Tesla, well known for their fast-but-flawed electric cars and eccentric decisions of its CEO, has given its new Model 3 a refresh for 2018 in the form of an increased efficiency rating, with no apparent mechanical changes. This hike slots it just under the electric version of the Hyundai Ioniq on the efficiency charts.
Over the past few years, Tesla has projected themselves as a company hell-bent on making the electrified future of motoring an exciting prospect. After a bunch of genuinely exciting electric cars, they have now turned their attention towards the commercial segment. At the same event where Tesla unveiled their Roadster, the Tesla Semi truck was also shown off along with a small glimpse of the upcoming pick-up truck.
“Ride-hailing” company Uber and Dubai’s Road & Transport Authority have teamed up to offer the RTA’s new Tesla taxis via the Uber app.
Nissan has finally uncovered their new 2018 Leaf electric hatchback at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. The 2018 Nissan Leaf comes with a completely overhauled design and better range. Though there are two models with different battery capacities, 40 kWh and 60 kWh, Nissan stressed mostly on the former, probably saving the latter (called the E-Plus) for another session.
The Dubai Road & Transport Authority and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) have jointly announced a number of incentives for electric cars owners to promote electric car ownership in they city.
As a part of the move to make Dubai the “smartest city in the world,” the Road & Transport Authority has introduced 50 Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles to its taxi fleet. As per the directions given by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and ruler of Dubai, these vehicles will be a part of the Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC) fleet.
All car manufacturers are now part of a rat-race to go green. As countries like Norway, France, and Germany have vowed to eliminate the use of fossil fuel-powered cars in the next few decades, European carmakers have no option but to act accordingly. Volvo has recently announced that they will only sell hybrids and electric vehicles from 2019, stopping the production of the petrol-only and diesel cars altogether.
Months have flown by since the day Tesla announced the Model 3, a baby brother to the popular Model S sedan. After numerous spy shots, rumours, renderings and a faceless prototype, production of the Model 3 has actually started and the very first example is slated for the company’s CEO, Elon Musk.
German mail delivery company DHL has revealed plans for selling a self-built electric vehicle that they created in 2013. In 2011, DHL’s Global Forwarding division teamed up with the Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Transport Partnership to develop plans to improve DHL’s operating efficiency. This resulted in the creation of the StreetScooter in 2013 which they intend to sell to the public now.
In a bid to do their bit to save the environment, car manufacturers have turned to many alternate propulsion choices for their cars. Honda chose to go with hydrogen fuel cells to power their Clarity Fuel Cell model a few years ago. And now, they’ve come up with two additions to the range, namely the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid and the Clarity Electric, to utilise other more popular green propulsion methods.