EV
Solid-State Batteries Are In ‘Trailblazer’ Mode. What’s Holding Them Up?
For almost two decades, solid-state batteries have been hailed as the game-changer for electric vehicles. A breakthrough that promises to eliminate range anxiety, slash charging times and make electric cars as practical and convenient as gas-powered ones—without the nasty tailpipe emissions…
Waymo’s New Zeekr Cab Has A Real Name, And You May See It Soon
Waymo's newest vehicle has a name: Ojai. Made by Chinese automaker Zeekr, the electric van will roll out to Waymo's various markets later this year. The company still has about 1,000 more Jaguar I-Pace EVs on order and those could…
Volvo 2025 EVs Sales Were Up In The U.S., Down In Europe And China
2025 total sales fell 7%, and Volvo’s global EV sales dropped 13% year-over-year. U.S. EVs jumped 91% in 2025, but U.S. plug-ins fell 23% as PHEVs dropped 40%. China BEVs fell 46% in 2025, while PHEVs surged 116%. The electric…
Tesla Is Still Not Doing Great Across Europe
Welcome back to Critical Materials, your daily source for the biggest stories at the intersection of mobility and tech. On today's docket: Europeans are still sour on Tesla, there's a new best-selling non-Tesla EV in the U.S., and Nvidia is…
ZF’s AI-Powered Software Could Make The ‘ESP Off’ Button Irrelevant
German car parts supplier ZF is bringing artificial intelligence into the vehicle dynamics game. The company’s AI Road Sense solution takes data from multiple sensors and adapts the car’s driving behavior in real time. It can save drivers from getting…
New RV Trailer Boosts EV Range While Towing For A Lot Less Than The Competition
California-based Evotrex unveiled its first travel trailer, the PG5. It has a Tesla-style NACS port, an LFP battery pack, an electric motor and a gas engine that acts as a generator. The RV off-grid trailer can charge an EV or…
Ford’s Hybrids Had Their Best Year Ever. EVs, Not So Much
Ford sold a record number of hybrid vehicles in 2025. Its EV sales slumped by 14.1%. The F-150 Hybrid and Maverick Hybrid alone made up nearly three-quarters of Ford's hybrid sales. 2025 was a tough year for Ford's electric vehicle…