Category: Electric and Electrified Vehicles

Discussions of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery powered vehicles and technology.

U.S. EV charge ports approach 250,000

Seal of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

EV charge ports. We spotted a report that the Department of Energy (DOE) was showing that available EV charge ports had exceeded 250,000, so we ran over to the site to check. The number we found was 249,786, but close enough! In truth, the number of ports for electric vehicle (EV) charging could easily move …

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Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2026/06/u-s-ev-charge-ports-approach-250000/

An off-peak charge brings a new range high

Off-peak charging. Another 10 days and another charge at an off-peak rate results in a new range high for 2026. A week of 80 to 90 degree weather left the Kia Niro with a 298 mile range. This was extrapolated from the 247 miles showing at 83% end point and is an increase of 6 …

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Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2026/06/an-off-peak-charge-brings-a-new-range-high/

Lucid takes to the highways hands-free

Lucid navigation

Hands-Free Driving. Lucid Group, Inc. has begun the rollout of its latest over-the-air software update. The update introduces hands-free driving capabilities along with enhancements to highway navigation, charging experience, and everyday usability and is currently being rolled out only to the Gravity SUV in th North American market only. The vehicles equipped with DreamDrive 2 …

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Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2026/06/lucid-takes-to-the-highways-hands-free/

DC charging takes a step up

Charge rate

DC charge rate. DC charging the Kia Niro took a step up in both charge rate and resulting range this week. I didn’t do any preparation for the charge, but its likely the ambient temperature at the time, ~75F, did the trick. The car didn’t hit the claimed 90 kW peak, but did top out …

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Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2026/06/dc-charging-takes-a-step-up/

The plug-in hybrid conundrum

Plug-in. Ignorance keeps the plug-in hybrid on the sideline. Let me explain. I had a very interesting, as well as frustrating, conversation with two acquaintances yesterday. One, up to “here” with the price of gas, just traded for a hybrid. The other already drives a hybrid, which came to light later in the conversation. I …

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Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2026/06/the-plug-in-hybrid-conundrum/

Electrify America now offering time-of-use pricing

EA TOU pricing

TOU from EA. As an addendum to a post just a few days ago, an email from Electrify America (EA) came through with the message that “A station you visited now offers time-of-use pricing…” Time-of-use, or TOU, pricing makes logical sense — as electric suppliers charge lower rates during off peak hours — this was …

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Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2026/06/electrify-america-now-offering-time-of-use-pricing/

A roundup of EV charging costs

Cost to charge. We started into to a piece on EV charging costs a few days ago when we got totally derailed by a notice from Kia with a special charge rate for the Memorial Day Holiday weekend from a company called IONNA. Now, not only was the Niro fully charged at the time, it …

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Permanent link to this article: https://dashboardsymbols.com/2026/05/a-roundup-of-ev-charging-costs/