Lifeboat Foundation

Amid a flood of new competition, Ford is shifting plans to build more affordable electric vehicles. Ford is developing a new low-cost EV platform to power a small electric pickup and SUV, with starting prices around $25,000. However, due to the pivot, plans for its three-row electric SUV have been put on the back burner.

Although low-cost Chinese passenger EVs, like BYD, are not sold in the US, they are having a big impact on domestic automakers.

Ford’s CEO Jim Farley reiterated his concerns over the low-cost overseas rivals during a Wolfe Research conference last month. Farley explained that if you cannot compete with Chinese automakers, “20% to 30% of your revenue is at risk.”

Tesla has confirmed that it has ramped battery cell production enough to 1,000 Cybertrucks a week at Gigafactory Texas.

The automaker hasn’t been releasing many details about its effort to ramp up its own battery cell production at Gigafactory Texas.

At first, it was 4,680 cells for the Model Y, but with the start of Cybertruck production, Tesla switched production to a new version of the cell for the electric pickup truck.

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Mercedes-Benz is partnering with U.S.-based robotics firm Apptronik to explore ways that the latter’s humanoid robots can be used at its factories.

Continue reading “Mercedes-Benz Will Start Using Humanoid Robots to Help Build Cars” »

There’s a patch of concrete on Drexel University’s campus that could portend a frost-free future for sidewalks and highways in the Northeast.

As part of its energy transition strategy, energy giant Shell plans to shed some of its retail locations, including gasoline stations, to focus more on EV charging sites.

“We are upgrading our retail network, with expanded electric vehicle charging and convenience offers, in response to changing customer needs,” Shell said in its 2024 Energy Transition Strategy report. The company plans to “divest around 500 Shell-owned sites (including joint ventures) a year in 2024 and 2025.” The company’s plans were first reported by Bloomberg News.

The closures will shrink the company’s retail footprint by 2.1%. In 2023, the company operated 47,000 locations.

NIO’s entry-level Standard battery pack option will soon get an upgrade with the new 2024 model year cars.

According to the company (via CnEVPost), the 75-kilowatt-hour dual-chemistry (LFP/NCM) Standard battery will be replaced by a new 75-kWh battery with only LFP battery cells. This should simplify the pack and reduce costs. LFP’s battery cell chemistry is known as one of the least expensive per kWh.

Incorporating a phase-change material into concrete, researchers have created a self-heating material that can melt snow and ice for up to 10 hours without using salt or shovels. The novel material could reduce the need for plowing and salting and help preserve the integrity of road surfaces.

According to the US Department of Transportation (DOT), more than 70% of roads are in snowy regions. Snow and ice accumulation reduces road friction and vehicle maneuverability, causing drivers to slow and increasing the risk of crashes. Snow-obstructed lanes and roads also reduce roadway capacity and increase travel time.

The DOT states that local and state agencies spend more than US$2.3 billion annually on snow and ice control operations, in addition to the millions spent repairing infrastructure damage caused by snow and ice. Salting is often used before a snow event to prevent icing, but the highly concentrated salt solution can deteriorate concrete or asphalt. In addition, when water seeps into the road and freezes, it expands, causing internal pressure and damaging the road.

Tesla Summon and Autopark are set to gain major improvements next month, according to company CEO Elon Musk. Autopark is also getting a new name, Musk said, as it appears to be on its way to being called “Banish.”

After Musk stated earlier this month that Tesla would have some “really cool stuff coming this month and next,” owners and fans of the company were left with their own imaginations to think of what could possibly be coming.

While many owners have wished for improvements of things like the Auto Wipers, Tesla has been working behind the scenes to improve some of its semi-autonomous driving features and certain parts of Enhanced Autopilot, including Summon and Autopark.

One shaken Redditor took to r/teslamotors to share their story after their Tesla vehicle saved them from a situation that could easily have turned deadly.

“My Model 3 saved my life today,” they said in the post.

According to the Redditor, they were driving home on the highway in heavy, “basically stopped” traffic. They wanted to change lanes, but the number of cars was making it difficult. “Problem was there were a lot of oncoming cars and almost no breaks in between them,” they said.