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Uber orders up to 24,000 Volvo SUVs for its self-driving fleet
Uber has just taken another big step from a ride-sharing service to a transportation provider. It announced that it will buy up to 24,000 Volvo XC90s, marking the first major vehicle fleet purchase by a ride-hailing service. Uber will take delivery of the SUVs between 2019 and 2021, then equip them with its own sensors and tech, allowing it to do fully autonomous, driver-free passenger rides. "This new agreement puts us on a path toward mass-produced, self-driving vehicles at scale," Uber's Jeff Miller told Bloomberg.
Mitsubishi Evo concept is an AI-assisted crossover EV
Honda has been rolling out EV concept cars to test the waters, first a throwback boxy coupe, then the debut yesterday of a sporty two-door vehicle with subtle AI assistance. Today, Mitsubishi followed suit with its own new crossover concept, the e-Evolution. If that name sounds familiar, you're on the right track: They've transitioned the iconic Lancer Evo sedan into an electric four-wheel-drive cross-country vehicle.
Nissan's Rogue is its first US car with semi-autonomous driving
You won't have to wait long to try Nissan's semi-autonomous ProPilot Assist on American streets. The automotive giant has announced that the 2018 Rogue crossover will be the first car in the US to have the feature as an option. Not surprisingly, it won't come standard. While the Rogue starts at $24,680, you'll need to spend about $35,000 for a Rogue SL with the Platinum Package to get that robotic assistance. In classic car maker fashion, you'll have to spend on extras you probably don't care for (like leather seats and large wheels) just to get the one option you do.
Hyundai shifts focus from fuel cell cars to EVs
Fuel cell champion Hyundai is changing direction with its product strategy, announcing that it will now focus on electric vehicles. The shift comes after Tesla and other electric vehicle manufacturers have gained traction in the field, and following Chinese government backing for battery-powered cars. "We're strengthening our eco-friendly car strategy, centering on electric vehicles," executive vice president Lee Kwang-guk told a news conference, adding that the technology was "realistic". Hyundai now plans to have an electric sedan on the road by 2021, with a range of 500km. Also on the cards is an electric version of its 390km-range Kona SUV, due in the first half of 2018.
Tesla lowers the Model X's price now that it's more profitable
Tesla might have ditched the Model X's relatively affordable 60D trim, but that doesn't mean it's insensitive to your price concerns. Elon Musk's outfit has lopped $3,000 off the price of the base 75D model, bringing the entry point down to 'just' $79,500 before tax credits -- right around where it was when the electric SUV launched nearly two years ago. As for why? Simple economics, Tesla says in a statement. When the Model X 75D launched, it had a low profit margin --"efficiencies" have let Tesla reduce the price without taking a hit to its bottom line.
Tesla Model X earns a perfect NHTSA safety rating
Tesla has yet another achievement to crow about. On Tuesday, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) released its assessment of the company's Model X SUV and awarded it the agencies highest possible rating: 5 stars across every test category. That makes the Model X the safest SUV on the road today. US govt testing by @NHTSAgov finds Model X to be the safest SUV in history by significant margin https://t.co/zAdb5FQPEI — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 13, 2017 Every Model X variant -- the 60D, 75D, 90D, P90D and 100D -- all scored perfectly in front impact, side impact, rollover and overall safety. In fact, the NHTSA was unable to even tip one over during its dynamic test and gave the Model X only a 9.30 percent chance of rolling over during an accident. The company credits its electric drivetrain and power system, as well as the vehicle's low center of gravity thanks to its battery packs being located under the cabin floor, for its impressive rollover resistance. "Of all the cars NHTSA has ever tested, Model X's overall probability of injury was second only to Model S," the company wrote in its press release.
Chinese EV supercar maker is prepping an all-electric SUV
If you're an automaker, you can't just come right out of the gate with a supercar if you're expecting mass adoption. Well, you can, but maybe it isn't the wisest move? To that end, Chinese upstart automaker NIO (formerly NextEV) has unveiled the ES8, an all-electric sport-utility vehicle made specifically for its home turf. It'll fit seven passengers inside its "all-aluminum body and chassis," according to a press release.
Volkswagen's crossover of the future uses AR to keep you informed
Volkswagen first showed off its next-gen ID platform at the Paris Auto Show last year with a concept car for where it sees electric vehicles going. Now the embattled automaker has debuted the ID Crozz, an all-electric crossover utility vehicle (get it?) VW hopes will help the company reach its goal of selling a million EVs a year by 2025.
Prototype Genesis SUV melds hydrogen and plug-in power
It hasn't even been two years since Hyundai spun out its Genesis luxury badge as a separate division, but the new group is already making a name for itself. Genesis has unveiled its first experimental SUV, the GV80 Concept, and the prototype clearly pushes a few boundaries. For one, it's a plug-in fuel cell hybrid. The company isn't talking performance figures at this point, but the combination of electric and hydrogen power promises zero-emissions driving while still delivering a healthy range.
Volvo's new XC60 is better than ever at not killing people
Volvo's 2018 XC60 isn't the newest thing at the New York Auto Show -- it was actually unveiled in Geneva -- but it was too Swedishly pretty not to spend time with. The XC60 will land in the US later this year (price unknown, sadly), but it turns out every XC60 will a little American by default. 2018 will see Volvo build a production facility in South Carolina that'll make every XC60 sold around the world. I kind of expect Volvo to sell quite a few, if only based on the strength of its tech package and design.
Tesla's SUV demand is catching up to its sedan
You'd think that Tesla would sell far fewer units of its pricier, slightly frumpier-looking Model X SUV than its mainstay Model S sedan, but that's not the case these days. The electric car maker has revealed its production levels for the first quarter of 2017, and it's apparent that the gap has closed dramatically in recent months. Tesla delivered about 11,550 Model X vehicles at the start of the year, or just 1,900 shy of the 13,450 Model S cars that found owners in the same period. It's a stark contrast to a year earlier, when Tesla supplied 12,420 sedans and just 2,400 SUVs -- buyers are clearly willing to trade a bit of cash and style for some extra capacity.
Volvo melds technology and luxury in the XC90 T8 hybrid
The name Volvo conjures up the incredibly safe but visually bland 240 Wagon sold during the '70s, '80s and '90s. You'd buy a Volvo because you were practical and possibly a bit paranoid about other drivers slamming into you. But the Swedish automaker has been working hard to make its cars not only safe but also stylish and high-tech. That work has culminated in the hybrid XC90 T8 luxury SUV.
Faraday Future is scaling back its EV production plans
The troubles for Faraday Future don't seem to have an end in sight. According to Reuters, the company's making drastic changes to its production roadmap: Rather than building seven electric vehicles in the foreseeable future, as was originally planned, that will shift to only two. But there's more. Faraday Future is reportedly also scaling down its vision for a 3-million-square-foot plant in Nevada, which is now expected to be 650,000 square feet -- quite a downgrade.
Faraday Future sued over missed payments on $2 million VR video (update)
Faraday Future may have had a new car to show off at CES earlier this month, but everyone's left Las Vegas and old problems are cropping up. Now, the company is being sued by a video effects company for failure to pay for a virtual fly-through of one of its concept vehicles. Last September The Mill gave Faraday an estimate for how much it'd cost to produce a "graphic presentation with virtual reality, augmented reality and holographic components" for January's trade show, according to court documents obtained by Jalopnik.
Faraday Future's first car secures over 64,000 reservations
EV-maker Faraday Future says it has received 64,124 reservations for the car it unveiled at CES within 36 hours of the event. Sure, that's nowhere near the 232,000 pre-orders Tesla got for Model 3 in a day, but we're talking about company that has yet to release a product -- in fact, the model it presented at CES (an SUV called the FF 91) is its first car ever. Sadly, Faraday Future didn't say how many paid $5,000 for priority reservation and how many opted for the free standard option. That means we also can't say if it racked up enough money to keep going.
Hyundai's next fuel cell SUVs have a reported range of 348 miles
Hyundai's next line of fuel cell SUVs will have a range of 348 miles, besting the current Hyundai Tucson by 30 percent, according to Nikkei. Hyundai reportedly plans to roll out its second generation of fuel cell SUVs in January 2018.
Tesla drops the entry-level Model X 60D from its lineup
We hope you weren't scrimping and saving to put the entry-level Model X in your driveway. Tesla has quietly dropped the 60D version of its electric crossover, leaving the 75D as your only choice. While the Model X wasn't exactly a budget vehicle to start with, that definitely raises the price of entry. You now have to spend $85,500 before tax credits to get past those falcon wing doors, or about $11,500 more than you did while the 60D was around.
GMC's latest SUV travels farther thanks to glue
Usually, squeaking significant extra mileage out of a vehicle involves some very conspicuous changes. You can switch to a new engine, go hybrid (or full electric), or build components out of lightweight materials like carbon fiber. GM, however, is trying something different with the just-launched 2017 GMC Acadia: glue. Rather than join the SUV's underbody components using rivets or welds, GM is using aircraft-grade adhesives along the seams to create a body so stiff that the company can afford to use thinner steel. The result is an Acadia that's a whopping 700 pounds lighter than its predecessor, giving it 23 miles per gallon (versus the 2016 model's 18) without having to resort to more drastic changes.
Tesla's Autopilot blamed for a Model X crash
Tesla's semi-autonomous Autopilot mode is coming under fire for the second time in as many weeks. Art dealer Albert Scaglione claims that the feature was responsible for a crash that rolled his Model X on the Pennsylvania Turnpike on July 1st. According to the police report, the electric SUV smacked into a guard rail and hit the median before landing on its roof. Both Scaglione and his passenger (his son-in-law) thankfully survived.
Tesla recalls the Model X over rear seat safety
The Model X may be a groundbreaker in the electric vehicle world, but it also appears to be a bit rough around the edges in its initial form. Tesla has issued a recall for the SUV after discovering a flaw in the locking hinge for the recliner in the third row of seats. There's a chance that the hinge will fail on models built before March 26th, sending the seat back flying forward. That's not exactly what you want during a crash, to put it mildly. There aren't any reported incidents, but Tesla would rather not wait to get things sorted out.
