The number of nations looking to phase out internal combustion engines continues to grow. A U.S. company is moving ahead with a plan to provide fast charging for free. Tesla is signaling another stage of intent for developing its own battery tech. And we drive an important supporting model in Audi’s transition to electric. This and more today at Green Car Reports.
We briefly drove the 2020 Audi Q5 plug-in hybrid, and found it to be a fine supporting character in the luxury brand’s lineup as it heads increasingly toward fully electric models.
Volta, the California-based company aiming to provide free DC fast charging that’s ad supported, reports that its first hardware will be up and running later this month.
Denmark has revived a proposal to ban gas and diesel vehicles, and it has an alliance with nine other countries to set timetables for sunsetting internal combustion. Meanwhile the UK is looking to accelerate its own bans.
Tesla has quietly acquired a Canadian battery manufacturer, and it’s the latest, strongest signal that the electric-car maker plans to develop its own future battery technology.
And the number of vehicle brands not considering a fully electric model is dwindling by the day. One such holdout up until now, Lamborghini, now appears to be on with fully electric. R&D chief Maurizio Reggiani told Autocar that Lambo is considering an electric GT with four doors and 2+2 seating—for which it would tap into expertise via its Volkswagen Group parent. Sounds a little like Taycan to us.
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