Zoox, the self-driving car startup worth a reported $3.2 billion post-money valuation, is offering autonomous rides this week as part of the Global Climate Action Summit. The Global Climate Action Summit convenes state and local leaders, scientists, non-profits and others to discuss climate action opportunities. In partnership with the Fairmont hotel in San Francisco, Zoox will… Continue reading Zoox is offering autonomous rides in SF this week
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Audi launches ‘e-tron Charging Service’ to access 72,000 charging points by 220 providers with one card
Ahead of the unveiling of the e-tron quattro electric SUV next week, Audi is launching a new ‘e-tron Charging Service’ to enable access to 72,000 charging points by 220 providers with one card in Europe. It can be complicated to navigate the many charge point providers and their different payment systems. Audi says that it… Continue reading Audi launches ‘e-tron Charging Service’ to access 72,000 charging points by 220 providers with one card
VW brand must become significantly more efficient: CEO
HAMBURG (Reuters) – The VW brand needs higher profits and must become significantly more efficient to be able to finance its future, Volkswagen group Chief Executive Herbert Diess told the brand’s staff magazine. A VW logo is seen in front of the main building of the Volkswagen brand at the Volkswagen headquarters during a media… Continue reading VW brand must become significantly more efficient: CEO
John Grose opens Peugeot, Citroen and DS dealership in Ipswich
John Grose Group has opened a new Peugeot, Citroen and DS Automobiles dealership in Ipswich on the Ransomes Europark. The Ransomes Europark site previously housed the John Grose Citroën Ipswich dealership while the Peugeot dealership has been relocated from its previous site a short distance away. The new DS Salon Ipswich represents the latest… Continue reading John Grose opens Peugeot, Citroen and DS dealership in Ipswich
Comma.ai’s George Hotz ousts George Hotz as CEO
Comma.ai’s board, of which founder George Hotz is the only member, is making changes at the autonomous driving startup: Hotz is no longer CEO of the company. A new CEO, who Hotz declined to name, is expected to be announced Friday via the company’s Medium blog. He confirmed that the CEO is indeed a human… Continue reading Comma.ai’s George Hotz ousts George Hotz as CEO
Chinese automaker NIO’s IPO prices at $6.25 per share: source
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Chinese electric vehicle start-up NIO Inc (NIO.N) priced at $6.25 per share in its initial public offering on the New York stock exchange on Tuesday, at the bottom of its targeted price range, a person familiar with the matter said. The logo of electric car startup NIO is seen at a… Continue reading Chinese automaker NIO’s IPO prices at $6.25 per share: source
‘Tens of thousands’ of jobs at risk, Jaguar Land Rover boss tells PM
Brexit Ralf Speth says he cannot be sure any UK plants will continue to operate after Brexit Jaguar Land Rover’s chief executive said under current estimates a hard Brexit would cost the firm £1.2bn a year. Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images Britain’s biggest car manufacturer, Jaguar Land Rover, has launched a blistering attack on Theresa May’s… Continue reading ‘Tens of thousands’ of jobs at risk, Jaguar Land Rover boss tells PM
Plug Power develops new hydrogen filling robot
Plug Power fuel cell
Filling up with hydrogen is not as easy as filling up with gas or plugging in an electric car—at least it's not yet.
To make it easier—and importantly, cheaper for businesses—Plug Power, a New York fuel-cell company, has developed a new robotic hydrogen filling station.
Plug Power GenFuel hydrogen filling station
The system is designed to work in warehouses where hydrogen-powered forklifts and other equipment can save time refueling. Plug Power says every additional second spent refueling can add up to $1,000 in costs annually for such businesses.
CHECK OUT: California now has 33 hydrogen fueling stations for 4,200 fuel-cell cars so far
Plug Power worked with the Center for Automation Technologies and Systems at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and the National Renewable Energy Lab to develop the fueling stations, using a $2 million grant from the Department of Energy.
The robotic fueling station isn't just about hydrogen-powered forklifts in warehouses, although that's expected to be the first application.
“Today, the technology can retrofit existing GenFuel sites supporting the more than 20,000 GenDrive fuel cells in the field,” said Dustan Skidmore, vice president of engineering at Plug Power. “In the future, the technology can be used in on-road fleet vehicles, autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs), and self-driving passenger cars.”
READ THIS: FedEx and UPS burn less gas to deliver boxes
Plug Power built the fuel-cell that powers the nation's first fuel-cell FedEx delivery truck in upstate New York. The truck, converted to fuel-cell power by Workhorse, fills up with hydrogen at Plug Power's Latham, New York, headquarters and has accumulated more than 3,000 miles in testing.
BMW drops diesels in favor of plug-in hybrids
2021 BMW X5 xDrive45e iPerformance
BMW is the latest automaker to eliminate diesels from its U.S. lineup, at least, and focus on plug-in hybrids and electric cars.
A BMW spokesman told Green Car Reports on Tuesday that it will drop diesels from its lineup for 2019.
“We're putting all our eggs in the PHEV basket,” said BMW spokesman Alexander Schmuck.
BMW currently sells five plug-in hybrid models in the U.S. Those include the 3-Series, 5-Series, 7-Series sedans, the X5 SUV, and the i8 coupe.
DON'T MISS: 2021 BMW X5 xDrive45e plug-in hybrid will have more range, 6 cylinders
Most of BMW's plug-in hybrids are designated by an “e” at the end of their model names, such as the BMW 330e, 530e, and X5 xDrive40e. Those models on the market today have only 14 to 16 miles of electric range, according to their EPA ratings.
Last week BMW revealed a new plug-in version of the X5 for 2021, the X5 xDrive45e, which may have up to 50 miles of electric range with larger batteries and a new engine.
Finding enough space for batteries has been a challenge in BMW's plug-in hybrids, but a company supplier recently showed a prototype BMW i3 with three times the battery capacity in the same footprint of the original, which could allow BMW to pack far more range into its plug-in hybrids.
CHECK OUT: Supplier tests compact 100-kwh battery pack in BMW i3
The new battery is expected to be used in the company's upcoming iNext electric sedan, which is due to be revealed at the end of the week.
The spokesman also said the upcoming X5 xDrive45e will use an inline-6, which will be easier for the company to meet California's SULEV clean-air standards.
Apple’s autonomous vehicle fleet swells 27% in four months
Apple keeps adding autonomous vehicles to its test fleet in California, boosting its ranks 27 percent since May, according to records from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. The company now has 70 autonomous vehicles permitted to test on public roads, Mac Reports first reported. The permits, which are issued by CA DMV, require a safety driver… Continue reading Apple’s autonomous vehicle fleet swells 27% in four months