Author: James Bryant

Tesla once again accepting orders for the Long Range versions of the Model S and Model X in Europe. This news comes after the company delivered the first Model S and Model X Plaid vehicles to customers in Europe in December, which was met with great excitement. However, at that time, only the Plaid versions were available for order, leaving many consumers eagerly waiting for the chance to purchase the Long Range versions. European consumers from various countries have now reported that they are able to place orders for the Long Range Model S and Model X, bringing joy to…

ZF has launched Smart Camera 6, the latest version of its camera technology designed for use in automated driving and safety systems for urban and highway environments. This new camera features a 120-degree field of view and 8-megapixel image resolution, which is more than four times higher than the previous generation, as well as improved processing power for advanced functions. The Smart Camera 6 also includes the latest EyeQ6 processor from Mobileye, an Intel company that specializes in vision-based systems and environmental perception. ZF has been working with Mobileye as a strategic supplier since 2008, when it first introduced its…

The expansion of the Chinese auto industry into Europe and America will bring a variety of new car choices for consumers, but it also means that established Western carmakers may face a difficult competition. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares has warned that European firms, including Stellantis, BMW, and Volkswagen, will face a “terrible fight” with Chinese counterparts unless European politicians take action to assist them. Tavares pointed out that the price difference between European and Chinese vehicles is significant and that European customers from the middle class may increasingly turn to Chinese models due to decreasing purchasing power. He also mentioned…

Maserati, an Italian luxury car manufacturer, is reportedly planning to lower the charging speed of its electric vehicles (EVs) in order to keep them lightweight and reduce costs. This news comes ahead of the release of the company’s first EV, the GranTurismo Folgore, which is equipped with an 800-volt platform and can charge at a speed of up to 270 kW. While other automakers are striving to increase the charging speed of their EVs, Maserati appears to be taking a different approach. According to Autocar UK, Maserati may consider selling an electric vehicle (EV) that does not offer fast charging…

Stellantis N.V. and Archer Aviation Inc. have announced their plans to significantly expand their partnership by collaborating on the production of Archer’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, Midnight. Stellantis will assist Archer in establishing a manufacturing facility in Covington, Georgia, where the companies aim to begin producing the Midnight aircraft in 2024. The Midnight is designed to be safe, sustainable, and quiet, with a payload capacity of over 1,000 pounds and the ability to carry four passengers plus a pilot. It has a range of 100 miles and is optimized for back-to-back short distance trips of around 20…

General Motors has announced that it will increase the starting price for the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV and Bolt EUV. The new MSRP for the Bolt EV will be $26,500, an increase of $900, while the Bolt EUV’s base price will be $27,800, a $600 increase. Both models will also be subject to a $995 destination charge, which has not changed. Despite the price increase, the Bolt EV will still be the cheapest electric car available in the United States, with the next lowest-priced EV being the Nissan Leaf at a starting price of $28,040. The Bolt EV has a…

Japan’s MK Group has recently added 35 electric BMW vehicles to its taxi services in Tokyo and Kyoto. In Tokyo, the company is now using 20 BMW i7s, and in Kyoto, an additional 10 BMW i7s and 5 BMW iXs have been put into service. The taxi operations in these two cities are run by different subsidiaries of the group – Kyoto MK and Tokyo MK. Kyoto MK has set a goal of having 30% of its entire taxi fleet be electric by 2025 and 100% by 2030. In addition to the new electric BMWs, Kyoto MK already uses electric…

e-Vadea has become the latest operator of high-power charging (HPC) parks in France. The company recently launched eight HPC charging parks at motorway service stations in the eastern part of the country, following a tender win from motorway operator Autoroutes Paris-Rhin-Rhône (APRR) in spring 2022. The new HPC network has the support of SPIE CityNetworks, a French subsidiary of the SPIE Group, and the Ecological Transport Modernisation Fund (FMET) managed by Demeter. Each of the charging parks, which range from five to twelve charging points, offers up to 300 kW of power and is equipped with CCS, CHAdeMo, and Type…

Nvidia has announced that its GeForce Now game streaming service will be available in EVs from BYD, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, and Polestar. The service, which offers a library of over 1,500 titles with over 1,000 being controller compatible, can be accessed without any additional equipment and can run on Android or browser-based in-vehicle infotainment systems. An app is also available for easy selection and launching of games. You’ll be able to play top rated games such as A Plague Tale: Requiem, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Cyberpunk 2077, Fortnite, Lost Ark, and Destiny 2, along with many others from leading…

Heybike, a Chinese electric bike manufacturer known for producing compact, practical, and affordable electric bicycles, has just unveiled a new model called the Tyson. This one-piece magnesium-framed e-bike is set to debut at CES 2023 in Las Vegas. The Tyson is the first folding bicycle in its class to feature a strong 750-watt motor mounted on a unibody frame made of a single piece of magnesium alloy, making it both lightweight and extremely durable. Heybike’s sales have been on the rise, with an almost 300% increase in the previous year and the brand becoming an Amazon best-seller, ranking third in…

A massive winter storm recently caused a power outage for many residents in Canada, but one southern Ontario resident was able to keep their lights on for almost two days using their Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck. The Ford F-150 Lightning is known for its advanced technology, including the ability to provide full-home power for up to three days or as long as ten days, thanks to its bidirectional charging capabilities and Intelligent Backup Power feature. The company has referred to it as “the smartest, most innovative F-150 that Ford has ever built,” positioning it as a truck of…

The public transportation company in Pilsen, Czech Republic, known as PMDP, has signed a framework agreement with the Skoda Group for a potential total of 53 new trolleybuses. The contract initially includes orders for nine Skoda 26Tr trolleybuses, which are 12 meters long, and four Skoda 27Tr articulated trolleybuses, which are 18 meters long. The nine 26Trs are expected to be in service between 2023 and 2025, while the four 27Trs are scheduled to be delivered in 2025. The framework agreement also allows for the option to order an additional 24 26Tr trolleybuses and up to 16 more 27Tr trolleybuses…

VinFast announced its participation in the Consumer Electronics Show, CES 2023 from January 5 – 8, 2023 with a showcase of its electric vehicle ecosystem including four electric SUV models, four electric bikes, VF 8 test drives, and an immersive experience in their booth. Returning to the CES 2023 1 year after announcing its all-electric vehicle strategy, VinFast will display four electric SUV models, the VF 6, VF 7, VF 8 and VF 9, which represent the most popular segments from small crossovers to large 5- and 7-passenger SUVs. Among the four models, the VF 8 was recently launched, and the…

Land Rover is working on a Defender with an electric powertrain, according to a recent report by UK outlet Auto Express. The electric Defender is slated for release in 2025 and comes with a range of around 300 miles and is expected to launch alongside a facelifted version of the existing ICE model. In its report Auto Express says not only the standard 110 Defender will use the electric powertrain, but also the 90 2-door and long wheelbase 130. The electric Defender will be built on Land Rover’s new MLA platform, which can combine an ICE and a fully electric…

Italian manufacturer, Fantic Motor, recently introduced its first electric scooter for the European market. Called the Fantic Electric, the scooter is based on the Issimo pedal electric bicycle but features a more muscular bodywork. Fantic also showed off the electric motorbike in November at the EICMA 2022 event. According to the Italian manufacturer, the electric scooter is equipped with a 4 hp electric motor housed in an aluminum alloy trellis chassis and can reach a top speed of up to 65 km/h. This electric motor gets power from a 12 kg battery pack that is capable of producing 2.2 kWh…

Technology company from China, Baidu, is expanding the operational area and service time of self-driving taxis in Wuhan, China. Apollo Go, a Baidu subsidiary, will launch the first robotaxi that will operate at night. From research conducted by the company, night is an obstacle for robotaxi because the low light conditions make it difficult for the vehicle to detect the presence of objects or people around it. Operating at night, the Baidu robotaxi will serve residents in Wuhan between 07.00 and 23.00. Previously, these unmanned vehicles could only operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the city. The new…

Tesla announced that its Supercharger network in Mainland China has reached a milestone with 10,000 Superchargers. Tesla’s 10,000th supercharger built at the Supercharging jubilee was installed at the Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower Supercharging Station. Shanghai also has more than 100 stations and more than 1,000 kiosks. The cumulative number of Tesla Super Charging stations in Mainland China currently stands at over 1,500, compared to 1,000 units in October 2021. The first Tesla supercharger in China was installed in 2014, two years after the first installation in the US. Two years later, in 2016 the company reached a milestone with the…

Nikola received a California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) Zero Emission Powertrain (“ZEP”) Executive Order that is a requirement for Nikola’s Tre hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (“FCEV”) to be eligible for CARB’s Hybrid and Zero Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (“HVIP”) program. Following receipt of this Executive Order, Nikola has submitted an application for eligibility of the Nikola Tre FCEV as an authorized vehicle under the HVIP program for a base incentive amount valued at $240,000 per FCEV truck. CARB’s ZEP Executive Order is a certificate of compliance with CARB regulations for zero-emission powertrains determined to meet specific…

The presence of the latest safety features has become a mandatory feature in every vehicle. Not only car manufacturers are competing to present this aspect, but motorcycle manufacturers also do not want to be outdone by this innovation. Yamaha is one of the manufacturers that is now introducing a driver assistance system for consumer safety. Reporting from Rideapart, the Japanese brand presents the Advanced Motorcycle Stability Assist System (AMSAS) feature which functions to reduce tip over at low speeds. The presence of this technology is intended to reduce the number of deaths caused by motorcyclists. Therefore, in order to reduce…

The McMurtry Spéirling electric hypercar set an impressive acceleration record, going from 0-60 miles/h (0-100 km/h) in 1.4 seconds at Silverstone. The British single-seat mini batmobile accelerates the Rimac Nevera electric hypercar from 0-100 km/h in 1.9 seconds. The Rimac Nevera can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 1.9 seconds and is the only electric hypercar ever to cover the quarter mile or 400 meters in nine seconds. Speirling McMurtry also beat that record, covering the 400 meters in 7.97 seconds. Speirling’s hypercar still uses the same pre-production engine that McMurtry brought to Goodwood. So the company cannot yet claim to…