News
Cars.com names its Top Picks for EVs: Volkswagen, Hyundai, Lucid, and Chevrolet
Cars.com released its Top Picks list for 2022 model year Electric Vehicles, with Volkswagen, Hyundai, Lucid, and Chevrolet taking the top spots in categories such as Value, Family, Luxury, and Commuters.
The winners managed to be chosen in a field of over 30 highly popular and notable EVs that are all worthy of recognition in their own ways. With the recent explosion of the EV sector, more consumers are considering electric powertrains due to their lack of maintenance and other advantages, like not having to pay upwards of $7 for a gallon of gas.
“We have been sharing news and research on EVs ever since we reviewed our first Nissan Leaf over a decade ago,” Jenni Newman, Cars.com’s editor-in-chief, said. “As consumer interest for EVs grows due to rising gas prices and other current events, we know shoppers have questions about what EV options are available, how much they cost, what the ownership experience is like, and more. Our 2022 EV Buying Guide and Top Picks help shoppers answer those questions and cut through the noise to find the right EV for their lifestyle.”
Value – 2022 Volkswagen ID.4
As the average price of an EV costs $60,000 in today’s market, the Volkswagen ID.4 starts at just $41,669 including destination fees. It offers state-of-the-art features like LED headlights, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a 10-inch touchscreen navigation system, wireless device charging, Volkswagen’s suite of active-safety and driver-assist features, and Apple CarPlay, for those who really need it. Android Auto is also available. The ID.4’s also comes with three years of unlimited 30-minute DC fast-charging sessions at any Electrify America station, and it’s free.
Volkswagen’s ID.4 (Credit: Volkswagen)
Families – 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5
A compact SUV with a roomy interior, the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 has a sizeable backseat that slides forward and backward, so it’s ideal for car seats. The Ioniq 5 starts at $44,895, and the top trim level has plenty of discreet features that will make traveling with kids a little more enjoyable. The panoramic moonroof comes with a retractable sunshade. It also has a “composed ride on highways” that stands out, according to Cars.com, which tipped their cap to the Ioniq 5 for defying a common shortcoming in EVs due to a lack of combustion engine that drowns out road noise.
Credit: Hyundai
Luxury – 2022 Lucid Air
The Lucid Air has already captured the attention of several publications, winning awards that have named it the Best EV of 2022 elsewhere. It’s a wonderful vehicle: fast, luxurious, spacious, and clean. Lucid has a sizeable price tag on the Air’s premier model: the Dream Edition: $170,000. As it is with many other industries, you get what you pay for. The Air has cargo space, performance, a responsive and intuitive multimedia system, with an interior that would be pictured next to the word “luxury” in the dictionary. MotorTrend gave the Air plenty of kudos during their initial drives of the Air Dream Edition last year, and not much has changed, apparently.
Credit: Lucid Motors
Commuters – 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV
The Chevrolet Bolt EV is a head-scratching choice for the Commuter category, as the vehicle has been on a production halt for several months after battery fires and GM built less than 30 of them in Q4 2021. While the Bolt EV will likely come back with no issues after a thorough investigation between GM and its battery suppliers, the EPA-estimated 247 miles of range and a $34,495 starting price gives those looking for a bargain EV this option. General Motors has high ambitions for its EV program, and the Bolt is a great car to build a foundation upon. However, there are other competitive options, and they’ll give you more range and performance, but the Bolt’s price tag alone makes it a worthy choice.
Credit: General Motors
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News
Tesla Semi just got a huge vote of confidence from 300-truck fleet
The confidential meeting marks a major step for the mid-sized carrier in evaluating the electric truck for its regional routes.
The Tesla Semi is moving closer to broader fleet adoption, with Keller Logistics Group wrapping up a key pre-production planning session with the electric vehicle maker’s team this week.
The confidential meeting marks a major step for the mid-sized carrier in evaluating the electric truck for its regional routes.
Keller’s pre-production Tesla Semi sessions
Keller Logistics Group, a family-owned carrier with over 300 tractors and 1,000 trailers operating in the Midwest and Southeast, completed the session to assess the Tesla Semi’s fit for its operations. The company’s routes typically span 500-600 miles per day, positioning it as an ideal tester for the Semi’s day cab configuration in standard logistics scenarios.
Details remain under mutual NDA, but the meeting reportedly focused on matching the truck to yard, shuttle and regional applications while scrutinizing economics like infrastructure, maintenance and incentives.
What Keller’s executives are saying
CEO Bryan Keller described the approach as methodical. “For us, staying ahead isn’t a headline, it’s a habit. From electrification and yard automation to digital visibility and warehouse technology, our teams are continually pressure-testing what’s next. The Tesla Semi discussion is one more way we evaluate new tools against our standards for safety, uptime, and customer ROI. We don’t chase trends, we pressure-test what works,” Keller said.
Benjamin Pierce, Chief Strategy Officer, echoed these sentiments. “Electrification and next-generation powertrains are part of a much broader transformation. Whether it’s proprietary yard systems like YardLink™, solar and renewable logistics solutions, or real-time vehicle intelligence, Keller’s approach stays the same, test it, prove it, and deploy it only when it strengthens service and total cost for our customers,” Pierce said.
News
Tesla extends FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe by three months
Needless to say, it does appear that FSD fever is starting to catch in Europe.
Tesla appears to be doubling down on its European Full Self-Driving (Supervised) push, with the company extending its demo ride-along program by three months until the end of March 2026. The update seems to have been implemented due to overwhelming demand.
Needless to say, it does appear that FSD fever is starting to catch in Europe.
Extended FSD demonstrations
Tesla EU Policy and Business Development Manager Ivan Komušanac shared on LinkedIn that the company is offering ride-along experiences in Germany, France and Italy while working toward FSD (Supervised) approval in Europe.
He noted that this provides a great feedback opportunity from the general public, encouraging participants to record and share their experiences. For those unable to book in December, Komušanac teased more slots as “Christmas presents.”
Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt highlighted the extension on X, stating that dates now run from December 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, in multiple cities including Stuttgart-Weinstadt, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf in Germany. This suggests that the FSD ride-along program in Europe has officially been extended until the end of the first quarter of 2026.
Building momentum for European approval
Replies to Merritt’s posts buzzed with excitement, with users like @AuzyMale noting that Cologne and Düsseldorf are already fully booked. This sentiment was echoed by numerous other Tesla enthusiasts on social media. Calls for the program’s expansion to other European territories have also started gaining steam, with some X users suggesting Switzerland and Finland as the next locations for FSD ride-alongs.
Ultimately, the Tesla EU Policy and Business Development Manager’s post aligns with the company’s broader FSD efforts in Europe. As per recent reports, Tesla recently demonstrated FSD’s capabilities for Rome officials. Reporters from media outlets in France and Germany have also published positive reviews of FSD’s capabilities on real-world roads.
News
Tesla’s six-seat extended wheelbase Model Y L sold out for January 2026
Estimated delivery dates for new Tesla Model Y L orders now extend all the way into February 2026.
The Tesla Model Y L seems to be in high demand in China, with estimated delivery dates for new orders now extending all the way into February 2026.
This suggests that the Model Y L has been officially sold out from the rest of 2025 to January 2026.
Model Y L estimated delivery dates
The Model Y L’s updated delivery dates mark an extension from the vehicle’s previous 4-8 week estimated wait time. A detailed chart shared by Tesla data tracker @Tslachan on X shows the progressions of the Model Y L’s estimated delivery dates since its launch earlier this year.
Following its launch in September, the vehicle was given an initial October 2025 estimated delivery date. The wait times for the vehicle were continually updated over the years, until the middle of November, when the Model Y L had an estimated delivery date of 4-8 weeks. This remained until now, when Tesla China simply listed February 2026 as the estimated delivery date for new Model Y L orders.
Model Y demand in China
Tesla Model Y demand in China seems to be very healthy, even beyond the Model Y L. New delivery dates show the company has already sold out its allocation of the all-electric crossover for 2025. The Model Y has been the most popular vehicle in the world in both of the last two years, outpacing incredibly popular vehicles like the Toyota RAV4. In China, the EV market is substantially more saturated, with more competitors than in any other market.
Tesla has been particularly kind to the Chinese market, as it has launched trim levels for the Model Y in the country that are not available anywhere else, such as the Model Y L. Demand has been strong for the Model Y in China, with the vehicle ranking among the country’s top 5 New Energy Vehicles. Interestingly enough, vehicles that beat the Model Y in volume like the BYD Seagull are notably more affordable. Compared to vehicles that are comparably priced, the Model Y remains a strong seller in China.