Rivian recalled nearly all the electric trucks it’s made. Toyota finally figured out why the wheels are falling off its first U.S.-bound EV in a decade. Hyundai is showing off its Ioniq 5’s potential by powering a hotel via EV. And we have first drives of the base VW ID.4 and Kia Niro. Yes, the Niro hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and EV. This and more, here at Green Car Reports.
This morning we bring you two first drive reports, both relating to EVs that start below $40,000. In a review of the 2023 Kia Niro lineup—including the Niro EV—we found this lineup to make a strong argument in the numbers for range and efficiency, this time with added refinement. And a brief spin in the made-in-America 2023 Volkswagen ID.4 Standard suggested that the most affordable VW EV makes a lot of sense.
In the UK, Hyundai has opened an EV-powered pop-up hotel. Called Hotel Hyundai, it takes advantage of the V2L (vehicle to load) capability built into every Ioniq 5, allowing an output of up to 3.6 kw.
Just before the weekend, Rivian recalled nearly every electric truck it’s built so far—including 12,212 delivered vehicles—for a potentially loose fastener. The issue, affecting the R1T pickup, R1S SUV, and EDV van, will require that every single vehicle will need to be checked in person.
And Toyota has restarted production of its Bz4x electric car, which has been paused for months over an issue in which the wheels can fall off the EV. Toyota has ordered up new hub bolts and new wheels for the affected vehicles and will start fixing U.S. cars in November.
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