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☆ New York's 'rat czar' will only succeed if she realizes that rats are not the 'enemy,' an expert says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The former schoolteacher, who's become New York's "rat czar," may face an uphill battle to succeed. An urban-rat expert said Kathleen Corradi must realize rats are not the "enemy." "The 'real city rats' are the men and women of bureaucracy," Michael Parsons told Insider. The 'real rats' of New York CityCorradi's task comes after residents reported almost 3.2 million rat sightings last year to the city's 311 service-request line. Parsons said that the rat czar may face an uphill battle not because of the rodents, "but instead due to the 'real city rats' — the men and women of bureaucracy and their two-and-a-half centuries of bad practice."

☆ The $25,000 electric vehicle is coming, with big implications for the auto market and car buyers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Tim Mullaney | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

And as the Biden administration pushes changes that seek to aggressively remake the car market in favor of EVs more quickly than previously anticipated. Tesla's lowest-priced model today is the Model 3 base MSRP of $41,990. There are also more financing options available in the auto loan market designed specifically for environmentally friendly cars. "There's nothing wrong with having a basic car as a first car. Tesla said its overall efforts have driven the cost of drive units, which include the car's electric motor, as low as $1,000.

☆ A 9-hour drive in Toyota's new electric SUV showed me how brutal EV road trips can be with the wrong car
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

I drove the new Toyota bZ4X electric SUV from New York to Washington DC, and back. Charging can take a frustratingly long timeThe 2023 Toyota bZ4X AWD Limited. The 2023 Toyota bZ4X AWD Limited. The 2023 Toyota bZ4X AWD Limited. The 2023 Toyota bZ4X AWD Limited.

☆ Tesla is discounting its cars in Singapore by $3,000 to $3,800 to make them 'more affordable' — but they still cost upwards of $57,000
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla recently slashed the prices of its cars in Singapore — but not by much. According to the press release, Model 3 and Model Y cars are now between 4.35% to 5% cheaper. This means that it's likely that a Tesla car's COE is more expensive than what it actually retails for. But Tesla cars still enjoy some discounts from the Singapore government, as local authorities are trying to incentivize the ownership of electric cars. The cost of Tesla cars can be rebated up to SG$45,000 in the EV Early Adoption Incentive and Vehicular Emission Schemes, Tesla said in the press release.

☆ That $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit may soon be harder to get. Here are 2 workarounds
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Why the new EVs credit may be harder to claim$4,000 credit for used EVs has fewer conditionsKrisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesThe Inflation Reduction Act also created a tax credit for consumers who buy used electric or fuel-cell vehicles. The tax break for used cars, which took effect in 2023, is worth $4,000 or 30% of the sale price, whichever is less. watch nowThe used vehicle credit applies to a broad selection of cars, she said. Those income limits are "much lower" than the one that applies to the $7,500 tax credit for new vehicles, however, said Katherine Breaks, a managing director in KPMG's tax credit and energy advisory services group. "If I don't have $4,000 of tax liability, what's the tax credit worth to me?

☆ Experts fear deteriorating parking lots could collapse under the weight of heavy electric vehicles, says report
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Experts in the UK are concerned the weight of electric cars could cause old parking lots to collapse. Many multi-story parking lots have structural flaws due to a lack of maintenance, The Telegraph reported. Electric vehicles are significantly heavier than gasoline-powered cars, given the weight of the batteries necessary to power them. Whapples and Russell Simmons, chair of the British Parking Association's structures group, have suggested new guidance that recommends adding higher load-bearing weights to deteriorating parking lots to help adapt to the weight of electric cars. Over the years, electric cars have become increasingly popular due to energy efficiency and the promise of a more environment-friendly form of transportation.

☆ Volvo Car's sales up 8% in March
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

COPENHAGEN, April 5 (Reuters) - Sweden-based Volvo Car AB (VOLCARb.ST) said on Wednesday its sales increased by 8% year-on-year in March to 63,132 cars, helped mainly by the company's fully electric cars. Volvo Car, majority-owned by China's Geely Holding (0175.HK), said in a statement its fully electric models made up 41% of all its cars sold globally in the first three months of this year. In Europe, Volvo Car's fully electric models made up 62% of overall sales in the first three months of 2023. In February, the group's total car sales were up 22%, helped by a 187% month-on-month jump for its recharge models, with fully electric cars accounting for 19% of total sales. (This story has been refiled to say Volvo Car instead of Volvo Cars in paragraph 2)Reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen, editing by Essi LehtoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Devoted Health quietly blew past other insurance upstarts in the red-hot market for seniors
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

While last year was a bloodbath for some young health insurers, Devoted Health ended 2022 relatively unscathed. Several newly public health insurers have struggled with losses, and some have been forced to retrench to stay afloat. Devoted has won more Medicare Advantage members in 2023 than competitorsExecutives of Devoted Health's rivals. Clover Health; Bright Health; Oscar Health; Olivia Reaney/Business InsiderInsider's analysis of the latest federal enrollment data found that Devoted had 126,287 Medicare Advantage members as of March 1. Bright had 122,371 Medicare Advantage members at the two California health plans it owns, while Alignment Healthcare had about 109,221 Advantage members, according to Insider's analysis.

☆ Tesla to warn of data privacy risk from car security cameras in Germany
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Victoria Waldersee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Tesla Inc FollowBERLIN, April 4 (Reuters) - Tesla (TSLA.O) will warn that its 'sentry mode', which records a car's surroundings, risks infringing data privacy laws in Germany after consumer group vzbv sued the manufacturer for failing to mention this in advertising. A spokesperson for Berlin's data protection agency said that the person driving the car is responsible for turning off the cameras in public spaces. Responsibility would extend to the company if images were transmitted to and stored by Tesla, the spokesperson added. The personal data watchdog in the Netherlands drew a similar conclusion in February, attributing responsibility for filming to the driver. Reporting by Victoria Waldersee, Editing by Rachel More, Alexandra HudsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Bill Gates took a 'test ride' in an autonomous vehicle, and says they'll save you money—take a look
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Tom Huddleston Jr. | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Bill Gates says totally driverless cars, without need for even a steering wheel, are "coming sooner rather than later." He also posted a video of his experience:The car's technology was built by British startup Wayve, which partners with Microsoft on its artificial intelligence-based autonomous driving software. Wayve sits among a bevy of tech and auto industry competitors: The likes of Ford, GM, Tesla, Alphabet and China's Baidu have invested billions of dollars toward developing their own driverless vehicle technology. U.S. consumers will likely only gain access to fully self-driving vehicles following a complete overhaul of the nation's driving infrastructure and laws, he added. Last year, U.S. regulators cleared the way for autonomous cars built without steering wheels or even pedals — a first step.

☆ The former CEO of Aetna shares how he plans to turn around the struggling health insurer Oscar
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Oscar Health struggled to upend the entrenched health insurance industry. Oscar Health has been trying and struggling to upend the US health-insurance industry and the entrenched giants that dominate it for the past 10 years. Oscar Health incoming CEO Mark Bertolini Bridgewater AssociatesLast year, Oscar lost a $60 million contract with its first client, Health First Health Plans. Bertolini wants Oscar to disrupt health-insurance giantsMario Schlosser, founding CEO of Oscar Health Eduardo Munoz/ReutersDespite losing the Health First deal, Bertolini is betting that Oscar will disrupt the insurance industry through partnerships. Oscar has developed health plans with health systems in the past.

☆ China's Meizu unveils first smartphones since deal with Geely founder
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A company run by Geely Chairman Eric Li took a majority stake in Meizu last year, making the Volvo owner the first established carmaker to enter the premium smartphone sector. He later named the company Xingji Meizu, with the brand as its smartphone arm. Other tech-auto partnerships in China include Huawei Technologies (HWT.UL), whose Harmony operating system powers Seres cars. Meizu, a two-decade-old Chinese consumer electronics company, rose to prominence early in the 1ast decade as an up-and-coming Chinese Android. ($1 = 6.8766 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Josh Horwitz, Zhang Yan and Brenda GohOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ White House touts Amazon EVs, Google EV tax credit tool
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Jarrett Renshaw | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 30 (Reuters) - The White House on Thursday highlighted new U.S. company moves to support electric vehicles (EVs), as final rules on tax credits aimed at boosting the industry are expected this week. The federal government will buy 13,000 light- and medium-duty zero emission vehicles this fiscal year, about four times more than last fiscal year, the White House said. On Friday, the administration is expected to release final rules on eligibility for $7,500 EV tax credits, including how much of the car's battery must come from U.S.-sourced parts. Google will provide up-to-date information about the availability and coverage of tax credits across eligible passenger vehicles with a new search tool, the White House said. Wells Fargo will also release a new tool to help businessess evaluate electric vehicle fleets by modeling deployment that incorporates the cost of electrification, tax credits, cost savings, and environmental benefits, the White House said.

☆ Carvana customer says he bought his wife a luxury car for $68K — but it turned out to be stolen
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A North Carolina man unknowingly purchased a stolen Maserati from Carvana, WTVD reported. "When they check the VIN number on the chassis, that's when they saw that it was a stolen vehicle. VIN on the car on the window and the car door was different," Scott told WTVD. Carvana sent Scott a letter saying it didn't know the car was stolen when the company purchased it. Check to see if the vehicle is stolen," Scott told WTVD.

☆ Watch: Hyundai revealed a one-armed robot that charges your electric car for you
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Hyundai developed an automatic charging robot that plugs in your electric car for you. The robot uses a camera and AI to find a car's charging port and plug it in. To make that vision a reality, the Korean automaker developed an "automatic charging robot" (ACR) that takes care of the nitty gritty parts of charging for you. Then, using a camera and artificial intelligence, the ACR guides the charging plug into the right spot and charging begins. Hyundai's automatic charging robot inserts a charging plug into the Ioniq 6 sedan.

EV made up almost 12% of all car sales in Singapore last year, up from almost 4% in 2021, according to the Land Transport Authority. Still, EVs represented just 1% of cars on the road, a Reuters analysis of ownership data found. In Singapore, a small island with an extensive public transport system, only about 12 cars are owned per 100 people. Over the past decade, the number of Ferraris (RACE.MI) in Singapore has grown by 67% and Lamborghinis by 38%. ($1 = 1.3264 Singapore dollars)Reporting by Xinghui Kok; additional reporting by Kevin Krolicki; Editing by Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Tesla is rolling out its first Full Self-Driving update after a recall — see the new features
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Nora Naughton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla is addressing a recall issued last month to some cars equipped with Full Self Driving, or FSD. The latest FSD update is rolling out gradually, and drivers should be notified by April 15. The update comes with a variety of new features, including a merging of FSD and Tesla's Autopilot highway driver assist software. This week's update is also designed to address NHTSA's recall, according to text from the update posted to a Tesla blog that crowdsources from owners. Tesla's driver assist features are under investigationTesla's Autopilot driver assist software has drawn the scrutiny of regulators for several years.

Most carmakers said their battery packs are repairable, though few seem willing to share access to battery data. Lauterwasser said access to EV battery data is part of that fight. EV battery problems also expose a hole in the green "circular economy" touted by carmakers. Hill estimated at least 95% of the cells in the hundreds of EV battery packs - and thousands of hybrid battery packs - Synetiq has stored at Doncaster are undamaged and should be reused. 'PAIN POINTS'The British government is funding research into EV insurance "pain points" led by Thatcham, Synetiq and insurer LV=.

☆ Tesla reportedly saw an uptick in crashes and mistakes after Elon Musk removed radar from its cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In the past, Elon Musk has spoken out against LiDAR, another type of self-driving sensor. Before 2021, the electric-car maker used radar sensors in addition to cameras to help the vehicles identify obstacles. Workers at Tesla train the cars to identify and respond to different obstacles by labeling footage that is taken by the car's cameras. Other self-driving sensors like LiDAR technology are popular with Tesla's self-driving rivals. In the past, Musk has said LiDAR is "doomed" and too costly.

☆ Meet some of the 'hot rodders' making classic gas-powered cars run on electric motors and batteries — see their coolest conversions
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-19 | by ( Alexa St. John | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"We're seeing that more and more, as the next generation of hot rodders come up, that they do want to do an EV conversion. 1974 BMW 2002 5-Speed electric conversion Bring a TrailerThe proof? Gadget, who was featured in the "Revenge of the Electric Car" documentary, starts by taking batteries out of crashed Teslas. "You'll see electric cars actually beat gasoline cars with the same horsepower out of the gate, but when they're absolutely quiet, you'll lose some people," Drewry said. 1966 VW Bus 21 Window with a Netgain Hyper 9 motor and EV West’s bolt-in “6 pack” Tesla battery EV WestFor Bream, it's actually about prolonging legacy.

☆ Verstappen completes practice sweep in Saudi Arabia
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 18 (Reuters) - Formula One world champion Max Verstappen completed a dominant hat-trick of top times in practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Saturday. Mexican team mate Sergio Perez was second fastest, but a considerable 0.613 seconds slower than Verstappen's best effort of one minute 28.485 on the soft tyres. Apart from Perez, Alonso was the only driver within a second of Verstappen. McLaren's Lando Norris was seventh, and Australian rookie team mate Oscar Piastri eighth, a mere 0.008 behind. Verstappen apologised after lifting off the throttle on track and forcing Norris, coming up fast behind, to swerve around him.

☆ Volkswagen lays out details of planned affordable electric car
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] German carmaker Volkswagen presents its new electric ID. 2all model, an electric vehicle that costs less than 25,000 euros, in Hamburg, Germany, March 15, 2023. REUTERS/Fabian BimmerBERLIN, March 15 (Reuters) - Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) laid out on Wednesday the details of a planned all-electric car costing under 25,000 euros ($26,790), part of the German carmaker's push to derive 80% of VW passenger brand sales in Europe from all-electric vehicles by 2030. "We are implementing the transformation at pace to bring electric mobility to the masses," VW brand chief Thomas Schaefer said in a statement. The car maker is also working on another electric car available for under 20,000 euros, it said, without providing further details.

☆ Tesla owners sue the carmaker, claiming they've faced long waits and high prices at service centers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Tesla owners are suing, claiming they've faced long wait times and high prices at service centers. The carmaker has faced criticism over its service centers in the past. The electric-car maker has faced criticism over its service centers in the past. To date, Tesla has less than 200 service centers in the US. For comparison, GM or Ford owners can choose from thousands of independent repair and maintenance shops.

☆ Tesla owner says his app unlocked a stranger's car — and let him drive off with it
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla owner Rajesh Randev says he accidentally drove off in someone else's Tesla. Sometimes, you can even jump in and drive somebody else's electric car, according to Canada-based Tesla owner Rajesh Randev. As he sees it, his Tesla phone app granted him access to someones else's Tesla, he told the paper. The other Tesla driver involved in the mixup was able to unlock Randev's parked car using his Tesla key card, according to the Post. That way, he was able to find Randev's phone number on a document inside the car and inform him of the snafu.

☆ Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel hails movie-going rebound, cracks wise about 'the slap'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LOS ANGELES, March 12 (Reuters) - Comedian Jimmy Kimmel, returning for a third stint as Oscar host, led a back-to-basics show on Sunday that sought to celebrate a moviegoing rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic while avoiding the kind of unscripted outburst that marred the 2022 telecast. "We know this is a special night for you," Kimmel told the crowd of Hollywood luminaries. Kimmel, who was cheekily promoted ahead of Sunday's telecast as an "unflappable, unslappable" Oscar host, then went on to give a mock recitation of "strict policies in place" to prevent a repeat of last year's incident. "If anything unpredictable or violent happens during the ceremony, just sit there and do what you did last year, nothing," Kimmel added. It was a departure from many years in which relatively little-seen, but critically acclaimed, films have dominated the Academy Awards.

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