Founders: Gene Berdichevsky (CEO), Gleb Yushin, Alex Jacobs Launched: 2011 Headquarters: Alameda, California Funding: $930 million Valuation: N/A Key technologies: Nanotechnology Industry: Automotive Previous appearances on Disruptor 50 List: 1 (No. 34 in 2021)
Persephone Kavallines
As the electric vehicle fast becomes the future for major automakers, critical elements including lithium are poised to be the equivalent of new oils.
Elon Musk has been saying for years that if there’s any business a smart entrepreneur should get into, it’s lithium refining. He didn’t wait too long: The Tesla CEO just broke ground on his own lithium refining plant in Texas this week.
Using metals and minerals in batteries isn’t new, with lithium-ion tech commercially available since 1991, and inside not just the growing EV production lines but smartphones — and in the case of next-generation battery chemistry startup Sila, Whoop fitness trackers. But with the ambitious growth targets for EV production from both automakers and governments, the race is on to secure the natural resources needed for the auto industry’s energy transition, and none is more important than lithium.
According to research published earlier this year from the University of California, Davis, and the Climate and Community Project,“If today’s demand for EVs is projected to 2050, the lithium requirements of the U.S. EV market alone in 2050 would require triple the amount of lithium currently produced for the entire global market.”
That’s potentially bad for a lot of reasons, including the expansion of mining. But there are a variety of workarounds, from new battery recycling programs to reengineering the size of the EV battery, and its chemistry, to do more with less.
Silicon Valley-based Sila, founded by former Tesla engineers, is moving into autos with its new lithium-ion technology to help solve this growing problem.
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Sila is building off the standard approach of two electrodes – an anode (negative) and a cathode (positive) – but with its development of a silicon-based anode to replace graphite, more lithium ions can be stored in the battery, increasing energy density, and more of the battery can be constructed from recycled materials. The company says its approach can increase the energy density of batteries by 20%, and serve as a “drop-in” replacement to give batteries a boost across auto companies.
It shipped its first commercial products in 2021, but the real growth is yet to come, with key EV partners in Mercedes-Benz and the U.S. government.
Last October, the Department of Energy awarded $100 million to Sila for construction of its 600,000-plus-square-foot manufacturing plant in Moses Lake, Washington, part of the multi-billion investment in EVs and battery tech included in President Biden’s infrastructure plan. The 160-acre campus is targeting production of 20 gigawatts of capacity by 2026, which it estimates is enough to power 200,000 electric vehicles. Mercedes’ G Class series is the first production line slated for the new batteries, though production lines are not expected to be fully underway until the first half of 2025.
Sila is not alone in seeking to remake the lithium-ion battery, with rival startups such as Amprius Technologies and Group 14 Technologies also focused on silicon, and in deals with Porsche, and beyond autos, Airbus and the U.S. Army, among others.
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Volkswagen is offering $7,500 in Retail Customer Bonus cash this month – up from the $2,500 the company offered its Black Friday customers – that, along with an additional $2,500 unadvertised dealer cash incentive that CarsDirect is reporting absolutely, definitely exists, adds up to a stout $10,000 total discount on the all-electric VW ID.Buzz … and that’s before you start haggling with your dealer over the MSRP.
It’s a lot
Photo: Volkswagen of America.
As much as I like the the Volkswagen ID.Buzz, its starting MSRP around $61,545 (incl. destination) puts it at nearly twice what you’d probably expect a minivan to cost if the last time you shopped for one was at a Dodge store. Still, that hefty price tag is some $20,000 higher than the baseline Toyota Sienna hybrid or Honda Odyssey.
That 50% higher price is a lot to swallow even if you do buy into the nostalgia. Still, the ID.Buzz is capable enough, and with ~230 miles of range and 282 hp on offer from its battery/electric motor combo – plus Supercharger access – it’s at least able to keep up with the minivan competition.
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So, while that $10,000 discount isn’t going to turn the ID.Buzz into the second coming of the affordable, family-hauling Caravan, it does bring VW’s electric people-mover a little closer to earth. In fact, with a $50K price tag, it’s right in line with the average transaction price of a new vehicles. So, if nothing else, that reduced price could finally gives electric minivan buyers something to buzz about (I tried so hard to work that in, you guys).
If you’ve been shopping for a family-hauler and dig the retro vibe over something like the (excellent) Kia EV9, click through the link below and set up a test drive at your local VW dealer.
SOURCE: CarsDirect; images via VW.
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Peterbilt has jumped into the MD truck ring with the launch three new medium-duty electric trucks that deliver zero-emissions power, ultra-fast 350 kW charging, and proven, versatile platforms for delivery, utility service, and vocational upfitting.
The new Peterbilt 536EV, 537EV, and 548EV medium-duty trucks slot into the same versatile medium-duty segments the company’s fleets already know, but swap diesel power for latest PACCAR ePowertrain, with up to 605 hp and 1,850 lb-ft of torque available at 0 rpm. That big motor draws power from a variety of LFP battery packs and be fitted with ePTO options rated for either 25 kW (two-battery option) or 150 kW (three-battery option), making them suitable for that can be sized for daily delivery routes, urban utility work, and municipal fleets looking to cut both emissions and maintenance costs.
What’s more, the new Peterbilt’s flexible architecture allows for integration with existing PACCAR suspension bits to make 4×2 and 6×4 configurations, and any wheelbase of 163 inches or longer, and up to 82,000 lbs. gross combined weight ratings possible.
“[The new trucks are] optimized for the demands of the medium duty segment, the next generation of Peterbilt electric vehicles deliver excellent efficiency, rapid charging and versatile configurations elevating customer productivity across a wide range of applications,” said Erik Johnson, Peterbilt assistant general manager, Sales & Marketing.
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In addition to all those goodies, the PACCAR EV tech continues to be top-notch, with the previously-mentioned 350 kW charging, regenerative braking, and industry-leading ergonomics.
Peterbilt’s new MDEVs ship with a blue accented crown and grille for a distinctive exterior look, as well as EV-exclusive panels on the side of the hood. The interior design features laser-etched trim panels on the EV-exclusive Magneto Gray interior, just in case the driver in the quiet, smooth, and stink-free cabin forgets they’re in an electric truck.
Electrek’s Take
Peterbilt 536EV; via PACCAR.
Ignore the headlines. The death of the commercial EV market simply hasn’t happened, and won’t happen any time soon.
If you believe the engineers and analysts at MAN Trucks and Orange EV (and, you should), an EV like this can pay for itself in reduced fuel and maintenance costs even without incentives, then you should already know what I’m about to say: the future of trucking is 100% electric.
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Subaru’s smaller, more affordable Uncharted EV will be among the few electric vehicles with a starting price of under $35,000.
2026 Subaru Uncharted EV prices and range by trim
The 2026 Subaru Uncharted EV will join the Nissan LEAF, Toyota bZ, Hyundai IONIQ 5, and Chevy Equinox as one of the few new EVs on sale in the US for under $35,000.
It will be the most affordable electric vehicle in Subaru’s lineup, sitting below the Solterra and Trailseeker SUVs, starting at just $34,995.
The Uncharted will be available in three trims: Premium FWD, Sport, and GT. Subaru said the entry-level Uncharted Premium FWD variant will be “offered in limited numbers.” It draws power from a single 221 hp electric motor and 74.4 kWh battery pack, providing over 300 miles of range.
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All trims use the same 74.7 kWh battery pack, but the Sport and GT models feature Subaru’s Symmetrical AWD, which slightly reduces driving range.
2026 Subaru Uncharted EV (Source: Subaru)
The Sport and GT variants deliver 285 miles and 270 miles of range, respectively. The AWD system packs a combined 338 hp, which Subaru boasted “is more than the Hyundai Kona EV and Kia Niro EV.”
Like the new 2026 Trailseeker and Solterra, the Uncharted EV has a battery preconditioning system that boosts charging performance in cold weather. With charging speeds of up to 150 kW, the electric SUV can recharge from 10% to 80% in around 28 minutes.
The 2026 Subaru Uncharted EV (Source: Subaru)
All 2026 Subaru Uncharted EV models will feature a built-in NACS port, enabling access to over 25,000 Tesla Superchargers across the US.
Although the Uncharted is nearly 7″ shorter than the Solterra, it still offers more than 25 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row.
Subaru Uncharted EV interior (Source: Subaru)
The interior features the brand’s updated design with a 14″ Subaru Multimedia System that includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Starting at $34,995, the entry-level Premium FWD trim includes EyeSight driver-assist features such as Pre-Collision Braking, Front Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Monitors, Lane Departure Alert, Emergency Stop Assist, Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control, and a distraction mitigation system.
2026 Subaru Uncharted EV trim
Starting Price*
Uncharted Premium FWD
$34,995
Uncharted Sport
$39,795
Uncharted GT
$43,795
2026 Subaru Uncharted EV prices by trim (*Destination & Delivery is $1,450 and may vary in the following states: CT, HI, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI, and VT. D&D is $1,600 for retailers in Alaska.)
Eco and Snow drive modes are standard, plus an All-Weather Package is included with heated front seats, heated power exterior mirrors, and windshield wiper de-icer.
Upgrading to the Sport and GT variants, starting at $39,795 and $43,795, respectively, adds an uprated powertrain and Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive.
The 2026 Subaru Uncharted EV is expected to begin arriving at dealerships across the US in early 2026. It will join the new 2026 Trailseeker and Solterra as the lowest-priced EV in Subaru’s lineup.
With the new Uncharted and Trailseeker SUVs coming soon, Subaru is offering closeout prices on 2026 Solterra models with 0% APR financing on all trims and leases as low as $299 a month. If you’re looking to test drive one for yourself, you can use our link to find Subaru Solterra models in your area.
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