Which electric truck has been suspended indefinitely this week, and which has reportedly been delayed?

And why might the shift to electric vehicles propel the demise of three-box sedans?

This is our recap of Week In Reverse – right here at Green car reports– for the week ending January 14, 2022.

Don’t wait for Toyota EVs with solid state batteries. The automaker’s chief scientist confirmed in an interview last week that a Toyota hybrid will be the first to receive solid-state technology by 2025 – and it sounds like it could be the Prius.

Tesla unveiled a track mode for the Model S Plaid. With torque vectoring, improved cooling and more aggressive suspension settings — including more regenerative braking from the motors — it should avoid the brake overheating issue that some testers have noted.

We also summarized and digested some of the big trends heading into 2022 this week. Merchants made more money per transaction in 2021 than any previous year amid tight supply and strong demand. Given the same restrictions placed on hot electric models like the Ford F-150 Lightning and others, are state franchise laws stifling EV adoption? Traditional three-box sedans could be a thing of the past in the electric age, as curvaceous Kammback designs allow for better aerodynamics and longer range. And delivery giants like FedEx and Amazon are taking it a step further to break the “circle of shame” created by repeated stops by diesel trucks in neighborhoods — which is why last-mile electric delivery trucks are so in demand and provide profitable services who support them.

Volkswagen has further expanded its electric SUV ID.4 for its second model year. The 2022 VW ID.4 gets more range – accurate EPA ratings TBA – plus faster fast charging, plug-and-charge capability, and an auto-hold feature. Although some of this is coming via an over-the-air update.

And the Nissan Leaf sticks with it. With the price drop given to the Nissan Leaf last year, it will coexist with the Ariya crossover via dealership lots. The continuation of the EV tax credit could play a role in how long the happy coexistence lasts.

Shortly after the price increases for new Tesla models, the prices for used Teslas rose sharply in 2021.

The most ambitious EV maker among the top global automakers, Volkswagen, reported that it effectively doubled the number of EVs shipped worldwide in 2021 — though even including Porsche, Audi and other brands, it accounted for less than half of Tesla’s EV shipments remains.

Following an analysis of consumer reports Late last year, the consumer protection organization released some more details on what makes electric vehicles prone to problems – and why hybrid models are among the most reliable around.

Rivian sponsors Tier 2 Target Chargers as part of its Waypoint program, which is overseen by the non-profit organization Adopt a Charger. Those announced this week will fill the need for active EV owners in Yosemite and Golden Gate.

Tesla Cybertruck deliveries could be delayed well into 2023, according to a Reuters report citing an inside source. CEO Elon Musk had already hinted at layout and feature changes, which are expected to be detailed later this month in a full product update with the timeline.

Michigan startup Bollinger has shelved its B1 electric SUV and B2 electric pickup truck — as far as it refunds deposits paid on those SUVs. Instead, all efforts are directed towards electric commercial vehicles.

A 30% increase in battery life and counteracting degradation may be possible through a “revitalization” method made possible by US Department of Energy research — although the idea has yet to be put into practice.

Charging in multi-unit buildings requires some special strategies to avoid the utility charges that can add thousands of dollars a month to building energy bills. A company’s solutions aim to simply throttle this need at the switchboard.

California has refused to buy state vehicles from GM for more than two years as the automaker sided with the Trump administration in an attempt to strip the state of its authority to regulate vehicle emissions. The relationship is back on track with a letter from GM declaring that it is “committed to compliance with California regulators.”

And for something we’re still trying to digest, study results from Deloitte played the fool this week, suggesting the tipping point for mass-market EVs may be significantly further away than most other analysts are suggesting. It turns out that Americans are not interested in EVs due to cost and range issues, with just 4% aiming to make an EV their next car.

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