Honda is looking to make waves in the electric vehicle market. The first model in the automaker's major 2024 push into the space is the Acura ZDX. It expects to obtain an EPA range rating of 325 miles on a single charge for the base A-Spec single-motor configuration.

That's in the same ballpark as the Tesla Model X (333 miles) and better than the Model Y (303 miles), as well as Ford's Mustang Mach-E (up to 312 miles) and the F-150 Lightning (230 miles). What's more, Honda is touting this range for a starting price of around $60,000. The first Acura ZDX deliveries are slated for early 2024 with pre-sales starting later this year. Sales will take place exclusively online.

The company unveiled the EV at Monterey Car Week after teasing it earlier this month. It will be available in two variants: the Acura ZDX A-Spec and ZDX Type S. The former is expected to deliver 340 horsepower. The dual-motor, all-wheel-drive ZDX Type S will have an estimated 500 horsepower and is expected to start at around $70,000. Honda says that will be "the most powerful and best performing Acura SUV ever" but it's expected to eke out a shorter range of 288 miles from the 102 kWh battery. Of note, the ZDX A-Spec will have 20-inch wheels, while the Type S has 22-inch wheels.

MullenLowe

Honda has been dripfeeding details about the ZDX for months, so it was already known that the EV would have Android Auto, built-in Google apps and Apple CarPlay integration. It will feature an 11-inch touchscreen dashboard for the driver and an 11.3-inch center display. The ZDX is the first Acura model with a Bang & Olufsen audio system, which comes as standard. It has 18 speakers, including a subwoofer.

Safety features include a rear pedestrian alert and blind zone steering assist. The ZDX Type S has hands-free cruise driver assistance. According to Acura, that allows for "true hands-free driving on up to 400,000 miles of compatible roads." The Type S also has an automatic parking assist system that should help with parallel parking.

When it comes to topping up the EV's battery, Honda is hoping you'll never be too far away from a charging station. Last month, it announced a joint effort with six other automakers to build an extensive network of 30,000 stations in North America. The initiative's first locations are expected to open in the US next summer. Honda also notes that the ZDX supports DC Fast Charging, and a 10-minute top up can add up to 81 miles of range to the ZDX A-Spec's battery in the rear-wheel drive configuration.

MullenLowe

Tesla has quietly launched new Model S and Model X vehicles that are slightly more affordable than their base and Plaid counterparts. The automaker has listed these new offerings as "Standard Range" variants, which are scheduled for delivery in the US sometime in September to October this year. A Model S Standard Range will set buyers back $78,490, while the standard Model X is listed for $88,490. Both prices don't include any savings buyers might get after EV tax credits applicable for their location. 

Both prices are also $10,000 less than the base Model S and Model X vehicles. The new EVs, however, have shorter ranges than the other versions in their line: In the case of Model S, the new option has a range of 320 miles, while the base variant can last for over 80 miles longer with its 405-mile range. It also takes 3.7 seconds for new EV to accelerate from zero to 60 mph, whereas it takes 3.1 seconds for the base version to achieve the same speed. Meanwhile, the new Model X has a range of 269 miles, which is definitely shorter than the base variant's 348 miles. It takes the new Model X 4.4 seconds to reach 60mph, longer than the 3.8 seconds it takes the base version. 

Tesla

As Electrek noted when it noticed the presence of Standard Range vehicles on Tesla's website, it's not clear if the automaker is making battery packs especially for these releases or if it's merely software-locking packs for its EVs with longer ranges. If it's the latter, then Tesla might give customers the opportunity to unlock longer ranges in the future if they're willing to pay for it. The new Standard Range EVs are available for the aforementioned prices in Pearl White with an all-black interior, along with standard wheels and steering wheel. Buyers will have to pay extra for other colors, customizations, and, of course, for Tesla's Enhanced Autopilot ($6,000) and Full Self-Driving Capability ($15,000) features. 

Tesla is giving current customers the option to transfer Full Self-Driving to a newly purchased vehicle for free at the moment. That said, they can only take advantage of this one-time amnesty if they take delivery of a new EV between July 20th and September 30th, 2023. Seeing as the new Standard Range vehicles could be delivered after September, buyers should be aware that they might have to pay for FSD again even if they already have it in their current Tesla EV.

Ford announced today that it’s expanding the availability of its BlueCruise hands-free driving tech. Previously, customers had to decide whether to add the option on available models at purchase — and that decision was final. Now, the service will be installed as standard on all supported vehicles. In addition to enabling it at purchase, owners can add the service later or only activate it for months when needed (like for road trips).

You’ll still have the option of buying the feature at purchase and folding it into your financing. However, you can now also subscribe to access annually or monthly at any point after that. BlueCruise costs $2,100 at purchase (for three years), while annual subscriptions cost $800 and monthly subscriptions $75. Ford also offers a 90-day free trial if you choose not to set it up at purchase.

The automaker expects to install BlueCruise on 500,000 vehicles in North America for the 2024 model year. That’s a significant ramp-up since it’s currently only installed on less than half of that: 225,000, according to Ford.

The service’s changes will also apply to Lincolns. The 2024 Navigator and Nautilus lines and “select trims” of the Lincoln Corsair will come equipped with BlueCruise. The $800 annual and $75 monthly pricing is the same for Lincoln models.

Ford says the tech’s upcoming version, BlueCruise 1.3, will enhance performance when driving around curves and narrow lanes. The company says v1.3 lets you keep your hands off the wheel longer. “Based on our internal testing, BlueCruise 1.3 stayed engaged in hands-free mode for an average of 5X longer compared to BlueCruise 1.0, the first version of BlueCruise,” the automaker said. The 1.2 software, rolled out earlier this year, added hands-free lane changes, in-lane repositioning and predictive speed assist. The company is serious about AI-assisted driving: It created an automated-driving subsidiary earlier this year to push toward a more machine-driven future.

Even though it’s very nearly a decade old, Grand Theft Auto V is still one of the biggest games on the planet. More than 151,000 people are playing it on Steam alone at the time of writing and it still makes a major contribution to Rockstar Games owner Take-Two’s bank balance.

Roleplaying has been a major contributor to GTA V’s enduring popularity, with tens of thousands of players using mods to create characters that live, work and play with greater freedom in San Andreas and Los Santos. Now, Rockstar is making moves in that space as Cfx.re, the team behind the biggest GTA V (FiveM) and Red Dead Redemption 2 (RedM) mods and communities, has joined the publisher.

"Over the past few years, we've watched with excitement as Rockstar’s creative community have found new ways to expand the possibilities of Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2, particularly through the creation of dedicated roleplay servers," Rockstar wrote in its announcement. "As a way to further support those efforts, we recently expanded our policy on mods to officially include those made by the roleplay creative community. By partnering with the Cfx.re team, we will help them find new ways to support this incredible community and improve the services they provide to their developers and players."

The Cfx.re crew is jazzed about the move as well. "This is a huge step forward in the growth of our community, and an opportunity for us to work with Rockstar Games to advance the FiveM platform and the creative community surrounding it," the team wrote in a forum post. "While our day-to-day operations won’t have any noticeable changes, with Rockstar’s support, we are going to continue to improve our platform and we are truly excited for what this means for our users, community and creators!"

As Polygon notes, more than 170,000 players were using the FiveM on custom servers on Friday morning, according to the mod's website. The popular NoPixel server runs on FiveM and uses custom scripts to enhance the roleplaying experience.

Rockstar and Cfx.re haven't fully detailed their plans for FiveM and RedM. In any case, Rockstar is now in a position to do whatever it wants with the mods. It will absolutely want to keep supporting GTA Online and its communities for the foreseeable future, but there is the small matter of a new Grand Theft Auto game on the horizon.

When Grand Theft Auto VI debuts — perhaps next year — it could have robust roleplaying features baked in thanks to the help of the Cfx.re team. As such, there's a possibility that Rockstar could take full ownership of the GTA VI roleplaying scene by having it already in the game and restricting mods. This is speculation, in fairness, but the impact of this acquisition on the GTA roleplaying community in the years to come is worth considering.

Regulators with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are opening a probe involving a fatal crash involving a Tesla Model Y. The accident, occurring on July 19, found a Tesla striking a tractor-trailer truck in Virginia, fatally wounding the driver of the automobile. These regulators believe that the 57-year-old Tesla driver was relying on the company’s advanced driver assistance programs at the time of the accident, according to a report by Reuters.

The Fauquier County Sheriff's Office provided more details on the accident, saying that the tractor trailer attempted to turn onto a highway from a truck stop when the Tesla struck the side and slid underneath the trailer. The Tesla driver was pronounced dead at the scene. As for the truck driver, authorities issued a summons for reckless driving.

The summons indicates that authorities blame the truck’s driver for the incident, but Tesla’s assistance program is supposed to account for mistakes stemming from other people on the road, thus the NHTSA investigation. To that end, the safety regulator has opened more than three dozen investigations into crashes involving Tesla vehicles and their advanced assistance algorithms. All told, the agency suspects the system has been involved in 23 deaths since 2016.

In 2021, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) urged the NHTSA to issue stricter regulations for autonomous driving, stating in its letter that “Tesla is testing on public roads a highly automated AV technology but with limited oversight or reporting requirements.”

Tesla’s proprietary Autopilot technology is intended to steer, accelerate and brake within the vehicle’s lane, while an enhanced system assists with changing lanes on highways. Tesla says the system isn’t truly automated and requires active human supervision. The company hasn’t responded to a request for comment by Reuters regarding this latest accident and the newly-opened probe.

Ford has resumed F-150 Lightning production after a retooling period. Following a six-week shutdown to expand and prep the plant for quicker turnarounds and higher output, the automaker has reopened its Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan. That should help Ford meet the demand for the popular EV after its recent $10,000 price drop spurred a sixfold spike in orders.

Starting this fall, the automaker says the Dearborn plant can produce the F-150 Lightning at an annualized rate of 150,000 units — triple its previous output. Although it will still fall well short of that number this year due to the shutdown and slower speeds pre-revamp (it estimates 70,000+ units for 2023), the company expects the production spike to make waiting times less of a headache. Ford recently adjusted expectations, bumping back its estimated date for reaching its goal of 600,000 total EVs produced to sometime in 2024 from its original 2023 target date.

Ford

Ford says the factory’s improved capacity will also help it to offer more popular trim levels like XLT. In addition, Lightning Pro units are now available through retail channels, and “new trim levels are set to join the lineup soon.”

Part of the plant’s output boost will come from new equipment. The Rouge Electric Vehicle Center now has machines to “automatically measure and validate exterior body fit for margin and flushness precision,” a first for Ford’s North American plants. The factory also has an extra station to validate wheel alignment and headlamp aim for driver-assist tech. In addition, the plant now employs 1,200 new workers, a likely boon for productivity and the Detroit-area economy.

Ford says it’s also increasing output at its nearby Rawsonville Components Plant and Van Dyke (Mich.) Electric Powertrain Center. The automaker expects battery pack and EV power units to “match the scale of F-150 Lightning assembly at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center.” 

As we slowly shift towards electric vehicles, there’s a growing number of big, fancy battery-powered SUVs. However, for those looking for something smaller, the options are a lot more limited. But with the upcoming EX30, Volvo has created a compact electric SUV with a ton of premium features and a surprisingly affordable price. After getting to check one out in person at its North American debut, it’s clear we need more electric vehicles like this in the market.

Due out sometime in the summer of 2024, a base EX30 will start at just $35,000 for a single-motor setup with around 275 miles of range. Granted, that’s a bit more than a gas-powered alternative like a Honda CR-V (which starts at just under $30,000) or a Subaru Crosstrek (around $25,000). But when you consider the average price of a new electric vehicle is over $53,000, Volvo is definitely helping make EVs a bit more affordable.

On top of that, a base EX30 appears to be well-equipped, with Volvo including things like a 12.3-inch touchscreen based on Android Automotive (with support for wireless Apple CarPlay), cyclist detection, Pilot Assist and rear passenger detection as standard. And as you’d expect from Volvo, you get a very Scandinavian minimalist interior made from a range of recycled and sustainable materials. Now some may take issue with a few of the components Volvo is using like the speckled panels on the dash – which kind of remind me of a fancy gym mat. But in a car sporting a slick modern design, I think it works.

That said, if you don’t mind spending a bit more, the EX30 is also available with an upgraded dual-motor all-wheel-drive configuration that boasts a 0 to 60 time of just 3.4 seconds. Not only does that make the EX30 faster than bigger and more expensive electric SUVs like a Tesla Model Y Performance, it’s also the fastest Volvo ever (across both electric and ICE vehicles).

The EX30 feels rather roomy in the front, with Volvo simplifying its interior by using a soundbar that runs the width of the windshield instead of multiple individual speakers. The company has also moved a lot of common controls for stuff like the windows to the center console to help streamline the interior. And Volvo put an emphasis on storage, with the EX30 featuring a lot of handy cubby holes including a center-mounted glove box and a dishwasher-safe removable tray (with a cute little moose graphic) for rear seat passengers. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of power options for your devices with two USB-C ports in the front, another two in back, and a built-in dual phone wireless charging pad between the driver and passenger seats.

When sitting in the rear, things do feel a bit tighter, though that’s somewhat expected for a car that’s only a few inches longer (166) and a couple inches (61) shorter than a Chevy Bolt. As someone who’s six feet tall, there’s very little legroom if the front seats are pushed all the way back. And in the truck, you get a surprising amount of cargo space at 31.9 cubic feet if you include the extra room underneath the load flat floor.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

So while I haven’t had a chance to take it for a drive, all told the EX30 looks to offer a great blend of premium features and decent range in a compact size. Not to mention excellent performance, just so long as you’re willing to pay for it. And coming from someone who lives in the city, the EX30 seems like a great EV for getting around town while still being easy to park on the streets, which is something we need more of among electric SUVs.

Reservations for the EX30 in the U.S. are available today with a $500 refundable deposit before the car arrives at dealerships sometime next summer. 

Ford will take just a bit longer to reach the electric vehicle production goal it set for itself. As The Washington Post reports, Ford CEO Jim Farley now expects the automaker to be able to start producing 600,000 EV units per year sometime in 2024. The company was originally aiming to reach that production level in late 2023 with the help of lithium iron phosphate battery packs, which will help Ford cut manufacturing costs and reduce its dependence on nickel and other materials prone to shortage.

In the company's earnings report, (PDF) Farley explained that the "[t]he near-term pace of EV adoption will be a little slower than expected," but that he believes it's going to "benefit early movers like Ford." He added: "EV customers are brand loyal and we’re winning lots of them with our high-volume, first-generation products." The automaker's all-electric division did well in the second quarter of the year, with revenue from the first generation F-150 Lightning and the Mustang Mach-E vehicles increasing by 39 percent. 

Ford was inundated with pre-orders for the F-150 Lightning after it was announced and had to temporarily stop taking reservations due to the demand. The company has recently slashed the vehicle's prices citing increased production capacity, though it could also be because it's looking to entice more customers who are also eyeing models by rivals like Tesla and General Motors. 

Ford CFO John Lawler said "[t]he transition to EVs is happening, it just may take a little longer" and "it will be a little slower than the industry expected." The automaker was also aiming to manufacture 2 million EVs a year by 2026, but this delay affects that goal, as well. CNBC said Ford now doesn't know when it can reach that level of production, but Lawler assured that the company will still invest the same amount of money into its EV endeavors. 

Tesla has been accused of exaggerating EV driving range in the past, but it's now facing allegations that it's trying to minimize complaints about performance. Reuterssources claim Tesla had a secret "Diversion Team" in the Las Vegas area that aims to cancel range-related service appointments. If a customer complained that the range didn't live up to marketing claims, advisors in the team would tell owners that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) range figures were just predictions, and that battery degradation would reduce range. The unit initially ran remote diagnostics and called customers, but wouldn't share non-range issues and eventually stopped testing altogether.

The aim was reportedly to both save money (about $1,000 per appointment, according to managers) and reduce strain on service centers already facing long appointment queues. Tesla updated its mobile app to remove appointment options for users asking about range, and instead gave them the choice of asking a company representative to call.

The complaints don't stem from technical flaws, the insiders claim. Instead, Tesla supposedly began tinkering with range estimates roughly a decade ago to exaggerate figures when an EV was fully charged. Cars would only begin showing more accurate range numbers below a 50 percent charge. The company also gave vehicles a 15-mile range buffer when the estimate reached zero, much as combustion engine cars still have fuel in the tank when the gauge reads "empty."

It's not certain if Tesla continues to rely on code to exaggerate range, if the report is accurate. Tesla has disbanded its public relations team and isn't available for comment. However, the company has already faced criticism and legal trouble over range concerns. The EPA asked Tesla to slightly reduce its range estimates from the 2020 model year onward, and South Korea fined Tesla $2.2 million in January for allegedly failing to disclose that range can drop in cold weather.

Tesla isn't alone in embellishing range, but may be worse than most. The standards body SAE International recently published a study indicating that EVs typically fall 12.5 percent short of their official range in highway driving. One of the co-authors, Gregory Pannone, tells Reuters that Tesla's shortfall was a much higher 26 percent. Brands like Ford, Mercedes and Porsche also offer more conservative estimates by using an EPA formula instead of running extra tests. 

Elon Musk's firm isn't necessarily cheating, as Pannone explains. Instead, it may be exploiting EPA range procedures more aggressively than its peers. If true, though, that's still problematic for buyers who might never come close to the range they expected.

Last year, I asked if we’d ever see an e-cargo bike “for the people,” with powerful electric assist, generous cargo capacity and an affordable price. Soon after, Mycle got in touch to say its own offering, the Mycle Cargo, was exactly the bike I was looking for. It added that the struggles I’d had with heavy loads and steep hills wouldn’t be a problem for its affordable cargo longtail. After spending the better part of three months riding this thing around, I can heartily agree that it ticks many of the boxes I was hoping for. I may not have fallen head-over-heels in love with it in the way I had hoped, or expected to, but I’m sure it could find a place in the homes of many cyclists.

Mycle is a British-built e-bike which fits into the same category as Tern’s GSD, with a step through frame and beefy longtail. Support struts and plastic panels enclose the thick rear wheel, which houses the surprisingly-powerful 250W hub motor. Now, I won’t bang this drum too much, but this thing is less than half the price of some of its competitors in the cargo longtail space. Here in the UK, a Tern GSD or Yuba’s Spicy Curry will set you back around £5,000 before you start picking optional extras. By comparison, the Cargo’s retail price is £1,999, which will get you the standard setup, including integrated front and rear lights.

Daniel Cooper

The model I tested, meanwhile, had a few luxuries added on, including an LCD display which adds £150 to the price. My model also had a front basket (£89) and a caboose to enclose the rear deck to help keep my kids safe (£129). The only other mainstream e-cargo bike in this price bracket is Rad Power'sRadWagon 4, which I’m looking to test in the future to offer a good head-to-head comparison. On paper, the RadWagon has a far lower center of gravity and a bigger payload weight, but a far shorter promised range.

Every issue I could raise about the Mycle Cargo, and I have a few, can likely be answered by its price. These bikes need to be affordable to win over would-be buyers who can quite reasonably say that five grand would get you a decent second-hand car and cover a year’s running costs. And while two thousand pounds is no small investment for a lot of people right now, it may wind up saving them cash if it helps them get around without a car. You can certainly carry at least two kids on the rear deck, and can probably mount a third seat up front should you need.

Daniel Cooper

Mycle Cargo measures in at 187cm (73.6in) long and 73cm (28.7in) wide, with a quoted kerb weight of around 80 pounds. Even in my fairly spacious house, it took up a lot of room, and it requires a decent amount of effort to get it up my front steps. Which is a euphemistic way of saying that if you’re in a small space, or don’t have great upper body strength, you might need to look for an alternative. I found that, the longer I rode it, the easier it became to handle, so I think my time with the bike has contributed to some minor enswolening of my arms.

The bike arrives half-assembled, and you’ll need to get a hex key to screw in the footplates, caboose, front basket and fit the handlebars. This requires a decent amount of patience, since there’s so much engineering going on that your fingers won’t have much room to maneuver. If you can, get a bike store to do the finishing off for you, especially if you’ve got chunky hands and a tendency to swear in frustration after the screw falls out three times in a row.

Daniel Cooper

The bike is fitted with a wonderfully comfortable seat, and is equipped with a modest, but solid, set of components. There’s Tektro mechanical disc brakes and a 7-speed Shimano Altus set, which might provoke a sniff or two from higher-minded cycling types. Both are what I’d call modestly priced, and aside from the odd stiff gear change, neither felt out of place, with good braking even on steep hills. It’s also clear that cost savings in this area help get the overall price down without causing too much pain for the rider on a daily basis. One nitpick I do have is that the built-in double-sided kickstand is sturdy, it still feels a little weak and I wish it was a bit thicker.

Now, from here on out, we’ll be talking about my experience of riding Mycle Cargo, and I’d say that I’m a general-purpose cyclist at best. Certainly, I’m open about my deficiencies, and hope that I can offer a better perspective for would-be riders than a road-hardened professional. If you’re a novice rider looking for a cargo bike, then these are the issues you’ll probably want to be mindful of, whereas more experienced riders can probably just look at the price, what you get for that chunk of cash, and head to the Mycle website to pre-order one.

Daniel Cooper

The issue with weight, for instance, is going to be harder for novices to deal with compared to people who already own more than one pair of waterproof trousers. Mycle Cargo is heavy and, in my early rides, proved to be more than I could handle in terms of its balance issues. Even with fat tyres, which are designed to improve balance, I found it very easy to lose control of this thing at lower speeds. I tried to take the kids to school in rush-hour traffic, and pushed off in a quiet moment, only to find the bike started to wobble. I tried to correct it, but in doing so nearly pitched sideways into a van coming the other way.

Fortunately, this problem did eventually go away, but it took me a lot of (solo) trial-and-error and some counterintuitive tyre-deflating before I put the kids back on it again. Once I’d got the Mycle set up the way I did, riding became a lot easier and I had some fairly glorious runs around the local area. But don’t expect to climb on this in the first hour or two and expect to be zooming around your town without a care in the world. The learning curve is there, and it is steep, and I found the damped steering – designed to prevent you making risky, aggressive turns – was a bit of a pain in my early trips.

Daniel Cooper

Once you get past the slow-speed wobbles, however, do you find Mycle Cargo’s comfort zone, which is unleashing its vast reserves of power. Accelerate a bit, and you’ll find riding the bike is easy and comfortable, but if you only run it on flat ground, you’ll miss out on its party piece. My kids’ school is at the top of a hill that measures around 11 degrees (or more) at its gentlest point. And I’ve ridden a few 250W hub motor bikes up there with varying levels of comfort, and even a light single-seater can sometimes struggle.

This thing? With all the added weight in its frame and two kids in the back? I have never seen a bike move this fast. It shot up the hill faster than the car I was passing, and I very quickly had to dial down the assistance level to stop feeling uncomfortable. When that pedal assist kicks in after a second or so’s delay, you feel as if you’re being towed by a car. It ships with a throttle but I don’t think I was ever compelled to use it outside of trying to intentionally test it, because one full turn of the pedal and this thing moves like a rocket.

Daniel Cooper

I cannot overstate how much power Mycle has managed to wring out of this motor, to the point where I’d almost want to joke that it’s really a 500W motor with the wrong label. I cannot imagine anyone riding this thing and thinking that it’ll do anything but conquer any terrain you put in front of it. If I had infinite time and money, I’d take this to France and irritate everyone doing a mountain cycle climb as I lap them while lazily pedaling my way to lunch. The downside is the lack of refinement; dial down the electric assist and you’ll very quickly feel a lurch as the motor steps down a notch.

That’s really where your money isn’t going with a bike like this – into the refinements that would see it go from a two grand bike to a five grand one. I can think of plenty of tweaks I’d like to see, including a lighter weight, lower center of gravity and better handling. But if the choice is this bike or one that’ll cost more than twice the price, I’d rather keep my cash in the bank.

You can pre-order the Mycle Cargo now, with deliveries slated for some point in August. That will come with a few tweaks, including upgraded brakes – hydraulic, rather than mechanical – and fittings for a new rear-caboose. The new model will also be able to use a new clubhouse-style weather tent to keep your kids dry on windier days, but there’s no word on how much that’ll cost you at present.