The Auto Xone

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com Renewable capacity additions, especially solar, will continue to drive the growth of US power generation over the next two years, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).  According to its latest “ Short-Term Energy Outlook ” (STEO), the EIA expects that US utilities and independent power producers will add 26 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity to the US electric power sector in 2025 and 22 GW in 2026. Last year, the electric power sector added a record 37 GW of solar power capacity to the electric power sector, almost double the solar capacity additions in 2023. The EIA forecasts wind capacity additions will increase by around 8 GW in 2025 and 9 GW in 2026, slight increases from the 7 GW added in 2024. Generating capacity for most other energy sources will remain mostly unchanged in 2025 and 2026. Natural gas-fired capacity growth slowed in 2024, with only 1 GW of capacity added to the power mix, but natural gas is ...

Bentley blends luxury and performance like no other. During this year’s Pebble Beach festivities, the storied brand celebrated its 100th anniversary. See the largest collection of Bentley’s ever assembled at the Concours with six unique classes represented in the competition — the first Bentley sold by W.O. Bentley, and the future of the car brand. The post Bentley’s 100th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future appeared first on Cars News Magazine . The Auto Xone

By Simon Alvarez Posted on January 29, 2025 Tesla has released its Q4 2024 vehicle safety report . Similar to data from previous quarters, vehicles that were operating with Autopilot technology proved notably safer.  The Q4 2024 report: As per Tesla, it recorded one crash for every 5.94 million miles driven in which drivers were using Autopilot technology . The company also recorded one crash for every 1.08 million miles driven for drivers who were not using Autopilot technology. For comparison, the most recent data available from the NHTSA and FHWA (from 2023) showed that there was one automobile crash every 702,000 miles in the United States. Previous safety reports: In Q3 2024, Tesla recorded one crash for every 7.08 million miles driven in which drivers were using Autopilot technology and one crash for every 1.29 million miles driven by drivers not using Autopilot technology. In Q2 2024, Tesla recorded one crash for every 6.88 million mil...

Toyota maintained its title as the world’s top-selling automaker, with nearly 11 million vehicles sold in 2024. However, EV sales accounted for about 1% of Toyota’s global volume as it continued to lag the industry. With rivals like BYD and Hyundai closing in, how long can Toyota keep its spot at the top? Toyota EV sales continued lagging in 2024 at only 1% Toyota held onto the title for the fifth straight year after selling over 10.8 million vehicles in 2024. That includes its Daihatsu (compact cars), Hino (heavy-duty trucks and buses), and luxury Lexus brands. Although it was enough to stay ahead of Volkswagen, which sold just over 9 million vehicles last year (-2.3% from 2023), Toyota’s global sales slipped for the first time in two years. The Japanese auto giant’s sales fell 3.7% from the roughly 11.2 million vehicles sold in 2023. Toyota and Lexus brand sales were down 1.4% from 2023, at about 10.1 million units, also the first year-over-year decline in two years. The low...

By Simon Alvarez Posted on January 28, 2025 Apple has quietly partnered with SpaceX and T-Mobile to enhance iPhone capabilities using Starlink. News of the update was initially reported by Bloomberg News . The Update: Apple, SpaceX, and T-Mobile have been testing Starlink compatibility with iPhones, according to Bloomberg , citing sources reportedly familiar with the matter.  This functionality was reportedly included in the iPhone’s latest software update, released on Monday. T-Mobile’s previous focus had been on Samsung devices for Starlink compatibility, such as the Z Fold and S24.  T-Mobile has started enrolling customers for an early version of the Starlink service, with a small number of iPhones enabled for testing this week. Apple’s Starlink is also expected to be rolled out to the Apple Watch Ultra later this year. Apple has already been offering satellite communication through Globalstar for texting and emergency services outside ...

By Zachary Visconti Posted on January 26, 2025 Tesla’s Semi factory expansion continues to make construction progress, with recent drone footage from the site showing that the walls are now complete. The exterior walls at the Gigafactory Nevada Semi expansion are officially up, as shared in a video update from Semi factory drone observer Zanegler on Saturday. The video shows substantial progress from updates a few weeks ago, when Tesla began installing windows and walls en masse . Zanegler also says that the company still had a long way to go regarding the remaining walls as of last Sunday, though he did expect them to be fully completed soon. He also notes that, while the roof still isn’t quite completed, some of the final materials can now be seen on the roof, suggesting that it could be completed in the coming weeks. Along with the full building exterior getting completed walls in recent weeks, crews continue to work on the future stamping pit areas ,...

Tesla is challenging the European Union in court over the tariffs imposed on its Chinese electric vehicles despite getting the lowest rates of any automaker. Last summer, the European Commission revealed  new tariff rates  on Chinese-made EVs imported into the continent. The logic behind the tariffs was that the EU sees China as subsidizing electric vehicle production and exports, resulting in the EVs being too competitive against European-made EVs. Automakers were given varying levels of tariffs, between 7 and 36%. Tesla, which also produces vehicles in Europe, was awarded the lowest rate for Chinese vehicles it imports into Europe. Now, Tesla has joined a few other automakers in challenging the tariffs in court (via Reuters): The court document showed the U.S. automaker lodged its complaint at the General Court, the lower of two CJEU chambers, last Wednesday, the deadline for filing challenges. Proceedings at the General Court last on average 18 months and can be app...

By Zachary Visconti Posted on January 25, 2025 Elon Musk spoke at a campaign event for Germany’s controversial Alternative für Deutschland, or Alternative for Germany (AfD), party over the weekend, ahead of an upcoming election in the country next month. On Saturday, AfD candidate Alice Weidel posted a video broadcast of the event on X , which included a roughly-ten-minute speech from Musk, following his appointment last week as an advisor for newly-inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump. The AfD, which advocates for German nationalism, halting immigration into the country, preserving German culture and other related topics, has drawn concern and been called a far-right populist party by some critics. The appearance comes ahead of a German election being held on February 23, which Musk says could “decide the entire fate of Europe, maybe the fate of the world.” During the speech, he also spoke about preserving German culture and the removal of bureaucracy ...

Tesla is refusing to do the right thing about ‘Full Self-Driving’ package transfers and instead holds its own incapacity to deliver the package over the head of its owners. I just had a conversation with Tesla about doing the right thing about FSD transfer. I got an answer: a “categoric no”. Tesla is literally using its own incapacity to deliver a feature it promised and sold to people, unsupervised self-driving, as a demand trigger to get people to order new cars. The Context For those who are not aware, Tesla has been selling since 2016 something called “Full Self-Driving package”, FSD for short, that includes advanced driver assist features, and the automaker has been promising that it will eventually result in unsupervised self-driving capability through over-the-air software updates. At first, Tesla claimed that all cars produced since 2016 would be able to achieve that. However, Tesla quickly found out that it was wrong and introduced a new computer called HW3 in 2019 and ...

By Simon Alvarez Posted on January 23, 2025 Tesla has formally launched the new Model Y in the United States. The vehicle is designed to be more comfortable and more efficient than its best-selling predecessor. A look at the Model Y’s configurator shows that deliveries of the new Model Y Launch Series in the United States are expected to start in March 2025. New exterior updates: The new Model Y is the first significant update to the all-electric crossover since its initial launch in 2019. As noted by Tesla, the new Model Y features a more aggressive, redesigned exterior that improves aerodynamics.  This gives the new Model Y better range, performance, and longevity. Updates to the vehicle’s wheels, tires, and brakes, as well as a retuned suspension, also pave the way for a smoother ride. The new Model Y includes eight exterior cameras, including one in the front bumper that has a self-washing system. For now, the new Model Y in the United Sta...

Joe Rogan got himself a new Tesla Model S Plaid customized by Unplugged Performance, and I think it looks sick. Dope or nope? Rogan was not always a fan of electric vehicles. In fact, at one point, he was one of the biggest EV misinformation spreaders. It wasn’t intentional. Like many, he got caught in the decades of misinformation pushed by the fossil fuel industry and some automakers trying not to make them. He eventually got onboard after Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, convinced him to get a Model S Plaid during an interview. The famous comedian and podcaster was impressed by the acceleration of electric vehicles, or more specifically, the Model S Plaid’s acceleration and the overall technology inside Tesla’s vehicles. For the last year or so, he has been talking about getting a new Model S Plaid and having it modified by Tesla tuner Unplugged Performance (UP). The company has now announced that it has delivered the vehicle to Rogan: This one-of-one build blends the best of Unplu...

By Joey Klender Posted on January 22, 2025 Rivian is preparing to launch its Electric Delivery Van (EDV) to customers outside of Amazon in the coming weeks, marking the first time companies outside of the e-commerce giant since its launch in 2022. The EDV starts at $83,000 and will be one of the few electric vans on the market that is suitable for commercial package delivery. It is sure to attract several big companies who are looking to enact sustainable measures to reduce their carbon footprints. AT&T is one of those companies. In December 2023, it launched an EV pilot program to attempt to improve safety, reduce costs, and cut its carbon footprint. It committed to buying Rivian EDVs from the EV maker. Rivian finds first partner after exclusive Amazon deal for its EDV Hardmon Williams, SVP at AT&T Connected Solutions, said: “We’re excited to purchase Rivian EVs for our fleet. This pilot is another important step in our ongoing efforts towa...