Tesla has come under fire for posting what some critics claim to be wildly optimistic range numbers for its battery-electric vehicles. Now, as the Department of Justice begins looking into potentially inflated claims, the automaker has lowered the estimates on at least some versions of three of its five models.
Today’s cars already function as computers on wheels, some equipped with over 100 onboard microprocessors. But tomorrow’s vehicles will go significantly further, offering the sort of software-based features and functions found on Apple and Android smartphones and making use of the latest AI technology. Tomorrow’s “software-defined vehicles” will transform what motorists can do while driving – while generating hundreds of billions of dollars in new revenue streams for automakers. We’ll get a look at what this means at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
The New Year brings bad news for potential EV buyers as only a handful of models now qualify for federal tax credits of up to $7,500. That’s because of new requirements covering the sourcing of batteries and raw materials like lithium and cobalt. Among the brands impacted are Tesla, Nissan, General Motors and Ford. And analysts worry this could further slow growth of EV sales.
Tesla’s been locked in a running disagreement with Norway’s unions for weeks now and has been feeling the effects. Well, everywhere but its showrooms where Norwegians continue to trek to and buy EVs. In fact, Tesla’s the topselling brand — for the third straight year. Get details at Headlight.News.
At least 40 new battery-electric vehicles are due to reach U.S. showrooms in 2024 — and that’s a conservative estimate as we’ve had a number of surprises dropped on us by both domestic and foreign-owned brands. If anything, the flood of EV offerings will likely accelerate going forward. Here’s a look at some of the models we’re expecting in 2025 and 2026. Headlight.News checks out 45 of them.
By far the most alarming story that’s being taken in stride are the allegations that Tesla has been blaming known problematic parts failures on their customers, accusing Tesla buyers of having poor driving habits. Worse, the company has billed its customers for repairs stemming from known defective parts, and has tap danced around regulators on the issue. Read it all at Headlight.News
Tesla is wrapping up 2023 with another record under its belt. But while sales hit an all-time high they still fell short of CEO Elon Musk’s ambitious forecast. And the Texas-based automaker has a growing list of problems on its plate, including mounting pressure for another recall following the one it announced two weeks ago.
At an average cost of $60,000, most of today’s battery-electric vehicles fall into the luxury category — and that’s one reason why the growth of the EV market has slowed down this year. But as we head into 2024, motorists who want to go electric could soon find more affordable options. Get details at Headlight.News.
It was supposed to provide a high-speed alternative to air travel, but Elon Musk is quietly shutting down his once-promising hyperloop company at the end of this year. Its assets are being sold off to a Dubai-based shipping company, though it’s far from clear that will ever bring the maglev system into real-world operation. Get details at Headlight.News.
Like the kid getting revenge on the bully who used to kick sand on his face at the beach, the Ford F-150 came to the rescue of a humbled Tesla Cybertruck in a video now gone viral. Get the details at Headlight.News.
Tesla will recall 2 million EVs sold in the U.S. to make significant updates to its Autopilot system. As Headlight.News reported Tuesday, the semi-autonomous technology has come under fire because, among other things, it can be used on roads for which it was not designed. That has been linked to numerous fatal crashes. But Tesla put a positive spin on the issue, CEO Elon Musk claiming the recall is part of a “moral obligation” to ensure the safety of its vehicles.
Tesla is coming under more intense fire as a result of a series of crashes involving its Autopilot system. The NTSB wants the automaker to block its use on roads where it’s not safe to operate. And California regulators say the name, Autopilot, is itself false and misleading and should be changed.