General Motors Interested in Exploring Possibility of Flying Cars

If true, the U.S. automaker would become one of the first traditional automotive brands to set its sights on taking automobiles to the sky.

Baidu Apollo Debuts the First Level-4 Autonomous Buses in China

Baidu Apollo, the open autonomous driving platform of China’s internet giant Baidu, debuted the first level 4 autonomous bus in China. The company will deploy the medium-sized buses on a test route in the Chinese municipality of Chongqing this week, picking up passengers at seven stops.

Tesla Wins Defamation Suit Filed by a Former Employee Accused of Hacking at the Automaker’s Nevada Gigafactory

Electric automaker Tesla won its defamation case filed by former employee Martin Tripp, who was fired for hacking and sharing intellectual property, according to court documents filed on Thursday. Tesla sued Tripp in June 2018 over the incident. Tesla’s lawyers accused him of writing software that hacked the company’s internal manufacturing operating system at Tesla's Nevada gigafactory, then transferring several gigabytes of the data to third parties.

Ford’s New F-150 Pickup Goes on Sale in November, a Fully-Electric Version Will Enter Production in 2022

​U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co. announced on Thursday that its new best-selling F-150 pickup truck will arrive at dealers in November. Production of the new truck is already underway in Michigan. Ford also confirmed that a battery-powered F-150 will enter production by mid 2022 at the automaker's Ford River Rouge Complex, which is slated to become the high-tech manufacturing home for the new electric F-150.

Daimler Trucks Unveils the ‘GenH2’ Mercedes-Benz Fuel-Cell Concept Truck

Daimler Trucks unveiled its new lineup fuel cell concept trucks, including one that can travel up to 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) between hydrogen fill ups, which is equal to the range of a conventional diesel-powered truck. The 1,000 kilometer range fuel cell Mercedes Benz GenH2 is being designed for long-haul transport, while the fully-electric eActros LongHaul will have a range of 300 miles.

Electric Vehicle Charging Provider ChargePoint Nears Deal to Go Public, Sources Say

​Silicon Valley-based EV charging operator ChargePoint, one of the oldest and largest EV charging providers in the U.S., is close to a deal to go public in a reverse merger with Switchback Energy Acquisition Corp, source that requested anonymity told Reuters on Wednesday. The reverse merger deal could value the company at more than $2 billion.

General Motors’ Future EVs Will Be Powered by a Family of 5 New Interchangeable ‘Ultium Drive’ Units

U.S. automaker General Motors (GM) shared an update today on its new Ultium electric vehicle powertrains, which will power the automaker's future electric vehicle line up. The Ultium powertrain family includes five different units which are configurable for rear wheel, front wheel and all-wheel-drive electric models.

BMW to Equip Vehicles With Tactical Sensing Software in 2021 With a New Partnership

German automaker BMW has signed a commercial agreement with Israel-based tactile data and sensing company Tactile Mobility. As part of the partnership, BMW will equip its vehicles with software technology from Tactical Mobility beginning in 2021. The collaboration is one of the first commercial integrations of tactile sensing technology and data by a major automaker.

China’s Baidu Demonstrates its Apollo Robotaxi Without a Safety Driver Using its 5G-Powered ‘Remote Driving Service’

China's tech giant Baidu held its annual Baidu World 2020 conference on Tuesday. The annual event highlights some of the ground breaking technologies that the company has been working on throughout the year. This year’s focus was on how Baidu’s cutting-edge AI technologies and autonomous driving are transforming industries and improving people's everyday lives.

Mapping Company HERE Technologies Adds AccuWeather to its Maps, EV Drivers Can Now Better Estimate Range Based on Weather Data

Netherlands-based HERE Technologies, a leading location data and mapping company, today announced that AccuWeather has joined its HERE Marketplace and will offer its weather-related information on HERE's open mapping platform.

BMW to Double its EV Battery Production in China, Opens a New High-Voltage Battery Center

German automaker BMW is increasing its battery production capacity in China to meet the growing demand for its partial and fully-electric vehicles, as the automaker gears up to build new fully electric models. The BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) joint venture has expanded its battery factory in Tiexi with the establishment of a new “High-Voltage Battery Center.”

A 740 HP Electrified Porsche Panamera May Join the Current Lineup

According to industry speculations, German sports car maker Porsche is working on revamping its Panamera nameplate on a major scale. Thomas Friemuth, Vice President of the Porsche Panamera Product Line, recently divulged that a battery-electric version of the luxury sedan could be put in production.

Waymo Was Able to Test Autonomous Vehicles at Its Fake City During COVID-19

It’s one of those times Waymo was probably incredibly happy about its extensive 113-acre self-driving car facility.

General Motors Ultium EV Batteries to Feature Wireless Management System

The American automaker’s high-tech batteries will feature a new wireless battery management system that should make things easier for GM to manufacture multiple EVs.

Panasonic Expanding Footing at Tesla Gigafactory for Improved Battery Capacity

Tesla and longtime partner Panasonic are taking another step, as reports indicate that the battery manufacturer is looking to add an additional production line to the automaker’s facility in Nevada.

Tesla Plans to Export its China-made Model 3s to Asia & Europe, Sources Say

Electric automaker Tesla is planning to export Model 3 sedans built at its Shanghai factory to Asia and Europe, according to sources. The first China-built Model 3s for delivery outside the country likely will start mass production in the fourth quarter, Bloomberg reports.

XPeng Motors Valued at Over $8.4 Billion Files for U.S. IPO, the Company is Backed by Alibaba and Xiaomi

As existing shareholders continue to increase investments in EVs and related technologies, new participants are optimistic about China's growing electric vehicle market. As a result, electric vehicle startup XPeng Motors has strong financial backing and stamina for future development. The company has cash reserves of 8.2 billion yuan (US$1.19 billion), and is ramping up its investment in R&D.