ev

Amber Introduces Solution for Tesla Owners’ Lapsed Warranties

Gettyimages 1388249530
One Bay Area startup called Amber thinks it can help them navigate that minefield, starting with Tesla owners. When owners file a claim, Amber works with qualified repair shops to find the right parts and fix what’s wrong, and will transport the vehicle. AmberCare is the latest addition to a growing economy built around used EVs. One group is anyone who is looking to buy a used EV but is scared away by the thought of expensive, time-consuming repairs. There are other unexpected things to consider in the process of repairing an EV that Pak thinks AmberCare can help with, like transportation.

“Government Pushes Electric Vehicle Agenda as India’s Two-Wheeler Startups Skyrocket to 150+ Players”

Gettyimages 1234696190
The number of startups in India’s electric two-wheeler market has surged to over 150 from 54 in 2021, driven by government incentives to promote clean vehicles and cut oil imports, according to a new analysis. “Most are competing in the mainstream, and 85% of the 65 models launched last year were such products: high-speed as against speed and range-constrained products, which used to be a feature of the startups,” Bernstein analysts wrote. The government has offered incentives under its FAME II scheme, which provides subsidies to buyers and was recently extended to 2024. Bernstein’s analysis found low barriers to entry, with electric two-wheelers built using outsourced models and readily available components. Most established automotive companies have been granted PLI while only a few startups qualified, potentially providing a cost advantage for major incumbents, Bernstein said.

Observing: Difficulties facing electric vehicle manufacturers, with Fisker in a particularly delicate situation.

Site Fisker Version
Fisker’s finances are back in the news after the company warned back in February that it didn’t have enough cash to make it through its next year. The company said this week that it intends to halt production for six weeks to get its business back in order. Softening demand growth for EVs is making the normal challenges of scaling a company all the harder for Fisker and its peers. Not that we’re all doom and gloom here at TechCrunch — we’re actually rather bullish on the prospect for EVs in the near and far future. Let’s take a look at what’s going on under the hood here:

Exploring the Possibilities: How Rivian and Telo’s Compact EV Models Could Revive the Electric Vehicle Industry

Site Ev Version
The great EV boom is fading a bit, but that’s not a concern if you take a long-enough view. Sure, Tesla expects slower growth for its car sales this year, and there are some indications that other companies are trimming their electric car plans, but there’s also reason to be optimistic. If you take a look at some upcoming EVs, you may notice that the don’t look precisely like the current, bestselling gas-powered cars out there. I reckon that that is for the best — when you swap power sources, you can shake up the rest of a vehicles design, right? So two cheers for Rivian’s R3 and what Telo is cooking up, because their plans have me hype.

Uber’s Chief Executive Officer Unveils Strategies for Expanding Driver Electric Vehicle Accessibility and Combatting Emissions at SXSW

Uber Dara Sxsw
Uber CEO outlines plans for increasing driver EV access, reducing emissions at SXSW Dara Khosrowshahi explains his priorities for Uber now that it's achieved profitabilityUber’s future will be greener, more affordable, and able to challenge Amazon at its own rapid delivery game, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi predicted while on stage this week at SXSW. To achieve that, Uber has to make it easier and cheaper for drivers to access electric vehicles. Uber said emissions are calculated based on Uber Green and Uber Comfort Electric rides, and the amount of CO2 emissions avoided compared to UberX or Uber Comfort trips of the same distance. Riders can go to their account section of the Uber app to access the “estimated CO2 saved” feature, which shows all the emissions saved by taking Uber Green and Uber Comfort electric rides. Since then Uber has partnered with autonomous sidewalk delivery startups Cartken and Serve Robotics and robotaxi companies Waymo and Motional.

Dispute Arises for Lucid Motors’ Gravity SUV Moniker

Lucid Gravity Terrain
Lucid Motors is stuck in a fight over the name of its Gravity SUVLucid Motors is at risk of losing the trademark for the name of its Gravity SUV, just months before the company is supposed to start production. Google Ventures-backed EV charging company Gravity Inc. filed a “petition for cancellation” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) in December asking for Lucid’s Gravity trademark to be revoked. “We feel very, very confident about it,” Moshe Cohen, Gravity Inc.’s CEO, said of the petition in an interview with TechCrunch. Lucid, in its answer to the petition filed last week, says that Gravity does not currently operate an EV fleet and argues that consumers would not be confused by the two different uses of the Gravity name. “[Lucid] believes that it is being and will continue to be damaged by [Gravity Inc.’s] registration,” the company writes.

New Software and Reduced Prices: Chevy Blazer EV Sales Reinstated by GM

Apple Wwdc 2022 2022 06 13 At 1.21.30 Pm
General Motors has resumed sales of the Chevrolet Blazer EV — and at a cheaper price — more than two months after the automaker pulled the vehicle over software problems. The company temporarily halted sales of the Blazer EV in December after early customers reported problems with the SUV’s infotainment screen and charging at DC fast charging stations. GM said in a statement that the company “made significant software updates that will improve features and functionality to deliver on the high expectations of our customers. Existing Blazer EV owners will have to bring their car into a GM dealership for a software update to address any potential problems going forward. The company says it has improved its quality testing and software processes to prevent similar problems in the future.

“Unveiling the 2024 Dodge Charger: Electric Power, Donuts, Drifts, and a Hellcat Roar”

Dg024 018ch
The two new Dodge Charger EV coupes — the 2024 Charger Daytona Scat Pack and the milder Daytona R/T trim — are scheduled to enter production in mid-2024. Gas-powered two-door and four-door Dodge Charger vehicles are also scheduled to begin production in the first quarter of 2025. The 2024 Dodge Charger launch comes at a precarious time for U.S. and European automakers attempting to navigate an ever-changing EV landscape, where Chinese manufacturers continue to gain ground. So that’s why we keep it flat out.”EV nuts and boltsThe 2024 Charger Daytona Scat Pack and Daytona R/T trim will come standard with all-wheel drive and a 100.5 kilowatt-hour battery pack. Those driving modes, which are available in the Scat Pack trim, perform like they sound.

Lordstown Motors Accused of Deceiving Investors Regarding Potential Sales of EV Pickup

Lordstown Motors Corp
Lordstown Motors charged with misleading investors about the sales potential of its EV pickupThe Securities and Exchange Commission has charged bankrupt Lordstown Motors with misleading investors about the sales prospects of its Endurance electric pickup truck. Lordstown has agreed to pay $25.5 million as a result — money that the SEC says will go towards settling a number of pending class action lawsuits against the company. “We allege that, in a highly competitive race to deliver the first mass-produced electric pickup truck to the U.S. market, Lordstown oversold true demand for the Endurance,” Mark Cave, Associate Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement said in a statement. “Exaggerations that misrepresent a public company’s competitive advantages distort the capital markets and foil investors’ ability to make informed decisions about where to put their money.”The SEC says its investigation into Lordstown Motors is ongoing. This story is developing…

“Embarking on an Electric Expedition: Ford and Tesla Superchargers Unite”

Tesla Ford Charger
Less than a year ago, every automaker and EV charging company operating in the United States used the Combined Charging System (CCS). Six months later, Ford announced a deal to that would give owners of Ford EVs access to Tesla Superchargers. Within nine months every major automaker selling vehicles in the United States has agreed to the Tesla charging standard, with many committing to integrate the technology within their next-generation vehicles. Tesla owners have long enjoyed sole access to the network and newcomers may put pressure on an already popular charging network. Ford executives were quick to note in a briefing with reporters that not every Tesla Supercharger will be accessible to Ford owners.