Cleantech & EV’s

Kia America has announced the 2021 version of its Niro crossover EV will soon be available to consumers. The automaker is completely transparent in admitting the 2021 Kia Niro is essentially a carryover from the 2020 EV but with some “technology and convenience enhancements.” The Kia Niro debuted as a hybrid vehicle in the 2017 model year. It has since seen a PHEV version, as well as the…

Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia have figured out how to extract lithium, an essential part of electric vehicle batteries, from seawater in a more cost-effective way. The study, just published in the journal Energy & Environmental Science and titled “Continuous Electrical Pumping Membrane Process for Seawater Lithium Mining,”…

This week on the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy, including Tesla price increases explained, Tesla is actually working on a diner, Model S Plaid achieves a new record, and more. Thank you to Volkswagen’s new ID.4 for sponsoring today’s show! The show is back live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.

Tesla has donated over $3 million to a Canadian battery research team that it has been working with to develop cheaper, longer-lasting battery cells for its electric vehicles. Tesla Advanced Battery Research For the past five years, Tesla has been working with a battery research group in Canada, also known as Jeff Dahn’s research team, that has been helping improve its battery tech. Dahn is…