Transcription
Hey everyone, Msco Electric here. Today is Sunday, May 10th, 2026, and this is the current, your weekly EV news in about 10 minutes.
Lexus has officially unveiled the 2027 TZ, its first ever three-row all-electric luxury SUV. The model is built on Toyota's TGA platform, which is shared with the upcoming Toyota Highlander EV and Subaru Getaway. As expected, the TZ has similar specifications. It features standard dual-motor all-wheel drive, delivering up to 402 horsepower. It also features two battery options, including a 76.96 kWh battery and a 95.82 kWh with the larger battery option expected to provide up to 300 miles of range. As far as charging goes, the TZ will have a native North American charging system port with access to the Tesla Supercharging Network. Level two charging is rated for 11 kW and DC fast charging peaks at 150 kW with a 10 to 80% charge in about 35 minutes. The vehicle will also be able to tow up to 3500 lb and have 13.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the seats up and 71.2 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded down.
Inside, the TZ includes sustainable materials like forged bamboo trim, available second-row captain's chairs, and access to the third row with a walk-in button that Lexus says can function even with a child seat installed. The opening panoramic roof has glass that extends to the rear row of seats and a 21-speaker Mark Levenson audio system is scattered throughout the cabin. Notable features include the latest Lexus interface with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard along with advanced Lexus Safety System Plus 4.0 driver assistance technology, available head-up display, four-degree dynamic rear steering, and an active sound control with optional synthetic engine sounds inspired by the Lexus LFA V10. The 2027 Lexus TZ is scheduled to go on sale in the United States by the end of 2026. Full pricing and additional specifications are expected closer to launch. Would you pick the new TZ over its other three-row electric competitors like the Hyundai Ioniq 9 Calligraphy and Volvo EX90?
This week, Porsche development driver Lars Kern piloted a Taycan Turbo GT equipped with the new Manthey kit to a blistering new lap record for production electric vehicles on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The modified electric GT sports car, featuring the Weissach package, plus extensive racing upgrades to aerodynamics, chassis, wheels, tires, and power delivery, completed the 12.94-mile circuit in 6 minutes and 55.533 seconds. This shatters the previous record for electric executive production cars by more than 9 seconds. Porsche's effort reclaims the top spot from the Chinese-built BYD Yangwang U9 Extreme, which had set a time of 6 minutes and 59.157 seconds in August of 2025. The new Porsche lap is nearly 4 seconds quicker than the Yangwang's high-powered run despite the U9 Extreme boasting around 3,000 horsepower and beats Porsche's own prior Taycan Turbo GT benchmark from 2023 by 12 seconds. This latest record highlights the intense global competition in high-performance EVs with Porsche once again proving its engineering edge at one of motorsport's most iconic venues. The fastest production street-legal car lap record at the Ring is still held by the Mercedes-AMG One hybrid hypercar with a 6-minute and 29.090-second run.
While the brand hits new records, they're also making several strategic changes to their electrification business to help with overall falling sales and declining profits. This week, Porsche announced it will dissolve three subsidiaries, including its battery technology unit, Cellforce Group, and e-bike arm, Porsche eBike Performance. The move will result in more than 500 job cuts. Cellforce Group employed around 50 people in its current R&D-focused form. After Porsche earlier scaled back plans for in-house battery production, the company cited a shift to a technology-open powertrain strategy, meaning it will increasingly rely on external suppliers for batteries. They will also continue to utilize Volkswagen Group's battery subsidiary PowerCo for some future models as well. With the selling of their stake in Rimac Group, they are also shutting down the Porsche eBike Performance brand, which developed high-performance e-bike drive systems. They will close operations in Germany and Croatia, affecting approximately 360 employees. A third subsidiary dedicated to networking software engineering is also being discontinued. Porsche CEO described the cuts as painful but necessary to sharpen the company's focus and realign funds to their core automotive business.
All kinds of charging is needed for more adoption of electric vehicles. This week, curbside Level 2 charging is expanding even further. Brooklyn-based startup Its Electric has reached an agreement with the city of Philadelphia to install and operate up to 1,000 curbside Level 2 EV chargers across all 18 planning districts. The deal grants the company an exclusive license for curbside installations on public streets and aims to address the challenges faced by more than 60% of Philadelphia households that lack off-street parking. Deployment will prioritize underserved neighborhoods and environmental justice communities with little or no existing public charging infrastructure. Pending city council approval of enabling legislation, which is expected in June, installations could begin in areas like South Philadelphia and Center City as early as later this year with a phased rollout over the coming years. The Level 2 units provide roughly 15 to 30 miles of range per hour.
Its Electric uses a unique bring-your-own-cable model for its low-profile curbside equipment. Drivers download the company's free app to sign up with no membership or monthly fees required. They request a portable, vehicle-specific charging cable, which the company ships to them at no cost. Once received, users can plug into any charger in the network and pay only for the electricity used. The system is designed to help reduce vandalism and clutter of cables while making curbside charging practical for dense urban areas. City officials hail the project as a step towards making Philadelphia a national model for equitable EV access. This initiative forms part of the city's broader ChargePHL public EV charging push, pairing curbside units from Its Electric with other installations within city parking facilities.
Another curbside charging provider has struck a deal recently as well. The District of Columbia's Department of Energy and Environment has awarded funding to Voltos, a New York-based startup, to install Level 2 chargers on existing lamp posts and utility poles. Voltos is one of three companies sharing a $69,500 public EV charging grant. The funding will support the installation of up to 16 pole-mounted Level 2 chargers at and near district-owned sites across the city. What other viable charging solutions do you think might help increase EV adoption in dense urban areas?
The governor of New York has recently announced that an additional $30 million is now available through the state's Drive Clean Rebate Program to help New Yorkers purchase or lease electric vehicles. The funding, which is administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, provides point-of-sale rebates for new vehicles ranging from $500 to $2,000 off the MSRP for eligible battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Higher rebates go to longer-range models, typically with 200 miles of all-electric range or more. With more than 60 vehicle models currently qualifying, New Yorkers can buy and lease new eligible EVs and plug-in hybrids from participating New York dealerships, which surprisingly includes leading American EV maker and direct-to-consumer brand Tesla. The program is open to residents, businesses, and government entities in New York State. The funding comes from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which sets a declining regional cap on carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants and uses auction proceeds to invest in clean energy, energy efficiency, and climate initiatives. Since its launch in 2017, New York's Drive Clean Rebate Program has issued over 228,000 rebates to consumers, contributing to approximately 324,000 EVs on the road statewide. I'll link the Drive Clean Rebate Program page below if you want to learn more. Funding is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
This week we published a very detailed e-bike review of the Aventon Level 4 Comfort Commuter e-bike over at the Miscoco Electric Ride Reviews channel. For many, this series has historically set the bar in this segment. To find out what has changed for 2026, how it rides with regenerative braking, and what improvements might make it even better, click the link to that video in this video's description and on the end screen. The Rider Reviews channel is in full force for the spring season with many amazing e-bike reviews on the production schedule.
Well, that wraps up this episode of The Current weekly EV news. If you liked it, I hope you'll hit the like and hype buttons so more people can discover this program. The hype button is extremely helpful. Thank you for joining us this week and until next time, drive, fly, ride, go electric. Go electric.