Author: New York Times Online News

The Long Road to Driverless Trucks

This article is part of our series on the Future of Transportation, which is exploring innovations and challenges that affect how we move about the world. In March, a self-driving eighteen-wheeler spent more than five straight days hauling goods between Dallas and Atlanta. Running around the clock, it traveled more than 6,300 miles, making four… Continue reading The Long Road to Driverless Trucks

For China’s Auto Market, Electric Isn’t the Future. It’s the Present.

Zhang Youping, a Chinese retiree, purchased an all-electric, small sport-utility vehicle from BYD — China’s largest electric vehicle maker — at an auto show for around $20,000 last month. Her family has bought three gas-powered cars in the last decade, but she recently grew concerned about gas prices and decided to go electric “to save… Continue reading For China’s Auto Market, Electric Isn’t the Future. It’s the Present.

Why Buying an Electric Car Just Became More Complicated

WASHINGTON — If you’re a well-paid lawyer eyeing an electric Rivian sport-utility vehicle, you might want to buy it before New Year’s Day. If you’re a middle-class nurse saving up for a compact Chevrolet Bolt, you might want to wait until January. Those calculations — and a host of others pertaining to the red-hot electric… Continue reading Why Buying an Electric Car Just Became More Complicated

Volkswagen Sets Price Range for Porsche’s Blockbuster I.P.O.

Volkswagen said late Sunday that it planned to sell shares in Porsche, the luxury sports car brand it owns, at a valuation of up to $75 billion, setting the stage for one of the biggest stock market debuts of the year. At that level, Porsche — maker of the 911 sports car and the Taycan… Continue reading Volkswagen Sets Price Range for Porsche’s Blockbuster I.P.O.

At Detroit Auto Show, Biden Announces Money for Charging Stations

DETROIT — President Biden, a self-described “car guy” and Corvette owner, toured the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Wednesday and announced the approval of an initial $900 million investment to begin building electric vehicle charging stations across the federal highway system. The president’s announcement marked the beginning of a multiyear initiative funded… Continue reading At Detroit Auto Show, Biden Announces Money for Charging Stations

How Long Is the Drive to the Edge of the Universe?

The edge of the observable universe is about 270,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 miles away. If you drive at a steady 65 miles per hour, it will take you 480,000,000,000,000,000 — that’s 4.8 × 10¹⁷ — years to get there, or 35 million times the current age of the universe. This will be a dangerous road trip. I don’t… Continue reading How Long Is the Drive to the Edge of the Universe?

Trevor Milton of Nikola Begins Trial in Fraud Case

The founder of Nikola Motor, a maker of electric trucks, went on trial on fraud charges on Monday in a case seen as a cautionary tale about the hazards of investing in companies that are not yet generating any sales or delivering any products. The defendant, Trevor Milton, faces federal charges of fraud and securities… Continue reading Trevor Milton of Nikola Begins Trial in Fraud Case

Lyft Unveils Self-Driving Car Service in Las Vegas (With Caveats)

Self-driving car services are popping up across the country. But they are not what they seem. The latest example is an upgraded service in Las Vegas from the ride-hailing business Lyft. On Tuesday, the company said it would allow users to hail a new kind of self-driving car on and around the Las Vegas Strip,… Continue reading Lyft Unveils Self-Driving Car Service in Las Vegas (With Caveats)

Mercedes and Rivian Plan to Make Vans Together in Europe

Mercedes-Benz and Rivian said Thursday that they would team up to build electric vans in Europe, a rare example of cooperation between a traditional carmaker and a new challenger. Mercedes said the companies would build a factory in Eastern Europe at one of the German company’s sites in the region. The main Mercedes factory in… Continue reading Mercedes and Rivian Plan to Make Vans Together in Europe