Byton names a partner for home charger installation, and it isn’t Amazon

Byton M-ByteAhead of the U.S. arrival of the M-Byte electric SUV next year, the fledgling electric automaker Byton has announced a partnership with Qmerit for residential charger installations. Initially, the agreement will result in a program for coordinated installation of Level 2 home wall-box charge points. Most brands offering plug-in vehicles have so...

Porsche doesn’t see Tesla as a rival, R&D boss explains

2020 Porsche Taycan 4S first drive  -  Los Angeles, CABy combining electric powertrains with impressive performance and a modicum of convenience features, Tesla has taken aim at established luxury automakers, particularly the German quartet of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche. But while it is now launching electric cars of its own, Porsche does not see Tesla as a direct rival, R&D boss...

Mercedes-Benz pushes plug-in hybrid tech, will have 20 PHEVs by end of 2020

Mercedes-Benz plug-in hybrids at Ionity charging stationsMercedes-Benz is betting big on plug-in hybrids. The German automaker will have 20 of them in its global lineup by the end of 2020, although many will not be available in the United States. In a press release, Mercedes said plug-in hybrids will be a "key bridging technology" to all-electric cars. Mercedes announced plans for a third-generation...

EPA rejects tighter standards for soot and particulate matter

Smog over Los Angeles, courtesy Flickr user steven-bussAs the nation struggles to control a lung-related pandemic, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to merely stay the course on its standards for fine particulates, produced in significant amounts by vehicles and power plants. “Based on review of the scientific literature and recommendation from our independent science...

Amid pandemic, cities woo Tesla over Cybertruck factory possibility

Tesla Cybertruck prototype  -  Nov. 2019As the COVID-19 pandemic leads to unprecedented levels of unemployment, cities are courting Tesla in an effort to land a factory for the Cybertruck electric pickup. The situation is not unlike the competition among multiple states to land the company's battery Gigafactory (which was ultimately built near Reno, Nevada), with the added urgency of a...