Still waiting on a new Tesla with its higher-capacity batteries? Perhaps, once the company’s employees have got theirs, you’ll also be able to grab a Model Y with longer range. Electrek reports Tesla is selling the Model Y in a new Standard Range AWD variant that uses 4680 cells to offer 279 miles of range and five-second 0-60MPH for $59,990, which is $3,000 less than the Long Range AWD.

These 4680 cells are actually twice as large as Tesla's existing units — with five times the capacity. It means the company can choose to extend the range of its vehicles or use fewer batteries, which would shrink costs while maintaining range parity.

Reportedly, we muggles should be able to pick up the cheaper Model Y in the coming weeks, at a time when all the carmakers are finally ready to offer us a lot more EV options. We have news about Toyota’s late-to-the-party electric car below, and Honda plans to launch 30 EV models by 2030.

https://www.engadget.com/tesla-model-y-standard-range-awd-new-battery-152038143.html

— Mat Smith

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Toyota's first EV will start at $42,000

The new 2023 bZ4X will go on sale later this spring.

Talking of EVs, Toyota is almost, finally, ready to unleash its first (true) EV. The bZ4X SUV will start at $42,000 for the base front-wheel-drive model, with 252 miles of range on a single charge. Meanwhile, the Limited package (which starts at $46,700) adds more luxurious satin and soft-touch finishes and upgraded seats, with Toyota offering optional FWD and X-MODE AWD drive to both.

When it comes to recharging, the bZ4X will have a 6.6kW adapter that could get the car from low to full in about nine hours when connected to a Level 2 charger. Select dealers will sell the ChargePoint Home Flex charger direct to owners.

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This is what it looks like inside a giant space balloon for tourists

Even the restroom has a view of the horizon.

Space Perspective

Balloons are the cheaper version of space tourism, thanks to gentler, longer-lasting trips that don't require training, and now it's clearer what you'll get if you take one of those rides. Space Perspective has previewed the interior of Spaceship Neptune, its giant balloon that will take tourists to 100,000 feet (technically the stratosphere) for around two hours. It’s $125,000 per ticket with a $1,000 refundable deposit. So, $62,500 per hour.

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GoPro's 'Bones' is a stripped-down Hero cam for drones

It can capture 5.3K 60p video.

GoPro

GoPro has unveiled the Hero 10 Black Bones, a lightweight version of the Hero 10 Black designed for FPV and Cinewhoop drones that have taken off in popularity. Light enough to mount on three-inch sized drones, it still packs in GoPro features like HyperSmooth 4.0 and 5.3K video.

The Hero 10 Black Bones is cheaper with GoPro's one-year subscription, which is free the first year. It costs $400 with a new subscription and $500 without, meaning GoPro thinks you're going to like the subscription benefits enough to renew. Or at least forget to cancel. Those benefits include no-questions-asked camera replacement, discounts on accessories and unlimited cloud backup.

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There’s a Theragun for your face now

With LED, microcurrent and thermal therapies.

Therabody

Therabody, best known as the maker of Theragun percussive recovery devices, is launching its first product for your face. The company unveiled the $399 TheraFace Pro, which has percussive, light and microcurrent therapies. It can also provide cryothermal treatment, which the company said can help reduce tension, relax muscles and “[address] discomfort related to migraines, headaches, and jaw pain.”

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FIFA launches its own soccer streaming service

FIFA+ is an ad-supported service with originals and live streams.

FIFA, the global governing body for world soccer, is launching its own streaming service. FIFA+ will livestream men's and women’s matches and broadcast a raft of original series and documentaries. The platform will also host a vast archive of older games from previous World Cups. FIFA says it’ll show the “equivalent of 40,000 live games per year.” At launch, we’ll see around 1,400 matches a month, with that figure “rising rapidly” until we get closer to 4,000 a month. Which is great, but I really don’t want a streaming service for every single sport.

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After announcing the company's first electric vehicle last year (not counting the weird old RAV4 EV), Toyota has finally released pricing for its upcoming bZ4X SUV before it arrives at dealers later this spring. 

For the base XLE model with front-wheel drive, the bZ4X will start at $42,000 while providing 252 miles of range on a single charge. Meanwhile, if you prefer a slightly more premium kit, you can upgrade to the Limited package (which starts at $46,700) that adds more luxurious satin and soft-touch finishes and upgraded seats, with Toyota offering FWD and X-MODE AWD drive options across both trim levels. 

Toyota

While similar in size to the Toyota's popular RAV4 (it's 3.7 inches longer but two inches shorter), the bZ4X is going for a sleeker, more futuristic design featuring an emphasis on aerodynamics and improved driver visibility thanks to a lower hood height. On the base model, Toyota is claiming 0-60 times of 7.1 seconds, or 6.5 seconds for the AWD version. That said, the AWD model's speedier acceleration does come with slightly reduced range, topping out at around 228 miles on a charge.

Inside, the car offers seating for five passengers and an infotainment system with a 12.3-inch touchscreen that supports wireless CarPlay and Android Auto. And for those who really want to stay connected, you can also pay for a Wi-Fi Connect subscription that will add hotspot functionality powered by AT&T's 4G network. You'll also get a handful of USB ports (both Type-A and Type-C), a built-in wireless charger and a three-year trial for Toyota's Remote Connect service, which allows owners to control things like the car's temperature controls, horn, window defroster and more from an app on their phone. 

Toyota

Finally, when it comes to recharging, the bZ4X will come with an included 6.6kW adapter that should be able to bring the car from low to full in about nine hours when connected to a Level 2 charger, with new owners even getting the option to purchase ChargePoint Home Flex charger direct from select dealers. And as an added bonus, for anyone who buys or leases a 2023 bZ4X, Toyota is throwing in one free year of unlimited complimentary charging at all EVgo charging stations nationwide. 

Last year, Honda revealed that it intends to shift all its car sales to electric and fuel cell vehicles by 2040. To make phasing out gas-powered cars feasible, it has to release a wide selection of zero-emission vehicles that customers can choose from. Now, the automaker has announced that it's spending 5 trillion yen or around $40 billion on its electrification efforts over the next 10 years. 

In a live briefing, the company also said that it plans to launch 30 EV models by 2030 with a production volume of 2 million vehicles a year. The aim is for electric vehicles to make up 40 percent of its fleet by the end of the decade,

As TechCrunch reports, Honda plans to get the ball rolling in Japan by introducing an ultra-cheap mini EV model that costs around $8,000 by 2024. It will also release the Prologue and Acura electric vehicles, both being co-developed with GM, in North America in the same year. In early April, Honda and GM announced that they're working together to co-develop a series of affordable EVs based on a global architecture and GM's Ultium battery technology. 

Honda has plans that don't involve GM, however, and is using part of its $40 billion budget to develop its own electrification platform. It's also exploring the possibility of teaming up with other companies for battery production. In addition, it's investing 43 billion yen ($343 million) into building a demonstration line for solid-state batteries by 2024.

Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe has also reiterated that a big part of its electrification efforts is making sure it has a solid presence in China, which is currently the world's biggest EV market. Like the company announced in the past, Mibe said Honda will launch 10 new models in China under its e:N Series branding by 2027. The company will also build plants in Guagzhou and Wuhan to manufacture its electric vehicles for the country.

Lincoln is finally ready to say more about its electrified future. Ford's upscale badge has teased its first EV concept ahead of an official unveiling on April 20th. The company didn't offer much beyond a brief peek at the vehicle's outlines, but did say in a statement that the concept would serve as an "inspiration" for EVs arriving soon.

The automaker previously said its Zephyr Reflection concept sedan would serve as an aesthetic reference point for future EVs. The teaser you see here isn't a one-for-one match (the logo on the side isn't present on the Reflection, for example), but the sloping roof line suggests Lincoln is happy to borrow some design cues.

The Lincoln brand is expected to electrify its full lineup by 2030, with half of its vehicles producing zero emissions by 2025. This includes an electric version of the Aviator SUV. The concept's imminent debut isn't a surprise, then — the company has just eight years to dramatically expand its EV selection.

Solid-state batteries promise to shake up the electric car world by reducing prices and improving performance, and Nissan wants to be one of the earliest adopters. The automaker now plans to release its first EV with completely solid-state batteries by the company's fiscal 2028. To that end, it just unveiled a prototype production facility for these batteries at a Japanese research center and will open a pilot manufacturing line in Yokohama in fiscal 2024.

The shift away from conventional batteries is already expected to make EVs considerably more affordable thanks to the use of less expensive materials. Nissan aims to reduce the cost of solid-state batteries to $75 per kilowatt-hour in 2028, and $65 afterward. EVs would cost roughly as much as gas-based cars at those prices, Nissan said.

The technology has other benefits. Solid-state batteries charge faster and offer roughly twice the energy density of existing lithium-ion batteries, potentially delivering greater range, reduced weight and shorter recharging times. Those, in turn, could make EVs practical for would-be owners 

Nissan isn't the only brand racing to introduce solid-state batteries. Toyota, for instance, expects to use the technology in hybrid vehicles by 2025. However, this is one of the clearest and more ambitious strategies for the tech. It also suggests that Nissan's still-small EV range will expand significantly in the next few years as electrification becomes practical for more of its lineup.

Tesla will finally start selling the Cybertruck next year, Elon Musk has announced at the opening party for the company's Giga Texas factory. During his presentation on stage, Musk showed off the production Cybertruck vehicle, which still looks like the previous versions, except its doors no longer have handles. The car will be able to tell that you're there and will know that it's supposed to open the doors. He also apologized for the delay on releasing the Cybertruck that was first announced back in 2019. Tesla's original (and highly optimistic) target release date was 2021, but it delayed the vehicle's launch to 2022, and now to 2023.

The automaker will manufacture the Cybertruck at its Texas Gigafactory, which it expects to become the "highest volume" car factory in America. Musk touched upon its other planned Gigactories around the world, as well, and how manufacturing vehicles near where they're going to be shipped is much more environmentally friendly. This year is all about scaling up production — a scale that "no company has ever achieved in the history of humanity," Musk said during the presentation — while next year is all about releasing a "massive wave of new products." 

In addition to the Cybertruck, the company also plans to release the Tesla Semi EV next year, as well as other products it hasn't revealed yet. The electric big rig that's designed to haul cargo across long distances was supposed to be released in 2019, but its launch also got pushed back a few times. Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot will also start production in 2023, Musk said, and will be designed to accomplish any task humans don't want to do. Another future product we can apparently look forward is a dedicated robotaxi that will be designed to look quite futuristic. Before all those, however, Tesla will be launching a wide beta of its Full Self-driving Technology in North America this year.

You can watch Musk announce Cybertruck's new launch date below:

Volvo now offers over-the-air (OTA) software updates across its entire vehicle lineup, it announced. After first introducing it on all-electric models like the XC40, it's bringing the feature over to all new XC90, S60 and V60 ICE and hybrid vehicles. 

The latest update (Volvo's eighth so far) will roll out to over 190,000 vehicles this week. Owners will get the latest version of Android Automotive OS with Android 11 on their infotainment systems, with new app categories on Google Play ranging from navigation to charging and parking. Video streaming is expected to arrive later in the year. 

Volvo

It also brings feature improvements around energy management, climate timers and mobile app functionality. The energy management updates will help keep the battery temperatures stable in both warm and cold weather to boost range and lower charging times. You'll also see more frequent charging percentage updates during sessions.

Tesla pioneered over-the-air software updates on its Model S, X, 3 and other vehicles, assuring buyers that their EVs would get features found on newer models. It not only updates the software for entertainment and other systems (SOTA), but also firmware controlling the hardware (FOTA). Most automakers now offer some form of OTA updates, but many (BMW, Audi, Fiat) only deliver SOTA updates to the infotainment systems. 

Others, including GM and Ford, offer more extensive updates to vehicle systems, allowing them to improve range, performance and other factors. Volvo appears to fall into that category, improving not just the navigation and entertainment systems but charging and other features as well. It also promised that the infotainment system, developed jointly with Google, will feature on all new models across its lineup. 

GM and Honda will co-develop a series of affordable EVs using a global architecture and GM's Ultium battery technology, the companies announced. They promised to build vehicles in multiple product segments, including the compact crossover category, calling it a "new chapter" in their partnership. That significantly expands on previous news that Honda would create two EVs using GM's battery technology.

"GM and Honda will share our best technology, design and manufacturing strategies to deliver affordable and desirable EVs on a global scale, including our key markets in North America, South America and China,” said GM CEO and chair Mary Barra. 

The companies promised to share technology, design and sourcing strategies, while working toward "standardizing equipment and processes to achieve world-class quality, higher throughput and greater affordability," GM's press release states. The companies will also discuss EV battery collaboration in an effort to drive down costs and improve performance and sustainability. 

Engadget

The word "affordable" comes up a lot in the press release, as both companies emphasized the idea of building cheaper EVs than are currently available. "Honda and GM will build on our successful technology collaboration to help achieve a dramatic expansion in the sales of electric vehicles," said Honda president & CEO Toshihiro Mibe. 

The tie-up makes a lot of sense, particularly for Honda, which has lagged way behind rivals in terms of EV development. By joining forces with GM, it can share development costs and contribute its considerable BEV and hybrid expertise. The two automakers previously announced a collaboration in 2018 to produce autonomous vehicles, with Honda taking a stake in GM's Cruise self-driving division. The companies also joined force on hydrogen fuel cells.

Honda recently showed that it can build EVs with the Honda E, a cute and technologically advanced vehicle with limited battery range, designed mostly for urban use. More recently, it unveiled a pair of vehicles it's developing with GM including the Prologue, to be launched in early 2024, followed by Acura's first EV SUV.

GM, meanwhile, continues to develop its Ultium battery tech that uses pouch- and prismatic-style cells rather than cylindrical cells like Tesla. The aim to use it in up to 30-plus vehicles over the coming years, with the first models arriving in 2023. GM affirmed that it would release "a new all-electric product for North America positioned at a price point lower than the upcoming Chevrolet Equinox EV, building on the 2 million units of EV capacity the company plans to install by the end of 2025."

After years of teasing, the DeLorean Motor Company announced on Monday that it will unveil an all-electric vehicle on August 18th, promising to share its official name at the same time. Details on the concept car are scant, but what the automaker did share is that it worked with Italdesign, best known for its work with Volkswagen, to design the upcoming car. Judging from the DeLorean’s website, the vehicle will feature the iconic gull-wing doors of the DMC-12.

To be clear, the company making the DeLorean EV isn’t the same one that produced the DMC-12. The DeLorean Motor Company of Texas is known for restoring vintage DeLorean vehicles, billing itself as the largest source of parts for the defunct brand that made the original. We'll also note it's been talking about electrification since 2011 when it said it was working on making an all-electric DeLorean with a 100-mile range. 

Tesla delivered 310,048 vehicles over the first three months of 2022, the automaker announced on Saturday. “This was an exceptionally difficult quarter due to supply chain interruptions and China Zero-Covid policy,” Musk said on Twitter shortly after Tesla shared the news.

Last month saw the company suspend production at its Shanghai Gigafactory, its largest manufacturing facility, twice. Despite those hiccups, the 310,048 vehicles Tesla delivered in Q1 represent a 68 percent year-on-year increase from Q1 2021 when the company shipped approximately 184,400 cars. According to Tesla, the Model 3 and Model Y made up the majority of its deliveries in Q1 2022, with 295,324 of those cars making their way to consumers since the start of the year. Over the same time frame, the company produced 305,407 vehicles, a not insignificant feat when you consider the supply chain issues that have affected Tesla and many other automakers.  

Q1 also saw Tesla begin shipping vehicles from its $5.5 billion Gigafactory in Grenheide, Germany. The company plans to eventually produce 500,000 cars per year from the plant.