Tesla Just Made a Huge Announcement That May Completely Change the Auto Industry. Here’s Why It’s Brilliant
A few months ago, Tesla CEO Elon Musk teased a plan to offer customers car insurance provided directly by Tesla, as opposed to a third-party insurance company. It's a plan Tesla has been working on for years.
"Starting today, we're launching Tesla Insurance, a competitively priced insurance offering designed to provide Tesla owners with up to 20 percent lower rates, and in some cases as much as 30 percent," Tesla announced on its website last week. According to the statement, Tesla Insurance offers comprehensive coverage and claims management to customers in California, with planned expansion to additional U.S. states in the future.
The insurance problem is one Musk has been itching to solve for some time. Tesla vehicles are notoriously expensive to insure, despite the company's claims that its cars are the safest in the world.
Read the article at Inc.com.
This Self-Charging Mining Truck is the World’s Largest Electric Vehicle
The Swiss division of machinery manufacturer Kuhn wants to electrify the mining truck segment. It converted a diesel-powered truck to run on electricity, and put the behemoth to work in a quarry located on the outskirts of Biel, Switzerland. Called eDumper, it's the largest electric vehicle in the world.
The eDumper started life as a Komatsu HD 605-7 powered by a mammoth of a straight-six turbodiesel engine with 23.1 liters of displacement. It's 30 feet long, 14 feet wide, and 14 feet tall, according to Green Car Reports. Kuhn Schweitz removed the six-cylinder engine and replaced it with motors that draw electricity from a 9,000-pound, 600-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. To add context, the biggest battery pack offered on a Tesla Model X has a 100-kWh capacity.
Read the article at AutoBlog.
ACERTUS Executive VP John Norris to Retire
ACERTUS announced today the retirement of John Norris, Executive Vice President.
Norris plans to retire in December 2019 after a career that spanned nearly four decades and included significant innovation and transformation of the fleet industry. His exit comes more than three years after ACERTUS’ acquisition of AmeriFleet, a company Norris lead.
As President and CEO of AmeriFleet Transportation, Norris was responsible for the company’s global business operations. During his time at ACERTUS, Norris advanced the company’s operational efficiency and management of client success.
Electric Ford F-150 Could Be Here as Early as 2021
Ford's all-electric F-150 may be the first pickup on the market in 2021, possibly debuting before Bollinger, Rivian or Tesla.
The electric F-150 will follow the Mach E, a Mustang-inspired electric crossover that is going to be introduced in 2020.
Perhaps the EV version of the biggest-selling vehicle on the market will help educate consumers. Ford says its studies show 42 percent of Americans think electric vehicles need gasoline to run.
Read the article at Car and Driver.
Ride Sharing and Car Sharing – Cheaper Than Owning a Car?
Ride sharing and car sharing claim to provide all the benefits of car ownership at a lower cost than traditional rental car or taxi services.
The balance between cost and convenience is a key consideration.
Ridesharing services charge by the mile and minute and can be significantly more expensive than transit. Car sharing services let you drive a car whenever you need to and generally don’t charge per mile. It may be a cheaper commuting option if you can avoid traffic or take passengers
Car ownership costs vary by location, fuel costs, frequency of use, driving record, make and model, and other factors. Even if car sharing is marginally cheaper in your area, you might determine that the freedom of car ownership is paramount.
Read the article at Money Crashers.
