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.
Ford Motor Co. will slash production of its F-150 Lightning early next year, the automaker confirmed, reflecting a drop in customer demand. Ford had only recently completed a major expansion at the Dearborn, Michigan plant building the all-electric pickup to respond to initial demand following Lightning’s launch in spring 2022.
During a live-streamed event marking the first deliveries of the Tesla Cybertruck on Nov. 30, CEO Elon Musk played off a video showing the electric truck crashing into a barrier at 35 mph. “If you’re ever in an argument with another car you will win,” Musk said, triggering cheers from the audience. But safety experts aren’t quite ready to celebrate. Despite — or perhaps because of — Cybertruck’s stiff stainless steel body panels, questions are being raised about what it could do to pedestrians, bicyclists and other vehicles — and whether it can actually protect its own passengers.
A Florida man was arrested after taunting authorities “to stop me” before making a threat to commit what is being described as a “mass casualty” event during the roll-out of the new Tesla Cybertruck last week. More from Headlight.News.
For the second time this year, EV start-up Fisker has scaled back production plans, and now expects to roll out half as many Ocean SUVs as it planned at the beginning of the year. But that was fine with Wall Street, its stock price rising nearly 9% as the week came to a close. Headlight.News looks at what’s behind the cutback, and why it pleases investors.
Almost precisely four years after unveiling its first electric pickup, and after a long series of delays, Tesla finally delivered the first Cybertruck to customers at its Texas assembly plant on Thursday afternoon. The question is whether the all-electric pickup will live up to the hype it has received –considering it falls well short of its original range target while prices are 50% higher than what was promised in 2019. Even the automaker’s CEO Elon Musk isn’t as confident as normal.
The Biden admin. may give a critical boost to the auto industry as sales of battery-electric vehicles slow, temporarily lifting rules sharply curtailing the number of EVs qualifying for federal tax credits. But the senator who introduced the restrictions says he’ll fight any rollback, reports Headlight.News.
A judge in Florida cited “reasonable evidence” that Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk knew the automaker’s Autopilot system had a potentially fatal defect, a finding that could create serious problems for Tesla as it faces the third trial this year over the semi-autonomous driving system.
If you’ve been holding off on buying a new vehicle now may be a good time to head over to your nearest showroom. After three years of record hikes, prices have begun to tumble as automakers build back COVID-depleted inventories. Better yet, incentives are beginning to rise, meaning you could find the best deal in years. Headlight.News has more.
Only a few years ago, an array of EV start-ups appeared poised to revolutionize the auto industry. Today, many have vanished while others struggle for survival. There have been a few success stories but the shake-out is likely to continue, reports Headlight.News.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has bandied about plans for a $25,000 electric vehicle for a few years now. However, that vehicle — dubbed the Model 2 by some — appeared to be pushed to the wayside as the EV maker focused on bringing the Cybertruck to the market. However, there are reports the “cheap” EV is front and center again. Get details at Headlight.News.
Ford is rethinking its commitment to battery-electric vehicles, at least in the near term, company officials revealed during an earnings call. It might seem a logical move considering the automaker lost about $37,000 on every EV it sold during the third quarter. But Ford is by no means the only automaker rethinking its commitment as growth in the electric vehicle market slows. Read the story at Headlight.News.