Author: Ivan Popov

Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors (GM), reaffirmed the company’s dedication to developing autonomous vehicles during a Detroit Economic Club event. Barra’s remarks align with the industry trend of enhancing vehicle features to improve safety compared to human-driven cars, despite facing increased regulatory scrutiny following accidents involving self-driving vehicles. Barra highlighted the potential of autonomous vehicles, stating, “If you think about autonomous vehicles, that’s the ultimate in artificial intelligence, coupled with machine learning. That really leads to a world where we’re going to be safer because 90% of accidents that happen on the roads today… were caused by human error.”…

Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) has announced plans for a substantial investment in a new electric vehicle engineering facility at its Swan Island headquarters in Portland, Oregon, totaling more than $40 million. The new 110,000-square-foot engineering facility aims to consolidate multiple research projects, focusing on both battery electric and hydrogen-fuel cell electric vehicles, into a single location. This strategic investment is projected to create approximately 150 new, high-wage jobs in the area. “We are proud to call Portland, Oregon our home,” stated John O’Leary, President and CEO of DTNA. “We appreciate the City and State’s support of our expansion plans…

Ford has filed a patent for a novel feature in its electric F-150 Lightning truck—a large projector screen that can be housed within the front trunk, or “frunk,” of the vehicle. This innovative addition could potentially enhance overnight adventures or tailgate parties, providing a unique entertainment experience. Discovered by Motorauthority, the patent outlines a large screen that extends from a case located towards the rear of the frunk. Additionally, a small projector could be mounted under the pickup’s front grille, projecting onto the screen. While Ford’s projector screen is estimated to be less than 40 inches in size, rival Rivian…

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has provided new insights into the performance of the upcoming next-generation Roadster, dismissing the idea of its performance being similar to the larger and heavier Tesla Model S Plaid. Musk’s comments came in response to a post by Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt, who highlighted inaccuracies in a report by The Information. Contrary to The Information’s report, Musk reiterated that it would be illogical for Tesla to release a next-generation Roadster with performance comparable to the Model S Plaid. Musk previously stated in May 2021 that the Roadster should achieve a 0-60 mph time of about 1.1…

Chinese battery maker BYD’s lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries will be featured in an upcoming hybrid model from German luxury automaker Mercedes-Benz, marking a significant expansion of BYD’s presence in the electric vehicle market. The model in question is a hybrid variant of the Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV, which has been included in China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s (MIIT) latest catalog of approved models for public comment. This catalog is a crucial step before a vehicle can be sold in China, and the public can provide feedback on the model between May 12 and May 17. The Mercedes-Benz GLC…

The excitement of receiving a Tesla Cybertruck turned into a nightmare for one new owner when the truck broke down just 35 miles (56 km) into its first journey. The delivery experience was reportedly sub-par, and the owner claimed that Tesla initially refused to cover the issue. The owner, who posted his experience on a Tesla forum under the username Cybeast, titled his thread “35 Miles Until Cybercrap.” He described picking up the truck in Pensacola, Florida, only to find it dirty both inside and out, with the battery at only 47% charge. This led to his frustration, as he…

In a recent report by Tesla-focused analyst Troy Teslike, it was revealed that Tesla experienced a 9% decline in global electric vehicle deliveries in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year. This trend, combined with other data, suggests a potential stagnation or even a decline in growth for the company this year. According to Teslike, Tesla delivered 36,065 fewer electric vehicles in Q1 2024 than in Q1 2023. The analyst predicts an even steeper drop in Q2, estimating around 48,000 fewer deliveries, based on a forecast of 418,000 units. “The third quarter’s year-over-year growth is…

Tesla, after experiencing a challenging quarter and anticipating a tough road ahead, has initiated what CEO Elon Musk describes as “absolutely hardcore” headcount and cost reductions. As part of these measures, the company has reduced the team responsible for its Supercharger network, a move that has raised concerns among laid-off workers regarding its impact on users. The Supercharger network, known for being America’s most reliable charging network, allows non-Tesla electric vehicles (EVs) to use its stations. However, the reduction in staff has left remaining employees feeling overworked and concerned about maintaining the network’s quality of service. An anonymous former employee,…

Fisker’s Austrian division, Fisker GmbH, has filed for bankruptcy protection, highlighting the challenges faced by the cash-strapped electric vehicle (EV) startup. The move comes after discussions with a major automaker for a potential investment fell through, prompting Fisker to explore strategic alternatives. The restructuring process initiated by Fisker GmbH does not involve other divisions of the company, which will continue to operate normally. Fisker has been under financial strain since February when it first raised concerns about its financial viability. The company is contending with intense competition and reduced consumer spending amid challenging economic conditions. In an email statement, a…

Toronto-based self-driving technology company Waabi has inaugurated a new autonomous trucking terminal in Texas, marking a significant step towards its goal of implementing driverless operations in the state. The terminal, strategically located in Lancaster, a city in the southern suburbs of Dallas, spans an expansive eight acres and has been custom-built to cater specifically to autonomous trucks. The facility boasts several key features designed to support autonomous trucking operations, including a spacious area dedicated to trailer parking, a 24,700 square-foot office and maintenance shop, high-speed data offload capabilities, a fuel station, weighing scales, as well as pre-trip and post-trip inspection…

Volvo Cars, the Sweden-based automaker majority-owned by China’s Geely Holding, announced a substantial 27% increase in sales for April compared to the previous year, with a total of 65,838 cars sold. The surge was predominantly driven by the growing demand for electric and hybrid vehicles in key markets. In a statement released on Monday, Volvo Cars highlighted the remarkable growth in sales of fully electric cars, which soared by 94% in April, constituting 26% of the total global sales volume for the month. The European market emerged as Volvo Cars’ stronghold, experiencing a significant 65% spike in sales, with 34,238…

Mini has initiated a recall of more than 100 units of the 2021-2023 Cooper SE model due to a potential issue with the high-voltage battery housing, which may allow water ingress. The company announced that during the assembly of the high-voltage battery housings, there may have been insufficient sealing compound between the two housing halves, leading to the possibility of water entering the high-voltage battery. According to Mini, if water does enter the battery, an isolation fault will be triggered, and a warning message will be displayed. As more water leaks into the battery, there is a risk of multiple…