Author: Casper Benedict

According to a survey by consulting firm Deloitte, a growing number of American consumers are interested in purchasing electric vehicles (EVs), but are worried about the increasing cost. The survey, conducted from September to October 2022, found that nearly 70% of potential EV buyers in the United States hope to pay less than $50,000 for their next vehicle. Additionally, over half of the respondents cited affordability as the main concern when considering EV adoption, as top EV manufacturers are currently raising prices due to high inflation. In contrast, fewer respondents expressed interest in purchasing gasoline-powered vehicles. According to the companies…

In December, Tesla vehicles claimed the top two spots on the list of best-selling vehicles in New Zealand. According to registration data, the Model Y was the most popular with 868 registrations, followed by the Model 3 with 413 registrations. Another electric vehicle, the MG ZS, was the third most popular passenger car in the country with 396 registrations. The top 10 best-sellers in New Zealand for December included a mix of electric and internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, with the Suzuki Swift, Mitsubishi Outlander, Mitsubishi ASX, BYD Atto 3, Toyota Corolla, Toyota RAV4, and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross also making…

On Thursday, Continental and Ambarella, a California-based artificial intelligence chip company, announced a partnership to develop software and hardware systems for self-driving vehicles. The partnership will focus on Level 2+ autonomous driving, which allows drivers to briefly remove their hands from the steering wheel through features such as assisted cruise control and lane centering. Ambarella, a semiconductor company, has created a new type of chip called a system on a chip (SoC) that combines multiple CPUs on a single logic board and enables artificial intelligence processing. In partnership with Continental, the two companies will develop technology consisting of high-resolution cameras,…

On Wednesday, Qualcomm Technologies unveiled a new processor chip called Snapdragon Ride Flex SoC for use in vehicles. This chip is capable of managing both assisted driving and cockpit functions, including entertainment. According to Nakul Duggal, Qualcomm’s head of automotive, combining these functions onto a single chip can help to lower costs. Duggal explained that using this chip would mean “reducing the number of physical boxes” and the associated memory and external components. Qualcomm has announced that its automotive business pipeline has grown to $30 billion. The company has been expanding its presence in the automotive industry, particularly as the…

Volkswagen ID.7 electric sedan makes debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The production version of the ID.Aero concept will be available in the second quarter of 2023. The ID.7 closely resembles the ID.Aero concept from June 2022, featuring an aerodynamic silhouette with a few modifications for production, such as simpler LED lighting, larger mirror caps, redesigned bumpers, and smaller wheels. Inside the car, a large 15-inch touchscreen serves as the infotainment system, accompanied by a digital instrument cluster and Volkswagen’s augmented reality head-up display. Climate and volume control are managed via touch sliders beneath the screen, now…

Tesla has had a rocky start to the new year of 2023. Despite posting record sales, the company failed to meet analysts’ expectations. In addition to this, Tesla’s newly appointed second-in-command, Tom Zhu, has faced criticism. To top it off, the company has now been fined $2.2 million by South Korea’s antitrust authority for alleged violations of advertising laws. The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) has fined Tesla $2.2 million for deceptive advertising practices in South Korea. The KFTC claims that since August 2019, Tesla has misled consumers about the driving range, fuel efficiency, and performance of its Superchargers on…

Volkswagen Group of America has made its return to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas after a six-year absence, debuting a close-to-production version of its first fully electric sedan. This new member of the ID. family was previewed by the Volkswagen ID. Aero concept, shown in June. The sedan has been officially named the Volkswagen ID.7, leading to speculation that the estate version may be called the ID.7 Tourer. Although the ID.7 is being shown at CES in camouflage, Volkswagen has stated that the series production version will be unveiled in the second quarter of 2023. “With the…

The Volvo EX90, a brand new electric SUV, has arrived in North America for the first time at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. This event starts on January 4 with a press day. The EX90 is not only significant as Volvo’s latest electric SUV, but also because it will be produced at the company’s South Carolina manufacturing plant beginning later in the year. Pre-orders for the EX90 are now open in the United States, and those interested can configure their vehicles for delivery in early 2024. Priority will be given to those who place their orders in…

According to Loup Ventures, Tesla is expected to unveil the Model 2 in 2024. While few details about the vehicle have been released, it is believed to be either a compact or subcompact car and is targeted to have a price of $25,000, making it Tesla’s most affordable model yet. “Tesla will wait until 2024 to announce Model 2,” stated Loup Ventures in its 2022 Predictions letter. “If the company announces the lower-price[d] car too early, they risk slowing sales of Model 3 while ramping capacity during what is likely to be a broader auto recession,” Loup Ventures explained.  The…

In the fourth quarter of 2022, Tesla delivered a record-breaking 405,000 electric vehicles (EVs). This brings the total number of EVs delivered by the company in 2022 to over 1.3 million. The significant increase in deliveries was largely due to ramped up production at Gigafactory Texas, Berlin, Fremont Factory, and Gigafactory Shanghai. There had been some concerns about Tesla’s ability to meet demand in the quarter, as the company began offering discounts in December and faced potential demand issues. Analyst expectations for Q4 2022 deliveries ranged from 400,000 to 430,000 vehicles. In addition to the over 405,000 vehicles delivered, Tesla…

MINOR FIXES This release contains minor bug fixes and improvements. FULL SELF-DRIVING (BETA) SUSPENSION For maximum safety and accountability, use of Full Self-Driving (Beta) will be suspended if improper usage is detected. Improper usage is when you, or another driver of your vehicle, receive five ‘Forced Autopilot Disengagements’. A disengagement is when the Autopilot system disengages for the remainder of a trip after the driver receives several audio and visual warnings for inattentiveness. Driver-initiated disengagements do not count as improper usage and are expected from the driver. Keep your hands on the wheel and remain attentive at all times. Use…

The Kia Niro EV and the Chevrolet Bolt are two electric vehicles (EVs) that offer an environmentally-friendly alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles. Both vehicles offer similar range and performance, but they differ in a few key areas. Here is a comparison of the Kia Niro EV and the Chevrolet Bolt: Size: The Kia Niro EV is a compact crossover SUV, while the Chevrolet Bolt is a small hatchback. The Niro is slightly larger, with a length of 171.5 inches and a width of 72 inches, compared to the Bolt’s length of 164.0 inches and width of 69.5 inches. The Niro also…