Motor News

Tesla will open a portion of its U.S. charging infrastructure to outside manufacturers for the first time. At least 7500 Tesla chargers will become available for non-Tesla EVs by the end of 2024, with roughly 3500 new and existing 250-kW Superchargers along highway corridors, and 4000 Level 2 chargers at destinations like hotels and restaurants. After years of maintaining a contained system, the switch will give Tesla access to a slice of $7.5 billion being released in federal charging infrastructure investment.One of the prevailing factors in Tesla’s dominance in the EV segment has been the superiority, reliability, and sprawling coverage of its charging network. A portion of that network will become available for non-Tesla owners for the first time, according to a statement from the White House on Wednesday. Compared to the rest of the industry, Tesla’s charging network is huge. According to data from the Department of Energy, Tesla Supercharger sites make up roughly 24 percent of all DC fast-charging sites in the U.S. Adittionally, with more than 17,000 fast-charge cables, Tesla has more than 61 percent of all available fast-chargers in the U.S. The company will now make at least 7500 chargers available for EVs outside of its native ecosystem. By the end of 2024 roughly 3500 new and existing 250 kW Superchargers along public highway corridors will be opened to non-Tesla EVs. On top of that, roughly 4000 public facing Level 2 chargers from Tesla will be placed at what the White House is naming “Destination Charging” locations at places like hotels and restaurants. Uncle Sam Steps InThe move to allow out-of-network vehicles to utilize its network doesn’t come from a miraculous change of Elon Musk’s heart. The company needs to adopt CCS availability to earn a slice of $7.5 billion in federal charging infrastructure spending, which it would otherwise see none of. Similar to the stipulations surrounding public funding of EV development, the White House is requiring that effective immediately, final assembly and all charging station–related manufacturing for such components as iron or steel charger enclosures or housing occur in the United States. Additionally, by July 2024, at least 55 percent of the cost of all components will need to be spent on products manufactured domestically. Car and DriverMore on EV ChargingOne White House official said at a briefing that as long as its chargers allow other vehicles to charge using CCS, Tesla will be eligible for a subsidy, including retrofitting the existing charging infrastructure, as reported by Reuters. Tesla has opened its Supercharging network to outside EVs before, just not here in the U.S. It launched a pilot program in the Netherlands in 2019, starting with 10 Supercharger locations. After years of the European Union talking about requiring all EV chargers to be compatible with all modern EVs, the company shifted from the proprietary charging port it uses in the States, and began selling vehicles with a CCS connector in Europe.More Ports More Problems?Tesla’s network can be compared to the Apple ecosystem. The company controls nearly all the variables, and in turn, the system works in a plain and simple way. In addition to simply being less extensive, charging networks such as ChargePoint, Electrify America, and EVGo are subject to frequent issues with bandwidth and broken or inoperable chargers, according to user complaints. A 2022 survey by Plug In America reported that the most commonly reported issue by EV owners was broken or non-working chargers, though the Tesla Supercharger network scored “significantly better than its competitors on every metric.” Opening the system to add CCS compatability in conjuction with the proprietary hardware and software could result in Tesla’s charging network losing its reputation for reliable fast-charging. Guidehouse Insights analyst Sam Abuelsamid thinks so: “There is a strong likelihood that if they open the supercharger network to other vehicles, their current excellent reliability rate will decline significantly,” Abuelsamid said, as quoted by Reuters.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The Mini Cooper SE Convertible is a droptop version of the electric Cooper hatchback, but only 999 examples will be sold in Europe.The powertrain is the same as the standard Cooper SE, with a 181-hp motor motivating the front wheels.The convertible wears Resolute Bronze trim on the exterior and features special badges denoting its limited-production status.Last year, Mini created a convertible prototype from its electric Cooper hatchback, and now the adorable EV droptop is entering production. Sadly, the Cooper SE Convertible is limited to just 999 units exclusively destined for the Europe market, with “specific and unique market compliance requirements” preventing its sale in the U.S., according to a Mini representative. Still, it shows that Mini is pondering an expansion of its EV lineup, and this electric convertible likely acts as a precursor to an electric droptop for the next generation.The Cooper SE Convertible is offered in Enigmatic Black or White Silver, with the door handles and other exterior trim finished in Resolute Bronze. The EV also wears unique badges that denote the car as “1 of 999” units being built. The cabin is equipped with heated leather seats and a nappa leather steering wheel, while neon-yellow accents highlight the convertible’s electric powertrain. The powered softtop can raise and lower at up to nearly 19 mph. The powertrain is unchanged from the standard Cooper SE hatchback, with a 181-hp motor powering the front wheels. Mini claims that the Cooper SE Convertible will reach 62 mph in 8.2 seconds, and although the droptop will presumably outweigh the hatchback, we measured a zippy 6.1-second sprint to 60 mph in the Cooper SE hatchback that we tested in 2020. More Mini NewsThe limited-production convertible has an estimated 125-mile range on Europe’s generous WLTP test cycle, but the EPA’s more stringent test rated the electric hatchback at 110 miles of range in the U.S. The Cooper SE Convertible will go on sale in Europe in April, while the next-generation Mini Cooper, which will include electric and gas powertrains, is expected to arrive later in 2023.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The 2024 Maserati GranTurismo starts at $175,800, which is for the 483-hp Modena model.The GranTurismo Trofeo, which features a mightier 542-hp engine, starts at $206,800.Maserati hasn’t released pricing for the electric GT Folgore, but it’s said to cost slightly more than the Trofeo.It’s been over three years since anyone could walk into a Maserati dealership and buy a GranTurismo. The Italian 2+2 grand tourer was last sold for the 2019 model year, when the sticker price was around $150K for the coupe. Things get considerably pricier with the introduction of the next-generation 2024 Maserati GranTurismo, which starts at $175,800.That price is for the Modena coupe featuring a 483-hp twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6. For those who want a more powerful GranTurismo, they’ll need to upgrade to the Trofeo. It has the same basic engine as the Modena, expect it’s been enhanced to make 542 horses. The ’24 GT Trofeo coupe is set to start at $206,800. That price tag puts it in the same company with other ultra-luxurious grand tourers, such as the Aston Martin DB11.Maserati also offers the redesigned GranTurismo with a third powertrain. The Folgore is fully electric and a new member of the family. Its three electric motors generate a combined 818 hp, and we recently drove one on the twisty hillside roads north of Rome. While Maserati hasn’t said how much the 2024 Folgore will cost, the company did say it will start slightly higher than the roughly $207K Trofeo.All three GranTurismo variants will also eventually be available in a convertible body style—called GranCabrio in Maserati parlance. As with the Folgore, the company hasn’t yet released pricing. The droptops won’t be offered at launch either, and they might not arrive until the 2025 model year.Get Some More GranTurismoThis content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Millions of Hyundai and Kia vehicles could be easily stolen—and thousands have—due to a decision not to install engine immobilizers when they were built.Popular TikTok videos challenged people to try to steal a car like this, which has led to all sorts of legal and financial trouble for vehicle owners and the two automakers.Four million Hyundai vehicles—affected Elantras, Sonatas, and Venues—can get a new software fix that introduces a workaround immobilizer starting today. Other affected Hyundais and Kias will get their turn in the coming months.Millions of Hyundai owners are about to pay a visit to their local Hyundai dealership thanks to a bunch of TikTok videos.The backstory, if you don’t recall, is that someone figured out that some older Kia and Hyundai models built with a standard key ignition, so not a push-button start, were incredibly easy to steal and created a TikTok “Kia Challenge” encouraging others to try it. The challenge started in Milwaukee before spreading to other parts of the U.S. and forcing Hyundai and Kia to respond.Stolen Moments Hyundai started installing an engine immobilizer in all of its vehicles in November 2021. The company’s first big solution for current owners was a $170 security kit with an alarm and one crucial component that the two automakers didn’t initially build into the cars: a kill switch. The City of Seattle sued the automakers earlier this year, accusing them of failing to install adequate anti-theft technology, specifically that immobilizer, in the affected vehicles. Kia did not offer the security kit but did join Hyundai in providing steering wheel locks at no cost to any affected owners in partnership with local law enforcement agencies.Specs and Details on 2023 Models Today, Kia and Hyundai announced a free, software-based fix for their thief magnets. Kia said the new enhanced security software will “restrict the unauthorized operation of vehicle ignition systems on certain models not equipped with an immobilizer.” For its part, Hyundai said the upgrade makes it so that a key fob is required to deactivate the kill switch. Without the fix, the car could be yours once you’ve smashed the windows. Hyundai said the fix would take dealers less than an hour to install. As a bonus to those prospective window smashers, each fixed vehicle “will be affixed with window decals to alert would-be thieves that the vehicle is equipped with enhanced anti-theft technology,” Hyundai said.2017 Hyundai Elantra Sport.Car and DriverNot all 2011 to 2022 model year Hyundais without an engine immobilizer will be able to accommodate the software upgrade. We hope the owners of these vehicles enjoy their steering wheel locks.Kia said its software would be available in the next few months. Kia owners should visit the Kia Owner’s Portal or call 800–333–4542 to see if their vehicle is eligible for the fix.Hyundai has a two-phase release schedule for the new software fix, starting with the 2017-2020 model year Elantra, 2015 to 2019 Sonata, and 2020 and 2021 Venue (that’s a 2020 Venue pictured at top). Hyundai said this category of its best-selling models includes almost four million vehicles. The fix for these vehicles is available starting today. Software for other affected models will be available in June. Hyundai owners should visit the Hyundai Anti-Theft website (quite a name) to set up a repair, and the automaker is also reaching out to affected owners. More

Ford has shut down production and shipping of the F-150 Lightning electric truck, citing a battery issue.The automaker is currently investigating a potential problem with the battery, although it said there have been no accidents or injuries associated with it in customer use.There is no timeline for when production of the highly popular EV will resume, Ford said.Ford’s F-150 Lightning pickup truck has proved wildly popular in its first year of production, but customers already standing by to get one may have to wait a little longer. The automaker said today that it has detected a potential problem with the EV’s battery and has shut down both production of the trucks and shipping of those already built but not yet delivered to dealers. No date has been given for resumption of production.The Lightning is built at Ford’s Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, where production started in late April 2022. A Ford spokesperson told Car and Driver that the truck is under a “Stop Build and In-Transit Stop Ship” and explained, “As part of our pre-delivery quality inspections, a vehicle displayed a potential battery issue and we are holding vehicles while we investigate. We are not aware of any incidences of this issue in the field.” Motor Authority reported earlier today that F-150 Lightning pickups already at dealerships will be delivered to customers and are not affected by the order.This is a developing story, and we will update with more details as they become available.Lightning Details, Specs, Tests More

New Toyota CEO Koji Sato yesterday said the company will start prioritizing EVs, per a report by Automotive News.Sato also said the Lexus luxury brand will lead the way, with a next-generation EV platform planned for around 2026.Toyota’s reformed strategy focuses on EVs, but it will continue to develop hybrid and hydrogen powertrains.Toyota appears ready to turn the corner in regards to its previously lukewarm approach to mass EV adoption. That’s at least how it sounds after the company’s incoming CEO Koji Sato yesterday announced plans to start prioritizing EVs, according to a report by Automotive News.Lexus Will Lead the WayAlong with some changes to the company’s team of decision makers, Sato revealed a three-part strategy that puts an increased focus on EVs at the very top. The CEO also tabbed Lexus to lead the charge into the new era, which notably will include the introduction of a next-generation EV platform that should arrive sometime around 2026.Currently, the only fully electric model that Toyota sells in the U.S. is the bZ4X compact SUV, which the company co-developed with Subaru. That partnership is responsible for the upcoming Lexus RZ450e SUV too, representing the luxury brand’s first American EV model. However, it’s noteworthy that Toyota and Lexus have taken this long to launch fully electric vehicles, especially when many competitors have offered some for several years.Changing DirectionToyota and Lexus have previously shared plans to expand their future EV lineups, specifically when both companies showed off a variety of concepts that ranged from an electric Toyota pickup truck to an electric Lexus supercar. The two brands also have said they will offer 30 EV models by 2030. That suggests the companies will combine to release 28 new electric models over the next seven years.LexusToyotaThat ambitious goal sounds more likely now that Sato is taking control of the reins. After all, his ascension to CEO is said to have resulted from the rising criticism Toyota has faced from investors, environmental activists, and others due to its general resistance to EV adoption under outgoing CEO Akio Toyoda.Sato said the company’s change in direction isn’t a reaction to its competitors’ growing market share but rather it being the right time to develop the next generation of EVs with the affordability and efficiency that Toyota is known for, according to AN.The plan to accomplish this is said to focus on new engineering and new manufacturing.The new CEO also said that while focusing on EVs is now the top priority, the company will continue to develop hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and hydrogen-fueled powertrains.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

GM won’t challenge the Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler with a gas-powered off-roader, president Mark Reuss confirmed in an interview with The Drive.Reuss said he didn’t want GM to be “late to the party” and expressed concerns over how a gas-powered 4×4 would affect the company’s average emissions.GM still might build an electric off-roader to slot in below the GMC Hummer EV in terms of size, which may also wear a Hummer badge to create a family of electric 4x4s.Sorry, General Motors enthusiasts, but a Ford Bronco rival isn’t happening. While the meteoric rise of the SUV over the past decade led Ford to reenter the off-road space, GM has decided not to play—at least not with a combustion-engined 4×4 SUV. GM president Mark Reuss confirmed that to The Drive in an interview at the 24 Hours of Daytona, stating outright, “I’m not gonna do a Bronco.”2023 Ford Bronco Heritage Edition.Carlos Lago|Car and DriverReuss’ reasoning is two-fold. Ford’s Bronco joined the Jeep Wrangler in the off-roader segment for 2021, and GM doesn’t want to be seen as “late to the party,” which it most certainly would be given the time it would take to develop a true competitor to those SUVs. Reuss also sees how a potential off-roader might negatively affect GM’s corporate average fuel economy. Reuss claimed, according to The Drive, that Ford had to make the popular Maverick pickup available as a hybrid in order to offset the poor emissions from gas-powered behemoths like the Bronco. GM does still offer its mid-size pickup trucks with serious off-road packages, including the Chevy Colorado ZR2 and GMC Canyon AT4X. But it no longer offers body-on-frame mid-size SUVs like it did in the past with models such as the Chevy Blazer, GMC Jimmy, and various Hummer models that all died off when that brand was shuttered.Off-Road Trucks from GMMore recently, rumors circulated of a revived GMC Jimmy to take on the Wrangler, with reports in 2019 suggesting a body-on-frame off-roader starting around $30,000. But as Ford revived the Bronco to great fanfare, GM has stayed quiet. And this will continue to be the case, at least until GM feels it can create a fully capable EV off-roader.When The Drive asked Reuss if he was opposed to an electric Bronco competitor, his response was, “I didn’t say that.” While one could argue that the GMC Hummer EV, which started production in late 2021, fills that space, that behemoth’s 216.8-inch length and 135.6-inch wheelbase dwarfs the Bronco, which stays under 200 inches long with a wheelbase around 116 inches. In fact, Automotive News reported late last year that GM is considering a midsize Hummer EV to expand the rejuvenated brand. Whatever badge the vehicle wears, we now know that any future off-roader from General Motors will definitely be electric, at least as long as Reuss is in charge.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

• The Buick Roadmaster is a throwback to a time when huge wagons ruled the roads.• Thanks to an LS3 V-8 crate engine, this wagon has gone from old-man spec to Grandpa, Destroyer of Tires.• This auction ends on Sunday, February 19.Car and DriverThe Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon was born old. When it was introduced in 1991, it was already an anachronism. The sun was setting on these wood-paneled ocean liners on wheels, and this Buick was a body-on-frame relic of family transportation from the days before the advent of the minivan, the popularization of the SUV, and the rise of the modern crossover. And yet, today, these Roadmasters are enjoying a newfound popularity, particularly when done up like this example, up for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. This behemoth wagon appears stock, right down to its whitewall tires. It is not. Boy howdy, is it not.James LipmanWhat photographer and Car and Driver contributor James Lipman has created here is an M80 in a Werther’s Original wrapper. Under the aircraft-carrier-sized hood of this white whale is a 6.2-liter LS3 E-Rod Chevrolet crate engine. Matched to an upgraded four-speed automatic transmission, the V-8 was factory rated at 430 horsepower and 424 pound-feet of torque. If you listen closely, you can hear the standard 225-series 15-inch rear tires whimpering in anticipatory fear.More wagon goodnessTurning Roadmaster wagons into hot rods is a whole subculture, one that Car and Driver has previously explored, including this very example. There are certainly wilder builds out there, but Lipman says his dream was to create a Roadmaster than looked factory-spec but packed the power of a crate V-8. The engine upgrade nearly doubles the 180 horsepower of the Roadmaster’s standard L05 V-8. Upgrading both the motor and a more modern four-speed automatic to handle the extra output was relatively straightforward, as GM cars of this era are fairly modular. James LipmanJames LipmanThe rest of the wagon is standard-issue, with recliner-soft beige leather inside, a vista roof, and a rear-facing third-row seat. A slightly lowered front suspension is the only clue as to this Buick’s hidden talents—that and the burly exhaust note. There are blemishes here and there throughout, but overall this is a very well-preserved piece of steer-with-one finger American station wagon history. It’s like a Norman Rockwell painting, if old Norman had come up with a piece called Sick Wagon Burnouts.James LipmanHaving achieved his objective and enjoyed driving this Roadmaster around, Lipman says it’s now time to move on to the next project. At this writing, bidding stands at $22,500. As it sits, this burly Roadmaster needs little other than a new home. But you might want to budget for extra tires. The Way We Were More