electricvehicles
Latest
The US government may take away the $7,500 tax credit for EVs
If you were hoping to take advantage of the federal government's $7,500 tax credit for buying an electric vehicle, you may soon be out of luck. According to a report at Bloomberg, the provisions in the US tax code may be eliminated in the current round of tax cut efforts. If so, it could affect the entire nascent industry by not supporting EV sales at a federal level.
Nissan is joining Formula E
Nissan has made big strides in its push for electrification by unveiling two new zero-emission concept vehicles and announcing its plans to join Formula E racing from the 2018-2019 season. At the Tokyo Motor Show the brand showed off the IMx all-electric crossover, which offers fully autonomous operation and a range of more than 600 kilometers, and the Leaf NISMO, which brings a hefty dose of racing technology to the company's flagship electric car. According to Nissan, this concept boasts better aerodynamic performance and less lift.
GM will have 20 electric car models on the road by 2023
GM is joining other automakers declaring its intention introduce a substantial number of electric vehicles by the middle of the next decade. Today, the automaker announced it would have at least 20 electric cars on the road by 2023. During the announcement this morning, Mark Reuss, vice president of global product development said, "GM believes the future is all electric."
Mazda and Toyota will work together to design EVs
Six months ago, Toyota showed off a customized electric, self-driving Lexus. Just yesterday, the auto maker revealed an update to the vehicle line with new Lidar and deep learning AI that can better see objects around the car and predict safer paths on the road. Today, the company is announcing a new joint development agreement between Toyota, Mazda and auto component supplier Denso for the production of electric vehicles. The three companies are also forming a new company, EV C.A. Spirit Co., Ltd., to manage the collaboration.
Daimler eyes super-fast electric vehicle charging
Daimler, parent company of Mercedes-Benz (and others) is pushing to get the majority of its vehicles to run on electricity. But there's still the issue of slow battery charging times that needs to be overcome if users are going to abandon gas. Which is why Daimler is throwing some of its cash towards Israeli startup StoreDot, which is working on a way to fully charge an EV in just five minutes.
A 114-year old Mercedes has more in common with a Tesla than you think
I'm extremely nervous to be behind the wheel of the 1902 model (built in 1903) Mercedes Simplex 40. The controls and open air sitting position remind me more of a John Deere tractor than the cars that currently fill our cities and interstates. After a quick tutorial, I got in, depressed the clutch, reached outside the cab to put the vehicle in first gear and nearly stalled an automobile that was the pinnacle of tech when it was built.
This Infiniti EV defies all logic, but you will want it anyway
We rarely buy cars based on logic. It's usually about the emotional reaction to a vehicle: How it looks, how it drives and the way it makes us feel when we're seen behind the wheel often seal the deal. Sometimes, though, cars are thrust upon us. Our first car might be a hand-me-down, or maybe financial issues limit our choice. Even if we end up with a vehicle that's more Bondo than burnished metal, we often still form an emotional connection with our wagon. Our most memorable cars (be they low-cost commuters or high-end supercars), make us feel something.
BMW’s i3 is a long-range concept car you can actually buy
Electric cars are the future. Sadly, the future mostly resembles the past when it comes to car designs. Sure, early cars like the Honda Insight and the GM EV1 at least tried to look sleek -- even if it was for the benefit of aerodynamics. There is one company that's decided to release EV vehicles that look like the future though. Or at least TRON's version of it: BMW.
The rise of electric cars will kill the gas station
Gas stations are a lifeline. They not only fuel our cars but us, too -- whether it's with lukewarm coffee during the morning commute or the salty-sweet buffet during road trips. They're a glowing oasis when the gas tank is empty and our bladders are full. It's going to be a long while before the handy service station goes away, but its days are numbered -- because electric cars are going to change everything.
Lyft relies on autonomous EVs to meet climate impact goals
While Uber has been engulfed in a hurricane of scandal, its ride-hailing competitor Lyft has published its climate impact goals. The company says that with the help of autonomous and electric vehicles it'll be able to reduce CO2 emissions "by at least 5 million tons per year by 2025."
BMW is adding 100 EV charging stations to US national parks
Today BMW turned on a EV charger at Thomas Edison National Historical Park, the former home of the inventor. It's the first of 100 stations that the German automaker plans on installing in US national parks over the next few years.
EVs, 5G and fintech: How the Autumn Statement affects UK tech
Another Autumn Statement, another set of promises that may or may not improve the lives of British citizens. Amongst the usual tax and welfare modifications, chancellor Philip Hammond announced some new policies that will affect the technology, science and transport industries. Most of them are bundled in the new National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF), a long-term project designed to make the public more efficient in the workplace, improving the UK economy and people's work-life balance in the process. In total, the government says it will spend an extra £23 billion through the fund, starting in 2017/18 and ending in 2021/22.
Ford CEO Mark Fields looks to a future beyond car ownership
Ford CEO Mark Fields has been moving the automaker into ventures outside of its normal core business of selling cars for a few years now. His LA Auto Show keynote touched on the company's current undertakings and future plans. Engadget sat down to talk with Fields about the automaker's post-car-ownership road map, its partnerships with public transportation and the company's plan to bring autonomous taxis to the market in 2021.
Red Bull's 2018 rallycross cup is getting an EV class
Off-road racing is going electric with the announcement that Red Bull is adding an EV class to its Global Rallycross events. The United States Auto Club will help serve as the governing body for the circuit, but aside from that bit and news that this won't take place until the 2018 season, little else is known. The energy drink purveyor/space jump funder says that this will exist alongside gas-powered events and "will never replace the current formula." The Verge notes that as of now, there aren't any manufacturers or drivers onboard, either. Maybe Audi will sign on. After all, it just backed out of the FIA World Endurance Championship in favor of Formula E.
Mercedes will reportedly challenge Tesla with four new EVs (confirmed)
Executives from Mercedes-Benz haven't been coy about the company's EV plans -- it wants to go head-to-head with Tesla. As part of this strategy, Bloomberg reports that Mercedes is getting ready to introduce four electric vehicles, including two sedan models and two SUVs. The new fleet is said to be the starting point of a new sub-brand for Mercedes, although the German automaker still hasn't decided what that will be called. Last month, Mercedes' David McCarthy revealed that a concept electric would be shown sometime in September. In other words, it won't be long before we see what Mercedes has up its sleeve.
Audi is trying to beat Tesla at its own game
Audi's ramping up its electric car plans and hopes to have three models by 2020. It'll also form a new subsidiary to work on autonomous cars.
The best electric vehicle
By Rik Paul This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. Read the full article here. After doing three months of research, interviewing leading experts, and driving all 11 electric vehicles that are available in the US, we're convinced that the Kia Soul EV is the best car for most people who want to drive gas-free. Costing about $34,000 (or $26,500 after a federal tax credit), the Soul EV is a comfortable, versatile everyday car that's easy to live with and drives better than most other EVs. Its 93-mile driving range is one of the longest you'll find, which reduces range anxiety. It's stocked with nifty high-tech features that make driving an EV easier. And it has a superlong warranty. Overall, the Soul EV is a great car that will cut both your driving costs and your carbon footprint.
Tesla unveils its $35,000 Model 3
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated on many occasions that introducing high-end vehicles was a means to eventually bring an affordable electric vehicle to market. Today the automaker finally unveiled the physical manifestation of that plan. The $35,000 (before federal tax credits) Model 3 sedan made its world debut at an event in Los Angeles. On stage, Elon Musk announced that the car will have at least 215 miles of range, 0-60 in under six seconds, and every single one will have Supercharging as a standard feature. Even before the car was unveiled, Elon says pre-orders have already topped 115,000. Update: We took a ride in the Model 3, check out our first impressions right here.
The 7 best green cars from the 2016 Detroit Auto Show
By Marc Carter This week the world's biggest automakers gathered in snowy Detroit to kick off the 2016 Detroit Auto Show. Over 40 new models debuted at this year's event -- including some groundbreaking green vehicles. From the world's first electric minivan to next-gen hybrids and futuristic hydrogen cars, read on to learn about seven of this year's standouts.
The scooters of CES: Riding the Genze and chatting with Gogoro
While cars grabbed the CES headlines, electric scooters continue to innovate just as quickly and in Gogoro's instance, quicker than their four-wheel counterparts. I rode the Genze electric scooter to In-N-Out and found out that it's totally illegal to lane-split in the state of Nevada. Whoops. Then Gogoro CEO Horace Luke joined Kerry and I onstage to talk about its latest initiative to get its smart scooter into more cities quicker.
