Elon Musk created a fair share of controversy several years ago when he appeared to smoke a joint during an appearance with podcaster Joe Rogan. A new report is kicking up even more dust, the Wall Street Journal alleging money and drugs have improperly tied the Tesla CEO to the same board of directors that previously approved a $55 billion pay package for Musk.
The iconic Mercedes-Benz tri-star badge today graces a wide range of products, from the little CLA sedan to the flagship GLS crossover. It’s also found on one of the world’s most popular vans, the big Sprinter. And, as the German automaker accelerates its switch to zero-emissions propulsion, the latest model to go all-electric is the 2024 Mercedes-Benz eSprinter. Headlight.News spent a day in Southern California testing it out and discovered it was surprisingly fun to drive while delivering plenty of range. It also maintains the flexibility of the classic Sprinter and could even wind up with an RV option.
Headlight News for the Week of 2-5-24: Tesla Recalls, Musk’s Pay, Chicago and Geneva Auto Shows, Lexus GX Review and The Week Ahead. Check out the podcast for the latest.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration moved its probe into Tesla’s power steering loss from a probe to an engineering analysis as the company recalled 2.2 million vehicles due to a font size issue. Get details at Headline.News.
Struggling Polestar faces some serious financial challenges now that Volvo, its Swedish parent, plans to cut off funding for the battery-electric startup. It’s the latest sign of retrenchment by the auto industry as the rapid growth of EV sales has started to flatten out. Volvo itself continues to move forward with plans to become an all-electric brand by decade’s end. Investors applauded the move — and Volvo’s stronger than expected earnings.
More vehicle buyers — new and used — said they were satisfied with the experience in 2023 than the previous two years, according to a new Cox Automotive study. Electric vehicle buyers were the happiest with 80% saying they were satisfied. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Ford was the first automaker to tie up with Tesla, announcing plans to switch to the NACS plug letting owners of products like the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning use the big Tesla Supercharger network. Ford CEO Jim Farley on Wednesday announced “eligible” owners...
Calling the deal “unfathomable,” a Delaware court has blocked the $565 billion pay plan awarded Tesla CEO Elon Musk in 2018. The move could spell trouble for Musk’s current demand for 25% control of the EV maker while also raising concerns about his floundering social media site, X, which relied on loans backed by Tesla stock. More from Headlight.News.
After reporting a profitable 2023 that exceeded their own expectations, GM officials revealed they’re deploying plug-in hybrid vehicles — for certain models — to the North American market. It was a decision made after reviewing and tweaking its EV production plans and feedback from dealers. Find out more from Headlight.News.
The New Year got off to a rough start for Rivian, the start-up slammed by investors nervous about slowing growth in EV sales. But the market is taking notice of the news that Rivian has poached DJ Novotny, the vice president of hardware engineering away from Apple. The move comes as the tech giant reportedly again delayed – by as much as four years – its secretive Apple Car program. More from Headlight.News.
No one said it was going to be easy, but the demise of the auto industry’s turn toward electric vehicles is being exaggerated, analysts said during Society of Automotive Analysts annual Automotive Outlook Conference. Get details at Headlight.News.
When Toyota introduced the Mirai fuel-cell vehicle three years ago the automaker tossed in an appealing incentive, $15,000 worth of the hydrogen needed to power it up. At the time, it cost just over $70 to fill Mira’s 5.6-kilogram tank. Today, you’ll pay over $200 – if you can find the lightweight gas, as many of the stations providing it have run dry. And that’s threatening to short-circuit the “hydrogen economy” that fuel-cell proponents have predicted is just around the corner.