Tag: electric vehicles

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Tesla launches ‘Tesla Electric’ electricity retailer

Tesla has launched ‘Tesla Electric,’ an electricity retailer that will service Powerwall owners.

Available initially in some Texas markets, Tesla Electric will let your Powerwall automatically decide when to charge and when to sell electricity to the grid. Tesla says it will also help users meet their sustainability goals  when importing electricity from the grid as it features energy from 100 percent renewable sources.

On Twitter, Alex Guichet, head of Tesla’s mobile app product, talked a bit more about Tesla Electric. “It’s a pretty competitive rate offer. It has a peak pricing structure, but Powerwall and Tesla Electric Mode are your buffers to avoid peak prices,” he wrote in a thread.

For now, Tesla Electric is only available by invitation to select customers in Texas, with availability in additional states on the way. It’s unclear if and when it might expand to other markets, such as Canada.

More information on Tesla Electric can be found here.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Via: Elektrek

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Latest Tesla update brings Apple Music and Mahjong to your car

One of the key advantages Tesla’s electric vehicles (EVs) offer over competitors are the rapid software updates that add new features to its cars.

In the EV company’s latest holiday update (version 2022.44.25), Tesla has brought several new features to its fleet, including official Apple Music support, which joins Spotify and Tidal, and of course, the addition of Mahjong to its ‘Tesla Arcade.’

Other new features include Dog Mode, which allows users to leave their furry friends safely in their vehicle with climate control on. Finally, there are also improvements to Tesla’s ‘Light Show’ feature that syncs headlights with music, allowing users to schedule a show 10 minutes in advance or set up a “multi-car orchestra,” alongside other minor user-interface changes.

Why would someone want to create a light show with their car? Who knows. Still, it’s great to see Apple Music finally make its way to Tesla’s EVs.

It’s worth pointing out that using Apple Music requires a Tesla Premium Connectivity subscription, which costs $13.99/month. This cost is on top of Apple Music’s $10.99/month cost.

Via: Electrek

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Tesla’s lawyers say lack of ‘Full Self Driving’ is not ‘fraud’

Despite Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s lofty claims surrounding the ‘Full Self Driving’ (FSD) capabilities of the company’s electric vehicles, the EVs haven’t entirely lived up to expectations.

Now, Tesla’s lawyers argue that even though the company’s FSD technology hasn’t lived up to expectations, the pricey feature shouldn’t be considered “fraud.”

“Mere failure to realize a long-term, aspirational goal is not fraud,” Tesla’s lawyers wrote in a November 28th court filing, requesting that a recent class-action lawsuit be dismissed.

“Plaintiffs knew at the time of purchase that their cars were not completely autonomous. And they knew that the timeline towards more complete autonomy was contingent upon numerous factors, including software development and regulatory approval. Yet now they sue Tesla, complaining that their cars are not completely autonomous,” the document continues.

The lawsuit cites several instances where Musk tweeted deadlines for FSD’s final release and Tesla advertisements that paint the feature as more capable than it actually is. For example, back in 2016, Musk said that a Tesla vehicle would be able to drive itself across the United States “by next year,” though that obviously didn’t happen.

The lawsuit, which was filed by California-based Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, also cites instances involving FSD and crashes.

Tesla’s Full Self Driving recently expanded to be available to anyone in North America who “requests it from the car screen” as long as they’ve paid for the pricey $19,500 add-on to the vehicle.

Regardless of where you fall on the Full Self Driving argument, it’s clear that even though it has made tremendous strides since 2015, the feature isn’t quite where Tesla said it would be at this point in its development process. Further, similar FSD systems offered by other manufacturers, including Hyundai, Honda, Mercedes-Benz and more, are quickly catching up to the EV maker or have even surpassed it in some ways.

Via: Teslarati, CNN

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MobileSyrup’s EV Gift Guide [2022 Edition]

Electric vehicle (EV) sales have been on the rise for some time now, with a global spike in gas prices. In my home province of Nova Scotia, EV adaption has seen exponential growth. With nearly every car manufacturer entering the EV space, we will only continue to see EV adoption climb. However, perhaps you or someone in your life already has an EV or will be taking ownership of one soon. In that case, as always, MobileSyrup has your back with a holiday gift guide!

Although Teslas currently make up the majority of electric vehicles on the road, this gift guide aims to provide you with ideas for an EV owner of any brand. I also avoided including large purchases like Tesla charging adapters and EV home chargers. While these do too make great gifts, I want this guide to have reasonably affordable items that people will rationally give.

Here’s MobileSyrup’s 2022 EV gift guide:

Safety Gear

While no one ever wants to be stranded on the side of the road, accidents and emergencies happen. Although there are some excellent premade emergency kits, I recommend using the Federal Government’s “Get Prepared” emergency car kit website as a guide to making your own.

Safety is something many of us often either ignore or forget about. So, giving someone the gift of safety is a wonderful idea. Three specific callouts: a car emergency escape tool, LED road flares and a first aid kit. In the event of an emergency, a car emergency escape tool is used to cut your seat belt and shatter your windshield when you need to escape the vehicle.

For the possibility that you may be broken down on the side of the road at night, LED road flares help to keep your vehicle noticeable until help can arrive. A first aid kit is meant to be there, ready and waiting to address a cut or injury. Amazon has lots of options for all three of these items.

Order a car emergency escape tool two-pack for $14.99 or a four-pack for $21.99

Order the HOKENA five-pack of LED road flares for $50.99

Order the Oziral compact first aid kit for $35.99

De-Icer

Canadian winters can really suck. During my first winter owning a Tesla Model 3, I discovered the pains of stuck door handles and frozen windows. It’s almost like these cars were designed in California…Regardless, I also discovered a magical product called de-icer.

Many EVs and premium vehicles have fancy door handles or frameless windows. So, grabbing a can or two of de-icer is an excellent stocking stuffer. Spraying a little (or a lot) of de-icer thaws these components quickly, making the winter slightly less inconvenient.

Order a 500g container of Rain-X windshield de-icer for $11.99 on Amazon

MagSafe Car Mount

This next one is exclusively for iPhone users. Specifically iPhone 12 and above models that support MagSafe. While many excellent regular car mounts are available, MagSafe is really in a league of its own in terms of functionality, style and convenience.

For Tesla and Ford Mustang Mach-E drivers, Spigen makes a stylish iPhone mount that adheres to the rear of your vehicle’s display. Spigen sells two versions of their iPhone mount; a charging variant capable of charging up to 7.5W and a non-charging version.

For all other EV owners, take a look at Belkin’s MagSafe car mounts that attach to the vehicle’s AC vents. Belkin also makes two versions of their mount; a charging variant that supports charging up to 15W and a non-charging version.

Order Spigen’s non-charging MagSafe car mount for $44.99 or their charging mount for $49.99, both on Amazon

Buy Belkin’s non-charging MagSafe car mount for $49.95 or its charging mount for $139.95, both from Apple

Hand Vacuum

Our vehicles have a habit of becoming a gathering place for dirt. Before buying an EV, I didn’t care much about my car’s appearance. But now, I like it to be presentable at all times. A hand vacuum is an excellent item to help keep your EV clear year-round. It makes for a small accessory to quickly suck up crumbs and dirt without needing to haul out a larger vacuum.

Order a cordless hand vacuum on Amazon for $35.99

Microfibre Cloths

Microfibre cloths are a staple in the tech community, and now that many EVs have touchscreens, it makes sense to keep one or two in the car. Touch screens and glossy interiors, like what my Model 3 has, get smudged so quickly. Keeping a microfibre cloth on hand is nice to promptly wipe those prints away.

Order a two-pack of 12 x 24-inch microfibre clothes on Amazon for $14.49

Repair Tools

In many respects, EVs are giant electronics. These following two items are great gifts if the person you’re buying for is a do-it-yourself-er. First is the 64-bit iFixit Driver Kit. IFixit is best known for its smartphone repair tools. However, these tools are also great for working on your EV. Over the summer, I swapped out my Model 3’s air filters and unexpectedly needed a unique screw bit. Thankfully, My iFixit tool kit was there to help me out.

The 64-bit iFixit tool kit features sixty-four unique screwdriver bits, a metal screwdriver handle, and a flexible bit extender.

Second, we have automotive trim removal tools. This five-tool kit is used to remove and pry parts and trim off of your vehicle to conduct repairs or parts swaps. Included in the kit are four plastic pry tools and a metal one.

Order the 64-bit iFixit driver kit for $59.99 and the automotive trim removal tool for $11.34

EV T-shirt

Who doesn’t enjoy showing off their personal style through clothing? So, of course, you can purchase t-shirts to express your love for electric vehicles! A seller on Etsy sells t-shirts and hoodies with an icon of the J-1772 plug. Colours include black, navy and dark heather. Tesla sells a wide range of apparel on their website, including t-shirts and sweaters.

The J-1772 t-shirt is available on Etsy starting at $34.21, and Tesla t-shirts are available on its website starting at $40

Car Trash Bag

Whether from fast food packaging or empty drink bottles, our cars sometimes become mini landfills. A small gift you can give this holiday is a car trash bag. Femuar’s car trash bag is leakproof and is available in six different colours and patterns. This bag attaches one of the front seats and measures 9.25 by 5.25 by 10.75 inches.

Order Femuar’s car trash bag on Amazon starting at $19.99

Pet Liner

We all love our pets. However, you probably don’t love their fur. As a loving dog owner, I can say that my dog sheds like a monster. That’s why I recommend a pet liner for the back seat of your EV. Avoid the EV from being covered in drool and fur by grabbing a pet liner.

Order a pet liner on Amazon in either black or grey for $39.99

Tesla Charger Lock

Most EV owners agree that it is just poor EV etiquette to unplug another driver while they’re charging at a public station. Yet, sometimes this still does happen. Sadly, this is a more significant challenge for non-Tesla EVs. While Tesla has a built-in locking mechanism to prevent unauthorized detachment while charging, this is still an issue while using an adapter. A nice small gift to give a Tesla owner this holiday season is a charger lock for charging at a J1772 charger to prevent unauthorized unplugging.

Order a charger lock on Amazon for $11.99

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though MobileSyrup may earn a commission on purchases made via these links that helps fund the journalism provided free on our website.

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Apple’s car reportedly won’t self-drive, launch delayed to 2026

Apple’s automotive plans have reportedly changed once again.

The tech giant has delayed its electric vehicle’s (EV) launch to 2026 and has rolled back its ambitious self-driving plans, according to a new report from Bloomberg.

While rumours surrounding ‘Project Titan’ appeared almost weekly a few months ago, hinting that the electric vehicle could launch as soon as 2025, reports have been relatively quiet lately.

Apple’s new automotive plans include a steering wheel and pedals, contrary to previous reports indicating that the vehicle wouldn’t include conventional car control input, along with support for autonomous driving capabilities on highways, says Bloomberg. This likely means that Apple’s vehicle will offer a version of Level 2 or Level 3 (or possibly Level 4) autonomous driving, allowing drivers to be hands-free under certain circumstances.

The car will reportedly be powered by a custom Apple chip and will feature a price tag under $100,000 USD (roughly $136,485 CAD), ensuring it’s a luxury vehicle. It’s rumoured to release between 2024 and 2028.

Apple’s EV project has been fraught with production difficulties. For example, back in 2016-2017, the car was reportedly scuttled in favour of a focus on autonomous vehicle technology and a manufacturing partnership with Hyundai or Kia. However, that plan was reportedly scrapped, and Apple is once again working on its own car.

We still don’t have a clear picture of what Apple’s car will look like, but the final design should be ready by next year, with features being locked in by the end of 2024.

Though Tesla will be Apple’s main competition in the EV space, the market has become far more crowded lately, with legacy manufacturers like Hyundai, Kia, Rivian, Volkswagen and more jumping into the electric vehicle fray.

Source: Bloomberg

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Tesla’s Model 3 could be redesigned to streamline manufacturing

Tesla is reportedly working on a revamped version of its Model 3 electric vehicle (EV) to cut production costs and modernize the vehicle’s design, according to a report from Reuters.

The project, internally codenamed “Highland” at Tesla, will reduce the number of components in the Model 3 to make the manufacturing process more streamlined. According to the report, the redesign focuses on features that it believes its buyers value, like the car’s display, for example.

Beyond design changes, it’s believed the update will change the Model 3’s powertrain performance and that it’s based on the 2021 Model S. Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory will reportedly start manufacturing the vehicle in the third quarter of 2023. It’s believed that the EV maker’s Fremont plant will also build the car, though the timeline remains unclear.

This rumour comes amid reports of quality control issues across Tesla’s entire lineup of vehicles. It’s unclear if this manufacturing revamp aims to mitigate those problems, or if it’s a cost-savings effort by the automotive company.

In other Tesla-related news, the EV company’s Cybertruck will reportedly finally enter mass production in 2023.

Source: Reuters

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Sony Honda EVs might one-up Tesla with built-in PS5

Sony and Honda may team up to bring PlayStation 5 games to electric vehicles (EVs).

Earlier this year, the two Japanese companies formed a joint venture called Sony Honda Mobility, and its CEO, Izumi Kawanishi, is now speaking on its potential for gaming. In an interview with The Financial Times, Kawanishi said it’s “technologically possible” to integrate PS5 support into Sony Honda Mobility’s future vehicles.

“Sony has content, services and entertainment technologies that move people. We are adapting these assets to mobility, and this is our strength against Tesla,” said Kawanishi.

Sony Honda Mobility plans to release its first EV in 2025, with a North American release planned for 2026. Meanwhile, Tesla has been slowly adding support for games like Sonic the Hedgehog and Cuphead, although it has yet to follow through with CEO Elon Musk’s promises to bring the massively popular RPG Cyberpunk 2077 to its EVs. Streaming services like Netflix and the U.S.-only Hulu are also available in Tesla vehicles.

That said, Tesla’s entertainment offerings rely on licensing, while Sony’s advantage, as Kawanishi points out, is already having its own properties. This includes massively popular gaming franchises like The Last of Us, God of War and Uncharted, as well as film properties like Spider-Man and Ghostbusters.

It should be noted, however, that Kawanishi’s comments aren’t actual confirmation that we’ll see PS5 games in Honda vehicles. Further, 2025-26 is quite a ways off, and the PS5 — which released in November 2020 — will presumably be at the end of its life cycle by that point.

Still, it’s interesting to hear about the potential of such technology, and time will tell how Sony Honda Mobility will use it in its vehicles.

Image credit: Sony Honda

Via: IGN

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Google Maps now shows where you can charge your EV the fastest

Electric vehicle (EV) users in Canada who favour Google Maps already have the ability to locate chargers near them.

But in its recent update, the tech giant is now showing EV drivers where the fastest chargers are located.

To access the feature, search “EV charging stations” and pick the “fast charge” filter. Google Maps will show users stations that have chargers 50kW or higher.

Users can also select the type of charger they need under “your plugs.” Along with “fast charge,” the filter will show you the closest fast charge areas for your EV.

Image credit: Google

The feature is available on Android and iOS.

Source: Google

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Hyundai plans to offer over-the-air feature updates to all its vehicles by 2025

Hyundai has announced plans to invest $12.6 billion USD (roughly $17.3 billion CAD) by 2030 to make all of its vehicles “software-defined.”

This means that by 2025, all of its new vehicles will feature the ability to receive Tesla-like over-the-air (OTA) updates that offer performance improvements and add new technologies and features. This functionality is coming to all Hyundai, Kia and Genesis vehicles across both EVs and gasoline-powered cars.

Hyundai says that 20 million vehicles worldwide will be registered for its connected car service by 2025. As part of this strategy shift, the carmaker says it will offer ‘Feature on Demand’ services next year that allow customers to “select and purchase” functionality that matches what they want from their vehicle. While microtransactions in a car sound slightly terrifying, I’m willing to shell out a few dollars if this lets me alter my Ioniq 5’s digital dashboard.

To accomplish this, the South Korean vehicle manufacturer will organize its platform into what it calls a “Software House” that includes a vehicle’s electronic/electrical architecture and its data platform/software platform.

Hyundai

The automaker also plans to offer all of its vehicles on two platforms as of 2025: a passenger-dedicated EV platform, eM, and a purpose-built system called eS for cars in the delivery and logistics industries. Hyundai says that its upcoming eM vehicles will feature a 50 percent improvement in driving range from a single charge compared to its current EVs.

Along with this shift, Hyundai has changed the name of its vehicles’ operating system to the very Apple-like ‘Connected Car Operating System’ or ‘ccOS.’ This relates to a partnership with chip maker Nvidia and Hyundai’s upcoming Nvidia Drive infotainment system platform.

According to the automaker, the goal of these changes is, in part, to better facilitate the release of Level 3 Highway driving features in its future vehicles.

It’s also worth noting that as of 2023, all new Hyundai vehicles, including both EVs and standard gas-powered cars, will be compatible with OTA updates.  To clarify, the “software-defined” initiative that includes OTA vehicle performance improvements is tied to 2025, while 2023 is explicitly related to over-the-air updates regarding display screen and navigation maps. Hyundai has offered this functionality in several vehicles since 2018.

This means that the 2022 and 2023 Ioniq 5, for example, will be capable of receiving display screen and navigation map OTA updates, but not new functionality related to vehicle performance.

Image credit: Hyundai

Source: Hyundai

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Tesla’s Cybertruck still hasn’t released, but it’s going to cost more

Amid multiple delays and with no specific availability date in sight, Tesla CEO Elon Musk says that the Cybertruck’s price and specifications will change before its release.

If you’ve been following the rising cost of vehicles, this isn’t surprising, especially given the Cybertruck was first shown off back in 2019 with a starting price of just $39,900 USD (about $51,590 CAD). During Tesla’s recent annual shareholder’s meeting, Musk says that “a lot has changed” since then.

The commercial version of the vehicle “will be different” due to what Musk describes as various issues with the vehicle. Tesla’s CEO also says that inflation played a role in the vehicle’s increased cost.

According to Musk, the Cybertruck will enter production in the middle of next year, though given Tesla’s and Musk’s track record, it’s unlikely the electric truck will hit that mark. The Cybertruck was originally supposed to start production back in 2021 but has been pushed back multiple times.

“We’re going to be installing the production equipment, tooling and all starting in the next couple of months, we’ll begin the installation, so we’re aiming to be in volume production in the middle of next year,” said Musk during the call.

Musk, unfortunately, didn’t offer specifics regarding how the Cybertrucks production design will change. Leaked images reveal several subtle design changes to the Cybertruck, including a rather strange-looking front wiper.

Back in June, Tesla hiked the price of several of its vehicles by several thousand dollars.

Source: Inside EVs, The Verge