EU bends to automakers’ pleas to let them lose the EV race to China

Europe has proposed to roll back its 2035 all-electric target, instead replacing it with a softer 90% reduction in automakers’ fleet CO₂ emissions, in what will be a major blow to the European auto industry which they, for some reason, are celebrating.

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Watch Xpeng’s autonomous system handle a police drunk driving check

Chinese EV automaker XPeng confirmed that it has secured an L3 autonomous testing permit in Guangzhou, one of the first such permits in China.

They also released a video of their autonomous software navigating a police sobriety checkpoint without human intervention, showing that it can detect and respond to human hand signals.

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Ford CEO says the $70,000 Lightning EV pickup wasn’t selling, but this new version will

After confirming plans to end production of the all-electric F-150 Lightning, Ford’s CEO said the $70,000 EV pickup didn’t make sense. Instead, Ford is betting a new EREV will.

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Motorcycle classes are now looking to train teen e-bike riders

As electric bikes and e-scooters continue to surge in popularity, and as the growing ridership skews towards younger operators with growing questions about safety and road rules, motorcycle training courses might be an unexpected ally. In Las Vegas, motorcycle safety instructors are expanding their classrooms to include e-bike and e-scooter riders, responding to a growing number of traffic incidents involving younger riders and micromobility vehicles.

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Ford pivots EV battery plants to grid + data center battery storage

Ford is jumping into the battery energy storage business, betting that booming demand from data centers and the electric grid can absorb the EV battery capacity it says it’s not using.

To achieve this, Ford plans to repurpose its existing EV battery manufacturing capacity in Glendale, Kentucky, into a dedicated hub for manufacturing battery energy storage systems.

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New patent from Stellantis promises to enhance EV battery safety

Stellantis may have backed away from planned EVs like the all-electric Ram REV and range-topping Dodge Charger Daytona R/T EV, but the company isn’t standing still. A newly awarded patent outlines an innovative, foam-based thermal runaway suppression system that’s built into an EV’s battery pack.

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GAF Energy closes San Jose solar shingle factory, moves to Texas

Nailable solar shingle maker GAF Energy has shut down its San Jose, California, research and development and manufacturing hub, which opened in 2021, and moved its headquarters to Georgetown, Texas. Going forward, the company will only manufacture its solar shingles at its Texas factory.

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Ford reveals next-generation F-150 Lightning EREV, but kills off the EV version

It’s official. The all-electric pickup is dead, but Ford is promising the F-150 Lightning EREV will be “every bit as revolutionary” as it shakes up EV plans once again.

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Tesla reports another Robotaxi crash, even with supervisor as it moves to remove them

Tesla has reported yet another crash involving its Robotaxi fleet in Austin to the NHTSA. The new data keeps the program’s accident rate alarmingly high compared to human drivers, even as the company prepares to remove human safety supervisors from the vehicles.

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Kia now offers the most affordable EV in Canada

The Kia EV4 is now on sale as the most affordable EV in Canada. Starting at under $40,000, the electric sedan is even cheaper than the Fiat 500e.

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