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Source:
Daily Automotive News

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Bob Wilson

I just ran into this car while surfing. Apparently this car has been around for a while. I'm only referencing this because of the recent demise of the Toyota Mirai - mainly the lost of convenient hydrogen stations. Thank you again Shell oil..... Used Toyota Mirai for Sale in Sacramento, CA (with Photos) - CARFAX

Don't know how well they'll sell, if you can't refuel it.

Experimental Program in Massachusetts to start using EVs to support the grid when production is down. "Bi-directional EV chargers will turn vehicles into energy storage assets, advancing grid reliability and lowering energy costs for customers." Article doesn't seem to say what happens if you come outside to go to work and your car's been too busy supporting the grid to have charged itself up. Lots of details to be worked out, concept is good though.

Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces Participants for Groundbreaking Vehicle-to-Everything Program | MassCEC

Finance chief Kenta Don named CEO to deal with tariffs and competition from China.
toyota-ceo-koji-sato-to-step-down-and-be-replaced-by-cfo-kenta-kon-profit-forecast.html

Source: - YouTube

• 2 hrs, 12 minutes - playback as fast as understandable
• Good summary of the issues

I opposed the "Bell the Hybrid" Act of 2011 and noticed a blind advocate attended the hearing. Sad to say, some total BS was heard in some of the questions. For example, one Senator claimed an Amazon weight defeats part of full self driving ... I know from personal experience that has not been true since 2022.

I look forward to adding a link to the written transcript so everyone can quickly scan and comment. No, I am not going to substitute for the transcript. Rather I wanted to share the source.

Bob Wilson

Source: Daily Automotive News

Toyota has made progress on its all-solid-state batteries with the groundbreaking of its Idemitsu plant for its sulfide-based solid-state electrolyte. They expect limited production in 2027 or 2028.

@Salamander_King, what does that Japanese figure say? I see a 2030. I personally don’t expect Toyota to go mainstream on solid-state batteries before circa 2035.

Toyota partner Idemitsu breaks ground on all-solid-state EV battery plant

Back in the 2001-2010 era, VW diesel advocates would frequently come here to 'pick a fight' over their diesels versus our Prius. Then VW's "music" software turned out to be an emission fraud and nearly 500,000 were recalled and sent to large scrap heaps. Well Mazda wants the restart the war of words:


Engineering details missing from this sales (propaganda) piece:

• No regenerative braking - diesels stop by heating brake pads and disks whereas hybrids and EVs stuff that energy back into the battery. That is why they excel in City traffic, +95% of all miles.
• 100 times more moving and wearing out parts - from the engine to the tires, the diesel engine and required transmission have two orders of magnitude more moving parts that only frequent oil changes prevent from melting down.
• Toxic emissions - diesels produce huge amounts of SMOG and lung irritating NOx. Highly reactive, these require a catalytic converter that often...

I think it does not look like my 1985 Corolla LE anymore.

New Toyota Corolla is done playing the boring-sedan game | Carscoops

Elon Musk suggested that even the Model 3 and Model Y will be afterthoughts with the Cybercab robotaxi coming.

Tesla scraps Model S and Model X to build robots

The Bolt was announced it was going to be a limited production vehicle.

Now it announced when that production will end, in 2027.

Chevy Bolt Production Will End In 2027

This is huge news. Tesla cars will no longer come with any kind of automated driving system unless you subscribe to FSD (full self-driving) for $100 a month.

Tesla drops Autopilot in pivot to FSD subscription model in US, Canada

Source:


The battery report is on the web: The Lumafield Battery Quality Report

This goes a long way to explain the risks and variable performance found in "Project Farm:"


Bob Wilson

While not exactly related to EV's, the CEO of Tesla, who's also the founder of xAI, has recently been under the spotlight for using natural gas generators that didn't meet EPA standards. The EPA had to step in enforce a rule to prohibit the continued use of these generators. Concerns about poorer air quality in the area arise.

Musk's xAI faces tougher road expanding Memphis area after EPA update

This weeks new magic battery that does everything better:

Article in Electrek States that the new battery might use amorphous Titanium Dioxide nanostructures, and that whatever it is, it is going into production right now. I have absolutely no idea if it's real or not.

This battery is about to change the world in 3 months, or make this guy a fool | Electrek

Speculative video :

Germany Forces Lexus to Remotely Kill Car Heating In Dead Of Winter

As some know I'm the paranoid person who goes on about the DCM and how remote access to vehicles is a security concern. It's not just about bad actors attempting to hack your vehicle, it's also about govt and the manufacturer having 24/7 access to your car, which they clearly do.

Here we have a car manufacturer remotely disabling features without a customer's consent by demand of a govt.

Do keep in mind that Germany's global CO2 contribution is 1.6% and falling while China's is 32% and rising. But apparently people warming up their cars in the morning is a problem. This is a country that decided that listening to the crazy activists and shutting down their nuclear power production and going back to fossil fuels was somehow a good idea. Whether you're in Germany or another country I assure you...

Canada has just announced a trade deal with China to import Chinese EVs.

Now, you can replace your aging Prius with a $15,000 modern EV, @Mendel Leisk. It will probably come with a spare tire, too.

Canada agrees to cut tariff on Chinese EVs in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products :: WRAL.com

Good luck, @bwilson4web. LOL

Tesla (TSLA) to stop selling full self-driving package, moves to subscription-only: why it’s a big move | Electrek

The new Mercedes–Benz CLA BEV has just hit the market. It is not only a software-defined vehicle (SDV) but also an AI-defined vehicle (ADV).

It utilizes Nvidia’s latest Alpamayo AI self-driving system. It includes five radars, a dozen ultrasonic sensors, and ten cameras to ensure a highly safe and redundant self-driving experience. Additionally, unlike Tesla, the autonomous driving system is fully collaborative with the driver.

The vehicles are still undergoing training, and more self-driving features aiming for SAE Level 4 will be gradually rolled out through over-the-air (OTA) updates over the coming months and years.

The car itself is reasonably priced by today’s standards, especially for a luxury vehicle equipped with a full suite of advanced technology.

The biggest catch: you will need to pay a subscription fee for the self-driving features, which is roughly $100 a month....