Author: john@provenroi.com
The Mercedes G 580 with EQ Technology is the first electric Popemobile Fisker was supposed to supply an Ocean as the first electric Popemobile While the electric G-Class is the first electric Popemobile, it’s not the first EV in the Vatican’s fleet Mercedes-Benz G-Class Popemobiles have been a fixture of the Vatican vehicle fleet for decades, so with the off-roader now going electric, it’s fitting that the latest Popemobile is doing the same. Mercedes on Wednesday presented Pope Francis with the first official electric Popemobile, based on the all-electric G 580 with EQ Technology that also reaches U.S. showrooms this…
It’s a tale of contradictions and complexities. The CEO of a company adamantly against federal incentives now finds his own company heavily reliant on them as the end of 2024 approaches. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has been a vocal opponent of consumer EV credits, arguing that they would give his company an unfair advantage and disadvantage its competitors. However, as the year comes to a close, Tesla seems to be embracing these subsidies more than ever. Tesla’s reliance on these tax credits has become apparent as the company aims to meet its sales targets for the year. With…
Lexus has decided to postpone the production of its upcoming electric flagship model, as reported by NHK, a Japanese media outlet. The next-generation electric flagship, previewed by the Lexus LF-ZL concept showcased at the 2023 Tokyo auto show, was initially scheduled for a 2026 launch. However, the launch has now been rescheduled to 2027 to allow for further development work, according to the report. The LF-ZL, which stands for “Lexus Future Zero-emission Luxury,” is an SUV that measures 208.6 inches in length. This makes it approximately eight inches longer than the Lexus LX, the brand’s largest SUV, and two inches…
BC Ferries in British Columbia, Canada, has announced a new partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink to provide Wi-Fi for ferry crews while at sea. This collaboration aims to address the longstanding issue of unreliable internet service on ferries, which led to the discontinuation of onboard internet for passengers in 2021. CEO Nicolas Jimenez recently spoke at a Greater Vancouver Board of Trade event about the challenges of offering reliable internet on ferries. While Starlink now offers more affordable marine internet solutions for crews, extending this service to passengers presents a much larger challenge due to the high number of users on…
VinFast, a Vietnamese startup, is making waves in the electric vehicle market with its latest offering, the VinFast VF6. Despite a rocky start with poorly reviewed models, VinFast has not given up on its electric vehicle plans. The VF6, which is now open for reservations in France, Germany, and The Netherlands, is priced starting at around $36,000 for the Eco model. This model comes equipped with a 201-horsepower motor and a 59.6 kWh LFP battery, providing a range of up to 254 miles on the WLTP cycle. The VF6 represents VinFast’s push to democratize EVs in Europe by offering a…
Rivian’s Future Software Updates to Include Text Messaging Capabilities in 2025 Rivian’s chief software officer confirmed the company’s EVs will get text messaging capabilities in 2025 The text messaging solution will utilize native text-to-speech via a new voice tech stack Google Cast and native YouTube application will come in the next software update Two years ago, Rivian Chief Software Officer Wassym Bensaid announced plans for text-to-speech text messaging abilities in Rivian electric vehicles. However, the functionality has not yet been implemented in any Rivian vehicles. During a recent fireside chat at the Rivian Space in Los Angeles, Bensaid revealed that…
The electric vehicle charging landscape is rapidly evolving, with more options available to drivers than ever before. The Tesla Supercharger network, once exclusive to Tesla owners, is now accessible to a growing list of non-Tesla electric vehicles in the United States and Canada. This expansion has opened up over 17,000 fast chargers to EVs like the Rivian R1T, Ford Mustang Mach-E, and Chevrolet Blazer EV, providing owners with more charging options than ever before. In addition to the Tesla Supercharger network, there are a myriad of other charging networks available to EV drivers, such as EVgo, Electrify America, and ChargePoint.…
California-based Telo Trucks Lowers Base Price for MT1 Electric Pickup California-based Telo Trucks announced on Tuesday that its space-efficient MT1 electric pickup will now have a lower base price. The company initially revealed the MT1 in 2023, stating that it would launch in dual-motor all-wheel-drive form at a cost of $49,999 before incentives. However, the truck’s configurator is now live, showing a single-motor rear-wheel-drive base model with a starting price of $41,520. Telo truck vs Mini Cooper SE The base MT1 boasts 300 hp and an estimated 260 miles of range from its Standard battery pack. For an additional $3,980,…
Tesla’s upcoming Robotaxi has been slimmed down to have just half the components as a Model 3, leading to substantial cost savings for the company. This cost-cutting measure is likely the reason Tesla projects it will be able to price the car so low. However, there are still hurdles Tesla will need to overcome before the steering wheel-less car can hit public roads. The Robotaxi concept is all about efficiency and doing more with less. Tesla engineers have managed to reduce the number of parts in the Cybercab prototype to just half of what’s found in the production version of…
General Motors and LG Energy Solution Partner on Battery Development General Motors and LG Energy Solution made significant announcements on Monday, revealing plans for a strategic partnership in the development of battery technology. GM disclosed its intention to divest its stake in a Michigan joint-venture battery factory to LG. The transaction is expected to be finalized in the first quarter of 2025, with GM poised to recover its investment in the Lansing plant. The companies will maintain their technical collaboration for the advancement of prismatic cells. The agreement will not affect GM’s ownership in Ultium Cells LLC, the joint venture…