Category: Automotive

Why the PG&E Blackouts Spared California’s Big Tech HQs

Huge swaths of California were without power on Wednesday after the (recently bankrupt) utility PG&E—whose downed power lines caused last year’s Camp Fire—preemptively pulled the plug on hundreds of thousands of customers. The unprecedented move, designed to reduce the risk of wildfires, plunged more than 500,000 homes in 20 counties (and counting) across Northern and… Continue reading Why the PG&E Blackouts Spared California’s Big Tech HQs

Audi developing dramatic A5-sized luxury electric coupé – Autocar

Audi hasn’t given performance details of the new PPE platform, but says it is “generally similar to that of the MEB”.  The new four-door coupé previewed by the firm is roughly A4-sized, with styling similar to the swooping A7 Sportback, and a front grille and bumper design that echoes the E-tron GT.  Audi wouldn’t confirm… Continue reading Audi developing dramatic A5-sized luxury electric coupé – Autocar

Media Alert: Intel Customer Spotlight: Live Discussion with Siemens Healthineers

On Friday, Oct. 18, 2019, Intel will host a live discussion and Q&A with Siemens Healthineers, a global healthcare market leader in diagnostic imaging that benefits an estimated 5 million patients globally every day. This is the latest in Intel’s Spotlight Series, which features Intel customers who are transforming their businesses across artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of… Continue reading Media Alert: Intel Customer Spotlight: Live Discussion with Siemens Healthineers

Parking Gone Wrong: Watch Honda Accord Flip During Wild Parking Attempt

The Accord driver must’ve slammed the accelerator rather than the brake pedal. Watch as this Honda Accord driver attempts to parallel park between two Teslas. The Accord wildly accelerates and then flips onto its roof after jumping the curb and rolling. We’ve seen our fair share of unintended acceleration (typically driver error) cases when it… Continue reading Parking Gone Wrong: Watch Honda Accord Flip During Wild Parking Attempt

Waymo to customers: “Completely driverless Waymo cars are on the way” – TechCrunch

Waymo, the autonomous vehicle business under Alphabet, sent an email to customers of its ride-hailing app that their next trip might not have a human safety driver behind the wheel, according to a copy of the email that was posted on Reddit. The email entitled “Completely driverless Waymo cars are on the way” was sent… Continue reading Waymo to customers: “Completely driverless Waymo cars are on the way” – TechCrunch

Ford dealership giving away guns, Bibles to lure in customers

CLOSE New compact SUV has surprising handling, more room and a fuel-efficient hybrid model. Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press Auto Critic Derrick Hughes and his team will do whatever it takes to sell trucks and cars during the slow months of deer hunting season, so they’re giving away guns along with Bibles and flags at their Ford dealership… Continue reading Ford dealership giving away guns, Bibles to lure in customers

RapidSOS Closes $55M Series B Funding Round

RapidSOS, a New York-based emergency technology company, closed a $55M funding round. The round, which adds $25M to an initial close of $30M, was led by Energy Impact Partners (EIP). The company intends to use the funds to launch new data partners and expand its emergency response platform globally. Led by Michael Martin, CEO, RapidSOS… Continue reading RapidSOS Closes $55M Series B Funding Round

The most powerful DC charging station in Europe (for cars) can deliver 400 kw

The energy company Repsol has opened what it says is the most powerful electric-vehicle charging station in Europe—and it happens to be in Spain, a part of Europe that’s so far been largely skipped over by the fastest charging.

Higher-power DC fast charging is what makes electric-vehicle road-tripping viable. And while 100- and 150-kw stations may charge vehicles with smaller batteries quickly enough, performance and luxury EVs are going to need higher-power charging.

That’s where new “ultra-fast” 350-kw stations come into play, led in Europe by the Ionity network, which is the equivalent of our Electrify America. Ionity is aiming to build 400 350-kw stations in Europe by the end of 2020 and already had more than 100 up and running by the middle of this year.

Those latest Ionity stations only go up to 350 kw. And while charging a big luxury EV’s battery to 80 percent in as little as 10 or 15 minutes sounds quick, some automakers already see an even higher-power future. For instance, Joachim Kramer, Porsche’s director for electrics and electronics in the Taycan, explained last month that while the carmaker is limiting Taycan charging to 270 kw, it may allow 400 or even 500 kw of charging power with larger, next-generation batteries.

Repsol fast-charging levels

The 400-kw station has been installed by Ibil, a charging network that is jointly owned by Repsol and the Basque Energy Board (EVE). It’s only the second ultra-fast DC fast charging station to be opened in Spain, located on the A8 motorway at the Ugaldebieta service station, near Bilbao, and has four 400-kw DC CCS fast-charge points.

All equipment at the facility has been sourced within Spain, and the stations integrate solar panels and energy storage to either reduce or eliminate emissions.

Ibil has a network that includes more than 1,700 charge points, of which 230 are publicly accessible