Which startup automaker got a big boost toward production this week?

What automakers opened some of its patent library for free until 2030?

This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending April 5, 2019.

This week Tesla announced its first-quarter sales, and posted big drops for all its models, especially the Model S and Model X. The drop is an occasion to point to why it's time to reform the plug-in vehicle tax credit in the U.S. Tesla also released an update to its Navigate on Autopilot software that should let it drive with less intervention on the highway.

Grove Hydrogen Automotive fuel-cell car

Tesla's cross-town Silicon Valley startup competitor, Lucid Motors, got a big boost toward production of its Lucid Air sedan next year, as a $1 billion investment from Saudi Arabia was finalized. Half a state to the south, struggling startup Faraday Future revealed a few details of a new MPV it plans to produce there starting next year. And Chinese startup Nio, which trades on the New York Stock Exchange and plans eventually to sell cars in the U.S., gave a glimpse of a new fastback sedan concept it plans to introduce later this month at the Shanghai auto show. And a Chinese chemical company became the country's newest automaker, announcing a new line of Grove fuel-cell cars.

Volkswagen 8-car MEB electric-car lineup

Volkswagen also gave a peek at the next member of its upcoming ID family of electric cars for China, the ID Roomzz full-size SUV. And electric motorcycle manufacturer Lightning revealed details of its new, more affordable Strike sport bike, which will have between 100 and 200 miles of range depending on the trim level.

2019 Audi e-tron first drive - Abu Dhabi UAE, December 2018

This week also brought two big announcements about the range of new upcoming models: The hotly anticipated Audi e-tron quattro SUV will get an official EPA range rating of 204 miles, despite its big 95-kwh battery pack. And Ford's upcoming "Mach E," (which may get a different name in production), earned a 370-mile range rating—on the gentle WLTP European driving cycle. Even so, it seems likely to meet its 300-mile range target in the U.S., and then some. 

Potential global pumped hydro storage sites [CREDIT: Matthew Stocks Australian National University)

All these new electric cars are going to need lots and lots of new batteries, and a new report shows supply contracts for lithium batteries increasing by as much as 50 percent in 2023. To go farther on the batteries they have, they can also use more efficient electric motors, such as the new Hunstable Electric Turbine design by Texas startup Linear Labs. And they'll need a lot of electricity—ideally renewable electricity—to run. In all the talk about some sort of Green New Deal aiming to move toward 100 percent renewable electricity, storage will be mandatory—lots of storage. To that end, a new Australian study notes that pumped hydro storage may be more effective than batteries. 

Ford also revealed details of its upcoming Escape Hybrid and plug-in hybrid SUV. The 2020 Escape Hybrid is expected to get 40 mpg, while the Escape plug-in hybrid will have a 30-mile (or more) range rating.

We took a look at the most fuel-efficient full-size pickups in America, and the results may be surprising.

Toyota announced that it will release all its hybrid patents for free in an effort to ward off electric cars.

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While New York, Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts and others have signed on, Minnesota is a maybe and Virginia's governor is reportedly calling the policy "ludicrous."

Which new electric pickup is being made but can’t yet be delivered? Which automaker released an adapter that will allow it to use the vast majority of U.S. fast-chargers? This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending September 30...

Today we bring two first drives—of the American-made Mercedes EQS SUV and of Audi’s most accessible EV yet, the Q4 E-Tron family. And will a group of U.S. Midwest states manage to make their own hydrogen economy? This and more, here at Green Car Reports. In a review of the 2023 Audi Q4...

The EQS SUV is a promising reboot of a luxurious, off-road-capable SUV for the electric age.

Although built on the same MEB underpinnings as the Volkswagen ID.4, the Q4 lineup has Audi design and materials and a super-quiet, comfortable interior.

The coalition will also promote the Midwest as a promising area for hydrogen production, with trucking, rail, aviation, and Great Lakes shipping applications as potential uses.

The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 gets a price hike, as dealer markups continue. Lordstown is (slowly) making production Endurance electric trucks. And where can you buy a new electric car for about $10,000? This and more, here at Green Car Reports. The Indian automaker Tata has launched a $10,000 electric car for its home market. With scheduled deliveries set to start in January 2023, the Tiago.ev hatchback will be no standout for range or performance, but it does emphasize a value standpoint for EVs that simply isn’t represented in the U.S. market. Along with new features including a higher...

Lordstown has made its first two production Endurance trucks, although a lack of certifications prevents deliveries from happening yet.

The Ioniq 5 is no longer eligible for the $7,500 EV tax credit, yet buyers continue to pay $10,000 over sticker—and that sticker is going up about $1,500 for 2023.

The Tiago.ev electric hatchback from India's home-market automaker ranks as one of the world's most affordable new EVs; several models in China are priced even lower.

The 53-mpg Kia Niro Hybrid slots in well below $30,000. The 2023 Nissan Ariya starts around $45,000 but isn’t eligible for the EV tax credit. And Polestar is winding up for an October 12 reveal for its next model. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. Polestar revealed a few more details...

That base price for this second-generation model represents a $1,800 hike over the previous-generation 2022 Niro Hybrid LX, but at up to 53 mpg combined fuel economy is better than that of the outgoing model.