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Consumer Reports study finds reliability issues with some EVs
It will no longer recommend certain EVs from Audi, Kia and Porsche.
Tesla delivered 139,300 vehicles last quarter, breaking its previous record
Its best tally before that was 112,000 shipments in Q4 2019.
Harley-Davidson offers free charging for its electric motorcycle
Harley-Davidson's first electric motorcycle will soon hit the roads, and while the LiveWire will have a longer range than first expected, at 140 miles of city driving on a single charge, you'll still need to hook it up to a charger once in a while. To help you save on electricity fees, Harley is offering free charging for US customers.
Take a peek at Honda's Urban EV dashboard
Honda's upcoming Urban EV is one of the most highly anticipated vehicles being shown off at the Geneva Motor Show next month. As the spiritual (and technological) successor to the venerated Civic hatchback, the Urban EV will reportedly sport a suite of high tech toys, features, and functionality when it goes on sale in the near future (only in Europe, unfortunately). Honda's been dribbling details about the vehicle for more than a year now and -- just in time for Geneva -- has revealed what its dash and instrument cluster will look like. As you can see in the image above, the Urban EV's split instrument cluster will offer what are quickly becoming the standard features for smart vehicles and EVs: Navigation, hands-free calling, a (presumably voice activated) personal assistant, smartphone connectivity, and an array of various EV system statuses. Driver's will also have access to USB, Bluetooth, and even HDMI inputs as well. But perhaps the most exciting feature shown in the teaser image is located on the faux-wood panel immediately below screens. No, not the parking brake button -- it's the volume knob and audio power button that recently returned to new Civics and Accords. Trying to adjust the volume or turn the radio off when either of those functions are virtualized on a touchscreen (looking at you, Tesla) isn't just a pain, it creates a needless distraction when you're driving. By opting for a physical, haptic interface, Honda makes it easier to futz with the sound system without taking your eyes off the road. We'll have full coverage of the 2019 Geneva Motor Show when it opens in March so stay tuned, everybody.
Lyft adds the option to request EVs or hybrids
After committing last year to making rides and the company itself totally carbon neutral, Lyft plans to add thousands more electric vehicles to its network in 2019. What's more, you can specifically request an EV or hybrid when hailing a ride through the new green mode.
Infiniti to unveil its first fully-electric crossover concept in January
Nissan's Infiniti will mark its 30th birthday next month by unveiling its first all-electric crossover at the place where it all began for the luxury car brand: the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The crossover will give the world the first look at Infiniti's design framework for future EVs in line with its plans to electrify its entire portfolio from 2021 onwards.
Faraday Future furloughs hundreds more employees
Electric vehicle startup Faraday Future is planning to furlough hundreds of its employees as a result of an ongoing dispute with the company's primary investor. The latest round of cuts, which will affect at least 250 employees, follows significant cut backs made by the company earlier this year.
Tesla shoots down leaked Model Y production schedule
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said its notorious Model 3 manufacturing issues almost bled the company dry. So it's no wonder everyone is interested in whether it's learned from past mistakes ahead of the launch of its new EV, the Model Y. The latest news suggests that as recently as October, Tesla was pursuing an aggressive production schedule for the crossover SUV.
Volkswagen plans a North America factory to build EVs
Volkswagen is planning a new factory in North America to build electric vehicles for the market, and the automaker is exploring potential sites. Scott Keogh, the new Volkswagen Group of America CEO, said at the LA Auto Show that VW's existing plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee could fit the bill, as there's enough space, but the company won't necessarily pick that location.
GM cuts workers and plants as it shifts focus to electric vehicles
General Motors announced today that is planning to lay off 15 percent of its contract workers, shutter five plants in North America, and discontinue production on six vehicle models next year. The move comes as part of a major restructuring of the car manufacturer that has been suffering from lagging sales. Going forward, GM intends to focus on electric and autonomous vehicle programs, just like basically every other car maker.
Tesla buys the land it needs for its Shanghai Gigafactory
Tesla has secured an 860,000 square meter plot of land in Shanghai for its first overseas Gigafactory after signing an agreement with the local government. The EV-maker confirmed the purchase on Chinese social media, complete with pics from the signing ceremony of the "land transfer agreement." Though Tesla didn't reveal the price, Reuters reports that the Shanghai Bureau of Planning and Land Resources said that the plot fetched 973 million yuan ($140.51 million) at auction.
BMW will give EV batteries new life with recycling program
BMW is leading a consortium of companies with the goal of giving electric vehicle batteries new life after they've kicked the bucket as a car power source. The partnership with Belgian recycling firm Umicore and Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt will repurpose EV battery cells, using them for energy storage before stripping them of raw materials that can be reused in other products.
Audi e-tron's optional side cameras will help maximize range
Audi has a novel way to reduce drag and maximize the range of its electric e-tron SUV: it plans to offer an option to nix side mirrors. Instead, the car can use cameras, and display images from them on OLED screens between the instrument panel and the door. Opting for cameras instead of mirrors cuts the car's width by just under six inches, reducing both drag and wind noise. The "virtual exterior mirrors" are also adaptable depending on your situation -- they can be optimized for highway driving, turning and parking.
UPS has new electric trucks that look straight out of a Pixar movie
UPS has revealed sleek new electric trucks that look like they've rolled straight out of Pixar's Cars series. The company revealed it's working with vehicle manufacturer Arrival on a pilot fleet of 35 lightweight electric trucks that look far more futuristic than the standard boxy vehicles. UPS says the trucks have a longer range than other delivery vehicles, reaching around 150 miles on a single charge. As with all electric vehicles, they have zero emissions.
SF Motors reveals two electric SUVs with 300 miles of range
While much of the automotive world is focused on the New York Auto Show, a small car startup has unveiled its first-ever vehicles on the other side of the country in Santa Clara, California. SF Motors, the US arm of Chinese company Sokon, has just announced two cars -- the SF5 and the SF7 -- as part of a whole new line of electric vehicles. The SF5 is a medium-size crossover SUV, and the SF7 is a full-size crossover. The SF5 will be available for preorder by the end of this year and will ship in 2019.
All-Tesla EV racing series could hit the track this year
Tesla's electric race car series has been in the planning stages for awhile, and now it has been approved by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the organization that oversees Formula One. Eventually, the plan is to put together an all-electric series of racing events around the world. But because others' electric racing vehicles aren't ready yet, the Electric Car Production Series is starting with the Tesla Model S P100D. It was previously called the Electric GT Wold Series.
Renewable energy may be cheaper than fossil fuels by 2020
Electricity from renewable sources will soon be cheaper than power from most fossil fuels, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). In its new report, Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2017, the agency revealed that technology improvements, government take-up and proactive project development has pushed the costs associated with renewable energy to a new low, and that by 2020 renewable power will largely undercut fossil fuel.
PepsiCo pre-orders 100 Tesla electric semi trucks
Tesla's recently-revealed electric semi truck has taken the shipping world by storm, it seems, with orders for the vehicles coming from Walmart, DHL, Anheuser-Busch, and Canadian grocery chain Loblaws (no relation to Bob). Now PepsiCo tops the list with what CNBC calls the largest pre-order yet: a fleet of 100 electric trucks reserved before production starts in 2019.
Toyota and Panasonic explore 'prismatic' EV batteries together
Toyota and Panasonic are teaming up on batteries that Toyota itself and other automakers could use in future electric cars. Rather than building cylindrical batteries like the type that Tesla and other EV makers use, the two companies are exploring the development of "prismatic" cells. Those are square, flat batteries with aluminum housings and are typically used in cell phones. They can be made smaller and lighter than battery packs that use cylindrical cells, but tend to cost more and are vulnerable to overheating and swelling.
Mercedes' ubiquitous city bus is going electric in 2018
Mercedes-Benz wants an electric version of its long-running city bus to power the emissions-free mass transit future. Over a dozen cities recently pledged to make their bus fleets all-electric by 2030 (among them LA and Seattle). And, if the German auto-maker gets its way, its EV will be the one ferrying people around all hours of the day. Mercedes announced that it plans to start producing the electric "Citaro" by the end of 2018.
