electric vehicles
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Lyft commits to all electric vehicles by 2030
Lyft has announced the rideshare company will transition to 100 percent electric vehicles (EV) by 2030. The change will affect drivers’ personal cars and vehicles in every other Lyft program.
Fiat may automatically switch hybrids to electric-only mode in city centers
Fiat may allow its hybrid plug-in cars to automatically switch to electric-only mode when they enter congested city centers.
EVs are a rare bright spot in a pandemic-struck European car market
Despite Europe being hit hardest by declining car sales, battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid cars increased their market share across the EU.
America is falling in love with electric SUVs
Established automakers and startups alike are hoping to cash in on the American public's paradigm shift towards electric transportation. For a long time, however, EV technology simply wasn't mature enough to handle much more than toting families across town. But thanks to recent advances in battery design, electric vehicles are driving farther and hauling more weight than ever, opening the market for EV SUVs and pickup trucks.
UK brings forward its ban on new petrol and diesel cars to 2035
The UK is bringing forward its ban on the sale of fossil fuel cars by five years. Originally, legislation stipulated that the sale of petrol and diesel would be banned by 2040. Now that date has been pulled forward to 2035, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying the ban would come into effect even earlier, if possible.
The next wave of electric vehicles will appear in 2020
Electric vehicles have been helping Americans get around for more than a hundred years. At the start of the 20th century, a third of the vehicles on the road were battery powered. Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the sports car company that still bears his name, was among the first to develop an electric vehicle, debuting the P1 in 1898. Even Henry Ford dabbled with the technology in the early 1900s. Then again, it was also his mass-produced Model T that decimated demand for EVs in the first place.
Volkswagen sets new EV production target of 1.5 million by 2025
Volkswagen is still struggling to repair its reputation following the Dieselgate scandal which began in 2015. In an attempt to rebuild confidence in its brand, it is going hard on electric vehicles and has revealed it will be significantly ramping up production of EVs in the next few years.
IBM’s cobalt-free EV battery uses materials extracted from seawater
Electric vehicles will play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but they are not yet a perfect solution. Today, most EVs run on lithium-ion batteries made with heavy metals like cobalt, of which there is a limited supply and less than ideal mining conditions. The IBM Research Battery Lab may have a solution: a new battery built without heavy metals. It's made, instead, with materials that can be extracted from seawater.
GM and LG team up to build EV batteries in the US
In a call today with reporters, GM CEO Mary Barra announced that the company would be teaming up with LG Chem to supply battery cells for the automaker's upcoming electric vehicles including EV trucks. Overall, the company is expecting to have 20 EVs for sale by 2023.
BMW spends billions to secure batteries and drivetrains for its EVs
BMW has announced its plans to make electric variants of all its most popular cars, in addition to high-end EVs like the upcoming all-electric i4 sedan. All of these cars will need batteries, and the company has just inked a deal to secure its supply from manufacturers CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited) and Samsung SDI.
EVs outsold manual transmission cars in the US last quarter
While electric vehicles have some way to go before they are as ubiquitous as gas-powered cars, demand is on the rise. So much so, that they outsold manual transmission vehicles in the US last quarter, according to data from research group J.D. Power.
Volvo will use blockchain to prove its cobalt wasn’t mined by children
The dark side of electric vehicle production is that the lithium ion batteries most EVs run on require raw materials like cobalt, and cobalt mines have become notorious for using child labor. Now that Volvo has revealed its first fully-electric car, the XC40 Recharge, the automaker wants to ensure sure that the raw materials in its lithium ion batteries are sourced responsibly. For that, it's turning to blockchain.
Toyota’s hydrogen fuel-cell Mirai gets a new, luxurious look
Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles have a tough time out there in the real world. They have all the ecological advantages of an EV and the refueling speed of a gasoline vehicle. But there's that whole infrastructure issue. Without places to refuel, the best car in the world is essentially worthless. But that hasn't stopped Toyota from introducing a new, classier Mirai ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show.
Bosch will use tiny explosions to make EVs safer in a crash
Electric vehicles have obvious benefits, but they also pose new risks. In the event of a crash, there's a chance that damaged wiring could allow current to leak from the EV's battery into the metal frame, posing a risk to occupants, rescue workers and first responders. Electric vehicles automatically turn off when a crash is detected, but to go a step further, Bosch has created an explosive device that automatically cuts off the high-voltage battery.
Honda aims to phase out diesel vehicles in Europe by 2021
The backlash against diesel following the Dieselgate scandal continues, especially in Europe. With a ruling in a German court that cities have the right to ban diesel motors all together, and Germany's federal council calling for a ban on new internal combustion engine vehicles by 2030, manufacturers are scrambling to drop diesel and sell EVs instead.
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.
Electrify America will use robots to charge self-driving EVs
As self-driving and electric vehicles advance, one fundamental question remains: How will autonomous EVs connect to charging stations? Volkswagen-backed Electrify America and Stable Auto hope to answer that. The two companies are working together to develop robotic charging stations for self-driving vehicle fleets.
Tesla opens Vegas V3 Supercharger station powered by solar and battery
Tesla is opening a V3 Supercharger station right on the Las Vegas Strip. The automaker released a video today with more details about its newest charging site, located next to the LINQ hotel's High Roller ferris wheel. Drivers can take advantage of Tesla's latest charger, which has a charging capacity of 250 kW (a rate which adds 75 miles to a long-range Model 3 in 5 minutes). Unveiled earlier this year, the company claims its next generation model can cut down average charging time by 50 percent.
GM will help Chevy EV owners find certified home charger installers
General Motors wants to make it easier for Chevy EV-owners to charge their vehicles at home. Customers can now visit the Chevrolet.com Charging Page and search for certified charger installers. They'll be able to fill in details about their home, compare quotes and contact an installer from the page. Chevy hopes the new feature (the result of a partnership with Qmerit) will convince more people to buy EVs.
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.
