Car Wearing: Where did all the solar car concepts go?

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Solar Cars Are Still Baking Along, Kind Of

In the 1990s and the early 2000s we saw plenty of solar car concepts, which were pitched as a tech that would be commonplace by now. Well, here we are, and there are certainly more houses with solar panels than cars.
Where did this once-promising technology go, exactly, and what has been holding it back?
It wasn't long ago that startup Lightyear was planning an EV sedan with solar cells, designed to be powered entirely by the sun if need be. The company produced a few prototypes a year ago, and then promptly entered bankruptcy, from which it has since emerged.
But are we any closer to seeing a solar-powered car where a big chunk of the range can be gained from the actual sun?
Here's where this technology sits today.

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2024 VW ID.7 Station Wagon Offers Cavernous Cargo Space

With more electric vehicles on the way than we can count in 2024, it's easy to get the impression that just about every vehicle segment has an EV option. But there are a few exceptions, and station wagons are one of them.

With the VW ID.7 sedan headed on sale soon, Volkswagen will take the opportunity to offer an equally long station wagon, dubbed ID.7 Tourer. The automaker released the first official images of the planned model just a few days ago.

But is it something customers in North America might actually want to buy—if they even get the chance?

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This Company Will Buy Tons of Tesla Superchargers

Now that there are more than a few major automakers switching to Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS), it's easy to get the impression that Tesla owners themselves will soon be stuck waiting in lines at every Supercharger.

But not only is the number of chargers with NACS connectors set to grow, the number of official Superchargers will also sharply increase starting next year.

One energy giant has just committed to purchase $100 million worth of Tesla Superchargers, which it will install at a variety of gas station chains and rental car lots.

Here's what to expect starting in 2024.

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