Sponsored Links Engadget Tech companies and automakers have been setting differences aside and merging forces in hopes of getting themselves a piece of the self-driving pie as early as possible. Late last year, Toyota and Softbank teamed up to establish a joint venture called Monet. Now, their partnership is getting a boost from five new… Continue reading Five automakers back Toyota’s and Softbank’s self-driving business
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Lyft expands bike rentals to Washington DC
Sponsored Links ASSOCIATED PRESS Lyft has expanded beyond traditional rideshare and into other areas like car rentals and transport to and from events. Now, it is updating its app to provide bike-sharing services in the Washington, DC area through Capital Bikeshare, joining New York and San Francisco in offering both cycles and cars from a… Continue reading Lyft expands bike rentals to Washington DC
Ionity to expand EV fast charger network at Extra services
EV charging network Ionity, backed by BMW, Daimler, Ford and the VW Group, has partnered with Extra MSA Group to expand its network of fast chargers at motorway service stations across the UK. Up to six 350kW fast chargers will be installed at eight Extra’s motorway service areas, starting this year with the company’s £60m Skelton Lake,… Continue reading Ionity to expand EV fast charger network at Extra services
ChargePoint teams up with MVV Energie to expand in Germany
FRANKFURT, June 28 (Reuters) – Silicon Valley-based ChargePoint, one of the world’s largest operators of charging stations for electric vehicles, said it had teamed up with local German utility MVV Energie to further expand in Europe’s largest economy. ChargePoint will sell its charging equipment via MVV’s sales channels, while MVV, headquartered in the German city… Continue reading ChargePoint teams up with MVV Energie to expand in Germany
BMW boss apparently has to fear for his post
The contract of BMW boss Harald Krüger could not be extended, according to “Handelsblatt”. The company is silent on the report. BMW boss Harald Krüger Friday, 28.06.2019 07:51 clock at BMW Apparently a power poker has flared up around the chief post. According to “Handelsblatt” The supervisory board of the car company wants to decide… Continue reading BMW boss apparently has to fear for his post
The future of BMW’s boss in suspense
Harald Krüger is apparently worried about his future at the helm of Bavarian automaker BMW. His contract, which expires in May 2020, may not be renewed, according to the daily “Handelsblatt”. “An extension is no longer considered within the group as the most likely variant,” writes Friday the German business newspaper, while the supervisory board… Continue reading The future of BMW’s boss in suspense
Faurecia will establish its global center of expertise on hydrogen tanks in the Doubs
Marie-Guite Dufay, president (PS) of the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region mentioned it Wednesday, June 26, 2019 ahead of its plenary assembly, the French group specializing in the engineering and production of automotive equipment, Faurecia, will implement its global center of expertise on hydrogen tanks at its R & D center in Bavans (Doubs). Scheduled to be operational… Continue reading Faurecia will establish its global center of expertise on hydrogen tanks in the Doubs
New 2020 Land Rover Defender: exterior image leaked
A leaked image of the all new Land Rover Defender appears to show the all new 4×4 completely undisgised. The photo, which can be seen in the Instagram post embedded below, gives us a clear look at the new car’s boxy shape months ahead of the car’s planned launch date. The front three-quarter image shows what appears… Continue reading New 2020 Land Rover Defender: exterior image leaked
Reports: Tesla working to develop its own batteries
Unlike other electric automakers, Tesla has long had a lock on its own battery supplies through an exclusive deal with Panasonic and the companies' jointly owned battery Gigafactory in Nevada.
Now the company is working to develop its own batteries at a skunkworks near its main car factory in Fremont, California, according to multiple reports, including CNBC.
As increasing numbers of established automakers ramp up production of electric cars, supplies of batteries and the materials to make them have grown scarce in recent months, and Tesla has expressed concern about obtaining enough raw battery materials to meet production targets for its electric cars.
CEO Elon Musk has said that battery supplies from Panasonic were a constraint on production of its popular Model 3.
In May, Tesla bought Maxwell Technologies, a San Diego company that builds ultra-capacitors that can fill some of the needs for lithium batteries in electric cars at lower cost by charging and discharging quickly. Some observers also noted they could provide a bridge to solid-state battery technology. Musk has also long said he believes supercapacitors are superior to lithium-ion batteries.
The CNBC report cites multiple current and recent employees who say that Tesla has set up a skunkworks a few blocks from the Fremont factory, to work on the project.
It notes that Musk is trying to move as much of Tesla's operations in house as possible to insulate the company from possible disruptions outside its control, Tesla is also seeking new battery suppliers in China for the cars it plans to build at its new factory there. Musk has said that factory will start production on some Model 3s by the end of this year.
It's not clear how close Tesla may be to producing its own batteries, but at a Technology Day in May where it revealed its self-driving plans, Musk told investors to watch for two things from Tesla: its self-driving features, and its efforts to lower the cost of batteries for its cars. He said at the time he wasn't willing to “let the cat out of the bag” yet on the second effort.
No BEVs for BMW? Apparently not, says its development director
“ It looks like European drivers are turning their backs on battery-electric vehicles (BEV), before the technology has even had a chance to grow and develop. Well, that’s if you believe the German car-making giant’s development director, Klaus Frölich. Strangely, quite a few people don’t. “There are no customer requests for BEVs. None,” claimed Frölich,… Continue reading No BEVs for BMW? Apparently not, says its development director