The Auto Xone

By Zachary Visconti Posted on September 28, 2024 A former Tesla executive went in-depth about his time at the company over the weekend, including discussions on electric vehicles (EVs), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Elon Musk’s politics, China’s EV market, and more. Former Tesla Vice President of Public Policy Rohan Patel was hosted on the Farzad Mesbahi podcast in an episode on Saturday, featuring discussions about the company with both Farzad and co-host Hans Nelson. The discussion runs nearly an hour and a half long, and the former Tesla VP provides several insights in it, including what it was like working at the hyper-fast-paced company, debates on the federal $7,500 EV tax credit established by the IRA, and working with Musk from his insights on the global automotive industry to his political ideas. At around 53 minutes into the video, Farzad asks Patel about Musk’s transition away from the Democratic party, which introduced the IRA and has tr

The new HS18 E MAX (called “HS5390” E MAX in the US, because we don’t know what meters are ) rough terrain electric scissor lift from Haulotte can drive around your job site at full height, and with a full load. Last week, Haulotte added the new HS5390 E MAX to its line of electric rough-terrain scissor lifts, completing the company’s existing HSE (HS electric) range of scissor lifts. The HS18, though, is unique – and not just because of its 18 meter fully extended height. The HS18 E MAX can be driven both fully extended, and fully loaded. Two configurations of its material handling racks are available for the HSE scissors. The racks are built to suit the materials being transported, generally expected to be “panels” (think drywall, windows, etc.) or pipes. Haulotte material handling rack [embedded content] With a load capacity of 400 kg (over 880 lbs.), Haulotte says its new HS5390 E MAX is ideal for jobs that require the transport of heavy loads across unfinished surfaces, u

By Simon Alvarez Posted on September 27, 2024 Similar to other Tesla events, the 10/10 Robotaxi unveiling is limited to only a select number of guests. This was highlighted by the company when it started distributing invites for the Robotaxi unveiling. Fortunately, it appears Tesla fans can get a chance to receive an invite for the occasion, thanks to a newly announced referral contest.  As per the official Tesla North America social media account on X, those who can refer anyone to buy a Tesla could get a chance to attend the 10/10 Robotaxi unveiling. This should open the doors for more Tesla enthusiasts to gain a ticket for the occasion, which Elon Musk has noted would be one of the most important for the company. The rules of the referral contest are simple. Two complete referrals would be equal to one entry. Every person is also limited to five entries, and winners will be notified on October 3, 2024. Only referrals made after August 24 will also be

The UAW union’s Stellantis Council met yesterday to discuss the beleaguered carmaker’s “ongoing failure” to honor the agreement that ended the 2023 labor strike , and their latest union memo doesn’t pull many punches. It’s not a great time to be Stellantis. Its dealers are suing leadership and threatening to oust the company’s controversial CEO, Carlos Tavares, as sales continue to crater in North America , it can’t move its new, high-profile electric Fiat, and it’s first luxury electric Jeep isn’t ready . And now, things are about to get bad. In an email sent out by the UAW earlier today (received at 4:55PM CST), UAW President Shawn Fain wrote, “For years, the company picked us off plant-by-plant and we lacked the will and the means to fight back. Today is different. Because we stood together and demanded the right to strike over job security—product commitment—we have the tools to fight back and win … We unanimously recommend to the membership that every UAW worker at Stellantis

By Joey Klender Posted on September 25, 2024 Tesla is sending out the invitations to its Robotaxi Event at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, Los Angeles, scheduled for October 10. Tesla started sending out invitations on Wednesday just after 5 p.m. EDT, with the title “We, Robot,” as it will show off its fully autonomous vehicle platform in about two weeks. We got ours 🤖 Are you going to Tesla’s Robotaxi Event on 10/10? pic.twitter.com/An7PJaJj9L — TESLARATI (@Teslarati) September 25, 2024 The event was scheduled originally for August 8, but Tesla delayed the event as CEO Elon Musk requested a design change to the vehicle. He said he wanted to show off a few other things as well. Requested what I think is an important design change to the front, and extra time allows us to show off a few other things — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 15, 2024 Tesla says you have to be 21 years old to enter the event, and space is limited. Robotaxi Event from Analyst

Photo: Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition Drive Electric Week kicks off this Saturday with  nearly 200 online and in-person events  celebrating electric vehicles. Events will be held for the next two weekends, from September 27 through October 6, in the US, Canada, and one in Guadalajara, Mexico. Drive Electric Week is an annual event organized by  Plug In America , the  Electric Auto Association ,  EVHybridNoire , Drive Electric USA , and the Sierra Club . This is the event’s 14th year. It started in the US as National Drive Electric Week, but for the last few years, some events have been hosted in other countries as well. These events are an opportunity for prospective EV buyers to talk directly with EV owners about the experience of owning an electric car, and EV owners to network with each other and share tips. The dealership experience is  not ideal  for many EV shoppers, so unfiltered conversations with EV owners can be a great way to learn. 2023 NDEW Ventura, CA. Photo: Seth

By Zachary Visconti Posted on September 24, 2024 Multinational automaker Stellantis is now facing additional strikes from unions in Italy, after the largest automotive union in the U.S. last week threatened multiple strikes against the company. On Tuesday, Italian metalworkers’ unions FIM-CISL, UILM, and FIOM announced plans to hold a strike against Stellantis on October 18, according to a report from Automotive News Europe . Data from FIM-CISL for the first half of the year show a 25-percent decline in output from Stellantis factories in Italy, painting a grim picture that was highlighted during a press conference on Tuesday. “The situation is bad, very bad,” said Rocco Palombella of the UILM during the conference, which included officials from all three unions. Currently, the FIM-CISL projects that the Fiat parent company will produce just more than 500,000 units in Italy for the full year, down from 751,000 last year. The automaker also produces the F

Kia issued a recall for 12,400 EV9 models due to a software glitch that could cause the remote smart parking feature to fail to stop as intended. Kia will recall 12,400 EV9 models over a software glitch The Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) feature is designed to park your EV9 or summon it when parked with the press of a button (learn more in the video below). Kia’s RSPA uses sensors to remotely control the vehicle’s steering wheel, speed, and gearshifts to maneuver it to and from a parking space. However, a recently discovered error with the Integrated Electronic Brake (IEB) software can cause a glitch. As a result, the system may fail to apply enough brake pressure during frequent stops or traveling at less than 2 mph. Kia first noticed the issue earlier this month after an EV9 model in Korea using the feature collided with a parked car. Kia notified the NHTSA of the recall on September 17, 2024, which potentially affects 12,400 2024 EV9 models. Owner notification letters

Stephen, affectionately known as Rivers, has gracefully transitioned from being a repair shop manager and autocross enthusiast to a full-time writer. He’s unleashed his literary prowess on a number of publications like Road & Track, The Autopian, HotCars, CarsForSale, AutoEvolution, VINSmart, BadVIN, and a plethora of other small businesses brave enough to handle his wit. These days, Stephen spends his time on Carscoops sleuthing for top-secret intel on how automakers and customers interact while daydreaming about tearing up the race track. If you stumble into his garage, you’ll spot a Ford Flex Limited, a MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4, and a classic 2004 Lexus IS200 that refuses to give up its manual transmission. And when he’s not weaving tales, you might catch him doing some ministry work, dominating the hockey rink, or cruising on a bicycle — because life’s just too short for monotony. The post Police Officer Crashes Into Multiple Cars While Responding Without Lights Or Siren

Hailing from Metro Detroit, it was practically destiny for Michael Gauthier to dive headfirst into the automotive industry. With a career spanning nearly two decades, he has graced publications like Worldcarfans and its successor, Motor1. In a twist of fate, he landed at CarScoops in 2017, where he now spends his days crafting reviews, offering captivating first looks, and keeping up with the rapid pace of daily news stories. And yes, he does find time to sleep… occasionally The post VW’s Famous Gewürz Ketchup Came, Went, And You Totally Missed It appeared first on Cars News Magazine . The Auto Xone

By Zachary Visconti Posted on September 22, 2024 Tesla will soon begin rolling out Autopark to a wider group of Cybertruck owners, after the company initially began releasing the feature to a select few earlier this month. In the past few weeks, Tesla has rolled out two initial builds of Autopark for the Cybertruck to special testers, as Teslascope reports. However, on early Saturday morning, the outlet spotted an update deploying Autopark on Tesla Vision more widely to regular Cybertruck customers for the first time, and it’s expected to go out “shortly.” Autopark on Tesla Vision for Cybertruck has now expanded to include regular customers for the first time. The two previous builds, including a new revision just days ago, were only released to a few special testers. We expect all Cybertruck to receive this update shortly. https://t.co/35wdm0henb — Teslascope (@teslascope) September 21, 2024 Teslascope reports on its website that the aforementione

Brad Anderson’s lifelong affair and fascination with cars started young. Before even graduating high school, he was cutting his teeth on automotive writing at High Gear Media. His byline has since graced the pages of Topspeed and GTspirit. After earning his degree in Melbourne, Australia, Brad shifted gears to join Carscoops, where he’s been fueling our readers’ passion for all things automotive. Whether it’s exploring the nuances of a humble hatchback or the exhilaration of a supercar worth more than a house, Brad thrives on the thrill of driving, dissecting, and dishing on cars. The post Six-Wheeled Ferrari Testarossa Will Give Maranello An Aneurysm appeared first on Cars News Magazine . The Auto Xone

The Polestar 3 has long been promised to be the first true branded BEV from the Volvo- and Geely-owned automaker, and it has a lot riding on its success. After taking a trip out to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to test drive both variants of the Polestar 3, I think this SUV is something pretty special inside and out. Table of contents A quick background on the Polestar 3 SUV The Polestar 3 is a new SUV from the EV brand that is majority-owned by China’s Geely Holding. It was initially  announced in October 2022 . In addition to being the first SUV from Polestar  ($PSNY) , it will also be the first model built on US soil in South Carolina. The SUV was initially scheduled to launch in Q4 2023, but Polestar delayed its arrival to Q1 2024, citing the need for  more time to develop the software  used in its platform shared with Volvo Cars and the EX90. In February, however, Volvo announced it would sell most of its stake  in Polestar. Regardless, the brand has pushed ahead in China with

Stephen, affectionately known as Rivers, has gracefully transitioned from being a repair shop manager and autocross enthusiast to a full-time writer. He’s unleashed his literary prowess on a number of publications like Road & Track, The Autopian, HotCars, CarsForSale, AutoEvolution, VINSmart, BadVIN, and a plethora of other small businesses brave enough to handle his wit. These days, Stephen spends his time on Carscoops sleuthing for top-secret intel on how automakers and customers interact while daydreaming about tearing up the race track. If you stumble into his garage, you’ll spot a Ford Flex Limited, a MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4, and a classic 2004 Lexus IS200 that refuses to give up its manual transmission. And when he’s not weaving tales, you might catch him doing some ministry work, dominating the hockey rink, or cruising on a bicycle — because life’s just too short for monotony. The post Drivers Follow The Leader Right Into Oncoming Traffic At Confusing Intersection a

By Zachary Visconti Posted on September 21, 2024 General Motors-run (GM) driverless ride-hailing company Cruise has announced that it’s aiming to re-boot self-driving tests soon in California, after it lost its permit to operate autonomous vehicles last year following an accident involving one of its robotaxis. In a post on X on Thursday, Cruise said that it’s already deploying “several manual mapping vehicles in Sunnyvale and Mountain View,” along with re-launching supervised testing of five autonomous vehicles later this fall. The company has been working on re-booting driverless ride-hailing services throughout this year, after an accident with a pedestrian last October caused the ultimate loss of its permit to operate self-driving vehicles and significant staff shake-ups in the months since. “Resuming testing in the Bay Area is an important step forward as we continue to work closely with California regulators and local stakeholders,” Cruise wrote

Brad Anderson’s lifelong affair and fascination with cars started young. Before even graduating high school, he was cutting his teeth on automotive writing at High Gear Media. His byline has since graced the pages of Topspeed and GTspirit. After earning his degree in Melbourne, Australia, Brad shifted gears to join Carscoops, where he’s been fueling our readers’ passion for all things automotive. Whether it’s exploring the nuances of a humble hatchback or the exhilaration of a supercar worth more than a house, Brad thrives on the thrill of driving, dissecting, and dishing on cars. The post Tow Truck Driver’s Genius Plan To Flip SUV? A Crushed Scion, Obviously appeared first on Cars News Magazine . The Auto Xone

The all-electric Cadillac LYRIQ was an Electrek favorite when it first made its debut two years ago. Now, LYRIQ buyers who have been waiting for a deal can score more than $10,500 in discounts on the Ultium-based Caddy. Our own Seth Weintraub said that GM had come in, “ a year early and dollar long at $60K ” when he first drove the Ultium-based Cadillac LYRIQ back in 2022. He called the SUV “a stunner,” too, heaping praise on the LYRIQ’s styling inside and out before adding that the EV’s ride quality really impressed on long journeys. Well, if the first mainstream electric Cadillac was a winner at its original, $57,195 starting price (rounded up to $60K for easy math), what could we call it at $10,500 less? That’s a question that’s suddenly worth asking, thanks to huge GM discounts on the LYRIQ that prompted the automotive pricing analysts at CarsDirect to name the 2024 LYRIQ one of the industry’s “Best New Car Deals” this month: A slew of incentives can enable you to save big

By Simon Alvarez Posted on September 19, 2024 Elon Musk has asked the Tesla Shanghai team to provide help to anyone in need to the best of their ability. Musk’s comments came as Shanghai deals with the aftermath of the strongest typhoon to hit the city in the past 75 years.  Asia is hit with numerous storms every year, though Typhoon Bebinca, which made landfall near Shanghai recently, was particularly destructive. To prepare for the typhoon, local officials evacuated 400,000 people in the Shanghai Metropolitan, as noted in a report from the BBC . An additional 9,000 people were also evacuated from the Chongming District.  Hundreds of flights were canceled, and so were train services. A strict 25 mph speed limit was also imposed on roads within Shanghai. Resorts such as Disneyland Shanghai, Jinjiang Amusement Park, and Shanghai Wild Animal Park, closed their doors to visitors as well. Shanghai’s 25 million residents were advised to stay at home.  Shangh