Taking delivery of a new Tesla isn’t your typical dealership experience. There are no drawn-out price negotiations, no salesperson hovering, and no finance office to sit through. For some, that’s a dream. For others—especially first-time EV buyers—it can feel a bit overwhelming.
And recently, one Tesla delivery didn’t go so smoothly.
🚗 A First-Time Buyer’s Rough Start
A Tesla owner on X (formerly Twitter), @jonbbc, shared his mom’s frustrating delivery experience at the Grand Rapids, Michigan delivery center. She was picking up her first-ever Tesla — a new Model Y — and arrived early, excited but nervous.
She asked for help. She let the staff know she was new to EVs and needed a walkthrough. Instead, they told her to inspect the car by herself and come back once she was ready to sign.
That moment, which should’ve felt like a big milestone, turned into an anxious, disappointing experience.
Thankfully, a technician eventually stepped in to help. But let’s be honest — that level of support should’ve been there from the start.
🔧 Tesla Responds: Changes Are Coming
After the story made the rounds, Tesla staff reached out and apologized. More importantly, they said changes are on the way.
According to @jonbbc, Tesla plans to roll out updates to its mobile app and website in the next few weeks. These updates are meant to improve the delivery experience specifically for first-time Tesla owners.
What does that mean?
We’re expecting:
Clearer step-by-step instructions in the Tesla app
Easier ways to request help from Tesla staff during delivery
More visibility into tutorials and walkthrough options ahead of time
🤖 Tech Is Great — But So Is a Human Touch
Tesla’s whole approach is about efficiency. You order online, handle most of the paperwork through the app, and show up to pick up your car. But not every buyer fits that model, especially if they’ve never owned an EV.
Some delivery centers go all out — we’ve seen setups with balloons, group tutorials, and team members walking you through the basics. But that’s not consistent everywhere.
And because Tesla owns all its delivery centers (unlike traditional car brands that rely on dealerships), it’s up to corporate to make sure every location delivers a great experience.
💬 What We’d Like to See
If Tesla really wants to fix this, here’s what would go a long way:
A simple pre-delivery checklist in the app with optional videos
A clear button to request staff assistance before pickup
A viewing area with Tesla feature tutorials playing on loop
At the end of the day, not everyone needs a full walkaround — but when someone asks for help, it should be there.
EV charging stations: more plugs, standardized pricing, and reliability rises a little.
The whole topic of charging an electric vehicle remains a mystery to EV-curious car shoppers. Dealership sales staff often know little more than their customers. YouTube videos with horror stories about dead public charging stations, long lines, and slow charging—not to mention outright misinformation—don’t help.
But a new report from data analytics firm Paren, looking at data on EV charging sites from the first quarter of this year, suggests the public-charging picture is slowly improving. Called the State of the Industry Report: U.S. EV Fast Charging — Q1 2025, it’s the first of what the company says will be a regular quarterly series of reports on EV charging as it evolves.
Paren says it sees 2024 as “a year of mixed news in the US DC fast charging (DCFC) industry”, but that “we believe that it will be remembered as a pivotal turn to a new era known as ‘Charging 2.0.’“
The report offers the following trends and data.
RELIABILITY RISES, SLOWLY: The firm’s U.S. Reliability Index for non-Tesla charging stations rose to 82.6 points for Q1 vs 81.2 points for Q4-2024. While 2 percent is hardly staggering, it likely means one or two more sessions out of every hundred will actually result in a charged EV. Among the causes: older hardware has been replaced or decommissioned, boosting uptime. And newer entrants into the field—including Ionna—now opt for proven hardware with known reliability.
PORTS, SITES BOTH INCREASE: The number of U.S. (non-Tesla) ports, or charging cables, totaled 55,580 at the end of Q1, an increase of 3,667. The total number of sites (or stations) grew to 10,839, an increase of 794. While that’s fewer than were added in the prior quarter, Paren notes this is an expected seasonal effect due to winter weather slowing Q1 construction—as well as a year-end rush to open new sites by the end of 2024.
MORE CABLES PER SITE: Tesla has always had the highest number of cables at its Supercharger sites: 13.0 per station, per the most recent data. But the number is rising among non-Tesla networks too, with a healthy jump to 3.9 from 2.7 a year ago. Note the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program mandates at least four ports per station.
PRICING by kWh NOW STANDARD: Back in September 2020, when Electrify America moved to pricing by the kilowatt-hour (where allowed), EV drivers faced a confusing array of pricing structures at EV charging stations in different states. Now, however, EV drivers pay for fully 80 percent of their public charging sessions by the kWh. Those per-kWh prices may vary with the time of day for another 16 percent, but just 4 percent of sessions are now charged by time spent plugged in (whether by the minute or hour).
NACS TRANSITION STILL TO COME: Non-Tesla EVs with NACS charging ports are now appearing at dealers, e.g. U.S.-built 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5. On the charging side, 59 percent of new ports in Q1 were CCS-enabled, 31 percent used a NACS connector, and 10 percent were (still!) CHAdeMO. But only 104 new NACS charging ports were installed outside Tesla’s Supercharger network, meaning we’re still in the early stages of the years-long transition to the J3400 connector standard. Drivers of those early NACS-equipped non-Tesla cars will likely have to rely on CCS-to-NACS adapters for a while.
UTILIZATION RATES KEY: Most EV charging networks today lose money, because they’ve built out infrastructure on the promise of future traffic in years to come. Only higher utilization (the amount of time a station is actually charging an EV and earning money) can change that equation. While utilization is trending up, especially in dense urban coastal markets with lots of EVs and high proportions of both EV rideshare users and apartment renters who depend on public charging, the path is lumpy. Utilization rates in Q1 fell slightly to 16.2 percent from 16.6 percent in Q4 2024. Paren suggests the decline is a result of the typical Q4 bump from more EV travel during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
HINTERLANDS LEFT BEHIND? The now-paused National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program was designed specifically to fund charging infrastructure in rural and low-income communities where for-profit charging networks typically don’t build new charging stations. “Our data is a harbinger of less expansion in rural and lower-income markets,” said Loren McDonald, chief analyst at Paren. Charging networks “will increasingly focus on urban markets seeing high utilization, often north of 30 percent, versus markets with less than 5 percent utilization.”
The granular data offered in Paren’s various charts and tables offers a few gems for the detail-obsessed EV observer. One example is the state of Florida. Despite its current governor’s often-expressed disdain for electric cars and anything involving EV charging—especially the NEVI program, which it has declined to distribute—the state recorded the fourth-highest rate of charger utilization in the country.
The report joins a handful of other analyses of EV public charging, but its quarterly nature suggests it could become a reliable bellwether for the state of charging in these evolving times. Its creator, Paren, says it “aggregates, enriches, and serves the most comprehensive data on the essential aspects of EV charging.” The full 28-page report can be downloaded via this link.
Leak detection systems provider INFICON has highlighted the urgent need for comprehensive testing of all EV battery cells, modules and packs.
North American EV battery manufacturers currently do not test 100% of individual cells assembled into battery packs for electrolyte leakage, leading to missed defects and possible battery fires, higher warranty costs and potential reputational damage.
The introduction of SAE testing standard J3277 establishes a method for ensuring battery pack integrity, including methods for water ingress and coolant ingress testing. This testing ensures that battery packs are leak-free at the time of inspection, but it does not guarantee the long-term safety of individual cells or modules within the pack.
“Every battery cell, prior to assembly into a module and again after module fabrication, should be leak tested,” said Thomas Parker, automotive market sales manager at INFICON. “Cells and modules require testing at multiple stages. Once a battery pack is completed, internal battery cooling circuits also become part of the leakage requirements. Leaking cooling circuits may rapidly degrade battery performance and safety.”
“There is a critical need for more thorough testing of individual cells before they are assembled into packs,” Parker added. “Each metal-ion cell now preferred for EV propulsion must be leak-free to prevent liquid or atmospheric moisture from causing dangerous degradation over time.”
“The lifetime of a battery strongly depends on the tightness of the cell housing, because of the harmful effects caused by the interaction between the electrolyte and water vapor,” Parker said. “Rapid detection of leaks in the production of battery cells is absolutely essential to achieving necessary service life and safety requirements.”
The “Ford Power Promise” focuses on drivers who can most easily charge at home—still the low-hanging fruit for EV sales. It’s working.
Selling electric vehicles was always going to be a challenge, especially for established U.S. brands like Ford and Chevrolet. They require a lot of explanation by salespeople unfamiliar with EVs; not every shopper lives where charging will be easy and convenient; and misperceptions and myths abound.
Last summer, Ford research found intenders’ perceptions of EV driving were more demanding than those of EV owners—and both were more demanding than the actual realities of EV use.
To address these challenges, last year Ford launched its “Ford Power Promise,” a marketing and support package to ease EV-curious shoppers (“intenders”) over the hump to buying and driving an electric vehicle.
The Power Promise program was first announced in September 2024, and Ford attributed its best-ever quarterly EV sales in Q4-2024 to awareness of the plan. Ford has extended the plan several times, most recently through June 30, 2025. In early April 2025, it launched the plan in Great Britain and Northern Ireland as well.
The Ford Power Promise in the U.S. has four main features:
Ford will provide buyers with a free Charge Station Pro home charging station along with free standard installation
Ford’s BlueOval Charge network of charging networks simplifies EV journeys by routing drivers among charging stations from multiple networks, including Tesla Superchargers
Ford warrants its EV batteries for 8 years or 100,000 miles
Ford says it offers 24/7 access to EV advisors to answer owners’ questions as they arise
“Home is where the charge is”
Because car shoppers don’t have a gas pump in their garage, the idea of recharging an EV at home isn’t always intuitive. Yet roughly 80% of EV miles come from charging at home or work—not from public charging stations, whether 240-volt AC Level 2 cables or DC fast-charging for road trips.
For Ford, new-car buyers who can charge at home are the low-hanging fruit among EV shoppers. With sales-weighted new-vehicle transaction prices hovering around $47,000, only a minority of households now has enough income to afford a new car in the first place.
Of households that can afford a new vehicle, Escalent’s 2021 ‘EV Forward’ study found fully four out of five have dedicated off-street parking. That parking is likely no more than 100 feet from some form of electrical supply, usually much closer. That makes installation of a Level 2 home charging station possible, although the details of each installation will vary considerably.
Ford won’t cover every circumstance; a “standard” installation might include adding a breaker into the home panel for a dedicated 240-volt circuit. It won’t cover running a higher-amperage power line from the curb to the house, for instance. But tens of millions of homes should be able to take advantage of that standard installation, whatever it may entail.
Focus on overnight recharge
In a December media presentation on the Ford Power Promise, Martin Delonis, the company’s senior manager of strategy for EVs, said half of all new-car shoppers are well-suited to home EV charging. “Home is where the charge is,” he said, citing it as a mantra to help hesitant shoppers understand that more often than not, they won’t have to hunt for public charging stations.
Delonis said the company’s dealers, in particular their salespeople, are encouraged to stress the pluses of overnight recharging. Those include reduced off-peak or dedicated EV-charging rates; less load on the household (and parenthetically the electric grid) during sleep hours; and the advantage of having “a full tank” every morning.
The charge rates for the Ford electric vehicles covered by the program are a maximum of 11.3 kW for the Mach-E crossover utility and e-Transit delivery van, and 19.2 kW for the F-150 Lightning full-size pickup truck.
For apartment-dwelling buyers of Ford EVs who can’t take advantage of the free home charger and installation, a cash rebate is offered instead—initially $2,000, now $1,000. Delonis noted that all the other elements of the plan (BlueCharge Network, 24/7 help line, battery warranty, etc.) still apply to those buyers. Still, the free charging station is clearly the biggest lure for the program.
It’s worth noting Ford is not the only maker offering a free charging station and standard installation. For its 2024 and (U.S.-built) 2025 Ioniq 5 hatchback utilities and both model years of Ioniq 6 sedans, Hyundai will provide buyers with a free ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 charging station and hardwired installation—though not any other installation costs, taxes, or fees.
Buyers who can’t install a charging station at home can opt for a $400 public-charging credit good for two years at ChargePoint network stations. The offer is similar to one it ran at the end of 2023 for three different models.
Strong sales showing
After canceling a planned battery-electric 3-row SUV in August 2024, Ford’s lineup of EVs is now well-established in the market. That’s another way of saying it hasn’t launched any new vehicles for a while. But its EV sales have grown steadily, and the company says the Power Promise is a major driver for those increases. It explicitly attributed its highest-ever EV sales in Q4 last year to growing awareness of the program, launched just weeks earlier.
Ford sold 30,176 EVs that quarter, out of a total of 97,865 sold throughout 2024. The first quarter of 2025 saw sales of 22,550 EVs; Ford noted 11,607 Mach-Es were sold “despite limited inventory.” But, it said, “2025 model year Mustang Mach-E SUVs are now in transit and will make their way to dealer lots in April.”
The Ford Power Promise is offered to all U.S. retail buyers of 2024 and 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E crossover SUVs, F-150 Lightning full-size pickups, and e-Transit delivery vans. It does not apply to purchases of the small number of plug-in hybrids Ford makes. Details differ slightly in Great Britain and in Northern Ireland; there, Ford sells Mach-E and e-Transit models, but also two Europe-only SUVs developed on the Volkswagen MEB platform, the (European) Explorer and the Capri.
This article draws on material from an earlier piece by the same author for the Electric Power Research Institute, or EPRI, an independent, nonprofit research organization for the U.S. electric utility industry.
Charged recently chatted with Fredrik Tjernström from Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) to learn about the OEM’s electrification journey. Tjernström detailed Volvo CE’s gradual and strategic progression in electrifying its equipment lineup, starting four years ago with compact machines such as fully electric compact excavators and wheel loaders. He highlighted recent advancements, including launching electric excavators above 10 tons, specifically the significant introduction of their 23-ton fully electric excavator, underscoring Volvo’s proactive expansion into larger machinery segments.
Tjernström emphasized the multifaceted motivations behind Volvo CE’s electrification efforts. While reducing carbon dioxide emissions remains a primary driver, he stressed the immediate local environmental benefits, notably the drastic reduction in nitrogen oxides and particulate emissions. These benefits significantly enhance air quality, positively affecting operator health and the well-being of surrounding communities.
Additionally, electric machinery substantially reduces noise and vibrations, improving operator comfort, reducing fatigue, and increasing overall productivity on construction sites.
The conversation explored Volvo CE’s innovative approach toward electrification. Besides battery-electric solutions, Volvo is actively investigating alternative technologies such as fuel-cell electric machinery and grid-connected systems, which are especially valuable in stationary construction scenarios. Fredrik highlighted the importance of tailoring electrification strategies to diverse operational contexts, emphasizing flexibility and adaptation based on available infrastructure and specific site requirements.
Tjernström also addressed customer challenges and common concerns regarding electrification. He candidly discussed the practical considerations construction companies must navigate when adopting electric machinery. The company recommends starting electrification efforts in locations with existing infrastructure and noted that in many cases, electricity is more readily available than perceived. He further emphasized the importance of careful project planning, potentially adjusting operational behaviors to accommodate and optimize new electric technologies.
Another intriguing aspect Tjernström covered in the interview was Volvo’s experience and findings regarding electric machinery performance in extreme climates. He shared successful case studies where electric equipment was effectively operated in challenging temperatures ranging from the extreme cold (-30°C) to intense heat (+40°C). Such examples alleviate common misconceptions about battery performance under varying environmental conditions, reinforcing the reliability and practicality of electric solutions.
Discussing Volvo CE’s product development strategy, Fredrik explained that significant components such as electric motors, batteries, and power electronics are primarily developed in-house. This approach facilitates better quality control, integration across various product lines—including trucks—and helps streamline costs and improve efficiency. He highlighted the importance of modular design in achieving flexibility and ease of adaptation across different machine sizes and applications, enhancing overall operational and economic effectiveness.
Tjernström detailed Volvo CE’s ongoing commitment to further expanding its electrification portfolio, introducing increasingly larger and more diverse electric construction machines. He stressed the collaborative nature of this transition, underscoring the need for industry-wide cooperation involving competitors, energy suppliers, contractors, and regulators to accelerate progress. Fredrik concluded by reinforcing Volvo’s dedication to continuously innovating and supporting the broader adoption of sustainable practices across the construction industry.
Chinese battery manufacturer CATL has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with EV manufacturer NIO to jointly build a battery swap network and promote the unification of industry technical standards.
The companies aim to build a battery swap network for passenger cars and promote the popularization and upgrading of battery swap services. CATL will support the development of NIO’s battery swap network, and new models subsequently developed by NIO’s Firefly brand will be introduced into CATL’s chocolate battery swap standards.
Both companies will adopt a “dual-network parallel” model to jointly provide battery swap owners with a more convenient and efficient battery swap experience.
The companies said they will also jointly promote the formulation and promotion of national standards for battery swapping technology, promote cross-brand and cross-model battery compatibility and jointly build a full life cycle closed loop of battery research and development, battery swapping services, battery asset management, cascade utilization and material recycling to help the EV industry reduce costs and increase efficiency.
The three-year, Finland-based BATCircle3.0 project led by Aalto University has launched with a strategic focus on battery material refining and battery recycling.
In October 2024, Business Finland granted the consortium €13.4 million in funding for the next three years. BATCircle3.0 is a key project in Business Finland’s Hydrogen & Batteries—Dual Helix of Decarbonization program. The consortium targets the material transition in energy storage and aims to build on the first two iterations of the project that ran from 2019-2024.
BATCircle3.0 aims to enhance the circulation of valuable battery materials and develop feasible solutions for components that are currently not recycled. The consortium is looking to develop next-generation battery chemistries and characterization methods as well as to understand the recyclability of future battery waste fractions to establish a common approach to processing, recycling and chemical circulation.
BATCircle3.0 comprises three universities (Aalto University, University of Oulu, LUT University), one research center (VTT), and several private companies.
“We are honored to continue the BATCircle saga with a focus on material transition in energy storage,” said Mari Lundström, Principal Investigator of BATCircle3.0 and Associate Professor at Aalto University, School of Chemical Engineering. “Research focus has reformed from previous projects with a major emphasis on battery recycling and battery materials processing. We expect to create new innovations and future business potential for domestic battery metals ecosystem enabling the growth of a European ecosystem and further strengthening Finland´s position in the field.”
Kia is back at it — this time with a sleek new sedan that’s 100% electric.
Say hello to the 2026 Kia EV4, the brand’s first-ever all-electric global sedan, revealed at the company’s EV Day event in South Korea.
What Makes the EV4 Stand Out?
Unlike Kia’s previous electric SUVs like the EV6 and EV9, the EV4 brings a lower, sportier profile and a design that turns heads. It’s a compact electric sedan that feels like a blend of retro and futuristic — boxy in shape, but clean and modern where it counts.
Some quick highlights:
Estimated range: Over 300 miles
Expected pricing: Around $35,000
Launch date: End of 2025
Interior: Minimalist, driver-focused, and built for comfort
And yes, it’s coming to the U.S. market.
Built on the Same Platform as the EV6
The EV4 shares the same E-GMP platform that powers the EV6 and EV9, but with a twist. It’s built for efficiency, not just performance. Kia says it’s targeting people who want a stylish EV that fits into their daily life — and their budget.
While full specs haven’t been released yet, we know it’ll offer single- and dual-motor options, and most likely support ultra-fast charging — a signature of the E-GMP platform.
A Bold Move Into the Electric Sedan Market
Kia is stepping into new territory here. The EV4 will go up against the Tesla Model 3,Hyundai Ioniq 6, and Polestar 2 — but at a price point that could seriously shake things up.
And for drivers who’ve been waiting for a more affordable, non-luxury EV with some real design flair? This might be it.
The EV4 isn’t just another electric sedan — it’s a signal that Kia is aiming for mass appeal in the EV space. It’s got the looks, the projected range, and the price tag to back it up.
We’re looking forward to seeing how it performs once it hits the streets.
Upfit UTV, a Fox Factory subsidiary that produces purpose-built custom vehicles, and OMI, a specialist in electric powertrain engineering, have partnered to introduce off-highway vehicles with OMI’s Fusion-Drive hybrid powertrain.
This collaboration combines Upfit UTV’s distribution network with OMI’s three decades of expertise in automotive electromechanical innovation.
“OMI Fusion-Drive pairs the power and range of combustion engines with the instant acceleration, precise throttle response and quiet operation of electric motors,” says OMI. “This makes it ideal for defense missions demanding stealth and reliability, heavy-duty work in agriculture and construction, and recreational off-roading such as rock crawling with smooth control.”
Upfit UTV and OMI will deliver a heavy-duty UTV on the Polaris Ranger 1500 platform equipped with the OMI Fusion-Drive hybrid system.
“OMI Fusion-Drive lets us deliver game-changing performance for off-road vehicles,” said Justin Smith, CEO of Upfit UTV. “The combination of power, adaptability and advanced technology ensures we’re meeting the needs of even the most demanding applications.”
OMI Fusion-Drive’s scalable design allows installation without chassis modification across a range of vehicle models. OMI’s pre-integration and platform-level optimizations reduce cost, weight, and space, helping OEMs and upfitters cut development time.
The first platform to feature OMI Fusion-Drive will be the Polaris Ranger 1500, which will be available in diesel and gasoline versions, and is designed for heavy-duty tasks in defense, agriculture and commercial applications. These vehicles are slated to hit the market in Q1 2026.
Liebherr, a German-Swiss equipment manufacturer based in Bulle, Switzerland has introduced a new permanent magnet electric motor specifically for use in off-highway equipment.
The motor offers the same power density as a hydraulic version, but the use of a permanent magnet electric motor will eliminate the need for the installation and maintenance of multiple hoses and other components required by hydraulic systems, which will lower overall machine weight as well, according to the company. The motor features an oil-cooled design developed specifically for use in battery- and diesel-electric traction drives. This will allow for quick installation and simplified electrification of existing hydraulic drive concepts, Liebherr said.
Liebherr was presented with an innovation award on the eve of the opening of the Bauma trade show in Germany. The innovation award recognizes groundbreaking developments in five categories within the construction, construction materiel and construction machine industries. The award for “digitalization” was given to Liebherr for a product called Liebherr Autonomous Operations, which works with multiple product offerings including the Liebherr S1 Vision 140-ton autonomous hauler the company is developing.
Liebherr has production sites in over a dozen countries, including Australia, Ireland and the United States, and its main production facilities and origins are in Germany. The company was founded by Hans Liebherr in 1949. Liebherr, when he opened a production site in Killarney, Ireland, found that the local hospitality industry was virtually nonexistent in the area and that the simple guesthouse he had planned to build would not suffice. He therefore took lakefront property he had acquired for a factory and built his first hotel, the Europe. The company now owns six hotels, including three in Austria.
