Tesla Is Going All In on Robotaxis—Buckle Up

[ Mark your calendars: Tesla CEO Elon Musk suggested this afternoon that his electric automaker is going all-in on autonomous vehicle tech—and that Tesla’s robotaxi will be unveiled on August 8. The announcement, posted by Musk on X Friday afternoon, capped off a weird day of reports and counter-reports that sent Tesla’s stock on a … Read more

Here Comes the Flood of Plug-In Hybrids

[ Last week, the Biden administration made it official: American cars are really going electric. The US Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule, long in the works, that will require automakers selling in the United States to dramatically boost the number of battery-powered vehicles sold this decade, putting a serious dent in the country’s carbon … Read more

BMW’s Vision Neue Klasse X Has a Car-Wide Screen and a ‘Joy’ Brain

[ “The ‘heart of joy’ effectively takes 30 years of experience and blends it into a single control unit,” BMW chief technical officer Frank Weber tells WIRED. “Everything that is driving-performance-related, chassis-control-related, powertrain-related—it’s all integrated into one control unit. If you love the idea of the ultimate driving machine, there are functions in there that … Read more

Fisker Suspends Its EV Production

[ Following recent reports that Fisker has been preparing for a possible bankruptcy filing, today the embattled automaker announced that it is suspending all manufacture of its electric vehicles. “Fisker will pause production for six weeks starting the week of March 18, 2024, to align inventory levels and progress strategic and financing initiatives,” the company … Read more

EVs cheaper to own in long run than ICE cars in India but bumps ahead: BNEF

[ NEW DELHI: An electric vehicle (EV) works cheaper to own in the long run than an internal combustion engine (ICE) model across most vehicle segments in India but concerns over resale value, availability of charging stations and lack of affordable financing remain a barrier in faster adoption, a sneak peak into BloombergNEF’s latest report … Read more

How Rivian Is Pulling Off Its $45,000 R2 Electric SUV

[ Last week, the electric automaker Rivian unveiled the R2, its latest electric SUV. When the vehicle starts rolling off production lines—in the first half of 2026, Rivian says—the R2 will join the R1S SUV and the R1T pickup truck in the automaker’s lineup. Critically, Rivian pledges its newest entry will be cheaper: At “around” … Read more

Rad Power Bikes Has 4 New Models—and Safer Batteries

[ The Seattle ebike company Rad Power Bikes has announced four new ebike models, all of which have the very important distinction of being unlikely to have their batteries suddenly burst into flames. The company says its new Safe Shield Batteries—which come standard on all four new bikes—have been certified at UL-2271, an industry standard … Read more

Rivian R2, R3, R3X Electric SUVs: Price, Specs, Release Date

[ Yes, things sure have changed—for Rivian and for the world—since the automaker debuted in the US in 2021 and recorded the largest IPO the stock market had seen in seven years. One big change is that interest rates are higher, which makes large purchases more expensive to finance, and makes buyers cagier about purchasing … Read more

The Switch to Electric Vehicles Was Always Going to Be a Slog

[ In the US, analysts say consumers have balked at automakers’ pricier electric offerings. Though the gap is closing, the average electric vehicle transaction is still more expensive than the average gas-powered one. It doesn’t help that 2024 began with discontinuation of the US market’s most affordable EV, the $26,500 Chevy Bolt. (It’s due to … Read more

California regulator OKs $1.9B plan to expand zero-emission vehicle infrastructure

[ The California Energy Commission (CEC) on Wednesday approved a $1.9 billion plan to expedite the rollout of statewide electric vehicle (EV) charging networks and hydrogen refueling stations.  This investment will serve to bolster infrastructure for light, medium and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) across the Golden State, with funding distributed over the next four years … Read more