Renewable energy growth falters as carbon dioxide hits record levels

Offshore wind farmThe past couple of weeks have seen the convergence of two troubling trends. Perhaps most troubling, the Scripps Institute of Oceanography released data last week from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that concentrations of carbon in the atmosphere have reached record levels unseen not just in human history, but in the scientific...

2018 BMW i3 recalled for circuit-board issue causing sudden shutdowns

2018 BMW i3Some BMW i3 models from the 2018 model year are being recalled for an issue that could cause sudden power loss and shutdown. At root of the issue is a printed circuit board, part of the Electric Motor Electronics (EME) module, that may not have been made to specifications. The issue could cause the lack of electrical contact, causing the EME...

Report: Autopilot was engaged when Tesla Model 3 crashed into semi

Tesla Model 3 dashboard in Autopilot testing with IIHS [CREDIT: IIHS]A preliminary report released on Thursday by the National Transportation Safety Board has confirmed an important piece of information in the fatal crash involving a 2018 Tesla Model 3 earlier this year: Autopilot was engaged. On March 1, the Model 3 was traveling southbound on U.S. 441—a divided highway—in Delray Beach, Florida. A semi...

Volkswagen says EV batteries to last “the life of the car”

Volkswagen ID Buzz ConceptIn an announcement last month, Volkswagen joined Nissan and Tesla as the only automakers to explicitly warranty not just the batteries in its cars but specifically how much life it expects them to retain. Frank Blome, the head of VW's Center of Excellence in Battery Cells, said in an outward facing internal marketing interview that the company...

Mercedes-Benz lays out plan for carbon-neutral future

2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC Edition 1886Mercedes-Benz's CEO-apparent Ola Källenius laid out a plan Monday, just after the Norway launch of its EQC electric SUV, that outlines the development of an entire "carbon-neutral" passenger-car fleet. Källenius, currently the head of product development at Mercedes, has been named future Chairman of the Board of management of Daimler...