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Tesla raises the price of its most affordable Model 3
That slightly more affordable Model 3 is no longer quite as much of a deal as it was just days ago. Tesla has raised the price of the EV with rear-wheel drive and the Mid Range battery by $1,000, bringing the sticker to $46,000. The company didn't explain the move in a statement to Electrek, but it did say it "will honor" the original pricing for anyone whose order is in progress. This might not be a deal breaker in the price category, but it may come as an unwelcome surprise.
Tesla drops Model S and X interior options to simplify production
Tesla isn't just pulling exterior color options to keep its assembly lines humming. Elon Musk has announced that his company is removing "many" Model S and Model X interior configuration options after November 1st in order to "simplify production." He didn't say which features were getting the chop, but it's safe to presume that you'll want to order quickly if you demand an interior that's equipped just so.
Arcimoto is opening its first rental center for its three-wheeled EV
Arcimoto's three-wheeled Fun Utility Vehicle is a blast to drive, but there's a catch: given that the first orders haven't arrived, there hasn't been an easily accessible way to take one for a spin. You'll have an option in a few days, though. The company is opening its first rental location (plus customer experience center) at 543 Blair Boulevard in its hometown of Eugene, Oregon on October 27th. Pricing hasn't been set yet and will vary by location, but it's safe to say this will be considerably more affordable than committing $11,900 to buy the FUV outright.
Dyson will build its electric cars in Singapore
Dyson will build a two-story factory in Singapore to assemble its highly anticipated electric cars. In a letter to employees, chief executive Jim Rowan said construction would start in December and be completed sometime in 2020. The nation was selected, he explained, because of its "significant advanced manufacturing expertise," supply chain benefits and access to high-growth markets. It also helps that Dyson has been building a workforce and facilities, including a research-focused Technology Centre, in the area since 2007. "We now employ 1,100 people and have made over 50 million high-speed Dyson digital motors in Singapore," Rowan said.
VW's Electrify America to install EV chargers along the Ohio Turnpike
If electric cars are going to become a staple of American roads, they're going to need chargers near prominent routes. And VW's Electrify America is about to address that. The company has revealed plans to install the first EV charging stations along the Ohio Turnpike, a 241-mile toll road meant to speed up trips in the state's northern corridor. This deployment will be modest, with four-dispenser units at Genoa's Blue Heron and Wyandot Services Plazas as well as West Unity's Indian Meadow and Tiffin River Services Plazas. However, the chargers will be fast -- each unit will offer between 150kW to 350kW, so it might take just minutes to top up your next-generation EV.
Faraday Future confirms layoffs and wage cuts as struggles continue
The future of Faraday Future is starting to look bleak. The electric car startup has laid off part of its workforce and is slashed the wages of its employees by 20 percent, as first reported by The Verge and confirmed in a statement from a company spokesperson. The move comes as the company is in the middle of a standoff with the company's primary investor.
VW starts work on its first large-scale EV factory
VW's grandiose electric car plans just became more tangible. The automaker has started building its first group-wide, large-scale EV production factory in Anting, about 19 miles west of Shanghai. When it's up and running in 2020, the plant will build nothing but all-electric vehicles based on the company's MEB (Modular Electric Drive Kit) platform as well as the battery systems needed to power those vehicles. The first EV to roll off the line will be a VW-badged SUV (not necessarily the I.D. Crozz).
Audi delays E-Tron SUV by a month over software updates
Audi's E-Tron SUV has seemingly been in development for ages, but you're going to have to wait longer still to see it on the road. The automaker has delayed the electric SUV's arrival by four weeks due a "software development issue," a spokesman told Reuters. Changes to an unnamed piece of software required that Audi ask for new security clearance. It's not a dramatic delay given that the E-Tron wasn't supposed to hit dealerships until the second quarter of 2019, but it's not doing any favors to Audi or early adopters. However, it could have been worse.
Electric cars could store energy in their carbon fiber bodies
Electric cars typically need larger, denser batteries if they're going to meet the range expectations of people used to gas-powered vehicles, but available space and weight limit the size of that battery. Researchers might have a solution: turn the very body of the car into a battery. They've conducted a study showing that carbon fiber shells could serve as battery electrodes. The trick is to optimize the size and orientation of the fibers so there's a good balance between stiffness and the electrochemical traits needed to store energy.
Tesla's future 'dog mode' would prevent humans from panicking
Tesla already has a feature to prevent its electric car interiors from overheating. Not everyone knows that, though, and that's a problem when people may call the cops or break into your ride to rescue a pet that's actually quite safe. You might not have to post a please-don't-worry sign on your window for much longer, however. Elon Musk has signaled that he'll implement a "dog mode" in future Tesla software that would tell passers-by not to panic. While he only just agreed to the idea (it's likely a long way off), it could include both a message and the current cabin temperature to assuage jittery humans.
Tesla shelves the full self-driving option you couldn't use
Ever since Tesla hinted at its autonomous future, there's been a "Full Self-Driving Capability" checkbox on the order page for its cars -- spend several grand and your car would one day steer itself. It has yet to materialize, though, and now Tesla has removed the option from its site. You can still order it "off menu" for a week as of Musk's tweet (approximately October 25th) or add it to your existing car for $5,000, but new customers will have to 'settle' for Enhanced Autopilot.
Tesla reportedly made its 100,000th Model 3
Tesla may have just hit a symbolic milestone in its quest to speed up Model 3 production: according to an Electrek source, the company has produced its 100,000th Model 3. It technically reached the mark earlier in the week if you count engineering and release candidate cars, according to the tipster, but regular manufacturing also reached the figure on October 13th. Tesla declined to comment, although it typically only provides production numbers after every quarter (like it did on October 2nd).
Nevada sues Tesla over unpaid taxes
Tesla's recent legal woes aren't over with Elon Musk's SEC settlement. Nevada has sued Tesla for failing to pay $655,000 in taxes to the state's Unemployment Commission Fund. The electric car maker reportedly underpaid for both the first and second quarters of 2018, when it respectively doled out $68 million and $55 million in taxable wages to its employees. Don't expect a drawn-out legal battle, however, as Tesla appears ready to make amends.
Faraday Future wants out of key financial deal
Things have mostly been looking up for Faraday Future lately, at least on the surface: it has a line of cash, testing has been in full swing, and it even started building pre-production electric cars at its US plant. The situation might not be quite as comfortable as it seems, though. A stock exchange filing has revealed that Faraday Future is pushing for arbitration that would cancel a deal to sell a 45 percent stake in the EV startup to China's Evergrande Health Industry Group. Faraday chief Jia Yueting accused Evergrande of not fulfilling its end of the bargain, which includes both buying the company with the 45 percent stake (Season Smart) for $860.2 million and paying two $600 million installments in 2019 and 2020.
BMW's i3 is now an electric-only car in Europe
For years, BMW has offered its i3 electric car with a range extender option that used a gas engine to top up the battery and provide some extra driving distance. You'll have to kiss that feature goodbye if you live in Europe, though. BMW has dropped the range extender for European buyers now that the 2019 i3 has a larger-capacity 42.2kWh battery instead of the old 33kWh unit. The new EV provides 34 more miles of range (193 miles on the WLTP testing cycle) than the previous model. Combined with wider availability of fast charging stations, interest is "shifting to a pure-electric model" on the continent, a brand spokesperson told Autocar.
Tesla hits Model 3 production goals for Q3
Today, Tesla reported that it met its ambitious Model 3 production goal for the third quarter of 2018. It produced 80,142 vehicles during Q3 of 2018, which is 50 percent more than the company's all-time record set during Q2 of this year. This included 53,239 Model 3 vehicles. The company delivered 83,500 vehicles to customers during the same quarter; 55,840 were Model 3s. Clearly, the company is moving past its Model 3 production woes, as Tesla delivered roughly twice as many Model 3s in Q3 as it had in all previous quarters combined.
Peugeot's E-Legend concept EV is a futuristic throwback
Whatever image you might have of French cars, Peugeot's E-Legend concept EV is here to destroy that. Unveiled at the Paris Auto Show, the throwback vehicle is inspired by Peugeot's 504 Coupe, but the bulging rear fender and particularly the front end nod to '60s American muscle cars. While the rear end taillights have a vintage French look, they've been updated with thin, sharp-looking looking LED lights. In other words, this is one of the tightest EVs we've seen yet.
Tesla reportedly met its ambitious quarterly Model 3 production goal
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is having a lousy week, but the company might have something to crow about. A source speaking to Electrek (historically accurate with these rumors) has reported that Tesla met its lofty target of building at least 50,000 Model 3 cars over its summer quarter, producing about 51,000 examples of the 'entry-level' EV by September 28th. The company had been struggling with manufacturing earlier in the period, but apparently ramped back up to 5,000 Model 3s per week by the end of the quarter.
Lucid Motors will give owners access to VW's charging network
Lucid Motors' first electric car won't roll out of the factory until 2020, but you'll at least know where to charge it when it does arrive. The company has signed a preliminary deal that will give Lucid Air drivers access to VW's Electrify America charging network through a cross-country charging plan. You won't win any prizes for guessing the reason why: it's all about the scale and performance of the network. Electrify America is promising more than 2,000 chargers with power levels up to 350kW. The chances are good are that you'll have access to numerous quick-charge stations in your state.
Tesla is hand-delivering the Model 3 to speed up sales
Tesla is determined to move as many EVs as it can before its summer quarter is over, and that includes saving you from even a short trip to get your vehicle. Electrek has learned that the company just launched a "door-to-door" Tesla Direct service bringing the Model 3 directly to customers, and not just those near the automaker's Fremont factory. Customers in Los Angeles (and possibly other areas) are receiving emails offering to deliver cars directly to their homes and offices for free -- helpful if you'd rather not take time off or plan a trip to get your new ride.
