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Since early in its history, Tesla has made its Supercharger charging stations a point of pride, offering Tesla drivers easy access to thousands of fast-charging stations for people taking road trips.But these stations can only be used by Tesla electric vehicles, something that the Norwegian government wants to change if it’s going to pony up public money for the automaker to build more in the country. Government documents show that a small number, maybe five, of the Superchargers will be open to all EVs by the third quarter of 2022.There’s discussion about opening up the stations in Germany, too, but nothing as specific as in Scandinavia.The Tesla Supercharger network is a prominent public display dotted around the world, proving that the company supports its drivers. As useful as these stations are for Model S, Model 3, and Model Y owners, the DC fast-charging stations are proprietary, which renders them unusable by other electric vehicles. The company’s lower-power Level 2 Destination Charging stations can be used by non-Tesla EV drivers, but they take a lot longer than Supercharging. Which is why it’s news that this paradigm might be about to shift in a way that makes it easier for non-Teslas to access the Supercharger network, at least in limited areas.

Teslarati reports that Tesla and the Norwegian government are discussing a requirement that Supercharger stations that were built or are being built using public funds must be available to all EV drivers. The Norwegian government, which has spent millions on promoting EV sales and infrastructure over the last decade-plus, has come to an agreement where Tesla will open a small number of publicly funded Superchargers to other EVs by the third quarter of 2022 in order to qualify for a charging station subsidy. Tesla’s website lists more than 100 Supercharger stations in operation, or coming soon, in Norway, and the company operates around 2500 stations with more than 25,000 Superchargers around the world.
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Norwegian government documents obtained and translated by Teslarati lay out the deal:”Tesla applied to expand five fast-charging stations. Tesla’s charging stations today are just available for Tesla cars. The type of infrastructure is then only open for use by one group and not for the general public otherwise. In the application, Tesla describes the relevant charging stations will nevertheless be publicly available from the third quarter of 2022. The administration considers that the charging stations for which benefits have been applied for will be qualified under the scheme, provided that the benefits be paid out after Tesla opens the charging offer for all car brands no later than the end of September 2022. The administration urges Vestland County Municipality to take note that the benefit can be abbreviated if the conditions are not met.”While this agreement is just for Norway, Teslarati reports that Germany and Sweden are also in talks with the California automaker to open up its Superchargers in those countries as well. The discussion over six stations in Sweden are along the same lines as the Norway deal while the discussions in Germany could potentially open up all Superchargers there, but those discussions are in the early, early stages so we don’t expect any changes soon. It’s not just the proprietary connector that makes it difficult for non-Tesla EVs to use a Supercharger. Since both the station and the car are made by the same company, the two devices talk to each other in order to manage charging and payment. There are no screens or credit card readers on Superchargers for non-Tesla drivers to input their payment information.Tesla CEO Elon Musk has talked about opening up the Supercharger stations for many years. Last December, for example, Musk said on twitter that non-Tesla electric vehicles are using the Supercharger network, but in a “low-key” way. “Tesla Superchargers are being made accessible to other electric cars,” he wrote at the time.
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Mercedes is set to introduce a new coupe and convertible model called the CLE-class, according to a report by AutoExpress.The CLE will serve as a replacement for both the C-class and E-class coupe and convertible variants as Mercedes reduces the number of models in its lineup.We expect to see the CLE debut in 2022 as a 2023 model.Mercedes-Benz at one point sold six distinct convertible models, but the automaker is drastically reducing the number of droptops in its lineup. The S-class convertible and SLC-class are already gone, and now new spy photos and a renewed U.S. trademark for the name “CLE” suggest that a single model will replace the two-door versions of the C-class and E-class.

Set to be sold as both a two-door coupe and a convertible, the CLE-class appears to be the spiritual successor to the previous CLK-class, which similarly bridged a gap between the C-class and E-class sedans. It will likely be mechanically similar to the new W206 C-class sedan, which will come standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four in the U.S. We could see a CLE300 model as the base version, with a possible CLE450 using the turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six found in the E-class.

Brian Williams

In these spy photos, we can see that the CLE-class convertible is a bit more swoopy and stylish than the C-class four-door, with wider proportions and a more shapely rear end. It has a cloth softtop rather than a heavy and complex retractable hardtop. Its closest competitors will be the BMW 4-series and Audi A5 convertibles, both of which also have softtops.We expect the outgoing C-class coupe and convertible models to be discontinued for 2022, while the E-class two-doors may stick around for a little longer until the CLE-class is revealed. Its starting price will likely be somewhere around $60,000.
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The Pacific Northwest is being hit by an unprecedented heat wave, with temperatures in Portland rising above 110 degrees for two straight days.The Oregon State Fire Marshal temporarily suspended the state’s ban on self-service gas stations, which will help protect gas-station clerks from the heat.Oregon’s law that prevents customers from pumping their own gas, introduced in 1951, will resume on Tuesday evening.The Pacific Northwest is in the midst of a merciless heat wave. Temperatures in Portland, Oregon, reached 112 degrees on Sunday, a record high since documentation began in 1940, before setting a new peak on Monday at 115 degrees. (The state’s average for this time of year is in the 70s.) This unexpected and overwhelming heat has now led Oregon to announce a temporary change to the state’s regulations that prohibit customers from pumping their own gas. On Sunday, the Oregon State Fire Marshal announced that Oregonians are now permitted to fill up their own cars—but only until the evening of Tuesday, June 29. Governor Kate Brown approved the temporary suspension.

Oregon is one of two states that don’t allow customers to pump their own gas. (The other is New Jersey.) The law was first introduced in 1951, when many states had similar statutes and gas-station pumps had fewer safety measures. Self-service became widespread in the 1970s, accelerated by gas shortages that made the shorter wait times and cheaper prices of self-service more attractive, but Oregon’s law has persisted. The state has instituted exceptions for certain areas, such as remote, rural regions and tribal lands.During the brief period when the ban is lifted, many Oregonians will have to figure out how to get gas on their own, possibly for the first time in their lives. Although this means that gas station customers will have to exit the air-conditioned cocoon of their vehicles to top off the tank, this change is more likely geared at protecting the gas station attendants from potentially standing on black asphalt in sweltering temperatures for hours.
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Since it first arrived on U.S. shores in 1995, the Toyota Tacoma has remained one of the most popular small trucks on offer. Designed to better fit the tastes of North American buyers than the Toyota Pickup that it replaced, the Taco has managed to capture a truly dedicated fan base over the years. The truck is so well loved that on October 4, 2019, the one-millionth Toyota Tacoma rolled off the assembly line in San Antonio, Texas. Thanks to a little help from Mecum Auctions, one lucky truck fan will have the chance to take this historically significant pickup home with them. The millionth Tacoma is slated to cross the auction block during Mecum’s Monterey 2021 event, which takes place between August 12 and 14. Carrying Lot #R285, this Army Green TRD Pro model will come with a letter from Toyota verifying its production number. That should help to solidify its value, as will the fact that this thing is nearly factory fresh.

Only 158 miles have been put on the truck’s 3.5-liter V-6 engine, which produces 278 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. Unfortunately for the purists, however, that engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission in this case. Regardless of the gearbox, this TRD Pro model does come equipped with a ton of off-road-ready hardware. The TRD Pro package includes TRD-tuned Fox internal bypass shocks, 16-inch TRD alloy wheels, underbody skid plates, a more aggressive front facia, and a set of Rigid Industries LED fog lights. That all should help to ensure this Toyota Tacoma is ready for some off-pavement action, although this particular example will likely never find its way onto the trails. If you are a Toyota truck enthusiast, this is your opportunity to own a piece of the automaker’s American history. Expect to have to pay up for that opportunity, as we wouldn’t be surprised to see Toyota want in on the action. Mecum appears to believe the interest in this truck will be quite strong as well, as it has been given star status for the Monterey auction. Whether or not that makes this a six-figure Tacoma will have to be seen.

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Tesla will recall 285,000 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in China over a problem with cruise-control operation.The recall involves mainly around 211,000 Model 3 sedans built in Tesla’s Shanghai facility plus more than 35,000 imported Model 3s. Some 39,000 Model Y crossovers, also built in China, are included in the recall as well.Tesla owners will receive a free software update to correct the issue, which appears to be limited to China at the moment.On Saturday, Tesla initiated a recall of more than 285,000 cars in China over safety concerns about the Model 3 and Model Y cruise control system. China’s State Administration for Market Regulation said that in certain models the cruise control can be mistakenly switched on when drivers attempt to change gears or if they brush the gear selector by accident, which has the potential of causing the vehicle to accelerate unexpectedly. The recall consists of 249,855 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles built at Tesla’s Shanghai factory, as well as 35,665 Model 3s that were imported. Tesla issued a statement on its official account on Weibo, a popular Chinese social media site, apologizing for “any inconvenience this may cause to our car owners” and promising to “strictly follow national regulations and keep improving our safety protection.” Chinese Tesla owners affected by the recall will receive a free software update, which they can either have installed over the air or in person. Tesla has faced other challenges in China in recent months. Five different Chinese regulatory agencies have raised doubts over the quality of Model 3s constructed in the Shanghai factory, and April brought negative press after a protestor mounted the roof of a Tesla at the automaker’s booth at the Shanghai Auto Expo, accusing the company of installing defective brakes.

Some of these factors likely contributed to Tesla’s dismal April sales in the country, with only 11,671 cars sold in China, a huge decline from 35,478 units in March. Although sales rebounded in May to 21,936 vehicles, this is still substantially down versus March. EV sales in general in China are through the roof, up 177 percent over last year (versus a 1 percent increase for passenger cars as a whole), and domestic Chinese EV makers including Nio and Xpeng are seemingly gaining ground on Tesla, with the American company losing 4 percent of its EV market share in April. The recall does not appear to affect Tesla in the United States at the moment, even though 35,665 of the affected Model 3s were imported to China, although it is not clear where they were built. We will update this story if the recall expands to U.S.-market Teslas.

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2021 Ford Bronco reservation holders have started receiving their new off-road SUVs after production began this month. The Bronco is available in two- and four-door models with either a hard or soft top and removable doors and roofs. Pricing starts at $29,995 for the two-door Bronco and $34,695 for the four-door model. Those placing future orders will likely have to wait until next year to take delivery. Ford started building the 2021 Bronco earlier this month, and those who reserved them have finally started taking delivery according to posts on the Bronco6g forum. These orders are for the more than 190,000 reservations, and those who want to place future orders will likely have to wait until next year. We recently drove the new off-road SUV, and you can read our review here.

Bronco6g.com

These photos from the forum show a four-door hardtop Badlands model finished in Race Red equipped with the optional off-road-focused Sasquatch package that adds 35-inch all-terrain rubber. A four-door Badlands model starts at $46,085. It was delivered to a customer near Traverse City, Michigan, who shared the order tracker—similar to a Domino’s Pizza order—for this particular Bronco. Other new owners posted a four-door Black Diamond model with the Sasquatch package and a First Edition model to the forum.

Bronco6g.com

Bronco6g.com

Six trim levels are available on the new Bronco, including base, Big Bend, Black Diamond, Outer Banks, Wildtrak, and Badlands. The two-door configuration comes only with a hardtop, while the four-door model is available with a soft top or a hardtop. You can take the doors and roof off just like a Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator. A 300-hp turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission is standard, though a seven-speed manual is available. The available 330-hp twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6 can only be equipped with the automatic.

We’re excited to start seeing new Broncos on the road, and we’ll run the SUV through our instrumented testing when we get our hands on one. The two-door Bronco starts at at $29,995 and the four-door model starts at $34,695.
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Honda’s new EV model will be called the Prologue.It will use GM’s Ultium battery packs and will also spawn an Acura version.The 2024 Prologue will arrive in calendar-year 2024. We now have a name for the new Honda EV that will arrive a few years from now: Prologue. Set to go on sale in calendar-year 2024, the 2024 Honda Prologue will be the first result of a partnership between Honda and General Motors on EV powertrains. It will use the same Ultium battery packs found in upcoming GM electric vehicles such as the GMC Hummer EV and the Cadillac Lyriq.

Honda hasn’t yet shared exactly what size or shape the Prologue will take, but we expect it to be either a compact or mid-size SUV. The powertrain and platform will be made up of GM components, and Honda executive vice president Dave Gardner said that the biggest points of differentiation between the Prologue and GM EVs will be in its “top half”—its body design—and its interior.The company says it chose the name Prologue to indicate that it is the first of many upcoming electric vehicles. The Acura luxury brand will also add a version of this EV in 2024, but that model’s name hasn’t yet been announced. Honda has said it plans to have EVs and fuel-cell vehicles make up 40 percent of its new-vehicle sales by 2030, 80 percent by 2035, and 100 percent by 2040.We think the name is a bit ironic given how the Prologue’s arrival is still several years away; Ford and Volkswagen already have new dedicated EV crossovers on sale today in the Mach-E and ID.4, and many more models such as the Nissan Ariya, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Kia EV6 are scheduled to arrive in the U.S. soon.
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Aston Martin’s Valkyrie is a long-awaited hypercar, as is the AMR Pro track version, which has been in the works since at least 2016.The AMR Pro will not be a hybrid, Aston has confirmed, unlike the “regular” Valkyrie.It will also have different proportions and aerodynamics than the roadgoing Valkyrie and is claimed capable of a three-minute, 20-second lap of the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit.Last week we reported that, in addition to suing one of its Swiss dealers over deposits for the forthcoming Valkyrie, Aston Martin had also canceled the original proposal to build a track-only version to be called the AMR Pro and was to replace it with another variant.It turns out we were half right on the second point: Aston has confirmed it will be sticking with AMR Pro branding, but applying it to a car that is substantially different from the original proposal, with an all-new aerodynamic kit and the loss of the regular Valkyrie’s hybrid system.

The idea for a circuit-spec version of the Aston/Red Bull Racing hypercar predates the arrival of the Valkyrie name, with designer Adrian Newey promising one when he first told us about the project in 2016, and also promising it would be as fast around a racetrack as an LMP1 Le Mans endurance racer. Aston then showed a concept version at the 2018 Geneva auto show that lacked headlights and mirrors and had a low-mounted wing at the back.Behind the scenes, Aston, Red Bull, and motorsport specialist Multimatic were already working on what was intended to become a racing Valkyrie that would compete in the proposed Le Mans hypercar class. That project was canceled last year, but now Aston has taken many of the lessons learned from it—especially aerodynamic ones—and applied them to the the track-only Valkyrie.

Aston Martin

The car promises to be substantially different from the roadgoing Valkyrie. Aston says its wheelbase has been stretched by 15.0 inches, with the huge front splitter and rear-hung wing adding 10.5 inches to the overall length. Front and rear track widths have increased by 3.8 and 4.5 inches, respectively. Aston claims the AMR Pro will be capable of producing twice as much downforce as the road-legal car, suggesting a peak of up to 8000 pounds of aerodynamic assistance, based on the figures the company has claimed for the regular car. That will enable it to achieve up to 3 g’s of lateral acceleration and to deliver on Newey’s performance promise: Aston says the car is on track to be capable of managing a 3:20 lap of the Le Mans 24 Hours circuit. For reference, the fastest lap of the Toyota that won the race last year was a 3:19.76. The revised AMR Pro now won’t be using the hybrid system that Aston has developed for the regular car. This will save an unspecified amount of weight, but also reduces the total power output from the original proposal of at least 1160 horsepower to the 1000 horsepower that the Cosworth-developed 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V-12 engine produces by itself (while revving to a dizzying 11,000 rpm). Other mass reduction measures over the standard Valkyrie will include even lighter carbon bodywork, carbon suspension wishbones, and Perspex glazing.Aston has also decided to increase the size of the production run, saying it now plans to build 40 of the AMR Pro, plus two prototypes; the original proposal was for 25 cars. Buyers will also get the chance to attend special Valkyrie-only track days at international race circuits around the world, where they will be able to establish who is best able to handle what seems likely to be one of the fastest non–race cars in the world. There remains no official word on pricing, but don’t figure on getting any change back from $3.5 million. The company says that deliveries will finally happen in the last quarter of this year.
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