Tag: EVS

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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 

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Hyundai shows off concept EVs, hints at Ioniq 5 N coming in 2023

Hyundai unveiled two new performance electric vehicles (EVs) and confirmed a sportier version of its Ioniq 5 is set to arrive next year.

Detailed at what the company called “N Day 2022,” the new vehicles will be part of its high-performance ‘N’ sub-brand. First up, there’s the Ioniq 5 N set to release in 2023. Hyundai didn’t reveal much about the Ioniq 5 N beyond the 2023 release.

Gear Patrol suggests the 5 N will be a sportier take on Hyundai’s new Ioniq 5, including hopes that it will perform similarly to the Kia EV6 GT, which boasts 577 horsepower (hp), 546 lb-ft of torque and can accelerate from 0-60mph (about 0-97km/h) in 3.5 seconds.

Hyundai called the other two performance cars “rolling lab” concept vehicles. While that likely means they won’t be available for consumers, Hyundai executive vice president and head of customer experience Thomas Schemera said they “play an important role in the strategic development of our entire product lineup, especially our electrified, high-performance vehicles.”

First up is the RN22e concept based on the just-released Ioniq 6 (which Hyundai seems to think is a portable home office). Gear Patrol says the RN22e likely hints at a future Ioniq 6 N. The RN22e runs on Hyundai’s Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) and boasts the same 577hp and 546 lb-ft electric motor as the EV6 GT, plus an estimated top speed of over 155mph (about 250km/h).

By using the E-GMP platform, the RN22e should offer the ability to charge from 10 to 80 percent in just 18 minutes with the right charger.

The other rolling lab Hyundai unveiled is the hydrogen fuel cell hybrid N Vision 74, sporting a retro design throwing back to the Hyundai Pony Coupe concept from 1974. The N Vision 75 boasts 671hp, 664 lb-ft torque and can also hit a top speed over 155mph (250km/h).

You can learn more about the new N concepts on Hyundai’s website.

Image credit: Hyundai

Source: Hyundai Via: Gear Patrol

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Tesla’s Sentry Mode records a truck owner unplugging a charging Model 3

Welcome back to another episode of Why We Can’t Have Good Things, this time around, featuring a despicable pickup truck driver being a jerk toward an electric vehicle (EV) owner for no apparent reason.

Shared on the Tesla Model 3 subreddit, user ‘OrdinarySpecialist38’ uploaded a video shot in Campbellville, Ontario, titled “Anyone know the incentives for this behaviour? Was it the J1172 adapter? Was napping in the back seat, opened my eyes to see this Discount Bill Burr pull out the plug and fudge with the adapter and port. Did Sentry Mode cut the footage short because I was in the car already?”

Yes, the “discount Bill Purr” line had me laughing too. Apparently, OrdinarySpecialist38 was napping in his Tesla Model 3 while it was plugged into a public charger when a wild pickup truck driver appeared out of nowhere and unplugged the vehicle. The incident was caught on tape as the Tesla’s Sentry Mode system kicked in when the truck pulled in.

Comments under the thread are golden, with users making fun of inflated gas prices, and how that lead the pickup truck owner to take his frustration out on the unsuspecting Tesla owner.

“Just because you’re bitter that gas prices are the highest they’ve ever been doesn’t mean you need to be a jerk to an EV owner,” read a comment by ‘ss68and66,’ whereas ‘RudeboyGru’ said “Yeah.. see thats a man child that’s upset that he has to pay over 100 bucks to fill up. Just get the car bro, i did. Been saving up up for over a year (for the down payment) myself. In the end i hate people.”

In a follow-up comment, OrdinarySpecialist38 explained the events in a little more detail:

“As he drives up to and in-front of the car, he utters the word “yep” to himself or his passenger, I think.

This was last night at around 11:30PM ET and was at a carpool lot beside Hwy 401. This lot comes with 4 free 7kW charging stations. I was the only ev there at the time, however.

The guy continues messing around with the charger port for another 3-5 seconds then looks inside to see me watching him, after which he stopped all physical actions immediately.

He managed to separate the cord from the J1172 adapter, but the adapter stayed locked in the charge port for long enough for him to not be able to pull it out in time for me to stop him.

He tries to play it off by talking all loud and obnoxiously, shouting to the other guy back in the truck “hey this guy’s sleeping in here!!” They both pulled out in their truck, or the Dollar Store Bill Burr got into his own car at the carpool lot then they do, I can’t fully remember where he went after pulling the cord out of my car.

Still wondering why Sentry Mode wasn’t able to record more of the incident. Happy it got this much, though.”

Image credit: OrdinarySpecialist38

Source: Reddit ‘OrdinarySpecialist38’

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Tesla raises Model S, Model X and Model 3 prices twice in two months

Tesla is at it again.

The Austin, Texas-based EV maker’s vehicles are getting increasingly expensive by the day in the United States, and that doesn’t take long to translate to an increase in the Canadian Tesla prices as well. The price hikes range from $1,600 to $10,400, depending on the model and configuration.

The hike, which took place late Wednesday night, (via TeslaNorth), is likely due to soaring inflation in both nations, paired with chip shortages and other supply chain woes.

The price increase comes soon after the company hiked its vehicle prices on May 7th. 

Check out the new CAD pricing below:

Model S Long Range: Now $136,990 (+$7,400)

Model X Long Range: Now $157,990 (+$10,400)

Model 3 Long Range: Now $76,990 (+$2,000)

Model Y Long Range: Now $86,990 (+$3,000)

Model Y Performance: $91,990 (+$1,600)

The Long Range Model X is the clear outlier and is now $10,400 more expensive than it was last month, whereas Model Y Performance received the smallest cost hike, climbing up by $1,600.

In other Tesla-related news, the car manufacturer had to recall over 130,000 vehicles across its U.S. model lineup owing to the car’s central processing computers (CPU) failing to cool when fast-charging, causing them to lag or restart.

Via: TeslaNorth

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B.C. government to install 20 new electric vehicle chargers in Langford

British Columbia’s provincial government has revealed it will install 20 new electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the province through funding provided by Natural Resources Canada’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program.

Jonathan Wilkinson, the Minister of Natural Resources, says that DB Land Acquisitions Inc. will install 20 Level 2 EV Chargers in Langford, British Colombia as part of the $49,000 EV infrastructure investment.

An additional $50,968 was contributed by DB Land Acquisitions, bringing the project total to $99,968.

This is a step forward for the Canadian government’s $680 million Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program plan that aims to ensure that all light-duty cars and passenger trucks are zero-emission by 2035.

In May 2022, the Government of British Columbia received $3.5 million to install 810 EV chargers across the province by October 2023.

Since 2015, the Canadian government has invested $1 billion in EV affordability and charger accessibility, and currently offers a $5,000 federal rebate for Canadians purchasing electric vehicles.

Canada’s 2022 Budget proposes a $1.7 billion investment to extend the federal EV purchase incentive program until March 2025, followed by a $400 million investment in Natural Resources Canada to extend the program to March 2027.

So far, over 136,000 Canadians have taken advantage of the federal incentive to purchase a zero-emission vehicle In Canada.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Sources: Government of Canada

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British Columbia leads Canada in zero-emissions vehicle adoption: study

A new report from analytics firm IHS Markit suggests that new electric vehicle (EV) registrations in Canada increased by 52 percent year-over-year during the first quarter of 2022.

The market share of battery electric vehicles (BEV) increased to about 6.2 percent, with British Columbia leading the race, accounting for 13.6 percent of all new light vehicles in the province. British Columbia also leads the nation in ZEV (zero-emissions vehicle) adoption, with a 17.1 percent market share.

Tesla was the brand leader in Q1 2022, marking an increase to 12,221 BEV sales in the quarter, along with Hyundai, with 1,099 PHEV (Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles) sales. Registrations for zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs – EVs and plug-in hybrids), increased by 48 percent year over year, accounting for 8.3 percent of all new light cars.

ZEV registrations in British Columbia account for 26 percent of all ZEV registrations in Canada, whereas Quebec accounted for 39 percent of all ZEV registrations in Canada in Q1 2022. Ontario accounted for 28 percent of all new ZEV registration in Canada during the same time frame.

“Inventory constraints, new BEV and PHEV entrants, and increased fuel prices have accelerated the uptake of BEV and PHEV vehicles in the Canadian market,” reads the report.

The report from IHS Markit comes soon after the Federal government announced that it is expanding incentives for its Zero-Emission Vehicles program to include minivans, pickup trucks and SUVs. Read more about the program below:

Image credit: IHS Markit

Source: IHS Markit Via: TeslaNorth

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A phone-as-key unlock vulnerability in Teslas can allow attackers to drive off with your vehicle

Researchers from the NCC Group have found that it’s possible to steal a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y through its Bluetooth Low Energy signal detection, and the vehicle’s phone-as-key unlock mechanism is to blame.

According to the report, the attack, classified as a ‘Relay Attack,’ not only works on Tesla vehicles, but also on smartphones, laptops, smart locks and a range of devices that employ the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) standard.

The attack typically needs a team of two, with one person situated near the in-ambush vehicle, and the other in close proximity to the owner owner’s phone that they use as a key to unlock their Tesla. Both attackers need to have an active internet connection to pass requests.

The attacker near the Tesla approaches the vehicle, impersonating as the phone-as-key device, which prompts the vehicle to send out an authentication request. The request is relayed to the attacker, who then passes it to the vehicle owner’s device. The legitimate phone-as-key device passes on the credentials to the attacker near it, who then relays it to the attacker near the vehicle. Finally, the credentials are then relayed to the car, prompting it to unlock.

It’s worth noting that the attack doesn’t necessarily need a team of two, and rather, just a relaying device hidden somewhere near the vehicle owner’s authentication device can successfully complete the attack. The NCC Group experimented with the vulnerability on a 2020 Tesla Model 3 using an iPhone 13 mini.

“The NCC Group was able to use this newly developed relay attack tool to unlock and operate the vehicle while the iPhone was outside the BLE range of the vehicle. In the test setup, the iPhone was placed on the top floor at the far end of a home, approximately 25 metres away from the vehicle, which was in the garage at ground level. The phone-side relaying device was positioned in a separate room from the iPhone, approximately 7 metres away from the phone. The vehicle-side relaying device was able to unlock the vehicle when within placed within a radius of approximately 3 metres from the vehicle,” reads the report.

To avoid a similar attack on your vehicle, it’s recommended that you use the PIN-to-drive feature, which will prevent bad actors from driving your vehicle off, in case they’re able to pull off a successful BLE attack.

Learn more about the vulnerability here.

Image credit: The Telegraph

Source: NCC Group Via: TechRadar

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Over 130,000 Tesla vehicles recalled due to a CPU heating issue

A new touch screen display issue is causing Tesla to recall nearly 130,000 vehicles across its U.S. model lineup, as reported by The Associated Press (via CTV News).

The affected vehicles, which include the 2021 Model S, the 2022 Model X and the 2022 Model Y and Model 3 seem to have the problem when fast-charging.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the car’s central processing computers (CPU) fail to cool when fast-charging, causing them to lag or restart, which in turn leads to the touch screen display becoming slow, unresponsive or blank.

According to The Associated Press’ report, Tesla is fixing the issue via online software updates, which started rolling out on May 3rd. Tesla claims to have discovered the issue during its routine endurance testing. Although there have been no reports of crashes or injuries, the company has received 59 warranty claims from January to early May regarding the issue.

This isn’t the first time Tesla has recalled faulty vehicles in 2022. Back In February, Tesla recalled over 578,607 vehicles due to a Boombox feature that blocked the mandatory Pedestrian Warning System, whereas, in the same month, about 12,000 Model X vehicles were recalled worldwide over loose trim pieces.

It’s worth noting that the recall seems to be limited to U.S. Tesla owners, however, considering that the issue relates to car’s CPU and touch screen, it likely that Canadians are affected too.

Via: The Associated Press (CTV News)

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Up to 90 new EV chargers coming to British Columbia’s Kootenay region

Natural Resources Canada has announced a new $1 million investment to the Community Energy Association that will enable the installation of up to 90 EV chargers across British Columbia’s Kootenay region.

The investment, which was funded through Natural Resources Canada’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program will bring charging access to the more than 200,000 population of the region.

“The Community Energy Association will select recipients through a transparent process, based on demand. The EV chargers will then be installed in public places, multi-unit residential buildings, on streets, at workplaces or at facilities for servicing light-duty vehicle fleets by October 2023,” reads Natural Resources Canada’s news release.

“We’re making electric vehicles more affordable and charging more accessible where Canadians live, work and play. Investing in more EV chargers, like the ones announced today in British Columbia, will put more Canadians in the driver’s seat on the road to a net-zero future and help achieve our climate goals,” said Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, in a press statement.

This investment allows the nation to take another step towards its goal of having 100 percent zero-emission passenger vehicles sold in the country by 2035. Today’s investment follows a recent $201,499 investment by Natural Resources Canada that aims to add 42 EV chargers across the Regional Municipality of Durham in Southern Ontario.

Source: Natural Resources Canada

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Ontario is getting 50 new EV chargers

Ontario is getting 50 new EV chargers, thanks to an investment from the Government of Canada and Alectra Energy Services.

The Level 2 chargers will be installed in the municipalities of St. Catharines, Barrie and Markham by spring. 

The project costs $960,000. The government is financing $250,000 through the Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program. Alectra Energy Services is contributing more than $710,000.

“We’re making electric vehicles more affordable and charging more accessible where Canadians live, work and play,” Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, said. “Investing in more EV chargers…will put more Canadians in the driver’s seat on the road to a net-zero future and help achieve our climate goals.”

Last week Ottawa announced an extension of its Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program. Now available until March 2025, the program incentivizes Canadians to purchase EVs.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: Natural Resources Canada