electric

Car dealers embracing electric vehicle sales | COMMENTARY

By Betty C. Morrow 2 days ago

As the owner of a local car dealership, I’ve heard every myth there is about car buying. My favorite is that “you can get the best deal on a rainy day.” (It’s not true.) The one that bothers me, though, is a new one: that local dealerships don’t want to sell electric vehicles.

As a Nevada auto dealer who has been in the business for 42 years, I can assure you that my colleagues and I are just as excited to sell electric vehicles as gas-powered cars — if not more so.

It’s true that many dealerships harbored reservations about electric vehicles in the past. Ten years ago, EVs were significantly less reliable than they are today. They were much more expensive. Many looked strange, alienating potential buyers. Plus, limited battery life and the lack of charging infrastructure meant you couldn’t travel far on a charge. They were impractical.

But

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Vietnam’s answer to Tesla has U.S. in its electric sights By Reuters

By Betty C. Morrow 1 week ago

© Reuters. A labourer works in VinFast’s factory in Hai Phong City

By James Pearson and Phuong Nguyen

HAIPHONG, Vietnam (Reuters) – Move over Tesla, how about a VinFast?

That’s the proposition being offered by the automobile arm of Vietnam’s largest conglomerate, Vingroup. It’s betting big on the U.S. market with its VinFast line of cars and hoping that electric SUVs and a battery leasing model will be enough to woo consumers away from homegrown market leaders like Tesla and General Motors Co (NYSE:).

A recent arrival on the automotive scene and the No. 5 car brand in Vietnam, VinFast is not short on ambition, with its sights set on a U.S. listing and a valuation of as much as $60 billion, according to two sources familiar with its plans.

(GRAPHIC: VinFast fifth in terms of Vietnam sales in 2020 – https://graphics.reuters.com/VIETNAM-VINFAST/rlgvdzyjgvo/chart.png)

It will launch in North America and Europe

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Mazda reveals its first electric vehicle: meet the Mazda MX-30

By Betty C. Morrow 3 weeks ago

Mazda, the Japanese automaker known for delivering reliable gas cars but not taking many risks, on Wednesday introduced its first electric car geared for the North American market.

The company revealed the Mazda MX-30 electric crossover with plans to begin selling it at California dealerships in the fall.

Known for focusing largely on fuel efficiency improvements in its gas engines, Mazda’s pivot comes amid a rising tide of investments in electric vehicles across the automotive industry.

In recent months, General Motors, Volvo and Jaguar all announced plans to phase out gas cars in the coming years.

While Mazda made no such commitment on Wednesday, the arrival of the MX-30 shows how even value-oriented brands can’t ignore the winds of change.

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Consumer Reports: These are the 10 most and least reliable 2021

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Mercedes-Benz reveals its first electric car: meet the Mercedes-Benz EQS

By Betty C. Morrow 3 weeks ago

Mercedes-Benz is giving up the growl.

The German luxury automotive brand on Thursday debuted its first-ever electric sedan, the Mercedes-Benz EQS.

The company is describing the EQS as a sibling of the recently redesigned high-end S-class, which is typically considered the brand’s most luxurious ride. But the slightly shorter vehicle, which Mercedes has been teasing in advertisements, has its own electric architecture.

The EQS is expected to compete directly with electric cars like the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan. It will debut as a 2022 model and while a starting price hasn’t been announced, car-research site Edmunds recently estimated $110,000.

Missing the trademark engine roar associated with high-performance gas-powered models, the EQS will nonetheless deliver significant power, albeit with a quiet electric motor.

The first versions sold in the U.S. will be the EQS 450+ with 329 horsepower and the EQS 580 4MATIC with 516 horsepower, both

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