Lincoln teases its first EV concept

Lincoln is finally ready to say more about its electrified future. Ford’s upscale badge has teased its first EV concept ahead of an official unveiling on April 20th. The company didn’t offer much beyond a brief peek at the vehicle’s outlines, but did say in a statement that the concept would serve as an “inspiration” for EVs arriving soon.

The automaker previously said its Zephyr Reflection concept sedan would serve as an aesthetic reference point for future EVs. The teaser you see here isn’t a one-for-one match (the logo on the side isn’t present on the Reflection, for example), but the sloping roof line suggests Lincoln is happy to borrow some design cues.

The Lincoln brand is expected to electrify its full lineup by 2030, with half of its vehicles producing zero emissions by 2025. This includes an electric version of the Aviator SUV. The concept’s imminent debut isn’t a surprise, then — the company has just eight years to dramatically expand its EV selection.

An autonomous Cruise vehicle left police confused when they tried to pull it over

Since February, GM’s Cruise self-driving unit has offered public taxi rides in San Francisco. And for the most part, it seems the service hasn’t run into any notable problems. That is until a strange situation played out last weekend when one of the company’s vehicles left police seemingly confused by its response to a routine traffic stop.

The video you see above was first posted on April 2nd but only began to circulate widely after 9to5 publisher Seth Weintraub shared it on his personal Twitter account on Saturday. It shows San Francisco police attempting to pull over a driverless Cruise vehicle in the city’s Richmond District, only for the car to temporarily take off as a group of onlookers watch the scene in disbelief.

One day after Weintraub shared the video, Cruise commented on the clip, stating its vehicle yielded to police and moved to the nearest safe location for that traffic stop. “An officer contacted Cruise personnel and no citation was issued,” the company said. “We work closely with the SFPD on how to interact with our vehicles, including a dedicated phone number for them to call in situations like this.”

It’s unclear why police stopped the vehicle, but it would appear the car didn’t have its front lights on. It’s safe to say we may see more episodes like the one that played out on April 2nd occur as autonomous vehicles become a more common sight on US roads. It should come as no surprise then Cruise produced a video designed to teach first responders how to approach its vehicles. Check it out above.

Nissan plans to launch its first solid-state battery EV by 2028

Solid-state batteries promise to shake up the electric car world by reducing prices and improving performance, and Nissan wants to be one of the earliest adopters. The automaker now plans to release its first EV with completely solid-state batteries by the company’s fiscal 2028. To that end, it just unveiled a prototype production facility for these batteries at a Japanese research center and will open a pilot manufacturing line in Yokohama in fiscal 2024.

The shift away from conventional batteries is already expected to make EVs considerably more affordable thanks to the use of less expensive materials. Nissan aims to reduce the cost of solid-state batteries to $75 per kilowatt-hour in 2028, and $65 afterward. EVs would cost roughly as much as gas-based cars at those prices, Nissan said.

The technology has other benefits. Solid-state batteries charge faster and offer roughly twice the energy density of existing lithium-ion batteries, potentially delivering greater range, reduced weight and shorter recharging times. Those, in turn, could make EVs practical for would-be owners 

Nissan isn’t the only brand racing to introduce solid-state batteries. Toyota, for instance, expects to use the technology in hybrid vehicles by 2025. However, this is one of the clearest and more ambitious strategies for the tech. It also suggests that Nissan’s still-small EV range will expand significantly in the next few years as electrification becomes practical for more of its lineup.

Tesla’s Cybertruck will go on sale in 2023, says Elon Musk

Tesla will finally start selling the Cybertruck next year, Elon Musk has announced at the opening party for the company’s Giga Texas factory. During his presentation on stage, Musk showed off the production Cybertruck vehicle, which still looks like the previous versions, except its doors no longer have handles. The car will be able to tell that you’re there and will know that it’s supposed to open the doors. He also apologized for the delay on releasing the Cybertruck that was first announced back in 2019. Tesla’s original (and highly optimistic) target release date was 2021, but it delayed the vehicle’s launch to 2022, and now to 2023.

The automaker will manufacture the Cybertruck at its Texas Gigafactory, which it expects to become the “highest volume” car factory in America. Musk touched upon its other planned Gigactories around the world, as well, and how manufacturing vehicles near where they’re going to be shipped is much more environmentally friendly. This year is all about scaling up production — a scale that “no company has ever achieved in the history of humanity,” Musk said during the presentation — while next year is all about releasing a “massive wave of new products.” 

In addition to the Cybertruck, the company also plans to release the Tesla Semi EV next year, as well as other products it hasn’t revealed yet. The electric big rig that’s designed to haul cargo across long distances was supposed to be released in 2019, but its launch also got pushed back a few times. Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot will also start production in 2023, Musk said, and will be designed to accomplish any task humans don’t want to do. Another future product we can apparently look forward is a dedicated robotaxi that will be designed to look quite futuristic. Before all those, however, Tesla will be launching a wide beta of its Full Self-driving Technology in North America this year.

You can watch Musk announce Cybertruck’s new launch date below:

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Smart reveals the production version of its compact electric SUV

Smart is finally ready to show the production version of its Concept #1 electric SUV, and you’ll be glad to hear that the distinctive design largely remains intact. The newly unveiled Smart #1 looks much like the prototype compact SUV inside and out, including the frameless windows and “floating halo” glass roof. You mainly give up usual concept car excesses like the scissor doors and giant 21-inch wheels (you’ll have to make do with 19-inchers), and there’s a standard three-seat bench in the back instead of two chairs.

More importantly, the performance appears healthy for an EV this size. While the 273 miles of maximum range (according to the WLTP test cycle) isn’t exceptional, it comes from a 66kWh battery that charges rather quickly. You can reportedly bring the Smart #1 from a 10 percent charge to 80 percent in under 30 minutes if you use a 150kW DC charger, and even a 22kW AC supply will accomplish the same feat in less than three hours. You could plug in at the end of a long day knowing that you’ll have plenty of range in the morning.

The mini-ute should be reasonably quick, too, with the equivalent of 268HP and 253ft/lbs of torque. The 112MPH top speed isn’t blistering, but it easily puts the 81MPH of Smart’s EQ Forfour to shame.

The in-cabin tech will also seem familiar if you’ve seen the concept. The finished Smart #1 includes a 12.8-inch infotainment screen, a 9.2-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10-inch heads-up display. You can also expect driver assistants (including for the highway and stop-and-go traffic), over-the-air updates and a “digital key” option to share your EV with friends.

Smart hasn’t narrowed down the release window or pricing, but said last fall that it would sell the #1 in China in 2022. It’s headed to Europe as well. We wouldn’t count on a North American debut when Smart backed out of the region years ago. With that said, this is the closest Smart has come to appealing to the continent’s SUV-centric tastes — it’s something you could imagine on American roads, however unlikely that may be.

Volvo says all its new vehicles now support over-the-air updates

Volvo now offers over-the-air (OTA) software updates across its entire vehicle lineup, it announced. After first introducing it on all-electric models like the XC40, it’s bringing the feature over to all new XC90, S60 and V60 ICE and hybrid vehicles. 

The latest update (Volvo’s eighth so far) will roll out to over 190,000 vehicles this week. Owners will get the latest version of Android Automotive OS with Android 11 on their infotainment systems, with new app categories on Google Play ranging from navigation to charging and parking. Video streaming is expected to arrive later in the year. 

Volvo extends over-the-air software updates to all its vehicles
Volvo S60 interior
Volvo

It also brings feature improvements around energy management, climate timers and mobile app functionality. The energy management updates will help keep the battery temperatures stable in both warm and cold weather to boost range and lower charging times. You’ll also see more frequent charging percentage updates during sessions.

Tesla pioneered over-the-air software updates on its Model S, X, 3 and other vehicles, assuring buyers that their EVs would get features found on newer models. It not only updates the software for entertainment and other systems (SOTA), but also firmware controlling the hardware (FOTA). Most automakers now offer some form of OTA updates, but many (BMW, Audi, Fiat) only deliver SOTA updates to the infotainment systems. 

Others, including GM and Ford, offer more extensive updates to vehicle systems, allowing them to improve range, performance and other factors. Volvo appears to fall into that category, improving not just the navigation and entertainment systems but charging and other features as well. It also promised that the infotainment system, developed jointly with Google, will feature on all new models across its lineup. 

Uber plans to add train, bus and flight bookings to its UK app

Uber is planning to add travel booking via flights, trains and more in the UK this year to expand its ride-hailing business, The Financial Times has reported. The new service is designed to provide a “seamless door-to-door experience,” so that you can book your flight, train and Uber all on the same app. To do so, the company will integrate its software with airlines, inter-city bus and rail operators (include Eurostar Channel Tunnel tips) and car rental companies, according to CNBC.

The UK is one of the company’s largest markets outside the US, so the expansion is a big step. “You have been able to book rides, bikes, boat services and scooters on the Uber app for a number of years, so adding trains and coaches is a natural progression,” said Uber UK general manager Jamie Heywood. “Later this year we plan to incorporate flights, and in the future hotels, by integrating leading partners into the Uber app to create a seamless door-to-door travel experience.”

This “super app” strategy isn’t new, as CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said he wanted Uber to be the “Amazon of transportation,” when he first joined the company. Prior to the pandemic, around 15 percent of Uber trips were higher-margin rides to or from airports. “With COVID behind us, with this big push into new modes of transport, we want to signal that this is a very important growth lever for us over the coming years,” Heywood said. 

It’s not yet clear to what extent Uber will compete directly with other travel booking services, but Khosrowshahi was CEO at Expedia before coming to Uber. The company might have a leg up on rivals in that it could also offer a ride from airport to hotel, essentially owning the whole process.

Uber recently announced that it would let New York City users book Yellow Cab taxis directly through its app, with passengers paying around the same as they would for an Uber X ride. The company also plans to offer a similar service in San Francisco. It’s not clear yet, though, when or if Uber will offer its expanded travel booking service in the US. 

Uber will soon offer taxi rides in San Francisco

Uber customers in San Francisco might soon find a traditional taxi waiting for them when they use the app to summon a ride. According to San Francisco Chronicle, the ride-hailing giant has inked a deal with Yellow Cab SF and Flywheel, the company that operates an Uber-like app used by taxi drivers across companies in the city. The agreement will give 1,075 taxi drivers in the area access to Uber customers in the coming months. Uber recently struck a similar deal in NYC, allowing people in the city to hail any of its 14,000 taxi drivers through the app. 

The companies were able to finalize the deal, because the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency board has just voted in favor of allowing taxis to accept flat upfront rates for rides hailed through a third-party app. Customers can expect to pay UberX rates, which are calculated based on trip time and distance on top of a base fare, for taxi rides. The year-long pilot for the deal will begin on August 5th.

Uber’s rates are typically lower than metered fares, though they could be higher during surge times. Kate Toran, SFMTA’s director of taxis, said during the board meeting that Uber and Lyft fares are about 80 to 85 percent of metered rates. While drivers could earn less than usual for Uber rides, their participation is completely optional. They can accept Uber rides whenever they want, and there are no consequences for rejecting them. 

Flywheel and Yellow believe the deal would benefit drivers, who could accept Uber rides to fill in gaps for dead hours. “[H]aving some revenue come in versus no revenue is a much better situation in the end, even if it is lower than the taxi rate,” Yellow Cab CEO Chris Sweis said. Still, not all SF cab drivers are thrilled about the development. Mark Gruberg, a board member of the San Francisco Taxi Alliance, expressed concerns about regular taxi customers being ignored during Uber surge times. Another driver told ABC7News that earning less money from Uber rides would mean he’ll have a harder time paying off the debts he took to pay for his medallion, which cost $250,000.

If Uber gets its way, though, there’ll be no taxi left that isn’t part of its network. Uber exec Andrew Macdonald recently said during an investor presentation (PDF) that that the company aims to put every taxi on Uber by 2025. Doing so wouldn’t only increase its driver supply, it could also unlock new markets where people don’t have their own cars to use for the service.