ANN ARBOR - The much beloved Volkswagen Microbus is back this time as an all electric mid-sized vehicle that gets about 235 miles of range and yes, you can also camp in it. Paul Eisenstein Veteran Detroit-based auto journalist Paul Eisenstein test drove the VW EV in San Francisco recently. He said it
ANN ARBOR - Five years ago, Paul Eisenstein founder of The Detroit Bureau, was hard pressed to write a couple of electric vehicle-related stories each week. Today, he's hard-pressed to write stories that don't involve electric vehicles. Paul joins Mike Brennan and Matt Roush to talk about the $500 Billion that is getting invested in
DETROIT - Tesla has spent several years hyping its next-generation batteries and it appears that its partner, Panasonic, is getting ready to put them into production, which could mean as much as a 15 percent increase in range for Models S, X, 3 and Y. Tesla’s new 4680 battery cell could extend the range of
DETROIT - Last week would have been a big week in Motown, the North American International Auto Show opening its doors to the public for the first time since abandoning its traditional winter timetable in January 2019. The move aimed to revitalize what long was considered one of the world's most important car shows, typically
DETROIT - Automakers around the world are investing tens of billions of dollars to electrify their line-ups, but there are still a number of obstacles limiting mainstream acceptance — such as range and cost. But Phoenix-based Nikola Motors may have found what its CEO describes as the “Holy Grail of batteries,” an alternative to today’s
AUBURN HILLS - The most powerful SUV on the market, the 707 hp Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. It was the sort of casual comment that many of those listening in on the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles earnings conference call just might have missed, but a single word from FCA Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne could signal some
DETROIT - In the latest in a burst of announcements aimed at bringing fully autonomous, and even driverless, vehicles to market, automotive mega-supplier Delphi is teaming up with the high-tech Israeli firm Mobileye. The two tech firms plan to show off their system during a preview at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next
BEIJING, China - With two federal safety investigations already underway in the U.S., Tesla Motors could face scrutiny in China, as well, in the wake of an incident involving a Model S sedan operating in Autopilot mode. The crash last week was relatively minor – unlike the fatal accident in Florida on May 9 –
MOUNTAIN VIEW - Google’s autonomous vehicle program has taken some big hits in recent days. Two of the project’s top engineers have reportedly left to work on a new start-up, but the biggest setback appears to come with the departure of Chris Urmson, the venture’s technology chief. A pioneer in autonomous vehicle research at Carnegie
DETROIT - Toyota Motor Co. is delaying the start of production for its new plug-in model, the Prius Prime. The move is expected to push back the availability of the new model in the Japanese market. The U.S. launch, TheDetroitBureau.com has been advised, will begin in November, but will be slower than originally planned. The exact
