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Porsche invests $2 mn in Israeli AI tech startup

The Israeli solution is based on nearly a decade of advanced nanophotonics research Jerusalem, German luxury auto manufacturer Porsche has invested $2 million in Israeli startup TriEye, which has developed visibility enhancement technology in harsh weather conditions, the two companies said. TriEye, founded in 2017 and headquartered in the coastal city of Tel Aviv, has… Continue reading Porsche invests $2 mn in Israeli AI tech startup

Small Fully Electric Lexus Concept To Be Shown In October

Hybrids remain the core for the brand, but there will be all-electric models too. Lexus, after years of reluctance towards all-electric cars, is finally working on… a concept, of a small electric hatchback for city use. According to the latest rumors and previous reports, the new EV concept will be unveiled in October at the… Continue reading Small Fully Electric Lexus Concept To Be Shown In October

DoorDash buys Scotty Labs

The DoorDash delivery service has bought another company: Scotty Labs. Only at the beginning of the month it became known that DoorDash the company Caviar has bought. Furthermore, DoorDash had the startup LVL5 incorporated. The company was bought in April and will be dissolved. Now the company is also with General Motors company Cruise Automation… Continue reading DoorDash buys Scotty Labs

Car ownership “not compatible” with emissions targets

Private car ownership needs to end and vehicle use should be cut if the UK is to become a carbon-neutral country by 2050, a committee of MPs has claimed. A scathing report by the cross-party Science and Technology Select Committee claims the Government “should not aim to achieve emissions reductions simply be replacing existing vehicles… Continue reading Car ownership “not compatible” with emissions targets

Volkswagen to reveal new logo at Frankfurt motor show

Volkswagen will unveil a redesigned logo as part of a major rebranding at this year’s Frankfurt motor show, coinciding with the launch of the new ID 3 electric hatchback. Called New Volkswagen, it has been developed to make the brand appear “significantly younger, more digital and more modern”. It has been in development for more than three years and has… Continue reading Volkswagen to reveal new logo at Frankfurt motor show

On-demand parking startup SpotHero raises $50 million

SpotHero, the Chicago-based company that has developed an on-demand parking app, has raised $50 million in a Series D round led by Macquarie Capital. Union Grove Venture Partners participated in the round, along with existing investors including Insight Venture Partners, Global Founders Capital, OCA Ventures, AutoTech Ventures and others, according to the company. SpotHero has… Continue reading On-demand parking startup SpotHero raises $50 million

Audio specialist: Sennheiser is again successful – and enters the automotive industry

Daniel (left) and Andreas Sennheiser Painful, but successful renovation. (Photo: imago images / Future Image) Dusseldorf Andreas and Daniel Sennheiser get high visit next Thursday. Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier (CDU) pays a visit to the entrepreneurs on his journey through the middle class. Her grandfather Fritz founded the “Laboratory Wennebostel” in Hanover in… Continue reading Audio specialist: Sennheiser is again successful – and enters the automotive industry

Survey: Range, cost, infrastructure sum up why shoppers avoid EVs

We’ve heard it repeatedly as the result of various polls and surveys: Active and prospective car shoppers are interested in fully electric vehicles and eager to go electric.

The AAA, for instance, has in annual surveys for the past three years found that 15 to 20 percent of Americans “will likely go electric in their next vehicle purchase.”

With battery electric vehicle sales remaining around five percent of the U.S. vehicle market, why are some Americans not yet making the leap? The lack of variety in fully electric vehicle types is certainly part of it, but as a new survey points out, the reason shoppers are avoiding EVs still boils down to some familiar reasons.

Car shoppers' EV avoidance reasons – Autolist

In the poll of 1,567 “current car shoppers,” conducted earlier this month and released Tuesday, Autolist found the primary reasons for avoiding electric vehicles—in order—to be driving range, the price relative to similar gas vehicles, and the lack of charging infrastructure in their home area. Meanwhile, the most important attributes, in order, were seen as price, range and available charging.

Consumers continue to want high driving-range numbers—and perhaps to the detriment of luxury-priced models like the Jaguar I-Pace and Audi E-tron, they have much higher expectations for rated range from luxury vehicles.

When Autolist asked consumers for the minimum range they’d accept in a $35,000 electric vehicle, the leading answer was “between 250 and 300 miles”—stipulations perhaps most closely met by the Hyundai Kona Electric, with its $37,995 base price and 258-mile EPA-rated range. The Chevrolet Bolt EV and Kia Niro EV are also close to meeting those expectations.

2019 Hyundai Kona Electric

But when Autolist asked the same about a $70,000 EV, the responses, the most common response was “more than 500 miles.”

At an EPA-rated 370 miles, the Tesla Model S Long Range currently holds the top rated range of any regular-production electric vehicle. No EV currently achieves close to 500 miles, or even 400 miles.

2019 Tesla Model S

There’s a riptide beneath these impressions, and that’s age. The survey found a direct and pronounced correlation between age and the importance of EV range. For instance, 32 percent of those 18-23 years old listed range among the top three avoidance issues, while for those over 76 years old it was in the top three for 60 percent. Autolist reports that there was a similar trendline created between age and the importance of the charging network, although that one had an inflection point around age 45.

Also, with rising shopper age, sticker price was less important, but resale value was more important.

A Volvo/Harris poll from earlier this year surveyed both EV drivers and non-EV drivers and found strong belief among both groups that EVs are the future. However 61 percent of respondents indicated that a lack of charging structure held back a purchase. While 38 percent of EV drivers were concerned about running out of power, 58 percent of all drivers combined indicated this concern.

One other figure stood out as especially surprising (and promising for the future of the technology): 55 percent of respondents said that the EV would be their primary—not secondary—vehicle if they bought one today. The survey also found that 69 percent supported tax rebates and other incentives aimed toward the wider adoption of EVs. That echoes the bipartisan support of the tax credit earlier this year, after it had been potentially on the chopping block.

Mercedes introduces longer-range EQV electric van

Mercedes-Benz plans to introduce the second in its new EQ line of electric vehicles, the EQV van, at next month's Frankfurt auto show.

The company says that a 100-kwh battery pack under the floor will deliver 250 miles of range on the European driving cycle. Mercedes has not confirmed whether the EQV will be sold in the U.S., and has not released any range estimates for the U.S.

2020 Mercedes-Benz EQV

A CCS charge port can bring the battery back to 80 percent in about 45 minutes, through a charge port on the left side of the front bumper.

Unlike earlier electric vans from Mercedes-Benz—the eSprinter and eVito (based on the van that had been called the Metris in the U.S.)—the EQV is front-wheel-drive.

It is powered by a 204-horsepower electric motor that delivers 267 pound-feet of torque, with top speed limited to 99 mph.

The EQV can be configured as a 6-, 7-, or 8-passenger van and also will be available as a panel van for contractors who will be able to outfit it with Mercedes' full range of rack systems in the rear.

2020 Mercedes-Benz EQV

The navigation system will incorporate charging stations and try to route drivers on the most efficient route to maximize range when the battery charge is low.

The production EQV could be the second production vehicle in Mercedes's new lineup of EQ electric cars, after the EQC small SUV, which is on sale now in Europe and expected in the U.S. next year. It will soon be followed by an electric luxury sedan parallel to the Mercedes S-Class, the EQS, and a smaller electric SUV potentially called the EQB.

Mercedes has committed to building 10 different electric cars by 2022, and to making half the company's models plug in—as either plug-in hybrids or pure electric cars—by 2030.

Parent company Daimler is also accelerating its plans to build electric heavy-duty trucks.

Sandy Munro States Tesla Has A 10-Year Lead Over US Automakers

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Published on August 21st, 2019 |

by Kurt Lowder

Sandy Munro States Tesla Has A 10-Year Lead Over US Automakers

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August 21st, 2019 by Kurt Lowder

Get your popcorn and snacks ready! Sandy Munro has another hour-long interview about the ongoing transition to electric vehicles. There is always so much packed into these videos. Munro just has a knack for cutting right to the chase and explaining engineering, manufacturing, and business to the layperson. In the interview, Munro is joined by Mark Ellis, who is a Senior Associate at Munro and Associates.

The interview was conducted by Sean Mitchell of allthingsev.info. Congrats to Sean for landing this huge interview. Sean occasionally collaborates with a few of our other favorite YouTubers, a platform which has become increasingly useful for getting important information to the public. (Although, it does come amid a lot of noise, but I digress.)

Sean took care to timestamp the video, which is really helpful if you want to watch the video in segments. At the 5:13 mark, Sean asked what traditional manufacturers are doing right. At first, Munro hesitated and passed the buck to Sean. Sean explained that US auto manufacturers are just outsourcing everything important with perhaps the exception of FCA. FCA has been late to the game but appears to earnestly be trying to play catchup.

After collecting his thoughts, Munro interjects and just blatantly states, “you know, really and truly, all the domestics are way behind!” For emphasis, Mark Ellis echos, “WAY BEHIND.” Bear in mind, these gentlemen have extensive experience in the industry and have broken down and analyzed many EVs. Their consulting business is focused on helping manufacturers to innovate and lower costs.

On more than one occasion, Munro claims the issue with the major automakers is the number of executives with MBAs, who have a tendency to believe in outsourcing as much as possible. Maybe this a key reason why we see so many executives leaving Tesla, because at Tesla they are actually focused on innovation and not just paying some contractor or supplier to do the hard work.

We will have more on this interview in the coming days, but I hope business schools across the country are taking note. Since watching this interview, I find myself constantly thinking about this classic clip from the movie Office Space:

About the Author

Kurt Lowder I am a jock turned wannabe geek. I fell in love with science later in life thanks to the History Channel show the “Universe.” Having taught middle school science, I strongly feel Astronomy should be taught every year because nothing excites students more than learning about the cosmos. I became an avid cleantech fan because it gives me hope about the future. My wife, my dogs, and I live simply because we love to travel the world backpacker style.

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