Tesla is currently testing the dual-motor Cybertruck, of which we’ve been getting a lot of pictures, and now we have the best look yet at its wide-but-shallow frunk.
We’ve seen photos of the Cybertruck’s massive frunk opening before, but they’ve always been taken from a distance or the side – never a great look at the actual opening and how much space there might be for cargo. Last month, we got a blurry side video of the frunk with the liner open, which gave a pretty good idea of what the opening looks like, but that was still at a poor angle.
This morning, we got more photos of the hood open, but there was no frunk liner installed, instead giving us a view of the car’s internals – or at least, the internals of an engineering test unit.
But now we have a full photo of the actual frunk open with lining installed, showing us just how much cargo space it will have and how usable that cargo space might be. Plus, despite the low resolution of the photo, if you look closely, you can see what looks like the Cybertruck logo embossed into the lining:
As shown in the last video, the opening is indeed rather shallow. It’s smaller than some other frunks we’ve seen lately – smaller than the F-150 Lightning’s huge opening, not as long as the Escalade IQ’s, and it may be less deep than the Rivian’s (though this is harder to tell from the photo).
Here are photos of the frunks on each of those three vehicles to get a sense of what we’re comparing with here:
F- F-150 Lightning frunkEscalade IQ frunkRivian Frunk
But the thing the Cybertruck has over all three of those frunks is width and ease of access. The Rivian is deep, but there’s a big lift-over ledge, which makes it more awkward to get heavy stuff inside. The Lightning has a bit of a lip, too, though it’s relatively low. The Escalade does well in this respect, with almost no lip, making it easy to slide objects in and out, but its frunk is narrower than the Cybertruck’s wide opening.
The Cybertruck’s frunk seems almost completely flat. There’s a small ridge there, but it’s not high enough to restrict sliding things in and out of it. So if you’ve got something heavy that you don’t want to lift in and out of the trunk, and would rather slide it in – like a cooler full of ice, for example – the design of the Cybertruck’s frunk will be good for that application.
Additionally, there’s very little bumper in front of it, and nothing is painted, so you don’t have to worry about scratching the paint or getting dirty stuff on the uncarpeted plastic interior. It even looks like it could serve as an impromptu bench for “frunk-gating,” but perhaps the trunk lid is a little too low for those purposes.
The ease of access does have a downside, however. Cargo (such as groceries) could shift around while driving and might end up leaning against the trunk opening, ready to spill out when opened. A net could solve this for owners who use their frunk for those purposes, though we don’t see any included mounting points for one in the photo.
What do you think of the Tesla Cybertruck’s frunk now that we’ve gotten a better look at it? Is it what you expected? What are you planning to carry around in it? Let us know in the comments.
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Toyota’s electric vehicle sales plunged as it prepares for a new wave of models. The new EVs are bringing much-needed upgrades, including more range, faster charging, revamped designs, and more.
Toyota’s EV sales crashed in Q3 as new models roll out
Despite most automakers reporting record EV sales as buyers rushed to claim the $7,500 federal tax credit, Toyota was an outlier, selling just 61 BZ models in September.
Including the Lexus RZ, which managed 86 sales, Toyota sold just 147 all-electric vehicles in the US last month, over 90% less than the 1,847 it sold in September 2024.
Toyota’s total sales were up 14% with over 185,700 vehicles sold, meaning EVs accounted for less than 0.1%. Through the first nine months of the year, sales of the BZ and Lexus RZ are down 9% and 36% compared to the year prior.
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So, why is Toyota struggling to sell EVs when the market is booming? For one, it’s basically sold out of its current EV models, the bZ4X and Lexus RZ.
2026 Toyota bZ electric SUV (Source: Toyota)
The 2026 Toyota BZ (formerly the bZ4X) is arriving at US dealerships, promising to fix some of the biggest complaints with the outgoing electric SUV.
Powered by a larger 74.7 kWh battery, the 2026 Toyota BZ offers up to 314 miles of driving range, a 25% improvement from the 2025 bZ4X.
2026 Toyota bZ electric SUV (Source: Toyota)
The electric SUV features Toyota’s new “hammerhead front end” design, similar to that of the new Crown and Camry, with a slim LED light bar and revamped front fascia.
Toyota’s new electric SUV also features a built-in NACS charge port, allowing for recharging at Tesla Superchargers. It also features a new thermal management system and battery preconditioning, which improves charge times from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes.
The interior of the 2026 Toyota bZ (Source: Toyota)
The base 2026 BZ XLE FWD starts at just $34,900, but uses a smaller 57.7 kWh battery, good for 236 miles range.
The 2026 Lexus RZ received similar updates. Next year, Toyota is launching two more fully electric SUVs, the 2026 C-HR and BZ Woodland.
2026 Toyota bZ trim
Battery
Range
Starting Price*
XLE FWD
57.7 kWh
236 miles
$34,900
XLE FWD Plus
74.7 kWh
314 miles
$37,900
XLE AWD
74.7 kWh
288 miles
$39,900
Limited FWD
74.7 kWh
299 miles
$43,300
Limited AWD
74.7 kWh
278 miles
$45,300
2026 Toyota bZ prices and range by trim (*excluding $1,450 DPH fee)
It’s not just the US that Toyota’s EV sales crashed last month, either. In its home market of Japan, Toyota (including Lexus) sold just 18 EVs in September.
The Japanese auto giant is betting on new models to drive growth. However, it remains committed to offering all powertrain options, including battery electric vehicles (BEVs), hybrids, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).
Can Toyota’s new generation of electric vehicles spark a comeback? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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Tesla has confirmed that the new Model Y Performance supports bidirectional charging for both vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-load (V2L) applications.
For now, it only works with Tesla’s outlet adapter dongle.
We have known that Tesla’s onboard charger has had some bidirectional charging capacity for a while now.
However, Tesla doesn’t officially support the capacity in any vehicle other than the Cybertruck… until now.
With the release of the new Model Y Performance in the US yesterday, Tesla has started reaching out to customers who ordered and confirmed that the vehicle supports bidirectional charging:
Vehicle-to-Load (V2L):
Powers external devices (e.g., tools, camping gear, appliances) via the charge port using a compatible V2L adapter (e.g., Tesla’s discharger or third-party like Tlyard, ~$200–$400).
Provides up to 11.5 kW of export power (120V/240V outlets, ~3–5 kW continuous) from the 82 kWh battery.
Enabled via OTA software update (version 2025.20 or later, expected Q4 2025).
Vehicle-to-Home (V2H):
Supplies power to a home for backup or grid offset, requiring a Tesla Powerwall 3 or compatible bidirectional inverter and V2H adapter (~$1,000–$2,500 for hardware/installation).
Tesla also said on X today:
New Model Y Performance offers Vehicle to Load (120V 20A AC) with Tesla Outlet Adapter
Based on the communications with customers and this message on X, it appears that the feature only works with adapters for now, such as the Tesla Powershare outlet adapter:
But more capacity will be enabled through software updates later this quarter.
Electrek’s Take
Tesla confirmed the feature for the Model Y Performance, but the vehicle clearly uses the same onboard charger as in other refreshed Model Y.
Furthermore, we know that the onboard chargers in previous Tesla vehicles for the last few years are capable of bidirectional charging. Tesla is simply not making it available.
Now, it is confirming it on the new Performance version to try to sell the more expensive variant, but I would assume that it will eventually be enabled on other vehicles.
There’s no reason not to, and Tesla would only achieve feature parity with most new EVs hitting the market for years now.
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Although the $7,500 EV tax credit has expired, Hyundai is keeping the savings going. Hyundai is reducing 2026 IONIQ 5 prices by nearly $10,000, while extending the tax credit for the current model year.
The 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5 gets a nearly $10,000 price cut
The 2026 IONIQ 5 is slated for a significant price cut as Hyundai commits to offering more affordable vehicles in the US.
Hyundai said it will reduce prices by up to $9,800 on the 2026 IONIQ 5. The savings depend on the trim, but the base IONIQ 5 RWD Standard Range model now starts at just $35,000, making it one of the most affordable EVs on the market, alongside the Chevy Equinox EV.
In the meantime, Hyundai will continue to offer the $7,500 cash incentive for the current 2025 models through at least October.
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The price changes “reflect Hyundai’s commitment to affordability and its long-term EV strategy,” the company said. Hyundai builds the IONIQ 5 alongside its larger IONIQ 9 electric SUV at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia.
Higher sales and local production have helped Hyundai cut costs, which it’s now passing on to buyers. By making one of the most awarded EVs even more affordable, Hyundai aims to keep the momentum going.
2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5 (Source: Hyundai)
The IONIQ 5 is coming off its best third-quarter sales to date after surging 90% year-over-year (YOY), with nearly 22,000 units sold. Through September, Hyundai has sold 41,091 IONIQ 5 models in the US, a 35% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
After delivering the first IONIQ 9 models to customers at the end of May, sales have reached 4,177 units through September.
The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 starts at $42,600 with a driving range of up to 245 miles. Upgrading to the long-range SE RWD model, with 318 miles of range, costs $46,550.
The 2026 model year starts at just $35,000, or $7,600 less than the 2025 IONIQ 5. You can even snag the extended range SE or SEL model for under $40,000 now. Or, if you really want to get crazy, the off-road XRT variant is tempting at just $46,275, which is $9,225 less than last year’s model.
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Trim
Driving Range (miles)
2025 Starting Price
2026 Starting Price*
Price Reduction
IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range
245
$42,600
$35,000
($7,600)
IONIQ 5 SE RWD
318
$46,650
$37,500
($9,150)
IONIQ 5 SEL RWD
318
$49,600
$39,800
($9,800)
IONIQ 5 Limited RWD
318
$54,300
$45,075
($9,225)
IONIQ 5 SE Dual Motor AWD
290
$50,150
$41,000
($9,150)
IONIQ 5 SEL Dual Motor AWD
290
$53,100
$43,300
($9,800)
IONIQ 5 XRT Dual Motor AWD
259
$55,500
$46,275
($9,225)
IONIQ 5 Limited Dual Motor AWD
269
$58,200
$48,975
($9,225)
2025 vs 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5 prices and range by trim
Despite the lower prices, the 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 5 is a carry-over model with no significant changes from the outgoing model. The only difference is a new L1/L2 charging cable and Sage Silver Matte color options.
Last month, the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 was one of the most affordable EVs on the market, with leases starting at just $179 per month. Hyundai’s offer ended on September 30, the same day the $7,500 federal tax credit expired. However, it’s promising to keep the deals alive.
Check back soon for the latest Hyundai offers. We’ll keep you updated with the latest deals.
If you’re interested in checking out Hyundai’s electric SUV for yourself, you can use our link to find IONIQ 5 models available in your area (via a trusted affiliate link)
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