This week, we're breaking down 2025's top EVs, a goodbye to VW's ID. Buzz, and a stunningly powerful new in-wheel EV motor. Here's what you need to know about clean machines right now:
And last year's best EVs are…
Our friends at InsideEVs painstakingly compiled its second annual Breakthrough Awards for the most innovative electric vehicles currently on sale in the U.S.
The team tested hundreds across the globe to get down to these top five. In first place is the 2026 Nissan Leaf, an all-new third-gen version of the company's cutting-edge first edition.
The other four winners: the 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5, 2026 Lucid Gravity, 2026 Tesla Model Y, and the 2026 Cadillac Optiq.
The VW ID. Buzz is leaving the U.S. — sort of
It's with a heavy heart that we pass on the news that VW's charming retro ID. Buzz will not be exported to the U.S. for a while, due to post-tax-credit-cancellation blues. In fairness, the Buzz's range is not impressive (234 miles), and its price is on the high side (almost $60,000), but it came with a lot of style and nostalgia.
You may still see the 60s-inspired car around, though, as VW has a deal with Uber to unleash the self-driving ID. Buzz as a robo-cab in America and Europe.
A new in-wheel motor could transform your EV
A brand new lightweight in-wheel EV motor developed by YASA (a Mercedes-Benz subsidiary) weighs just 28 pounds, but can produce 1,000 horsepower.
The axial flux motor could trim 400 pounds off a traditional EV's weight, and up to 1,000 pounds in a vehicle designed to accommodate the new tech.
Rivian is going all-in on self-driving
Most people tend to think of Rivian as the go-to for big, outdoorsy EVs. But the company has thrown a curveball by focusing on future AI chip manufacturing and self-driving tech for its existing models.
The Universal Hands-Free will be given at no cost to R1 owners from launch through to March 2026. Then it's a one-time $2,500 fee or a $49.99/month charge.
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Yes 👍 As things stand, hands-free on the R1S and R1T can manage some 135,000 miles of American roads (where the highway is divided), and the update is claimed to increase that to 3.5 million miles.
The firm's next-gen platform will be the core of the forthcoming R2, but the launch model will lack the LIDAR capability needed to reach true Level 4 autonomous driving. Rivian says that tech will be on subsequent models.
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