Waymo has hired Tesla’s former head of vehicle programs, responsible for product and program Management of all Tesla vehicles, just ahead of Tesla’s Robotaxi unveiling. Daniel Ho is an aerospace engineer who went into an automotive product planning career starting with a 12-year stint at Ford. In 2013, shortly after the launch of the Model… Continue reading Waymo hires Tesla’s head of vehicle programs ahead of Robotaxi unveiling
Author: Electrek Newsfeed
Tesla loses top vehicle program manager behind Model S/X, Cybertruck, and more
Tesla is losing one of its top vehicle program managers who has been behind vehicles like Model S and Model X, Cybertruck, and more. David Zhang is a chemical engineer with a background in business analysis who joined Tesla back in 2015 to lead “business operations and finance for the automaker’s powertrain systems.” However, he… Continue reading Tesla loses top vehicle program manager behind Model S/X, Cybertruck, and more
QOTD: is Volvo planning a low cost, electric Robotaxi rival?
It’s probably nothing. Just a playful post on social media from a random Volvo account celebrating an obscure concept car from the early aughts. It couldn’t possibly mean that Volvo is actually going to build the thing … right? The post in question went live on the Volvo Cars Heritage Facebook feed last week, and… Continue reading QOTD: is Volvo planning a low cost, electric Robotaxi rival?
Hyundai’s new US-made IONIQ 5 is getting the Waymo robotaxi treatment
Hyundai’s upgraded 2025 IONIQ 5, hitting the US this fall, will join Waymo’s robotaxi fleet. As part of a new multi-year partnership, Hyundai is preparing to allocate a “significant” amount of IONIQ 5 models for the Waymo One robotaxi fleet. Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 is joining the Waymo robotaxi fleet Hyundai Motor and Waymo announced the… Continue reading Hyundai’s new US-made IONIQ 5 is getting the Waymo robotaxi treatment
Tesla loses one of its top executives in Europe
Tesla has lost one of its top executives in Europe in charge of all business development and public policies. He is one of two top Tesla executives to leave this week. Jos Dings joined Tesla in 2017 after more than a decade at Transport & Environment (T&E), a European group promoting sustainable transport. After a… Continue reading Tesla loses one of its top executives in Europe
Tesla shares impressive data point about its Supercharger network
(Source: Tesla) Tesla has shared an impressive data point about its Supercharger network: 1.4 TWh of energy delivered in a single quarter. What does it mean? Tesla shared these three new data points about its charging network in Q3 2024: In Q3, we: → opened 2.8K Supercharger stalls, +23% year-over-year network growth → delivered 1.4… Continue reading Tesla shares impressive data point about its Supercharger network
Tesla starts taking configurations of $79k non-Foundation Cybertrucks
Source: Tesla Over ten months after deliveries started, Tesla is now taking configurations for the non-Foundation series Cybertruck. The first Cybertruck deliveries occurred on November 30th last year, so we’re just over ten months past that date. As it often does, Tesla started fulfilling deliveries from the top down – it shipped higher-optioned, limited-edition models first,… Continue reading Tesla starts taking configurations of $79k non-Foundation Cybertrucks
Toyota invests a fresh $500M in Joby Aviation to support eVTOL air taxi certification, production
eVTOL air taxi developer Joby Aviation has secured a fresh round of funding from previous investor Toyota Motor Corporation, totaling $500 million. With its investment, Toyota’s total funding committed to the eVTOL specialist inches closer to $1 billion. The money will help Joby secure flight certification and begin commercial production of its sustainable aerial technology.… Continue reading Toyota invests a fresh $500M in Joby Aviation to support eVTOL air taxi certification, production
Toyota is delaying new US-made electric SUVs, but there’s more to it
Toyota will not make electric SUVs in the US starting next year as planned. According to a new report, Toyota is delaying production of new electric SUVs in the US by several months. The company is blaming the holdup on slowing EV sales in the US, but are they really? Why is Toyota delaying US-made… Continue reading Toyota is delaying new US-made electric SUVs, but there’s more to it
America’s cheapest EV defies the odds as Nissan LEAF sales make US comeback
Nissan’s LEAF was once the world’s best-selling EV, but it’s lost some ground over the years as new, more advanced models hit the market. Although Nissan plans to launch an upgraded LEAF next year, America’s cheapest EV saw sales surge 187% in the third quarter. “When we launched LEAF in 2010, it instantly became the… Continue reading America’s cheapest EV defies the odds as Nissan LEAF sales make US comeback