Weekly News

Cybertruck Delivery Event

Tesla's much-anticipated Cybertruck is finally hitting the roads after its delivery event on Thursday (6 years after a Tesla truck was first mentioned by Musk). The futuristic vehicle, known for its unconventional design, boasts impressive specs. In an effort to boost range past 400 miles, the all-wheel drive and CyberBeast variants come with a range extender. The range extender serves as an optional pack that fits in about 1/3 of the truck bed and is meant for long trips or heavy towing. Potential buyers can look forward to a variety of options with multiple configurations available, tailored to different needs and budgets.

In a nod to the Cybertruck's infamous unveiling incident from 2019 when demoing “shatterproof” glass, Tesla is now selling 'broken glass' decals.

Rear-Wheel Drive:

• Price: $60,990

• Range: 250 miles

• Acceleration 0-60 mph: 6.5 sec

• Top Speed: 112 mph

• Towing Capacity: 7,500 lbs

All-Wheel Drive:

• Price: $79,990

• Range: 340 miles (470+ miles with extender)

• Acceleration 0-60 mph: 3.9 sec

• Top Speed: 112 mph

• Towing Capacity: 11,000 lbs

CyberBeast:

• Price: $99,990

• Range: 320 miles (440+ miles with extender)

• Acceleration 0-60 mph: 2.6 sec

• Top Speed: 130 mph

• Towing Capacity: 11,000 lbs

First Wireless Charging Road in Michigan

Detroit is stepping into the future with the installation of the US's first wireless charging public roadway in the Corktown neighborhood. The collaboration is between the City, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), and Electreon, a wireless charging provider, and part of a five-year commitment to develop the electric road system on Michigan roads. It is planned to open to the public in the coming years. 

The technology behind this innovative project involves inductive-charging copper coils embedded below the road's surface. These coils can charge electric vehicles equipped with Electreon receivers while they drive over them. The charging process involves transferring electricity wirelessly through a magnetic field, directly into the vehicle's battery.

Looking ahead, 2024 will see MDOT seeking bids to rebuild a portion of Michigan Avenue (US-12), where additional inductive charging infrastructure will be installed. This groundbreaking project not only represents a significant leap in EV technology but also positions Detroit as a leading city in sustainable and innovative transportation solutions.

Lotus Ultra-Fast 450 kW DCFC

Lotus is making strides in the EV transition with their latest 450 kW DC fast charger, already launched in China and set to arrive in Europe and the Middle East by Q2 2024. This ultra-fast, liquid-cooled charger is a game-changer, capable of adding up to 88.5 miles of range to the Lotus Eletre R in a mere five minutes, and achieving a 10% to 80% charge in about 20 minutes.

Designed primarily for charge point operators and fleet providers, this charger is especially efficient for vehicles with 800V charging systems (ie. Lucid Air Grand Touring, Porsche Taycan, Hyundai Ioniq 5). Lotus is also introducing a modular Liquid-Cooled Power Cabinet for high-traffic areas and a Charging Unit that can simultaneously power up to four vehicles.

Changan Auto and NIO Partner for Battery Swapping

Changan Automobile and NIO entered into a partnership focused on battery swapping technology. This collaboration aims to develop standards for swappable batteries, enhance the battery swapping network, and create vehicles with swappable batteries.

Changan Automobile, a major player in the Chinese automotive sector with a history spanning 161 years and experience in vehicle production, is aligning its EV strategy with this partnership. NIO, on the other hand, is a new leader in the EV space and currently operates the world's largest network of battery swapping stations, with over 2,100 stations and more planned.

This collaboration is not just about enhancing battery technology but also about shared efforts in energy, charging, vehicle development, and ecosystem creation, aiming for a high-quality, mutually beneficial industry transformation. As battery swapping technology continues to develop, we will be watching to see if it gets traction in other parts of the world as a possible replacement for DC fast charging stations.