The world's biggest oil producer is now also aiming to become a key hub for making batteries for electric vehicles, as Saudi authorities look for new ways to diversify the economy and develop a domestic auto industry.

Saudi Arabia is looking at investing in the production of EV batteries and manufacturing hydrogen-powered vehicles as the next step in its plans to build a nexus for carmaking in the Middle East, Khalid Al-Falih, the minister of investment, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television.

"What's next is the supply chain," Falih said Wednesday during the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore. Authorities "hope that EV batteries will be a key supply chain manufacturing opportunity."

Seven years into Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's program to wean the country off hydrocarbons, focus is increasing on manufacturing after scant progress in diversifying an economy that still relies on oil and its close derivatives - petrochemicals and plastics - for more

I'm in California and I've been looking at some options from VW, Mini Cooper, Chevy, though a lot of these options are kinda pricey when my budget is 15k, maybe 20k max. Any options you guys have for a good quality car within that price range that can drive maybe 200 miles. I'm probably asking for a lot here 😅.

After my 31 year old subaru was showing signs of failing, I decided to look into EVs as a possible replacement. Today I bought a VW ID.4 Pro AWD to replace it, my first vehicle purchase ever (subie was a hand-me-down). It's a bit large for my usual tastes, but it has an amazing turn radius, good visibility, it's comfortable, and it drives great. I considered the Bolt EUV, but the DC fast charging would take twice as long and there was no AWD option... so I somehow talked myself into spending $15k more for this thing.

In Colorado there are a good number of rebates/credits going right now so I got a decent deal on it: -3k negotiating with dealer, -1k VW website offer, -6k vehicle exchange rebate (state's cash for clunkers, applied at sale), -5.5k energy utility rebate (from Xcel, applied at sale), and possibly -7.5k for the fed non-refundable tax credit (will be received as tax refund next year) depending on my federal taxes. Also got a promotional 3.9% interest rate from the man

The dominoes continue to fall. Hopefully this includes the leaf. Chademo really needs to go.

I'm looking into replacing our aging second car and considering the Bolt EUV. My wife has only one requirement in a new car: she has to be able to turn on the heating/cooling remotely with the app like with our Tesla. Is this something the Bolt can do?

I found a really old reddit thread that suggested that you can sort of do it by turning the car on remotely, which would turn on the climate if you left the climate on when you turn the car off. Not sure why they'd let you do this and not just put a climate button in the app but whatever works, I guess.

I just saw that they're discontinuing the Bolt tho. Might be a dumb idea to buy a car that's hard to work on and being discontinued.