BMW i5 spotted with native NACS port – could be one of the 1st brands to switch?
A BMW i5 with a native NACS port was spotted charging this weekend in Green River, Utah, leading to thoughts that BMW’s NACS transition may leapfrog a few other companies.
We’ve seen a lot of action in the NACS transition in the last few weeks, with several brands added to Tesla’s Supercharger “coming soon” page, separate announcements from VW and Honda, and with Hyundai shipping the first third-party vehicles with a native NACS port (which works great on Superchargers) and Kia’s native NACS EV6 just around the corner as well.
One of the brands added to the “coming soon” list is BMW, a brand whose NACS transition we haven’t heard a whole lot about lately. It announced in 2023 that NACS would come in 2025, and we know that an adapter will be available when BMW gains access to the network (though the transition has gotten a little bit chaotic in the interim, after Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s unwise abrupt firing of the whole Supercharger team).
But BMW also has a new class of vehicles coming out – dubbed, in the most German way possible, “Neue Klasse” – with a new EV platform that better integrates batteries into the vehicle structure. Those vehicles may come with NACS support natively, and the first of them should ship by the end of this year.
And we may have seen the first physical indication of those future native NACS vehicles this weekend in Utah, with a BMW i5 spotted being driven and charged by BMW engineers.
The pictures were taken by reddit user Redditq_, who we also followed up with. They mentioned that the vehicles all had various engineering equipment stuck to the dashboards, that there were three development vehicles in total at the station (other than his, in the middle of the shot above), and that the cars were using an adapter to charge. The engineers said they were testing the NACS port.
Interestingly enough, this charging station doesn’t have any NACS charging heads, only CCS and CHAdeMO. So the engineers used a CCS to NACS adapter to charge at this station.
The BMW has the charging port on the passenger side, which is notable as Teslas all have charging ports on the driver side. This has caused some difficulty as brands gain Supercharger access, because older Supercharger stations have short cables that can’t reach both sides of the vehicle (the new V4 system will fix this, but not many of those stations have rolled out yet). This has led to some vehicles having to double-park in order to charge, which is actually the Tesla-recommended method.
But passenger-side ports are more beneficial for street-side charging, which is becoming more common in European cities and would be a method to make it easier for apartment-dwellers or other street parkers to charge their cars. The Rivian R2 was originally unveiled with a relocated charge port to the passenger side for this reason, before moving it back to the driver’s side for Supercharger compatibility instead.
This is actually one of the first vehicles that we’ve seen with a native NACS port, even in testing. While most brands have announced a transition and several are already sending out adapters and are Supercharger-compatible, the only other cars we’ve seen with native ports have been Hyundai/Kia cars and unreleased/concept vehicles (e.g. the R2 and the Aptera).
So, despite BMW not being on the absolute forefront of the transition in terms of adapter availability (like Ford or Rivian, for example), it may leapfrog some brands at bringing a NACS-native car to market.
We saw a similar thing with Hyundai and Kia, when a camouflaged vehicle with a native port was spotted in July 2024, about six months before Hyundai started shipping the Ioniq 5 with its own native port. We wonder if something similar might happen with BMW.
But when you’re charging at *home*, charge your electric vehicle using rooftop solar panels. Find a reliable and competitively priced solar installer near you on EnergySage, for free. They have pre-vetted installers competing for your business, ensuring high-quality solutions and 20-30% savings. It’s free, with no sales calls until you choose an installer. Compare personalized solar quotes online and receive guidance from unbiased Energy Advisers. Get started here. – ad*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
GM sold over 21,000 electric vehicles in the US last month, its best yet. Despite the surge in August sales, GM warned that with the “irrational discounts” on EVs set to end soon, the market is due for a shake-up.
GM sells record EVs in August as irrational discounts end
August was GM’s best month ever for EV sales. The company sold over 21,000 electric models under the Chevy, GMC, and Cadillac brands last month.
The higher demand comes as buyers rush to secure the $7,500 federal tax credit, which is set to expire at the end of September.
Driven by the hot-selling Chevy Equinox EV, Cadillac Lyriq, and GMC Sierra EV, GM remains the second-best seller of EVs behind Tesla.
GM expects to see strong demand again this month, but without the credit, it expects changes next quarter. GM said, “There’s no doubt we’ll see lower EV sales next quarter.” The company anticipates it will take several months for the market to correct, adding that “We will almost certainly see a smaller EV market for a while.”
Like several automakers in the US, GM will adjust production accordingly, promising not to overproduce. Despite slower sales, it remains confident that its EV market share will continue to grow.
Since affordable EVs and luxury models have been the strongest segments, GM believes it’s in a better position than most. It already has “America’s most affordable 315+ range EV,” the Chevy Equinox EV. The electric Equinox is one of the few EVs with a starting price under $35,000 in the US.
Soon, the new Chevy Bolt EV will debut, which is expected to be even more affordable, starting at around $30,000.
With a full line-up of electric SUVs, Cadillac is the leading luxury EV brand, but that doesn’t include Tesla. And then there’s the Chevy and GMC electric pickup with segment-leading range, features, and more.
GM said as it adjusts to the “new EV market realities,” its ICE vehicles will provide flexibility while driving profits. We will learn more on October 1 when GM reports full third-quarter sales results.
Although I wouldn’t call it “irrational,” GM is offering generous discounts on EVs with the deadline approaching. The Chevy Equinox EV is listed for lease starting at just $249 per month with a new $1,250 conquest bonus. Chevy is also offering the $7,500 credit on top of 0% APR financing until the end of September.
Thinking about trying one of GM’s EVs for yourself? You can use the links below to find Chevy, Cadillac, and GMC models in your area.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Global solar installations are breaking records again in 2025. In H1 2025, the world added 380 gigawatts (GW) of new solar capacity – a staggering 64% jump compared to the same period in 2024, when 232 GW came online. China was responsible for installing a massive 256 GW of that solar capacity.
For context, it took until September last year to pass the 350 GW mark. This year, the milestone was achieved in June. That pace cements solar as the fastest-growing source of new electricity generation worldwide. In 2024, global solar output rose by 28% (+469 terawatt-hours) from 2023, more growth than any other energy source.
Nicolas Fulghum, senior energy analyst at independent energy think tank Ember, said, “These latest numbers on solar deployment in 2025 defy gravity, with annual solar installations continuing their sharp rise. In a world of volatile energy markets, solar offers domestically produced power that can be rolled out at record speed to meet growing demand, independent of global fossil fuel supply chains.”
China’s solar dominance
China is leading this surge by a wide margin. In the first half of 2025, the country installed more than twice as much solar capacity as the rest of the world combined, accounting for 67% of global additions. That’s up from 54% in the same period last year. Developers rushed to complete projects before new wind and solar compensation rules took effect in June, fueling the spike. While that may lead to a slowdown in the second half of the year, new clean power procurement requirements for industry and bullish forecasts from China’s solar PV association (CPIA) suggest that 2025 will still surpass 2024’s record high.
The rest of the world
Other countries are adding solar at a healthy clip, too. Together, they installed an estimated 124 GW in the first half of 2025, a 15% year-over-year increase. India came in second with 24 GW, up 49% from last year’s 16 GW. The US ranked third with 21 GW, a 4% gain year-over-year despite recent moves by the Trump administration to suppress clean power deployment. Germany and Brazil saw slight dips, while the rest of the world added 65 GW, a 22% rise over 2024.
Africa’s solar market is also stirring. The continent imported 60% more solar panels from China over the past year, though a lack of reliable installation data makes it a challenge to track the true pace of deployment.
With installations surging across major markets and China driving the charge, 2025 is on track to be another record-breaking year for solar power.
Read more: China-made panels drive Africa’s 15 GW solar import milestone
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Porsche just axed two of its most iconic models. The gas-powered 718 Cayman and Boxster sports cars have been discontinued, with their new EV successors set to debut next year. However, Porsche isn’t the only brand killing off a popular nameplate.
Sports cars are due for EV successors in 2026
As it prepares for the all-electric replacements, Porsche has stopped taking new orders for the 718 Cayman and Boxster. For now, you can still order the vehicles from stock.
We’ve known for years that an electric replacement was on the way for the 718 lineup. Porsche CEO Oliver Blume confirmed in 2022 that the electric 718 successor would follow the Taycan and Macan EVs.
Although the new Cayman and Boxster EVs were expected to launch by the end of this year, it was pushed back due to software and battery sourcing delays.
Porsche initially planned to build the EV versions alongside the current ICE models at its Zuffenhausen plant, but that will no longer be the case. Despite rumors that Porsche was planning to extend 718 production, “high-ranking Porsche sources” told Autocar that’s not the plan.
The luxury sports car maker has dialed back its EV plans recently, with ICE Macan and Cayenne models now due to be sold alongside the electric versions.
Meanwhile, Porsche isn’t the only sports car maker killing off models with new EV successors on the way. Audi confirmed with Autoblog that the A7 and S7 will be discontinued after the 2025 model year.
In a statement, Audi said, “There are no 2026 Model Year A7 or S7 being offered as production shifts to the new A6 TFSI coming later this year.” However, the RS7 will live on as a 2026MY. The ICE A7 will be rebranded as the A6 TFSI, while the EV version will retain the A6 E-tron name, featuring a similar sportback design to the outgoing model.
Porsche and Audi have leaned into a more flexible “multi-energy” strategy, blaming slowing EV sales and a changing market.
Just last week, Porsche announced it no longer plans to build EV batteries in-house. Instead, it will focus on research and development.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment11 months agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024