One of China’s top bike-rental apps is entering a new phase. Mobike, which neighborhood services giant Meituan-Dianping gobbled up last April, is changing its name to Meituan Bike as part of an ongoing integration with its parent, according to an internal letter from Meituan senior vice president Wang Huiwen to staff. There’s no timeline for when the new… Continue reading China’s Mobike will rename to Meituan Bike as its parent takes the wheel
Category: Automotive
Amazon field tests an autonomous delivery robot named Scout
Amazon has revealed its latest autonomous delivery project — a six-wheeled boxy robot named Amazon Scout. The e-commerce giant said the all-electric devices were created in-house at Amazon’s research and development lab in Seattle, and are about the size of a small cooler. Featured stories The bots are meant to travel on sidewalks at an… Continue reading Amazon field tests an autonomous delivery robot named Scout
Pensions, one-time charges push Ford to fourth-quarter loss
DETROIT, Jan 23 (Reuters) – Ford Motor Co on Wednesday posted a fourth-quarter loss, which it attributed partly to one-time charges, including pension-related costs. The No. 2 U.S. automaker posted a loss of $116 million or 3 cents a share, down from a net profit of $2.5 billion or 63 cents a share in the… Continue reading Pensions, one-time charges push Ford to fourth-quarter loss
More dealers see Brexit as biggest threat to their business
The number of dealers who see Brexit as the top threat to their business in 2019 has rocketed as the 29 March exit deadline approaches. The latest quarterly Dealer Satisfaction Survey from Close Brothers found that 35% of dealers see Brexit as the top threat to their business compared to just 21% a year ago.… Continue reading More dealers see Brexit as biggest threat to their business
Dyson shifts HQ to Singapore to focus on cars
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Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess says in interview that German automaker is actively looking to add US manufacturing capacity and that talks with Ford Motor Company could expand – Automotive News
Diess confirmed discussions with Ford, which has been an occasional partner in past decades, and spoke glowingly of strategies on which the automakers could collaborate, but he dismissed any notion of VW growing bigger through consolidations or mergers. The VW board of supervisors will consider its strategic relationship with Ford on Nov. 16, Reuters reported.… Continue reading Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess says in interview that German automaker is actively looking to add US manufacturing capacity and that talks with Ford Motor Company could expand – Automotive News
Tesla may use new battery supplier for cars made in China factory
Tour of Tesla battery gigafactory for invited owners, Reno, Nevada, July 2016
Tesla is reportedly exploring the idea of buying local batteries for its factory in China, from a supplier other than Panasonic.
Panasonic has been Tesla's partner in creating batteries for its electric cars from the outset of Model S production and co-owns the Nevada battery-production Gigafactory that produces far more electric-car batteries any other.
According to a new Reuters report, Tesla has signed a preliminary agreement with Chinese battery manufacturer Lishen to supply batteries for the Model 3 sedans that will be made at Tesla's new Chinese factory as soon as later this year. The report cites two people familiar with the agreement, speaking Chinese, which could indicate anything from a preliminary agreement, as the U.S. business community might understand it, to a mere formal acknowledgement.
READ THIS: Tesla breaks ground on China factory for Model 3 and Model Y
One said it was a preliminary agreement, while the other indicated that Lishen and its batteries still have to go through Tesla's lengthy supplier certification.
Both companies denied to Reuters that they had signed such an agreement, though Tesla acknowledged it gathered a quote from Lishen to supply batteries for the Chinese Model 3.
Tour of Tesla battery gigafactory for invited owners, Reno, Nevada, July 2016
In a tweet in November, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company would source batteries locally for cars made in China and that it planned to diversify its supply sources, including batteries.
One of the Reuters sources said that Lishen was still working out what size cells Tesla would need, and neither knew how many the company might order.
Lishen currently produces batteries for some Hyundai hybrid and electric cars, as well as for Apple and Samsung electronics.
CHECK OUT: Tesla Model S catches fire—twice—after flat tire in California
Tesla's batteries, up until now supplied exclusively by Panasonic from the Nevada Gigafactory, have become known for their performance and longevity, if also for their occasional flammable properties in accidents and sometimes otherwise.
When he announced the groundbreaking for the new Chinese factory, Musk said it would produce lower-end, more affordable versions of the Model 3 there, and eventually the company's upcoming Model Y smaller SUV.
If the cars are to be more affordable, more affordable batteries may be in order too.
Mercedes-Benz moves to build battery supply chain in Europe
2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC
A key obstacle to getting more electric cars on the road at the moment may be building up a big enough supply of batteries to power them.
So far, the only automaker with a large enough supply of batteries to produce electric cars in large volumes is Tesla. Volkswagen has also announced a $10 billion investment in electric-car batteries, but those factories have not yet borne full fruit.
On Tuesday, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that Mercedes-Benz will invest $230 million (200 million Euros) in the Polish town of Jawor. That factory will contribute to Mercedes-Benz's plans to eventually purchase $23 billion worth of batteries for its new lineup of electric cars. Mercedes already operates an engine factory in the town.
READ THIS: Mercedes breaks ground on US battery factory (Updated)
“We are very happy that an investor that has been with us for a few years has entrusted us again and in the same place in Jawor,” Morawiecki said.
Mercedes plans to introduce the first of its new EQ line of electric cars, the EQC, this summer in Europe. It will be followed next year by a smaller EQB electric SUV as well as an EQC, made at the company's U.S. factory in Alabama alongside dedicated battery production facility for its U.S. models. Mercedes' parent company, Daimler, is also planning to produce a line of electric heavy trucks that will require additional battery investments.
Other automakers are also ramping up production of lithium-ion batteries for electric cars. BMW announced it will spend “somewhere in the mid-double-digit millions of euros” to build a battery production facility at its car factory in Dingolfing, Germany. At the same time, the brand is setting up a longer-term battery supply chain using recycled cells from Belgium to supply what is expected to be the world's second-largest battery factory in Stockholm.
CHECK OUT: BMW sets up end-to-end battery recycling in Europe
LG Chem has set up battery factories in Korea, China, Poland, the U.S., and elsewhere to build electric-car batteries for General Motors and most recently Nissan.
Battery manufacturers in China have also been building production, primarily for that country's wave of electric cars already on sale.
Many of these production facilities, however, have yet to come online, and automakers such as GM (and even Tesla) have struggled to buy (or make) enough batteries in order to build more electric cars.
With these investments, that may soon change.
Boeing’s Flying Car Just Completed Its First Test Flight
Passenger Air Vehicle On Tuesday, aerospace company Boeing completed the first ever test flight of its autonomous passenger air vehicle (PAV) — a flying car, basically — at a facility in Virginia. The prototype, which sports wings and a rear propeller, completed a takeoff and hovered to test its “autonomous functions and ground control systems,” according to an… Continue reading Boeing’s Flying Car Just Completed Its First Test Flight
Porsche doubles production of the electric car it hasn’t even released yet in run for Tesla’s market
Source: Porsche
2019 Porsche Taycan
Porsche is already having to double its production plan on the electric car it hasn't even released yet.
The German car maker known for its sports cars and racing heritage said stronger-than-expected demand has led it to boost production on its electric Taycan car from 20,000 to 40,000 units, the company confirmed to CNBC on Wednesday.
Source: Porsche
2019 Porsche Taycan
“We had been ready for it,” said Andrew Lennon, a manager of product communications for Porsche. “We had the ability to increase capacity from the beginning, and executives recently made the decision to go ahead.”
Porsche announced a second variation of the vehicle based on the Cross Turismo concept in October. The company began taking orders last summer and expects the car to be available for sale in the U.S. by the end of the year.
Source: Porsche
2019 Porsche Taycan
The Taycan is yet another example of several high-end electric cars expected to enter the market over the next few years. For example, Jaguar launched the I-Pace electric crossover last year, Audi plans to soon roll out its e-tron sport utility vehicle. Even Ford plans to offer a high-performance electric inspired by its Mustang sports car.
The sports car is expected to give Tesla a run for its money, or at least a run for its customers. Tesla sold 245,240 vehicles last year, 145,846 Model 3 sedans and a combined 99,394 Model S sedans and Model X SUVs.
Source: Porsche
2019 Porsche Taycan
The Taycan, which the company says roughly translates to lively young horse, is expected to start at around $80,000 according to Electrek magazine.
Porsche sold 57,202 vehicles in 2018, almost half of which were its Macan cross-over utility car. Its popular SUV, the Cayenne, had 10,733 in sales and its signature 911 sports car sold 9,647 units. Sales of its 718 entry-level sports car and Panamera sedan made up the rest.
The Jaguar I-PACE is its first, all-electric vehicle.