Electric Cars
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The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas has become more than a place for technology companies to show off their latest smartphone or gadget. Now, automakers and auto startups flock to the stage to present technical concepts and new vehicles as the automobile becomes more connected than ever. At CES 2018, a Chinese startup by the name of Byton will debut its first electric car. The company has dubbed it the SIV, or "smart intuitive vehicle." Byton, formerly the Future Mobility Company, will debut its all-electric vehicle with a focus on smart mobility and connectivity. In fact, Byton...
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Jia Yueting defies order to return to China to stay in US and help Faraday FutureDespite being ordered to return to China by the country’s securities regulator, not to mention having his assets seized by the court system, embattled Chinese businessman Jia Yueting says he’s staying put in the United States in order to secure funding for electric car startup Faraday...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Faraday Future backer Jia Yueting is ordered back to China, has assets seizedFaraday Future’s main backer, Jia Yueting, has been ordered to return to China to meet financial obligations promised to investors of his LeEco electronics and video streaming business. The order was issued on Monday by the China Securities Regulatory Commission which has been pushing for...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Elon Musk promises Tesla pickup will come after Model YTesla CEO Elon Musk promised the electric-car maker he oversees will build a pickup truck following the Model Y crossover, Reuters reported on Tuesday. It's the latest product promise following the 2020 Roadster's surprise reveal and the Tesla Semi's pending production. I promise that we will make...
Sean Szymkowski -
Does the Tesla Roadster really have 7,000-plus pound-feet of torque, and what's its horsepower?The 2020 Tesla Roadster's surprise introduction came with some pretty tantalizing specs. One of them is Tesla's claimed 0-60 mph sprint in just 1.9 seconds, but another figure washed over the internet. According to Tesla, the Roadster will have 10,000 newton meters (more than 7,000 pound-feet) of...
Sean Szymkowski -
All-wheel drive now standard on Tesla Model S, Model XBuyers looking at a brand new Tesla Model S or Model X will no longer have to choose between rear- or all-wheel drive. Tesla announced in its December newsletter that both vehicles will arrive with standard all-wheel drive, Carscoops first reported on Thursday. That leaves all future Model S and...
Sean Szymkowski -
Honda spokesperson Teruhiko Tatebe has revealed to Reuters that the automaker is investigating the use of solid-state batteries for future electric cars. Solid-state batteries are seen as a breakthrough technology for electric cars as they promise significantly improved battery density compared to current technology, which means range can be increased without having to suffer from a bigger battery and the associated weight costs. Although solid-state batteries aren’t new, they’re still difficult to manufacture on a mass scale. But this is expected to change in the coming years...
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McLaren testing electric car but production still years awayMcLaren in 2016 revealed it was investigating the potential for an electric supercar as part of its Track22 business plan. The company has since revealed it has test mules for an electric car up and running but that production is likely years if not decades away from becoming a reality...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Next Land Rover Defender to reportedly offer electric optionLand Rover hinted at it to Motor Authority. Now it appears to be true. At a press event for the Land Rover Range Rover Velar in October, Land Rover told Motor Authority an electrified Defender off-road SUV wasn't off the table without confirming or denying such a powertrain. Now, a report published...
Sean Szymkowski -
Nio considering IPO, stake saleChinese electric car startup Nio has just introduced its first volume vehicle on the market in the form of the Tesla Model X-rivaling ES8, but the long-term plan is to offer a full portfolio ranging from city cars to self-driving cars to world-beating supercars. The company is looking to draw...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
UK company builds world's first Tesla Model S shooting brakeFeast your eyes on the very first Tesla Model S shooting brake. To clear up the confusion, a Dutch firm announced plans for its own shooting brake, due for a March 2018 reveal. This one is different, however. United Kingdom-based Qwest Norfolk actually beat the Dutch company to the finish line with...
Sean Szymkowski -
BMW partners with US solid-state battery companyAs electrification moves to the automotive world's center stage, automakers are quickly sorting out strategic partnerships with battery suppliers to solidify their futures. On Monday, Solid Power, a U.S.-based battery company, announced it would work with BMW on game-changing solid-state batteries...
Sean Szymkowski -
Nio, nee NextEV, launched its first production car for the masses this month with the ES8 electric SUV. With the vehicle's launch, Nio seems poised as a true threat to Tesla in China, where the Silicon Valley automaker's cars are not eligible for government subsidies and incentives because they're imported. The ES8 electric SUV starts at roughly $68,000 USD, which is about half the price of a Tesla Model X in China. Furthermore, the ES8 returns an estimated 220 miles of range with its dual-electric motors and battery pack. The least expensive Model X will go 237 miles. And Nio is forging...
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The Morgan EV3 will finally whir to life in 2018Do you remember the Morgan 3 Wheeler? You should, because it remains a hilariously enjoyable machine that delivers far more fun than you might expect. From its buzzy S&S-supplied V-twin engine and cog-swapper swiped from the MX-5, the 3 Wheeler is an incredibly pure dose of heritage styling and...
Jeff Glucker -
BMW iNext due in 2021 could be badged an i9BMW on Monday confirmed it secured the naming rights for potential vehicles ranging from an i1 to i9, as well as from an iX1 to iX9, with the iX-prefixed names indicating vehicles with an SUV body style. BMW also confirmed on Monday that its much-hyped iNext due in 2021 will be its...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
BMW Group delivers over 100,000 electrified cars in 2017The BMW Group has reached its goal of delivering more than 100,000 electrified cars in 2017. The total includes hybrids and electric cars sold across the BMW and Mini brands. The 100,000th car was a BMW i3 finished in blue. It was handed over to its owner at the BMW Group headquarters in Munich...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Toyota ramps up electrification, targets 1 million zero-emission cars by 2030Toyota on Monday announced it would accelerate its vehicle electrification plans as part of an overarching strategy to reduce fleet-wide carbon emissions by as much as 90 percent from 2010 levels, by the year 2050. Under the accelerated plans, Toyota hopes to have every model in the Toyota and...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Thor Trucks reveals electric semi-truck to take on TeslaTesla has already received a healthy stream of pre-orders for its electric semi-truck, but a new California company will offer an alternative. Thor Trucks revealed its first all-electric semi on Wednesday and it boasts promising specs in an attempt to rival the Tesla Semi. Thor calls its electric...
Sean Szymkowski -
To say Faraday Future has been having a tough couple of months is probably the understatement of the year. The latest in a long list of setbacks is news that main backer Jia Yueting, the founder of Chinese tech giant LeEco, has been placed on an official list of debt defaulters in China after failing to comply with a court order to pay one of his creditors, China Daily reports. People added to the list can be barred from taking up executive positions as well as purchasing airline and high-speed train tickets. There’s even the possibility Yueting will be barred from buying luxury goods...
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Toyota and Panasonic look to form battery allianceToyota and Panasonic announced on Wednesday their intention to study the feasibility of a battery joint venture. In a statement, the companies said the joint venture is intended to address growing demand and expectations for vehicle electrification. Toyota alone is targeting the sale of 4.5 million...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mini introduces new logoMini has revealed a new, more streamlined logo that will start appearing on the brand’s cars from March 2018. The new design does away with the three-dimensional, two-tone logo that has featured on every Mini since the brand was relaunched in 2000 under the guidance of the BMW Group. The...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Porsche will make decisions on coupe-like crossovers, electric SUVs in 2018Plans for a coupe-like crossover at Porsche aren't finalized yet, but a decision is coming soon. Porsche CEO Oliver Blume said the brand will make a final decision on crossover coupes next year. Such a body style would rival the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe. Blume said the final decision...
Sean Szymkowski -
Dutch coachbuilder working on the Tesla Model S wagon of your dreamsIt's almost strange to think Tesla doesn't produce its own Model S wagon, since the Silicon Valley-based carmaker has a way of doing things differently. Alas, Tesla does not in fact build a wagon—but Dutch firm RemetzCar will. The coachbuilder, based outside of Amsterdam, has begun production...
Sean Szymkowski -
Budweiser brewer orders fleet of Tesla SemisBudweiser brewer Anheuser-Busch wants its beer delivery process to be just a smidge more green. The company announced on Friday that it placed a pre-order for 40 Tesla Semis and proclaimed it's one of the largest orders to date. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has hinted that the trucks will start from as low...
Sean Szymkowski