Will Tesla’s purchase of battery maker lead to proprietary cells?

Tour of Tesla battery gigafactory for invited owners, Reno, Nevada, July 2016Tesla's quiet acquisition of a Canadian battery manufacturer may be the first significant indicator yet that the Silicon Valley EV builder plans to develop its own future battery tech. Some time over the summer, Tesla discretely purchased Ontario-based Hibar Systems Ltd., Electric Autonomy Canada reported on Friday. The acquisition only came to...

Driverless cars could dramatically increase traffic in Europe

Waymo self-driving car depot in Chandler, ArizonaAn increase in driverless cars that some in Europe anticipate will occur between now and the year 2050 could result in what one research group likens to "rush hour that lasts all day." The report, released last month from Europe's Transport & Environment, calls the potential "Wild West" unregulated increase in driverless cars a threat to...

Anheuser-Busch and Frito-Lay expand electric truck plans

Anheuser-Busch BYD electric delivery truckYour beer and chips just got greener—and no, it's not St. Patrick's Day. That's the case in California, at least, where Anheuser-Busch and Frito-Lay both announced plans this week to replace diesel-powered logistics vehicles with electric trucks. A-B will introduce 21 new battery-powered trucks to its California fleet from its partner, BYD...

Tesla already topped half a million Smart Summons

Tesla V10 Smart SummonTesla's new Smart Summon remote valet feature has already been used more than half a million times, Tesla CEO Elon Musk says, and while the company is celebrating the widespread adoption of its new tech, the roll-out has not been seamless. Smart Summon allows owners to remotely summon their car so long as it is in line-of-sight and a relatively...

Electric Volvo XC40 will have a frunk, new driver interface

Teaser for electric Volvo XC40 debuting on October 16, 2019The new XC40 EV will be more than just an electric powertrain dropped into the company's small crossover, Volvo announced Wednesday, backing up that claim with design sketches and some fresh insights into its approach to electrification. Volvo's design team is leaning into the stylistic advantages of electric powertrains, which don't have the same...

Rivian considers subscription model for direct-sales end run?

Rivian R1T Overlanding conceptEV upstart Rivian may use a subscription service to give customers more flexibility in their vehicle ownership experience and open up a direct-sales path to customers without running afoul of dealer franchise laws. Rivian planned to utilize a direct-sales approach from the very beginning, but as Tesla has demonstrated, that path is fraught with...

Actual vehicle MPG improvement has stagnated since 2008

gas pumpThough vehicles for sale today are more efficient than they've ever been, the average fuel economy of America's operating fleet has remained relatively stagnant since George W. Bush was President, research shows. Researcher Michael Sivak, writing at Green Car Congress, puts the focus on the miles driven by registered vehicles in the United States...