Lightyear’s solar car is set up to outdo Tesla on efficiency. Stellantis, the parent of Dodge, Jeep, and many more brands, is hatching some big electric vehicle plans. And Rivian is considering another propulsion trick. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. 

After yesterday’s announcements heralding electric muscle cars from Dodge and a fully electric Ram 1500 pickup, we took a closer look at parent company Stellantis’ $35B EV push—and the particulars of its strategy for common electric-drive components shared between four new EV platforms. With a 500-mile range, a 2.0-second 0-60 mph time, and an efficiency of 4.3 mi/kwh among the targets for these vehicles, it’s setting the bar high.  

Jeep also revealed the 2022 Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrid and teased some future tech for the off-road brand that includes autonomous trail driving and paired drones. Fully electric Jeeps are on the way, too. 

Rivian might not have plans for rear-wheel steering, like the Tesla Cybertruck and GMC Hummer EV, but it’s shaping up to offer some clever propulsion tricks. In addition to the “Tank Turn” the company teased last year, it recently filed a patent application for a “K-Turn Mode” that could aid maneuvering in tight spaces. 

And the startup Lightyear has tested the range of its One solar-supplemented EV. Although its 440 miles were achieved at an average 53 mph, the company claims that’s about 50% better than the most efficient EV currently on sale—that would be Tesla. And with development still ongoing, there’s room for improvement.

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