Semi-solid vs solid state: Decoding the future of electric car batteries

Battery breakthroughs will narrow the gap between ICE and EV, making charging as quick as pumping petrolAs battery technology improves, so the terminology gets more confusing, but soon it may pay to understand the differences when choosing an EV.
Renault and MG have announced forthcoming updates to their respective technologies, with both edging closer to solid-state lithium-ion from conventional liquid electrolyte technology.
MG says it will be the first brand to mass-produce a semi-solid-state

Tiny crossover is a brilliantly frugal city car, even without hybrid powerIf you're after a tiny, frugal, practical city runaround, your choices on the new car market are currently quite limited.
Razor-thin margins in this segment and increasingly costly regulations sent most manufacturers hurtling towards the exit door a few years back, leaving only a few faithful defenders to choose from today.
Toyota is one of these holdouts, and its Aygo X happens to be among the best of the breed - but

"The business case is not extremely compelling," says Hyundai boss about the prospect of a new i30Hyundai is set to retire the i30 hatchback with no direct successor as demand for traditional petrol hatchbacks continues to fall in Europe.
The i30 has been off sale in the UK for a year while remaining available in some European markets, but it will soon be axed for good – and any replacement is set to take a different form.
Asked about plans for the i30's future – following the unveil

We liked this luxury EV at launch, but has it been improved enough to remain BMW's flagship five years later?The descriptor 'flagship model' is used a lot in this industry and at a base level is really easy to understand. It's the top car in a brand's line-up—the biggest, fanciest and most luxurious option.
The BMW iX certainly fits that bill: it's the biggest, most expensive car in the brand's electric car line-up, loaded with tech and intended to push BMW into the true luxury sphere

JLR plans to move away from the high-volume "killing fields", instead focusing on the value of the cars it sellsJLR’s strategy following a difficult year is to move further away from the “killing fields” of the premium volume market and steer customers into ever more expensive versions of its SUV line-up, the company told attendees at its annual investor day.
JLR had a bad time of it in the financial year ending March, earning just £200 million profit before tax compared

The U.S. Department of Commerce confirmed what electric vehicle maker Polestar warned its dealers about in 2024: the company cannot sell vehicles in the United States after the 2026 model year.  The move, which came under the Biden administration, but has since been confirmed by the Trump administration, is a result of the Connected Vehicles Rule, which places a ban on vehicles with Chinese-linked Bluetooth, cellular, Wi-Fi, and certain satellite systems from being sold in this country in

The launch of 5th generation F-series for the 1967 model year was going to be big for Ford Motor Co. Ford has seen tremendous growth in sales in the 4th generation and Ford wanted to see that growth continue.  This growth came from buyers that were saw the pickup truck not only a work vehicle but a vehicle that could be used every day as transportation as well a work vehicle. In the 50s and early 60s pickup trucks were work only vehicles for a majority of owners. 
Things began to chan

Looking for the perfect blend of weekday skills and weekend thrills? This electric family SUV could be the answerThe perfect two-car garage. It’s a fantasy motoring enthusiasts have debated for decades.
Not familiar with the concept? It’s simple: if you had to choose two cars – one for everyday duties like commuting, the school run and shopping trips, and another purely for weekend B-road blasts – which would you choose? If you’re ever stuck for conversation with a

Should you put Bondo body filler on a classic car restoration? Did it come from the factory that way? Many will say, there's your answer.  Well, Craig Cole is restoring a 1951 Ford Crestliner, a shoebox model that he first found several years ago as a rusted-out hulk. Now that he's had it sandblasted, he's made a rather controversial decision to add filler to the floor of the body. Why would you do that? He explains. See if you agree!
The TTAC Creators Series tells stories and am

Jaguar Land Rover North America announced plans to recall over 250,000 Land Rover Range Rover, Discovery, and Defender models from the past six model years due to a problem that could prevent the driver’s airbag from deploying.The automaker told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in a filing that the connector to the driver’s airbag at the clockspring may corrode, creating resistance in the circuit causing the airbag to fail to deploy.The 2020 – 2026 Land Rover

Sharp rises in fuel costs have hit UK drivers' wallets, but that isn't the case everywhereBritish drivers are paying significantly more at the pumps than drivers in several other European countries.
According to RAC data, petrol currently costs around 156p per litre in the UK, compared with roughly 136p in Cyprus, 130p in Spain and 116p in Malta.
Drivers don’t have to refuel too many times before the difference starts hitting their wallets. According to the RAC, filling a 55-litr

The cars that prove you don't need rear-drive balance to have funWhen handling is mentioned, it’s usually rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive cars that get time in the spotlight.This is because of the amount of grip and balance offered. But hey don’t hold a monopoly – and many excellent cars to drive have been built whose engines drive just the front wheels – these are some of the best:Ford Puma
In the 1990s, Mazda had the MX-3, Vauxhall had the Tigra, Fiat gave us the Ba

Alfa has long been one of the most-loved Italian marques for Autocar readers, and here we celebrate its historySome people say that every true petrolhead has either owned an Alfa Romeo or, at the very least, wanted to.Alfa was founded in Milan, less than a hundred miles from its current home in Turin. The actual date was 24 June 1910, but as we’ll see the Alfa Romeo story in fact began a little earlier than that. Let's take a look at this famous firm through the lens of its most

The British engineering firm’s Hydromax challenger has topped 208mph in testing
British engineering firm JCB’s new Hydromax land speed record challenger has reached 208mph to exceed the current speed for the faster hydrogen-powered combustion car as its testing programme wraps up.
The firm is aiming to set a new hydrogen land speed record with the machine on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah in August, repeating its success in setting a diesel land speed record with its Dieselmax cha

We know EVs take a range hit when the temperature drops - but hot weather isn't all good newsLike for a lot of people, the novelty of the 30deg C-plus temperatures and fearsome sunshine are wearing off pretty quickly for me. It wasn't long into this latest heatwave before I was practically kneeling in the street and begging the skies for a summer downpour – if only for the sake of my new hydrangea.
Compounding this heat-induced frustration was that once the mercury gets past a certain

Vauxhall will get more room to meet "the specific needs of UK customers" amid Stellantis brand overhaulOpel will give UK subsidiary Vauxhall more engineering freedom to adapt its cars for its home market, in line with an ongoing commitment to preserving the British marque's role in the Stellantis group.
Stellantis – parent company of Opel-Vauxhall, as well as other European marques Alfa Romeo, Citroën, DS, Fiat, Lancia and Peugeot – recently announced that it would channel

Massive success of BMW's straight-six super estate lays groundwork for a second outingThe M3 Touring will live on in BMW's Neue Klasse era, in part thanks to unexpectedly high demand in markets such as the US and China.
While the M3 saloon is now in its sixth generation, the performance model has only been offered in estate form since the arrival of the G80-generation version in 2021. But strong sales since then have prompted BMW to bring the super-estate back with the next-generation M3, as pre

Speed Academy is a website and YouTube channel based on making things go fast and enjoying cars. Peter Tarach and Dave Pratte are the forces behind Speed Academy.The TTAC Creators Series tells stories and amplifies creators from all corners of the car world, including culture, dealerships, collections, modified builds and more.An AI-produced summary of the transcript, edited by a staffer, is below.[Image: Speed Academy/YouTube Thumbnail]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest&

By the late 70s, AMC no longer had the ability or the capital to design an all-new car from scratch. While partnering with the French automaker Renault brings new opportunities, it brings new challenges, too. The Last Independent Automaker is a six-part documentary series, produced by Joe Ligo, Jimm Needle, and Patrick Foster. It details the dramatic rise and fall of American Motors Corp., told through over 35 exclusive interviews, hundreds of rare photographs, and hours of historical and

Porsche reportedly opting to snub volumes to chase margins, with the CEO going so far as to suggest the automaker will be reducing its own production capacity.
The alleged reason is increased operating costs and diminished demand, which was discussed during an interview between Germany’sFrankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) and Porsche CEO Michael Leiters. Due to a sharp decline in Chinese deliveries, Porsche dropping a couple of popular models in Europe, and an increasingly bleak economic

Looking to battle for sales in the outdoor-adventure SUV segment, Honda plans to revive the Element crossover in North America in the second quarter of 2029.According to  an  Automotive News  report, the Japanese automaker will bring back the boxy-looking crossover in hopes to capture some of the growing adventure vehicle segment. In terms of size, it will sit between the HR-V and CR-V. Production will begin, AN reports, during the second quarter of 2029 in Ohio.While it will be

Zuffenhausen takes on Hyundai's N division with its own take on a virtual gearbox – and we drive itPorsche is rolling out a number of major updates to its Taycan sports saloon, most notably a new E-Shift virtual gearbox that has been designed to inject an extra dose of feedback on road and track. 
The new virtual gearbox is not dissimilar to that used by Hyundai’s N models and is effectively a simulated eight-speed transmission. Porsche created the system by takin

The Autocar companies: The auto pioneers, pretenders, and partners who shared our nameLike 'Volkswagen Golf' or 'Citroën', 'Autocar' is an odd name normalised in the public consciousness purely by familiarity.
Like old André Citroën, this magazine (and website) has a valid excuse: while his grandfather had sold lemons, we were predicting what would become the common name for an entirely new invention.
Plenty of people setting up in the 1890s named their endeavours the This,

Extensive redesign creates glass-topped version of Pininfarina special – limited to just nine carsMorgan has turned its stunning Midsummer roadster into an ultra-exclusive coupé – its first hard-top in more than a decade.
Limited to just nine examples, the Midsummer Coupé is Malvern's first fixed-roof model since the Aero 8 bowed out in 2015 and brings to an end production of the Pininfarina-designed coachbuilt special.
Morgan says all nine cars will be highly individua

Triple10 promises faster charging and better environmental credentials thanks to battery cooling breakthroughEnergy giant Shell has unveiled its vision for the future of small electric cars, previewing a generational leap in efficiency, charging speeds and weight reduction.
The concept is named the Triple10 Challenge, referencing the project’s three key objectives: a 10-minute recharge from a common 175kW rapid charger; efficiency of 10km per kWh (6.2mpkWh); and lifecycle CO2 emissions of

Intelligent speed assist misreads up to one in four sign changes, prompting safety body to call for tougher rulesA major UK safety body is calling for revisions to the way in-vehicle speed limit recognition technology is tested and approved after its own tests revealed serious inaccuracies. 
Intelligent speed assist (ISA) is one of a number of safety technologies collectively known as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). It has been a mandatory fitment in new cars sold in the European

If you’re looking to “Buy American” then head to the nearest Tesla store because the Model 3 and Model Y are the most American vehicles money can buy in 2026, according to the 2026 Cars.com American-Made Index.Now in its 21st year, the  website culls together a list of the vehicles with the highest level of U.S.-produced components that are also built in the U.S. That’s an oversimplification of the methodology, but the top 20 vehicles on the list

The 2026 Honda Pilot TrailSport levels up Honda’s rugged three‑row SUV with sharper exterior styling, a more premium cabin, and meaningful tech upgrades that family‑SUV shoppers search for.  The refreshed front fascia and cleaner body lines give the Pilot a tougher, more modern look that stands out in the segment. Inside, the TrailSport trim ushers in rugged refinement: leather seating, a panoramic roof, heated front & rear seats, and captain’s chairs which allo

Volvo articulated haulers are extreme off-road machines designed to move massive loads across some of the most inhospitable terrain on Earth. Used in construction, mining, infrastructure, and defense operations, these haulers are built to perform where traditional vehicles fail.  The articulated design allows the front and rear sections to pivot independently, keeping traction on mud, rock, snow, and steep slopes. This unique rotating hitch reduces stress on the vehicle’s structure w

Mazda enlists Chinese help to finally build a long-range EV – can it take the fight to Tesla?The Mazda 6e feels like something of a forced hand for the Japanese manufacturer.Many of us would love for Mazda to merrily keep making MX-5s and a supporting cast of sensibly sized hatchbacks with zingy petrol engines and manual gearboxes, maybe with a couple of straight-six diesels thrown in.But the powers that be have decreed otherwise. Whether it wants to or not, it needs a credible EV, (