Could Rivian emerge as “the next Tesla?” On the strength of its debut truck, that’s not an unreasonable question. If you want to attract attention, keeping a company in stealth mode for several years is a good way to do it. The startup carmaker Rivian was founded a decade ago by RJ Scaringe, but it… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "Clean Cars"
Carbon Counter charts emissions and price of all US auto models
How green is an EV? A PHEV? A hybrid? Most Charged readers understand that the answer depends on many factors, including the efficiency of a particular model, the region in which it operates, and the type of driving it’s used for. The clever folks at MIT have devised the ingenious Carbon Counter, an online tool… Read more »
There’s more! Hertz offers Teslas to Uber drivers for $299 per week
Hertz appears to be taking a page from Tesla’s marketing playbook, using the automaker’s classic “But wait, there’s more!” strategy. Just days after announcing that it would purchase 100,000 Teslas by the end of 2022, Hertz now says it will make up to 50,000 of these available for Uber drivers to rent. Uber and Hertz… Read more »
2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe: The legendary SUV brand’s first plug-in hybrid
The plug-in hybrid version of the Jeep Wrangler offers useful all-electric range and great electric torque—if drivers plug it in. Do they? The accelerating pace of electric vehicle launches has brought us to this: The first Jeep in the US to get a plug-in hybrid version is the legendary Wrangler. In Europe, it was smaller… Read more »
ABB charges into the future with Formula E
The global electric racing championship Formula E has been a huge success by any measure. Automakers like Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Nissan, and Jaguar have embraced the series, which is surely the world’s most prominent showcase for electric vehicle performance. Charged attended the New York City E-Prix in July, and spoke with several execs from EV infrastructure… Read more »
Easelink demonstrates autonomous conductive charging system
Austria-based Easelink demonstrated its Matrix Charging system at the recent IAA Mobility 2021 trade show in Munich. Automotive parts supplier Schaeffler integrated Matrix Charging into a demo model of its Rolling Chassis, a platform for driverless mobility solutions. Easelink’s Matrix Charging system is a fully automated conductive charging system, and the company sees it as… Read more »
New York Governor Hochul signs law phasing out ICE vehicles in 2035
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed into law a bill that will ban the sale of new gas-powered cars and trucks in the state by 2035. The bill (S.2758/A.4302) was introduced last October, and passed the legislature in April. It establishes a goal to make all sales or leases of new passenger cars and… Read more »
Toyota actively lobbies against support for EVs
Toyota has earned a place in the history of transport electrification. The Japanese automaker’s introduction of the Prius hybrid in 1997 was a milestone. Since then, the company has sold some 15 million hybrids worldwide, and has gradually added hybrid powertrains to more of its offerings—a majority of Toyota and Lexus models are now available… Read more »
Niron Magnetics raises $21 million to commercialize rare earth-free magnets
Niron Magnetics has raised $21.3 million in new financing from the Volvo Cars Tech Fund and Volta Energy Technologies. Existing investors include Anzu Partners and the University of Minnesota. Niron will use the funding to build a pilot production facility in Minnesota. Niron’s Clean Earth Magnet technology eliminates the need for rare earth minerals in… Read more »
Biden emissions announcement: major milestone or timid target?
The Biden administration has announced the federal government’s return to a policy of pushing automakers to reduce their vehicle emissions over time. The Big Three US automakers, and the United Auto Workers union, are on board, and their representatives joined President Biden at the White House to publicly announce plans not only to improve the… Read more »