Chinese EV startup NIO has laid off another 141 employees at its North American headquarters in San Jose, according to a new filing with the Employment Development Department of California. It’s the third round of cuts NIO has made to its US workforce this year, which has been primarily focused on R&D and engineering. The… Continue reading NIO lays off 141 employees in Silicon Valley following Intel deal
Author: The Verge Online News
Wheels redesigns its shareable e-bikes to include a helmet
Wheels, an electric bike-share startup with operations in half a dozen US cities, has redesigned its two-wheeled vehicle to include a special spot to hold a helmet. The helmet is locked to the rear rack of the bike and is free for riders to use. The helmet can only be unlocked via the Wheels app.… Continue reading Wheels redesigns its shareable e-bikes to include a helmet
Unicorn, e-scooter startup from co-creator of Tile, shuts down with no money for refunds
Unicorn, the electric scooter startup from the co-creator of gadget tracker Tile, is shutting down operations after blowing all its cash on Facebook and Google ads but only receiving 350 orders for its glossy white e-scooters, it claims. In an email to customers, the company says it lacks the resources to deliver any of its… Continue reading Unicorn, e-scooter startup from co-creator of Tile, shuts down with no money for refunds
BMW reverses decision to charge vehicle owners an annual fee to use Apple CarPlay
BMW has backtracked on its controversial decision to charge an annual fee for the use of Apple’s CarPlay in its vehicles, according to 9to5Mac. Since 2016, the German automaker has required owners to pay extra to use CarPlay — first as a one-time $300 option and then later as an $80-a-year fee. Now it appears… Continue reading BMW reverses decision to charge vehicle owners an annual fee to use Apple CarPlay
Elon Musk promises Cybertruck vs. Ford F-150 rematch after controversy
A few days after Elon Musk unveiled Tesla’s new Cybertruck, he posted a video of the truck taking part in a tug of war with a Ford F-150, which showed the electric Cybertruck easily overpowering the Ford pickup. But after accusations that the competition was unfair, Musk has agreed to a re-match, saying he’ll aim… Continue reading Elon Musk promises Cybertruck vs. Ford F-150 rematch after controversy
Fiat Chrysler is shopping for EV tech from damaged startups like Faraday Future
In October, Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley told investors that he’s open to making cars powered by other companies’ electric vehicle technology. But Fiat Chrysler (FCA), which owns brands like Jeep and Dodge, is doing more than just considering the idea. The Verge has learned the automaker is in talks with at least two distressed… Continue reading Fiat Chrysler is shopping for EV tech from damaged startups like Faraday Future
Tesla Cybertruck first ride: inside Elon Musk’s electric pickup truck
About an hour or so after Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed an absurd, futuristic, brutalist electric pickup called Cybertruck to the world, I pulled myself up into its passenger seat. A Tesla employee then took me and three others for a short joy ride down a temporarily closed-off road that lines one side of SpaceX… Continue reading Tesla Cybertruck first ride: inside Elon Musk’s electric pickup truck
Audi reveals its second electric car, the E-Tron Sportback
Audi just pulled the wraps off of the E-Tron Sportback, the company’s second electric car, at the 2019 LA Auto Show. Coming to Europe in the first half of 2020, the top-tier version of the new premium EV will offer up to 446 kilometers of range (277 miles) and is powered by dual electric motors… Continue reading Audi reveals its second electric car, the E-Tron Sportback
Back to the Faraday Future
Faraday Future, once the most hyped electric vehicle startup following in Tesla’s wake, is now known for its money troubles, if it is known at all. Flashy hires — from SpaceX, Tesla, Apple, and Ford — have mostly moved on. The $2 billion it has spent to develop a luxury SUV hasn’t paid off; the… Continue reading Back to the Faraday Future
Axon, formerly Taser, plans to put automatic license plate readers on police dashboards
Axon, the company formerly known as Taser, is entering another controversial surveillance business: the automatic license plate reader industry. In a report released by its ethics board today, the company said it planned to enter the market and make the tech, called ALPR, available on a “future version” of dashboard cameras already used in police… Continue reading Axon, formerly Taser, plans to put automatic license plate readers on police dashboards