A $20k American-made electric pickup with no paint, no stereo, no screen(theverge.com) Ask just about anybody, and they’ll tell you that new cars are too expensive. In the wake of tariffs shaking the auto industry and with the Trump administration pledging to kill the federal EV incentive, that situation isn’t looking to get better soon, especially for anyone wanting something battery-powered. Changing that overly spendy status quo is going to take something radical, and it’s hard to get more radical than what Slate Auto has planned.
Tesla Is Losing to Volkswagen's EVs in Europe(jalopnik.com) For years, Tesla's overinflated share price has been backed by two things: The cult of personality around the company's CEO and not-founder, Elon Musk, and its position as the world's biggest electric automaker.
Offgrid Electric Car(joeyh.name) Eight months ago I came up my rocky driveway in an electric car, with the back full of solar panel mounting rails. I didn't know how I'd manage to keep it charged. I got the car earlier than planned, with my offgrid solar upgrade only beginning. There's no nearby EV charger, and winter was coming, less solar power every day. Still, it was the right time to take a leap to offgid EV life.
Tesla odometer uses "predictive algorithms" to void warranty, lawsuit claims(arstechnica.com) Tesla is facing a new scandal that once again sees the electric automaker accused of misleading customers. In the past, it has been caught making "misleading statements" about the safety of its electric vehicles, and more recently, an investigation by Reuters found Tesla EVs exaggerated their efficiency. Now, a lawsuit filed in California alleges that the cars are also falsely exaggerating odometer readings to make warranties expire prematurely.
How Tesla is replacing the age-old CAN bus(notateslaapp.com) According to a report from Reuters, obtained from three sources with inside knowledge, Tesla is delaying the launch of its more affordable model - the cheaper variant of the Model Y.
54 points by TheAlchemist 7 days ago | 73 comments
Electric Propulsion's Dirty Secret: Why Lithium Can't Fly (Or Float) Profitably(kumarletter.com) Lithium propulsion for aircraft and boats is fundamentally unprofitable across the entire U.S. grid. The numbers don't lie: 60× worse energy density than jet fuel, 3.3× higher operating costs, 22% reduced asset utilization, and payback periods that consume 2/3 of the asset's lifespan. Anyone claiming otherwise is ignoring basic physics or hiding most of the energy and economic costs.
Tesla makes its cars lie about their mileage, lawsuit claims(arstechnica.com) Tesla is facing a new scandal that once again sees the electric automaker accused of misleading customers. In the past, it has been caught making "misleading statements" about the safety of its electric vehicles, and more recently, an investigation by Reuters found Tesla EVs exaggerated their efficiency. Now, a lawsuit filed in California alleges that the cars are also falsely exaggerating odometer readings to make warranties expire prematurely.
Hydrogen vs. Battery Buses: A European Transit Reality Check(cleantechnica.com) Two more hydrogen bus trial failures crossed my screen this morning, so I thought I’d share. Both are in Europe, but while one is in the capital of the EU, the other is across the Channel in the heart of the United Kingdom’s oil and gas industry. While I’m at it, I’ll provide a rundown on where all of the EU’s funding has gone, and what the constant refrains are.