The future of transportation is electric. Tesla proved with the Model S that customers would want to buy luxury vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries. Other EV startups like Faraday Future, Byton, Lucid Motors, and SF Motors are chasing after Elon Musk. And major automakers like Jaguar, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz have each released their own Tesla challengers. There are obstacles, such as the need for a more robust charging network. But battery-powered cars are here to stay.
European registrations for new Tesla cars were down 40 percent in July compared to the same month last year, while EVs from BYD were up 225 percent. It’s the seventh consecutive month of declines for Musk, in a month that saw sales of EVs grow, according to ACEA data.
Either the end of 2026, or not at all, according to Elon Musk. The new six-seater Model Y L variant is creating some buzz after just launching in China, but Musk said that the rise of autonomous vehicles may preclude its arrival in the US. Whatever that means.
A few weeks after losing its first wrongful death jury trial, Tesla is facing a new set of legal problems. A judge in California approved a request to bundle a number of lawsuits alleging the company misled customers about autonomous driving into one class action suit. That could mean a much bigger payout if Tesla loses. The company is also facing a lawsuit from the California DMV over similar claims.
The six-seater EV starts at ¥339,000, or about $47,000. That’s about $3,600 more expensive than the Model Y Long Range AWD in China. The range is 751 km (466 miles) on the CLTC driving cycle, which is typically more generous than the WLTP and EPA estimates. Here in the US, we’re still waiting for the cheaper version of the Model Y.
What’s that? An Elon Musk project is falling short of expectations? The Tesla Diner has scraped half its menu, including the “all-day breakfast” option? You don’t say!
The RSX Prototype, Honda’s first EV built on its in-house developed platform, is set to make its debut at Monterey Car Week. But it won’t be arriving at Acura dealerships until the second half of 2026. Until then, you’ll have to make do with this moody photo.
The two automakers first announced their collaboration last year, saying they would focus on building EVs and hydrogen vehicles together. Today’s announcement downplays the EVs and hydrogen — they’re “continuing to assess” — in favor of ICE and hybrid vehicles. Four of those vehicles will be for Central and South America, while a fifth, an all-electric commercial van, will be for North America. Hyundai is going to lead the van project, which makes sense given the Korean automaker’s recent success in the EV space.
‘There are two Teslas,’ attorney Brett Schreiber told us. ‘There’s Tesla in the showroom and then there’s Tesla in the courtroom.’
Another day, another lawsuit claiming Tesla is covering up safety problems with its self-driving tech. The latest one was filed in Texas by a Tesla shareholder and seeks class action status. And like previous legal challenges, it claims that Tesla and CEO Elon Musk overstated the effectiveness of its autonomous vehicles. It comes on the heels of a shocking defeat in a wrongful death case, in which Tesla was ordered to pay more than $240 million in damages.
The three-pointed star may have backed off its plan to sell only EVs after 2030, but that doesn’t mean it’s given up on plug-in power altogether. In addition to teasing its new electric GLC — including an illuminated grille with “a total of 942 dots backlit from behind” — the German automaker also plans to launch no fewer than 15 new EVs over the next two years, calling it “the biggest product launch program in the history of Mercedes-Benz.” No argument here.
That was EV accessory manufacturer Hansshow’s offer to YouTuber Branden Flasch, after he posted a pretty damning takedown of their “Dangerous, useless and overpriced” charging adapter.
Believe it or not, the apparent attempted bribe was only the opening gambit in a conversation that goes on to include accusations of corruption, plenty of profanity, and arguing the adapter must be safe because Flasch didn’t die. You’re gonna want to read this for yourself.
When it’s in the Bay Area. Tesla has sent out invites for its “ride-hailing service,” conspicuously absent any Robotaxi branding.
Tesla doesn’t have permits for autonomous taxis in California, so its rides include a supervisor in the driver’s seat, who Reuters reports must be “ready to take over at all times” — in Austin the supervisor sits in the passenger seat. A first fan video shows the car doing most of the work, but the human driver’s hands always stay near the wheel.
Get a first look at the new fascia, NACS charging port, and brake lights on the Bolt, with Chevy promising “More this fall.”
GM killed the Bolt in 2023 before resurrecting it for its newer Ultium battery tech (which... it’s also killing, at least as a brand name). The new Bolt will boast faster charging and multiple models, but that won’t include a small hatchback — only the larger EUV Bolt is making a comeback.
