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EV News
Production of the F-150 Lightning has begun at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center and the Lightning has already sold out. To combat demand, Ford plans to ramp up production from 40,000 units to 150,000 units per year within the next year.
We have your Ford news, so how about some news from GM? This week, GM announced they will produce an all-electric Corvette next year. Not many details were shared about the new Corvette, but we look forward to future updates and sharing with you. GM will also begin tying executive compensation to electric vehicle goals, a move to highlight the company’s dedication to EV adoption. Is it a coincidence that both stories came out this week? I think not.
Which would you choose? The electric Corvette or the F-150 Lightning? That’s a tough one, but I am gonna go with the Lightning.
In other EV News
- Honda has a hefty goal of manufacturing two million EVs by 2030. To meet this target, Honda has developed 3 new EV platforms.
- Lucid announced its deal with the Saudi Arabian government: the government will buy 100,000 Lucid EVs over a 10-year period. The deal marks one of the largest-ever purchase commitments for electric vehicles.
- In order to increase access to electric vehicles, a $17 million program launches in South Los Angeles. EV shuttle programs and charging stations will become more readily available.
- The good news is that EV sales in Canada grew by almost 60% last year, with 86,000 battery-electric and plug-in hybrids registered. This equates to around 5.2% of all new registrations.
- Tesla still leads the EV market in the United States. About 75% of EVs sold between January and March were Tesla vehicles. Competition is ramping up though.
EV of the Week
With all the Ford news this week, we felt it appropriate to highlight a Ford as the EV of the Week. This is not a regular Ford though, it is the Eluminator. Built on a 1978 F-100, this concept has been converted to fully electric.
With 480 horsepower and 634 lb.-ft of torque, this updated truck will blow the old one away. Ford is highlighting this truck as a way for people to convert their old vehicles to electric. Pick up an electric motor from Ford for $4,095 and get started on your project this summer. Also, check out Jay Leno’s thoughts on the Eluminator.
-John @ Mobility EVo
AV Corner
The British government's Highway Code lays out interesting rules around self-driving vehicles. Passengers will be allowed to watch TV while riding but must be ready to take control if needed. However, phones will not be allowed. In addition, insurance companies will be legally responsible for incidents, not drivers. I agree with these rules. It is imperative that I catch up on the latest trending Netflix show via my vehicle screen, not my phone. It is a much bigger screen.
In other AV News
- Using the Windsor Detroit Tunnel, test autonomous vehicles are simulating a drive between Canada and the U.S. Read more about the project here.
- May Mobility is joining forces with BraunAbility to introduce ADA-compliant vehicles among their fleet of Toyota Sienna Autono-MaaS (S-AM) vehicles.
- Cyngn launches DriveMod Kit, a turnkey autonomous vehicle. The technology is designed to streamline retrofitting for existing or newly manufactured vehicles.
- Nissan’s new tech prevents accidents by detecting unprecedented movements from motorists and pedestrians. Nissan hopes to install the new developments in all-new Nissan vehicles by 2030.
- Stagecoach’s autonomous bus will be the first self-driving bus in the UK. The company hopes to start accepting passengers by August.
- Ola Electric sets plans to launch a self-driving electric vehicle by 2023. There are no details about the car as of now.
- DARPA’s RACER program has teamed with Intel to make a virtual simulation track for combat autonomous vehicles.
EPG and Mobility EVo
Mobility EVo is brought to you by EPG. EPG is an electric vehicle and autonomous vehicle recruiting and staffing company. We created Mobility EVo to bring you latest news on the Electric Vehicle and Autonomous Vehicle industry through our newsletter. Whether it’s Tesla, Ford, Mobileye, Cruise, Waymo, GM, Rivian, we bring it to you. We also have some electric vehicle merch too. Check out our EV hats, EV Shirts, EV Hoodies, etc… We have something for everyone.