Electric Vehicles & Cars - Page 19

Members of the Tesla Owners Silicon Valley (TOSV) club have spotted the truck in California.

Driving down California Highway 580 on June 14th, 2022, a member of the TOSV passed a Tesla Semi and captured it with the inbuilt cameras of the driver's Tesla. The sighting of the Semi is the first since April earlier this year, when the Semi was spotted alongside other vehicles in Tesla's lineup at Gigafactory Texas before the Cyber Rodeo event.

The first deliveries of the Semi were originally due for January this year, with fifteen units due for PepsiCo by the end of the month. However, supply constraints have resulted in multiple delays for the Semi, and as a result, the Semi is still being developed and tested. Nevertheless, this hasn't stopped the demand for the Semi, which has also seen orders placed by Karat Packaging, which creates food packaging items.

A new report has been released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that links hundreds of crashes to "self-driving" cars.

Reports indicate that 392 crashes in 10 months (July 1st, 2021 and May 15th, 2022) were linked to advanced driver-assistance technologies, and out of those 392 reported crashes, the NHTSA found that 70% or 273 were Tesla vehicles operating with Autopilot or the Full Self-Driving beta. Notably, of those 273 Tesla-related crashes, five were fatal crashes.

The report also states that Honda cars using some kind of semi-autonomous driving technology were linked to 90 crashes, and Subaru was tied to 10. Other car manufacturers such as Ford, GM, VW, and Toyota were involved in five crashes or fewer. As noted by Steven Cliff, the NHTSA administrator, there are approximately 830,000 Autopilot-enabled Tesla vehicles throughout the US, making it the most common semi-autonomous car, and is likely why the electric car manufacturer has dominated the crash report.

A big fan of Tesla recently received his brand new 2022 Model Y and has realized it has come with a slew of serious issues.

The buyer, Dylan Hong, posted to his YouTube channel giving a detailed run-through of his new car. Hong found that the interior of the vehicle was covered in a film of dust that covered most surfaces. Additionally, Hong found that the glove box was uneven and unable to fully latch into place unless it was forced harshly. Hong points out that the 2022 Model Y is currently going for about $65,000 and that his "new" vehicle arrived dirtier than what would be expected when purchasing a brand new car.

The cleanliness of the delivery wasn't the worst of Hong's problems with the new Model Y, as Hong found that one of the back interior trim pieces was not aligned correctly, allowing Hong to see the pins. Furthermore, when driving, Hong noticed that there was a high-pitched ringing noise coming from the back of the car. Hong contacted Tesla regarding the ringing noise and the several uncompleted trim alignments, and the company replied by saying that the shipped vehicle was within its specifications.

Investigations into Tesla Autopilot led by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has produced a new report.

The NHTSA originally opened the investigation after multiple crashes involving Tesla vehicles "operating with Autopilot engaged" colliding with emergency vehicles either on the road or on the side of the road that were attending to pre-existing accidents. The report also investigates other Tesla crashes involving autonomous driving features like Autopilot or Full-Self Driving.

A potential safety issue with the battery of approximately 49,000 electric vehicles has caused a mass recall, according to a spokesperson familiar with the matter.

CNBC has learned that Ford Motor has issued a mass recall for its electric Mustang Mach-E, as the car manufacturer has informed dealers to halt sales of the EV temporarily. According to a notice sent out to dealers on Monday, the affected EV is (potentially) 2021 and 2022 Mach-E's that were built at the Cuautitlan plant in Mexico from May 27, 2020, to May 24, 2022.

Reports indicate that the recall is due to a potential overheating issue with the vehicle's battery, which can possibly lead to the car not being able to start or lose propulsion power while it's being driven. Notably, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states on its website that Ford has issued several recalls for its Mach-E, with the company citing software issues that caused unexpected acceleration (500 vehicles or less) and poor construction of the Mach-E's glass roof panels.

Webex has just announced its latest feature that enables Apple CarPlay support, with the introduction of Move to Mobile.

The new Move to Mobile feature from Webex lets you seamlessly transition between your desktop and your iPhone, and then right into your car. By simply transferring your Webex Meeting from your desktop to your iPhone, you plug your iPhone into your CarPlay and away you go with your meeting, literally. Better yet, once you're at your destination, you can flick the Webex meeting from your iPhone, and into the Webex device there.

Once the call ends, you can see upcoming calls and then join other calls from CarPlay... keeping the Webex experience mobile, with Move to Mobile. Self-explanatory. There are more functions coming to Webex's new CarPlay integration, which will include listening to past records, with Webex explaining "so while sitting in traffic on your way home, you can catch up on any meeting you may have missed during the day".

A document titled "Silicon-Anode Lithium-Ion Batteries for EV Applications" was presented at the 12th International Advanced Automotive Battery Conference (AABC) Europe in Mainz, Germany.

California-based startup Enovix Corporation has unveiled its next-generation 3D Silicon™ Lithium-ion batteries. The company demonstrated the charging of electric vehicle (EV) test cells built with the technology with 0.27 amp hours (Ah) of storage and could charge the cells from 0% to 80% in only 5.2 minutes. Enovix also claims the cells reached 98% charge capacity in less than 10 minutes.

The battery cells are built with silicon anodes, which have a capacity of 1,800 milliamp hours (mAh) per cubic centimeter (cc), resulting in a much higher energy density. This is more than double the capacity of a graphite anode found in a conventionally wound lithium-ion cell, which has a capacity of 800 mAh/cc.

A Tesla in a wrecking yard in Sacramento caught fire after sitting there for about three weeks after being involved in an accident.

Firefighters from the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District arrived at the scene to the vehicle engulfed in flames but struggled to extinguish the fire when hosing it down with water. The fire continued to re-ignite itself alongside off-gassing from the battery compartment. Turning the car on its side allowed access for the firefighters to the compartment, but the fire continued to re-ignite due to residual heat.

Ultimately to extinguish the fire, the firefighters and personnel from the wrecking yard were able to extinguish the fire permanently by digging a pit to place the car in and filling it with water. The pit allowed the battery compartment to be submerged and helped reduce the water needed to fully extinguish the blaze, estimated at around 4500 gallons (17034 liters).

A US regulatory body has launched an investigation into Tesla's Autopilot driver-assistance system, which may affect some 800,000+ Tesla vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) has moved to the "engineering analysis" phase of its evaluation of Tesla's new technology after the regulator reportedly connected some vehicle crashes with Tesla's Autopilot mode. The investigation will explore if Autopilot can directly cause crashes without driver intervention, and if the investigation concludes that Autopilot falls within a defect category, it will affect approximately 830,000 Tesla vehicles sold between 2014 and 2021.

Notably, the vehicles that are currently under review by the NHTSA include Models Y, 3, S, and X. Furthermore, The New York Times reports that the NHTSA is investigating 191 cases of crashes, which is a large leap from the previous investigation that only looked at 11 crashes.

The Lightyear 0 solar car has been unveiled by Dutch company Lightyear, a production-ready and EU-approved solar-powered vehicle.

The Lightyear 0 is an electric sedan with 5 square meters (53.8 square feet) of solar panels that can generate enough power to travel up to 70 kilometers (44 miles) without needing to plug the car in to charge. The car's 60 kWh battery holds enough charge to support 560 kilometers (348 miles) of range when freeway driving at 110 kilometers (68 miles) per hour, even without generating additional solar power.

During World harmonized Light vehicle Testing Procedure (WLTP) testing, the Lightyear 0 has a range of 625 kilometers (388 miles), beating that of the Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD, which comes in at 602 kilometers (374 miles). The Model 3 Long Range AWD also has an 82 kWh battery capacity, 22 kWh larger than the Lightyear 0's, bolstering Lightyear's claims that it has created the most efficient electric drivetrain yet.

Martin Herfurt, an Austrian security researcher, has found an exploit in one of Tesla's recent features.

In August 2021, Tesla updated its vehicles to be immediately operable after unlocking them with their NFC key card, without having to place the cards on the center console to begin driving. Tesla's can also be unlocked with a key fob or a mobile app. Herfurt discovered that the new update made the car automatically start within 130 seconds of being unlocked with an NFC card. During that time, it would also accept brand new keys without authentication.

Jeremy Chrysler took to Twitter in October 2020 to bring up the issue of carbon dioxide concentrations spiking in his Tesla.

A recent promotional video posted to Tesla's Twitter account showing off the HEPA filter featured in the Model Y, Model S, and Model X that allegedly "removes >99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria and any airborne particles." Chrysler replied to the video with a retweet of his 2020 tweet, highlighting the spike in carbon dioxide concentration when using the air conditioner to recirculate air.

Chrysler measured the carbon dioxide concentrations in the car with and without recirculation and noted a steep climb from an ambient concentration of between 400 and 500 parts per million (ppm) to over 2,184 ppm in under ten minutes. The levels significantly dropped once Chrysler turned off recirculation. However, they did not return to baseline in the time frame shown.

JetPack Aviation has unveiled a new prototype, the P2 Speeder Air Utility Vehicle (AUV).

The P2 Speeder was created by Mayman Aerospace, a subsidiary of JetPack Aviation, which was launched to develop vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. The P2 Speeder was unveiled at the Draper Venture Network CEO Summit in California and is the third full-scale prototype developed by Mayman Aerospace.

The prototype is about the size of a motorbike, has a carbon fiber body, and comes with a seat so that it can be piloted in person. It also features a modular design that allows it to be flown remotely or autonomously. The prototype has eight jet engines fueled by Zero Net Carbon or Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and controlled by a proprietary onboard computer system that can rebalance thrust across the engines as needed.

The United States will soon be getting its first road that can wirelessly charge electric vehicles that are traveling on the road.

The company behind the next-generation road is Electreon, and according to the company's press release, the road is set to be constructed in Detroit, Michigan. The road will be able to wirelessly charge electric vehicles with an underground network of charging coils that are connected to an electricity grid. Notably, electric vehicles that aren't equipped with a receiver won't be able to acquire a charge while driving on the road.

Furthermore, the road won't be able to fully charge an EV's battery, especially considering the road's length. However, the road will be able to provide a decent amount of charge that will top up a battery. The amount of charge received will depend on the speed the EV is traveling on the road. Lastly, Electreon has said that EV drivers will be able to create a tab where they can pay for the electricity at a later date. The first wirelessly charging road is expected to completed next year.

A new electric vehicle has been unveiled by an automaker, and this time around, DeLorean Motor Company has taken center stage to reveal its Alpha 5.

The automaker that originally went bankrupt in 1982 and later sold its IP to a new Texas company has revealed several renderings of its upcoming Alpha 5. The company states on its website that the Alpha 5 is "designed with purpose" and that DeLorean is currently writing its legacy in real-time. Notably, the Alpha 5 keeps the same beloved sleek DeLorean look that is reminiscent of the car seen in the Back to the Future movies.

Much like the car in Back to the Future, the Alpha 5 can reach 88 mph, but once it's breached that speed, it won't time travel like Doc Brown's car. However, the Alpha 5 can reach 88 mph in just 4.35 seconds and can go from 0 - 60 mph in under 3 seconds. Furthermore, DeLorean's new electric vehicle will come equipped with a 100 kWh battery that will give it a top range of 300 miles. The Alpha 5 is expected to be shipped out to customers throughout 2024, according to DeLorean.

DeLorean's first electric vehicle has been teased, with the upcoming Alpha5 set to push past 300 miles per hour, pack a fast-charge rate of around 150kW, and a style that will turn heads when it flies past. Check it out:

The new gull-winged Alpha5 is a beautiful-looking electric vehicle capable of hitting 60mph in around 2.99 seconds, and 0-88mph (hey, that's important, it's a DeLorean) in just 4.35 seconds. Inside, the DeLorean Alpha5 has a 100kWh battery with up to 300 miles of range (or so) and a top speed of 155mph.

DeLorean's new Alpha5 electric vehicle has a four-seat layout, with some wicked gull-winged doors and two separate displays inside -- one behind the wheel for the driver -- and another on the center console for the passenger.

DeLorean Motor Company has officially teased the first images of its upcoming electric vehicle (EV), the new Alpha5. Check it out:

The new DeLorean Alpha5 will have 0-60MPH in 2.99 seconds, feature a 100kWh battery pack, and a huge price of $175,000. The full reveal will take place on August 18, with the Alpha5 being designed by the same studio that designed the original DeLorean: Giorgetto Giugiaro's ItalDesign studio.

However, it the new Alpha5 won't be built by the original DeLorean team but by a Texas-based company that purchased the rights to the DeLorean name and spare parts. DeLorean's upcoming Alpha5 is based on the "Medusa" concept that the original DeLorean company was working on... before it went bankrupt in 1982. Medusa was meant to have four independent gullwing doors, but the Alpha5 drops it down to just two.

Nicholas Schmidt, the chief technology officer of Blueprint Power, is now the proud owner of the first Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck.

Schmidt already owned a gas-powered F-150, which he now intends to replace with the electric counterpart. Since collecting his new vehicle, he also took to Twitter to share he has cancelled his reservation for a Tesla Cybertruck, as he will no longer need it.

The Cybertruck was initially unveiled in 2019, with availability expected in 2021. However, recent updates from Elon Musk indicate that the development of the Cybertruck is only expected to finalize this year, with production beginning in 2023. Musk claimed that Tesla needed to focus on meeting the demand for its current vehicles so that it doesn't fall even further behind on future projects like the Cybertruck.

A study on the new battery technology titled "Li[Ni_0.5Mn_0.3Co_0.2]O₂ As a Superior Alternative to LiFePO₄ for Long-Lived Low Voltage Li-Ion Cells" has been published in the Journal of the Electrochemical Society.

Researchers from the Tesla Advanced Battery Research in Canada have released a new paper with Jeff Dahn's battery lab at Dalhousie University. They describe a new nickel-based battery that would retain comparable charging and energy density to lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells even after 100 years if temperature-controlled to 25 °C.

Dahn is hailed as one of the pioneers of lithium-ion battery cells and is helped to increase their life cycle and thus commercialization. These new batteries are supposedly the best of both worlds, competing with the longevity of LFP battery cells while retaining the higher energy density associated with nickel-based batteries.

A recent CNBC interview with Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess revealed where he sees the company's place in the electric vehicles market going.

Diess spoke to CNBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on May 24th, claiming that once Volkswagen has addressed global supply chain constraints due to the war in Ukraine and semiconductor supplies issues. The global semiconductor has impacted a vast number of industries, including the automotive industry, restricting the number of vehicles they can produce.

Diess expects that semiconductor supply issues will alleviate as the year goes on, and Volkswagen's production can bounce back. Though Tesla had the highest market share for all-electric cars sold worldwide in 2021 at 21 percent, Volkswagen is starting to catch up with 10 percent market share. Tesla sold 936,000, while Volkswagen sold 451,000, so they still have a ways to go.