Fast charging network EVgo offers one-year deal to Hertz renters
DC fast charging network EVgo has announced a new deal with rental car company Hertz that offers drivers renting an electric car from any Hertz location in the US with discounts on charging for a year, with no subscription or session fees. EVgo is also following in Tesla’s footsteps and building prefabricated models for its charging sites.
The new deal with Hertz particularly targets first-time electric car drivers who opt to rent one first before buying. By enticing potential new EV owners with special deals at its 900 fast charging locations around the US, it’s a win-win for everyone. But note, this deal only applies to new EVgo customers, not existing ones. Details about savings and deals can be found on the EVgo app, or check in online or at a Hertz location.
“When people experience an EV for the first time, whether through a rental or riding along as a passenger, they see the benefits firsthand of quieter operation, smoother handling, quick acceleration, and of course, no tailpipe emissions,” says Maggie Tallman, EVgo senior vice president of business development and solutions. “By partnering with Hertz to expose new drivers to the electric experience, we can inspire more prospective EV drivers to make the switch and welcome them to the electric revolution.”
EVgo is also in partnership with GM and Pilot Truck Stops (which include Flying J truck stops), and EVgo has been building more charging sites around the country with a consistent look and feel. While Tesla has already been doing this for a while now, EVgo is now utilizing prefabricated modules for charging sites, with the aim of cutting installation time in half and saving around 15% in construction costs. While the program has only just started with six fast charger locations in Florida, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Texas, the first site using the new method is in Texas, with the goal of having it up and running by February 2024. The builds will be “future-proofed” to accommodate Wi-Fi infrastructure, cameras, security lights, and sun and rain canopies.
Another major advantage of having a prefabricated fast charging sites is that the more complex aspects of the build can be done by skilled staff in a controlled environment, leaving installation and hook-up to local electricians.
“There are roughly 30,000 fast chargers in the US today, and by 2030, industry analysts estimate we’ll need more than 300,000,” says Dennis Kish, EVgo COO. “Innovations like this prefabrication model are critical to scale EVgo’s network and build the infrastructure needed to meet the growing demand for public charging. Prefabricated stations can not only help us save time and cut costs, but also elevate the customer experience by providing popular features drivers want.”
Last month, EVgo also announced a shift in its pricing model to expand kWh charging rates to any state that allows it, with the goal of helping EV drivers spend a little less while still tapping into the time-of-use component to alleviate strain on the grid.
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New EVs got a little more expensive in April, and consumers saw fewer deals than before, according to new estimates from Cox Automotive’s Kelley Blue Book.
In April, the average transaction price (ATP) for a new EV climbed to $59,255. That’s up 3.7% from the same time last year, and slightly higher, by 0.2%, than in March. Kelley Blue Book even revised March’s average price downward to $59,132.
Erin Keating, executive analyst at Cox Automotive, noted that “Ever since President Trump announced auto tariffs 47 days ago, the cost of new cars has been steadily climbing.”
At the same time, incentives took another dip. They made up just 11.6% of the average EV transaction price in April, down from 13.9% when they peaked in November 2024. This marks the second month in a row that EV incentives have declined.
Tesla led the way in May, selling more than 45,000 EVs – its best performance of the year so far. Most of those sales came from the updated Model Y, which continues to dominate the US EV market. Tesla’s average transaction price rose in April to $56,120, up both month over month and year over year.
Meanwhile, the Cybertruck, once the top-selling EV priced over $100,000, had an average sales price of $89,247 last month. But sales dropped below 2,000 units for the first time in a year, signaling a potential cool-off for the controversial pickup.
Overall, new EV sales in April were down nearly 6% from March, based on Kelley Blue Book’s early estimates. But year-to-date EV sales in 2025 are still up 5.4% compared to the same period in 2024.
Read more: Tesla Model 3 and Model Y prices rose higher in March as sales fell
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The EV3 is already one of the top-selling EVs in Europe and Korea, but when will Kia bring it to the US? After it was recently spotted testing on US streets, the Kia EV3 could finally make its North American debut soon. Here’s what we know.
When will the Kia EV3 make its North American debut?
Kia’s compact electric SUV was again the top-selling EV in Korea last month. It’s also currently among the best-selling electric cars in Europe.
Kia sold 27,761 EVs in Europe in the first quarter, up 17% from the previous record set in Q3 2023. The EV3 led the surge with 17,878 models sold, or 64% of Kia’s total electric vehicle sales in the region.
In March, the EV3 was also the best-selling retail electric car in the UK, driving Kia’s EVs to a record 21% share of its total sales. With the EV3 rolling out in other global markets, like Australia and New Zealand, when will it finally arrive in the US?
After the Kia EV3 was recently spotted testing on US streets, its North American debut could finally be coming up soon.
The new video from KindelAuto shows the 2026 Kia EV6 GT-Line trim, but with what appears to be the US-spec model. Despite the camo, you can see the EV3 has minor design changes, like added orange side reflectors, which are likely to meet regulations.
Although Kia has yet to confirm it, the EV3 could make its North American debut as early as later this year and launch in early 2026. Prices will be revealed closer to its debut, but the EV3 will likely start at around $35,000 to $40,000.
Kia’s smaller electric SUV starts at around 36,000 euros ($40,000) in Europe and roughly $30,700 in Korea (KRW 42.08 million).
In the meantime, those in North America will see Kia’s first electric sedan, the EV4, arrive next year. Kia confirmed the 2026 EV4 will have a built-in NACS port to access Tesla Superchargers and an estimated driving range of up to 330 miles. Prices are also expected to start at around $35,000 to $40,000.
Source: KindelAuto, TheKoreanCarBlog
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Less than a year after officially launching in the US, the 2025 Audi Q6 e-tron has received its safety rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). According to the German automaker, its compact luxury crossover has been awarded Top Safety Pick+ status—the highest possible rating from the IIHS.
The Q6 e-tron remains the newest edition to Audi’s long-running all-electric segment of sedans, GTs, and SUVs. We first caught wind of it back in March 2024 when Audi teased a shadowy image while promising the Q6 e-tron would “overtake expectations.”
The 2025 Q6 e-tron made its official debut last September. The lineup includes an RWD version that delivers the longest range (321 miles) of any Audi BEV. At that point, the Q6 e-tron had received a five-star safety rating from the Euro NCAP, but until today, we were still awaiting its rating from the IIHS.
Today, Audi confirmed that the 2025 Q6 e-tron is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ – the best you can get.
Audi Q6 e-tron wins Top Safety Pick+ amidst higher criteria
When announcing the award status from the IIHS, Audi pointed out that the US institute altered its Top Safety Pick+ criteria for 2025 models, making the top-tier award harder to achieve. This included a new focus on rear-passenger safety and a moderate overlap front collision test, which simulates a head-on collision, whereas the test vehicle strikes a vehicle of equal size and weight at 40 mph with 40% of the front widths of those vehicles overlapping.
The compact crossover achieved a “good” (the highest IIHS) rating on all tests, warranting the Top Safety Pick+ status. As such, the IIHS has deemed the Q6 e-tron one of the safest all-electric models on the road.
The 2025 Q6 e-tron starts at $63,800 in the US and is currently available in three trimlines and a Premium quattro powertrain configuration.
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