Author: News Room
The incoming Trump administration may move to eliminate a provision that requires automakers to report crashes involving their self-driving cars. This will be one of several components of the transition team’s 100-day strategy for automotive policy, Reuters reported Friday, citing a document the news agency had seen. The administration is said to be eliminating the requirement as part of an effort to trim what it calls “excessive” data collection. But excessive for whom, exactly? If you’ve been off-planet for the past month, you may not be aware that Tesla CEO Elon Musk is (yet again) a member of President-Elect Donald…
The Renault R5 Turbo is back! Well, sort of. The new Turbo 3E is still a wild, rear-wheel-drive hot hatchback with way more personality than one could reasonably expect to fit into such a small package. What’s changed, then? Well, among other things, this one’s electric. It’s also built on a carbon superstructure to save weight, and packs a whopping 500 horsepower thanks to a dual (yes, dual) rear-motor setup. A rear-wheel-drive hot hatch that can do 0-62 mph in 3.5 seconds? We’re listening. And yes—Renault says it’s destined for production. Renault The R5 Turbo “3E” (It’s the third car…
The electric Cadillac Escalade IQ isn’t quite on sale yet, but at least a few people are driving them around, even if they shouldn’t be. Thieves broke into one of GM’s storage lots in Detroit and were reportedly able to make off with multiple Escalade IQs without getting caught. At least one ended up beached on a concrete barrier when a thief presumably attempted to drive it through the lot’s fence. In an Instagram video from Metro Detroit News, you can see one of the Escalade IQs sticking through a massive hole in the fence, on top of a concrete…
French tire company Michelin and Italian brake manufacturer Brembo are officially collaborating on an interesting vehicle control concept. Using a combination of sensors and computer processing, the idea is to make brakes and tires communicate with each other and the car they’re attached to. With more situational context, theoretically, stopping power could be improved. Braking systems have been computerized, to a degree, for a very long time. ABS as we know it goes back to about the ’80s and earlier, and nowadays braking systems can be tied in with traction control and drive modes to optimize braking behavior situationally. Brembo’s…
Tesla’s share of the new electric vehicle market was below 50% for the second consecutive quarter in Q3, the U.S. Energy Information Administration confirmed last week in a new report on U.S. electrified vehicle sales. Tesla has enjoyed an impressively long honeymoon period as America’s de facto EV brand, but 2024 may mark the end of that streak. Even if the controversial EV maker manages to squeeze enough sales to sneak back up above 50% by the end of December, Tesla is going to have to settle for ceding market share for the foreseeable future. It’s been a good run,…
Dodge wants muscle car buyers to embrace EVs with nostalgia and speed The Dodge Charger Daytona EV is anything but quiet The 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona costs $61,590 Its looks are inspired by a 1960s muscle car. Its form factor was last popular in the 1970s. And its name is taken from a bewinged NASCAR special driven by Richard Petty, among other NASCAR legends. But it’s also thoroughly modern, marking its brand’s first full step into the electric era. It’s the 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona, and it aims to bring muscle car fans into the electric fold with nostalgia and performance.…
The United States Postal Service still intends to purchase an increasing number of electric delivery vehicles until it’s forced to do otherwise, U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said at a House of Representatives hearing on Tuesday, signaling to the incoming administration that it will not likely be able to overturn the agency’s plan to purchase additional EVs without congressional intervention, Reuters reports. Just last week, President Trump’s transition team suggested that it would seek to overturn the 2023 spending package that earmarked funds for their adoption, along with cutting other programs that encourage the uptake of electric cars. Facing questioning…
The 2025 E 53 Hybrid has up to 604 hp with 6 cylinders The E 53 Hybrid has four levels of regenerative braking The E 53 Hybrid costs EQE and Lucid Air money: $89,150 The Mercedes AMG E 53 has returned, but this time it swaps some cylinders for a charge port and batteries, more power, and a lot more weight. The 2025 Mercedes-Benz E 53 Hybrid is arriving in U.S. dealers now, and it’s quicker and significantly more powerful than before. But it’s heavier, lacked the loud and angry AMG bark in an all too brief winter driving adventure,…
Camping in a Mercedes Sprinter RV is far from roughing it The 2025 Mercedes Sprinter has all-wheel-drive, not four-wheel drive The 2025 Mercedes Sprinter costs $53,125 “We have a hotel room for you in case you decide to bail on this idea.” That was the last thing I was told before closing the sliding door to the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter RV van at 10:30 pm at night. I was volun-told that I’d be sleeping here as a part of my assignment that included driving the Mercedes E 53 AMG plug-in hybrid—cool—and seeing its new Manufaktur line of custom options. Also cool.…
BMW M has taken on the Herculean task of developing a dedicated electric car. While making a lightning-quick EV is relatively easy, building one that’s engaging to drive is considerably more difficult. The brand claims it has found the secret recipe: four motors and a lot of tech. Years in the making, M’s first EV will be based on BMW’s Neue Klasse architecture, which is scheduled to enter production in 2025. It’s not just a platform: the heritage-laced term denotes an entirely new approach to developing cars, including the exterior styling, the interior layout, and the materials used inside and…