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Rivian rolled out a big new software update this week. It includes tri-zone climate control and fun new animations for drive settings. Plus, Rivian owners can now watch a live feed of what’s around their vehicle right in the Rivian app. The worst part about modern “software-defined vehicles” is that automakers can promise upcoming updates that never arrive. See, for example, Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving.” Or the notoriously half-baked Fisker Ocean. On the other hand, it’s awesome that owners of certain cars can now download legitimately useful new features over time. For example, Rivian started rolling out a software update on Wednesday,…
Toyota says the switch away from Prime is a matter of easier recognition Otherwise, RAV4 and Prius plug-in hybrids carry over with few changes Toyota’s sold the most Prime PHEVs in California emissions states Prime time has ended for Toyota plug-in hybrids, as the automaker makes a marketing move to recast them as interchangeable with plug-in hybrids from other automakers. The automaker announced on Thursday that it will no longer use its “Prime” badge for PHEVs starting with the 2025 model year. As it ushers out the RAV4 Prime and Prius Prime, it will replace them with the 2025 Toyota…
Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News! Haoqi made a name for itself in the e-bike sector by providing an assortment of low-cost e-bikes with immense tires. I like the lighter e-bikes that I am used to. However, I was intrigued by the sight of this bicycle with fat tires and was eager to test ride it on unpaved mountain trails. In addition, I wanted to feel safe riding on difficult mountain trails where I couldn’t be sure my light e-bikes would bounce over boulders and stay vertical at higher speeds.…
Onvo L60 production capacity is expected to reach 10,000 units in December, at least 16,000 units in January and 20,000 units by March, William Li said. (Image credit: Onvo) Nio’s (NYSE: NIO) management revealed production capacity plans for the L60, the first model from sub-brand Onvo, as the model appears to be gaining good initial acceptance. Onvo L60 capacity is expected to reach 5,000 units in October and 10,000 in December, Nio founder, chairman and CEO William Li said yesterday. By January 2025, the model’s capacity will reach at least 16,000 units and 20,000 units by March, Li said. Li…
Photo: Alpitronic Electrek‘s Seth Weintraub went to Alpitronic America’s new HQ to speak with CEO Mike Doucleff about its plans to roll out its ultra-fast chargers across the US. Bolzano, Italy-based Alpitronic was founded in 2009, and it specializes in the development and production of DC fast chargers. The global company’s best-known product line is the Hypercharger, an ultra-fast EV charging station that can deliver charging power from 50 kW to 400 kW, depending on the model. Alpitronic Americas recently announced an agreement with Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging to become the first DC fast-charging network to deploy Hypercharger 400 units at…
Automakers have scaled back their once-lofty EV goals over the last year. According to research from BloombergNEF, the recalibration could result in millions fewer electric cars, trucks and SUVs produced in 2030. Car companies that slow down too abruptly run the risk of falling far behind global rivals like China’s BYD, the firm’s analysts said. It’s been about a year since the big vibe shift in the electric vehicle market began. It started with a couple of automakers making solemn announcements about softening EV demand. Now, several car companies have slow-rolled their EV investments and scaled back grand plans to…
Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News! It’s the 5-year anniversary of buying my Tesla Model 3 SR+. (Wow, time flies!) So, how is the lowest priced Tesla Model 3 doing after 5 years? What do I still love and like about it? What not so much? Can it go another 5 years? I’m diving into these and other issues below. To start with, I’m just going to say that not a lot has changed with the car in those 5 years. A few things have needed fixed or replaced, and…
Public charging stations don’t just drive EV adoption; they also increase consumer spending at nearby businesses, a new MIT study found. The study is based on data from over 4,000 charging stations in California and 140,000 businesses, using anonymized credit and debit card transactions to track changes in spending. Researchers used data from 2019 through June 2023, but skipped 2020 to minimize any skewing of the results by the coronavirus pandemic. 2023 Nissan Ariya at EVgo charging station Using this data set, researchers found that opening a charging station in California boosted annual spending at adjacent businesses, on average, about…
The new scheme makes billing more dependent on the amount of power added, which may help promote the use of the battery swap service compared to the previous fixed service fee plus a power charge. (Image credit: Nio) Nio (NYSE: NIO) today released a new pricing plan for its battery swap service in China, marking the third major change to the service since it became available. For car owners who need to pay to use the service, the latest charging scheme is: Single battery swap charge = (Electricity + Service charge) * Added power If the user adds less than…
Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News! Say rooftop solar and most people assume you are talking about putting solar panels on the roof of a private home. But there are thousands of acres of rooftops on commercial buildings and above parking lots that are just perfect for solar energy systems. The beauty part is that using those roofs to generate solar power turns the owners of those properties into prosumers — people who both produce and consume their own locally generated electricity. Part of the reason the idea is becoming…