The Mercedes-Benz G-Class, aka the Gelandewagen (which means "all-terrain vehicle" in German) has been in regular production since 1979. It's changed a lot since then, evolving from a utilitarian off-roader to a desirable luxury icon, but it's never seen a change quite like this.

Meet the Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology. That's a long and mild name for a pretty radical reinvention of the classic G. This is the first battery-powered G-Wagen, driven by a whopping four electric motors that draw juice from a 116-kilowatt-hour battery pack. Total output is 580 horsepower.

Those four motors enable the electric G to do some amazing things, like a so-called G-Turn, where it spins in place. The idea is to help this big rig get out of some tight off-road situations, but we think it'll be even more effective at impressing your neighbors. There's a bevy of other tech here too, including dedicated off-road driving modes and a series of cameras that allow drivers to spot every rock and rut when crossing the trails. No formal word on pricing just yet, but it's important to note that the gas-powered versions of the G-Class live on, so if you're really attached to internal combustion there's still a G for you.

Really, though, if you can't do a tank turn, then what's the point? Watch the video above for the full story.

Back in 2022, Mercedes-Benz announced that it was going to release an electric G-Class by the end of 2024. Now, the automaker has formally introduced the electrified version of its iconic luxury vehicle that's known for its exclusivity. The Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology comes equipped with a 116 kWh lithium-ion battery that gives it enough energy to run for up to 473 kilometers (294 miles) on a single charge. It also has a maximum total output of 432 kW and a maximum torque of 1,164 Nm.

The electric model looks pretty much like the gas-powered G-Class, with its sharp angles and its distinctive door handles, grilles and round headlights. Mercedes offers optional lighting exclusive to the EQ version of the vehicle, though, so you can change its looks and give it a design that's considerably different from a standard G-Class. The vehicle is powered by four electric motors located near each wheel and has several modes for off-road use: G-TURN, which will allow you to turn the vehicle almost on the spot, G-STEERING, which could eliminate the need for multi-point turns, and the intelligent off-road crawl function that provides cruise control for off-road drives. 

Mercedes-Benz made sure the vehicle's battery is ready for off-road journeys, as well, and encased it in a torsion-resistant casing that protects it from water and dirt. Since the vehicle can be driven in up to 33.5 inches of water, the battery definitely needs that kind of protection. It can charge with both alternating current and direct current, and when plugged into a fast-charging DC system, it can go from 10 to 80 percent in just 32 minutes. The G-Class can convert kinetic energy into electrical energy when you coast or hit the brakes, as well. 

EDITION ONE, the G-Class with EQ Technology coming out at launch later this year, will have an "an expanded palette of standard features." A company spokesperson told TechCrunch that a range-extended version with a battery that uses a more energy-dense silicon-anode technology from Mercedes' partner Silas will also be available in the next few years.

Tesla has issued a recall for around 3,878 Cybertruck vehicles, a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notice has revealed. Apparently, the cover of the truck's accelerator pedal could get dislodged and trapped by the interior rim. Based on videos going around showing the problem, a faulty accelerator cover could slide up due to excessive lubricant, jamming one end into a crevice while it's still also attached to the pedal itself. That means the vehicle could get stuck accelerating in full power even after the driver lifts their foot. 

Tesla said in the notice that it will replace and repair the pedals as needed free of charge. The automaker will send notices to owners of recalled Cybertrucks in June, but affected drivers who want their vehicles to be fixed as soon as possible can also call the company's customer service number at +1-877-798-3752. If asked for reference, they can say that the recall service number for their issue is SB-24-33-003.

Cybertruck buyers were recently informed that their deliveries had been delayed and were reportedly told that Tesla was going to issue a recall over a problem with the vehicle's accelerator. It followed an earnings call earlier this month, wherein the company revealed that it experienced its first year-over-year drop in deliveries since 2020. Tesla didn't share how many Cybertrucks it shipped exactly, but its shipments were down 20 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2023 and eight percent compared to the same period a year ago. A couple of weeks later, reports came out that the company is laying off more than 10 percent of its workforce to reduce costs and increase productivity. While all that information only came out over the past month, Tesla has been expecting a leaner year from the start, with Elon Musk previously warning shareholders that they will likely see "notably lower" sales growth for 2024. 

Tesla has halted Cybertruck deliveries, telling owners that there has been an "unexpected delay regarding the preparation of your vehicle," Carbuzz has reported. One buyer on the Cybertruck Owners Club said he was told that Tesla issued a recall over a problem with the accelerator. 

"We have just been informed of an unexpected delay regarding the preparation of your vehicle. We need to cancel your delivery appointment on Sunday and we will reach out again when we're able to get you back on the schedule," Tesla wrote to another client. "We apologize for the inconvenience and look forward to hosting your Cybertruck delivery soon!"

One owner posted a TikTok showing what might be the potential issue. Due to a problem with excessive lubricant on the accelerator pedal, the cover can loosen and slide toward the front, jamming into a gap in the floorboard. That effectively causes the accelerator to fully engage, creating an obviously dangerous situation. However, Tesla has not confirmed the exact reason for the delay or recall. 

Tesla said deliveries should resume on April 20 (yep), but the situation might create a ripple effect that slows later deliveries as well. The vehicle, which finally went into production late last year after numerous delays, has seen other complaints from buyers, too. Those include a lack of visibility, offroading difficulties, potential danger to occupants due to a lack of crumple zones, issues with the CCS adapter, lower range than expected, discoloration of the stainless steel body panels and more. 

Tesla is introducing a robotaxi on August 8, Elon Musk has announced on X a few hours after Reuters published a report that the automaker is scrapping its plans to produce a low-cost EV. Reuters also said that Musk's directive was to "go all in" on robotaxis built on the company's small-vehicle platform. Tesla has been promising a more affordable EV with prices expected to start at $25,000 for years, and Musk said as recently as this January that he's optimistic the model will arrive in the second half of 2025. In response to the report, the Tesla chief tweeted that "Reuters is lying (again)."

He didn't clarify which part of the report was a lie, but considering he confirmed that Tesla is unveiling a robotaxi, he likely meant the news organization's claim that the company pulled the plug on a more affordable EV. At the moment, Tesla's cheapest vehicle is the Model 3, but its prices start at $39,000. It'll be interesting to see how the company will make a robotaxi work with its camera-only system — it dropped radar and other sensors, which robotaxi companies like Waymo use extensively, from its driver assistance technologies a few years ago. 

Tesla has scrapped plans to make an affordable electric vehicle (EV), according to Reuters. CEO Elon Musk said as recently as January that he was “optimistic” the low-cost EV would arrive in the second half of 2025. The automaker will instead reportedly “go all in” on robotaxis, which Musk has described as the future of transportation.

The canceled entry-level EV project — often called “Model 2” — was reportedly codenamed “Redwood.” The automaker had predicted a weekly production volume of 10,000 vehicles, and Musk said, “We’ll be sleeping on the line” to make it a reality. He had previously claimed Tesla was working on two new EV models expected to sell up to five million units annually.

For nearly two decades, the CEO has described his long-term goal as using luxury vehicles to build Tesla’s brand before using those profits to fund budget models. “When someone buys the Tesla Roadster sports car, they are actually helping pay for development of the low cost family car,” Musk wrote in a 2006 “Secret Tesla Motors Master Plan” memo. In the following years, he often echoed those sentiments to customers and investors.

The cancellation would leave the $39,000 and up Model 3 sedan as Tesla’s cheapest vehicle. The scrapped budget model was expected to start at around $25,000.

Reuters’ sources told the outlet they were told about the cancellation in a late February meeting “attended by scores of employees.” The publication says it reviewed internal Tesla messages about the pivot, including one advising staff to hold off on telling suppliers “about program cancellation.” Other messages allegedly told staffers that “suppliers should halt all further activities related to H422/NV91,” referring to the budget model’s external and internal codenames.

Musk posted on X (Twitter) on Friday, “Reuters is lying (again)” in response to the story — without listing any points of contention.

Tesla has its work cut out for it. Not only has EV demand slowed in the US, but competition in China is fierce, with the fast-growing BYD leading the country’s entry-level market. The Chinese automaker said earlier this month that its sales increased 13 percent year over year. Meanwhile, Tesla said on Tuesday that its deliveries dropped eight percent annually while falling 20 percent from the previous quarter.

Ford just announced some delays for electric vehicles, including the long-awaited three-row SUV. The car was supposed to come out next year but has now been delayed until 2027, with the company suggesting it will use the extra time to “take advantage of emerging battery technology.” Ford says it’ll be making moves to “mitigate the impact the launch delay will have on” the Canadian workforce.

The next-generation electric pickup, codenamed “T3,” is also being delayed from late 2025 to 2026. It’s being built at the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center assembly plant at the company’s BlueOval City complex, though Ford says it's just now installing stamping equipment that will produce the sheet metal for the truck.

Alongside these announcements, the company has revealed a new push for hybrid vehicles. It has stated it plans on offering hybrid powertrains across the entire Ford Blue lineup by 2030. Despite the aforementioned delays and the pivot toward hybrid vehicles, Ford says it remains committed to EVs and that it's continuing construction of battery plants in Michigan, Tennessee and Kentucky.

However, it’s no secret that the EV market is not quite as robust as companies once hoped it would be. Maybe it’s the high price of entry, the spotty charging infrastructure or the fact that some EVs do not qualify for the federal tax break. Heck, maybe consumers are simply turned off by a certain CEO who shall not be named. 

In any event, the slowdown is real, though perhaps a bit overstated. Ford experienced a decline in EV sales of 11 percent in January, but the company says it bounced back and that sales have increased by 86 percent throughout the entire first quarter when compared to last year. However, the company's EV offerings lost $4.7 billion in 2023.

“We are committed to scaling a profitable EV business", said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO. To that end, the company announced last year that it would be delaying or canceling $12 billion in planned spending on electric vehicles. It’s unclear how today’s announcements will impact Ford's plans to ramp up production to 600,000 EVs per year. In any event, customers can now use Tesla Superchargers in the US and Canada, which should help assuage some of those infrastructure concerns.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is one of the most extreme EVs you can buy at the moment. With over 600 horsepower delivered to all four wheels, plus a plethora of drive modes that help you do everything from circuit racing to drifting, it's a truly wild ride.

But it's about to get even wilder. Meet the new Hyundai Ioniq 5 N eN1 Cup car. This is a lightweight, caged, and big-winged version of Hyundai's rocket ship, tuned to such an extreme level that it isn't even road legal. Yes, this one's strictly for racing, and Hyundai is launching a focused racing series for the 5 N later this year.

Ahead of that, I headed to Korea to take it for a drive on a closed track. Inje Speedium is a tricky circuit with lots of elevation changes, and despite some inclement weather the Ioniq 5 N eN1 proved to be a masterful drive. And, at $100,000, for a track-ready machine, it's surprisingly value-priced. Watch the video above for the full story.

Last year, Polestar announced its most practical EV yet in the Polestar 4. But this week, during the vehicle’s North American debut at the New York International Auto Show, we finally got an official launch price and a chance to check out its most controversial feature.

Positioned as a slightly smaller and more affordable version of the Polestar 3, the company's latest EV SUV has a lot riding on it as it looks to be Polestar's most appealing mainstream offering to date. The good news is that while the cost was initially said to be around $60,000, launch pricing actually comes in slightly below that. The Polestar 4 starts at $56,300 (including destination) for the standard long-range single-motor version with around 300 miles of range while the dual-motor AWD variant with around 270 miles will set you back $64,300.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Granted, that’s still significantly higher than many of its rivals including the Tesla Model Y which starts at $43,900 (before federal incentives) or the Hyundai Ioniq 5 at $47,400. But after talking to Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath, I got the sense that the company is kind of OK with that, as they view the 4 as a more approachable but still very premium offering among EV SUVs.

On the outside, the Polestar 4 retains the rakish good looks we’ve seen on its larger sibling but with a few twists. Its nose is a bit pointier and more sloped, and it’s a bit less complicated too as it doesn’t have a front wing like the 3. The Polestar 4 is still based on the low-slung coupe-like SUV shape that’s all the rage right now. However, to ensure that rear-seat passengers have ample room, Polestar has forgone a rear window entirely, opting instead for a simple sheet of metal along with cameras and a rearview mirror with an embedded display.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

At first, this might seem like a step too far, even for an EV that might not be beholden to the same burden of tradition as gas cars. But Ingenlath explained that there are a lot of advantages that come from this design change. By not having a rear window, Polestar was able to push the rear seats back further while maintaining ample headroom despite the sloping roofline, which creates a spacious cabin. I had no trouble climbing in and out and even with the front seats pushed as far back as possible, I still had ample legroom in the back. Furthermore, unlike most cars, the Polestar 4’s rear seats can recline, which adds even more of a loungey feel.

Another major advantage is one of practicality. As it is, the rear windows on a lot of coupe SUVs are so small they don’t provide much in the way of useful visibility. And that’s before you consider any passengers or luggage that might further obstruct your view. By replacing the rear window and mirror with a camera and a display, the Polestar 4 can offer an unobstructed perspective out of the back of the car. But perhaps most importantly, the idea of a car not having a rear window isn’t really unheard of, as there are thousands of cargo vans on the road today without a viewport in back.

So while the idea might still seem nerve-wracking, Ingenlath remains confident. He simply asked customers to “try it.” He added “There's so much about psychology and people being naturally opposed to change. But innovation is about asking what have been the rules in the past that don't necessarily need to be the rules in the future.”

The company’s Scandinavian heritage shows through with a streamlined interior. That said, Ingenlath said the goal isn’t minimalism for minimalism’s sake. By creating a new fabric made from recycled plastic bottles called Soft Tech, Polestar was able to line the cabin with a sustainable 3D material that allows ambient lighting to shine through while still being quite durable. Up top, the fixed glass roof is electrochromic, which allows it to switch from transparent to opaque with the touch of a button.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

One thing that stuck out to me was that like all of Polestar’s vehicles, the 4 feels like a designer’s car. As someone who got his start in the industry creating cars for VW, Audi and others before becoming the CEO of Polestar, Ingenlath said the company really cares about small details like the font and typography. You can see this in things like the text on the driver’s side door, which features both the name of the car and the size of its battery, resulting in a label that’s both pretty and informative. Alternatively, there are features like the ambient lighting, which uses a naming standard based on planets in the solar system (blue with a hint of green for Earth, red for Mars, etc.). Ingenlath said “We simply love what we're doing, and we love indulging that passion. And we have to find the people who share the same passion for that type of quality and technology.”

Unfortunately, we haven’t had the chance to take the 4 out for a drive just yet. But as the competition among EVs continues to increase, it’s clear Polestar is carving out a niche as a manufacturer that embraces innovation through its vehicles. With pre-orders going live sometime in April and deliveries slated for Q4 2024, it shouldn’t be long until we get a chance to experience how the Polestar 4 feels on the road.

If you're in North America, a Tesla staff member will show you how the automaker's Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology works before you can take your car home, according to Bloomberg. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reportedly issued a memo that requires Tesla stores in the region to install and activate its latest Full Self-Driving software and then take customers on a short test ride before handing over a vehicle. He added that "almost no one actually realizes how well (supervised) FSD actually works" and that he's making the demonstration a "hard requirement," even though he knows it will slow down delivery. 

To enjoy Tesla's FSD technology, you'd have to pay $12,000 to unlock it on top of what you paid for the car itself. It comes with all of the company's Autopilot features, as well as the ability to use autosteer on city streets and to activate your vehicle's capability to identify stop signs and traffic lights so it can automatically slow your vehicle to stop on approach. Still, $12,000 is a big chunk of money. If you're on the fence about shelling out that much, Tesla might be hoping that the demonstration could give you the push needed to make you say yes. 

Tesla has been the subject of criticism and formal investigations over the years due to its Autopilot and FSD technologies. In 2022, the California DMV filed a complaint against the company for using advertising language that makes it seem like its vehicles are capable of full autonomous driving that doesn't require the supervision of a human driver. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigated dozens of Tesla crashes where Autopilot or FSD were involved, including collisions with emergency vehicles. Following in the footsteps of the NHTSA, the Department of Justice also started looking into Tesla's Autopilot and FSD features