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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Cybertruck
Tesla Cybertruck’s newest trim will undergo massive change in ten days, Musk says
It appears as if the new All-Wheel-Drive trim of Cybertruck won’t be around for too long, however. Elon Musk revealed this morning that it will be around “only for the next 10 days.”
Tesla’s new Cybertruck trim has already gotten the axe from CEO Elon Musk, who said the All-Wheel-Drive configuration of the all-electric pickup will only be available “for the next ten days.”
Musk could mean the price, which is $59,990, or the availability of the trim altogether.
Last night, Tesla launched the All-Wheel-Drive configuration of the Cybertruck, a pickup that comes in at less than $60,000 and features a competitive range and features that are not far off from the offerings of the premium trim.
Tesla launches new Cybertruck trim with more features than ever for a low price
It was a nice surprise from Tesla, considering that last year, it offered a Rear-Wheel-Drive trim of the Cybertruck that only lasted a few months. It had extremely underwhelming demand because it was only $10,000 cheaper than the next trim level up, and it was missing a significant number of premium features.
Simply put, it was not worth the money. Tesla killed the RWD Cybertruck just a few months after offering it.
With the news that Tesla was offering this All-Wheel-Drive configuration of the Cybertruck, many fans and consumers were encouraged. The Cybertruck has been an underwhelming seller, and this seemed to be a lot of truck for the price when looking at its features:
- Dual Motor AWD w/ est. 325 mi of range
- Powered tonneau cover
- Bed outlets (2x 120V + 1x 240V) & Powershare capability
- Coil springs w/ adaptive damping
- Heated first-row seats w/ textile material that is easy to clean
- Steer-by-wire & Four Wheel Steering
- 6’ x 4’ composite bed
- Towing capacity of up to 7,500 lbs
- Powered frunk
It appears as if this trim of Cybertruck won’t be around for too long, however. Musk revealed this morning that it will be around “only for the next 10 days.”
Only for the next 10 days https://t.co/82JnvZQGh2
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 20, 2026
Musk could mean the price of the truck and not necessarily the ability to order it. However, most are taking it as a cancellation.
If it is, in fact, a short-term availability decision, it is baffling, especially as Tesla fans and analysts claim that metrics like quarterly deliveries are no longer important. This seems like a way to boost sales short-term, and if so many people are encouraged about this offering, why would it be kept around for such a short period of time?
Some are even considering the potential that Tesla axes the Cybertruck program as a whole. Although Musk said during the recent Q4 Earnings Call that Cybertruck would still be produced, the end of the Model S and Model X programs indicates Tesla might be prepared to do away with any low-volume vehicles that do not contribute to the company’s future visions of autonomy.
The decision to axe the car just ten days after making it available seems like a true head-scratcher.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s Neuralink sparks BCI race in China
One of the most prominent is NeuroXess, which launched in 2021 and is already testing implants in patients.
Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk, is helping spark a surge of brain-computer interface (BCI) development in China, where startups are moving quickly into human trials with strong state backing.
One of the most prominent is NeuroXess, which launched in 2021 and is already testing implants in patients.
Neuralink’s clinical work and public demonstrations have drawn worldwide attention to invasive brain implants that allow patients to control digital devices using their minds. The company is currently running a global clinical trial and is also busy preparing for its next product, Blindsight, which would restore vision to people with visual impairments.
Neuralink’s visibility has helped accelerate similar efforts in China. Beijing last year classified brain-computer interfaces as a strategic sector and issued a roadmap calling for two or three globally competitive companies by 2030, as per the Financial Times. Since February last year, at least 10 clinical trials for invasive brain chips have launched in the country.
NeuroXess recently reported that a paralyzed patient was able to control a computer cursor within five days of implantation. Founder Tiger Tao credited government support for helping shorten the path from research to trials.
Investment activity has followed the policy push. Industry data show dozens of financing rounds for Chinese BCI startups over the past year, reflecting rising capital interest in the field. Ultimately, while Neuralink remains one of the most closely watched players globally, its momentum has clearly energized competitors abroad.
News
Tesla Supercharger vandalized with frozen cables and anti-Musk imagery amid Sweden union dispute
The incident comes amid Tesla’s ongoing labor dispute with IF Metall.
Tesla’s Supercharger site in Vansbro, Sweden, was vandalized during peak winter travel weeks. Images shared to local media showed frozen charging cables and a banner reading “Go home Elon,” which was complete with a graphic of Musk’s controversial gesture.
The incident comes amid Tesla’s ongoing labor dispute with IF Metall, which has been striking against the company for more than two years over collective bargaining agreements, as noted in a report from Expressen.
Local resident Stefan Jakobsson said he arrived at the Vansbro charging station to find a board criticizing Elon Musk and accusing Tesla of strikebreaking. He also found the charging cables frozen after someone seemingly poured water over them.
“I laughed a little and it was pretty nicely drawn. But it was a bit unnecessary,” Jakobsson said. “They don’t have to do vandalism because they’re angry at Elon Musk.”
The site has seen heavy traffic during Sweden’s winter sports holidays, with travelers heading toward Sälen and other mountain destinations. Jakobsson said long lines formed last weekend, with roughly 50 Teslas and other EVs waiting to charge.
Tesla Superchargers in Sweden are typically open to other electric vehicle brands, making them a reliable option for all EV owners.
Tesla installed a generator at the location after sympathy strikes from other unions disrupted power supply to some stations. The generator itself was reportedly not working on the morning of the incident, though it is unclear whether that was connected to the protest.
The dispute between Tesla and IF Metall centers on the company’s refusal to sign a collective agreement covering Swedish workers. The strike has drawn support from other unions, including Seko, which has taken steps affecting electricity supply to certain Tesla facilities. Tesla Sweden, for its part, has insisted that its workers are already fairly compensated and it does not need a collective agreement,
Jesper Pettersson, press spokesperson for IF Metall, criticized Tesla’s use of generators to keep charging stations running. Still, IF Metall emphasized that it strongly distances itself from the vandalism incident at the Vansbro Supercharger.
“We think it is remarkable that instead of taking the easy route and signing a collective agreement for our members, they are choosing to use every possible means to get around the strike,” Pettersson said.
Tesla Cybertruck’s newest trim will undergo massive change in ten days, Musk says
Elon Musk’s Neuralink sparks BCI race in China
