Rivian surprised many of its pre-order customers on March 1 with the announcement of a significant price increase for its R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV. On Thursday, the company issued a press release authored by CEO RJ Scaringe that modified the planned price increase, promising customers who placed their pre-order for either vehicle prior… Continue reading Rivian CEO walks back price hike for any customers who pre-ordered before March 1
Author: Tech Crunch Online News
Kia unveils ‘Automode’ autonomous driving tech that will debut on the EV9 SUV
Much as Hyundai did yesterday, Kia has announced an electrification road map at its 2022 Investor Day, promising to have 14 fully electric models by 2027 and sales of 1.2 million EVs by 2030. It also revealed that its EV9 SUV, unveiled in concept form last November at the LA Auto Show, will be the… Continue reading Kia unveils ‘Automode’ autonomous driving tech that will debut on the EV9 SUV
Learn how Nuro co-founder Jiajun Zhu drove the AV startup to an $8.6B valuation at TC Sessions: Mobility 2022
Founders and investors have dedicated a lot of time and even more money to developing autonomous vehicle (AV) technology over the past 15 years, a trend that shows no sign of letting up any time soon. Companies like Cruise, Waymo and Zoox have spent years developing fully driverless autonomous cars — with a focus on… Continue reading Learn how Nuro co-founder Jiajun Zhu drove the AV startup to an $8.6B valuation at TC Sessions: Mobility 2022
Polestar’s second concept car is a convertible with an integrated drone
With the Polestar 2 already in production, Polestars 3 and 4 on the horizon and the Precept concept slated to become the Polestar 5 in 2024, Polestar the company has just unveiled its latest electrified vehicle idea: the Polestar O2 convertible concept. Polestar “Polestar O2 is our vision of a new era for sports cars,”… Continue reading Polestar’s second concept car is a convertible with an integrated drone
Ford increases electrification spend to $50B in attempt to catch up to Tesla
Ford Motor Company is increasing its electric vehicle investment to $50 billion through 2026, up from the previous $30 billion by 2025. CEO Jim Farley announced the news on Wednesday after the automaker confirmed that it would run its EV unit separately from its combustion engine business, something Ford touched on during its 2021 fourth… Continue reading Ford increases electrification spend to $50B in attempt to catch up to Tesla
Struggling EV startup Lordstown Motors loses GM as investor
General Motors sold its stake in Lordstown Motors, an electric vehicle startup that has struggled to get its first vehicle, the electric pickup truck Endurance, to production, reports the Detroit Free Press. GM’s 7.5 million shares of common stock, which was less than 5% of the company, had an initial equity value of $75 million.… Continue reading Struggling EV startup Lordstown Motors loses GM as investor
Elon Musk and Tesla need a Tim Cook
The same story has played out for decades. A startup blossoms and thrives under the leadership of a larger-than-life personality. A plateau soon follows. The company’s focus moves from introducing an endless string of new products to making sure what it is building meets the demands of customers. The honeymoon period ends and a new… Continue reading Elon Musk and Tesla need a Tim Cook
Waymo to begin charging for robotaxi rides in San Francisco
Waymo, the self-driving unit of Alphabet, has scored a permit with the California Public Utilities Commission that allows it to charge riders for ride-hailing trips in its autonomous vehicles in San Francisco. A human safety operator must be present, though, per the permit’s stipulations. Securing this permit from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is… Continue reading Waymo to begin charging for robotaxi rides in San Francisco
Lucid rolls back production goals even as demand for luxury EV rises
Earnings season rolled along today with notes from Lucid Motors’ fourth-quarter results. The company, like other electric vehicle (EV) companies, is nascent in revenue terms, albeit further along than some. The company publicly debuted as a SPAC company in July last year after merging with Churchill Capital IV. The company’s value has had a turbulent… Continue reading Lucid rolls back production goals even as demand for luxury EV rises
Cruise co-founder Kyle Vogt retakes CEO spot after GM exec’s sudden departure
Kyle Vogt, who co-founded Cruise and ran the startup for years following GM’s acquisition in 2016, is back in charge. Vogt made the announcement Monday via a tweet. The formal announcement comes more than three months after Cruise CEO Dan Ammann, a longtime executive at GM who had been tapped as CEO in 2018, suddenly… Continue reading Cruise co-founder Kyle Vogt retakes CEO spot after GM exec’s sudden departure