Direct Current – Green Wave EV Newsletter – Summer 2025

Thanks for tuning in to our roundup of the latest and greatest news and updates on what’s happening with EVs globally and in our neck of the woods. Here’s what you need to know about what’s going on right now in the world of electrified transportation, from plummeting Tesla prices to the mythology of solid state batteries. If knowledge is power, consider this your fast-charge for the day. 

1. The EV Market Today – Variety and Tumult

EVs now account for over 20% of global vehicle sales, a significant jump from just 5% five years ago (IEA, 2024). Automakers like Ford, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo have expanded their EV lineups, offering options across multiple price points and vehicle classes. We love the IONIQ 5, Mach E, EV6, e-tron, ID.4, and many other models that get over 250 miles of range, have great technology, and just look awesome. More great options mean EV adoption is easier than ever.

But what about the biggest seller of EVs, pioneer and market leader Tesla?  Maybe it’s the tumult in the White House, including Elon Musk’s role as an unelected axe-wielder-in-chief, or maybe it’s just bad luck, but the numbers don’t lie: sales of new Teslas are down globally 1% since 2023. (Not impressed? During the previous two years, sales were up an average of 39%.)

At Green Wave Electric Vehicles, we’ve seen a significant increase in customers looking to trade in or sell their Teslas because of the toxicity of Elon’s politics and personal brand.

Why should you care? One, Tesla makes a darn good EV — but if you’re looking to dump yours for whatever reason (including Musk), expect to take a hit. Two, buying used is a great way to keep more money out of billionaire’s pockets (and more in your own). Three, Teslas are piling up on our lot! Used Tesla prices are poised to plummet, just like they did in 2023.

Long story short? If you’re looking to score a deal, slap on whatever political bumper sticker helps you sleep at night and scoop up a Tesla at a great price this summer.

2. Battery Advancements and Longevity

Battery health and replacement remain top concerns for EV buyers. However, recent research and real-world performance data show that many EV batteries retain over 80% of their original capacity after 8–10 years of use. Companies like Recurrent Auto analyze individual vehicles’ battery health and estimate range degradation over time. Their data supports that most EVs lose just 1–3% of range annually, with less than 2% of EVs on the road requiring full battery replacements (Recurrent, 2025). 

One interesting fact that we have discovered through our experience at Green Wave: individual use of an EV rarely – if ever – affects its battery capacity. How do we know that? At Green Wave, we have seen over 700 vehicles come through our shop, and fewer than 1% of those vehicles has a battery with a significantly degraded range. Nearly all EVs newer than 2016 still have capacities above 90% of their original capacity. The few EVs that had problems with the battery were very low mileage, and had the battery repairs completed under warranty, leading us to understand that they were manufacturing defects – not degradation from use.

But for those who are still concerned about the life of their EV, extended warranties now include battery coverage beyond the manufacturer’s initial guarantee, and advances in modular battery design mean damaged cells can be replaced without swapping the entire pack. Green Wave now offers Battery4Life, an extended warranty that covers your battery as long as you own the car! Vehicles with under 70,000 miles and 2018 or newer are eligible. Call Green Wave to see if a Battery4Life warranty is right for you.

3. Charging Infrastructure and Fast Charging

Public charging networks in the U.S. have grown by over 35% in the past year, according to the Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center. Higher voltage 800V battery systems used by manufacturers like Hyundai and Porsche, allow for ultra-fast charging, cutting down wait times at DC fast chargers to under 20 minutes for 80% battery capacity. Federal incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act continue to support Level 2 charger installations at homes and workplaces. The National EV Infrastructure program, which was created by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, has been put on hold by the new administration. But private investment in EV charging has outpaced what the Federal Government had planned anyway. It turns out that EV charging is just good for business.

4. Battery Recycling and Sustainability

With millions of EVs on the road, attention has turned toward end-of-life recycling and circular economy strategies. A key innovation highlighted by HB Fuller is “debond on demand” technology, which allows manufacturers to disassemble battery packs more easily. This enables more effective recycling and reuse of materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel (HB Fuller, 2024).

Battery components can be repurposed into energy storage systems or other industries like electronics and aerospace. These practices help reduce raw material demand and enhance supply chain resilience.

In addition to closed-loop recycling, companies are exploring ways to extract and reuse battery-grade materials for other sectors. According to Circular Energy Storage, repurposing these materials can help reduce environmental impacts and manufacturing costs while creating new business opportunities.

5. Advanced Battery Designs: Cell-to-Pack and Cell-to-Chassis

Cell-to-pack and cell-to-chassis designs represent a shift in battery architecture. By removing intermediate modules and integrating batteries directly into the vehicle’s frame, manufacturers can reduce weight, increase energy density, and cut production costs. These design efficiencies translate into longer range and better performance for consumers. Tesla and BYD are pioneers of this space.

These advancements in battery design not only improve vehicle performance and range but also streamline manufacturing processes, paving the way for more affordable and efficient electric vehicles in the future. The most likely change that consumers will see in the near future – falling prices on new electric vehicles!

6. Battery Safety and Thermal Management

As battery capacities grow, so does the need for improved safety systems. Modern battery packs now include fire-retardant adhesives, thermal barriers, and intelligent sensors that can detect early signs of thermal runaway. Regulatory bodies like the NHTSA and the European Union are enforcing strict safety protocols and crash tests for EV battery packs to mitigate risks during accidents or shipping. Today there are dozens of recalls on EV batteries across different manufacturers – many for vehicles that have no documented incidents of fires. Better safe than sorry is a good stance to take! The reality is that EV fires in the real world are exceedingly rare. According to EVFireSafe.com, there have been 511 EV traction battery fires globally since 2010 out of 40 million EVs on the road globally in that time.

So much goes into safe EV battery manufacturing. Advanced materials such as intumescent coatings expand to form protective barriers under high heat, and battery management systems now actively monitor and balance temperature, voltage, and charge across cells. International regulations like the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Part III, Subsection 38.3 and SAE J2464 provide global safety benchmarks for lithium battery handling and performance.

7. Solid state Batteries 

“I’m waiting until EVs have solid state batteries before I make the switch!” It’s a common refrain from many EV holdouts, who read about the upcoming technological leap and think they know better than to just opt in for today’s lithium ion battery EV. And they are right! Solid state batteries will be the next major development in fossil-fuel-free transportation. But the reality for most Americans who keep their cars for around 12 years, is that they will have to buy another gas-burning, planet-killing, oil-change-needing car before they can get an EV with a solid state battery (SSB).

Factorial, a private company out of Methuen, MA is one of the furthest ahead in the race for a viable SSB according to InsideEVs. The technology that Factorial and others will potentially double the range of today’s EVs, from around 300 miles to around 600 miles on a charge. Just last year, they delivered their first sample battery for testing in a vehicle to Mercedes Benz.

Now, let’s explore the “If/Then” of the SSB equation: IF this battery passes in-vehicle testing (which could take up to a year) THEN it will take a couple of years to design a battery manufacturing system that can get enough high-quality yield for mass production. IF they can achieve that by the end of the decade, THEN the manufacturers will need a couple years to re-tool all of their existing battery manufacturing facilities because SSB manufacturing is completely different from lithium ion batteries. IF we get a mass-market SSB battery in production by the beginning of the next decade, THEN it will take a few years to get affordable options in the market. By this writer’s estimation, we are looking at 2032 for affordable SSBs to enter the market. For someone driving an ICE car 12k miles per year today while waiting for an SSB, they will emit between 14,000 and 40,000 kg of CO2 and spend an extra $8,000-$25,000 in fuel and maintenance.

8. The Regulatory Environment

In the U.S., the last two years have been a golden age of EV affordability, thanks to the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, which has made available a 30% tax credit up to $4,000 for purchasers of a qualifying “Clean Vehicle” (any vehicle under $25,000 that can plug in and get at least 7 kWh of energy for fossil-fuel-free driving). This credit is only available for people who make less than $75,000 a year ($150k for couples), and can be used at point of sale with registered dealers.

But the new administration and Republican-controlled Congress has identified the elimination of EV tax credits as a prime opportunity to cut government spending. There are currently at least 2 bills in Congress to eliminate the EV tax credits, including one bill that would charge a $1,000 tax on new EVs to replace the revenue that the federal government loses on the gas tax for EV drivers. The “Big Beautiful Bill Act”, which has now passed the House of Representatives, would eliminate the tax credits AND charge a $250/year tax on electric vehicle owners. But it would also cut key manufacturing investment that was created by the IRA, and as such it has a murkier future in the Senate.

If one of these bills is signed into law, the tax credit will cease to be available within as little as 30 days. As soon as that happens, there will certainly be a mad rush to get that $4,000, and the number of qualifying EVs in each market will quickly disappear, driving up prices for a time. So if this is the year you wanted to go fossil-fuel-free with your transportation, and $4,000 sounds like a nice incentive to do so, you might want to start shopping. But please make sure you go with a dealer that is registered with the IRS; as reported by NPR and others, if you don’t use a registered dealer, you cannot get the tax credit at point of sale OR when you file your taxes next year.

Looking Ahead

EV technology is progressing at an unprecedented pace. With more affordable models entering the market, improved charging networks, and stronger regulatory frameworks, the transition to electric mobility is not only feasible but inevitable. As battery recycling improves and new chemistries emerge, EVs will become even more sustainable and efficient, shaping the future of transportation and energy.

Stay tuned to Green Wave EV’s learning hub for more updates, vehicle insights, and news from the world of electric mobility.