In this week’s episode of the podcast EV mandates are under fire while Tesla finds itself in the crosshairs of a new probe into its FSD system (again…) We also shine a spotlight on Ferrari’s new F80 hypercar and go for a spin in the flower power-infused ID.Buzz EV before taking a look at this week in Automotive History.
The buzz is back – the 2025 Volkswagen ID.Buzz, that is, finally reaching U.S. showrooms decades after the demise of VW’s original Hippie Van – and two years after going on sale in Europe. If you’re one of the folks who’ve been anxiously waiting for the arrival of this new electric microbus, the good news is that the wait has been worthwhile. It’s not cheap, but the Buzz delivers a lot for the money.
Just days after showing off nearly two dozen Cybercabs running on Full Self-Driving, Tesla finds itself being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The feds are examining 2.4 million FSD-equipped vehicles due to issues driving in “reduced visibility conditions,” including a fatality. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Chinese automakers are rapidly expanding exports to key regions like Europe and Latin America after long focusing on their home market. But that’s created problems as target markets fight back with new tariffs and other trade restrictions. As a result, some Chinese manufacturers are looking to shift production abroad – and that could include factories in the U.S.
Developing and building electric vehicles costs a lot of money, and Lucid Motors has been tapping its Saudi-based investors for billions in additional funding during the past few years. Now, the EV maker plans to go to new source: the public. At the same time, it’s getting a new top shareholder. Find out more about its IPO at Headlight.News.
Just months ago, it seemed, the internal combustion engine was on its way out, with regulators planning to phase out the technology – in some markets, like Europe, within barely a decade. While automakers once seemed ready to go along they’re now beginning to push back. That includes BMW’s CEO who called for a “correction” of EV-only strategies at this week’s Paris Motor Show.
Sales of electric vehicles set a new global record in September hitting 1.7 million units. This surpassed the previous record by 150,000 vehicles last December. Unsurprisingly, China is leading the charge, but contrary to what many in the U.S. would tell you, the American market is up 10% through the end of the third quarter. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Tesla appears to be planning a shift away from its once groundbreaking EVs to put more focus on a line of robots and robotaxis but that has generated some significant pushback from investors who question the new business model announced by CEO Elon Musk during a flashy Hollywood rollout last week.
MINI reveals the all-new Cooper JCW and ACEman JCW EVs as the brand prepares to use the duo to help spearhead its broader push into the EV market. The Aceman gets its chance to shine in the JCW lineup for the first time ever.
It may have gotten off to a bad start due to some unexpected software problems but the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV shouldn’t be dismissed by those looking for a new battery-electric vehicle. It’s offered in an unusually broad range of configurations that can fit a variety of different needs, as our reviewer Jeff Zurschmiede learned while spending a week behind the wheel.
An ebullient Elon Musk took to the stage Thursday night not just to show off the long-awaited Cybercab, Tesla’s CEO offered a peek at what his idea of what the future should be, and that kicks off sometime near the end of 2026 when the first Cybercabs go into production. Get details at Headlight.News.
It’s a put-up-or-shut-up-day for Elon Musk as Tesla prepares to reveal its long-promised Cybercab, but the company has plenty of other challenges facing it right now, starting with the departure of four top-level executives leading an exodus of talent as insiders balk at the CEO’s increasingly erratic behavior.