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Dyson ends its electric car project
Dyson is shutting down its electric car project. The company said while its automotive team had created a "fantastic" EV, the car was not "commercially viable." It will continue to work on the solid-state battery tech it developed for the EV, however.
Volta's EV network gives you 30 minutes of free fast charging
If you build a free high-speed charging network, will affluent EV owners come? Charging company Volta will soon find out, as it has unveiled plans to install 150 public-access DC fast-charging stations. EV owners heading to shopping centers, supermarkets, and sports stadiums will get a free half-hour of charging, equivalent to about 175 miles of range at 100kW stations. After that, they'll be able to pay to continue the charging session.
Amazon orders 100,000 EVs to help meet climate goal ten years early
Jeff Bezos has announced Amazon will sign up to a climate pledge with the aim of meeting the United Nations Paris Agreement climate goals 10 years early. He said Amazon will hit emission reduction targets by 2040, report its emissions regularly and implement decarbonization strategies. The company will balance out any remaining emissions with carbon offsets. Bezos wants 80 percent of Amazon's energy use to come from renewable sources by 2024, and for it to rely fully on renewable energy by 2030.
Seat wants to sell its Cupra Tavascan EV concept some day
After Spanish automaker Seat (owned by VW) spun out the Cupra sport sub-brand last year, it seemed like we were going to see some interesting vehicles from it. That's certainly the case at the Frankfurt Motor Show, where Seat has unveiled the Cupra Tavascan EV concept. It's not only a striking look at the possible future of Seat's Cupra EVs, but it might eventually become a production vehicle itself.
The uphill battle to build Honda’s first modern EV
Honda, like Toyota, has a troubled history with EVs. After pioneering them with the EV Plus in 1997 then releasing a very limited edition Fit EV, it's been radio silence from the company ever since. Now at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Honda has finally built a modern electric car that it plans to sell: the Honda E. This Europe-only EV won't be sold in the US, but it sure has attracted a lot of attention. Honda fans are eating up the retro-adorable styling, and the interior will be impressively high tech for a production vehicle. On the other hand, it's expensive and can't go nearly as far on a charge as rivals. These decisions might seem at odds with other automakers, but as the design team explained to me, Honda hopes that urbanites will love the technology and sportiness enough to forgive the lower range.
Tesla wins a tax exemption in China to offset trade-war tariffs (updated)
The regulatory body in charge of cars in China has announced several Tesla vehicles will be exempt from its purchase tax, which should help offset an upcoming tariff. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology granted exemptions for more than a dozen Model 3, Model S and Model X models.
Tesla will reportedly raise prices in China again this week
Buying a Tesla in China could be more expensive in the very near future. The automaker will increase prices on its cars in the country this Friday, according to Reuters. That potential price lift is said to be in response to the yuan weakening against the US dollar, but Tesla may jack up the sticker price once again should new tariffs come into effect as part of the China-US trade war.
Porsche Taycan will come with a standalone Apple Music app
Porsche Taycan owners will be able to play their Apple Music collection directly through the vehicle's touchscreen display. According to TechCrunch, the automaker has teamed up with Cupertino to integrate Apple Music into the upcoming electric vehicle. It will be the the first time the streaming service is offered as a standalone app within a vehicle, and by the sound of things, it won't be the last. Apparently, Porsche plans to give new and existing customers free six-month access to Apple Music.
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.
Former Tesla employee admits to storing Autopilot source code on his own iCloud
A former Tesla employee is being sued for downloading data related to the company's Autopilot feature and allegedly taking that data to a Chinese rival company.
Waymo's Jaguar EV hits public roads for self-driving tests
Waymo is putting its Jaguar I-Pace EVs on the road for more public testing, only this time around it's been fully kitted out with self-driving tech. The company confirmed to TechCrunch it started testing the self-driving cars close to its Mountain View, California headquarters.
Elon Musk talks up Tesla's 'Cyberpunk truck,' and 400-mile range EVs
This year at Tesla's annual shareholders meeting the conversation went pretty much as we'd expect, with teases of some upcoming products, muttering about negative media coverage and plenty of confidence from CEO Elon Musk. Specifically, he responded to speculation that Tesla is having trouble meeting sales targets by saying that "I want to be clear, there is not a demand problem." According to the company, 90 percent of sales for the Model 3 are going to people who aren't reservation holders, and later on during the event Musk indicated Tesla still isn't thinking of running advertisements. Noting that electric cars introduced recently still don't have more range than the original Model S when it launched in 2012, Musk said that it won't be long before Tesla offers an electric vehicle capable of going 400 miles between charges.
Hyundai's Ioniq EV gets a bigger battery and more connectivity
Hyundai is refreshing its Ioniq line-up with the hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric models all getting design tweaks and new features. The EV in particular will get a larger, 38.3 kWh battery pack that has 36 percent more storage capacity than its predecessor.
Rivian turned down GM investment so it could build EVs for others
Reports emerged last week that GM would not join Amazon in investing in electric vehicle startup Rivian, and now we have a little more clarity on why talks broke down. It seems GM wanted some exclusivity, but Rivian plans to build vehicles for other companies, as well as release up to six models under its own branding by 2025.
Oslo is working on wireless charging for its electric taxis
As Norway's capital city prepares to ensure all taxis are zero emission by 2023, Oslo is setting up a wireless charging system for cabs. It aims to have the first such fast-charging taxi system in the world, though it's not clear exactly when it will be up and running. Charging plates will be installed at taxi ranks, which will link to receivers installed in cabs. The system will charge taxis at up to 75 kW.
James Bond's next Aston Martin might be electric
James Bond movies tend to be a reflection of the cultural zeitgeist, and that might be reflected in his choice of whip next time around. The Sun sources have claimed that the director of the next Bond movie, Cary Joji Fukanaga, wants 007 to drive Aston Martin's electric Rapide E (above) instead of one of its gas-powered coupes. It may seem like blasphemy for Bond's flashiest vehicle to be a sedan, but Fukanaga, lead actor Daniel Craig and the producers reportedly believed "the time was right" for the secret agent to use an emissions-free ride.
Fisker plans to release an electric SUV under $40,000 in 2021
Tesla isn't the only one unveiling a semi-affordable electric SUV in March. Fisker is signaling a shift toward more reasonably-priced EVs by unveiling a sub-$40,000 SUV that might claim a few advantages over its superiors. The automaker is aiming for a 300-mile range as standard through an 80kWh-plus battery (the Model Y will start at 230 miles), radar where the grill would be, and an "extended open-air atmosphere" available with a button press. You might not be in a rush to spend extra, then, although dual motors and all-wheel drive will be optional.
Tesla drops mid-range Model 3 battery option
Now that the $35,000 Model 3 is here, Tesla appears ready to streamline its options. The automaker has removed the Mid Range battery option from its Model 3 configuration tool, leaving a gap between the Standard Range and Standard Range Plus models (220 and 240 miles of range respectively) and the 310 miles or more of Long Range versions. The change applies in countries where the full Model 3 lineup is available, including the US, Canada and Mexico.
Tesla's change of heart will bring Autopilot prices 'back to normal'
Tesla's partial about-face on vehicle pricing will also have an effect on Autopilot pricing. Elon Musk has confirmed that prices for Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving will "revert to normal" on March 18th. The company shouldn't have dropped prices in the first place, Musk said, and only did so "because some simply couldn't afford it." Some existing owners felt as if they'd been ripped off after paying higher prices for features that still weren't fully unlocked.
Tesla extends delivery times for base Model 3 by one month
If you thought sales for the fabled $35,000 Model 3 would quickly lead to a backlog... well, you guessed correctly. Tesla has extended US delivery times for the base EV by a full month, with new orders arriving in six to eight weeks instead of the original two to four. You'll have to shell out for the $37,000 Standard Range Plus variant if you want your Model 3 sooner.