The US Environmental Protection Agency has reached a settlement with Tesla after the agency found that the automaker violated the Clean Air Act at its factory in Fremont, California. In particular, the EPA determined that Tesla violated the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Surface Coating of Automobiles and Light-Duty Trucks from October 2016 to September 2019.

Tesla, the EPA said, failed to develop and implement a work practice plan to minimize air pollutants emissions from the storage and mixing of materials used in vehicle coating. It also failed to correctly perform the monthly calculations needed to prove that its coating operations complied with the federal standards for hazardous air pollutants. Finally, Tesla apparently failed to keep required records of the calculations for its air pollutants emissions rate. "People living in communities that are near sources of hazardous air pollutants may face significant risks to their health and environment," the agency wrote in its announcement. 

According to CNBC, the paint shop at Tesla's factory in Fremont suffered several fires within that period. The news organizations talked to employees back in 2018 who claimed that the company pushed to hit production goals at the expense of fire and environmental considerations. (If you'll recall, Tesla was struggling to hit Model 3 production goals at the time.) Those employees claimed that months before a fire in April that year, the shop's sprinkler heads were clogged and were coated with at least an inch of thick paint. Exhaust systems that were supposed to carry clean air in and out of the building were allegedly coated with thick paint, as well. 

"Today's enforcement action against Tesla reflects EPA's continued commitment to ensure compliance with federal clean air laws," EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman said in a statement. Tesla will only have to $275,000 to settle its violations, however, which is a drop in the ocean for a company that reported a $5.5 billion in net income last year.

A new wave of 5G-enabled cars are headed our direction. Audi is the latest automaker to announce it will offer 5G connectivity in select models of future cars. The German manufacturer announced today that select models of Audi vehicles, beginning in 2024, will be able to connect to Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband network. 

Drivers of the new Audi 5G lineup can expect a host of new features, including higher speeds to download or stream entertainment, an improved in-car navigation system with 3D mapping, cloud-based user-profiles and even the (arguably dangerous) ability to buy things in your car.

Just note that drivers will likely need to pay a subscription to access Audi's 5G in-car services. While Audi didn't disclose how much a 5G subscription would cost, the current Function On-Demand plan with 4G in-car WiFi and navigation is $849 a year on most models. 

The new 5G vehicles will also build on Audi’s current crop of in-car connected services, including information on traffic lights and low-latency road alerts. This will likely mean an even faster and more detailed version of what Audi’s 4G-enabled cars already offer. We’ve already seen current Audi models that offer integrated payment for toll roads and will alert drivers when they’re near a school bus, cyclists, road crews and other obstacles.

Audi’s 5G cars will also be equipped with mobile edge computing, which likely means better autonomous driving features since the cars will be able to react to data instantly. The tech industry has pushed for mobile edge computing on cars as a way to improve the safety of AV features. Edge computing will allow for real-time data processing, so cars can respond faster to other cars, infrastructure, and connected devices on the road.

The US is getting closer to the connected car future that major automakers like Audi, BMW, Volvo, Ford have pushed for. Roughly 60 percent of US drivers rode a connected vehicle in 2021, and that number is expected to grow to more than 70 percent by 2025, according to an eMarketer report. While drawbacks for drivers include the added costs of subscription plans and cybersecurity risks, many still enjoy the added safety and entertainment features.

Volkswagen has revealed the EPA-estimated ranges for the 2022 ID.4 lineup, and it seems the work the automaker has put in to make the EV more efficient has paid off. All versions have the same 82-kWh battery pack and output motors, and VW has improved the range of every version compared with last year's ID.4 models.

The rear-wheel-drive ID.4 Pro has an EPA-estimated range of 280 miles, 20 miles more than the 2021 model. With an EPA-estimated range of 268 miles, the rear-wheel-drive Pro S has an increased range of 18 miles.

The increased ranges of the all-wheel-drive versions are more modest. The AWD Pro has an EPA-estimated range of 251 miles, while the AWD Pro S range is estimated at 245 miles. Those are increases of two miles and five miles of range, respectively, compared with the 2021 models.

VW attributes the increases to improved MPGe fuel economy. EPA estimates peg the RWD Pro and RWD Pro S as having combined city/highway driving fuel economy of 112 MPGe and 106 MPGe, which are increases of 13 MPGe and nine MPGe respectively. The EPA estimates that the fuel economy of the AWD Pro and Pro S have improved by four MPGe and two MPGe, respectively.

The automaker has also improved the DC fast charging capabilities on all 2022 models from 125 kW to 135 kW. Buyers will get three years of unlimited 30-minute fast charging sessions at Electrify America stations included at no extra cost. A Plug and Charge feature will allow drivers to plug in their car at an Electrify America station and automatically have it charge the battery and, if needed, their account. The feature will be available at a later date.

VW has increased the base price of all ID.4 models this year by $765. The RWD Pro starts at $40,760 and the Pro S is $45,260. For the AWD models, the Pro costs $44,440 and the Pro S starts at $48,940. The destination charge for each model is $1,195.

Now's your chance to see how three of the highest-end performance EVs fare in a straight-line brawl. DragTimes has followed its previous Lucid-versus-Tesla match (among others) with a three-way drag race between the Tesla Model S Plaid, Lucid Air Dream Edition and Porsche Taycan Turbo S. As you can see in the video below, horsepower only matters to a degree — and the outcome doesn't tell the whole story about any of these cars.

It might not surprise you to hear the Model S Plaid emerged triumphant. Tesla's premium sedan comfortably won all three races, pulling solidly ahead of the Lucid Air and even further ahead of the Taycan. The 1,111HP Air has the most horsepower of the bunch, but its heavier body (about 5,200lbs versus the Plaid's 4,828lbs) requires more effort to move. The Taycan didn't stand a chance — its 750HP output and roughly 5,300-pound weight were certain to put it behind the pack.

Power-to-weight ratios weren't everything, however. The Air's performance may be more impressive than it looks, as it doesn't have a launch mode. And, as many an enthusiast will point out, a drag race isn't the sole benchmark of a car's performance. It's no secret the Taycan is one of the better-handling EVs in its class, and it might be your pick if you're more likely to drive a twisty mountain road than a quarter-mile. This is just a reminder that no one upscale electric sedan can do everything well.

Tesla's Model 3 has been Consumer Reports' top EV choice for the past two years, but the publication is ready to declare a new champion. CR has revealed that Ford's Mustang Mach-E has ousted the Model 3 as its EV Top Pick. The Mustang crossover is not only "more practical," according to editors, but has better first-year reliability and a "far easier" infotainment system that doesn't require multiple steps for basic tasks. A better ride and reduced noise help, too.

Ford's BlueCruise driver assist technology also gave the Mach-E an edge thanks to a more effective drive monitoring system that now counts toward vehicle scores. Tesla's Autopilot was docked for functioning while drivers look away.

Consumer Reports still recommended the Model 3 thanks to its sports car-like performance, long range, charging network and technology. However, the outlet couldn't recommend the Mach-E's more direct rival, the Model Y, as an EV Top Pick. Tesla's SUV-like ride has "much worse" reliability than average vehicles in the lineup, and is noticeably worse than the average-rated Model 3.

This isn't going to please Tesla, which has had a less-than-amicable relationship with Consumer Reports over the years. The two have disputed test results, and CR has temporarily pulled recommendations for some models. However, it also reflects lingering concerns about Tesla's reliability. The EV producer has issued a string of recalls in recent months, and owners have frequently reported build quality issues. This might not have cost Tesla the lead by itself, but it certainly didn't help the company's chances.

OtterBox says it has detected an issue with early units of its OtterSpot system. The company released the wireless charging batteries back in August 2019. It says that units that were manufactured between July and August that year may swell “under multi-stack and higher temperature conditions.”

As yet, no injuries have been reported due to the issue, OtterBox told The Verge. The company is contacting customers it knows bought an affected unit, but if you have any OtterSpot battery packs, it's worth checking the serial numbers. If the number starts with 229, 250 or 259, the unit could be affected by this issue and it's worth calling customer service at 1-855-688-7269. OtterBox says it will replace potentially defective batteries at no cost.

The conditions under which affected units could swell may not be rare. One of the key selling points of OtterSpot is that it comprises a base unit and stackable battery packs, which you can use to wirelessly charge devices on the go. Up to three packs can be charged on the base simultaneously. You can juice up a Qi-compatible device at the same time by placing it on top.

The issue might not affect too many units, since OtterBox says it only had a limited quantity at launch. Still, if you have one, it's worth checking the serial number just in case.

Fisker is at last ready to share more about Project PEAR. The automaker has started taking reservations for the Pear, a five-passenger "urban EV" that will start at $29,900 before incentives and taxes. That's less than Tesla's originally quoted $35,000 for the Model 3, and well below the $37,499 price of Fisker's Ocean SUV. You'll have to place a $250 deposit ($100 for a second reservation) and wait until 2024 to receive your car, but it might prove tempting if you're not willing to wait for Tesla's fabled $25,000 car and aren't fond of Chevy's upcoming Equinox EV.

The Pear (PEAR originally stood for Personal Electric Automotive Revolution) is the result of a collaboration with Foxconn where the manufacturing capability is as important as the technology. Fisker is shy on details besides promises of sportier driving characteristics, an intuitive interface, smart storage and a "focus on industry firsts." However, the Pear will be built in Ohio with a production rate of at least 250,000 vehicles per year — Fisker and Foxconn are evidently counting on economies of scale to reach that lower-than-usual price point.

There are more than a few risks involved. The revived Fisker doesn't start producing the Ocean, its first EV, until November 2022. It's unclear whether that initial model will foster enough demand to justify the Pear's production levels. Range, performance and quality are still unknowns. Fisker will also have some competition by the time the Pear arrives, and it won't be surprising if more direct rivals surface between now and 2024. All the same, the Pear might be welcome as a sign that EVs are becoming more affordable.

Lamborghini hopes it can continue producing cars with internal combustion engines into the next decade, CEO Stephan Winkelmann told German newspaper Welt am Sonntag this week. “After hybridization, we will wait to see whether it will be possible to offer vehicles with an internal combustion engine beyond 2030,” he said in an interview with the outlet. “One possibility would be to keep combustion engine vehicles alive via synthetic fuels.”

If Lamborghini actually continues making ICE cars into the 2030s, it would put the Volkswagen-owned automaker at odds with much of the industry. Consider Dodge, for instance. The Stellantis-owned brand plans to debut its first all-electric muscle car in 2024. That same year, it also plans to stop producing some of its most popular gasoline-powered models, including the Challenger and Charger. By contrast, Lamborgini won’t offer a fully electric car before the end of the decade.

Practically speaking, even if Lamborghini continues producing ICE cars into the 2030s, it may not be able to sell those vehicles in many places. In the US and other parts of the world, governments have moved to ban the sale of gasoline-powered cars by mid-decade. Countries like Germany have made carveouts for vehicles powered by synthetic fuels, but no company is producing the gasoline alternative at scale yet and may not for many years to come. 

Tesla is once again recalling hundreds of thousands of cars over a technical issue. According to Reuters, he EV producer has recalled 578,607 Model 3, S, X and Y vehicles over concerns the Boombox feature can overpower Pedestrian Warning System sounds. The ability to play external audio while the car is in motion violates a federal safety rule requiring a clearly audible sound when EVs and hybrids are moving at speeds below 18.6MPH.

As with some of its recalls, the company will address the issue with a free over-the-air update. The patch will disable Boombox while cars aren't parked, Tesla said. The company didn't provide a timeframe for the update, but noted it would affect 2017 and newer Model 3 sedans as well as 2020 and newer Model S, X and Y vehicles.

Tesla wasn't available for comment. The company disbanded its communications team years ago.

This latest notice represents Tesla's fourth announced recall in two weeks. On top of a seat belt chime fault, the brand recently issued recalls over Full Self Driving flaws and slow heating systems. Tesla is fixing all of these problems through software, but they come after recalls in the past year for physical defects like fragile rearview camera systems and loose trim. There have been 15 recalls since the start of 2021. The issues have typically been minor, but they've still fuelled broader quality concerns.

This latest recall also reflects more aggressive scrutiny from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency began investigating Autopilot functions after a string of collisions with emergency vehicles, and Tesla responded to an investigation of its Passenger Play feature by disabling video games while in motion. The NHTSA is clearly determined to keep Tesla in check, particularly for software-driven features that relatively new in the automotive world.

There's still some room for over-the-top electric scooters, apparently. Jeep is partnering with Razor on the RX200, an adult e-scooter designed expressly for off-road use. It's not the fastest machine of its kind with a 12MPH top speed, but the combination of a wide design with 8-inch, air-filled pneumatic tires promises a comfortable and grippy ride on trails — at least, those trails that don't ban vehicles.

You won't venture too far beyond the beaten path with a 40-minute battery life. You might, however, appreciate the Jeep-like styling (shown below) if you want something more rugged-looking (or less flashy) than other e-scooters.

Razor

The RX200 should be available now through Amazon and Razor's website. We're still waiting on pricing as we write this. However, it's safe to say this is a premium model meant for outdoor enthusiasts and anyone who might regularly ride beyond smooth surfaces. Thankfully, it should be far more affordable than Jeep's $5,899 e-bike.