![I did burnouts in the mud at Mt. Magna testing a new 4WD EV powertrain system [Videos]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/07/Magna-EV-Mud-burnout-Jeep-Glasiator.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
I did burnouts in the mud at Mt. Magna testing a new 4WD EV powertrain system [Videos]
Yes, that’s a Jeep Gladiator in the image above, which is inherently not electric (quite the opposite actually). However, thanks to Magna International’s new EtelligentTerrain EV powertrain system, 4WD combustion vehicles like Jeeps will soon be able to tear up muddy terrain without any emissions. I recently got invited to Mt. Magna in Michigan, where I tested the new EV powertrain system, climbed the mountain, and sprayed mud EVERYWHERE. Watch me go below.
Magna International is a globally recognized automotive contract manufacturer that currently reigns as the largest in North America and the fourth largest on the planet. It currently operates over 130 production and assembly facilities across North America, Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa, showing no signs of slowing down, recording $4.652 billion in gross profits for 2022 and well on its way to surpassing that number in 2023.
The past year, we’ve seen Magna commit to nearly a billion dollars invested in its North American operations, including $470 million in Canada, where it’s globally headquartered, in addition to another $500 million in Michigan, where its US headquarters sits.
Last week, I got the opportunity to visit the company’s HQ in Troy, Michigan, where the team took me out to its Mt. Magna terrain park, and I got the chance to explore new and developing EV technologies and make quite a delightful mess while doing so.
Magna turned a Jeep Gladiator into a sweet off-road EV
On the first half of the day with Magna on its home turf, I visited the renowned Mt. Magna in Southeast Michigan. This was a very different experience from my visit to Magna last year, where we towed 10,000 pounds of cargo around a track at the M1 Concourse in Pontiac.
The focus of this trip was, of course, electrification but also new technology Magna has integrated into four-wheel drive vehicles to deliver powerful and effective BEV conversions. Example A is the Jeep Gladiator prototype, featuring Magna’s EtelligentTerrain powertrain system.
The new system combines Magna’s eBEAM technology into a dual-motor configuration designed to electrify sport and light-utility vehicles for both on and off-road situations. Here’s an all-electric Jeep Gladiator featuring the system ripping up Mt. Magna without issue.
Magna’s EtelligentTerrain system consists of a steerable eBEAM motor (Mid) in the front, complete with a remote inverter (no room up front for it in the Jeep) and a 2-in-1 offset on the axle to make room for the EV’s steering column. The front also features a disconnect unit and park-lock capabilities, perfect for climbs like the one seen above.
Unlike the front powertrain, the rear axle eBEAM (High) is coaxial and has an integrated inverter since there’s a lot more space. It comes with a higher gross axle weight rating (GAWR) compared to the front (5,000 pounds vs. 3,000 pounds) but delivers significantly more power and torque.
In the case of the Jeep Gladiator, Magna utilizes an 83 kWh battery pack, but a production model would definitely see a larger battery. The truck was equipped with third-party QuadLink-Coil spring/solid axle suspension in the front and back to handle the higher weight of the battery pack while keeping the Gladiator as close as possible to its standard model ride height.
After summiting Mt. Magna, I got the opportunity to do some burnouts in the fresh mud after an entire night of thunderstorms. Who am I to say no? Since there are virtually no off-road BEVs aside from Rivian, my experience in the dirt has been limited, and it shows. After my first run, I forgot I was still in reverse, so when I tried my second burnout, I was able to showcase how effective the brakes on Magna’s EV prototype are. Have a laugh with me:
Whoops!
Shoutout to Ben Sanders for capturing my mistake and the correct mud-inducing burnout that ensued:
Just like I wrote it up.
Magna’s EtelligentTerrain EV system will not be sold retail but instead will only be available to OEMs that are perhaps looking to electrify existing Class 1 chassis. The dual motor system and its ability to include the inverter on the axle or remotely offers flexibility for a number of vehicle implementations. It paired quite well with the Jeep Gladiator, in my opinion, so why not make that one a full EV?
We know Magna has already committed to helping INEOS build 4×4 EVs, so perhaps we will see this technology in those upcoming models in the next few years.
Magna International is showing once again why it’s one of the most trusted in the business. It not only builds reliable, cutting-edge components, but it also continues to research and develop new ways to make vehicles safer, more efficient, and now, more sustainable. All while still delivering the capability to carve your name in cursive in a muddy field somewhere.
I’ll have more Magna EV innovations from my visit to share soon, so stay tuned.
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Volvo Cars took the wraps off new-for-2026 S90 plug-in hybrid, calling the big sedan the most elegant and comfortable 90 yet, promising nearly 50 miles (80 km) of all-electric range and a comprehensive suite of high-end technology and design updates … but if you’re reading this in English, you probably can’t have one.
The updated Volvo S90 is still blinking into the spotlight, but there are already reports that Volvo Cars has decided against bringing the slick new sedan to the US. And Canada. And the UK. And … you get the idea.
That’s too bad, too – because the SPA S90 has always been a comfortable and capable performer. Alas, sedans aren’t selling, you could get whiplash trying to keep track of all the tariff news these days, and Volvo (like a lot of companies in 2025, frankly), no longer needs the English-speaking world to keep it profitable.
“The S90 is a key part of our product portfolio for the coming years in some of our Asian markets,” says Erik Severinson, Chief Product and Strategy Officer at Volvo Cars. “Together with the new fully electric ES90, the new S90 ensures we have a complete and attractive offering for customers who value safety and want to drive a large, sleek Volvo sedan.”
Invoking the electric-only ES90 EV is a key point here – and Volvo is pushing its marketing heavily into the idea that the PHEV version(s) of the face-lifted luxo-cruiser is “really” an EV, with press copy that reads:
As a plug-in hybrid, the new S90 is an electric car with a back-up plan. It offers 80 kilometers of fully electric range on a single charge under the WLTP testing cycle, while also providing more power when needed. This means that many S90 drivers will be able to do their daily commute with zero tailpipe emissions. Volvo Cars’ data shows that nearly half of the distance covered by the latest plug-in hybrid Volvo cars is powered purely by electricity.
There’s plenty to unpack there – not the least of which is whether or not the cars’ owners will ever actually plug them in. My personal experience with friends and neighbors who own T8/PHEV Volvos now would tell me that they’re more likely than, say, Jeep Wrangler 4xe owners to plug-in … but it hardly matters at this point.
The new S90 will be available to order for customers in China this summer, with selected other markets following later.
Check out some of the official press photos, below, then let us know whether or not you’ll miss seeing new S90s on English-speaking roads in the comments.
Volvo S90 photo gallery
SOURCE | IMAGES: Volvo Cars.
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On today’s fleet-focused episode of Quick Charge, we talk about a hot topic in today’s trucking industry called, “the messy middle,” explore some of the ways legacy truck brands are working to reduce fuel consumption and increase freight efficiency. PLUS: we’ve got ReVolt Motors’ CEO and founder Gus Gardner on-hand to tell us why he thinks his solution is better.
You know, for some people.
We’ve also got a look at the Kenworth Supertruck 2 concept truck, revisit the Revoy hybrid tandem trailer, and even plug a great article by CCJ’s Jeff Seger, who is asking some great questions over there. All this and more – enjoy!
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If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. 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.
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Thanks to Trump’s repeated executive order attacks on US clean energy policy, nearly $8 billion in investments and 16 new large-scale factories and other projects were cancelled, closed, or downsized in Q1 2025.
The $7.9 billion in investments withdrawn since January are more than three times the total investments cancelled over the previous 30 months, according to nonpartisan policy group E2’s latest Clean Economy Works monthly update.
However, companies continue to invest in the US renewable sector. Businesses in March announced 10 projects worth more than $1.6 billion for new solar, EV, and grid and transmission equipment factories across six states. That includes Tesla’s plan to invest $200 million in a battery factory near Houston that’s expected to create at least 1,500 new jobs. Combined, the projects are expected to create at least 5,000 new permanent jobs if completed.
Michael Timberlake of E2 said, “Clean energy companies still want to invest in America, but uncertainty over Trump administration policies and the future of critical clean energy tax credits are taking a clear toll. If this self-inflicted and unnecessary market uncertainty continues, we’ll almost certainly see more projects paused, more construction halted, and more job opportunities disappear.”
March’s 10 new projects bring the overall number of major clean energy projects tracked by E2 to 390 across 42 states and Puerto Rico. Companies have said they plan to invest more than $133 billion in these projects and hire 122,000 permanent workers.
Since Congress passed federal clean energy tax credits in August 2022, 34 clean energy projects have been cancelled, downsized, or shut down altogether, wiping out more than 15,000 jobs and scrapping $10 billion in planned investment, according to E2 and Atlas Public Policy.
However, in just the first three months of 2025, after Trump started rolling back clean energy policies, 13 projects were scrapped or scaled back, totaling more than $5 billion. That includes Bosch pulling the plug on its $200 million hydrogen fuel cell plant in South Carolina and Freyr Battery canceling its $2.5 billion battery factory in Georgia.
Republican-led districts have reaped the biggest rewards from Biden’s clean energy tax credits, but they’re also taking the biggest hits under Trump. So far, more than $6 billion in projects and over 10,000 jobs have been wiped out in GOP districts alone.
And the stakes are high. Through March, Republican districts have claimed 62% of all clean energy project announcements, 71% of the jobs, and a staggering 83% of the total investment.
A full map and list of announcements can be seen on E2’s website here. E2 says it will incorporate cancellation data in the coming weeks.
Read more: FREYR kills plans to build a $2.6 billion battery factory in Georgia
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