicle qualifies for tax credit only once in its lifetime. – Purchaser must be an individual (no businesses) to qualify for the used vehicle credit. – Purchaser may only claim one used vehicle credit per three years. – Tax credit is 30% of value of used EV up to $4,000 – Used vehicle must be at least two model years old at time of sale. – The original use of the vehicle must have occurred with an individual other than the one claiming the used tax credit. – Used vehicle must be purchased from a dealer. – Gross income cap of $75k for individuals, $112,500 for head of household and $150k for joint returns. – Credit may be applied at time of sale by dealer
Are there price caps for electric vehicles to qualify for tax credits?
Right now, no. But starting January 1, 2023, yes. Under the new terms in the Inflation reduction act, the MSRP of electric vehicle must be $80,000 or less for SUVs, vans, and trucks. MSRPs for all other vehicles must be $55,000 or less.
What are the income limits to qualify for any federal EV tax credits?
Starting January 1, 2023, modified gross income limits will be $150,000 for individuals, $225,000 for head of household, and $300,000 for joint returns. Any reported annual income below these thresholds should qualify you for some level of tax credit, as long as your new purchase is a qualifying electric vehicle.
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Electric motorbike startups making inroads in Kenya
Say battery swapping saves drivers time, money
Planning to expand model to Tanzania, Uganda
NAIROBI, Dec 26 (Reuters) – Over recent months, sets of sturdy, brightly-branded battery swapping stations have cropped up around Kenya’s capital Nairobi, allowing electric motorcyclists to exchange their low battery for a fully-charged one.
It is a sign of an electric motorcyle revolution starting to unfold in Kenya where combustion-engine motorbikes are a cheaper and quicker way to get around than cars but environmental experts say are 10 times more polluting.
East Africa’s biggest economy is betting on electric-powered motorcycles, its renewables-heavy power supply and position as a technology and start-up hub to lead the region’s shift to zero-emission electric mobility.
The battery swapping system not only saves time – essential for Kenya’s more than one million motorcyclists, most of whom use the bikes commercially – but also saves buyers money as many sellers follow a model in which they retain ownership of the battery, the bike’s most expensive part.
“It doesn’t make a lot of economic and business sense for them to acquire a battery…which would almost double the cost of the bike,” said Steve Juma, the co-founder of electric bike company Ecobodaa.
Ecobodaa has 50 test electric motorcyles on the road now and plans to have 1,000 by the end of 2023 which it sells for about $1,500 each – roughly the same price as combustion-engine bikes thanks to the exclusion of the battery from the cost.
After the initial purchase, the electric motorcyle – designed to be sturdy enough to traverse rocky roads – is cheaper to run than petrol-guzzling ones.
[1/5] Workers at ARC Ride assemble an electric motorcycle at the company’s warehouse in Industrial Area, Nairobi, Kenya November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Monicah Mwangi
“With the normal bike, I will use fuel worth approximately 700-800 Kenyan shillings ($5.70-$6.51) each day, but with this bike, when I swap a battery I get one battery at 300 shillings,” said Kevin Macharia, 28, who transports goods and passengers around Nairobi.
EXPANSION PLANS
Ecobodaa is just one of several Nairobi-based electric motorcycle startups working to prove themselves in Kenya before eventually expanding in East Africa.
Kenya’s consistent power supply which is about 95% renewable led by hydroelectricity and has a widespread network, was a major support for growth of the sector, said Jo Hurst-Croft, founder of ARC Ride, another Nairobi-based electric motorcycle startup.
The country’s power utility estimates it generates enough to charge two million electric motorcycles a day: electricity access in the country is over 75%, according to the World Bank, and even higher in Nairobi.
Uganda and Tanzania also have robust and renewables-heavy grids that could support electric mobility, said Hurst-Croft.
“We’re putting over 200 swapping stations in Nairobi and expanding to Dar es Salaam and Kampala,” said Hurst-Croft.
($1 = 122.9000 Kenyan shillings)
Reporting by Ayenat Mersie; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
