The Auto Xone

By Simon Alvarez Posted on December 31, 2024 Right before the new year, X CEO Linda Yaccarino teased a number of upcoming features for the social media platform this coming 2025. These include the long teased and highly anticipated “X Money” payment system, as well as X TV. Platform Expansion:   In her X post, Linda Yaccarino highlighted that “users are the media now” and teased further innovations like X TV and Grok, alongside the new payment feature. “In 2024, X changed the world.  Now, YOU are the media! (In) 2025, X will connect you in ways never thought possible. X TV, X Money, Grok and more. Buckle up. Happy New Year!” Yaccarino wrote in a post . In 2024, X changed the world. Now, YOU are the media! 2025 X will connect you in ways never thought possible. X TV, X Money, Grok and more. Buckle up. Happy New Year!🥂 — Linda Yaccarino (@lindayaX) December 31, 2024 Why It Matters: X Payments seems aimed at transforming X into a mult...

What would you get if you created the illegitimate love child of a Mercedes G-Wagon and a Brinks armored truck (and perhaps if the Mercedes chain-smoked through the pregnancy)? I think you’d wind up with something like the wacky-looking electric cart that has earned the dubious honor of being named this week’s Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week ! I’m not sure this is exactly an armored golf cart, so I wouldn’t invite any unnecessary potshots while cruising your hood, but I’m at a loss of how else to describe it. It’s definitely not a “real” car, as evidenced by its US $6,999 price tag and the 30 km/h (18 mph) top speed. If you ask me though, that speed goes in the ‘advantages’ column. When you drive something that looks this good, you want to be going slow enough to give people a good, long look. A vehicle like this is designed to send a statement. Unfortunately, I think that statement might be, “I wanted a Jeep but my spouse wanted to remodel the kitchen.” So...

By Simon Alvarez Posted on January 1, 2025 A Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump Las Vegas hotel on Wednesday has led authorities to investigate the incident as a potential act of terrorism. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department confirmed they are probing the fire at the hotel’s entrance, which has been extinguished. The public is advised to steer clear of the area. Why It Matters: The driver of the Cybertruck passed away in the explosion.  Authorities have also stated that seven bystanders received minor injuries.  The focus of the authorities’ investigation is to determine the cause behind the blast. 🚨 #BREAKING : The Cybertruck explosion outside of Trump Tower in Las Vegas is now being investigated as a possible ACT OF TERR0R, per ABC News. The driver is deceased, and 7 bystanders have been injured. pic.twitter.com/ngl2JyAHzE — Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 1, 2025 The Incident: As could be seen in a video of ...

Rivian electric delivery vans (EDVs) for Amazon (Source: Rivian) 2024 was big year for Amazon –  in addition to becoming the first online retailer for Hyundai cars , the company kept busy putting a fleet of autonomous forklifts, order picking AI-powered robots, and a milestone 20,000th electric delivery van on the road. Let’s start with the vans. Amazon recently reached milestone putting its 20,000th,  AI-enhanced delivery van onto US roads. Amazon famously partnered with Rivian to develop those vans , pouring serious money into a concept that (at the time) was little more than a sketch. Less than three years later, the vans were on the road, delivering kitty litter with free, 2-day shipping to customers who can’t be bothered to drag themselves to  Costco – and it’s hard to argue with the vans’ success. Amazon EVs are everywhere Amazon Volvo VNR electric; via Amazon. To date,  Amazon vans from Rivian have delivered nearly a billion packages to ...

By Simon Alvarez Posted on January 1, 2025 Tesla CEO Elon Musk has shared some initial details behind the shocking Cybertruck explosion in front of the Trump Las Vegas hotel on Wednesday. One person was killed and seven were injured in the incident.  Musk’s initial comments:  Amid reports of the Cybertruck explosion , Musk posted on X stating that the Tesla senior team is immediately investigating the incident.  At the time, Musk noted that he would post an update as soon as Tesla gets data from the ill-fated vehicle.  “The whole Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now. Will post more information as soon as we learn anything. We’ve never seen anything like this,” Musk wrote in a post on X. The whole Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now. Will post more information as soon as we learn anything. We’ve never seen anything like this. https://t.co/MpmICGvLXf — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 1, 20...

Last September, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law SB-1271 , which redefines and adds to several electric bicycle regulations in the state. Chief among them is a clarification of the three-class e-bike system, which is likely to now rule that many of the throttle-enabled electric bikes currently available and on the road in California will no longer be street legal. As a refresher, California has long used the same three-class system employed by most states in the US to classify electric bicycles and ensure their road-legal status. Class 1 e-bikes have been limited to 20 mph (32 km/h) on pedal assist, while Class 2 e-bikes can reach the same 20 mph speed but with a throttle (a hand-activated device to engage the motor without pedaling). Class 3 e-bikes have been permitted to reach faster speeds of up to 28 mph (45 km/h) on pedal assist, but can’t use a throttle to reach that speed. All three have been limited to a generally accepted “continuous power rating” of 750W, ...

By Zachary Visconti Posted on December 30, 2024 Lucid Motors has officially begun deliveries of its long-awaited Gravity SUV, after the company has talked the electric vehicle (EV) up throughout much of this year and following initial production beginning a few weeks ago. After Lucid officially began producing the Gravity at its Casa Grande, Arizona plant earlier this month , the company shared on X on Monday that it has begun deliveries of the electric SUV to employees, friends, and families to end the year. The EV maker says these were some of the very first Gravity units to come off the line as production units, after Lucid initially had its first pre-production version of the vehicle roll off the line in July . Last month, Lucid also launched its online order page for the Gravity , pricing the EV between $94,900 and $126,500, depending on the options selected. The vehicle launched with just one trim, the Grand Touring, which is rated by the EPA for u...