Archive for the ‘Electrified Vehicles’ Category
U.S.-based company expands Daimler's battery-electric capabilities.
by Joseph Szczesny on Sep.20, 2018
Daimler Truck has invested millions in California-based electric busmaker Proterra to help with its battery-electric development.
Daimler Trucks & Buses agreed to put up part of a $155 million investment in an electric bus company founded and based in the United States.
Proterra Inc., with offices in California’s Silicon Valley, South Carolina and Los Angeles, announced it closed a $155 million investment round co-led by Daimler, the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles, and Tao Capital Partners.
Tech Talk!
Martin Daum, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG with responsibility for Daimler Trucks & Buses, noted Proterra has emerged as a leader in the electric-bus business with more than 90 customers across the United States. (more…)
Tags: Daimler AG news, Daimler Truck & Bus, Daimler invests millions in Proterra, Proterra Daimler deal, Proterra battery-electric buses, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, electric bus, electric buses, ev news, joseph szczesny, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automakers, Automobiles, Daimler, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Europe, Funding, Markets, Technology, U.S./North America | No Comments »
Feds looking into possible “fraud” in aborted privatization effort.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Sep.19, 2018
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is the focal point of investigations by the Department of Justice as well as the SEC.
Elon Musk now says he may try to hitch a ride along with the Japanese billionaire who plans to buy a ride on a SpaceX rocket trip around the moon.
Considering the mounting legal problems facing the 47-year-old executive, the CEO of both SpaceX and Tesla, Musk may need to find a way out of town in the near future.
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Musk and Tesla are now facing a criminal investigation by the U.S. Justice Department looking into his brief flirtation with taking the California carmaker private, even as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating that aborted move. Separately, Musk is facing lawsuits in both Los Angeles and London filed by a British diver who the South African-born executive has accused of being a “pedo,” or pedophile, as well as a “child rapist.” (more…)
Tags: DOJ Musk investigation, Justice Department investigating Musk, Musk news, Musk sued, Musk sued by diver, SEC investigating Tesla and Musk, Tesla sued by whistleblower, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, paul a. eisenstein, tesla news, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automobiles, Business, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Europe, Executives, Investors, Lawsuits/Legal, Markets, Personalities, Sales, Sales, Technology, Tesla, U.S./North America, UAW, Union | No Comments »
German automaker will initially target Tesla Model X.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Sep.18, 2018
Audi is ready to take on the industry leader, Tesla, with the all-new e-tron.
With the launch of the new e-tron SUV, Audi becomes the latest in a growing list of automakers to introduce a long-range battery-electric vehicle aimed directly at industry pioneer Tesla.
The luxury arm of Volkswagen AG traveled to San Francisco, Tesla’s backyard, to unveil the new model during a splashy ceremony that drew hundreds of journalists and dealers. Audi already offers a number of hybrid and plug-in models but it is planning to now introduce an array of all-electric offerings, joining such high-line competitors as Jaguar, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Electrifying!
The push into electrification could be particularly important for Audi in its bid to recover from the diesel emissions scandal that tarred several Volkswagen brands, resulting in penalties and settlements totaling around $30 billion. Though the company will continue to produce some diesel models, it now sees electric vehicles as key to its future. (more…)
Tags: Audi battling Tesla, Audi challenges Tesla, Audi e-tron, Audi's first U.S. EV, TheDetroitBureau.com., audi electric suv, audi news, new Audi, new Audi EV, paul a. eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Asia Pacific, Audi, Automakers, Automobiles, Business, China, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Europe, Markets, SUVs, Sales, Sales, Technology, Trends, U.S./North America | No Comments »
German automaker will debut five-door hatchback in 2019.
by Michael Strong on Sep.17, 2018
Thomas Ulbrich, left, and Christian Senger outline Volkswagen's plans for its MEB-based electric vehicles.
Volkswagen AG is readying to kick off its long-expected onslaught of electric vehicles from its MEB platform, revealing an investment of more than $6 billion for plant upgrades to produce more than 10 million EVs by the end of 2025.
The moves are part of what VW dubs its “Electric for All” plan, based off the flexibility of its modular electric drive, or MEB, platform. It’s expected to the base for as many as 27 model between now and 2025.
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“We will make electric vehicles popular and get as many people as possible excited about electric cars,” said Brand Board Member for E-Mobility Thomas Ulbrich. “The MEB is one of the most important projects in the history of Volkswagen – a technological milestone, similar to the transition from the Beetle to the Golf.” (more…)
Tags: TheDetroitBureau.com., VW EV plans, VW MEB-based electric vehicles, VW electric vehicle plan, VW investing $6 billion into EVs, Volkswagen AG Electric for All, auto news, ev news, michael strong, thedetroitbureau, vw news
Posted in Asia Pacific, Automakers, Automobiles, Business, China, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Europe, Executives, Markets, Minivans, NAFTA, Personalities, Sales, Sales, South America, Technology, Trends, U.S./North America, Volkswagen | No Comments »
PIF looking for a hedge as it expands the value of the fund.
by Michael Strong on Sep.17, 2018
Lucid executives were on the hunt for additional investors, and struck a $1 billion with the Saudis.
After being seen as the key to Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s now-dead plans to take the EV maker private, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is now investing $1 billion into EV start up Lucid Motors.
The new pact gives Lucid the cash it needs to kick off production of its first-ever model, the Air, in 2020, at its plant in Arizona. Lucid officials have said the new model will cost about $60,000.
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It’s widely believed the Saudis have been searching for ways to hedge against its oil exports for some time now, explaining the earlier dalliance with Tesla and Musk. The two sides had talks about the fund backing Musk’s plan, which could have required more than $40 billion from the Saudis. (more…)
Tags: EV maker gets $1B from Saudis, Lucid Motors $1 billlion investor, Lucid news, Lucid production plans, PIF invests $1B into Lucid, Saudi investment fund, Saudis invest $1B into EV maker, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, ev news, lucid air, michael strong, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Asia Pacific, Automakers, Automobiles, Business, China, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Europe, Funding, Investors, Markets, NAFTA, Technology, U.S./North America | 2 Comments »
Show car offers broad hints about BMW's next all-electric model.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Sep.15, 2018
BMW offered a handful of journalists a sneak peek at the iNext concept during an around-the-world tour.
BMW was one of the first of the traditional automakers to enter the plug-in vehicle market, well ahead of luxury rivals like Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Lexus. But it has been slow to follow up on its original i3 and i8 models, especially when it comes to all-electric offerings, even as those competitors have laid out aggressive plans to launch literally dozens of their own new products in the coming years.
BMW has been dropping hints about where it might go next for several years. And the Bavarian automaker is looking to get back in the game with the appropriately named iNext, an all-electric and autonomous crossover set to make its debut in 2021.
Tech Talk!
A handful of select media outlets, including TheDetroitBureau.com, got a chance to check out a prototype version of the iNext during an otherwise top-secret, around-the-world series that took the concept vehicles from Germany to New York, then Los Angeles and, finally, Beijing.
(more…)
Tags: BMW concept, BMW iNext, auto news, bmw autonomous, bmw electric, bmw i, bmw ivision, car news, electric vehicle, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, seat sensor, thedetroitbureau, touch fabric
Posted in Audi, Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Autonomous Driving, BMW, Business, Crossovers/CUVs, Driverless Vehicles, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Environment, First Look, Frankfurt, Fuel Economy, Infotainment, Jaguar, Lexus, Luxury Vehicles, Mercedes, SUVs, Safety, Safety, Sales, Semi-autonomous Driving, Technology, Technology, Trends | No Comments »
Short commutes, lower electricity costs put the Big Easy on top.
by Michael Strong on Sep.11, 2018
New Orleans is the cheapest city in the country for electric vehicle commuters, according to Crescent Electric.
It’s generally accepted that it’s cheaper on an annual basis to drive an electric car than a gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicle.
Electricity is cheaper than both oil-based options, but how big a bang you’re getting for your buck really depends on where you live, according to a study by Crescent Electric. The study examined the 52 largest markets in the U.S. to determine the cheapest to own an electric vehicle.
Beyond the Headlines!
Right now, the livin’ is cheap in the Big Easy for EV owners. New Orleans is the cheapest place to own an electric vehicle at just more than $54 a year. (more…)
Tags: Crescent Electric EV study, EV ownership costs, New Orleans cheapest EV commute, New York City expensive for EVs, Seattle cheap for EVs, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, cheapest place for EVs, ev news, michael strong, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automakers, Automobiles, Business, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Markets, Sales, Sales, Technology, Trends, U.S./North America | 2 Comments »
Trump's ongoing tensions with China and Europe push decision.
by Michael Strong on Sep.10, 2018
Volvo Chief Executive Hakan Samuelsson said that trade tensions between the U.S. and China as well as the EU were one reason to halt its IPO.
President Donald Trump’s seemingly ongoing trade war with, well, everyone as well as a less-than-robust period for auto stocks has forced Volvo Cars to put off its initial public offering — for now, anyway.
Volvo Cars, which is owned by China-based Geely, previously announced it was considering the IPO to help raise funds for additional research and expanding of production. However, the current trade tensions between the U.S. and China as well as the European Union has forced a rethink.
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“We’ve come to the conclusion that the timing is not optimal for an IPO right now,” Volvo Chief Executive Hakan Samuelsson told Reuters by telephone on Monday. (more…)
Tags: Aston Martin stock, Geely's Li Shufu, TheDetroitBureau.com., Volvo $16B stock offering, Volvo Cars Geely delay IPO, Volvo delaying IPO, Volvo halts stock offering, Volvo stock move, auto news, michael strong, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Alfa Romeo, Automakers, Automobiles, Business, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Executives, Funding, Geely, Investors, Luxury Vehicles, Markets, Personalities, Politicians, Technology, Trade, U.S./North America, Volvo | No Comments »
New vehicle is Mercedes' glimpse into future mobility.
by Michael Strong on Sep.10, 2018
Mercedes-Benz unveiled its Vision Urbanetic concept. Shown here as a people mover, it's the company's take on future mobility.
Mercedes-Benz looked into the future to find ways to move people and things efficiently and quietly around cities and developed the Vision Urbanetic concept, which uses an electric powertrain and configurable bodies to do exactly that.
The result is a self-driving, electrically powered chassis that can take different switchable bodies for people moving or goods transport. As a ride-sharing vehicle, Vision Urbanetic can accommodate up to 12 passengers, while the cargo module can carry up to ten EPAL pallets.
Product News!
The interior cargo space is about 12.5 feet long while the entire vehicle is nearly 17 feet long. The vehicle can be incorporated into an IT infrastructure that analyzes in real time the supply and demand within a defined area. (more…)
Tags: Mercedes autonomous people mover, Mercedes self-driving cargo hauler, Mercedes self-driving future, Mercedes-Benz Vision Urbanetic, TheDetroitBureau.com., auto news, mercedes news, michael strong, new urban transport Mercedes, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automakers, Automobiles, Autonomous Driving, Business, Concept Cars, Driverless Vehicles, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Markets, Mercedes, Ride-Sharing, Sales, Technology, U.S./North America | No Comments »
Owner blames Autopilot but was looking at cellphone when crash occurred.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Sep.10, 2018
The driver of the Tesla involved in this March crash in Utah suffered a broken foot and other injuries
A Utah woman who was injured in the crash of a Tesla Model S in May has filed a lawsuit against the automaker alleging negligence and claiming that the vehicle’s Autopilot system should have prevented the crash – even though she admitted to police that she was looking at her cellphone when the battery-sedan ran into the back of a fire truck.
Heather Lommatzsch broke her foot in a crash, which occurred about the same time as several other high-profile incidents involving Tesla vehicles using the automaker’s semi-autonomous Autopilot technology. That included one in California in which a motorist was killed when his vehicle hit the center barrier on a freeway and ultimately caught fire.
Beyond the Headlines!
The lawsuit comes at a particularly awkward time for Tesla, the automaker watching its share price plunge by nearly a third since shortly after CEO Elon Musk announced his interest in taking the company private. That project has since been abandoned and both Musk and Tesla now face an investigation by the SEC. Tesla also faces a number of lawsuits and Autopilot is under investigations by federal regulators following several of those recent crashes.
(more…)
Tags: Tesla facing lawsuit, Tesla lawsuit Autopilot, Tesla sued in Utah crash, TheDetroitBureau.com., Utah fire truck crash Tesla, auto news, paul a. eisenstein, tesla news, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automakers, Automobiles, Autonomous Driving, Driverless Vehicles, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Lawsuits/Legal, Markets, Safety, Semi-autonomous Driving, Technology, Tesla, U.S./North America | 1 Comment »
