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Three major transportation firms are set to work with one another on the development of a European charging network for “battery electric heavy-duty long-haul trucks and coaches.” 

In a joint announcement earlier this week, Volvo, Daimler Truck and the Traton Group said they had signed a non-binding agreement related to the installation and operation of the network. The goal is to set up a joint venture that all three firms would own an equal part of, with operations slated to commence in 2022.

Together, the companies are set to invest 500 million euros (around $593 million) in the joint venture, which would be based in the Dutch city of Amsterdam.

It’s hoped that, within five years of the JV being set up, at least 1,700 “green energy charging points” will have been installed and functioning. The tech, the firms said, is set to be located “close to highways as well as at logistic and destination points.”

“The number of charging points is with time intended to be increased significantly by seeking additional partners as well as public funding,” they added.

Change on the cards, but challenges ahead

In April, the International Energy Agency said that, globally, the number of electric cars, buses, vans and heavy trucks on roads was expected to hit 145 million by 2030.

According to the Paris-based organization, if governments ramp up their efforts to meet international energy and climate goals, the global electric vehicle fleet could increase further still, hitting 230 million by the end of the decade. Both of these projections exclude two- and three-wheeled electric vehicles.

As the number of EVs on our roads increases, extensive charging networks will need to be rolled out for all types of vehicles to meet increased demand and dispel lingering concerns around “range anxiety” — the notion that EVs aren’t able to undertake long journeys without losing power and getting stranded.

The electrification of long-haul, heavy-duty trucks and coaches poses its own set of unique challenges. As the IEA’s Global EV Outlook for 2021 notes, “long-haul trucking requires advanced technologies for high power charging and/or large batteries.”

Speaking to CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” on Wednesday, Volvo’s chief technology officer, Lars Stenqvist, sought to explain why a charging network for heavy duty vehicles was needed.

“Right now, we are producing and distributing electric heavy duty trucks mainly for refuse applications, for city applications,” he said. “And those vehicles, normally they’re coming home to their ‘base camp’ every evening for charging.”

Stenqvist said the next step on the journey would be regional and long haul applications.

“Then, you are dependent on … [getting] the pan-European charging network in place and, right now, it’s a little bit of [a] chicken and egg discussion because there are no vehicles out there and … no infrastructure. But if there is no infrastructure, there will not be any vehicles.”

In terms of how the project would operate on the ground, Stenqvist explained it would be a “public, open network — so whatever make can charge their vehicles in this network.”

Later on in the discussion, Stenqvist stressed the importance of differentiating between vehicles. “We are talking about really high capacity chargers here and that is one of the reasons why we are not using, and cannot use, the car charging network … not from a performance perspective and of course also not from a … layout perspective.”

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Chevy Equinox EV or the Hyundai IONIQ 5: Which makes the better lease?

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Chevy Equinox EV or the Hyundai IONIQ 5: Which makes the better lease?

The new and improved Hyundai IONIQ 5, or the hot-selling Chevy Equinox EV? Which electric SUV makes the smarter lease? Here’s the rundown.

Over 607,000 electric vehicles were sold in the US in the first half of 2025, thanks to some big discounts. Many automakers are currently offering generous savings, as Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” is set to end federal EV incentives at the end of September.

According to Cox Automotive’s latest EV Market Monitor report, EV incentives reached a record of nearly $8,500 in June, or about 15% off the average transaction price (ATP).

That’s more than double the incentives offered on gas-powered vehicles. Seven electric vehicles had an ATP below $40,000, including the Chevy Equinox EV. The Equinox EV was the top-selling EV in the price range.

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Starting at just $34,995, GM calls it “America’s most affordable 315+ range EV.” The electric Equinox has already propelled Chevy to become the number two EV brand in the US behind Tesla.

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2025 Chevy Equinox EV LT (Source: GM)

Through the first half of the year, the Chevy Equinox EV accounted for nearly a third of GM’s electric vehicle sales. And it could have sold even more. A dealer in California reached out to Electrek, claiming they had to wait over a month to receive Equinox EV models. It’s now on track to be among the top three selling EVs in the US.

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Chevy Equinox EV interior (Source: GM)

Which EV to lease: Chevy Equinox EV or Hyundai IONIQ 5

With leases starting at just $289 per month, it’s no wonder the electric SUV is flying off the lot. The offer is for 24 months with $3,909 due at signing.

Alternatively, you can opt for 0% APR financing for 60 months, which Chevy is offering on all 2025 electric vehicle models.

2025 Chevy Equinox EV trim Starting Price EPA-estimated Range Monthly lease Price
(August 2025)
LT FWD $34,995 319 miles $289
LT AWD $40,295 307 miles $351
RS FWD $45,790 319 miles $416
RS AWD $49,090 307 miles $453
2025 Chevy Equinox EV prices, range, and lease price (Including $1,395 destination fee)

The base 2025 Chevy Equinox EV LT starts at $34,995 with up to 319 miles of range. The interior boasts up to 57.2 cu ft of space and a 17.7″ infotainment screen.

How does it compare to the IONIQ 5? Hyundai has upgraded its best-selling electric SUV with major improvements, including increased range (now up to 318 miles), a revamped interior and exterior, and a built-in NACS port to access Tesla Superchargers.

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2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 at a Tesla Supercharger (Source: Hyundai)

After cutting lease prices again last month, the new and improved 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 is now listed at just $179 per month.

In some places, such as California and other ZEV states, Hyundai is offering leases starting at as low as $159 per month.

However, that’s for the base SE mode, which has an EPA-estimated driving range of 245 miles. The longer-range IONIQ 5 SE RWD, with 318 miles range, can still be leased for just $199 per month right now. Both offers are for 24 months with $3,999 due at signing.

2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Trim EV Powertrain Driving Range (miles) Starting Price*  Monthly lease price August 2025
IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range 168-horsepower rear motor 245 $42,500 $179
IONIQ 5 SE RWD 225-horsepower rear motor 318 $46,550 $199
IONIQ 5 SEL RWD 225-horsepower rear motor 318 $49,500 $209
IONIQ 5 Limited RWD 225-horsepower rear motor 318 $54,200 $309
IONIQ 5 SE Dual Motor AWD 320-horsepower dual motor 290 $50,050 $249
IONIQ 5 SEL Dual Motor AWD 320-horsepower dual motor 290 $53,000 $259
IONIQ 5 XRT Dual Motor  AWD 320 horsepower dual motor 259 $55,400 $359
IONIQ 5 Limited Dual Motor AWD 320-horsepower dual motor 269 $58,100 $299
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 price, range, and lease price

Hyundai is also throwing in a complimentary ChargePoint Level 2 home charger with the purchase or lease of a new 2025 IONIQ 5. All IONIQ 5 trims are listed with 1.99% APR financing for up to 60 months.

The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 offers up to 59.3 cu ft of cargo space with a dual 12.3″ driver display and infotainment system setup.

Hyundai-IONIQ-5-lease
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Limited interior (Source: Hyundai)

Both the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Chevy Equinox EV are hard to pass up right now, with lease prices expected to be as low as they will ever be.

Looking to snag the savings while they last? You can use our links below to find offers on the Chevy Equinox EV and Hyundai IONIQ 5 near you.

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The legendary Nissan GT-R will reemerge, but Godzilla may look a little different

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The legendary Nissan GT-R will reemerge, but Godzilla may look a little different

Nissan has officially confirmed the icon will be making a comeback. Although Nissan is no longer building GT-R models, CEO Ivan Espinosa said Godzilla will “evolve and reemerge” in the future. Here’s what we know so far.

Nissan confirms the GT-R will evolve and reemerge

It seems like we’ve been talking about the next-gen Nissan GT-R for years now. After the last model rolled off the production line at the automaker’s Tochigi plant in Japan on Tuesday, Nissan’s CEO made it clear that the GT-R will be making a comeback.

After bidding farewell to the R35, Espinosa gave the many GT-R fans worldwide hope, saying, “I want to tell you this isn’t a goodbye to the GT-R forever.”

He added that it’s Nissan’s “goal for the GT-R nameplate to one day make a return.” Although this is the end of the line for the R35, the company remains committed to the GT-R nameplate and wants to “reimagine it for a new generation.”

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According to Espinosa, Nissan doesn’t have any finalized plans yet, but he promised that “the GT-R will evolve and reemerge in the future.”

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Nissan’s new N7 electric sedan alongside the GT-R (Source: Dongfeng Nissan)

Nissan says the next Godzilla will ensure the GT-R’s legacy lives on, but will pack even more performance. The big question is, what type of powertrain will it arrive with? Will it be electric? A hybrid? Or, will it still be gas-powered?

At the New York Auto Show in April, Ponz Pandikuthira, Senior Vice President and Chief Planning Officer for Nissan North America, told The Drive that the next GT-R will be a hybrid, rather than an all-electric.

Nissan-GT-R-reemerge-EV
Nissan’s new N7 electric sedan alongside the GT-R (Source: Dongfeng Nissan)

However, Nissan previewed an electric GT-R a few years ago with the Hyper Force EV concept. The electric sports car concept was promoted as a “game-changing hyper EV” with over 1,300 horsepower (1,000 kW).

All that power is expected to come from solid-state batteries. Just last week, Nissan secured a partnership with LiCAP Technologies to produce all-solid-state EV batteries on a mass scale, one of the biggest hurdles to getting the new technology to market.

Nissan-GT-R-solid-state-batteries
Nissan Hyper Force EV concept (Source: Nissan)

Since Nissan aims to launch its first EV powered by solid-state batteries in 2028, we could see the GT-R reemerge as a plug-in hybrid until the technology is ready.

Either way, it will likely be a few years before we see an electrified Godzilla. If it evolves into an EV or hybrid, it remains up in the air for now.

While Nissan says an all-electric GT-R won’t deliver the performance needed to live up to the nameplate, others are proving otherwise. BYD’s first electric supercar, the Yangwang U9, set a new EV speed record this week after hitting nearly 300 mph.

How do you feel about it? Should the GT-R go all-electric? Or will Nissan settle for a hybrid? Drop us a comment below and let us know which one you’d buy.

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Toyota’s new electric SUV actually looks pretty cool on set

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Toyota's new electric SUV actually looks pretty cool on set

Is Toyota’s new 2026 C-HR the affordable electric SUV we’ve been waiting for? The revamped EV SUV was spotted with a stylish new look while filming a commercial.

Toyota’s new C-HR EV SUV is launching in 2026

Toyota’s compact crossover SUV is returning in all-electric form, and it’s already apparently a movie star. We got our first look at the 2026 C-HR+ in March after Toyota unveiled a trio of new electric SUVs set to launch in Europe.

The US model, revealed a few months later, looks nearly identical to the EU version, but drops the “+” at the end of the name.

You can see right off the bat that it’s an immediate upgrade from the gas-powered C-HR, which was discontinued in 2022 in favor of the more efficient Corolla Cross Hybrid.

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The new 2026 C-HR looks sharp, featuring Toyota’s updated design, with elements like its “hammerhead front end” borrowed from the new Crown and Corolla models. In a way, it almost looks like the Prius, but as a higher-riding crossover SUV.

Toyota-new-EV-SUV
2026 Toyota C-HR electric SUV (Source: Toyota)

It looks like Toyota’s new EV SUV is already drawing attention. The 2026 C-HR was spotted on set in Austin, Texas, filming a commercial.

The image from Kindelauto is one of the closest looks at the new electric SUV so far, revealing the new front-end design.

At 177.9″ long, 73.6″ wide, and 63.8″ tall, the new C-HR is smaller than bZ, Toyota’s other electric SUV (formerly known as the bZ4X). It’s about the size of the Kia Niro EV (174″ long, 72″ wide, and 62″ tall).

The new crossover SUV will be available with all-electric (EV), Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and Fuel Cell powertrains.

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2026 Toyota C-HR electric SUV (Source: Toyota)

Powered by a 74.7 kWh battery, Toyota anticipates the 2026 C-HR EV will offer a range of up to 290 miles. It will come with standard AWD with an electric motor at the front and rear eAxles.

It will also feature a built-in NACS port, enabling you to recharge at Tesla Superchargers. Toyota said the electric SUV can recharge from 10% to 80% in about 30 minutes.

Toyota-new-EV-SUV-interior
2026 Toyota C-HR electric SUV interior (Source: Toyota)

Inside, the updated SUV includes a “high-tech cabin that is stylish and functional.” A 14″ infotainment system sits at the center with Toyota’s Audio Multimedia System and Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support.

Toyota’s new EV SUV will begin arriving at dealerships in 2026. Although prices have yet to be revealed, given the outgoing model started at under $25,000, the electric version is expected to launch with a low starting price tag of around $30,000.

Last week, we learned the 2026 Toyota bZ will be one of the few EVs in the US with prices starting under $35,000. Since the C-HR is smaller, it could be even more affordable.

What do you think of the new C-HR? Do you like Toyota’s new style? Drop us a comment below and let us know your thoughts.

Source: Kindelauto

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