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Tesla starts delivering the Model Y
Tesla's Model Y is reaching buyers roughly a year after its debut. The company has followed up numerous buyer reports by confirming that deliveries of its electric crossover are officially underway in spring (really, late winter) as promised. It's not clear just how many vehicles are enroute at this stage, but it's notable that initial orders revolve around pricier Long Range and Performance configurations -- standard range models won't show until 2021.
Apex's electric supercar includes an AR race coach and partial self-driving
How do you make a name for yourself as an EV startup when you have plenty of rivals? By promising a mix of breakneck performance with uncommon tech, apparently. UK-based newcomer Apex has unveiled the AP-0, an electric supercar that's ready for the track but also has a few perks for commuting. The company is keen to tout the combination of a 650BHP motor system with a lightweight carbon fiber chassis (the entire car weighs 2,646lbs) that delivers 0-62MPH in 2.3 seconds and a top speed of 190MPH, all the while managing a healthy 320 miles of estimated range from the 90kW battery. Those are solid numbers for a performance EV, but Apex is clearly counting on the intelligence to win you over.
BMW will discontinue its iconic i8 hybrid sports car in April
The BMW i8 was the company's first plug-in hybrid. When it hit the event circuit as a concept vehicle, it was a stunner, and the consumer version was surprisingly similar to the prototype. The clean lines of the chassis hid an advanced combination of a lithium-ion battery and a three-cylinder engine that could accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers in just 4.4 seconds. But after six years of success, the BMW factory in Leipzig, Germany will halt production of the company's best-selling sports car in April.
EU plans to introduce sweeping 'right to repair' legislation for electronics
As part of its newly announced Circular Economy Action Plan, the European Commission, the body that drafts the EU's laws, says it will introduce right to repair legislation that will push electronics manufacturers to create products that last longer, include as many recycled materials as possible and are easier to reuse, repair and recycle.
Honda will discontinue its Clarity EV in 2020
Honda is discounting the pure-electric version of its lease-only Clarity, Autoblog reports. It appears that Honda will continue to produce the plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell Clarity models, at least in 2020.
Lotus has already sold out of its electric hypercar for 2020
Did you stare at the Lotus Evija and wonder how anyone could justify an electric hypercar costing over $2.6 million, especially from a brand best known for far lighter and cheaper gas vehicles? Apparently, you had no reason to doubt. Lotus told Autocar that it has already sold out of the Evija production run for 2020, which is due to start in the summer. It didn't provide specific numbers, but the automaker is expected to make 130 Evijas in total.
The case for making tiny nuclear reactors
In the US, the electricity powering your home was probably generated by burning natural gas, a fossil fuel. As coal becomes unfeasible, renewables work toward scale and nuclear is benched, gas remains the go-to for power companies. Industry analysts talk about gas as the "bridge," the fuel we can burn now to buy us time to develop our carbon-free future.
GM's cheaper, adaptable Ultium batteries are key to its EV future
The success of an electric car frequently revolves around its batteries, and GM is determined to have some of the best. It just revealed new Ultium batteries that it claims will deliver the range and performance to make EVs practical for "nearly every customer." Their pouch-like cells can be stacked both horizontally and vertically, allowing GM to cram more storage into a given space and accommodate a wide range of vehicles. The batteries can range from 50kWh to 200kWh, or enough to deliver as much as 400 miles of range and 0-60MPH in 3 seconds -- conveniently, the same acceleration as the upcoming Hummer EV.
Tesla is using older hardware in Chinese Model 3 cars because of supply issues
Tesla has become the latest company to have to contend with the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, reports the BBC. Supply chain disruptions in China caused by the crisis forced the automaker to equip recent locally-produced Model 3 vehicles with its older Hardware 2.5 chip rather than its new Hardware 3.0 silicon.
NASA maps show the effect of a quarantine on air pollution
"This is the first time I have seen such a dramatic drop-off over such a wide area for a specific event," said NASA air quality researcher Fei Liu. She made that statement after NASA's Earth Observatory released maps showing a dramatic drop in air pollution in the Wuhan region. Industrial output in the region would have already been down significantly due to the Lunar New Year. However, a government quarantine designed to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease COVID-19 made pollution drop much more significantly and for a longer period.
Amazon will deliver some same-day orders in just a few hours
We knew Amazon was considering making one-day shipping the default for Prime-eligible purchases, but now, the company is going even further. Prime members in Philadelphia, Phoenix, Orlando and Dallas can now expect their same-day orders to arrive in just a few hours.
Pininfarina debuts ultra-rare $2.9 million version of its electric hypercar
Is Pininfarina's Battista electric hypercar just not exclusive enough for you? You're in luck. The Italian automaker has unveiled a special Battista Anniversario variant that pushes the EV even further. It still revolves around that 1,900HP quad-motor system with a 217MPH top speed and a range topping 311 miles, but it should deliver sharper performance through wheels that are 22lbs lighter, larger at the rear (21 inches) and improved aerodynamics. The Anniversario will come standard with a "Furiosa" package (a revamped front splitter, side blades and rear diffuser) available for any Battista, but it'll also have a custom rear wing, rear fins and "other bespoke details."
Mercedes unveils plug-in hybrid versions of the CLA and GLA
Mercedes is once more expanding the number of models with plug-in hybrid versions, and it might be particularly good news if you're looking for a less expensive ride. It just introduced PHEV variants of the CLA Coupe (aka sedan, pictured at center), CLA Shooting Brake (right) and GLA crossover SUV (left). All of them mate a 75kW electric motor with a 218HP, four-cylinder gas engine, theoretically giving you zero-emissions driving in the city with the reassurance of combustion if you need it. Not that you'll be leaning on fossil fuels much of the time -- Mercedes estimates 35 miles to 43 miles of electric driving (based on the WLTP test cycle) depending on your car, which should be enough for many commutes.
AI can help find more places to store captured CO2 underground
Scientists dream of storing captured CO2 emissions underground, but it can be tricky to find pockets for storing those emissions -- Earth's seismic "hum" makes it difficult to spot the low-frequency waves that would best help map the subterranean landscape. That might not be a challenge in the future thanks to AI. MIT scientists have developed a machine learning system that uses earthquakes to accurately estimate those low-frequency waves and map underground structures. The trick, according to researchers, was in the training.
Jeep's all-terrain e-bike is available to pre-order for $5,899
If you've been eying Jeep's e-bike ever since that Super Bowl ad, you can finally spring for it... provided you have deep pockets. Jeep will start taking pre-orders for the all-terrain two-wheeler today (March 1st) for a hefty $5,899. That's not an unheard-of price when electric mountain bikes often cost as much or more, but it may be a surprise if you're used to fat tire e-bikes that cost much less.
VW is reportedly struggling with the ID.3's software
Volkswagen's ID.3 rollout might have hit a snag. Germany's Manager Magazin sources claim the EV's underlying software has been rushed and rife with bugs, including dropouts and other issues. Test drivers are supposedly finding up to 300 errors per day. The magazine even claims that the software problems are dire enough that they could lead VW to miss its summer 2020 launch window.
Audi's tri-motor E-Tron S electric cars will be ready to drift
Electric cars tend to handle well thanks to a low center of gravity and instant torque, but they aren't usually light on their feet and can be harder to drift unless they're appropriately tuned. Audi, however, believes it can bring back that liveliness without compromising on what makes EVs special. It has detailed the S variants of the E-Tron and E-Tron Sportback, noting that they'll be the first mass-produced EVs with three motors -- one large motor producing a typical 124kW (150kW boost) at the front and two smaller rear motors that produce a combined 196kW (264kW boost). The results are livelier vehicles whose torque vectoring not only helps them take corners faster, but can produce "controlled drifts" on demand. If you're comfortable throwing an expensive SUV sideways, it's an option.
The rise of cloud computing has had a smaller climate impact than feared
As more and more gargantuan data centers come on line, environmentalists have been concerned about massive increases in electricity consumption and pollution. However, according to a new study published in Science, that simply hasn't happened. While cloud computing output has jumped by 600 percent from 2010 to 2018, energy consumption rose by just 6 percent. That's because companies like Google have massively increased efficiencies with new chip designs, custom-tailored airflow solutions and other tech.
IKEA’s new vegetarian meatballs will taste more like meat
A trip to IKEA isn't complete without a plate of Swedish meatballs. While the company offers a vegetarian version of its iconic meal, the veggie meatballs don't taste much like meat. Joining the trend set by fast food chains like Burger King and KFC, the furniture giant plans to offer an updated vegetarian option of its meatballs that taste closer to traditional meat. According to the company's 2019 climate report, the new version of the food will be available starting this August.
Starbucks embraces fake meat, starting in Canada
Next week, when Starbucks rolls out its spring menu in stores across Canada, it will include one notable addition: a breakfast sandwich with Beyond Meat sausage. Starbucks joins a growing list of brands that have added Beyond Meat's plant-based offerings to their menus. To date, those companies include McDonald's (also a Canadian pilot), KFC, Subway, Carl's Jr., Hardee's and more.
