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Xiaomi's $32 Mi Band 5 has a bigger screen, better tracking and simpler charging
Xiaomi's latest Mi Band packs in even more features for a low price.
The UK finally welcomes e-scooters
The UK government is finally embracing e-scooters.
Tesla Powerwall knows when to stop charging your EV during power outages
An update to Tesla's Powerwall will slow or even stop charging your EV to keep your house running during a power outage.
Logitech's 3-in-1 dock charges your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods
Now that wireless charging is becoming an increasingly popular method of juicing our devices, brands are looking at ways to simplify the experience even further -- why have several charging pads and docks when you could just sling all your Apple stuff onto one surface? After Apple canned AirPower, the likes of Kanex, Mophie and Zens have all rolled out multi-device charging stations -- now Logitech has entered the fray.
Porsche opens Europe's most powerful EV charging park
Porsche just unveiled what might be your dream EV charging park -- if you happen to be swinging through eastern Germany, anyway. The automaker has opened Europe's most powerful fast-charging park in Leipzig, giving visitors a dozen 350kW stations to rapidly charge your Taycan (or any compatible EV, thankfully) and another four delivering 22kW to those who just need a small top-up. There's 7MW of total power, and all of it comes from renewable energy.
A $1 billion initiative aims to bring EV chargers to highways and rural areas
While Tesla, Electrify America and others technically have nationwide EV charging networks, they don't really provide full coverage -- many rural areas are far from any kind of charger infrastructure. ChargePoint believes it can help close that gap, though. It's teaming with NATSO on a $1 billion effort to bring EV chargers to over 4,000 travel centers and truck stops (which NATSO represents) by 2030, with a particular focus on highways and rural areas. This could both spur EV adoption in rural towns and help with long-distance travel for everyone, ChargePoint said.
The Audi E-Tron successfully merges luxury and electrification
We have quite a lot to be anxious about these days. Global warming, another potential war, increasing health care costs, Kanye, trade wars, gig economies and relatives with differing political views pouncing on us via social media. Then there's the dreaded range anxiety. A concern you still have, even though the last time you took a road trip Arrested Development was still on Fox, you're going to need at least 350 miles of range at all times. That's where the 204-mile range Audi E-Tron comes in.
The Quasar home EV charger can power your car and your house
Power typically only flows in one direction when it comes to charging electric vehicles at home: from the base station into the car. However the Quasar system from Wallbox can push power both ways, either into the vehicle or back into the base station and onto the local utility grid. And now it's coming to America.
VW's prototype charging robot can find your EV in the parking garage
Tesla isn't the only car maker with grand visions of EV charging robots. Volkswagen has created a prototype charging robot that would navigate to your car in the parking garage, saving you the trouble of hunting for a coveted (and likely rare) EV charging spot. The autonomous helper would hitch itself to a "battery wagon" at a base station and deliver a combined 50kW to your EV on request, whether it's through an app or a smart grid. While that won't be enough to fully recharge most EVs, it should give you plenty of range for your ride home.
Tesla's Holiday Update improves Camp Mode and driving visualization
Today, Tesla began pushing its "holiday update" to its vehicle fleet. The changes include one present for EV owners who appreciate the great outdoors (though not enough to sleep on the ground): Camp Mode. The feature, reported by Electrek, allows Tesla's vehicles to maintain airflow, temperature and interior lighting. You can also play music and power devices, which could come in handy for tailgating too.
Google Maps helps you find EV chargers that work with your car
Google Maps can help you find available EV charging stations, but that doesn't mean they're stations you can use -- and that might be a problem if you show up at the wrong station with a low battery. Thankfully, Google might help you avoid that slip-up in the future. It recently updated Maps on Android (it's not clear that iOS has this yet) to allow filtering stations by those that your car supports. If you need a CHAdeMO station and don't have an adapter, you'll know just where you can go to recharge.
Germany's leader wants 1 million EV charging points by 2030
Electric car charging stations are still relatively few and far between, but they might be ubiquitous within a decade -- in Germany, at least. Chancellor Angela Merkel has declared that the government wants a "million charging points" in the country by 2030. That would represent 50 times more than the roughly 20,000 points available now. Not surprisingly, Merkel didn't expect this to happen through sheer force of will. The industry will need to "participate in this effort" if it's going to come about, she said.
Harley-Davidson resumes LiveWire electric motorcycle production
After a brief blip, Harley-Davidson says it has resumed manufacturing its LiveWire electric motorcycles. The company halted production and delivery of its first-ever electric bike last week after discovering an issue with the vehicle's charging equipment. The Verge reports Harley-Davidson now says that the problem was limited to a single motorcycle.
Ford teams up with charging companies to form the FordPass Network
Ford is hoping to convince fence sitters to finally get an electric vehicle by making it easier to find charging stations. The automaker has introduced the FordPass Charging Network, which it says includes 12,000 charging stations with more than 35,000 plugs in North America. Customers who buy its upcoming EVs, presumably including its Mustang-inspired electric SUV, will get two years of free access to the network from the time they buy and activate their FordPass account for the vehicle.* They'll still have to pay to charge their EVs, though, which they can do through the FordPass app or their vehicle's screen, where they'll also be able to find the nearest charging stations.
Harley-Davidson suspends LiveWire production over a charging glitch
Harley-Davidson has suspended the production and delivery of its LiveWire electric motorcycles. During final tests, the company discovered a problem related to the vehicle's charging equipment. The company told The Wall Street Journal that tests to pinpoint the issue are progressing well, but it did not say when production will resume.
VW's Electrify America starts selling its first home EV charger
Electrify America isn't focused solely on public charging stations. The VW outfit is now offering its first home unit, the simply titled Electric Vehicle Home Charger, on Amazon. The $499 box provides Level 2 charging at up to 7.6kW for "all" EVs sold in North America, or about 25 miles per hour depending on the car. That's not going to make you skip Electrify's own 150kW or 350kW chargers. It should, however, ensure that your car is topped up before you leave for work in the morning.
Turns out Tesla police cars run out of 'gas' mid-chase, too
If you're a cop involved in a high-speed pursuit, the last thing you want to see on your dash is a notification that your car is about to run out of gas -- or in the case of one Fremont police officer, battery life. But that's what happened to Officer Jesse Hartman last week when his department's Tesla Model S patrol car warned him it had just six miles of battery left -- in the midst of a 120mph felony chase down the highway.
Oppo's next phone can be fully charged in just 30 minutes
While a handful of recent flagship phones -- namely Samsung's Note 10+ (with the optional 45W adapter) and Vivo's NEX 3 5G -- can be fully charged in a little over an hour, Oppo's upcoming tech will soon render such "fast" charging speeds obsolete. We're talking about juicing up a 4,000mAh battery in just 30 minutes! That's the claim for Oppo's 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 feature, which will debut on the gaming-centric Reno Ace due October 10th, according to the company's Shenzhen event yesterday.
EVgo and Electrify America let you charge your EV with just one account
EVgo and Electrify America have announced a partnership that will make it less of a hassle for EV owners to find a charge. Drivers will be able to access public chargers on either network without the need to create a new membership or pay additional fees, the companies said. The agreement covers over 3,000 DC fast chargers at more than 1,000 stations across the US.
Hyundai’s first car with a solar roof is available in Korea
Last fall, Hyundai revealed plans to outfit its cars with solar panels. Now, its first car equipped with a solar roof is ready. The New Sonata Hybrid is available now in Korea, and it should arrive in North America soon.
