The future of transportation is electric. Tesla proved with the Model S that customers would want to buy luxury vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries. Other EV startups like Faraday Future, Byton, Lucid Motors, and SF Motors are chasing after Elon Musk. And major automakers like Jaguar, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz have each released their own Tesla challengers. There are obstacles, such as the need for a more robust charging network. But battery-powered cars are here to stay.
This is the BYD Yangwang U9, one of the fastest production EVs at 233MPH — but all I care about is how much closer we are to Speed Racer’s auto-jacks! Since BYD doesn’t want to get sued, a disclaimer states that “U9’s Leaping Function is prohibited for practical scenarios,” but it claims the feature works under very specific conditions. Would I rather have this or wheels that turn sideways, hmm...
The German brand’s new plug-in hybrid may lack personality, but it makes up for it in styling.
EV prices could go up by as much as $1,000 thanks to the Trump administration’s decision to impose a 93.5 percent tariff on graphite imports from China. Tesla lobbied against the levy, arguing that US-based graphite producers aren’t prepared to supply the essential battery material “at the quality and purity required by Tesla and other battery cell manufacturers.” But those pleas fell on deaf ears. In addition to Tesla, companies like Ford and Panasonic that are building battery plants in the US are going to be negatively impacted.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Troy Jones, director of Tesla’s North American sales, is leaving after 15 years at the company. This comes after Tesla reported a steep drop in sales for the second quarter. Other execs have similarly been fleeing. Elon Musk fired Omead Afshar, who formerly led operations in North America and Europe. And the company’s director of human resources for North America, Jenna Ferrua, departed in June, according to the Journal. The C-suite is getting thin.
The electric automaker is launching its new map built on top of Google Maps using the service’s Automotive SDK. Rivian, which notably does not allow Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in its vehicles, says the new maps feature real-time traffic updates, tappable points of interest, and satellite imagery.
And since it’s embedded software, it can integrate important vehicle information, like how much range will be left on arrival and whether charging stops will be needed. And don’t forget Rivian’s “charging score” so you can tell whether a charging station is up to snuff.
Don’t expect Elon’s EV company to turn its fortunes around any time soon after launching in India today. It may be the world’s third-biggest auto market, but EVs make up less than 5 percent.
Throw in heavy auto import tariffs that leave the Indian Model Y priced almost a third more than in the US, and it’s clear Tesla should expect a slow start.
The Swedish automaker said it will take a one-off, non-cash impairment charge of 11.4 billion Swedish kronor ($1.19 billion) in the second quarter related to two plug-in models: the EX90 and ES90. That means Volvo is basically reducing the value of the EVs on its balance sheet. The reason is because Donald Trump’s tariffs are making it impossible for Volvo to make a profit on these models. The EX60 is still on track, apparently.
[media.volvocars.com]
The automaker announced today that it will upgrade its Spring Hill, TN factory for the production of low-cost lithium-ion phosphate batteries. The factory is run by Ultium Cells, a joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution, building on a $2.3 billion investment from 2021. Tesla and Ford are also producing electric vehicles with LFP batteries, which tend to be cheaper and longer lasting but aren’t as energy dense as NCM (nickel cobalt manganese) batteries. Ultium Cells also supplies batteries to Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, and Rivian.
Mary Barra talks about GM’s EV future in light of Trump’s whiplash policies, and how diversity and inclusion still have a role to play in GM’s workforce.
The second-generation version of the electric three-row SUV is great on pavement, but really shines off-road.
The xAI chatbot will arrive on Tesla vehicles by “next week at the latest,” according to Elon Musk, who previously said in January that it was “coming soon.” This wasn’t mentioned during last night’s live demo of Grok 4.
Tesla is already struggling with its Musk-associated image problem of course, but it’s not like Grok has had any “politically incorrect” meltdowns lately that could make it any worse.
The EXP 15 “design concept” is supposed to preview the British automaker’s first all-electric model, due in 2026. Bentley said the design was inspired by the “Blue Train,” which was a 1930 three-seater Speed Six. But this crazy concept looks more like a real train with that massive front end and an elongated body. Bentley says none of this is intended for production, which, like, duh.
Apparently following through on his threat to challenge Republicans who supported Donald Trump’s budget bill, Musk tweeted, “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.” He also said it will be ready next year -- a “consistently proven wrong” theme for Musk.
“One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts,” to hold a deciding vote on “contentious laws,” said Musk on Friday.
The G580 with EQ Technology may have a fancy name, but it stays true to its original formula.
Elon Musk’s embrace of acronyms like MAGA and DOGE has alienated the left, while his commitment to clean energy and EVs continues to enrage the entrenched oil and gas interests of the Trumpian right. So, can anyone still appreciate Tesla’s massive new off-grid Supercharger, even if it’s only because the company finally nailed a timeline?
This $612,000 plug-in hybrid is simply maniacal.
Tesla’s robotaxis have been on the road in Austin for just three days, and already there have been nearly a dozen incidents of bad driving behavior.
A bunch of Tesla fans seem to think that the popular YouTuber needs to shave his head now that Tesla has successfully launched its (very limited, still in beta) robotaxi service. After all, that was the bet he made last year, right? Not so fast, Marques says. Here he is on the Waveform podcast reminding us about the actual bet he made.
