In this week’s show:
1) The current NTSB requirements for black box data is woefully short of all the data required to determine the actual situation of a modern-day crash. Manufacturers are not required to hand over additional data. Should owners be able to pull the data themselves to turn over to the police? Should they be able to pull data from a used car prior to purchasing it?
2) Tesla’s stock has soared recently to the point that the company is now valuated higher than GM and Ford, combined! It doesn’t help that Ford and GM have seen their own valuations dropping in the recent months.
3) The Boring Company’s 0.8 mile tunnel is completed under Las Vegas between convention centers. It’s likely not going to reach 140mph like previously advertised, it might use skates to move cars or not. Details are few and far between.
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autonomous, batteries, battery, boring company, bus, Car, CBC, Charging, concept, Convenience, Cyber Truck, Cybertruck, Diesel, Eco, Efficiency, electric, elon, elon musk, Employees, epa, EV, eVolution, FICA, Ford, FSD, fuel cell, Full Self Drive, General Motors, gm, Government, Gratification, hybrid, ID.3, id3, Incentives, las vegas, LE, Lexus, LimePod, lyft, Micromobility, mobility, Model S, model X, motorcycle, nissan, Oregon, Plug-in, porsche, Portland, Range Anxiety, RAV-4, RAV4, review, robots, rv, RVing, Software, solar, Starlink, tax, Tax Credit, Technology, Tesla, the boring company, Toyota, Tracking, TriMet, trump, tunnel, update, Updates, volkswagen
This week:
1) States face roadblocks on path to lower tailpipe emissions.
2) BMW remains committed to ICE cars for at least 30 more years.
3) The Prius is no longer Toyota’s top-selling hybrid.
4) Sony shocks CES by unveiling a car.
5) The Fisker Ocean might actually be areal thing.
6) Tesla’s Gigafactory 4 has to tread lightly in the forest.
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autonomous, batteries, battery, BMW, bus, Car, CBC, Charging, concept, Convenience, Cyber Truck, Cybertruck, Diesel, dieselgate, Eco, Efficiency, electric, elon, elon musk, emissions, Employees, epa, EV, eVolution, FICA, FSD, fuel cell, Full Self Drive, General Motors, gigafactory, gm, Government, Gratification, hybrid, ID.3, id3, Incentives, LE, Lexus, LimePod, lyft, Micromobility, mobility, Model S, model X, motorcycle, nissan, Oregon, Plug-in, porsche, Portland, Prius, Range Anxiety, RAV-4, RAV4, review, robots, rv, RVing, Software, solar, Starlink, tax, Tax Credit, Technology, Tesla, Toyota, Tracking, TriMet, trump, update, Updates, volkswagen, VW, What Drives Us
audio only,What Drives Us episode
1) Tony reviewed the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Be sure to check out his two separate reviews:
Ride-along review: https://youtu.be/ed4CUB73QWE
Walk-around review: https://youtu.be/hty_KFkWZMY
2) At the beginning of the 2010s, Lithium-Ion batteries were projected to herald in the era of the electric vehicle. We discuss accessibility of battery components and the drop in prices.
3) Volkswagen has released conceptual animations of very cute little battery charging robots. You park your car anywhere in a parking garage and the robots will not only bring a mobile battery pack, the pack will plug itself into your car.
4) December saw a flurry of Tesla software updates. We pick them apart.
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autonomous, batteries, battery, bus, Car, CBC, Charging, concept, Convenience, Cyber Truck, Cybertruck, Diesel, Eco, Efficiency, electric, elon, elon musk, Employees, epa, EV, eVolution, FICA, FSD, fuel cell, Full Self Drive, General Motors, gm, Government, Gratification, hybrid, ID.3, id3, Incentives, LE, Lexus, LimePod, lyft, Micromobility, mobility, Model S, model X, motorcycle, nissan, Oregon, Plug-in, porsche, Portland, Range Anxiety, RAV-4, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, review, robots, rv, RVing, Software, solar, Starlink, tax, Tax Credit, Technology, Tesla, Toyota, Tracking, TriMet, trump, update, Updates, volkswagen, What Drives Us
audio and video,Featured,Features,What Drives Us episode
This week’s news and links…
Mark
NAIAS wrap up and slideshow (You can watch or listen to the entire 2017 Detroit Auto Show review here)
Tony
Indiana wants to charge EV owners
russell
AND
russell
Evan
VW’s Oliver Schmidt gets nabbed by the FBI
russell
The looming battle, owners say; I have a right to fuck up my car; one manufacturer says, not so much
Evan
New high power charging stations
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2016, 2017, auto show, autonomous, bus, ceo, Charging, concept, detroit, electric, emissions, EV, featured, LE, LED, NAIAS, nissan, review, scandal, self-driving, tax, Tesla, update, van, volkswagen, VW
audio and video,What Drives Us episode
This week’s news…
Paul
Expanding the charging network
Mark
Montreal installs first all electric bus route in North America
Russell
Uber needs to be slapped, again and always
Tony
VW owners are (talking about) stripping their cars for parts before returning them to VW for buyback
Russell
Tesla to start charging for charging
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (23.7MB)
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2016, bus, buyback, Charging, Diesel, electric, EV, feature, featured, first, LE, LED, self-driving, Tesla, trip, volkswagen, VW
audio and video,Featured,What Drives Us episode
Russell
The Drive loves and hates the Bolt
Tony
Mark
Supercharger sabotaged in Barstow CA
Russell
Paul
hmmm, haven’t we all been saying this for years??
Russell
It’s new but because it’s VW, I won’t believe anything they say about it
Russell
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (21.6MB)
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2016, 2017, android, Bolt, bus, Chevrolet, debut, electric, EV, featured, features, hybrid, hydrogen, LE, LED, panamera, porsche, Tesla, volkswagen, VW
audio and video,Featured,Features,What Drives Us episode
This week’s news…
Tony
Looks like Tesla is not actually going to be manufacturing 500,000 cars as previously promised
Paul
Magical new VW EV promises to be magical, sometime between 2020 and 2025
Mark
Russell
Shills and idiots, lowering CAFE standards and perceptions
Tony
Toyota Prius Prime specs published on Priuschat.
Russell
Mirai sales “spike”…when Toyota sells Mirai’s…to itself
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (22.2MB)
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2016, 2017, Eco, electric, EV, featured, hydrogen, LE, mirai, prime, Prius, priuschat, review, Tesla, Toyota, volkswagen, VW
audio and video,audio only,Featured,What Drives Us episode
WE’RE BACK!
After a brief hiatus we return to talk about EVs for almost the entire show.
Tony
VW might not sell diesels in US anymore.
http://fortune.com/2016/09/14/volkswagen-diesel-vehicles-sales/
VW says 300-mile range EV will charge in 15 minutes and cost less than gas version
Mark
Big Chevy BOLT News-238 mile (383km) Range
My Chevy Bolt Preview and Drive
https://www.facebook.com/WRVoltec/videos/924565281006167/
https://www.facebook.com/WRVoltec/videos/924429237686438/
https://www.facebook.com/WRVoltec/videos/924173741045321/
Evan
Tesla Radar update and firmware v8
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2016, autopilot, Bolt, Chevy, chevy bolt, Diesel, electric, EV, featured, LE, review, Tesla, update, volkswagen, Volt, VW
audio and video,Featured,What Drives Us episode
Tony
My topic compliments of Philip Barclay
Mark
Bolt EV production confirmed for October
Spark EV to remain & Volt upgrades and face lift for 2019
Russell
Even if we had autopilot, who really wants it?
Unintended consequences and static law in an evolving world
CR calls for Tesla to disable autopilot
The failure of FCA, dumping Dart to make more Jeeps
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2016, 2017, articles, autopilot, Bolt, Chevrolet, Chevy, chevy bolt, chevy spark, chevy volt, Chrysler, Diesel, emissions, EV, featured, fiat, Jeep, law, LE, recall, scandal, self-driving, spark, Tesla, volkswagen, Volt, VW, zero
audio and video,audio only,What Drives Us episode
Russell
First impressions driving the 4G prius.
and, more prius
So is Toyota really taking steps towards more EVs…
and then
Tony
Toyota recall that hits hybrid owners
Tony
Looks like Fusco is heading back to the gas station after all
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (22.1MB)
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2016, 4g, airbags, Diesel, electric, emissions, emssions, EV, featured, first, hybrid, LE, LED, Prius, prius 4g, recall, scandal, Tesla, Toyota, volkswagen, VW