A fleet operator might spend about $300,000 to own and operate a diesel truck over 20 years, but the cost of owning an electric truck may be less than half that, according to Workhorse. Between its founding in 2007 and 2019 Workhorse delivered 365 vehicles, mostly diesel trucks retrofitted to operate on batteries. Some were… Continue reading For Companies Like Workhorse, A Race to Be the Tesla of Delivery Vehicles
Author: New York Times Online News
G.M.’s Profits From Trucks and S.U.V.s Fuel Its Electric Quest
Despite a pandemic that shuttered auto factories for nearly two months and sent car sales tumbling, General Motors made more than $6 billion last year, one of its highest profit totals ever. The automaker is going to need every penny and more for years to come to meet its lofty ambition of an all-electric model… Continue reading G.M.’s Profits From Trucks and S.U.V.s Fuel Its Electric Quest
Carmakers Put Their Biggest Faces Forward
Every generation of automotive design has its Mona Lisa — and its Dogs Playing Poker. We’ve had tail fins (time for a comeback?) and the mock-convertible tops of landau vinyl roofs (I cruelly — but rightfully — judge my parents on that tacky 1980s decision). Remember the sharply angled rears of the “bustleback” Cadillac Seville,… Continue reading Carmakers Put Their Biggest Faces Forward
G.M. Scales Down Nikola Deal
Nikola, a start-up electric truck company that had made a big splash on Wall Street, announced a broad alliance with General Motors in September that promised to give the company critical technology, financial support and credibility with investors. But the news was quickly overtaken by claims that Nikola had exaggerated its capabilities, and the firm’s… Continue reading G.M. Scales Down Nikola Deal
G.M. Accelerates Its Ambitions for Electric Vehicles
For the last five years, G.M., Ford Motor, Volkswagen and others have been trying to develop compelling and affordable electric vehicles, while watching with both envy and admiration as Tesla raced ahead. Tesla is on track to sell close to 500,000 E.V.s this year, far more than any rival, and is building factories in Germany… Continue reading G.M. Accelerates Its Ambitions for Electric Vehicles
Tesla Third-Quarter Auto Sales Surge
When the coronavirus pandemic forced businesses to close this spring, the auto industry was hit particularly hard. North American auto plants that typically churn out more than a million cars a month produced fewer than 5,000 in April. While airlines and other industries continue to struggle, automakers are now enjoying a clear upswing. Last month,… Continue reading Tesla Third-Quarter Auto Sales Surge
Uber and Lyft Drivers in California Will Remain Contractors
[President-elect Joe Biden’s victory prompts spontaneous celebrations.] OAKLAND, Calif. — Drivers and other workers for so-called gig economy companies in California will not become their employees. California voters carried Uber and Lyft to victory, overwhelmingly approving Proposition 22, a ballot measure that allows gig economy companies to continue treating drivers as independent contractors. Uber, Lyft… Continue reading Uber and Lyft Drivers in California Will Remain Contractors
Head of Nikola, a G.M. Electric Truck Partner, Quits Amid Fraud Claims
Trevor Milton, a college dropout, turned his entrepreneurial visions into Nikola, a start-up aiming to develop long-haul semi trucks powered by hydrogen and electricity. General Motors was so taken with the idea that it took a $2 billion stake in the company, even though it essentially has no revenue and has not produced a single… Continue reading Head of Nikola, a G.M. Electric Truck Partner, Quits Amid Fraud Claims
3-D Printing, a Boon for Racers, Inches Closer for Carmakers
The Belgian racing team Heli had an engine problem. Specifically, under race conditions, the manifold of the four-cylinder turbo diesel in its BMW 1-series exploded, bursting along an ultrasonically welded seam that held together the manifold’s two halves. The team tried reinforcing the seam. But when the car returned to the track, during the middle… Continue reading 3-D Printing, a Boon for Racers, Inches Closer for Carmakers
Uber and Lyft Consider Franchise-Like Model in California
OAKLAND, Calif. — Uber and Lyft, which are facing mounting pressure to classify their freelance drivers as employees in California, are looking for another way. One option that both companies are seriously discussing is licensing their brands to operators of vehicle fleets in California, according to three people with knowledge of the plans. The change… Continue reading Uber and Lyft Consider Franchise-Like Model in California