Probably only Americans of a certain age remember when the Volkswagen Beetle was the best-selling imported car in the United States and the hippest ride to a Grateful Dead concert was a Volkswagen Microbus. Volkswagen is trying to tap some of that nostalgia in its latest push to regain the status and sales it enjoyed… Continue reading Volkswagen Sees Electric Vehicles as a Way to Grow in the U.S.
Author: New York Times Online News
Tips for Renting a Car Abroad
“Throw the keys through the kiosk’s open window. We’ll get the car when we open later”: Those slightly unorthodox drop-off instructions I once received from a Hertz manager in Croatia illustrate some of the differences U.S. travelers might encounter when renting a car abroad. It pays to familiarize yourself with the local policies and protocols… Continue reading Tips for Renting a Car Abroad
Let Tesla Expand? Three German Teens Have a Few Thoughts.
Tesla’s hulking assembly plant outside Berlin, which opened two years ago in a community known for its forests and lakes, still rubs many residents the wrong way. They worry it threatens the quality of their water and air, and has disrupted the peacefulness that drew them to the area. Steffen Schorcht, 63, who lives across… Continue reading Let Tesla Expand? Three German Teens Have a Few Thoughts.
Biden Administration Is Said to Slow Early Stage of Shift to Electric Cars
In a concession to automakers and labor unions, the Biden administration intends to relax elements of one of its most ambitious strategies to combat climate change, limits on tailpipe emissions that are designed to get Americans to switch from gas-powered cars to electric vehicles, according to three people familiar with the plan. Instead of essentially… Continue reading Biden Administration Is Said to Slow Early Stage of Shift to Electric Cars
Tesla’s Board Chair Under Scrutiny for Oversight of Elon Musk
Elon Musk, the chief executive and public face of Tesla, is constantly making news and broadcasting his opinions on his social media site, X. But the electric car company has another leader — one who maintains a much lower profile. For more than five years, Tesla’s board has been led by Robyn M. Denholm, a… Continue reading Tesla’s Board Chair Under Scrutiny for Oversight of Elon Musk
How China Built BYD, Its Tesla Killer
China’s BYD was a battery manufacturer trying its hand at building cars when it showed off its newest model in 2007. American executives at the Guangzhou auto show gaped at the car’s uneven purple paint job and the poor fit of its doors. “They were the laughingstock of the industry,” said Michael Dunne, a China… Continue reading How China Built BYD, Its Tesla Killer
How Ford’s F-150 Lightning, Once in Hot Demand, Lost Its Luster
In July Michael Puglia drove home with what seemed like the coolest vehicle he’d ever own — a Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck. It was big enough to haul around his children and all their hockey gear. He’d never have to gas it up, and the ride was exhilarating. “It’s unbelievably fast and responsive,”… Continue reading How Ford’s F-150 Lightning, Once in Hot Demand, Lost Its Luster
Vision Pro Goggles Are Not Safe While Driving a Tesla, U.S. Says
Videos being shared across social media this week depict an almost dystopian, futuristic scene: drivers of Teslas in Autopilot mode while wearing Apple Vision Pro headsets, seemingly unaware of the road in front of them. The videos led federal transportation officials to issue warnings. But are people really mindlessly riding around in Teslas in Autopilot… Continue reading Vision Pro Goggles Are Not Safe While Driving a Tesla, U.S. Says
The Land of Ferrari and Lamborghini Has a New Speed Limit: 30 K.P.H.
When Bologna became the first major Italian city to impose a speed limit of 30 kilometers, or 20 miles, an hour, Luca Mazzoli, a local taxi driver, posted a sign in his cab warning passengers of the change. He had to, he said grumpily the other day, “to explain why I am driving so slowly.”… Continue reading The Land of Ferrari and Lamborghini Has a New Speed Limit: 30 K.P.H.
Ford Reports Quarterly Loss but Says Sales Grew
Ford Motor said it lost $526 million in the final three months of 2023, mainly as a result of special charges related to its employee pension programs and the reorganization of some of its overseas operations. The automaker said its fourth-quarter revenue rose to $46 billion, from $44 billion a year earlier, thanks to strong… Continue reading Ford Reports Quarterly Loss but Says Sales Grew