After getting a little overoptimistic about the speed and nature of electric vehicle adoption in the US, automakers are now scaling back their production plans. The imposition of tariffs and the abolishment of federal EV incentives are mostly to blame, although the domestic OEMs’ attempt to easily transition their full-size truck customers into all-electric versions has stumbled due to a mix of range and towing anxiety.

General Motors has been well represented in the large electric vehicle segment by Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC with a mix of pickup trucks and SUVs. But the plant that assembles them—Factory Zero in Hamtramck, Michigan—was idled two weeks ago. Thirteen-hundred workers have been temporarily laid off until it restarts on April 13, resuming production of the Escalade IQ, Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, and the GMC Hummer EVs.

In late October last year, GM permanently laid off 1,700 workers in Michigan and Tennessee at EV and battery plants, including Factory Zero. Then, it also idled the production line for the big EVs for about a month before restarting with just a single shift. At least production will restart at all. In December, Ford canceled its F-150 Lightning pickup truck, and Ram never even got a battery EV truck into production.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/03/gm-idles-electric-truck-factory-lays-off-1300-workers-for-a-month/

RV Tech, a joint venture between Volkswagen Group and Rivian, has completed a successful winter test program, it said this morning. The partnership was created in 2024 when VW Group announced it would invest $5.8 billion in the American electric vehicle maker to gain access to Rivian’s expertise in vehicle software and electronic architecture. VW Group initially paid Rivian $1 billion in cash, with further payments over time: the completion of the winter testing milestone should unlock a further $1 billion payment.

VW’s decision to turn to Rivian followed a tortuous history of its own internal software development. It created a new division in 2019 just to develop software for cars, then immediately bit off more than it could chew by trying to simultaneously develop three different vehicle operating systems. Things went the opposite of smoothly, with software-related delays to the two new platforms used by cars like the VW ID.4 and Porsche Macan that led to chairman Herbert Diess’ firing and the third platform delayed until late in this decade.

Rivian, meanwhile, had no such problems developing its own vehicle electronic architecture and software, starting from a clean sheet unencumbered by generations of legacy cruft. As a startup automaker, Rivian needs money, and since Volkswagen needs better tech, the joint venture makes a lot of sense.

To the Arctic Circle

Automakers love testing cars in the Arctic Circle. It’s about as cold an environment as anyone’s going to drive a car, so if you can make your systems reliable in those extreme temperatures, they should be just fine in milder winters. And there are plenty of frozen lakes, with vast flat expanses of ice thick enough to drive cars across with no worries. So you can test chassis tuning and traction and stability control work at the same time.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/03/rivian-and-vw-group-complete-winter-testing-of-new-zonal-architecture/

A 13:1 compression ratio makes it the highest-compression small-block that Chevy has ever produced, up from the 12.5:1 in the current Z06.

That compression ratio is enabled by a number of tweaks, including better cooling around the valves and spark plugs and optimized direct injection. Mike Kociba, assistant chief engineer of small block engines at General Motors, told me that some extra processing power was key to unlocking that extra performance.

“With our newer controllers and control systems, you can process information faster. So, if you start to sense an issue, you can react to it faster,” Kociba said. The issue is a phenomenon called knock, in which combustion in the cylinders doesn’t happen at precisely the right time. When you’re talking about an engine spinning at 6,800 rpm, explosions occurring at the wrong time can have catastrophic effects.

The new LS6 engine.

Credit: Tim Stevens

Knock sensors are standard on every engine, but with the new LS6, Chevy’s engineers refined the system with a faster onboard engine controller called the E94. Using the same sensors as before, the extra processing power of the new controller means that the system can detect and react to knock more quickly, letting engineers push the envelope further on output.

“It’s still based on our knock sensors, which are vibration-based. So if you can start detecting an unusual vibration, if it meets a certain frequency profile, then we react to that,” Kociba said. The “new processors, faster speed… obviously helps us chew through the logic.”

That logic includes fast Fourier transforms and other algorithmic means of identifying specific wave patterns amid the overwhelming noise of a high-strung V8.

Kociba said this is still a discrete controller and not fully integrated into a broader software-defined vehicle platform. The company is starting to move that way, though. “That’s one more step on the journey to integrate and make the engine controls as agile as they can be… one step closer to what you’d consider a true software-defined vehicle,” he said.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/03/the-corvette-e-ray-is-dead-long-live-the-grand-sport-x/

But the NLS has multiple classes, from low-powered entries similar to the Golf GTI I used to race all the way up to GT3s, plus an exhibition class called SPX for stuff that doesn’t quite fit in elsewhere. It’s this latter class that the M3 Touring 24H will enter, being driven by Jens Klingmann, Ugo de Wilde, and two American BMW factory drivers, Connor De Phillippi and Neil Verhagen.

“A project like the BMW M3 Touring 24H has never existed at BMW M Motorsport before,” said Andreas Roos, head of BMW M Motorsport. “Many thanks to everyone who put their heart and soul into this unique car and brought it to life. I am thrilled—and at the same time, I am certain that our fans, who are never closer to us than at our second home on the Nürburgring, will be just as excited. I promise all fans a great show and look forward to an event of superlatives.”

Any 24-hour race is hard, and a 24-hour race at one of the world’s most challenging racetracks is so much harder. But regardless of where the M3 Touring 24H finishes, it will find itself among a very select group of racing station wagons. The most famous, as some of you may be shouting at your screens, was the Volvo 850 Estate that Volvo UK entered into the British Touring Car Championship in 1994.

The 1994 Volvo 850 Estate BTCC car is perhaps the most famous racing wagon.

Credit: Volvo

Back then, the BTCC was just entering its purple patch as the world’s most competitive touring car series, with outsized budgets and technology that would rival F1. The Volvo wagon was quick enough not to embarrass itself and became a fan favorite thanks to its sheer outlandishness, though the following year, it was replaced by an 850 sedan after the BTCC changed some aero rules.

As for the N24, if you’re a motorsports fan, it’s worth attending at least once, as hundreds of thousands of German enthusiasts congregate to drink beer and build viewing platforms in the forests that surround the nearly 16 miles (25.4 km) of race track. Sadly, while the organizers are rather permissive about what they’ll let in, they turned down an application from Rauh Racing to enter a Renault Twingo. Oh well, we’ll have to make do with the M3 Touring 24H.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/03/bmw-says-station-wagons-are-no-joke-so-this-ones-going-to-the-nurburgring/

As the i3 will be the second EV to use the platform, we already know some of the technical details, such as BMW’s 6th-generation powertrain. At the core of the car is its 800 V battery pack, which uses new cylindrical cells that are 20 percent more energy-dense by volume than the prismatic cells you’d find in one of BMW ‘s 5th-gen EVs like the i4. The cell-to-pack design further increases the energy density of the pack compared to the previous generation. It’s able to DC fast-charge at up to 400 kW, and BMW is predicting up to 440 miles (708 km) of range, a 30 percent improvement on its 5th-gen EVs.

At launch, BMW will offer an i3 50 xDrive, which uses an asynchronous motor at the front axle and an electrically excited synchronous motor at the rear, with a combined output of 463 hp (345 kW) and 476 lb-ft (645 Nm). BMW says that energy losses are 40 percent lower than its 5th-gen powertrain, as well as being 10 percent lighter and 20 percent cheaper to make. The whole thing is a lot more sustainable, too. It uses about 30 percent recycled materials, and there’s a greater use of mono materials to make recycling much easier at the car’s end of life. Together with extensive use of renewable energy throughout the supply chain, BMW says that the i3 50 xDrive takes as little as a year to break even with a gasoline-powered model in terms of carbon output.

The rear of the i3 is the most changed from the concept.

Credit: BMW

It should be good to drive

The 3 Series built its reputation on stellar driving dynamics, and BMW knows the i3 will need to deliver on that to win over enthusiasts. Weight distribution is close to 50:50, with a low center of gravity thanks to the battery pack. It has softer springs than the iX3 for better ride comfort, with less-stiff top-mount bushings, different stiffnesses for the antiroll bars, and a stiffer connection to the rear wheel carriers.

Torque delivery is rear-biased out of corners, and under regenerative braking the rear axle regens more than the front at first to stabilize the car. The car can also supplement regen braking with the friction brakes at an individual corner, should the road conditions require. You probably won’t use the friction brakes much in day-to-day driving, though; BMW says regen should handle 95 percent of braking events, and in one-pedal driving mode, the i3 will make the smoothest stop of any BMW yet.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/03/heres-bmws-first-all-electric-3-series-the-2027-i3/

I’m less enamored with the column-mounted, twisty nub gearshift that we’ve seen in other Kias, including the EV9. Yes, it frees up console space, but it’s a little awkward to use, and I found myself bumping it with my leg from time to time. I am 6-foot 4-inches (2 m) tall, though, so your mileage may vary.

The second row is plenty roomy for kids or adults, and the third row was a bit cramped for me. But for normally sized humans, it’s usable. Ingress and egress from the third row is helped by the new electric tilt feature for the second-row chairs. Cargo room is ample at 48.7 cubic feet (1,379 L) with the third row dropped or 22.3 cubic feet (631 L) of space with the third row up—though that’s for internal combustion models. The hybrid Telluride sacrifices a few feet of cargo space, but it’s still plenty usable for those IKEA and Costco runs.

All mod cons

The XPro trim.

Kia

The XPro trim. Kia

Kia’s native infotainment system is unobjectionable.

Kia

Kia’s native infotainment system is unobjectionable. Kia

Cooling for the twin wireless charging pads would be welcome.

Kia

Cooling for the twin wireless charging pads would be welcome. Kia

Kia’s native infotainment system is unobjectionable. Kia

Cooling for the twin wireless charging pads would be welcome. Kia

Being a new Kia, the Telluride’s technology—safety, convenience, and infotainment—is excellent and largely standard. Features like adaptive cruise control, active lane keep assist, and automatic emergency braking work to make Kia’s Highway Driving Assist system very nice to use in traffic, while the vehicle cameras make maneuvering in parking lots easy, thanks to their good resolution.

The infotainment system is standard Kia fare, with includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The stereo sounds good, if not great, and the dual wireless charging pads work well, though I wish Kia had included a dedicated A/C vent to prevent overheating, as other manufacturers have.

The original Telluride was a hugely important and hugely successful vehicle for Kia, and the 2027 model improves upon it in nearly every way. It’s stylish, comfortable, capable, well-equipped, and, in a world where seemingly everything is $50,000 or more, has a very reasonable starting price of $39,190 (plus a $1,545 destination fee), with AWD versions starting from $44,090. The hybrid Tellurides start at $46,490 for FWD and $48,490 for AWD. The Telluride is further proof that Kia no longer has to skate by on low price alone; it’s a serious contender that should make even near-luxury brands nervous.

The 2027 Kia Telluride is on sale now.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/03/upmarket-looks-mass-market-price-the-2027-kia-telluride-driven/

Before the cup car, some warmup in a GT3.

Credit: Tim Stevens

The car I drove had a dual-clutch transmission, which meant I could just relax and let the car do the shifting while I figured out which way to go. Though I came in too hot to a few corners and often got a little over-exuberant when accelerating out of them, the car’s top-notch stability and traction control systems made sure I never found any of the PEC’s many and inviting walls.

911 Cup

Firing up the 911 Cup requires a bit of ceremony. There’s a big, chunky master switch that must be pulled out and down to start, and then a separate ignition switch. After that, you’re tempted to stab the shiny red button that’s immediately to the right, but do that, and you’ll only make a very big mess. That button releases the car’s extinguisher system.

The Engine Start button is in the traditional Porsche place to the left of the steering wheel. Press that and, assuming your foot is on the clutch, the engine fires to life with a deafening roar. Yes, there’s a clutch pedal here, despite this being a car with paddle shifters. Unlike the GT3’s dual-clutch unit, it’s a single-clutch sequential gearbox.

That means you need the clutch to get the thing going in first gear, but after that, the car automatically slams from one gear to the next, cutting the throttle on upshifts and auto-blipping it on downshifts. There’s even a function that will quickly restart the engine should you stall it at the launch.

A look at the working environment.

Tim Stevens

A look at the working environment. Tim Stevens

The road car’s interior is simple compared to the Cup car.

Tim Stevens

The road car’s interior is simple compared to the Cup car. Tim Stevens

A look at the working environment. Tim Stevens

The road car’s interior is simple compared to the Cup car. Tim Stevens

Sadly, I got to test that feature, as I was a little too gentle with the throttle pulling out of the pits. It bucked and stalled, but as soon as I got back on the clutch, the engine re-fired. I was free to shame-facedly head out onto the track.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/03/from-pixels-to-pavement-testing-the-new-porsche-911-cup-in-iracing-and-irl/

Formula 1 raced in China this past weekend, just a week after the sport kicked off its 2026 season in Australia. Most of the teams had a better handle on the sport’s complicated new cars in China, and the more traditional racetrack environment played better to the strengths of their hybrid power units, with enough hard braking zones to recharge batteries without having to sap engine power instead.

We have a better idea of the grid’s current pecking order, at least for now. There’s some daylight between each of the top three teams and a close battle for midfield honors. Meanwhile, the specter of unreliability is well and truly with us; four cars failed to even take the start, and seven (of 22) were not classified as finishing. For fans of those teams and drivers, it wasn’t a great weekend, especially if you woke up at 3 am to watch the race. But F1 generally put on an entertaining show in Shanghai.

That’s a lot of fans

The sport has been visiting the city since 2004. The setting is a classic turn-of-the-century facility designed and built by Herman Tilke. It’s a captivating-looking place, with a pond-filled paddock, a vast grandstand that spans the start-finish straight, and a layout that resembles the character for “shang,” which creates some rather tricky corners, like the spiraling decreasing radii of turns 1 and 2.

The grandstands at the start-finish straight are like little else in F1.

Credit: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Over the years, the city of Shanghai—once visible on the distant horizon—has grown closer and closer to the race track. And for most of those years, I’ve noticed that the grandstands just before the back straight were never in use until this year.

“… This is the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen here in Shanghai,” said Lewis Hamilton in the post-race press conference. “When we were doing the drivers’ parade, we went up to Turn 11, 12, and that grandstand has been closed for, I think, almost 20 years, and it was amazing. I was so shocked to see it completely full.”

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/03/f1-in-china-ive-never-seen-so-many-people-in-those-grandstands/

Offered through 1996, this generation also marked the end of an experiment. Four-wheel steering, once the Prelude’s technological calling card, unceremoniously disappeared. It’s an omen of what is to come.

A final shot over the bow

When the fifth-generation Prelude arrived for 1997, its styling felt like a compromise between eras, a return to Honda’s earlier angular discipline, slightly softened to align with late-1990s tastes. It looked modern but cautious. And beneath the sheet metal, something had changed.

A 1998 Honda Prelude Type SH.

Credit: Honda

For the first time in years, the Prelude’s ambitions narrowed. There was a single engine: a 195 hp (145 kW) 2.2 L four-cylinder, paired with a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. The menu was simplified, perhaps strategically.

Four-wheel steering was gone. In its place came Type SH, fitted with Honda’s Active Torque Transfer System, or ATTS. It consisted of electromechanical clutches designed to send additional torque to the outside front wheel during a turn to sharpen turn-in and approach the balance of rear-wheel drive. Today, we call it torque vectoring. Then, it’s a costly, heavy experiment that proved too clever for its own good. Few buyers opted in. And so, the Prelude faded away.

In June 2001, after selling 826,082 Preludes in the United States, Honda ended production. The car peaked in 1986, when 79,841 examples found buyers. After that, demand slipped steadily, squeezed by competition from within, particularly the Accord Coupe, Civic Coupe, and Acura Integra, and by a market pivoting decisively toward sport-utility vehicles. By the first five months of 2001, just 3,500 Preludes were sold. The car that once served as Honda’s technological calling card exited quietly. It was less a failure than a casualty of shifting appetites, as its innovations were absorbed into the mainstream that it helped shape.

The Prelude’s second chance

And now, roughly 25 years later, Honda has revived the Prelude, less a sentimental callback than a calculated move in an auto industry that no longer resembles the one the Prelude left behind.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/03/an-engineering-thesis-disguised-as-a-coupe-a-history-of-the-honda-prelude/

According to Leapenergy, however, 800 V prices are coming down. Today, an 800 V platform costs an additional $1,180, but this is projected to fall to $420 by 2028.

Where’s the industry headed?

Industry forecasts suggest that 800 V architectures will initially remain concentrated in higher-end EVs before gradually filtering downmarket.

Some analysts estimate that 15–20 percent of EVs globally could adopt 800 V systems by 2030, although the share is much higher in premium segments, where more than half of vehicles priced above $60,000 may use 800 V platforms.

China’s fast-moving EV industry may push the technology even further, with projections of around 35 percent penetration by the end of the decade.

The shift is being driven largely by improvements in silicon-carbide power electronics, which enable higher voltages while reducing switching losses and improving charging efficiency. As those components scale and costs fall, what is currently a feature of premium EVs from companies like Hyundai Motor Group, Porsche, and Lucid Motors may gradually migrate into more mainstream vehicles.

400 V vs. 800 V verdict:

So here lies the big question: Is 800 V the future of EVs? Yes—but don’t expect it to happen overnight.

Doubling the pack voltage brings clear technical advantages. Lower current means less heat, lighter cabling, more efficient electronics, and the ability to sustain extremely high charging power without pushing connectors and wiring to their limits. That’s why performance-focused EVs like the Taycan have embraced 800 V architectures.

For drivers who regularly rely on high-power DC fast-charging, the difference can translate into noticeably shorter stops. And shorter stops mean you can do cooler stuff with your life, instead of waiting for your EV to charge.

However, 400 V systems aren’t going away any time soon. They’re simpler, cheaper, and well understood, and they work perfectly well for the vast majority of EV use cases—especially when most charging still happens at home or at relatively modest public chargers. That’s why hugely successful vehicles like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-E continue to use optimized 400-volt platforms while still delivering competitive charging speeds.

For now, though, the takeaway is simpler: 800 V isn’t a revolution—it’s an evolution. It makes fast-charging faster and high-performance EVs easier to engineer, but the 400 V architecture that powered the first wave of modern EVs still has plenty of life left in it.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/03/doubling-the-voltage-what-800-v-architecture-really-changes-in-evs/