With a boost from sales of hybrids leading the way, Asian automakers posted steady increases in sales during February as Honda, Toyota, Kia and Subaru all reported gains during what is often a difficult month for selling cars. Get details at Headlight.News.
It’s anyone’s guess how well the Tesla Cybertruck will do long-term. Even CEO Elon Musk has sent mixed signals about the stainless steel-bodied electric pickup. But, with production ramping up a painfully slow rate, it appears that some of those who truly want the EV will pay a substantial premium to get one – even a used one, with a brief auction resulting in one customer shelling out more than double the sticker price.
It’s official. Starting on Leap Day owners of Ford EVs will be able to plug into any of more than 15,000 Tesla Superchargers. That roughly doubles the number of public chargers that they previously had access to. With “charger anxiety” seen as one of the biggest obstacles to widespread EV adoption, Ford is hoping this will help up boost demand for its all-electric products. To make it even easier, Ford will begin shipping free Tesla adapters to its owners starting late next month.
While the rate of growth may be slowing, EV sales hit a record 1 million last year as more and more Americans find them to be acceptable alternatives to conventional, gas-powered vehicles. But “charging anxiety” has become one of the key factors slowing EV growth, according to industry analysts. And a new J.D. Power study concludes that “Public charging isn’t just bad, it’s getting worse.” That said, most owners are ready to buy another EV when it’s time to trade in, especially those with the top-ranked BMW i4.
Aston Martin is following the lead of manufacturers including Ford, General Motors and Volkswagen, responding to slowing growth in the EV market by delaying the launch of its first all-electric model by at least a year. Find out more at Headlight.News.
Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, revealed the company plans unveil its second-generation roadster by the end of this year with deliveries starting next year. The Roadster was the first-ever Tesla vehicle, and its replacement was slated to arrive four years ago. Details at Headlight.News.
Honda unveiled a new version of the familiar CR-V hybrid on Tuesday, and the e:FCEV is the automaker’s newest fuel-cell vehicle, the first Honda to run on hydrogen since it killed off the Clarity FCV three years ago.
They may still represent only a small share of the new car market but electrified vehicles are becoming increasing desirable, according to Consumer Reports. Hybrids, plug-in hybrids and all-electric models make up seven of the models in the non-profit publication’s 2024 10 Top Cars list. For the first time, that includes a Tesla product, the Model Y, thanks to the automaker’s increasingly ubiquitous Supercharger network. Meanwhile, BMW and Subaru topped the CR Brand Report Card rankings.
Ford has ordered a “stop-shipment” of its F-150 Lightning. It’s the latest in a series of issues impacting both the 2024 battery-electric pickup, as well as the gas-powered version of the full-sized truck. While versions of the F-150 with gas engines are now being shipped again, Ford officials told Headlight.News they don’t know when the 2024 Lightning will begin rolling into showrooms.
Geneva Motor Show-goers will get a first look this week at an array of new Fiat concept vehicles. A next-generation take on the long-running Fiat Panda, they’ll include a mix of products from microcompact city car to pickup. And they’ll use a new “multi-energy platform” capable of running on everything from gas to pure battery power, according to Fiat CEO Olivier Francois. But the concepts are more than fantasy in chrome, with production versions set to begin rolling out this coming summer.
He’s barely been on the job three months, but a lot has happened on his watch as Antonio Filosa, the new global CEO of the Jeep brand settles in. To start with, the off-road brand has cut prices on four of its best-selling model lines. But there’s more to come – soon – Filosa revealed during a media roundtable at the brand’s headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan on Friday. Among other things, Jeep is getting ready to launch production of its first EV, the Wagoneer S. And Filosa revealed that the automaker is looking at adding “range-extender” technology to future battery-electric models.
General Motors and its robotaxi subsidiary, Cruise, prepare to resume service and testing after prior safety concerns saw the company voluntarily suspend its fleet from service, according to newly released report. Get the details at Headlight.News.