Australian startup Zero Automotive has launched an electric pickup truck for commercial use, based on the Landcruiser 79 series. “It’s available in 20 to 120 kWh battery packs, with modular battery packs and a 700 Nm electric motor,” said Zero Automotive co-founder Tim Possingham. “That has more torque than the factory turbo-diesel V8 that’s normally… Read more »
Tag: The Vehicles
GM, Toyota and Fiat Chrysler side with Trump in fight to gut fuel economy standards
GM, Toyota and Fiat Chrysler have announced that they will side with the Trump administration in its war with California over fuel economy standards, in direct opposition to competitors Ford, Honda, Volkswagen and BMW, which struck a compromise with the California Air Resources Board in July. CARB’s deal with the four automakers calls for fleet… Read more »
Buick launches Velite 6 Plus multi-activity EV in China
Buick has launched its latest EV, the Velite 6 Plus MAV (multi-activity vehicle) in China. The Velite 6 Plus MAV offers a range of 255 miles, improving on the Velite 6’s range of 187 miles. Buick has increased battery capacity to 52.5 kWh and its energy density to 140 wh/kg. The new EV offers 110… Read more »
The important takeaways from Tesla’s earnings coup
Tesla’s earnings announcements often feature big surprises, but this one was a bolt of lightning. The California carmaker earned $1.86 a share in the third quarter, far exceeding even the most optimistic projections (according to Bloomberg, the smart money was expecting a 24-cent loss). Revenue actually came in just short of expectations, at 6.3 billion… Read more »
No surprise: Bollinger’s rugged hand-built electric trucks will be pricey
Why the big surprise, folks? Robert Bollinger warned us. When Charged interviewed the founder of Bollinger Motors for a feature in our May/June 2018 issue, we asked him if he was designing to a price point. “We’re doing it the opposite way,” he replied. “What would be the coolest truck? What are all the things… Read more »
Pricing announced for new electric Mini Cooper SE
In July, when Mini revealed specs for its new electric Mini Cooper SE, some hailed it as the savior of parent BMW, which has been losing market share to rivals such as Daimler (and Tesla) while sales of electrified BMWs and Minis has grown. Others in the EV press were skeptical of the new EV’s… Read more »
Senator Schumer proposes $454 billion in new funding to promote EVs
US Senator Chuck Schumer (D-New York), the current Senate Minority Leader, has proposed a plan that would invest $454 billion over 10 years to help the US auto industry accelerate the transition to electrified vehicles. Schumer’s plan would provide rebates of $3,000 to $5,000 (plus another $2,000 for low-income buyers) for owners of gas vehicles… Read more »
Toyota extends battery warranty of 2020 models
Toyota will extend its battery warranty from 8 years or 100,000 miles to 10 years or 150,000 miles for hybrids, PEV, and EVs, beginning with model year 2020. The warranty will cover first owners and subsequent owners. Heather Updegraff, General Manager of Vehicle Marketing & Communications, said, “Toyota introduced the first hybrid vehicle in the… Read more »
Swedish startup reveals Uniti One electric city car
Automaker Uniti was established in 2015, and has roots in a research project at Sweden’s Lund University. Now the startup has revealed its first vehicle. Designed in Sweden and engineered in the UK, the Uniti One was created from the ground up to be an urban electric vehicle. It features minimalist Scandinavian-style styling and a… Read more »
Minnesota and New Mexico to become clean air states
As the federal government struggles to wrest control of emissions standards from state governments, two more states have announced plans to join the 13 that already enforce their own more stringent standards. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will begin the process of setting vehicle emission standards for automakers this… Read more »
