Transportation

Tesla profits tumble, Fisker flatlines, and California cities battle for control of AVs

Transportation /

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here — just click TechCrunch Mobility — to receive the newsletter every weekend in your inbox. Subscribe for free. Welp, Tesla earnings happened this week — and yeah that was a lot. A lot of what, you ask? A […]

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A wrestling match over who should control robotaxis is playing out in California

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Cities around the country have long been crying out for more control over how autonomous vehicles are deployed on their streets. In California, they might finally get their wish. A handful of AV-related bills, which made progress this month in their long journey through the state legislature, could put more restrictions on companies like Cruise,

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Tesla Autopilot investigation closed after feds find 13 fatal crashes related to misuse

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration closed a long-standing investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot driver assistance system after reviewing hundreds of crashes involving its misuse, including 13 that were fatal and “many more involving serious injuries.” At the same time, NHTSA is opening a new investigation to evaluate whether the Autopilot recall fix that Tesla implemented

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The all-electric Mercedes G-Class ratchets up the tech and off-road capability

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The Mercedes-Benz G-Class — the rugged off-road powerhouse that launched in 1979 and has since become a brutalist status symbol — has gone electric. This is, in many ways, Mercedes’ most prestigious car, a model more prized for its presence and exclusivity than its power and capability. Going electric, then, is more than an historic

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Tesla’s new growth plan is centered around mysterious cheaper models

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Tesla’s been undergoing some major changes, and now we have a sense of why: The company says it is upending its product roadmap because of “pressure” on EV sales. The new and accelerated plan now includes “more affordable models” that the company claims will be launched next year. Or if Tesla CEO Elon Musk is

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Tesla profits drop 55%, company says EV sales ‘under pressure’ from hybrids

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Tesla profits fell 55% to $1.13 billion in the first quarter from the same year-ago period as a protracted EV price-cutting strategy and “several unforeseen challenges” cut into the automaker’s bottom line. Tesla reported revenue of $21.3 billion in the first quarter, a 9% drop from the first quarter of 2023. Analysts polled by Yahoo Finance

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Tesla launches new Model 3 Performance variant to rev up demand

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Tesla has officially revealed a new Performance variant of the recently refreshed Model 3 sedan as the company looks to fight off receding demand. The new version of the Model 3, which starts at $52,990, has a new active damping system and adaptive suspension for better handling and comfort, 296 miles of battery range and

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Tesla earnings week spotlights EV price cuts, ‘balls to the wall’ autonomy push

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Tesla investors, still digesting a 43% drop in share price since the beginning of the year, are gearing up for what will likely be unimpressive financial results for the first quarter and a shift in priorities for CEO Elon Musk, who is making more moves to go “balls to the wall for autonomy.” Tesla is expected to

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Fisker plans more layoffs as cash dwindles and bankruptcy looms

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Fisker says it’s planning more layoffs less than two months after cutting 15% of its workforce, as the EV startup scrambles to raise cash to stay alive. Fisker expects to seek bankruptcy protection within the next 30 days if it can’t come up with that money, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regulatory

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Rivian targets gas-powered Ford and Toyota trucks and SUVs with $5,000 ‘electric upgrade’ discount

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Rivian is offering discounts of up to $5,000 on its EVs — and a year of free charging — to customers willing to trade in their gas-powered trucks and SUVs. The company is offering discounts on three R1T pickup truck trims and one R1S SUV model. The promotion, which kicked off on April 22, is

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