ELECTRIC VEHICLES

thelivyjr
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Re: ELECTRIC VEHICLES

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Business Insider

"Tesla leak reveals thousands of customer complaints about random acceleration, phantom braking"


Story by jmann@insider.com (Jyoti Mann)

27 MAY 2023

* Germany's Handelsblatt published a report Friday based on leaked information about Tesla.

* The newspaper spent months investigating a "massive" tranche of data provided by a whistleblower.

* Its report said Tesla had received 4,000 complaints from customers about self-driving features.


Tesla has received thousands of customer complaints about braking and acceleration problems, according to a report by a German newspaper.

A whistleblower leaked 100 gigabytes of confidential Tesla data to Handelsblatt, which reportedly included some 4,000 complaints about its self-driving features.


The "Tesla files" also contained customers' bank details and a variety of personal information, The Guardian reported, adding that the data leak was described as "massive" by the data protection office in Brandenburg, where Tesla has a factory.

Handelsblatt said it spent months examining the data, which included more than 23,000 files spanning 2015 to 2022.

It said it reviewed more than 2,400 customer complaints of Teslas suddenly accelerating and about 1,500 complaints of braking issues, including 383 cases of "phantom braking."

In addition, there were 1,000 logged reports of crashes, per the report.

A lawyer representing Tesla said that a "disgruntled former employee", who worked as a service technician, was the suspected leaker, per Handelsblatt.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an investigation into the safety of Teslas in February 2022.

The move was sparked by hundreds of complaints from drivers about "phantom braking," when a car suddenly decelerates unexpectedly at high speeds.

At the time, the NHTSA said it had received 354 complaints in nine months from Tesla drivers about the issue.

The agency carried out an evaluation of the problem, which may have affected more than 400,000 Model 3 sedans and Model Y SUVS.

In a letter to Tesla last May, the agency said more than 750 drivers complained about phantom braking incidents.

A Tesla owner filed a lawsuit against the electric vehicle maker last August over phantom braking.

Jose Alvarez Toledo said the problems turned his Model 3's "safety feature into a frightening and dangerous nightmare."

He accused Tesla of hiding safety concerns related to its Autopilot system in the lawsuit.

In November 2022, nine people were injured after an eight-car pileup was blamed on Tesla's phantom braking problem.

One juvenile was hospitalized and the driver of the Tesla told authorities his car was in "full-self-driving" mode at the time of the accident.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider, made outside normal working hours.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/te ... 48a&ei=118
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Re: ELECTRIC VEHICLES

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REUTERS

"Biden administration aims $2 billion in grants at US electric vehicle transition"


By Timothy Gardner, Joseph White

JUNE 28, 2023

WASHINGTON/DETROIT (Reuters) - President Joe Biden’s administration on Wednesday said it intends to invest $2 billion from last year’s Inflation Reduction Act to accelerate domestic manufacturing of electric vehicles and resuscitate plants that are struggling.

Speeding grants and other subsidies to fund conversion of existing auto plants to build electric vehicles could help the White House blunt criticism from auto makers and the United Auto Workers (UAW) union over proposed environmental rules aimed to help usher in the EV era.

The Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grants for EVs program will provide cost-shared grants for making efficient hybrid, plug-in electric hybrid, fully electric, and fuel cell vehicles.

The Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office said the program will prioritize projects that refurbish or retool manufacturing plants that have recently stopped operations or were expected to close soon.

The goal is to preserve existing jobs, including union jobs and wages, and “work opportunities in communities that have been powering our automotive economy for decades,” it said.

Ohio-based electric truck maker Lordstown Motors filed for bankruptcy protection on Tuesday, the latest filing for Chapter 11 protection in a crop of startups that went public during the pandemic-era boom in Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPAC), which were publicly listed companies aimed at acquiring private companies.

The Biden administration, as part of its goal of decarbonizing the economy by 2050, is pushing the U.S. auto industry to accelerate a transition to EVs.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in April proposed rules that could result in as much as two-thirds of the new vehicle market shifting to EVs by 2032.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents General Motors, Stellantis NV, Toyota Motor and others, on Wednesday called the EPA proposal a “de facto battery electric vehicle mandate” that was “neither reasonable nor achievable.”


The UAW has warned such a rapid change could put thousands of jobs at risk in states such as Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana.

Shawn Fain, the UAW president, has campaigned to save a Jeep factory in Belvidere, Illinois, that Stellantis has put on track to shut down.

The automaker has left open the possibility that the factory could get a new product with government aid.

Individual awards may be between $25 million and $500 million and funding for the grants would be available through September, 2031.

The notice of intent the Energy Department issued on Wednesday is preliminary.

The notice may soon be followed by funding announcement that is similar to the notice, significantly different, or may not be issued at all, it said.

Reporting by Timothy Gardner in Washington and Joe White in Detroit; additional reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by David Gregorio and Grant McCool

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-evs ... SL1N38K252
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Re: ELECTRIC VEHICLES

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REUTERS

"Lordstown Motors files for bankruptcy, sues Foxconn"


By Mike Spector, Joseph White and Dietrich Knauth

June 27, 2023

NEW YORK, June 27 (Reuters) - U.S. electric truck manufacturer Lordstown Motors filed for bankruptcy protection on Tuesday and put itself up for sale after failing to resolve a dispute over a promised investment from Taiwan's Foxconn.

Shares of Lordstown tumbled 35% in trading on the Nasdaq.

The company's bankruptcy is not the first among the crop of EV startups that went public during the pandemic-era SPAC boom.

But Lordstown was a high-profile member of that class because it was challenging the core of the legacy Detroit automakers' business of high-margin pickup trucks, and because of its location.

"The bankruptcy of Lordstown signals that the days of successful EV startups is in the rear-view mirror," said Thomas Hayes, chairman at hedge fund Great Hill Capital.

"Moving forward it will be Tesla and the traditional incumbents ... that will duke it out for market share."


The automaker, named after the Ohio town where it is based, filed for Chapter 11 protection in a Delaware bankruptcy court.

In the complaint, Lordstown accused Foxconn of fraudulent conduct and a series of broken promises in failing to abide by an agreement to invest up to $170 million in the electric-vehicle manufacturer.

Foxconn previously invested about $52.7 million in Lordstown as part of the agreement, and currently holds an 8.4% stake in the EV maker.

Lordstown contends Foxconn is balking at purchasing additional shares of its stock as promised and misled the EV maker about collaborating on vehicle development plans.

Foxconn, formally called Hon Hai Precision Industry and best known for assembling Apple's iPhones, has said Lordstown breached the investment agreement when the automaker's stock fell below $1 per share.

The Taiwanese company said on Tuesday that it had maintained "a positive attitude in conducting constructive negotiations with Lordstown" but said the U.S. firm had been reluctant to perform the investment agreement in accordance with its terms.

It said the company was suspending negotiations with Lordstown and reserved the right to pursue legal action.

The twin filings by Lordstown set up an international business clash that could intensify scrutiny of Foxconn's EV ambitions and partnerships, not only with Lordstown but also other automakers.

The lawsuit portrays Foxconn as consistently shifting goal posts in its collaboration with Lordstown on the automaker's future vehicles, which included failing to meet funding commitments and refusing to engage with the company on initiatives Foxconn allegedly directed and purported to support.

Lordstown, a startup launched in 2018, said in a regulatory filing earlier this month that it had planned to sue Foxconn after receiving a letter from the company that led Lordstown to believe Foxconn was unlikely to make its additional expected investment.

Lordstown accused Foxconn in that regulatory filing of engaging in a "pattern of bad faith" that caused "material and irreparable harm" to the company.

The automaker's main product is the Endurance electric pickup truck, which is built at a former General Motors small-car factory in Lordstown for commercial customers such as local governments.

Lordstown sold the plant to Foxconn in 2022.

Lordstown paused production of the Endurance earlier this year and since April has resumed building the trucks at a low rate after resolving quality issues with suppliers.

Should Lordstown fail to find a rescuer willing to re-start full production of the Endurance, the Ohio factory could be a draw for overseas automakers looking for a quick way to build vehicles in the United States.

Lordstown filed for bankruptcy with plans to seek a buyer.

It does not have an initial offer in hand, known in bankruptcy parlance as a stalking-horse bidder, which sets a minimum price other suitors can top in an auction.

Lordstown CEO Edward Hightower told Reuters the Endurance business could prove attractive to another automaker looking for a fast entry into the EV market at a time the Biden administration's policies are attempting to move away from gasoline-powered cars.

The Lordstown factory in Northeast Ohio was formerly a GM small-car factory that GM decided to close in 2018.

Then-U.S. President Donald Trump and other Ohio political leaders put pressure on GM CEO Mary Barra to reverse the decision, or find a buyer.

GM agreed to sell the plant to a newly-formed entity called Lordstown Motors founded by the former top executive at an electric truck maker called Workhorse Group.

Like several others, including truck maker Nikola, Lordstown, which went public in 2020, has struggled to live up to the high expectations of early investors.

In 2021, its chief executive and founder, Stephen Burns, resigned after the automaker acknowledged it had overstated pre-orders for its electric trucks.


Lordstown's finance chief at the time also resigned.

Burns has since sold his entire stake in Lordstown, according to a June regulatory filing.

As Lordstown wrestled during 2021 and 2022 with investigations by regulators and the U.S. Justice Department, Ford Motor was launching its electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck, aiming at commercial customers.

EV startup Rivian launched its luxury electric pickup in 2022.

GM and Stellantis have announced plans for electric pickups.

Elon Musk's Tesla has promised it will begin producing its Cybertruck late this year.

Reporting by Mike Spector in New York, Joseph White in Detroit and Dietrich Knauth in New York; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard and Sarah Wu in Taipei, and Chavi Mehta in Bengaluru; Editing by Nick Zieminski, Dhanya Ann Thoppil and David Evans

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos- ... 023-06-27/
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Re: ELECTRIC VEHICLES

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The Daily Caller

"DAVID BLACKMON: Automakers Are Calling Out Biden’s EV Fantasy"


Opinion by David Blackmon

1 JULY 2023

The Biden administration is getting significant pushback from auto industry representatives over its anticipated tightening of EPA rules governing tailpipe emissions.

In a draft memo leaked this week, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI) refers to the proposed standards as being “neither reasonable nor achievable in the timeframe provided.”


Honestly, that describes pretty much the entire energy/environment agenda of this presidency.

Specific to this latest EPA crackdown, AAI — which represents most EV makers in the U.S. other than Tesla — notes that the “proposed rules effectively assume that everything ‘will go perfectly’ in the transformation to EVs between now and 2032."

"The agency unrealistically assumes, for example, an over-abundance of battery critical mineral mines, critical mineral processing capacity and battery component, cell and pack production facilities lead to continued battery price reductions."

"The recently released Q1 2023 Get Connected EV report shows how China dominates those areas.”

For electric vehicles (EVs), this issue of critical mineral supplies is the key to everything.

The main reason why EVs weigh so much more than gas and diesel powered cars is the prodigious amount of critical energy minerals that go into the making of the lithium-ion batteries that power them.

The minerals required include lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite, all of which are recovered via hard rock mining operations.

But the U.S. and other countries in North America and Europe made a collective decision to essentially farm out the business of hard rock mining to developing nations and the processing of them to China in the 1980s as part of the environmental priorities of that time.

As a result, most supply chains for these and other key energy minerals are under control of the communist Chinese government.


Obviously, that is not a situation that promotes a high degree of energy security, either for the automakers or the United States.

In June 2021, President Biden seemed to recognize this issue and promised his regime would mount a “whole of government” approach to developing necessary mining capacity and supply chains in alliance with friendly countries outside of China.

But progress from this initiative has been predictably plodding and modest, leaving U.S. automakers increasingly stuck with a raft of new mandates and timelines they increasingly fear they will be unable to fulfill.

In its memo, AAI refers to the proposed EPA regulation as a “de facto EV mandate,” a description the Biden government frankly admits is correct.

EPA itself says the regulation is designed to effectively mandate that EVs make up fully 2/3rds of all cars made in the U.S. by 2032, just 9 years from now.

This compares to EVS making up less than 6% of U.S.-manufactured autos in 2022.

AAI points to several other unrealistic assumptions EPA makes in its proposal.

One such assumption holds that government will continue to expand consumer subsidies to the point where their benefits will exceed the cost of the battery, i.e., that making and installing the batteries will essentially cost automakers nothing.

“These assumptions are not realistic,” AAI responds.


AAI points out further that, while developing this “de facto mandate” for EV manufacturing in the U.S., the EPA “proposes NO requirements to ensure that charging and refueling infrastructure will be available at homes, businesses, public event venues, highway corridors, transportation hubs or other public locations.”

While it is outside the scope of AAI’s comments, it should also be noted that the suite of subsidies in last year’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) also do not include anything targeting the dramatic expansion of high-voltage electric transmission lines that will be required to accommodate the similarly dramatic increase in power generation capacity needed to recharge all these millions of EVs EPA envisions by 2032.

Nor did the IRA include any provision designed to expand U.S. manufacturing of electric transformers that are key components of power transmission.

The U.S. is currently experiencing a severe shortage of these transformers, most of which must be imported, with no relief in sight.

This combination of ill-considered mandates, poor planning, broken promises and fantasy-based timelines seems destined to create a severe energy crisis in the U.S., mostly likely sooner than anyone expects.

David Blackmon is an energy writer and consultant based in Texas. He spent 40 years in the oil and gas business, where he specialized in public policy and communications.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/ ... 1b9f&ei=26
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Re: ELECTRIC VEHICLES

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REUTERS

"US EV market struggles with price cuts and rising inventories"


By Joseph White and Ben Klayman

July 11, 2023

DETROIT, July 11 (Reuters) - The U.S. electric vehicle market is growing, but not fast enough during the latest quarter to prevent unsold EVs from stacking up at some automakers' dealerships or to allow Tesla to avoid new price cuts, according to analysts and industry data.

Rising inventories and price-cutting could represent only a short-term pause in EV market growth.

But they could be signals that boosting U.S. EV sales above the current 7% market share level will be more costly and difficult than expected, even with federal and state subsidies.

Automakers North America have billions of dollars in EV-related investments riding on how the next several quarters play out.

If production of EVs continues to outpace demand, automakers will have to choose between slashing prices and profit margins, or slowing assembly lines.

More than 90 new EV models are expected to hit the U.S. market through 2026, according to AutoForecast Solutions.

Many will struggle to reach profitable sales volumes, analysts said.

Dealers for established automakers such as General Motors, Ford, Hyundai and Toyota have more than 90 days' worth of unsold EVs at their stores at current sales rates, according to a report from Cox Automotive.

U.S. dealers have more than 92,000 EVs in stock, more than three times the number on their lots a year ago, according to Cox data.

Overall, new vehicle inventories are up 74% from a year ago, Cox said.

There is a wide range in the availability of EV models.

GM had 50 days' worth of Cadillac Lyriqs available as of June 30, below the industry average of 52 days' supply at current sales rates, Cox said.

GM said in a statement that it has "very low inventory - and high demand" for its EVs.

More than 80% of Lyriqs and GMC Hummer EVs built are still in transit to dealers, the automaker said.

GM's bigger challenge has been accelerating production and delivery of its next-generation EVs built on GM's Ultium architecture.

Of 36,024 EVs GM delivered in the United States during the first half of this year, only 2,365 were Ultium EVs.

GM has a goal of building a total of 100,000 electric vehicles in North America during the second half of this year.

Ford had 86 days worth of F-150 Lightnings and 113 days' worth of Mustang Mach-E electric SUVs on hand, Cox said.

Ford said Cox's figures overstate the inventories for both models.

Ford sees Mach-E inventories at 83 days' supply, with more than half of the vehicles produced in transit to dealerships, said Erich Merkle, head of U.S. sales analysis.

Ford sees Lightning inventories at 58 days' supply including vehicles in transit.

The Dearborn, Michigan, factory that assembles the electric pickups is shut down this month for retooling.

"By no means are those inventories high," Merkle said.

Ford is increasing capacity for both the Mach-E and Lightning to levels well above current sales.

Ford built 46,238 Mach-Es during the first half of this year, and sold 14,040 of the electric SUVs, according to data posted on its investor site.

Ford cut prices for Mach-E models in May.

Volkswagen dealers had 131 days' worth of ID.4 electric SUVs in inventory, according to Cox data.

In a statement, Volkswagen's U.S. sales arm said "we have seen some softening in EV sales in the U.S. recently" as supply chain bottlenecks have eased, allowing for increased production.

VW sees strong demand for the ID.4, but does not have enough all-wheel-drive versions of the SUV, "which is what the market wants," the company said.

VW also cited "the effects of some customer confusion and, therefore, hesitation to buy vehicles over the tax credit eligibility of EV models."

The U.S.-built ID.4 qualifies for a $7,500 consumer tax credit.

YOUNG MARKET

Industry officials and analysts cautioned that the U.S. EV market is still in a formative phase, with many consumers still evaluating whether EVs fit their needs and major automakers still ramping up production.

"There's a natural speed of market growth here that many are fighting against, and there's a lot of confusion in the market with too many brands," said Vitaly Golomb, an investment banker who focuses on electric vehicles.

"The strong will survive here and the rest will struggle."

Tesla is using its lead in EV production costs to accelerate demand with price cuts.

Legacy automakers are losing money on most of their electric models.

Tesla, Rivian and other new EV companies do not have dealers or report inventory.

Tesla last week reported better-than-expected global deliveries.

But the Texas-based EV company has been offering a variety of discounts and incentive offers to spur demand, such as discounts tied to customer referrals launched late last week.

Tesla's price cuts, and competitors' responses, pushed average selling prices for EVs for the second quarter to $53,438, Cox said.

That is down 19.5% from the peak of $66,390 in June 2022.

Automakers face tough competitive choices, as well as regulatory pressure from Washington, as they try to accelerate EV sales to levels that will support new North American EV production capacity, such as Ford's sprawling Blue Oval City complex in Tennessee.

The Biden administration has proposed emissions rules that effectively require U.S. automakers to shift their sales to two-thirds EVs by 2032 - a proposal GM and the association representing most automakers in the United States have said is unrealistic.

"Price cuts do show that we're in sort of an equilibrium of demand and supply and price so when sales aren't there, they're going to be dropping price," said Mark Wakefield, co-head of consultancy AlixPartners' automotive practice.

"Tesla in particular has the room to do that."

Wakefield said it is too soon to declare that U.S. EV demand has hit a plateau.

"We see it as choppy growth, but continued growth," he said.

Reporting By Joe White; Editing by Nick Zieminski

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos- ... 023-07-11/
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Re: ELECTRIC VEHICLES

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The Washington Examiner

"Electric vehicles struggle to hold up amid heat wave roasting US"


Story by Eden Villalovas

22 JULY 2023

Electric vehicle owners can expect to take on additional preparations as the summer months heat up and vehicle performance declines.

The United States has broken a number of extreme heat records this year, and millions have received weather advisories as the heat wave is set to continue in the U.S. Southwest.

An increase in temperatures means EV drivers may see their car battery power running low more frequently.

It’s been documented that cold weather has been proven to impact the range of electric vehicles, causing some cars to lose up to 35% of their range in freezing conditions, as shown in a study conducted by Recurrent Auto.

Additionally, warmer temperatures can also have a number of adverse effects on EVs, such as reducing the battery's state of health faster.

As temperatures rise, EV batteries tend to degrade faster than expected and require a battery replacement, a Recurrent Auto study from March indicates.

Heat can affect the life of Lithium-ion batteries, which most plug-in hybrids and nearly all-electric vehicles use.

“Once you’re above [104 degrees Fahrenheit] you start to have a breakdown of the passive emission layer on the anode, and that breakdown will then cause consumption of the liquid electrolyte, which will shorten the lifetime of your battery,” Greg Less, the technical director of the University of Michigan Battery Lab told Recurrent.

Hot temperatures don't have as much of an effect as cold temperatures, according to AAA.

When temperatures reach up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit and the air conditioning is on in the vehicle, the driving range decreases by 17% on average.

Most EV batteries have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years within the car, according to multiple studies, but proper care plays an important factor in the longevity of the vehicle.

Recurrent encourages EV owners to park their car in the shade during warm months and cool down the car before charging.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/el ... a16a&ei=79
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Re: ELECTRIC VEHICLES

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BUSINESS INSIDER

"Tesla owners share some of the unexpected headaches of owning the EV"


Grace Kay

Jul 24, 2023

* Over a dozen Tesla owners told Insider about some of the headaches of switching to the EV.

* Issues they described included dealing with slow Tesla service centers and quality-control fixes.

* Take a look at some of the issues and surprise expenses of owning a Tesla.


It's sometimes not easy being an early adopter — especially when it comes to electric cars.

More than a dozen Tesla owners detailed some of the biggest headaches, or surprise expenses they faced, when switching to owning the electric car.


They shared their thoughts in a series of conversations with Insider — including adapting to range anxiety, higher insurance rates, and dealing with issues at Tesla service centers.

While many of the issues could apply to any electric car, some of them point to potential challenges with Tesla's business model.

Here are some of the issues Tesla owners say they've faced when they ditched their gas-powered vehicle for an electric one:

The tires on electric cars wear out faster.

Some Tesla owners said they were surprised when they had to replace their tires much sooner than with previous cars.

EVs go through tires about 30% faster than traditional combustion-engine vehicles because they're heavier due to their massive lithium-ion battery, according to Bridgestone.


Typically electric car tires wear out between 10,000 to 20,000 miles.

Though, Auto Trader editor Brian Moody told Insider speeding and heavy braking accelerate the issue.

EV owners can also face higher insurance rates.

Some Tesla owners said they were surprised when their insurance rates climbed after they bought their electric car.

Insider's Alexa St. John previously reported that EV owners typically face higher insurance bills in part because many electric cars are generally more expensive than gas-powered vehicles.


Insurance companies also must weight the higher costs of potential damages to the vehicle's pricey lithium-ion battery, as well as the lack of repair shops that are certified to work on the cars.

Earlier this year, The New York Times reported that a Rivian owner was hit with a $42,000 repair bill after a fender bender.

Eventually, the cost of insuring an EV is expected to drop as more people and companies transition to all-electric cars.

Some Tesla owners have horror stories about the company's service centers.

Over the years, some Tesla owners have complained about issues with the carmaker's service centers, including long wait times, poor repairs, and exorbitant prices.

Last year, Vox reported that Tesla owners had filed thousands of complaints about the company's service centers.

The complaints varied from concerns about available parts and unresponsive service centers to detailed complaints about Teslas that were returned in worse condition than when they went into the shops for repairs.

More recently, a Model S owner filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against Tesla over the issue, claiming she'd suffered from Tesla's "monopolization" of the repair market for its vehicles.

She said Tesla had caused her to "suffer lengthy delays in repairing or maintaining" their electric vehicles, "only to pay supracompetitive prices for those parts and repairs once they are finally provided," according to the complaint.

A spokesperson for Tesla did not respond to a request for comment from Insider regarding concerns about its service centers.

Last year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company is working on improving its service in North America.

To date, Tesla has less than 200 service centers in the US.

For comparison, GM or Ford owners can choose from thousands of independent repair and maintenance shops.

"That's one of my biggest complaints with Tesla," Steve Almassy, a Model S owner since 2014, said, adding he still loves the car.

"They're getting better, but they still haven't gotten their service model down to a good process."

"Unfortunately, they have a long way to go on that."

Tesla door handles can be finicky.

Tesla's signature sleek door handles can be a hassle at times, several owners told Insider.

From issues with getting the doors to open in freezing temperatures to door handles breaking off — some Tesla owners said the sleek door handles on the EVs can be a source of frustration.

Multiple Tesla owners said the handles broke off in their hands on a few occasions.

Robbie Mack, a former Tesla salesman and owner of a Model S said it was a common issue with earlier models of the company's higher-end Model S vehicle that has since been resolved with the Model 3 and Model Y.

Other owners said they've had trouble getting their phone to connect and open the doors using keyless entry.

"It'd be raining, or you're carrying groceries and you're having to fiddle with your phone to get it to connect and unlock," tech YouTuber Austin Evans previously told Insider regarding the keyless entry on his Model Y.

"It's a great feature when it works, but you never know when it's going to fail you."

Steven Elek, a Senior Automotive Data Analyst at Consumer Reports, said the publication has received multiple reports from owners regarding phone pairing issues with Teslas.

At-home chargers can add to the initial cost of buying an EV.

Depending on the electrical setup at the house, setting up a fast-charging home charger can cost anywhere from $250 to thousands of dollars — and some Tesla owners said they were surprised by the extra cost of setting up the system.

Most cars come with a Level 1 charging cord which can plug into a 110-volt household outlet and slowly trickles electricity into a car's battery, but it only adds a few miles an hour to the car's battery life.

Many drivers prefer faster methods.

Setting up faster Level 2 charging requires a certified electrician, as well as a home electrical assessment.

Ken Sapp, senior vice president at Qmerit, previously told Insider's Tim Levin that most of his jobs cost about $1,600.

Some Tesla owners say they've noticed quality-control issues over the years.

For Tesla owners, it's apparently not uncommon for new vehicles to be returned to local service centers for small fixes upon delivery and Tesla owners have reported minor build issues with the EVs over the years, including poor paint jobs and panel alignment.

John Brusniak said when he received his Model S in 2020, one of the doors wouldn't close properly.

"They're just minor things and they fixed it all for free, but it just shows a lack of attention to detail that you wouldn't expect for the money you've spent on the car," he said.

Chris Harto, a senior policy analyst at Consumer Reports, said the publication's reliability survey for Tesla owners found that "paint and trim," "noises and leaks,"and "body hardware" are "common trouble spots for Teslas."

Tesla has long been known to have some issues with quality control, especially when new models are launched.

In 2018, engineering consultant Sandy Munro said Tesla's Model 3 had serious production flaws.

"I can't imagine how they released this," Munro said at the time.

In response, Musk admitted that the electric carmaker has had issues with quality control.

In an interview with Munro, the Tesla CEO warned it might not be a good idea to buy a Tesla during a new model's ramp-up period.

A spokesperson for Tesla did not respond to a request for comment on the issue ahead of publication.

Tesla owners say they're disappointed with the company's Full Self-Driving software.

Some Tesla owners who shelled out about $15,000, or $199 per month, for the Autopilot add-on say they wish they hadn't.

"FSD is kind of why I bought the car to begin with," Brusniak told Insider.

"I paid extra for it, but I'm too scared to use it now because it has its own way of doing things."

"It'll stop 50 yards from a red light or sometimes it'll even seem to stop at random."

Tesla first released FSD in 2020 to select drivers, and since then, the software has been added to over 100,000 cars in the US.

The feature enables Teslas to automatically change lanes, enter and exit highways, recognize stop signs and traffic lights, and park.

The software is still in a beta testing and requires a licensed driver to monitor it at all times.

Tesla drivers have posted YouTube videos of the buggy software in the past — from turning into oncoming traffic to apparently confusing Burger King signs and even the moon with stop signs and stop lights.

Still, some beta testers say the software has improved over the years.

Spokespeople for the company have not commented directly on concerns about FSD.

Though, Musk has said feedback on the software is "welcome" and has encouraged users to report bugs in the program.

Teslas have been known to have apparent issues with phantom braking.

Some Tesla owners said their car has braked at random.

Kala Taylor, a former Model S owner, said there were multiple instances when her vehicle would stop, seemingly at random — and it once tried to stop in the middle of a freeway while she was using Autopilot.

"It was very scary and I never felt quite safe again driving it after that," Taylor said.

Last year, over 750 Tesla drivers reported instances of phantom braking and many of them said the issued typically occurred while using Tesla's Autopilot driver assist feature, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"Tesla gives you zero credit for FSD on a trade-in and doesn't even let you transfer it over to you next Tesla," said Nelson Jackson, a Model S owner and FSD user.

"That's a major flaw and huge deterrent when it comes to trading in the vehicle."

Musk temporarily addressed the gripe during the company's earnings call on Wednesday.

The billionaire said he would allow FSD users to transfer the software over for a limited time in next three months.

"This is a one-time amnesty, so you need to take advantage of it in Q3," he said.

When you buy a Tesla, you might actually want to read the instruction manual, owners say.

There's a learning curve when it comes to owning a Tesla, especially when it comes to the high-tech features in the car, several owners told Insider.

"Most people with an ICE vehicle don't look at a manual because everything is pretty much the same across the board," Almassy said, referring to a gas-powered car.

"With a Tesla, you basically have a computer on wheels that you have to figure out."

"So you need to take the time to sit down and go through all the things on the infotainment system and read up on all the new features or you'll be missing out."

Range anxiety can be an issue for Tesla owners — though it's the best EV when it comes to charging.

Even Tesla owners can experience a bit of range anxiety every now and then.

"There's been times when I've gotten home with only about 2 or 3% to spare," Nick Caraciolo, a Model 3 owner, said regarding his battery life.

"300 miles of range can quickly become 100 miles of range if you're speeding or it's hot outside or too cold."

"It can be very deceptive and gas-powered car can seem more accurate in that way."

Though, many owners say range anxiety was a short-lived concern.

"People who are new to the experience can get super-anxious about the battery just because it's different from driving a gas-powered car," Jackson said.

"But Tesla always gives you warnings so the only time I really think about it is when I'm going on a long trip."

Tesla has an internal navigation system that will alert drivers to which charging sites will be most efficient and which ones are busy — and it's a favorite feature with owners.

Tesla drivers also have a major advantage when it comes to using the company's network of Superchargers, which is larger and viewed as more reliable than other charging systems.

All hiccups aside, many Tesla owners love their cars in spite — or in some cases even because – of the vehicle's quirks.

Many Tesla owners told Insider that — while they know the car can have its issues — many of the perks of owning the EV outweigh some of the head aches.

"If you want to be an early adopter you've got to put up with some stuff and people are spoiled if they don't realize that," Mack told Insider.

https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-o ... -quirks-12
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Re: ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Post by thelivyjr »

REUTERS

"Nikola says damaged truck reignites at its headquarters"


Reuters

July 24, 2023

July 24 (Reuters) - An electric truck which was previously damaged reignited at Nikola's Phoenix, Arizona headquarters on Sunday afternoon but there were no injuries, the company said, sending shares down about 4% on Monday.

Nikola had reported a fire last month around its headquarters and said it suspects foul play behind the incident that affected multiple trucks.

"At approximately 2 pm today at Nikola HQ, one of the trucks that was previously damaged reignited."

"No one was injured and the fire was quickly contained," the company said.

The damaged trucks were kept at the company's Phoenix site for "safety monitoring and the ongoing investigations."

Earlier this month, Nikola said it will liquidate the assets of Romeo Power, an EV battery maker it acquired less than a year ago for $144 million.

It had warned the move was in the offing in May.

The company reported in early July that retail sales of its trucks doubled to 66 in the second quarter, while the wholesale figure rose to 45 from 31.

Reporting by Juby Babu and Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Krishna Chandra Eluri

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos- ... 023-07-24/
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Re: ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Post by thelivyjr »

Axle Addict

"Man’s Tesla Died Feet From the Public Charging Station and His Solution Was Honestly Humiliating"


Story by Madison Cates

26 JULY 2023

Driving an electric vehicle (EV) offers numerous benefits, from reducing carbon emissions to saving on fuel costs.

However, the range anxiety that comes with relying on electric power can be a source of stress for EV owners.


When a man's Tesla came to a halt just feet away from a public charging station, he found himself in a rather embarrassing predicament.

Unlike traditional vehicles that can be refueled with a gas can, EVs require a different approach when running out of charge.

While running out of charge can be an inconvenient and potentially embarrassing situation, knowing what to do can help you navigate it with composure.

Here are some tips from experts:

Assess Your Surroundings: Stay calm and assess your surroundings.

If you're near a charging station, like the man's Tesla, you might be able to push or get someone to help you move the car to a charging spot.

Look for Assistance: Don't hesitate to seek help from passersby or fellow EV owners at the charging station.

Many EV drivers are eager to assist and may have charging cables or portable chargers to lend.

Call for Roadside Assistance: If you're far from a charging station or can't find help, call your EV manufacturer's roadside assistance service.

They can either bring a charging unit or tow your vehicle to the nearest charging station.

Plan Ahead: To avoid future range anxiety incidents, plan your trips carefully and use apps or in-car navigation systems to locate charging stations along your route.

Practice Energy-Efficient Driving: Optimize your driving habits to conserve energy and maximize your range.

Avoid aggressive acceleration, utilize regenerative braking, and maintain a steady speed when possible.

Carry a Portable Charger: Consider keeping a portable charger in your car's trunk for emergencies.

These devices can provide a temporary charge to help you reach a charging station.

Here's what the internet had to say:

User @willy stated, "Don’t see that kind of silliness at the fuel pumps."

Then @bobbytaylor remarked, "Sounds like he should have planned his charging better."

User @nathanH shared, "all electric cars should have a small backup gas powered engine/ generator for emergencies or even a small reserve battery with 20 mile range."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/ma ... a5d8&ei=42
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Re: ELECTRIC VEHICLES

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The Daily Caller

"It Turns Out The Driving Range Of Electric Vehicles Is Even Worse Than Advertised"


Story by Aaron Life

27 JULY 2023

Electric vehicle manufacturers have exaggerated the driving range of their vehicles, sometimes by more than twice as much as advertised, according to a study by SAE International.

On average, electric vehicles (EV) fall short of their advertised range by 12.5%, according to a study by SAE International.

The study included 21 different brands, and revealed that EV manufacturers as a whole inflate the range of their vehicles far beyond their actual capabilities.

Tesla seems to be inflating the numbers far more than other brands.

SAE International revealed that the range displayed on Tesla vehicle’s dashboard is 26% lower than the car’s ability.

This led to a slew of service requests by Tesla customers, though employees often denied these requests because the batteries did not need to be fixed; they were just operating at a level far below advertised.

Tesla employees were informed that they save the company $1,000 every time they turn down a service request, according to Reuters.


The exaggerated range can be attributed to the testing procedures prescribed by the EPA, according to Reuters.

Although most manufacturers follow these guidelines, Tesla uses additional testing that may boost the car’s purported range.

“I’m not suggesting they’re cheating."

"What they’re doing, at least minimally, is leveraging the current procedures more than the other manufacturers,” said Gregory Pannone, an expert on EVs.

This is not Tesla’s first time being accused of such transgressions.

South Korean regulators fined Tesla $2.1 million for exaggerating the performance of their vehicles in 2019.

The fine came after it was discovered that Tesla cars drove half of their advertised distance when used in cold weather, according to Reuters.

Tesla did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/it ... bb31&ei=13
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