AUSTIN, Texas — The Porsche 356 is the vehicle that started it all for the storied sportscar brand almost 75 years ago. On June 8, 1948, the 356/1 Roadster, powered by a 1.1-liter air-cooled flat-four engine from Volkswagen, was road-certified and became the first car to bear the Porsche marque. It would evolve into the
AUSTIN, Texas — Cool cars are essential to the “Transformers” movie franchise, with vehicles such as the Chevy Camaro inextricably connected to Autobots characters such as Bumblebee. The star car of the latest installment, “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” out June 9, is the rare and revered Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.8, which transforms into
Like flying cars or full autonomy, solar-powered electric vehicles are cool to read (and write) about but never seem quite ready for the mainstream and masses. Aptera has been teasing its sun-powered, three-wheel EV for more than a decade, and after rising phoenix-like from bankruptcy, it recently announced it will start production next year. Yeah,
Head-up displays are not new. But in recent years, they have been enhanced with augmented reality technology that overlays, say, dynamic turn arrows to direct a driver using a vehicle’s navigation system. The goal of Envisics, of Milton Keynes, England, is to further improve AR head-up display features via its Dynamic Holography Platform. The company
Record heat waves in California and severe hurricanes in Florida point to a weakness in electric vehicle adoption: How do people charge during extreme weather events when power may be lost? It’s not a theoretical question. California leads the nation in EVs. During a record Labor Day heat wave, state officials asked EV owners to
To push U.S. battery development, the Department of Energy awarded $250 million in cost-sharing grants to three companies working to scale silicon technology for faster charging and more energy storage of EV batteries. They include Amprius Technologies Inc., Group14 Technologies Inc. and Sila Nanotechnologies, all focused on silicon-based battery technology. The DOE funding is part
Mining companies are going to great lengths to source the raw materials needed for electric vehicle batteries, even miles below the ocean’s surface. They are racing to tap into these seabed stockpiles, striking deals, developing mining processes and equipment and striving to be eco-friendly. Meanwhile, environmental groups want to slow the rush until more is
West Coast charging network operator EVCS is looking to simplify powering electric vehicles by offering a choice of monthly subscription plans. The move marks a departure from the way such networks typically operate. Most require a low monthly fee and charge an additional amount per kWh used. “It really is a minefield across the various
One of the largest looming questions about the mass adoption of electric vehicles is whether the power grid can keep up with increased demand. General Motors wants to provide an answer – and perhaps some power – to ensure reliability for both utility operators and motorists. The automaker unveiled a new business unit Tuesday called
With robotaxis an always-on-the-horizon mirage — and costing billions of dollars to develop and deploy — automotive companies are seeking quicker paybacks for expensive autonomous technology. Delivery robots, which use the same sensors, software and manufacturing infrastructure, have become a prime opportunity. Magna’s announcement last week that it has started building a large fleet of
