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☆ Ford is cutting back F-150 Lightning electric truck production
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Ford will shut down one of two production shifts in April at the Dearborn, Michigan, factory that builds the F-150 Lightning electric pickup. The move is part of “matching F-150 Lightning production to customer demand,” the company said Friday. While sales of electric vehicles increased in 2023, the growth was slower than many industry experts had expected. Ford still projects an increase in Lightning sales this year after a 55% jump to 24,000 trucks last year. The 24,000 in Lightning sales is still a small fraction of overall Ford F-series pickup sales.

Persons: CNN — Ford, Ford, “, ”, Jim Farley, Carlos Tavares, “ I’ve, ” Tavares, Ramcharger Organizations: CNN, General Motors, Chevrolet Silverado EV, Ford, Lightning, Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, Michigan Assembly Plant, Ford Bronco, United Auto Workers, EV, ” Ford Locations: Dearborn , Michigan, United States, Michigan, Rouge, Tennessee, Kentucky, Europe

☆ Teslas crash more than gas-powered cars. Here’s why
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Hertz CEO Stephen Scherr noted that the costs of repairs of an electric vehicle are also much higher. Scherr’s statements echoed findings by insurance analysts at LexisNexis who found that, when vehicle owners switch from gasoline-powered cars to electric cars, they tend to crash more. Drivers also tend to crash somewhat more when switching to gas-powered vehicles, too, but the increase is more pronounced with EVs. Mostly a Tesla thingIn both cases – with Hertz and with LexisNexis – “electric vehicles” largely means Teslas. That suggests there may be something about Teslas that’s causing people to crash more than other cars.

Persons: CNN — Hertz, Stephen Scherr, Teslas, Xiaohui Lu, Lu, Tesla, ” Organizations: CNN, Hertz, EV, LexisNexis, Drivers, Data, Tesla, BMW Locations: China, US

Never before has a candidate pursued the presidency while facing criminal charges. Former President Donald Trump faces 91 of them, as well as civil claims. Here is the 2024 calendar the Republican front-runner has to negotiate to fend off criminal convictions and civil liabilities and get himself into the White House. Photos: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg News

Persons: Donald Trump, Yuki Iwamura Organizations: Republican, Bloomberg

☆ Why EVs don’t go as far in the freezing cold
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —With temperatures bottoming out across the country, electric vehicle drivers are probably noticing their driving range plummeting. Tests by the consumer advocacy group Consumer Reports showed that EV driving range dropped by about 25% in highway cruising, on average, in sub-freezing weather, compared to days with warmer outside temperatures. There are two main reasons for the drop in driving range, or how far the car can go before recharging: The battery, and the driver. That means driving range is reduced. “If you’re in cold weather, it’s actually going to activate the thermal management to heat up that battery,” he said.

Persons: Andy Garberson, “, ” Organizations: CNN, Consumer, EV

☆ GM’s 655-horsepower hybrid Corvette is a magnificent missed opportunity
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Vernon, New Jersey CNN —General Motors is very clear that its engineers didn’t create the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, the first hybrid Corvette, to save gas. Instead they wanted to make an all-wheel-drive Corvette, and the best way to do that was simply to attach a powerful electric motor to the front wheels. Unlike in a Toyota Prius, or almost any other hybrid, the E-Ray’s electric motor almost never drives the car on its own. For that, GM offers the lighter and more powerful Corvette Z06, with its high-revving 670-horsepower V8 and no electric motor. Instead, GM has focused on fully electric technology and, before too long, there will be a fully electric Corvette.

Persons: Ray, it’s, I’ve Organizations: Vernon , New Jersey CNN —, Chevrolet, GM, Toyota Prius, Lamborghini Locations: Vernon , New Jersey, New York , New Jersey

☆ From transparent TVs to ChatGPT-powered pet companions, here’s some of the buzziest tech of CES 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Here’s a look at some of the buzziest products announced this week:Loona companion robot is the world's first consumer robot equipped with ChatGPT AI technology. From Beijing KEYi Technology Co. Ltd.AI companionsAI companions are one of the biggest trends to emerge from the show this year. Samsung’s buzzy Ballie robot, which was first shown off at CES in 2020, received a refresh. BaracodaAI task robotsBeyond companions, AI has made its way into nearly every appliance and gadget you could think of this year. LG was one of the first leaders in transparent TVs; one of its earlier prototypes impressed the show floor back in 2020.

Persons: it’s, Loona, Rosie, Samsung’s, Dipanjan Chatterjee, ”, Volkwagen, Mercedes Benz, Chatterjee, ” Honda, VinFast, “ There’s, Jon Erensen, EssilorLuxottica, Francesco Milleri, Evie, Steve Jobs, Cook, Christoph Dernbach, “, Jitesh Ubrani, ” Ubrani, CNN’s Peter Valdes, Dapena Organizations: CNN — Tech, Consumer Electronics, Beijing KEYi Technology, ., LG, CES, Forrester Research, Walmart, Nvidia, AMD, Honda, VinFast, Fiat, Samsung, Gartner, Media, Apple Vision, Steve, Apple, IDC, Sony, Qualcomm Locations: Las Vegas, Beijing, USA, Cupertino, Cupertino ., Apple's, United States

☆ Hertz is selling 1/3 of its electric cars to buy gas cars instead
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Hertz, which has made a big push into electric vehicles in recent years, has decided it’s time to cut back. And EV price declines in the new car market have pushed down the resale value of Hertz’s used EV rental cars. Simply put, people are generally willing to pay a certain amount less for a used car than for a new one. Tesla makes up about 80% of Hertz’s EV fleet, and, altogether, EVs make up about 11% of Hertz’s total rental fleet. Again, Teslas, which make up 80% of Hertz’s EV rental fleet, are mostly the problem in both these areas, he has said.

Persons: CNN — Hertz, Hertz’s financials, ” Hertz, Stephen Scherr, Tesla, ” Scherr, Hertz, EVs, “, Scherr, ” Organizations: CNN, SEC, EV, Hertz, GM Locations: EVs

☆ New car mirror tech means you may never have to adjust them again
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —One of the first things you learn in driver’s ed is, after you buckle your seatbelt, adjust your mirrors. It’s not some fancy new video mirror system. One quirk of mirrors, as opposed to video displays, is that when your head moves, the image you see in the mirror shifts, too. So, if you lean forward in your seat, the side mirrors show you a different view of what’s on either side of your car. The system could also be used to simultaneously adjust the driver’s seat, according to VinFast.

Persons: Vinfast, It’s, MirrorSense Organizations: CNN, United, Kia, Hyundai, Consumer Electronics Locations: Las Vegas

☆ Electric cars are having more problems, but not because they’re electric
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Electric vehicles have 79% more problems than other vehicles, according to Consumer Reports’ latest annual auto reliability survey. The problems arise because electric cars are mostly new models, and recently-introduced car models generally tend to have more issues, regardless of what propels them. Besides that, electric vehicles tend to be higher priced models with more sophisticated technology features, from additional safety sensors to more gadgets and doo-dads. Electric pickup trucks, in particular, tended to fare the worst in Consumer Reports’ reliability survey. Not all electric vehicles are so unreliable, though, according to Consumer Reports’ survey data.

Persons: Jake Fisher, haven’t, ”, Fisher, that’s, It’s, That’s Organizations: New, New York CNN —, Consumer, EV, Tesla, Ford, Nissan, Hyundai, Toyota, Honda, Kia Locations: New York

☆ ‘Broken window’ stickers for Tesla Cybertruck quickly sell out
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The unbreakable windows… broke. Following Thursday’s Cybertruck delivery event, Tesla decided to cash in on the embarrassment from 2019 with a broken-glass window sticker. The sticker, which is specifically designed to fit the Cybertruck’s uniquely-shaped window, quickly sold out, of course, the company said. In this Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019, file photo, Tesla CEO Elon Musk introduces the Cybertruck at Tesla's design studio in Hawthorne, Calif. The rear side window is, however, a window the driver won’t look through so covering it with a big sticker won’t cause any safety issues.

Persons: Tesla, Franz von Holzhausen, ”, Elon Musk, Ringo H.W . Chiu, Von Holzhausen Organizations: New, New York CNN Locations: New York, Hawthorne , Calif

☆ 4 reasons why the Tesla Cybertruck already lost its advantage
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The first production Tesla Cybertruck is expected to be delivered today – finally – four years after it was first unveiled. Stellantis’s Ram 1500 Rev electric truck will also go into production in late 2024. The Cybertruck is less than 19 feet long, according to Tesla, which is slightly shorter than other full-size trucks. Ample functional front space has been a big selling point for the Ford truck, in particular. That truck is claimed to provide up to 14,000 pounds of towing, the same figure Tesla originally claimed at the Cybertruck’s unveiling.

Persons: Elon Musk, Tesla, Ford, Stellantis’s Ram, ” Musk, Stellantis Organizations: CNN, General Motors, Chevrolet Silverado EV, Ford Maverick, Ford, GM, Pickup

☆ GM cuts spending on Cruise self-driving cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —General Motors announced Wednesday that it’s cutting spending at its self-driving car unit, Cruise. GM had previously announced it intends to cut back Cruise’s operations once the company restarts testing and ride hailing services. The Cruise vehicle then pulled forward, dragging the person along pavement for 20 feet. Following the suspension, Cruise announced it was pausing its public operations throughout the US and, last week, Cruise chief executive Kyle Vogt resigned. The reduction in spending relates to the broad reigning in of production and operations for Cruise.

Persons: Mary Barra, Cruise, Kyle Vogt, Dan Kan, Barra Organizations: CNN — General Motors, GM, California Department of Motor Vehicles, Cruise, Reuters Locations: United States, San Francisco

☆ Solid state batteries promise to radically change EVs. But they may not be the only answer
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Car companies including Stellantis, Hyundai and Volkswagen have also teamed up with firms working on solid state batteries. But solid state technology has its own challenges, and it’s not the only way automakers could achieve lighter, cheaper and faster charging electric vehicles. In a solid state battery, the electrolyte is, well, a solid. That solid electrolyte is one reason that solid state batteries might be safer than lithium-ion batteries. Ultimately, there probably will never be one battery technology used in all EVs, GM spokesperson Phil Lienert said.

Persons: it’s, William Kephart, Kephart, ”, Siyu Huang, Quantumscape, That’s what’s, Phil Lienert Organizations: CNN, Toyota, Stellantis, Hyundai, Volkswagen, P3, OneD, Sciences, GM

☆ Ford battery plant is back on track but scaled down
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Ford has restarted work on an electric vehicle battery plant in Michigan, but the plant will be smaller than was originally planned. Last month, Ford had laid off some workers building the F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck. By producing batteries in the United States, the plant should help Ford to take advantage of EV tax credits tied, in part, to domestic battery manufacturing. Ford is also building two battery plants in Kentucky and Tennessee. Ford has said it plans to be able to produce two million electric vehicles globally by late 2026.

Persons: CNN — Ford, Ford, ” Ford, General Motors, CATL Organizations: CNN, United Auto Workers, General, Ford Motor Co, Amperex Technology, SK Innovations Locations: Michigan, United States, Kentucky, Tennessee, South Korea

☆ Honda’s new scooter is also the box it comes in
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —There are lots of electric scooters available today in a huge range of styles and prices. Honda’s original micro-bikeThe real inspiration was the Honda Motocompo, a tiny motorcycle Honda offered for a few years in the early 1980s. Peter Valdes-Dapena trying Honda's new electric scooter, the Honda Motocompacto. Its memory inspired someone in Honda’s California design studio –- someone Honda won’t name because he’s left the company –- to sketch out a modern version. Also giving you confidence will be the seriously sturdy latches locking the seat, handle bars and wheels in place before you start riding.

Persons: Honda, Peter Valdes, he’s Organizations: CNN, Honda Locations: United States, Honda’s California, footpegs

☆ Founder and CEO of GM’s self-driving car unit resigns in wake of safety problems
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Kyle Vogt, the head of General Motors’ self-driving car unit Cruise, resigned from the company late Sunday. Despite the myriad of problems and the turnover at the top, GM said Sunday it was sticking with Cruise and its efforts to develop self-driving cars. Besides the safety issues at Cruise, the unit has cost the company $5.9 billion before interest and taxes since the start of 2020. The most serious accident involving Cruise was one on October 2 involving a pedestrian in San Francisco who was critically injured when hit, first by a traditional human-driven car, then by a Cruise driverless car. Two weeks later the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that accident and reports of other accidents involving Cruise vehicles and pedestrians, prompted it to launch a safety probe into Cruise vehicles.

Persons: Kyle Vogt, Cruise, robotaxis, ”, Vogt, ” Vogt, Craig Glidden, Mo Elshenawy, “, ” – CNN’s Peter Valdes, Dapena Organizations: New, New York CNN, General Motors, Honda, GM, Cruise, Ford, Volkswagen, Traffic Safety Administration, Cruisers, Reuters, “ Locations: New York, San Francisco, Japan, California

☆ Vatican fleet is going all-electric with VW supplying the cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

The first two vehicles, both VW ID.3 compact electric cars, have already been delivered to the Vatican, VW said. In a separate announcement, the Holy See also pledged to build a charging network within Vatican City and in other areas it controls. The Vatican referred to VW as its first strategic partner in the process to make its fleet carbon neutral. The electrification of its fleet is among a number of projects Vatican City is undertaking to reduce its overall carbon emissions. Contained within the Italian city of Rome, it gained its independence in 1929 through a treaty signed with the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

Persons: VW, Pope, Benito Mussolini Organizations: CNN, Vatican, VW, Volkswagen, Catholic Church Locations: Vatican City, Vatican, Italian, Rome

☆ Soon you’ll be able to buy a Hyundai on Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

People will be able to shop for Hyundai vehicles on Amazon through an agreement with the South Korean automaker. Laws in most US states protect auto dealerships from automakers who might want to sell directly to consumers. Amazon customers will be able to search dealership inventories through the Amazon website, see pricing for vehicles, and click a button to initiate a purchase. This arrangement was announced as part of a package of deals between Hyundai and Amazon, including that Amazon will provide data storage for Hyundai and that future Hyundai models will include the Alexa voice assistant. Hyundai dealers won’t have to participate in the program, but can opt-in.

Persons: you’ve, Tesla, “ It’s, ”, Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds.com, Caldwell, Jose Muñoz, Mike Sullivan, weren’t, “ I’ve, ” Sullivan Organizations: CNN, Hyundai, South Korean, Hyundai Santa Fe, Edmunds.com, Los Angeles Auto Show, Hyundai Santa Monica Locations: Hyundai Santa

☆ New Toyota Camry will be hybrid-only
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The Toyota Camry, the best-selling car in America, is going hybrid-only. The Camry is available in a hybrid version now, but the redesigned 2025 Camry will be offered only as a hybrid car combining a gasoline engine with electric motors. Making the Camry hybrid-only is a big step. The Toyota Crown Signia is a new hybrid-only SUV. Besides unveiling the new Camry Tuesday night, Toyota also revealed another new hybrid-only SUV model, the Crown Signia.

Persons: there’s, We’ve, ” Mike Tripp, Tyson Jominy, “ It’s, ”, “, Jominy, Tripp Organizations: CNN, Toyota Camry, Toyota, Camry, J.D, They’re, Corolla, Lexus Locations: America, Sienna, United States

☆ Drivers of boxy SUVs and pickup trucks are more likely to kill pedestrians, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Researchers at the institute looked at records of almost 18,000 incidents in which vehicles struck pedestrians. Tall front ends are common among full-size trucks and SUVs but they aren’t exclusive to very big vehicles. In general, vehicles with box-shaped front ends, even when they’re only medium height, are roughly 26% more likely to kill a pedestrian, according to the IIHS. NHTSA has also proposed adding pedestrian safety tests to its regimen of crash tests and other safety measurements for new vehicles. But automakers should also consider pedestrian safety in the design of their vehicles, IIHS president David Harkey said in a statement.

Persons: aren’t, IIHS, ”, Wen Hu, “, that’s, Motors, Ford, David Harkey Organizations: CNN, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Research Transportation, Vehicles, Institute, Traffic, Administration, ”, Alliance, Automotive Innovation, NHTSA, U.S

☆ Analysis: The US presidential election is next year. Here’s what that could mean for stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —The US presidential election is less than a year away. Wall Street has a laundry list of uncertainties that it worries could threaten the current stock rally, including the upcoming presidential election. But history shows that stocks typically gain during the fourth year of presidential terms. The S&P 500 has gained 6.2% on average during the fourth year of presidential terms since 1932, according to Yardeni Research. That’s below the 13.5% gain the index has averaged during the third year of presidential terms since 1931.

Persons: ’, There’s, Darrell Crate, ”, Goldman Sachs, Joe Abbott, Abbott, Loretta Mester, Bryan Mena, Elisabeth Buchwald, Hawkish, Mester, Heidi Gartland, “, ” Gartland, Read, Niron, Peter Valdes, Niron Magnetics, Jonathan Rowntree Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, The New York Fed, Management, Investors, Research, Yardeni Research, “, CNN, Cleveland Fed, Reserve Bank, Cleveland, Regional, Bank, General Motors, China General Motors Locations: New York, East, Russia, Ukraine, Wisconsin, China, Minnesota

☆ With big new EV motor investment, GM aims to cut reliance on China
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

In electric vehicle motors, rapidly shifting magnetic fields spin a rotor made with magnets that contain “rare Earth minerals” such as terbium and dysprosium. China accounts for a large percentage of the world’s rare Earth minerals supply, according to the United States Geological Survey. And among those minerals used for EV motor magnets, China is responsible for about 90%, according to Niron. The technology could also make EV motors less expensive, he said, but declined to say by what percentage. Daniels would not say when GM expects to begin manufacturing EV motors using the new magnet technology.

Persons: Niron, Niron Magnetics, Jonathan Rowntree, GM EVs, ”, Kai Daniels, Stellantis, Rowntree, Daniels Organizations: New, New York CNN —, Motors, United States Geological Survey, GM, GM Ventures, Stellantis Ventures, Volvo Car Tech Fund, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Sioux Community, University of Minnesota Locations: New York, Wisconsin, China, dysprosium, Minnesota, Sioux

☆ Cruise recalls all of its self driving cars to fix their programming
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Cruise, General Motors’ self-driving vehicle subsidiary, has recalled all 950 of its autonomous vehicles for a software update. Late last month, Cruise paused all its public testing operations while it investigated the incident that led to the recall. GM had announced Monday that it was pausing production test versions of the Cruise Origin, a self driving vehicle GM and Cruise designed jointly with Honda. After striking the pedestrian, the Cruise AV attempted to pull off to side of the road to avoid causing an obstruction. Cruise doesn’t sell its self-driving vehicles so all the cars are owned by either Cruise or GM, which produces the heavily modified Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles.

Persons: CNN — Cruise, Cruise, Aimee Ridella Organizations: CNN, Motors, GM, Honda, Cruise, California Department of Motor Vehicles, National, Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, Chevrolet

☆ The Ram 1500 Ramcharger will be a hybrid like a diesel locomotive
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Stellantis’ new Ramcharger pickup, expected to go on sale late next year, will be an “electric” truck, the company says. It will be sold alongside the Ram REV, the company’s actual fully-electric truck, expected to go on sale around the same time. Tim Kuniskis, the head of Stellantis’ Ram truck brand, insisted during a press conference that the Ram 1500 Ramcharger is not a plug-in hybrid. Also, the Ram truck can use DC fast chargers to quickly recharge its batteries. Ram previously unveiled an electric-only truck, the Ram REV, which will also go on sale late next year.

Persons: Tim Kuniskis, Stellantis ’, Ramcharger, Ram, Kuniskis, “, ”, Carlos Tavares, Stellantis hasn’t Organizations: CNN, Toyota Prius, Chevrolet, Toyota Camry, Ford, General Motors

☆ Steering wheel rhinestones can become dangerous projectiles in a crash, government warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The little rhinestone bedazzled ring you’ve slapped over the manufacturer’s logo on the steering wheel has got to go. Car owners should not affix hard stick-on decorations to the center of a vehicle’s steering wheel, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in an announcement Monday. People should immediately remove any decorations they may have already put on their steering wheel, the agency said. Most passenger vehicles today have driver-side airbags that, in a serious impact, deploy from the middle of the steering wheel. (Nissan recently had to recall some vehicles because their steering wheel logos could come loose.)

Persons: you’ve, “, rhinestones Organizations: New, New York CNN, Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, Nissan Locations: New York

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