It claims that the vehicle will be able to achieve 84 miles per gallon and will only cost as little as $7,300 compared with high-end fuel-efficient automobiles.

It was originally planned to be on the road with the consumers in 2015. However it seems that the start-up company is having troubles with earnings and has a limited cash supply at the moment. Since the company has been founded in 2009, the production was delayed several times already.

It first unveiled its product vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Now, they recently featured its E1c engineering vehicle at the North America International Auto Show in Detroit. This time it featured upgraded interior and safety systems. The prototypes suggest an ability to produce a vehicle ready to be utilized on the road and it has already more than 60,000 reservations.

The total reservations earned Elio at least $300 million and they also raised $17 million last year through a small-investor crowd funding.

So far, the company has only been producing prototypes and its real product launch is stretched this time until next year.

The company confirms it will push the start of the series production in 2018, according to KTBS, a local news station in Shreveport, Louisiana. It is also where the Elio’s production plant is located which was initially by the General Motors.

Elio filed a report on the Securities and Exchange Commission stating that the delay was due to dire financial straits. Since 2009, there were zero revenues, no dividends to shareholders and had only produced five prototypes.

At the beginning of 2015, Elio has $6.87 million in cash reserves but as of September 30 2016, they only have $101,317. It collected $24.8 million in non-refundable customer deposits but the company also had current liabilities up to $30.7 million. It seems that there are more liabilities than ingoing cash flow from stocks and excited customers.

With its cash burn, Elio hopes on a $185 million loan from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) low-interest loan program to continue its production.

ATVM loans are offered to carmakers and suppliers to build cars, upgrade their system that is fuel efficient with at least 25% higher compared to those they replaced. However since 2010, no company had been able to receive funding and with under Trump’s new administration, the future of the loans is still unclear.

If the ATVM loan does not push through for Elio, their funding will have to rely on customer reservations and selling debt. The company also said that if financing could not be secured, “we may have to curtail our business sharply or cease operations altogether.”

With their “I’m All In” and “I Want In” options for reservations, customers are already tired of waiting after multiple delays. “I’m All In” option features non-refundable deposit with a lock in of $7,300 while “I Want In” option allows the customer for a refund, both options promising exclusive first experience of the vehicle.

At least one reservation holder already sued the company to get a deposit back. If this operation further delays and with questionable funding, there might be more holders to sue the company if they won’t return their deposits.

The post Three-wheel Elio Car Production Delays: When They Brag, it Drags appeared first on Master Herald.

Alkaline batteries are somewhat limited in their capacity to be recharged, actually cannot be recharged at all. It is only usually used in small devices such as flashlights, battery-operated toys and remote controls. It has been the staple energy source for years now but its potential is cut down by its own chemical properties.

On the other hand, a startup company claims it has “unlocked” the secret to safer, more powerful alkaline batteries with a solid-state variant and proposes the potential to industrial revolution of energy usage.

Ionic Materials located in Woburn, Massachusetts, announced a breakthrough in the usage of alkaline batteries a viable alternative to lithium-ion and other high-energy storage technologies. Alkaline batteries are far cheaper and safe than lithium-ion batteries.

According to The New York Times, Ionic has developed a solid-state alkaline battery that can be recharged hundreds of times and does not carry the combustion risks of some lithium-ion battery chemistries. The manufacturing process of the newly-developed prototype is similar to that of a plastic wrap.

Ionic has demonstrated up to 400 recharge cycles of its prototypes and with further innovation, the executives of the company believe it could be more than that.

Mike Zimmerman, founder and chief executive officer of Ionic Materials, said that the alkaline batteries would initially be heavier than today’s lithium-ion batteries. But the former is more cost-effective and has the ability to store more energy.

Besides than the price and safety, alkaline batteries use zinc and manganese which is relatively abundant on earth until now compared to lithium-ion batteries which use cobalt. Cobalt mines leave behind a toxic mess and comes with a human cost too. For example, cobalt mines in Africa have been accused of child labor.

Compared to the fast advances in processing speed and data storage capacity, progress has been slow for battery technology. In the last 150 years, only a handful of rechargeable battery chemistries have reached mass adoption.

Tesla is now building a factory in Nevada in partnership with Panasonic. They intend to expand the capacity of lithium-ion batteries and at lower costs. They wanted to create enough capacity to produce batteries for 1.5 million cars a year.

According to some analysts, they believe that new facilities and technology from auto and battery manufacturers will help bring the costs down for lithium-ion production. But it still doesn’t reach the goals of the industry.

In contrast, Ionic said they have found a way to achieve reduced costs for energy production which is less than a fifth of the auto consortium’s target.

They also described a solid material that would improve the safety of existing lithium-ion batteries. It has demonstrated the resistance of the battery to catching fire or exploding by driving nails through them and even resistant to bullets that are fired at it.

Ionic Materials will make its announcement in Denver, Colorado at a conference for the 35^th anniversary of Rocky Mountain Institute, a sustainable-energy research group funded by the physicist and environmentalist Amory Lovins and Hunter Lovins.

The post Alkaline Batteries Innovation, a Startup Company says it has ‘Unlocked the Secret” appeared first on Master Herald.

It has an updated version of the two-motor hybrid system in a completely revamped mid-size design. The new sedan is not only lighter and more rigid but offers a more sophisticated, sleek and athletic design compared to any previous Accord.

The first Accord Hybrid was just released in 2015 but was pulled out from the market in 2016. It was revised in 2017 and the automaker brought the production to Japan which is close to the suppliers. Now, for the 2018 collection, it’s back in its original production place which is in Marysville, Ohio.

The Accord Hybrid comes with five new trim level options compared to last year’s three levels, these are – base hybrid, EX- EX-L, EX-L Navi and Touring.

According to Honda, it can run at more than 40 percent thermal efficiency, the highest for any mass-produced Honda engine. It’s also among the highest efficiencies for any hybrid vehicle used in a production car. The Accord Hybrid will most likely target the new 2018 Toyota Camry Hybrid, the first mid-size sedan to earn a 50-mpg rating.

A combined rating of 50 mpg rating or more is most probably within reach for the 2018 Accord Hybrid since the 2017 model was rated at 49 mpg city, 47 high way, and 48 mpg combined. However it’s still not yet disclosed but will be released closer to the on-sale date.

Now in its third generation, the two-motor hybrid powertrain is expected to have intensely competitive fuel economy from its 2.0-liter Atkinson cycle. Honda says it will have actual EPA numbers closer to launch in the next few months.

Based on the photos released, the body side panels create a clean appearance with no garnish over the rain channels. The low and wide rear view is aesthetically integrated with an upswept deck, refined LED light-pipe taillights and dual exhaust ports.

It also boasts of a sleek and stylish, first of its class furnishing interiors that has an elegant body design. The design compliments the mainstream Accord status which delivers a high quality and premium feel.

The newly designed leather seats are taller, shoulder bolstering for an improved lateral support. The seat padding has a high-accuracy and memory driven with variable firmness that is comfortable for the driver.

Looking back, Honda released the two-door Insight which is the first hybrid car to hit the mass market in the United States where it won numerous awards and received EPA mileage ratings of 61 mpg city and 70 mpg highway. The sales of hybrid vehicles boosted around the late 90s in United States.

These days, automakers aim to create a more sophisticated look and fuel-efficient cars. The automobile industry seems to move towards a globally efficient and cost-effective vehicle. These are what hybrid and electric cars might be for. Theoretically, diesel-electric hybrids would be even more efficient but hybrid systems and diesel engines combined mean extra cost and have proven to be extremely expensive as of the moment.

While a traditional vehicle gets its power from the engine only, a hybrid vehicle utilizes more than one form of onboard energy. Most often, hybrids use gasoline-burning machines that transmit electric bits to collect and reuse energy that normally goes to waste in standard cars.

Hybrid cars are more fuel-efficient and doesn’t cost so much higher than regular cars that attract most buyers. Some of its other benefits are that it improves fuel economy. Hybrids also have decreased a carbon dioxide (CO2) emission which is beneficial to the environment and conforms to the proposed limits on CO2 emissions. Furthermore, carmakers have another safe way to meet the guidelines of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE).

The post Honda brings to light the new Accord Hybrid 2018, looks like it’s the best it’s ever been appeared first on Master Herald.

According to the mayor’s office, the department proudly includes the largest fleet of “pure EV” municipal law enforcement vehicles in the state.

BMW said in a statement, that the cars would be cheaper to power than gas-engine vehicles and are good for nearly 100 miles of “emission-free driving” per full charge and are “the most fuel-efficient EPA-certified vehicle”.

“This isn’t just a gimmick. This is the future” Garcetti said at a news conference. Beck also said, “While our new electric cars will be used only for non-emergency purposes, we will continue to monitor and test new generations of vehicles for their potential to serve as patrol cars.”

According to LA Weekly:

The city will be leasing the vehicles but $1.5 million was set aside for 104 charging stations, including four fast chargers that can juice up these cars in less than an hour, the mayor’s office stated. These can power the EVs for “much less than the price of gas,” Beck said.

BMW stated that these I3’s will be used as “transportation vehicles for officers and in community outreach initiatives.”

The I3 is known for its combination of “drivetrain efficiency, connectability (for fleet management), and reliability”. The I3 has a base price of $42,400 which is not exactly cheap. However, almost 100 Level 2 chargers and four DC fast chargers will be supplied to the LAPD by Greenlots. Furthermore, the costs for refueling will be low.

BMW’s press release also states:

“We should be thinking green in everything we do — and these new EVs show how local government can lead,” said Mayor Garcetti. “Our sustainability plan pushes L.A. to speed adoption of greener practices and technologies, which also save money and resources.”

“The attributes of the BMW I3 position it to excel as the ideal vehicle for municipal organizations. The performance and technical capabilities, such as the BMW I3 ‘s acceleration, and its ConnectedDrive integration, are perfectly suited to transform the future mobility of the Los Angeles Police Department while also reducing their carbon footprint,” said Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO of BMW of North America.

The post BMW I3 Electric Cars soon to be Police Vehicles in LA appeared first on Master Herald.

In 2001, the first Microbus concept was introduced. Then Volkswagen teased their fans once again with the Bulli concept as well as the I.D. Buzz concept. The Bulli was presented in 2011 and Budd-e was presented in 2016. The previous ideas were never produced, however, the I.D. Buzz concept is certainly going to the production line.

Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess confirmed the news and said that the Microbus is in the future production plans. The new Microbus will be different from the original because it will have an electric powertrain.

“Emotional cars are very important for the brand,” Herbert Diess said. “We are selling loads of Beetles still, particularly in US markets. But we will also have the Microbus that we showed, which we have recently decided we will build.”

Automotive News Europe reported that Volkswagen will be targeting 2022 for the “all-electric van”. It will be nearly identical to the green-and-white vehicle which is on display in Detroit.

The Microbus will not have the same “retractable steering wheel” that can be seen in the concept. However, the front row windows could be designed such that they will be able to be rolled down.

The Microbus will be able to replicate the flat front end of the original Transporter T1 because of the “flat, 111-kilawatt-hour lithium-ion battery” that will be stored below the floor.

According to the new concept, the Microbus will be power-driven by two electric motors that will be mounted on each axle. Daily News also reported that it,

It will achieve an estimated 369 horsepower as well as a single-charge range of up to 270 miles. The interior offers room for eight, two luggage compartments, large side windows and two massive sunroofs for optimal natural light.

Volkswagen is also large at work to bring an “all-electric hatchback” and SUV in its production line as part of its determination to provide 30 battery-powered vehicles by the year 2025 to its customers.

The post VW ID Buzz Microbus heading into production soon appeared first on Master Herald.

With the first flying car already available for pre-order, it is just a matter of time that a flying taxi would follow suit, they believe.

In fact, there are more commercial projects involving flying vehicles looming large on the horizon as a result of the advent of the flying car.

To get things rolling toward such end, Dubai has announced its plans to introduce flying drone taxis in the near future.

A different level of technology

While it may sound like an out-of-this-world project, but the Middle Eastern city of the United Arab Emirates is really serious about the rather unusual concept of passenger-commuting.

Some critics aver that people living in Dubai are thinking on a different level compared to the rest of the world. The city is known for its technological prowess, which raises a lot of eyebrows every now and then.

Then again, some of the projects taking place in the city will set an intriguing precedent for the rest of the world. Flying drone taxis may seem a bit far-fetched for the time being, but the concept seems solid thus far.

Dubai has a thing for technological advancements in the transportation sector. Teams are already working on hyperloop trains and driverless metro lines.

Thus, flying drone taxis seem to be a logical fit, looking at the bigger picture. Whether or not they can pull it off, is a different matter entirely, that much is certain. There are quite a few intriguing details about these flying taxis that necessitate a closer look, details The Merkle.

A driverless vehicle

It should also be noted that the flying drone taxis being envisioned in Dubai are going to be unpiloted, which means passengers put their life in the hands of software and hardware.

The idea may turn off quite a few people at first, as trusting an autonomous machine is still hard for many people. Moreover, there can only be one passenger per taxi, which seems to be more a safety precaution rather than an issue imposed by the technology itself.

There is more, as the passenger and his luggage cannot weigh over 220 pounds. This restricts air travel to the skinny part of the population, which is somewhat discriminatory.

Plus, the unpiloted taxi drone will only have a range of 31 miles, which means flight time is restricted to mere minutes per passenger. Then again, that is still a very solid distance for the first generation of these commercial vehicles.

Using an unpiloted drone taxi makes a lot of sense in Dubai, though. Its roads are considered one of the world’s deadliest, and traffic congestion is reaching alarming heights as of late.

Flying in a drone to cruise above the people standing bumper-to-bumper can be quite a pleasant experience. Considering the drones reach 62 miles an hour in speed, the journey will not be slow by any means.

It is unclear how much one would have to pay for the unique experience. But knowing Dubai, it will not be a cheap endeavor by any means.

Despite its restrictions based on passenger weight and travel distance, it is a somewhat safe experience by the look of things.

Meanwhile, transportation experts believe autonomous flying taxis could be a fad still in the next 10 to 15 years because the challenges to their implementation are going to be significant.

While numerous companies are working on the technology needed for such vehicles, infrastructure has to be firmly in place to support their usage.

Way before Elon Musk of Tesla Motors planned to drill under Los Angeles to avoid traffic, several companies had already been toying with the idea of beating traffic by going over it.

Flying cars have long been a part of science fiction, but they could soon become a part of everyday reality. And once people have autonomous flying cars, it’s only a matter of time before autonomous flying taxis also comes out, notes Futurism.

Charles Eastlake, an aerospace engineering professor at Embry-Riddle University, said that his best engineering guess is that people will be using autonomous air taxis in the next 10 or 15 years, but definitely not certain, citing that the challenges are going to be big.

The post Dubai Appears Headed to Take the Lead in Introducing Flying Drone Taxis Amid Forecast that the Earliest that They Could Become Available is in a Decade! appeared first on Master Herald.

Apparently, Uber has intensified its efforts to realize its vision of transporting the commuters of the future through flying cars.

Although nothing is concrete at this stage, it seems that the recent hiring of a former National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) engineer has hinted that Uber is up to something big in its research and development department.

Reports have it that the hiring of Mark Moore as Uber’s director of engineering for aviation means that he would lead the research into the technology of flying cars.

Apparently, Uber wants to ease traffic congestion on the roads by operating fleets of airborne taxis, which would let commuters hop across cities in less than half the time.

To work on VTOL technology

Mark Moore is expected to work on the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) technology, which is seen as the future of urban aerial transport, reports the Telegraph of UK.

While the vehicles would take off vertically, they could use fixed-wing designs to save energy when flying.

Uber, whose app connects self-employed drivers with passengers, has shaken up the taxi industry but also has an eye on the future.

The company is reportedly undertaking the trial of self-driving vehicles in Pittsburgh and Phoenix, after a recent test in San Francisco was deemed illegal. Uber has also espoused the benefits of flying vehicles.

Jeff Holder, head of product for Uber said that flying vehicles could change cities and how people work and life. He explained that their company wants to offer its customers as many options as possible to move around.

Uber projects that the flying vehicles, which could carry several passengers, would be dropping and picking people up at helipad-style stations.

It explained that a 57-mile journey from San Jose to San Francisco, which takes one hour and 40 minutes in a regular Uber car and costs $111, could take 15 minutes via the flying car.

The company has suggested the airborne journey would initially cost $129 but over time that could fall to $20.

A ‘puffin’ aircraft

While he was still working for NASA, Mark Moore created designs for an electric ‘puffin’ aircraft that would be able to carry one passenger.

Critics are saying that flying cars are likely to be years away because it requires a large-scale development of the technology, changes to regulations, and more pilots being trained.

However, if an autonomous flying software can be developed soon, then flying cars could be not too distant as of this time.

In fact, the current limitation on flying vehicles has not stopped several companies from investigating its potential.

Airbus has said it will have a prototype ready by the end of the year, while E-hang, a Chinese start-up, says it has won approval for testing in Nevada.

As the billion-dollar tech giant behind the on-demand taxi app, Uber has certainly made something going with the hiring of Mark Moore.

While still working for NASA, Moore also wrote a paper on the practicalities of a vertical take-off and landing vehicle for personal air travel.

It seems that he was precisely taken in by Uber to continue working and turn his paper into reality.

In a recent interview, Moore said that he can’t think of another company in a stronger position to be the leader for the new ecosystem and make the urban electric VTOL market real.

It can be recalled that Uber first put forward the bare bones of the idea in October last year, outlining a futuristic vision of on-demand urban air transportation.

The post Uber Commissions NASA Veteran to Do Research and Explore the Possibility of Flying Cars for the Future! appeared first on Master Herald.

Apparently, there has been a significant increase in the number of new cars registered in the country last month and it is actually the highest in 12 years.

What is more interesting is the fact that electric cars have also taken a record share of the market by eating 4.2% share of new vehicle registrations. It is the highest figure for electric car registration on a monthly basis, beating the previous high of 3.6% recorded in November of last year.

Cumulatively, the 4.2% share of electric cars in January this year is way higher than the 3.6% share recorded in November last year because the overall total number of new car registration was also higher.

According to SMMT, UK drivers registered 174,564 cars in January 2017, up 2.9% from the year-ago level, to reach the highest monthly level since 2005, details The Guardian.

Impending slow down of motor trade

The SMMT had also warned of a slowdown in the motor trade in 2017 because of the impact of the weak pound, but there was no sign of deceleration in the first monthly numbers of the year.

Alternative fuel vehicles, mainly electric cars, such as the Nissan Leaf, increased by a fifth to reach a record share of new vehicle registrations.

Petrol cars were also up strongly, gaining 8.9%, with diesel car registrations down 4.3%, continuing the fall seen in December, amid suggestions of higher taxes to curb emissions.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of SMMT, said he expected some cooling off in the car market as the year progresses. However, he adopted a more upbeat tone than at the end of 2016, when he warned of a challenging 2017, with the weakness of the pound likely to increase the cost of imported parts, that would surely drive up car prices.

Hawes added that January’s numbers were buoyed by a great range of new models which are safer and cleaner than ever before.

He also pointed out that it is encouraging to see alternatively fuelled vehicles benefiting from the positive growth, reaching a record market share.

Still in good position to withstand challenges

Despite the anticipated cooling off period in the coming months for the car industry, Hawes said that the market is in a good position to withstand short-term challenges on the conditions that interest rates remain low and the economy stays stable.

Based also on the figures released by the SMMT recently, the Ford Fiesta remains the UK’s most popular car, followed by the Volkswagen Golf and then the Ford Focus.

Based on the figures also from the SMMT, there have been 7,279 alternatively fuelled vehicles that were registered last month, which is a 19.9% increase from the total of 6,072 vehicles reported last year.

It should be noted, however, that the category is still dwarfed by traditional gas guzzlers as more than 78,000 diesel cars and 88,000 petrol cars were registered last month. However, it is also clear that progress is being made.

The interest in electric vehicles is growing. Most manufacturers are developing ‘green’ cars now, which is giving British customers more options to choose from, reports Engadget.

The number of electric chargers or charging stations is also increasing. Following the moves of Tesla and Ecotricity, Shell has announced plans to launch a small charging network in the UK.

The decision of the company should help solve the long-standing ‘chicken and the egg’ problem. To persuade people to buy cars, there is a need for more chargers or charging stations conspicuously located all across the country.

But to justify the establishment of the charging stations, the electric carmakers need more people buying cars. It is a good thing that the situation is improving on both sides. And with the release of the mass-production sedan from Tesla, the Model 3, later this year, it seems that the process would further be hastened.

Meanwhile, Australian industrial minerals firm Syrah Resources Limited recently made a fearless forecast that the sales of electric cars worldwide would reach 100 million units by 2020.

The post Electric Cars in the UK Make Up 4.2% of New Vehicle Registrations as of January 2017; Industry Analysts Note Increasing Trend for Usage of Electric Cars! appeared first on Master Herald.

With reports that Nanoflowcell will be ushering the Quant 48Volt in the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, many are bewildered on how the company was able to do it using hydrogen fuel cell.

Despite the voltage reduction, performance reportedly does not drop at all, though, at least not on the latest piece of paper Nanoflowcell has issued.

In fact, the Quant 48Volt only gets better as it can now go from 0 to 62 mph in 2.4 seconds, features a 186-mph top speed, and also has a 620-mile range on a single charge.

Nanoflowcell first showed its 48Volt electrical system on the more modest, everyday-driver Quantino concept, which debuted next to the 1,075-hp Quant F at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show.

After running through a couple of years of Quantino testing and development, Nanoflowcell announced that it had readied a variably controllable flow cell, allowing it to drop the supercapacitors it had previously relied on to store energy and regulate current flow, saving both weight and money.

Nanoflowcell explained that it has previously not been possible to vary the control of flow cells directly because it needed buffer storage through the supercapacitors to be able to manage the flow of current for regulating driving speed

It pointed out that supercapacitors are very expensive and comparatively heavy. The breakthrough with the new low-voltage flow cell drive in the Quant 48Volt is that it will no longer require supercapacitors.

Exuding unbelievable numbers

Nanoflowcell packages the new 48V technology inside the Quant supercar concept that first hit the scene back in 2014, creating a car with more unbelievable numbers than ever.

The Quant 48Volt has an all-wheel-drive layout of four low-voltage motors, teaming up to create 751 horsepower. The motors have been redesigned for the latest concept car and rely on a solid aluminum net structure in place of the copper windings familiar in electric motor design.

Nanoflowcell said that it reduces the volume, weight, and cost of the motor while also making series production simpler.

The juice spinning those motors comes from the flow cell, where it’s the result of the electrochemical reaction of two electrolyte solutions separated by a membrane. Nanoflowcell explains how it optimized the process in its 48Volt system.

Quant 48Volt’s selling point

The big selling point of the low-voltage electrical system is that it makes the vehicle safer.

The Quant 48Volt appears to wear a shade of bluish-gray close to that of the original 2014 Quant E but gets some copper-colored jewelry running down its sides.

The face gets a more vertical set of slats across the intakes, along with copper-colored trim at the sides. That look is repeated at the rear, where copper outlet surrounds split up the fascia.

The interior has also been updated, with newly-colored two-tone seats visible through the open gullwing in one of the pictures Nanoflowcell released ahead of the debut.

The Quant 48Volt uses four 140kW electric motors to deliver 760hp to all four wheels.

The key to the new Nanoflowcell fuel cell is that it runs at low voltage. The fuel cell claims to be the lightest, safest, most environmentally compatible, and economical powertrain for EVs out there. The show car is a prototype and there is no word on when it might hit production, details Geeky Gadgets.

Nanoflowcell has been touting its electrolyte-liquid-powered sports cars.. The Liechtenstein-based company is developing an engine powered by batteries that run on electrolyte liquid, otherwise known as flow batteries.

The post Quant 48Volt Electric Sports Car Concept Discards Supercapacitors to Make Possible Drastic Voltage Drop from 700 Volts! appeared first on Master Herald.

However, even this early, there are already reports that the company shall be releasing an all-electric semi-truck after the release of the Model 3.

Reports have it that Tesla is already making progress on the development of the all-electric semi-truck, which was also part of the company’s ‘Master Plan, Part Deux’ unveiled by CEO Elon Musk in July of last year, reports the Business Insider.

It was also Musk who also made the online buzz on the Tesla semi-truck when he made mention of the vehicle on Twitter early this month.

In a reply to the tweet of Electrek’s Fred Lambert, Musk said Jerome Guillen, Tesla’s vice president of programs who is in charge of the Tesla semi-truck initiative, is making progress on the project.

He added that the Tesla Model 3, however, remains the top priority for the company. Guillen led Daimler’s semi-truck program before joining Tesla in 2012.

The Mercedes-Benz parent company showed off an all-electric truck designed for urban transport in November that can drive 124 miles on a single charge.

Substantial reduction in cost

Musk said that the Tesla semi-truck will deliver a substantial reduction in the cost of cargo transport while increasing safety and making it really fun to operate.

Although that was the first official announcement, Tesla has been hinting for quite some time that it was interested in building a semi-truck.

Tesla CTO JB Straubel discussed the role that Tesla could play in the truck industry at the International Transport Forum in Germany in May last year.

Straubel said at that time that he can’t say too much about the new products and the things they are developing, but from a pure technology point of view, everything that they have done on vehicles translates directly into trucks, adding that there is no reason that they can’t make a very compelling electric truck.

An electric bus is also in the plan

In addition to an all-electric semi-truck, Tesla is also looking to build an all-electric bus, which indicates that the American electric carmaker would start focusing on big vehicles after it releases the Model 3.

In addition to consumer vehicles, there are two other types of electric vehicles needed, which are heavy-duty trucks and high passenger-density urban transport.

Both are in the early stages of development at Tesla and should be ready for unveiling next year, Musk said.

An electric and eventually autonomous, long-haul truck has a number of potential benefits, like allowing truck drivers to catch some rest while the vehicle drives itself, and allowing them to communicate with family members on a long outing.

A central dashboard could also be used to gather data and identify spare capacity on particular destinations to suggest consolidating and optimizing routes, details The Daily Dot.

But those holding out for a heavy-duty truck will have to wait until everything surrounding the Tesla Model 3 starts dying down. Musk says the budget-friendly consumer vehicle is the company’s overwhelming priority.

Early last month, Tesla also unveiled the Ludicrous Plus mode for its production vehicle, the Tesla Model S P100D.

The Ludicrous Plus mode is merely a software update so it did not do much in as far as altering the design elements of the Tesla Model S P100D. However, what seems clear is that the new mode has significantly boosted the acceleration of the production vehicle.

Interestingly, under the new Ludicrous Plus mode, the Tesla Model S P100D can actually go from 0 to 60 mph in 2.389 seconds, making it the fastest accelerating electric car in the world.

It can be recalled that during the Consumer Electric Show (CES) 2017 held in Las Vegas, Nevada early last month, Faraday Future proudly stated that its new FF91 electric car will compete one day with Tesla.

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