Three-motor Audi E-Tron S models start at $85,895, range up to 212 miles

2022 Audi E-Tron S SUV and SportbackAudi has confirmed U.S.-market details for its 2022 Audi E-Tron S and E-Tron S Sportback models, set to arrive at dealerships this fall. In their U.S. form, the performance-oriented three-motor versions of the E-Tron make up to 496 horsepower and 718 lb-ft of torque. The two rear motors operate independently of each other to allow more precise and...

Fires are less frequent in Teslas and other EVs vs. gas vehicles

Ford GT catches fire in GermanyTesla’s second annual Impact Report, released earlier this month, underscores a reality that can’t be emphasized enough: Electric car fires are rare. The electric car maker notes, as CEO Elon Musk has for years, that the frequency of EV fire headlines can be deceiving. There were almost 190,000 vehicle fires in the U.S. in 2019, and...

Rivian battery supplier Samsung SDI is considering Illinois for US plant

Rivian R1T pre-productionRivian battery supplier Samsung SDI is considering a new battery plant near the EV hopeful's Illinois factory, local NPR affiliate WGLT reported last week. The report cites United States Senator Dick Durbin, who said Normal, home to Rivian's ex-Mitsubishi assembly plant, is a "finalist" for a planned Samsung battery factory. Durbin met virtually...

U.S. safety regulator NHTSA opens Tesla Autopilot probe

2021 Tesla Model S PlaidThe NHTSA has opened a formal safety probe into Tesla Autopilot after a series of crashes involving emergency vehicles, Reuters reported Monday. The probe covers an estimated 765,000 vehicles from model years 2014 to 2021, including Tesla Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y EVs, according to the report. The agency said that since January 2018...

US safety regulator NHTSA opens Tesla Autopilot probe

2021 Tesla Model S PlaidThe NHTSA has opened a formal safety probe into Tesla Autopilot after a series of crashes involving emergency vehicles, Reuters reported Monday. The probe covers an estimated 765,000 vehicles from model years 2014 to 2021, including Tesla Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y EVs, according to the report. The agency said that since January 2018...