Mountain View startup Drive.ai, which made kits to turn regular cars into autonomous ones, will shut its office in June and lay off 90 workers in a permanent closure of its business, according to a filing with a state agency. At the same time, Apple has hired a handful of hardware and software engineers from… Continue reading Drive.ai, a self-driving car startup once worth $200 million, is closing – San Francisco Chronicle
Tag: Electric vehicles
UPDATE 2-Tesla faces delivery bottleneck at close of Q2 -Electrek
FILE PHOTO: A Tesla Model 3 is seen in a showroom in Los Angeles, California U.S. January 12, 2018. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson (Reuters) – Shares of Tesla Inc fell 1.7% on Tuesday after news website Electrek reported that the electric-car maker has so far delivered 49,000 vehicles in North America during the second quarter, threatening its… Continue reading UPDATE 2-Tesla faces delivery bottleneck at close of Q2 -Electrek
Taken to the next level: new edition of the Audi Q7
The Audi Q7 is getting an all-round update – both visually and technically. The large SUV features the new design of the Q family and offers superb dynamics and excellent comfort, in addition to its superior spaciousness. Mild hybrid technology, the digital operating concept and the optional HD Matrix LED headlights including laser light are… Continue reading Taken to the next level: new edition of the Audi Q7
Faraday Future fires dozens of employees on unpaid leave
Sputtering electric vehicle startup Faraday Future has fired dozens of employees who have been on unpaid leave for months, including manufacturing workers hired to staff the company’s factory in Hanford, California, The Verge has learned. The workers received benefits during this furlough, which started in late 2018, and it had already been extended once already.… Continue reading Faraday Future fires dozens of employees on unpaid leave
Regional discounts can make electric cars a steal
In some places, you almost can't afford not to buy an electric car.
Adding regional incentives to state and federal incentives can cut the price of some electric cars nearly in half and make them cheaper than some used cars or the most basic of new gas models. Consider that electric cars never need gas or oil changes, and buyers can come away with lower monthly costs than just buying gas for an older car.
These state and regional incentives—along with occasional special fees charged on electric-car buyers—can make or break the purchase of an electric car.
The best example currently is in Denver, incentives from a local dealer and utility company pile onto the $5,000 Colorado tax credit, and federal tax credits to cut as much as $19,500 off the purchase price of a Nissan Leaf. That's more than the base MSRP of a Honda Fit, a Hyundai Elantra, or a Mazda3.
As in Denver, local energy companies often play a big part in such discounts. Xcel Energy, a local Colorado utility, has partnered with Tynan's Nissan in Aurora to offer the program. Xcel and Tynan each kick in a $3,500 cash incentive, which, combined with the Colorado state tax credit and the $7,500 federal tax credit, can get buyers into a base Nissan Leaf for as little as $11,665.
Payments on a five-year loan at 5 percent interest could be as little as $220 a month. That's less than some Denver drivers may pay for gas every month.
Colorado is working hard to spread electric cars among its population to improve air quality in the region. Denver may be the most compelling place to buy a Nissan Leaf, but other regions also offer compelling deals.
– Buyers in nearby Fort Collins, Colorado, offers buyers a $9,000 group-purchase discount on top of state and federal tax credits that can make Leaf purchases even cheaper than in Denver.
– Connecticut offers electric-car buyers a $3,000 state tax credit, and some state utilities add thousands more. Norwich Public Utilities offers a $1,000 rebate for those who buy or lease a new or used electric car.
– Oregon offers a tax incentive of $2,500, which buyers can add to a $3,500 rebate on Nissan Leaf purchases through the local utility Portland General Electric.
– State, county, and municipal tax exemptions in Seattle can add up to more than $2,500 per car.
No matter where you live, it's worth seeking out these local discounts and incentives. They can make choosing an electric car even more affordable.
Porsche reveals insurance program: At ease, Taycan electric-car buyers
By the time the 2020 Porsche Taycan launches late this year, Porsche owners in three states will likely be able to choose a new kind of per-mile insurance offered through the sports-car brand.
Especially for those planning to make a leap to the Taycan, it could amount to some peace of mind. For those new to electric cars, insurance can often be a bit of a rude awakening.
Yes, in terms of maintenance, energy costs, and wearable items like brake pads, EVs are cheaper and involve less hassle. But wildly varied electric-vehicle claims rates have left insurers to take a conservative tack with EVs, resulting in some steep rate hikes. The most noteworthy of those was in 2017, when AAA looked at its own data and that from the insurer-funded Highway Loss Data Institute and, despite stellar safety ratings, decided to raise rates on the Tesla Model S and Model X by 30 percent.
2013 Tesla Model S crash test by NHTSA (Image: crashnet1 Youtube screen grab)
Tesla, which recently started offering leases, will soon also launch its own insurance product in which it might share data from its vehicles and Autopilot sensors.
The Porsche insurance program, administered in partnership with Mile Auto and Porsche Financial Services, doesn’t involve the collection of the vehicle’s location, or when and how it’s driven. Mile Auto’s solution simply involves submitting a photo of the vehicle odometer at regular intervals.
“No other information is collected from the vehicle or customer,” Porsche Financial Services assured Green Car Reports.
Porsche Taycan prototype
Although the timing of the program is perfect for those electric-vehicle concerns, Porsche says that the program was developed independent of the Taycan launch. It will cover the Taycan as well as every Porsche model going back to the 1981 model year.
Porsche Financial Services is the captive finance provider for Porsche as well as Bentley, Lamborghini, and Bugatti.
There’s one big “if” to this program: So far, you need to be in Illinois and Oregon this year, although Porsche aims to offer it in a third state by the end of the year. Rollout of the program to more states remains under evaluation; but given Porsche's plans to embrace electric with more models in the near future, it's an extra bit of assurance.
UPDATE 1-Chinese electric automaker BYD opens first plant in Canada
FILE PHOTO: A charging spot is seen at the stage of Chinese automaker BYD during the opening day of the Shanghai Auto Show April 19, 2011. REUTERS/Carlos Barria (Reuters) – Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD Co Ltd said on Tuesday it had opened its first plant in Canada, which will initially focus on assembling buses… Continue reading UPDATE 1-Chinese electric automaker BYD opens first plant in Canada
BMW ‘could produce 100 electrified models by 2023 if demand was there’
BMW “could launch 100 electrified cars by 2023” if customer demand was there to buy them, according to the firm’s head of development, Klaus Fröhlich. His comments coincided with today’s announcement that BMW is pulling forward its electrified launch goal of 25 new vehicles by two years. Fröhlich says this is possible because of the flexibility of… Continue reading BMW ‘could produce 100 electrified models by 2023 if demand was there’
Lightyear One debuts as the first long-range solar-powered electric car
Electric cars are better for the environment than fossil fuel-burning vehicles, but they still rely on the grid, which can be variously dirty or clean depending on what sources it uses for its energy. The new Lightyear One is a prototype vehicle that would improve that by collecting the power it needs to run from… Continue reading Lightyear One debuts as the first long-range solar-powered electric car
Savings program: Auto supplier Mahle closes plant in Öhringen
Mahle headquarters StuttgartMahle CEO Jörg Stratmann is now taking firm action in his austerity program: the fourth-largest German automotive supplier plans to phase out the facility in Öhringen by the end of 2020. So far, 240 employees have been manufacturing air management systems for internal combustion engines there. The plant has been under price pressure… Continue reading Savings program: Auto supplier Mahle closes plant in Öhringen