San Francisco has launched a citywide curbside EV charging program, giving companies a clear path to install public chargers in neighborhoods across the city.
Purpose-built robotaxi developer Zoox has announced another milestone today, opening its waitlist to the public in San Francisco. This move is part of Zoox’s “Explorers” program, which offers early ride access to those who sign up as the company expands its service network in specific areas.
Robotaxi network Waymo is continuing to expand the reach and capabilities of its driverless vehicles to public riders in new cities. Today, the Alphabet, Inc. subsidiary announced freeway trips in three major US cities, as well as an expansion of its service availability in a familiar region.
Autonomous robotaxi developer Zoox has shared its latest progress update, which includes expansions into its second commercial market—San Francisco. The company has begun testing its proprietary robotaxis in the region and already has some specific neighborhoods in mind where it will want to begin offering driverless rides.
A select group of protestors in the San Francisco Bay area are demobilizing robotaxi EVs operated by companies like Waymo and Cruise by placing orange construction cones over their sensors. While opposition to this technology has been present in small doses for years, the resistance against autonomous vehicles has recently gotten more press following a recent vote to expand the services in California. Is this a fear of autonomy or just a fear of change in general?
San Francisco is aiming for 100% emission-free transportation within city limits by 2040, as it introduced a plan today that looks to embrace the “opportunity” in electric vehicles.
While Tesla has now several stores and service centers along the Bay Area (see below), the electric automaker has yet to open a location in the heart of San Francisco, but that’s about to change. Tesla is about to open a new flagship retail location on Van Ness Ave in San Francisco later this summer. Expand Expanding Close
Tesla will start taking reservations worldwide for the Model 3 in the morning of March 31st and the closer we get to the event, the more it looks like it will be an iPhone launch-like pandemonium. Coincidentally, Apple is also releasing its new iPhone SE on the same day, and a lot like it’s a less expensive version of its flagship phone, Tesla is also launching a less expensive product built on the knowledge it accumulated while developing its luxury sedan and SUV. Expand Expanding Close
It isn’t often that you get a look at the inside of Tesla’s Fremont factory, especially outside the roped off tourist factory tour area. However, San Francisco’s CBS affiliate took some Super Bowl weekend time to put together a short video, below:
BMW’s DriveNow program, which gives users access to a fleet of BMW i3’s to rent by the minute, is shutting down in San Francisco indefinitely because the automaker and city officials can’t come to an understanding over parking permit regulations according to Auto News.
Toyota has very few electric vehicle projects in the works. The company is focusing its zero-emission effort on hydrogen-powered vehicles over battery-powered ones, but the i-Road concept is an exception.
The three-wheel electric vehicle is what I call “too concept” to ever be a production product. The futuristic design and independently moving front wheels are something that would appear to always be of the future, but the Japan-based auto giant seems to be pushing for a commercial release. Expand Expanding Close
Tesla was among many Tech companies participating in last weekend’s Pride festivities in San Francisco and one Reddit user took the opportunity to catch the pace car for the Tesla group which I find way better than the 2014 edition below.