This week on EV Rider, let’s take a look at the cost of performance. I’ve put more than 63,000 miles on my 2022 Mustang Mach-E so far.

As I get ready for my next multistate road trip, that got me wondering how much I would spend to go the same distance in either a gas Mustang with the 2.3 liter EcoBoost turbo 4 or 5 liter V8.

Using Gemini, it’s pretty easy to figure out. I had Gemini assume I charge 70 percent at home and 30 percent using commercial AC and DC chargers, which is my best guess of my actual use case.

To keep the comparison a bit more relevant to readers and viewers I used national averages for gas and electricity as opposed to my home city of Jacksonville, where electricity is running below the national average.

So with the disclaimers out of the way, here are the actual numbers.

My Mustang Mach-E has an estimated fuel cost of $4,706, based on prices gathered on April 30.

For the 2.3L EcoBoost Mustang the cost jumps to $8,694 and for you V8 fans, the cost rises to $14,525.

My assumptions used the following EPA averages: the Mach-E getting 3.3 miles kWh, the turbo Mustang getting 25 MPG and the V8 getting 18 MPG.

Since 91 octane fuel is usually recommended for peak performance, that’s the price I used for the gas versions, although there will be Mustang owners that correctly point out their cars can run on regular. However, by the time I published this story on May 6, the price of regular had risen to $4.48 per gallon, which is higher than premium cost when I originally price checked fuel prices on April 30.

Of course all Mustangs are performance cars, so next let’s look at Ford’s estimated 0-60 mph times for the 2026 editions of Ford’s three ponys.

My Premium AWD extended range Mach-E is roughly the equivalent of a fully optioned EcoBoost gas Mustang. The EV powertrain is only available in the 4-door while the gas powertrains is are available in the coupe and convertible.

Of the three powertrains, the EcoBoost is the slowest car, getting to 60 in a Ford estimated 4.5 seconds. The V8 Mustang GT comes in at 4.2 seconds while the 2026 mid-trim Mach-E Premium AWD also does it in 4.2 seconds.

If you were step up to the top trim Mustang Mach-E GT with the performance unlock, the 0-60 mph time drops to a Ford estimated 3.3 seconds.

So what’s the lesson? It’s pretty simple. When it comes to everyday performance and fuel economy, EVs are going to win almost every time.

More Mustang Mach-E Coverage (story continues below)

60,000 Miles Later: 2022 Mustang Mach-E Review

Should Ford Build This Mustang Mach-E Convertible?

Ford Shows Off Tri-Motor Mustang Mach-E For NASCAR

Mustang Mach-E EV Sells Better Than Gas Mustang

Ford Will Offer Complementary Mach-E, F-150 Lightning NACS Supercharger Adapters

EV Rider’s 2023 Top 10; What’s Ahead In 2024

At Deeper Look At The Stats In This Post

Gemini, which is a Google-owned AI model, was used to come up with the estimates used in this story, using U.S. average electric and gasoline fuel prices compiled on April 30, 2026. Disclaimer: Fuel prices constantly fluxuate.

The Variables: Assumes 63,000 miles of travel for each vehicle, using EPA fuel economy estimates

• U.S. Average Premium Gas on 4/20/26: $4.15 per gallon.
• EV Charging Mix: 70% Home ($0.17 kWh), 15% L2 ($0.30 kWh), 15% L3 ($0.55 kWh). U.S. average prices on 4/20/26.

The post EV Vs. Gas Mustangs: Fuel Cost Difference Is Striking appeared first on EV Rider.

It’s a ruby red chunk of a truck, a near-luxury SUV that has three rows of seats and can tow up to 8,100 pounds of trailer.

It’s as quiet as can be on a long trip to dinner with six on board – or it can bring all of you into the pine woods down a dirt road for a nature trip.

Born in 1992 as a full size pickup truck-based people hauler, the Yukon is five years into its sixth generation (and one into its mid-cycle refresh) with a distinctive look, but a shared roof and doors with its GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade sister ships. And have no fear, it’s a truck under all that metallic red paint, and chrome and black trim.

The Tahoe is a popular big SUV. Chevrolet sold almost 86,000 last year, a bit below 2024’s 105,000. And it loves to show off its family heritage, borrowing the Silverado’s bold face in 2021, then again in the 2025 refresh.

The High Country is at the mountaintop of the six trim levels for the Tahoe. At 210.7 inches it’s just under 16 inches shorter than its big brother Suburban. LED headlights ride inside curved LED DRLs framed in side aero intakes that move air over front wheels to help wind flow. A black bar splits slim upper (capped w/LED light bars) and big lower grilles, ending with a bumper that edges into those side blades. A lower intake gets a gloss black strip over silver air dam trim. This rounded-yet-blunt face is close to the 2021 redesign. The mid-cycle refresh gives it a bit more aggressive yet smoother look that works well under the broad sternum-high expanse of hood.

Those upper LED lights flow into bodyside upper lines that flow aft under tall side windows with black trim. There are power-deploying running boards. The roof gets slim black roof racks, and flows into a rear window shade/spoiler. Its window is framed by aerodynamic D-pillars. The High Country rides on 22-inch Bridgestone Alenza rubber wrapped around black 8-spoke wheels with slightly squared-off fender lips. The fronts are integrated withg running lights. Clear plastic around the tall taillights, connected by gloss black is a nice detail.

Related: Chevy Suburban Raises Bar For 2025

The tailgate opens high enough to clear my head. There’s a step bumper below, and very impressive quad stainless steel exhaust tips to finish the look, which was liked by all – especially the “gorgeous” Radiant Red Tintcoat paint, some said.

2026 Chevrolet Tahoe High Country Gets Fully Optioned Interior

The power running boards are handy to help the driver ascend into the jet black leather interior, which lacks a pillar-mounted grab handle that the passengers all get. That planted me in a nicely firm if slightly flat bucket seat with copper thread accents, thick dark piping are at the edges. “High Country” is embroidered on the head restraints. Both front seats get heat and cooling, while the driver has power adjustments and twin memory presets. More copper accents a leatherette-covered dashtop, doors and center console framing, which gives a nice upscale look despite familiar GM plastic and controls on the lower interior sections nearby.

The 2025 refresh gave the Tahoe’s helm a needed digital upgrade. An 11-inch digital instrument cluster joins an 17.7-inch touchscreen and a lot of dashboard buttons go away. The gauge display is configurable, from simple digital speed with basic info, to a navigation map, or two versions of full gauges with 8,000-rpm tach and inset info panels with audio, time/temp, etc. It’s complimented by a color head-up display with a big dashtop projector.

The center touchscreen gets an audio volume control. All other functions are accessible by big touch icons for phone, audio, climate control, Wi-Fi, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with a solid 10-speaker Bose system. However, the Bluetooth system kept dropping my Samsung phone and SiriusXM coverage was spotty.

The steering wheel gets the usual phone, voice command, cruise and gauge display controls in front, then small paddle shifters and audio in back. Driving controls live on a basic Chevrolet panel to the left of the wheel. There are 4-wheel-drive selection buttons, a Normal, Sport, Off-road and Tow/Haul drive mode knob and headlights as well as e-parking brake, lane-keep and auto-engine off buttons.

Under the stitched and patterned leather center armrest lives lots of storage, while the wide center console gets a deep inductive phone charger nook with twin USB and a 12-volt outlet and cup holders. Under the navigation screen there are some hard buttons for fan speed and other climate controls. There’s a classic gear shift stalk with a low gear push button at the end, which activates manual up- and downshift paddle shifters

2026 Chevrolet Tahoe High Country Offers 3 Row Seating

Second row occupants get the real deal. There are captain’s chairs with heat and separate a/c controls, flip-up armrests, big video screens for gaming and streaming (including wireless headphones), all under a long power moonroof. The seats slide fore and aft. There’s decent room between to access a third-row bench seat with real head and leg room for two adults and three in a pinch. There are USB ports as well.

There’s a very usable 25.5-cu.ft. of space behind the last row, with a very shallow storage slot under the carpeted floor. Second- and third-row seatbacks can be lowered for up to 122.9-cu.ft. space, the rears powering up and down, the second row remote-dropped, all with handy cargo area buttons. The rear power hatch opens to a big, but fairly high load floor.

Smooth Aluminum V8 Powers 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe High Country

A powerful naturally-aspirated and familiar engine is a cast aluminum 6.2-liter V-8 with 420-hp, 460-lb-ft of torque, 10-speed transmission and selectable rear-wheel or four-wheel-drive. And our Tahoe had a newby of an engine with just over 770 miles on the odometer when we began driving it

There’s 5,845 pounds of SUV here, but in Normal drive mode, it moves out well. With rear-wheel-drive selected, our very new engine hit 60 mph in 6.5 seconds with a satisfying V-8 exhaust note, but not too loud. Sport mode quickens throttle response and shifts, firms up steering and suspension, and gives the quad exhaust a bit more muscle. We hit 60 mph in 6 seconds in rear-wheel-drive mode and 6.3 seconds in Sport 4WD High. We had quicker downshifts to access rpm for passing power, while auto-stop/start was pretty seamless at stops, only once engaging abruptly as we came off the brake to the gas pedal. Fuel mileage started at just over 12 mpg, then rose to an average 15 mpg after mostly highway miles in Normal/RWD mode.

To compare, a 2023 Tahoe RST we tested for a defunct site hit 60 mph in 6.1 seconds in Normal/RWD, and 5.9 seconds in Sport/4WD Auto. It averaged 14 mpg in mostly highway driving. And a 2021 GMC Yukon we tested back then with the same engine hit 60 mph in 5.7 seconds.

Under our red box is independent front/multi-link rear suspension, with coil-over shocks and stabilizer bars and Magnetic Ride Control. It’s active suspension system “reads” the road, and firms or softens the suspension as needed quickly, Chevy says. The Tahoe offered a supple yet taut and well controlled ride that reacted quickly to bumps, firming or softening as it swallowed speed humps with no harshness. That said, there was gentle body shudder from the heavy body-on-frame SUV over tar patches on a local highway.

For its size and height, the Tahoe went easily around corners with no drama and a hint of body roll. In 4-wheel-drive auto, it shifted power fore and aft as needed for some fairly neutral handling in curves, handy for its size. Pushed harder in a roundabout, there was understeer and some traction control.

Power steering was direct in Sport, a more responsive feel that was appreciated along with a tight turning radius for such a large truck. The disc brakes had a good bite high on the pedal, and decent stopping power with some nose dive, and a bit of ABS chatter at full shove. We had no brake fade after repeated hard use. The Tahoe was fairly quiet at highway speed. There was some wind noise around the side mirrors.

Being a “High Country,” we sought to get off-road in flat Florida. We found a very sandy trail through pine barrens where it had solid traction in 4WD-High. The ride was comfortable but not springy, easily absorbing bumps at higher speeds without head toss. Here, the Tahoe structure was stiff and squeak-free. Off-road mode backed off the throttle input so you don’t spin wheels and dig in. The four-wheel-drive has a limited slip differential.

We had SuperCruise, which gave us hands-free driving on interstate and state roads, keeping cleanly in lane without too much wiggle. It maintained speed and distance to a stop, then resuming as the guy in front moved off. I wasn’t a fan of the auto-lane change. It did that whenever someone in front slowed, safely. But there’s times I wanted to stay put. For added safety there’s an automatic emergency and front pedestrian braking, forward collision alert, 360-degree camera and seat buzzers to alert of things ion blind spots.

A base rear-wheel-drive Tahoe LS with the 5.3-liter V-8 starts at $66,495; our Tahoe 4WD High Country starts at $83,700. The biggest option is $7,690, which includes Super Cruise, power side steps, moonroof, air ride suspension, 2-speeed transfer case, trailer assist and more. A $4,995 package adds dark wheels and trim, while $2,15 adds tech like the rear video screens for a final tally of $100,670.

Bottom line: A real SUV that handles a family and off-road action. But $100,000-plus is a lot for this comfy, capable Tahoe, although that engine is very nice.

2026 Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD High Country Specifications

Vehicle type – full-size 7-passenger four-wheel-drive sports utility vehicle
Base price $83,700 ($100,670 as tested)
Engine type – OHV 16-valve aluminum V-8
Displacement – 6.2-liter
Horsepower (net) – 420 @ 5,600 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) – 460 @ 4,100 rpm
Transmission – 10-speed automatic
Wheelbase – 120.9 inches
Overall length – 210.7 inches
Overall width – 81 inches
Height – 75.8 inchesGround clearance: 8 inches
Front headroom – 40.4 inches w/moonroof
Front legroom – 44.5 inches
Second row headroom – 37.5 inches
Second row legroom – 42 inches
Rear headroom – 38.2 inches
Rear legroom – 34.9 inches
Cargo capacity – 25.5 cu. ft./72.6 w/3rd row folded/122.9 w/2nd and 3rd row folded
Towing capacity – up to 8,200 lbs.
Curb weight – 5,845 lbs.
Fuel capacity – 24 gallons
Mileage rating – 21-mpg city/27-mpg highway

The post 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe High Country: Comfy Family Hauler appeared first on EV Rider.

Station wagons used to be everywhere, until they weren’t.

But even as wagons are replaced by crossovers, some folks still make them, like our recently-tested Kia K4 hatchback – really a wagon. And we have another with a serious mix of grace, pace – and utility – the 2026 BMW M5 Touring, a plug-in hybrid with turbocharged V-8, all-wheel-drive, and attitude.

This BMW M5 is the latest in a 42-year series of high-performance versions of the Bavarian automaker’s cars. Now done as a 4-door sedan, which we tested, we also have this 5-door wagon in a sleek seventh generation shape introduced in 2024.

The famed twin-kidney grille remains, upper sections sleekly blocked for better air flow. Those grilles get white LED outlines, while that split lower intake gapes wide and deep, intercoolers visible inside. Flanking it are angular, deep brake cooling intakes over a deep, split lower intake with aggressive air dam. Aggressive side ducts accent lower, outer fenders that flare widely to tightly frame wide Continental ProContact P285/40 ZR20’s in front, and staggered P295/35 ZR21’s in back on gloss black 10-blade alloy wheels with big vented disc brakes inside.

The windshield has a nice sweep, flowing into a dark glass fixed moonroof that meets a split roof spoiler over a sleekly-angled rear window and hatchback. It’s a gracefully streamlined station wagon silhouette. Rear window sill lines flow into classic Hofmeister kinks – like the sedans – at the D pillars.

Slim LED taillights wrap around the sculpted hatchback over faux fender vents housing reflectors and echoing those on the nose. Twin black lower aero panels provide more underbody downforce at speed and house quad exhaust pipes.

The result is low, sleek and muscular at the same time. Lots of folks gazed at it at a local hot rod show. Its long 118.3-inch wheelbase is accented by flared sills. What look like aero channels on those sills are projectors that spray the pavement with animated, stylized “M” emblems.

2026 BMW M5 Touring’s Interior Puts On A Welcoming Show

The interior is done in padded black leather on the dashtop, then an illuminated accent bar splits the middle with air vents neatly hidden in the fascia with small adjustment controls under them. The faceted accent bar flows with colors on entry, parked above lustrous carbon fiber that also wraps into the doors. There’s no other physical controls, just touch-sensitive sliders for basic climate control on the center section. It’s very clean, and mostly user friendly.

White piping accents front seat black leather trim. Classic “M” emblems light up under the head restraints. The driver and front passenger get very supportive multifunction sport seats with aggressive upper and lower side bolstering. They are heated and ventilated under a long panoramic roof with power shade in a lush Alcantara Suede headliner. Holding down the key fob’s door unlock button drops all four side windows, and reels in the moonroof shade.

The flat-bottom M Sport steering wheel gets a meaty, leather-wrapped rim with upper red stripe to help you point straight. There are paddle shifters, plus “M” buttons so you can preset a multitude of engine, EV, suspension, even exhaust modes.

It faces a sweeping digital display that starts with a configurable 12.3-inch gauge display that can show different designs, including full navigation info with digital speedometer, G-force meter, engine gauges, front-facing camera and other options. It sweeps seamlessly right into a 14.9 inch infotainment touchscreen with BMW’s iDrive 8.5 interface, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as HD Radio and more.

When parked, video games or streaming video can be viewed through a 5G data connection. And the Bowers & Wilkins stereo system, with patterned alloy speaker grilles at each dashboard end, looks and sounds great.

The center console gets twin inductive phone charge slots near BMW’s familiar twist/tap central screen controller next to a knurled alloy volume knob and haptic buttons for drive and EV modes, and more. Cup holders and a usable storage area under the center armrest complete front accommodations.

The rear doors open wide into low-set, sculpted semi bucket seats with great support, plus decent head and leg room – there’s heat, cooling and separate rear climate controls, plus USB ports. The power boot lid opens high enough to clear my head. The 27-cubic-foot luggage area (up from 16.5 in the M5 sedan) expands to 67 cubic feet with the rear seatbacks folded flat. It is wide and usable, with a bit of space under the floor.

M5 Touring’s V8 Delivers Twin-Turbocharged Fury With Added EV Kick

Under that bonnet lies BMW’s familiar twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 with 717 hp and thundering 738 lb ft of torque, some of that from an electric motor in back that adds 195 hp and 206 lb-ft of torque. There’s an 8-speed M Sport automatic with a small paddle in the center console doing main selection, or big paddle shifters behind the M1 and M2 buttons.

The 32-valve V-8 has a cross-bank exhaust manifold and reinforced crankshaft drive, turbochargers mounted close to the exhaust manifold. Peak gas engine torque of 553 lb-ft is available between 1,800 and 5,400 rpm. There’s six drive modes, from eCONTROL (best hybrid efficiency); full electric; hybrid (gas/electric); Dynamic and Dynamic Plus.

Folks were intrigued that a 717-hp sports sedan could also go all-electric. But BMW says this M5 Touring’s battery pack allows for up to 87 mph from electric motor alone. So I spent a day driving it in pure EV mode, and it felt just like a midsize BMW sports sedan – sure-footed, agile and quick enough during basic commuting duties. The M5 Touring stayed in EV mode as long as I moderated throttle use – lunge on the elegant alloy gas pedal, and the 4.4-liter V-8 joined in.

BMW’s official global news release lists the battery’s usable capacity at 18.6 kWh, although BMW’s U.S. news release lists it at 14.8 kWh. In our 0-100% charging session we were able to add 15.75 kWh. The pack’s gross (total with buffer included) capacity is 22.1 kWh.

Due to the nice amount of power the highest regen setting gave back to the battery, I could keep, and even add to the estimated range in eCONTROL mode with normal gas pedal use. A few days with that saw the BMW earn 33 miles of indicated range. So I hit the neighborhood roads, state highway and tall bridge to see what the real vs. estimated range was. That commute saw 11 miles of range depleted on a 7-mile drive – a bit more than it promised.

The nice part was that this BMW accelerated nicely to pass traffic or get away from a stoplight moderately quickly in EV mode. It easily and quickly handled the steep ascent up a 200-foot-tall bridge, then regenerated power going down the other side.

M5 Touring Has Driving Modes For Every Occasion

But the fun is in the gas/EV mix, and this station wagon was quick when those ingredients combined, plus selecting four-wheel drive. So set in comfort/road mode, the M5 Touring was quite quick, launching without drama to hit 60 mph in 3.6 seconds. Move that to Sport/Dynamic Plus – there are multiple (too many?) variations of driving modes – saw the M5 leap off line very quickly to 60 mph in 3 seconds flat. The electric motor torque immediately shoving me back, followed by the V-8 with quick, decisive and slick upshifts accompanied by a delightful exhaust. Throttle blips on downshifts smoothed those out, coming where they needed to be, or quickly via paddle shifts.

Launch control is easy. You select Sport mode, set traction control to “M Dynamic Mode,” and left-foot brake as you mash the gas. When the gauge display says go, it sprints to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds. The electric motor torque is immediate with a hint of rear wheelspin, then the V-8 hits lightning-quick upshifts and throttle-blip downshifts, providing .92Gs on launch.

These modes are pure theater, but for more fun, pull and hold the left paddle shifter marked “BOOST” while in Hybrid drive mode, and you temporarily enable maximum acceleration. Pedal down meant a hammer blow to my back on launch with no wheelspin, and 60 mph explosively arriving in 2.8 seconds, with an indicated .87Gs on launch, but you only have 30 seconds to access boost.

Run in eCONTROL, with the drivetrain in Comfort mode to save battery power with the V-8 leading the way, I managed 12 mpg over three days of sedate commuter driving. But mix a few days’ drive in Hybrid and EV-only after full recharges on a Level 2 240-volt charger and it quickly boosted my average to 21 mpg.

To compare, the M5 Touring is the same length, width and height (well, 3/10^th of an inch taller) than the M5 sedan we tested last year. It’s also only 133 lbs. more than the 5,390-lb. sedan, which hit 60 mph in a quick 3.4 seconds in Hybrid/Comfort/Road mode. In Sport mode – a bigger bar tach and larger gauge displays – boosted gas and EV power along with torque to hit 60 mph in 3.1 seconds. And launch control, which disables traction control, saw 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, and 100 mph in 7. Top speed is limited to 155 mph but the optional M Drivers package eggs that up to 189 mph, pace car levels if you want to lead Indy Cars into the start.

This station wagon is also very agile, flat and secure to play with due to grippy rubber, four-wheel-drive and adaptive suspension that goes from comfortable taut in Comfort mode, to tighter taut in Sports modes. It was neutral and flat in every corner I put it through and eager to power out without drama. On a skidpad, the Vegas Red Metallic BMW pulled a very impressive 1.03Gs in steady-state cornering with no understeer. Easy to play with as the 4-wheel-drive moved power fore and aft as needed.

The steering in comfort mode was direct and full of feel, then tightened with great precision in Sport mode – tight turning radius too. Six-piston fixed-calipers clamped cross-drilled 16.5-inch disc brakes in front; single-piston floating calipers on 15.7-inchers at the rear. The brake pedal bit high, with superb control and great bite to bring this station wagon to a straight, short and drama-free stop time and time again with those huge carbon ceramic brakes –pulling 1.13Gs as I hung in the red and blue striped belts.

A full charge at a Level II (240-volt) home charger gave 28 miles of range, 0-100% taking 92 minutes– BMW says the M5 Touring charges a little faster for 2026, accepting up to 11 kW of power, up from 7.4 kW.

Very cool – using full regenerative braking and eCONTROL, we readily fed 1 to 4 miles of range back into the battery on my brief highway/stop-and-go commute.

Our M5 Touring starts at $121,500; our test wagon had options like $8,500 carbon ceramic brakes; $2,500 M Driver’s package; and $1,800 Executive Package with lit grille, ventilated front seats and side window shades. With some other options and $300 gas guzzler tax, this BMW cost $140,775.

Bottom line: Truly a sleek, strong station wagon with the soul of a sports coupe – and EV utility that’s fun.

2026 BMW M5 Touring Specifications

Vehicle type- 5-door, 5-passenger all-wheel-drive sports wagon

Base price – $119,500 (As driven – $146,225)

Gas engine type – dual turbocharged 32-valve V-8

Displacement – 4.4-liter

Horsepower (net) – 577 hp at 5,600-6,500 rpm

Torque (lb-ft) – 553 at 1,800 – 5,400 rpm

EV power – up to 194 hp/up to 207 lb-ft  max torque from its Lithium-ion battery

Transmission – 8-speed automatic w/paddle shifting

Wheelbase – 117.4 in.

Overall length – 200.6 in.

Overall width – 77.6 in.

Height – 59.7 in.

Cargo capacity – 27 cubic feet

Curb weight – 5,528 pounds

Fuel capacity – 15.9 gallons

Mileage rating – 13 mpg city/highway combined gas-only/54 MPGe hybrid

Expanded BMW Technical Specifications (PDF document)

The post 2026 BMW M5 Touring: V8 Muscle With An EV Twist appeared first on EV Rider.

Classic rides ranging from Mustangs and Corvettes to Chevelles, Miatas and more will be on display at the 11th annual San Jose Car and Truck Show in Jacksonville on June 6. The show is being postponed from its earlier date due to a heavy chance of rain.

See the video at the top of this post for highlights from the 10th annual show.

There will be a host of prizes for classic car entries. See the flyer below for a full list of categories.

The show runs from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 6, 2026 at the Dupont Station Shopping Center at 6721 St. Augustine Road, Jacksonville, FL 32217.

Proceeds will benefit the Bishop Snyder Community Center. We hope to see you there. Here’s a flyer with additional details but keep mind the date has been updated to June 6:

The post UPDATE: San Jose Car & Truck Show Postponed to June 6 appeared first on EV Rider.

This week’s video is a quick roundup of some of our favorite recent road tests; including the Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack, Kia EV6 GT-Line and Chevrolet Silverado Trail Boss EV, along with a preview of our upcoing April 29 road test of the BMW M5 Touring.

Here are links to the full written road tests of the EVs referenced:

• 2026 Chevy Silverado EV Is The Real Trail Boss
• Long-Term Owner Review: Charger Daytona Scat Pack
• Kia EV6 GT-Line Checks All The Boxes

And here are the video versions:

Chevrolet Silvervado Trail Boss EV Video Road Test

Dodge Daytona Scat Pack Long-Term Owner Video Review & Road Test

Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Video Road Test

And, for you animation fans, here are the Zappy cartoons.

EV Rider And Zappy Cartoons

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Cartoon: Zappy Races Dodge Daytona Charger EV

Zappy Previews Mustang Mach-E

EV Rider At Daytona Bike Week

Chihuahua Co-Pilot: Zappy Adds Sparks & Style

Zappy Tries To Keep Up With Kia EV6

Zappy Previews Fiat's Topolino EV

Zappy asks: What's V2G?

3D VR Cartoon: EV Rider & Zappy's Solar Adventure

Cartoon: EV Rider & Zappy's Solar Adventure

A Very Zappy Christmas

EV Rider's 1st Cartoon: Meet Zappy

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The post EV Rider Road Tests Roundup appeared first on EV Rider.

Could the Lucid Air be offered as a convertible one day?

Thanks to AI, EV Rider is can giving you a very realistic look at what an Air convertible would probably look like in the video at the top of this post.

Even the name Air lends itself to being made into a soft top. But despite how good it would look, don’t get your hopes up.

Since the Air wasn’t designed to accommodate a convertible from day one, the engineering costs alone make the video nothing more than a dream for a future generation.

Among the problems Lucid would face with the existing Air is re-engineering the A-pillars to make them thicker and stronger.

Other reinforcements would be needed to make up for the lost rigidity that the existing roof provides, which in turn would add more weight.

A convertible would also likely severely impact the Air’s ultra-low drag design. Between the extra drag and weight, drivers would likely see a significant hit in range as well as with other compromises such as the likelihood of sloppier handling along with less rear passenger space and a smaller trunk.

Perhaps the biggest barrier is the cost it would add. Since the Air is a low volume car, it would likely mean paying well over $20,000 more to purchase a convertible variant.

As an example, the last-gen Dodge Challenger convertible, which was produced by aftermarket company Droptop Customs as a Dodge-sanctioned special-order car, added $25,000 to the cost when ordered through a dealership.

But still, it’s fun to dream. And who knows, maybe Lucid will eventually grow large enough to consider a convertible variation of a next-generation Air or another future model.

Lucid Air Pure Road Test & Review Video

The post What If: Lucid Air Convertible Concept appeared first on EV Rider.

The average price of a gallon of gas as I write this now is $4.26 per gallon in my Florida county, and $5.90 in California.

That means a local 18-gallon fill-up on a 2026 Subaru Outback could cost about $76 for about 486 miles of travel based on an average 27 mpg.

By comparison, its new EV sibling – the Subaru Trailseeker – can travel about 260 miles on a charge. If you can charge at home, the fuel savings will add up pretty fast (depending on where you live).

Here in Jacksonville it costs $10.40 to charge the Trailseeker from 0-100%. That’s based on the current residential rate of 14 cents per kWh, once taxes and fees are included. Looking at the residential national average of about 17.4 kWh, it would cost $12.90 to fully charge the Trailseeker.

Join the discussion. Post your Trailseeker thoughts in the YouTube comments.

When DC charging, I got 115 miles of range, going from 36% to 81% in 25 minutes – for $17 at a commercial charger. In ideal conditions Subaru says the Trailseeker can charge from 10 to 80% in 28 minutes.

So as Subaru expands its range of EVs in 2026 (we just tested the compact Solterra crossover) there is an EV alternative that could fit the same bill as an Outback – the midsize Trailseeker.

Subaru calls the Trailseeker “our most adventurous EV,” with 375-hp and 8.5 inches of ground clearance. This Indiana-built Subaru shows an aggressive face, starting with a flat nose with body-colored “U” accent, topped with a slim gloss black nose cap along with a big Subaru star logo, dead center. Three slim LED DRL units bisected by lit accent lines flare off each side of the grille. The lower center intake for battery and motor cooling is framed in silver, some of which flows under the nose as a skid plate.

Like most macho crossovers with off-road desires, more black plastic frames front and rear tires. It has 20-inch silver alloy wheels with black aero covers clad in somewhat street-biased Bridgestone Turanza rubber.

Like most Subarus with off-road aspirations, the lower sills are geometric silver and black cladding under angular body lines that flare into slightly broad-shouldered rear fenders. The clamshell hood gets black trim ahead of the raked windshield for looks and to cut glare. The chunky black roof racks can handle 700 pounds of stuff. The black accents continue with the side window pillars and mirrors.

Slim taillights wrap around the tailgate, connected by a lit LED bar over “SUBARU” under clear plastic. The power tailgate opens high enough to clear my head. Its tinted glass is framed by a shade/spoiler. The chunky bumper is in black and silver, covering a trailer hitch, which has a towing capacity of up to 3,500 pounds.

The Trailseeker has Subaru’s familiar Outback-style SUV-like shape, with a grille-less EV face. It’s a blunter, more SUV-like visage than Subaru’s Solterra EV, which is sleeker.

Yet Trailseeker gets some sleekness in its rear fender and sloping roofline design, combined with the Outback’s new grille and headlight shape. The Trailseeker is handsome, but blends in when parked in a supermarket lot full of other Subies and crossovers.

2026 Trailseeker Limited EV Includes High-Tech Interior

That 8.5 inches of ground clearance makes it so easy to slide into the black and gray Star-Tex pleather seats, the driver getting power adjustments and dual memory presets and facing a leather-wrapped squircle steering wheel, which is a squared-off circle. That’s when you notice how high-tech the rest of the interior is with its two digital screens. There are a small number of physical controls and a funky transmission controller on a floating center console with storage space underneath.

First, the instrument display isn’t visible through the steering wheel, but above and beyond it. It’s placed roughly where a head-up display would go on the padded, textured dashtop. Its configurable to show digital speed alone; that plus a navigation map; or audio, EV status, smart cruise and safety systems. It’s right where it needs to be to be seen quickly while driving.

Then there’s the 14-inch Subaru Multimedia System with touchscreen, available cloud-based navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The big central screen keeps a handy volume knob, plus dual-zone temperature-adjust dials with integrated degree displays.

There is one significant feature missing from the Trailseeker’s native navigation system. It doesn’t include native route planning with suggested charging stops and automatic battery preconditioning. Many EVs include this feature. To achieve similar functionality Subaru owners will need to install a third party app, with A Better Route Planner being one option, and use the car’s manual precondition function to achieve the same results.

Battery preconditioning heats or cools a battery in advance of arriving at a charging station to ensure the car is at an optimal charging temperature when the driver plugs it in.

I appreciated the climate control touch-buttons in between for fan speed, heated seats and vent adjustment, as well as the left-side main menu tabs for phone, audio and the like. 

The dual inductive chargers at the head of the floating center console are handy and rubberized to hold on to cellphones, yet mine slid out on a turn. The push-to-select transmission knob behind it works fine. It just takes a few taps and twists to get familiar. It’s flanked by Drive Mode and X-Mode selector buttons, plus other driving and safety systems. There are USB-C and 12-volt outlets with the storage space underneath, plus good center armrest capacity.

Back seat access is good through wide-opening doors, with great leg and head room as well as a slightly higher seating position. Those in back get rear vents and an armrest as well as heated outboard seats and more USB-C ports. Rear seatbacks split 60/40 and fold to expand a boxy rear cargo area with remote seatback drop controls. The security cover fits neatly in the under-floor storage area.

Other features in our Limited trim include a Harman Kardon audio system, heated steering wheel, hands-free foot-activated power tailgate and 120-volt cargo area power outlet. While the front hood opens, there’s motor electronics underneath – no frunk.

Comparing The Trailseeker With Subaru’s Solterra EV

The Solterra is 184.6 inches long on a 112.2-inch wheelbase, with 8.3 inches of ground clearance. It’s 4,499 lbs., with an estimated 278 miles of range and 338-hp from dual motors. Our Trailseeker is 190.8-inches long, also on a 112.2-inch wheelbase with 8.5 inches of ground clearance. It’s 4,475 lbs., with an estimated 274 miles of range and 375-hp from two motors.

As you can see from the numbers, the Trailseeker is a tad bigger, a bit lighter, and a bit less powerful. It has an integrated transaxle at front and rear axles for all wheel drive that you can monitor via a center screen, with 74.7-kWh high-capacity lithium-ion battery. And with Eco, Normal and Power drive modes, we had our choice of quick-yet-frugal, quicker-and almost frugal and quickest-and not so-frugal.

2026 Subaru Trailseeker Limited’s Power Mode Suprises Off The Line

We spent a lot of time in Eco mode, which launches slowly, then builds its power flow to keep up with traffic. It quickly hit 60 mph in a near-silent (no gearbox, just direct drive) 5.5 seconds, with all four tires putting equal power to the pavement. One annoyance – the Trailseeker doesn’t stay in Eco, but resets to Normal with each ignition off. In Normal mode, the launch is quicker. It’s my favorite mode for daily driving, with good off-the-line speed and passing power.

The real surprise was Power mode. Our 1,100-mile-old crossover leaped off the line a bit abruptly, with a hint of front wheelspin, hitting 60 mph in a quick 4.3 seconds. Those are times no Brat or Legacy ever dreamed of that. And again, near silence except for a muted electric motor whir, some tire and wind whisper, and no drama. The all-wheel-drive just grabbed and went.

We started our drive with 212 miles of range from a 90% charged battery. We drove 138 miles over two days. The last part was in windy, 50-degree temperatures, leaving us with 94 miles of range in a battery with 36% charge left. Since Subaru has adopted the North American Charging Standard (NACS) we can use V3 and higher Tesla Superchargers charger, with no adapter needed, although now drivers will need to use the included CCS or J1772 adapters at many non-Tesla stations.

We used full regenerative braking all the time. It doesn’t bring the Trailseeker to a stop, but allows the motors to turn into generators, slowing us down quickly, and nudging power back into the batteries. It worked so well that the daily work commute would put a few miles back in the battery. We stayed near 200 miles estimated range during a round trip commute. I just wish this battery could recharge to that 300-mile mark.

Four-wheel independent suspension with stabilizer bars, plus good ground clearance gave the Trailseeker a taut yet comfortable ride. It neatly handled speed bumps and potholes with no issues. But that 8.5 inches of ground clearance does reveal some body roll in cornering, although the all-wheel-drive keeps it neutral in exit ramps under power, and near neutral in basic cornering. Push it in a skid pad and there’s understeer washing out the fronts under power, but no drama.

That squircle steering wheel and electric-assist steering gave us a direct feel in Eco mode, and a bit more (slightly artificial) feel in Power mode. The four-wheel disc brakes had a precise pedal feel and good stopping power, although there was a hint of nose dive and some ABS chatter under heavier use from 60 mph. There was no fade after repeated use.

2026 Trailseeker Includes Subaru’s Famous X-MODE

OK, here’s a Subaru that echoes its Outback brother with good ground clearance, all-wheel-drive and some macho cladding, plus X-MODE that sets up drivetrain and all-wheel-drive for snow/dirt, or deep snow/mud. Fire up either mode – only possible under 15 mph – and you get a panoramic view monitor of what’s ahead from a widescreen nose camera, and side views too.

See the video at the top of this post for more Trailseeker vs. Outback comparisons

We tackled a deeply-rutted gravel road and dirt trail, and the independent suspension just ate it up with comfortable rebound. Tapping on the all-wheel-drive split screen, we saw all four tires got power as needed, and we made it through the gravel and dirt, with nothing scaping underneath.

The Trailseeker has a suite of EyeSight safety systems that includes alerts when traffic crosses in front, plus hill-start assist, dynamic radar cruise control, and a simulated overhead image of the Trailseeker when reversing that showed what’s underneath.

Our Trailseeker Limited starts at $43,995, its Daybreak Blue Pearl paint an extra $395, making a final with destination of $45,849. It was not available for sale yet as we wrote this. And FYI – the Trailseeker shares powerplant and infrastructure with Toyota’s bZ Woodland EV crossover, with nose and tail design differences, but basically the same interior.

Bottom line: A Subaru in design, function and family-friendliness, with decent EV range and good power – even does a bit of off-road.

EV Rider’s Bill Bortzfield contributed to this report.

2026 Subaru Trailseeker Limited Specifications

Vehicle type – 4-door, 5-seat all-wheel-drive EV sports utility wagon

Base price – $43,995 ($45,849 as tested)

Powertrain – Front and rear synchronous AC motors

Horsepower (combined) – 375

Battery pack – Lithium-ion

Transmission – Direct drive front and rear w/integral transaxles

Wheelbase – 112.2 inches

Height – 65.9 inches

Overall length – 190.8 inches

Overall width – 73.2 inches

Ground clearance – 8.5 inches

Front headroom – 38.8 inches

Front legroom – 42.1 inches

Rear headroom – 38 inches

Rear legroom – 35.3 inches

Cargo capacity – 31.3 cu. ft./74 w/seats folded

Towing capacity: up to 3,500 lbs.

Curb weight – 4,499 lbs.

Range: Claimed 274 miles

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