Lucid sometimes offers some pretty sweet lease deals, and on paper, they can look like a solid way to get behind the wheel of an Air without the long-term commitment. But as we’ve seen more than once, there’s usually a sting in the tail. If it’s not a hefty down payment, it’s what happens when the car goes back at the end of the term.

Back in August, we reported that Lucid itself acknowledged problems with its lease return program. The process, it admitted, wasn’t consistent. Damage assessments were all over the place, and some customers ended up with surprisingly high bills for barely noticeable issues.

Ongoing Frustrations

Two months on, the situation doesn’t appear to have improved. At least two owners have come forward with worrying stories, and one has even taken the matter to regulators.

Over a week ago, one owner posted a thread on Reddit titled “Just got my excess wear report and it’s ridiculous.” Plenty of folks are upset to pay extra cash after a lease ends, but this person seems to have a really good case.

Read: Lucid Lease Customers Hit With Four-Figure Bills Over Scuffs You Can’t Even See

Photos showing the underside of the Lucid Air, along with the digital invoice from the company, reveal that the $2,400 charge was issued for scratches found on the car’s underbody panel.

We’re not talking about a panel that is torn into several pieces, features a giant hole or two, or one that is somewhat missing. No, we’re referring to the kind of scratches that almost anyone with a low-to-the-ground car would have.

The owner claims that he never had an accident or drove over anything significant, but instead that these marks are from things as innocuous as speed bumps.

“Guess we’re supposed to only drive on perfectly flat roads with no speed bumps, and make sure to ‘research’ every driveway before entering,” the frustrated owner said. Interestingly, Lucid seems to have decided not to charge for the fact that the owner’s manual was missing from the car.

Different Case, Same Pattern

This isn’t the only recent example of Lucid’s lease troubles. Another customer, who was billed $585, may have an even more compelling case. According to the owner, the Lucid representative at the lease return appointment found no damage whatsoever.

Less than two weeks later, though, a third-party company carried out a “final inspection” and identified $785 worth of wear-and-tear damage. The owner says Lucid waived $200 for a wheel, but still demanded the remaining $585.

“I just filed a complaint with the California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation (DFPI) against Lucid Financial Services and their collection agency over a bogus “excess wear & tear” charge,” they wrote in a Reddit thread.

It’s pretty clear that owners are losing faith in the brand’s lease policy. “If that’s what it’s going to be like, we’re all screwed. There’s no possible way that part doesn’t get scratched or gouged – that’s what it’s there for, to protect the rest of the undercarriage,” said one. “Up next, being charged for scratches on the inside of wheels,” said another.

For now, the ball is squarely in Lucid’s court to explain how it’s handling these lease-end assessments and what steps it plans to take to rebuild customer trust. If you’ve leased a Lucid yourself, drop your experience in the comments below, we’d like to hear how it went down.

Photo: TackleTurbulent9134 / Lucid

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is a game-changer. It proved all on its own that electric cars can deliver genuine driving enjoyment, not just straight-line speed. No doubt, that’s partially what convinced one Texas buyer to snap up one of the very first examples available in the state.

The excitement behind the purchase has soured, though, because at the 8,000-mile mark, the Ioniq 5 N allegedly failed. Now, it’s reportedly been sitting at a dealership for two months straight with no end in sight.

More: Hyundai Dealer Fixed His ICCU Then Let Thieves Total The Rest Before He Even Saw It

The public saga began on August 27 when the owner, William, posted about his situation on Reddit. In a thread with the title “Help me navigate the run around I think I am getting from service,” he details how one day his car displayed a red warning light and refused to charge.

At that point, the car had already been in service for weeks “with no clear answers,” he says. Notably, the service advisor reportedly told him the issue wasn’t the ICCU, or Integrated Charging Control Unit, the system that controls charging and power flow in the car and has been a known weak spot on some Ioniq 5 models.

Shared Frustrations

Other Reddit users claiming to own Ioniq 5 N or Elantra N models described similar frustrations with the same dealer in San Bruno, California. One said their car was misdiagnosed before ultimately receiving a new ICCU after 45 days.

“They are an absolute mess over there,” another commenter added about the same Northern California dealership. A week ago, William posted another update.

“After 2 months, I still don’t have my car and no end in sight. Good luck to folks out there waiting on a battery”, he wrote. In a screenshot from the dealership, a service advisor reportedly confirmed that the vehicle’s main battery was “on backorder” with “no ETA.”

Communication Breakdown

William went on to tell Carscoops that Hyundai’s lack of transparency has been the most frustrating part of the process. “Even giving Hyundai the full benefit of the doubt on supply-chain issues, the lack of transparency is inexcusable,” he said. “Every week it’s the same line – no ETA on a battery and no ETA on my car.”

Also: $120 For An Oil Change? No Thanks, I’ll Do It Myself For $6,000

The owner, who has already initiated a buyback request, says that process has also stalled: “Four weeks in, and no progress.” Carscoops has reached out to Hyundai for comment regarding the reported battery issue and ongoing parts delays.

The automaker confirmed that it is looking into the issue as of this writing, but hasn’t provided any additional insight at this point. We’ll update you here if we hear back.

Credit: William

Imagine the feeling of getting a call from the police that they’ve found your stolen Porsche 911, but that it’s been burned to the ground. No doubt, that would be rough for anyone, but for one man in Brazil, the call got even worse, because police think he’s the one who did it – and it seems like the video evidence they possess is pretty convincing.

Read: A Prototype Exploded Inside Faraday Future’s HQ Leaving The LA Building Condemned

The incident happened in Lapa, a rural town in the Curitiba metro region of Brazil. According to local outlet G1.globo, the owner told the police that he was the subject of an ambush.

Armed individuals in a truck stole his car with him in it, drove it down a deserted road, and then set it on fire. In fact, he went to the hospital for burns, which initially seemed like clear evidence of his credibility.

Caught on Camera

State Highway Police didn’t just take the man at his word, though. It turns out that of all the rural roads in the area, the place where the Porsche burned down, just happens to have a security camera nearby.

Police say that the man who walks up to the car and sets it on fire bears a striking resemblance to the owner. The clothes even matched, and police think they know what the motive was, too.

Evidently, the 911 in question, reportedly worth around R$700,000 (roughly $120,000 USD) was subject to expensive unpaid tax debts. The Civil Police in the area confirm that the situation is under investigation of being a false crime report. That said, they haven’t released the name of the owner, nor have they made any arrests.

A Fiery Mistake

Video from the scene doesn’t show any kidnappers, a truck, or anyone other than the man who allegedly sets the car on fire. Whoever it is seems to stop and take a moment to consider what they’re about to do before lighting some sort of accelerant in the Porsche. The fire is so violent at first that the man in question recoils as it grazes him.

It’s unclear where the case will go from here, but hopefully justice will be served. If this owner did indeed set his very special car on fire in front of the only camera within miles, it feels like karmic justice.

Sources: G1.globo | H/T to ÁTILA!

To say that Nissan had a rough 2024 would be a big understatement, but it’s already hard at work to turn things around. Along with the introduction of new and updated models, it’s looking to partner with other brands, some of which are fierce rivals, like Ford and Stellantis. Before the end of the decade, though, Nissan could be building hybrids for multiple automakers.

Sleeping With The Enemy

According to a new report, the latest Rogue could be the basis for the vehicles in question. Nissan’s compact SUV features the brand’s proptietary e-Power hybrid system that uses a gas engine to power an electric battery and motors. The models that could come from partnerships would be built alongside the Rogue in Smyrna, Tennessee.

More: Nissan Confirms Plug-in Hybrid Frontier

Nissan’s e-Power technology has been available in Japan and Europe for years, but it won’t debut in the U.S. until late 2026. It promises 15 percent better fuel economy at highway speeds than in the outgoing Rogue.

That’s a promising figure, and U.S. manufacturing makes it a tempting platform for Ford and Stellantis, according to Autonews. In fact, Nissan might ink some sort of deal with either of these brands even if it doesn’t secure an order for badge-engineered cars.

Nissan spokesman Brian Brockman confirmed that the company is “exploring options” to localize vehicle and powertrain production to meet rising hybrid demand. He added that Nissan “remains open to dialogue” but has “no agreements in place regarding production at our U.S. plants.”

Partners Could Come From All Over The Globe

Interestingly, potential partners don’t stop with two of the Big Three. Mitsubishi is allegedly interested in joint production, too, and would reportedly use e-Power engines for the Outlander. Foxconn could even enter the fold as a contract manufacturer. For Nissan, making two or even three deals of this sort would be a huge step forward.

After initially leading the EV charge with the Leaf, the brand has fallen behind many competitors when it comes to electrified vehicles. As AutoForecast Solutions analyst Sam Fiorani put it, “They can’t get to market soon enough.”

If there’s one automaker in America willing to think completely outside of the box, it’s Tesla. In this case, it’s literally thinking outside of the box, or more precisely, from the bed of the Cybertruck.

A new patent application indicates that the company could soon sell an inflatable balloon that acts as a spoiler of sorts. If it works as intended, it could extend towing range by a significant amount.

A Wedge in the Wind

Officially dubbed an “Inflatable Aerodynamic Deflector,” the device uses the same drop-stitch fabric that you’ll find on a paddleboard or life vest. When stowed, it’ll lie flat in the bed of the Cybertruck.

When it’s time to tow, the owner can deploy the contraption, which will take the shape of a wedge. And when we say wedge, we mean a really big one.

More: Cybertruck Nails Crash Tests Until The Lights Go Out

Based on diagrams in the patent application first discovered by Carbuzz, the inflatable will basically extend the body line made by the front hood and windshield section of the truck. It’ll continue on that same plane several feet and end just before the tailgate.

Inflate To Tow Further

In essence, the device should smooth the air out over the truck and then over any trailer that may be in tow. Why make it inflatable? Elementary, dear Watson: weight savings.

Every ounce added to a vehicle has a small penalty in performance. That’s true in all vehicles, no matter their method of propulsion, but since it’s harder to find a charger and slower to charge an EV, it’s more important to keep weight down as much as possible in something like the (already pretty heavy) Cybertruck.

It’s worth noting that towing range is something that Tesla has been trying to sort out for a while. It infamously promised a huge range-extending battery that would’ve sat in the bed.

Despite several customers placing an order, the brand canceled the project and hasn’t really had a backup way to improve range during towing.

This new inflatable could be one small way to claw back some additional range. Now all Tesla has to do is, unlike that range-extending battery, actually put it into production rather than letting it float away like its last big idea.

Sources: Carbuzz, USPO | Lead illustration by John Halas / Carscoops

Tesla is an automaker that has its fingers in several other industries. One is insurance, which it has long promised to be the best in the business for its customers. According to authorities in California, not only is it not a leader, it’s actually so bad that it might lose its license to offer insurance altogether.

The California Department of Insurance (CDI) announced on October 3 that it’s taking enforcement action against Tesla Insurance Services, Inc. and Tesla Insurance Company, alongside State National Insurance Company, which underwrites Tesla’s policies in the state.

Regulators say the three companies failed to comply with California’s claims-handling laws over and over again. It accuses all three of “significant harm” to Tesla drivers who held policies with them.

Read: Tesla Owners Brace For Soaring Insurance Costs And Even Bans As EV Attacks Escalate

In plain terms, Tesla Insurance Services acts as the broker selling the policies, while Tesla Insurance Company and State National handle the underwriting and claims.

A Pattern of Misconduct

Together, the CDI says, they’ve developed a pattern of misconduct so severe that the state may suspend or revoke their licenses and impose monetary penalties of up to $10,000 per willful violation.

According to the department, Tesla’s alleged offenses include extensive delays in paying valid claims, unreasonable denials, and failures to conduct “thorough, fair, and objective investigations.”

The department also accuses Tesla of not informing policyholders of their right to have claims denials reviewed by the state.

Complaints on the Rise

This isn’t an issue that the state just started tracking, either. In 2022, it noted 21 justified complaints against State National Insurance Company, which accounted for 40 regulatory violations.

The next year, those figures grew to 63 and 195, respectively. In 2024, Tesla Insurance Services joined the fray, and together, complaints rose again to 291, along with 835 violations. 

So far in 2025, the department says it has received nearly 2,000 complaints, over 500 of which were justified, with more than 2,000 regulatory violations. Now, Tesla Insurance Services, Tesla Insurance Company, and State National have 15 days to respond to the accusations before they face a potential administrative hearing.

If the department prevails, the companies could be barred from transacting insurance business in California and hit with significant fines.

Federal EV tax credits may be gone, but automakers holding unsold electric models aren’t simply waiting for customers to arrive. Instead, they’re putting together their own incentives. BMW has stepped in with one of the most direct responses so far, offering a $7,500 purchase credit across its lineup, and in some ways the deal is more straightforward than the federal program ever was.

Read: BMW Exec Says “Combustion Engines Will Never Disappear. Never!”

BMW says the incentive applies across its full EV lineup, from the $57,900 i4 to the $169,675 i7 M70. Unlike the now-defunct federal credit, this deal doesn’t hinge on income caps or complicated tax liability math; it’s a straight MSRP discount at the time of purchase.

More Than Just a Credit

The move makes BMW one of the first luxury brands to replace the credit in full, and it’s not stopping there. According to AutoBlog, buyers also get access to 2.99% financing for up to 60 months. Returning or “loyalty” customers can also get up to $5,000 extra, with the biggest rewards reserved for buyers of the equally big i7.

For some shoppers, that structure makes BMW’s plan more useful than the federal version ever was. The tax credit never helped customers who didn’t owe $7,500 in taxes, and it locked out high-income buyers and expensive models. BMW’s deal skips the fine print and extends the benefit to anyone financing through its system.

Following a Familiar Formula

While BMW stands out in the luxury field, it’s far from the first automaker to go down a similar road. Hyundai slashed sticker prices on the Ioniq 5 in recent days. General Motors and Ford both bought up a bunch of their own EV stock, obtained the federal EV credit before it ran out, and are passing it on to buyers.

More: BMW Somehow Sold Fewer Electrified Cars Than Last Year In Q3

BMW is just approaching the same problem with almost the exact same solution. These offers run through October 31 and, importantly, only apply to vehicles bought through BMW Financial Services. 

It’s official. The new Tesla Model Y Performance is rolling out across most global markets, including the US where it comes in at $57,490, as well as Europe. Buyers get more power, more speed, updated styling, and subtle chassis tweaks.

In Britain, the starting figure is £61,925 (around $75,500), which makes it roughly £10,000 more than the Long Range AWD. In the US, the gap is a little narrower at $8,500. Even so, Top Gear argues that the premium is enough for buyers to think twice before ticking the Performance box.

More: New Tesla Model Y Performance Turns Supercar Thrills Into A Bargain Family Affair

Tom Ford from the famous British auto journal drove the updated Performance variant and found that while it delivers excellent performance, the upgrades don’t make it a must-have. The SUV is unquestionably quicker and sharper, but Ford noted that the standard Long Range already accelerates in under five seconds, offers slightly more range, and costs £10,000 less in the UK.

What extras buy you

The Performance gets a handful of changes to justify that price hike, including staggered Arachnid 2.0 21-inch wheels, red-painted calipers, revised bumpers, and a carbon spoiler. Tesla claims it’s cut drag by 10 percent and lift by 64 percent compared to the original Model Y Performance. It also gets a larger 16-inch infotainment system, carbon interior trim, and sport seats with extra bolstering.

Under the skin, it has a lot going for it on paper. The suspension features reinforced parts, stiffer bushings, and adaptive bits as well. It’s good enough that Ford says it’s “class-leading.” Despite that, the sum of its parts doesn’t end up being good enough for an all-out recommendation. “It’s not night and day better than the standard vehicle,” he says.

Everyday reality check

Drilling down further, he gets into the nitty-gritty of the situation for real, everyday buyers. This is, after all, a relatively (if not slightly pricey) mainstream crossover. It’s not a Model X or another flagship of sorts.

As he put it, “A Y is a family SUV, so more go isn’t needed – the fast stuff makes more sense in, say, a Model 3. And then there’s the fact that the standard all-wheel drive long-range car is still sub-five to 62mph, has a smidge more range, doesn’t look much different, and costs a straight £10k less.”

At this point, it sounds like the Model Y Performance is indeed an upgrade over the Long Range in terms of driving engagement. At the same time, it’s not a leap-and-bound sort of improvement.

Could Tesla have done more?

That’s a bit curious considering a few small things, like perhaps simulated gear shifts and some fun faux exhaust or rev noises might have amped up the fun like Hyundai does with the (a lot) more expensive Ioniq 5 N. We’ll have to wait to test one stateside to make our own determination. Until then, what do you think of the latest high-spec Model Y?

The electric Dodge Challenger hasn’t had the greatest start to life. After middling reviews, low sales, and many reports of problems, things might be getting even worse. According to industry sources, the 800-volt Banshee halo trim is dead before it ever arrives.

More: Ford, GM, And Stellantis Paid Billions To Tesla And Rivian Until Trump Pulled The Plug

Over the past six months, Stellantis has made a dramatic pivot from its EV goals to a more conventional ICE-focused plan. The HEMI V8 is reigning supreme once again with its reintroduction to the Ram 1500, exclusive use in the Durango, and continuation in the Jeep Wrangler. Heck, even the Gladiator might get one.

Strategy in Flux

That makes a report from MoparInsiders indicating the death of the flagship SRT Banshee all the more believable. Suppliers allegedly claim that Dodge has axed the car entirely. Dodge didn’t confirm or deny the decision when we asked for comment.

“Stellantis continues to reassess its product strategy to align with consumer demand”, a press spokesperson told us. “Our plan ensures we offer customers a range of vehicles with flexible powertrain options that best meet their needs. With the great news announced in July that Stellantis is bringing back its iconic SRT performance division, it follows that we are also reviewing the plan for future SRT vehicles.”

Rules No Longer Binding

Undoubtedly, the brand is clearly willing to make big sweeping changes now that EPA regulations basically don’t matter, and as a result, automakers won’t have to pay for carbon emission credits. The all-electric Ram REV is dead, as is the Jeep Gladiator 4xe plug-in hybrid. What’s one more EV that would’ve cost more than the Charger Daytona already does?

That said, it’s not as if performance at the brand is going by the wayside. The Charger SIXPACK is rolling out and promises a taste of what the Hellcats once offered. The possibility of a V8 Charger feels more plausible than ever, even if it’ll take reworking of the chassis and engine bay. We’ve reached out to Stellantis and will update this piece if we hear anything new. 

Credit: Michael Gauthier / Dodge

Car buyers might be feeling the pinch of limited supply, but Honda’s sales figures show that demand for its lineup remains strong. Together with Acura, the group moved 105,097 vehicles in September, despite tighter inventories across popular models. The real standout was the Passport, which is having its best year ever. On the flip side, Acura’s ZDX, which was recently discontinued after just a single year on the market, struggled.

More: Should The Next Honda Ridgeline Look Like The New Passport?

Total Honda sales reached 95,391 for the month, which is virtually unchanged from last September at just 0.3 percent lower. Looking at the bigger picture, year-to-date deliveries are up 4.1 percent. Passport demand has been a major driver, with sales up 75.5 percent for the year and a striking 108.8 percent for September alone. Nearly 80 percent of buyers are choosing the rugged TrailSport trim, suggesting that Honda’s more adventurous positioning has struck a chord.

SUV Strength

The CR-V continued its domination with over 28,000 sales in September, more than half of which were hybrids, while the Pilot and HR-V chipped in another 20,000 sales combined. On the passenger car side, Honda sold almost 30,000 sedans and coupes in September.

Accord and Civic hybrids made up 47 percent and 36 percent respectively. Electrified models in general set a new monthly record (32,387), thanks in part to the rollout of the Prologue EV.

Acura’s Mixed Bag

Acura, meanwhile, moved 9,706 vehicles in the ninth month of the year. That’s actually a drop in sales year over year of 2.2 percent. The Integra held firm at sales of over 1,500 units. The MDX and RDX combined for over 4,800 deliveries, and the ADX is, according to the brand, “capturing a segment-leading nearly 30% of retail sales”.

On the downside, the ZDX continues to be the white elephant in the lineup, experiencing a 61.3 percent drop in September sales year over year. While that might sound excessive, in cold hard units, that’s a drop from 979 units in 2024 to just 395 this year.

Since the start of the year, Acura has delivered only 11,915 examples. To put that into perspective, Honda has already sold more than three times as many Prologues in the same period. With numbers that lopsided, it is not surprising production of the ZDX has already been cut short.

Faraday Future is back in the news, but not for the reasons it would prefer. Early on the morning of September 28, an early FF91 prototype caught fire in the company’s headquarters. Nobody was hurt, but we can’t say the same for the building, which is now off-limits for workers.

More: This Used Faraday Future FF 91 Sold For $235,000

The Los Angeles Fire Department received a call at 4:37 a.m. about the blaze and managed to extinguish it within 40 minutes, says TechCrunch. Sprinklers inside the building helped slow the fire, but not before an explosion blew out part of a wall. Firefighters had to force entry into the building, and once the fire was out, an inspector red-tagged the property.

Early Prototype Up in Smoke

After the fire, the company quickly moved to temper concerns with a public statement. It stressed that the battery pack wasn’t involved and pointed out that the vehicle in question was an old prototype.

Internally referred to as B40, the company said the car is about nine years old and that “its interior materials do not meet the flammability standards of production vehicles. This beta prototype is entirely different from FF 91 production vehicles, and therefore, we believe this incident will not result in any recall of production models.”

The brand will conduct a full investigation, and for now, they think the fire started due to a short circuit in the showroom wiring itself or a loose connection in the vehicle’s 12-volt system.

Not the First Fire

This isn’t the first time Faraday Future has faced a blaze involving one of its test cars. Back in 2022, another prototype reportedly went up in flames, though few details ever emerged about that event other than a set of photos. For a company already fighting for stability, each incident adds to a growing cloud of doubt.

The latest fire comes at an especially volatile time for the embattled company.

Statement on Fire Incident at Faraday Future Satellite Office Building

In the early morning of Sunday, September 28 (PST), a fire occurred at FF’s satellite office building at our U.S. headquarters. The company attaches great importance to this matter and would like to provide…

— Faraday Future (@FaradayFuture) September 30, 2025

After the FF91 turned out to be a flop, Faraday Future has been working on plans to federalize and sell a Chinese-made van with a screen on its face. In recent months, it’s come under fire for a controversial crypto-related pivot and for allegedly missing payments for the property where the fire happened. The lease ended at the end of September.

While the company says the fire poses no risk to production vehicles, it’s certainly not going to restore trust or confidence in owners, landlords, and shareholders alike. 

Source: Faraday Future, Techcrunch

Ford just posted its seventh straight month of growth and capped off a successful third quarter. It wasn’t just one or two models that did the heavy lifting, either. Not only were traditional ICE vehicles like Bronco, Explorer, and Expedition big hits, but electrified cars, trucks, and SUVs smashed records. Here’s a look at the details.

More: Ford Sold More Than Twice As Many Electric Mustangs As Gas Ones

During the quarter, Ford and Lincoln sold a combined 85,789 electrified vehicles, which include both hybrid and pure battery-electric vehicles (BEV). That’s up 19.8 percent compared to last year, and it made up 15.7 percent of the brand’s sales mix. Last quarter, electrified cars made up just 13.5 percent of sales.

No doubt, some, well, scratch that, most of those sales came from buyers eager to grab a tax credit before it expired on September 30. Ford and GM, however, seem to have found a loophole to keep it alive a little longer, as we reported yesterday.

Battery Gains Build Momentum

That’s backed up in part by the huge gains Ford saw in its BEV sales. It delivered 30,612 EVs in the quarter. That’s a 30.2 percent increase over the same time period in 2024. Leading the way was the Mustang Mach-E, which recorded its best quarter since launching in 2020, climbing 50.7 percent to 20,177 units. The F-150 Lightning also posted a record quarter with 10,005 trucks sold. That’s up almost 40 percent.

Hybrids still make up the majority of Ford’s electrified sales. They accounted for 55,177 sales. The F-150 Hybrid continued its reign as the best-selling full-size hybrid truck in America with 22,212 sales. The Maverick Hybrid continued to dominate the midsize hybrid pickup segment with 63,516 sales, an 11.5 percent increase.

Andrew Frick, president of Ford Blue and Model e, said the results highlight the company’s balance across powertrains. “We saw strong performance in gas, hybrid, and electrified powertrains, while at the same time growing our paid software solutions, all embedded in vehicles such as Expedition, Explorer, and F-150.”

Balancing Old and New

While some big automakers are pivoting around a shifting market, Ford seems on track to move from strength to strength. It’ll likely outsell GM and Stellantis combined with regard to electrified sales this year. And it’s managing that while ICE-powered vehicles see success as well.

Anyone who thought that Audi’s foray into ebikes might be a one-and-done better think again. The German automaker is back with a new ebike designed to crush trails with upgraded components and, somehow, a lower starting price. In fact, at just $5,850, it’s more attainable than some traditional ebikes that aren’t connected to luxury cars.

Built in partnership with Italian motorcycle and ebike builder Fantic, the eMTB 2.0 uses the same aluminum frame as the original Audi eMTB. At the same time, there are some key improvements here.

Read: McLaren Unleashes World’s Most Powerful Trail-Legal eBike Ever

The drivetrain now features a SRAM GX Eagle Transmission AXS electronic derailleur paired with a SRAM XX SL Eagle 12-speed 10-52T cassette for crisp wireless shifting. Braking gets a big boost too, thanks to new EPTA STAGE rotors measuring 220 mm up front and 203 mm at the rear. Sunstar F.I.R.S.T. calipers provided improved control when the trail points downward.

What doesn’t change is the electric motor. It remains a Brose S-MAG 250-watt unit good for up to 90 Nm of torque. A 720-Wh battery pack feeds it power while remaining fully integrated into the frame. Riders can pick from four assistance settings, including eco, tour, sport, and boost. It really feels like at least one of those should’ve been RS.

That said, the eMTB will assist riders up to 20 mph and has a range that could be as little as 12 miles or as much as 90, depending on terrain and effort. Having ridden mountain bikes and eMTBs, that range will be plenty for the vast majority of folks. A small digital display keeps tabs on speed, assist level, and battery status.

This is what riders often call a mullet setup with a 29-inch wheel in the front and a 27.5-inch unit in the rear. That helps with managing big obstacles while keeping the bike nimble. An Öhlins RXF38 m.2 fork and TTX22m.2 rear shock provide 180mm of travel on each end, while Audi even offers some accessories to go with the bike, including a helmet and hydration pack. Deliveries are already underway to some lucky customers. 

When police set up a DUI checkpoint, they’ve got to be ready for just about anything. In between those who may or may not be under the influence, they’ll sometimes find people with warrants or those with illegal items in their car. What they probably never expect is a car with no driver at all. Nevertheless, that’s exactly what they stopped in California last Friday night.

More: Oakland Police Are Towing Teslas To Obtain Crime Scene Footage

According to the San Bruno PD, officers conducting a grant-funded DUI enforcement operation watched as a white Waymo Jaguar I-Pace made an illegal U-turn near the city’s Caltrain station. When it did, officers pulled the car over and, unsurprisingly, found nobody in the driver’s seat.

An Empty Front Seat

The department leaned into humor on social media, posting, “No driver, no hands, no clue. Our citation books don’t have a box for ‘robot.’” In this case, it’s the hands of law enforcement that are tied.

California law doesn’t currently allow moving violations to be issued to autonomous vehicles, so officers couldn’t write a ticket. That said, officers were able to reach out to Waymo’s operations team to report the glitch. In a perfect world, the staff will be able to update the system to never make another U-turn in that spot.

For now, Waymo escaped without a fine, but the stop highlights an issue we’ve seen before. As driverless cars become more common on public roads, law enforcement needs a way to deal with them when infractions happen.

Tickets Without Drivers

The problem isn’t confined to San Bruno. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the city of San Francisco has already seen Waymo vehicles rack up more than $65,000 in fines. At this point, federal regulators are investigating reports just like these with autonomous cars violating traffic laws.

San Bruno officers say their mission hasn’t changed. “Whether it’s drivers, passengers, or even driverless cars,” the department said, “we’ll continue to do our part to keep San Bruno’s streets safe.”

Photos San Bruno PD

In August of 2019, a man driving his Ford Explorer Sport Trac was hit from behind by another driver in a 2019 Tesla Model 3 who was using Autopilot. The Ford’s driver lost control as the truck rolled and his 15-year-old son, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected and killed. Just weeks before the case was set to go to trial, Tesla quietly settled the lawsuit that followed.

The Tesla driver, Romeo Yalung, was traveling at 69 mph (111 km/h) in lane three of Interstate 880 in California. Video from the EV shows the driver of the Ford, Benjamin Escudero, signaling and moving into the same lane ahead. Neither Yalung nor the Tesla, which had Autopilot engaged at the time, slowed down to avoid hitting the Ford.

More: Crash Victim Trapped In Burning Tesla Sues Over Door Handles

The lawsuit named multiple parties, not only Tesla and Yalung but also Yalung’s wife, who was in the passenger seat at the time. Over four years, Judge Rebekah Everson had the option to dismiss the case but allowed it to move forward. Now, with trial just a month away, Tesla has reached a settlement for an undisclosed amount.

That might seem like a shock considering some of the surrounding factors. Tesla has a largely victorious record in court when lawsuits about Autopilot or Full Self-Driving (Supervised) come up. Juries and judges have agreed in almost all cases that the person behind the wheel is responsible for driving and not Tesla. In addition, video of the tragic crash certainly calls into question Mr. Yalung’s attentiveness.

That said, this all comes after a Florida jury decided that Tesla was 33 percent liable for another fatal crash involving Autopilot. In that case, the driver of the Tesla hit two people on the side of the road, admitted fault to the police, and said that he wasn’t paying attention when the crash happened. Despite that, the jury awarded the plaintiffs $242 million.

Tesla is now appealing that verdict, but another loss in court could have been damaging. Settling this California case may have been a calculated move to avoid the risk of a repeat outcome.

Sources: Freightwaves, Carcomplaints

A little over two years ago we first heard of the Telo, a pickup truck with qualities and stats that seemingly make no sense. It has four doors, five seats, is all-electric, makes up to 500 horsepower, can go 350 miles between charges, and fits a full 4×8 sheet of plywood in the bed, all while taking up the footprint of a Mini Cooper. This week, it’s reached a new funding goal of $20 million and is one step closer to reality.

Read: $30K Ford Electric Truck Coming In 2027 Is Seriously Bad News For Slate

Announced by Drew from Telo on YouTube, the $20 million concludes what the company calls Series A funding. That cash is going to go into production tooling. The next step after the tooling is set up is to build production-intent prototypes. Telo is also going to expand the team and partner with an existing contract manufacturer.

From Prototype To Reality

Getting the mini truck with a big personality to market will then require federalization, crash testing, and certifications. It’s hoping that state-of-the-art manufacturing, off-the-shelf parts usage, and collaborating with existing manufacturers will not only speed up development but help that $20 million go further than it would otherwise.

One More Thing

We’ve all watched the automotive industry promise a lot and deliver very little. Think of things like the Cybertruck, Faraday Future, Level 3 Driving from Stellantis, and more. Along those same lines, brands have promised specific prices and then ended up having to jack those prices up before launch. Telo might just be the outlier there.

Originally, it was aiming for a starting price of $49,995. Now, it says it’s targeting a starting price of $41,520. That may or may not sound more attainable than Slate’s sub-$20,000 claim for its bare-bone electric truck, which was later adjusted to $27,500 after the federal EV tax credit disappeared.

Either way, that’s only worth believing when and if it actually happens, but it’s noteworthy. Arguably, that price is still too high to get people excited since Federal EV incentives are dead in just a few days.

Nevertheless, should the Telo make it to market, it might just be cheap enough to be an attractive option in a sea of trucks that are too big, too fuel-thirsty, and far more expensive. Of course, if Ford actually builds a $30,000 EV truck, the Telo might find itself without a market.

It👏🏼Fits👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/nQxAUzpIAa

— TELO Trucks (@TELOtrucks) August 11, 2025

It’s official: Acura’s first all-electric SUV is dead. The brand chose to skip the 2025 model year after its joint venture with GM was cancelled in late 2023. Now, the Japanese automaker has confirmed to Carscoops that the ZDX will not return, with production ending immediately. The ZDX lasted just over a year, with assembly having kicked off in March 2024.

The decision also happens to line up with the federal $7,500 EV tax credit winding down in just a matter of days, and comes right after Nissan announced it would also scrap the Ariya EV.

More: Nissan Is Dropping The Ariya EV After 2025

“To better align our product portfolio with the needs of our customers and market conditions, as well as our long-term strategic goals, we can confirm the Acura ZDX has ended production,” an Acura spokesperson told Carscoops.

Setting the Stage for What’s Next

Although the model has reached the end of the road, Acura stressed that the ZDX still laid important groundwork for what comes next. “ZDX has played a valuable role for the Acura brand, and will provide a foundation we will build on next year with the arrival of the all-electric Acura RSX, which will be produced at the EV Hub in Ohio in the second half of 2026, as well as with hybrid-electric Acura models now in development,” the spokesman added.

Read: Acura Delays EV-Only Future, Considers Adding Hybrids

As for current owners, Acura promised that “customers will continue to receive full product support through our dealer network, including service, parts, and warranty coverage.”

The news first emerged earlier today through Car Dealership Guy News, which cited an internal memo distributed to Acura dealers. Until now, though, it had not been formally confirmed.

The ZDX was based on GM’s Ultium platform and shared bones with the Cadillac Lyriq and Chevrolet Blazer EV, as well as the Honda Prologue. Ultimately, it never really took off. Incentives topped $30,000 off MSRP at times and then, Acura skipped 2025 altogether. Suffice it to say, this news isn’t all that shocking.

When the partnership between GM and Honda ended in late 2023, the two brands said it was a mutual decision. “After studying this for a year, we decided that this would be difficult as a business, so at the moment we are ending development of an affordable EV,” said Toshihiro Mibe, CEO of Honda. Despite the death of the ZDX, the brand is clearly pushing forward on some of its EV plans. The all-electric RSX will arrive in the latter half of 2026.

What About The Prologue?

Carscoops can also confirm that the Honda Prologue will continue on. Essentially, it serves as Honda’s primary EV offering until its next-generation electric architecture arrives. The Prologue has enjoyed steadier demand and certainly plays a role in the brand’s long-term EV-only strategy.

Update: Our spies have been busy again, catching the new Ferrari EV prototype out in the wild. The camouflage is still working overtime, but these new angles add a little more intrigue to Maranello’s best-kept secret.

October 9 is shaping up to be an important date for Ferrari. That’s when Maranello is expected to preview the electric powertrain and possibly some sketches for its first-ever EV, although the car itself won’t be unveiled until next year. Dubbed the Elettrica in inner circles, the new model is believed to be a crossover of sorts that slots below the Purosangue in terms of size. That detail is still unconfirmed, and Ferrari’s test mules have only deepened the mystery.

More: Ferrari Secretly Studying World’s Fastest EV Sedan Behind Closed Doors?

So far, prototypes have worn what looks like a Frankenstein blend of a Purosangue and Maserati Levante parts for the shell, making it impossible to pin down the final shape. Now, a new prototype has surfaced. This time, the heavily clad body looks completely different and gives the impression of a breadvan-style silhouette, or at least that’s what it wants us to think beneath all that heavy camouflage.

Breadvan is the name often given to the one-off Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB. Built to race at Le Mans, it featured a very unconventional body with a roofline that carried all the way to the very end of the car. The French press of the day called it the “La Camionnette” (little van), and English-speaking journalists translated it as the Bread Van.

Photo Credit: Andrea Canuri for Stephen Hancock

It’s not hard to see the resemblance in the spy shots. Just like that 250 GT SWB, this electric prototype shows a roof that runs flat to the rear bumper and a squared-off rear window with rounded corners. Before anyone gets too carried away, though, a closer look at the images reveals the trickery of the disguise, exposing an angled rear window hiding beneath the cladding.

This is the first time we’ve seen a Ferrari prototype with this particular shape and stance. Every previous sighting of Maranello’s upcoming EV has featured far more curvaceous bodywork, though always wrapped in deceiving test mule panels. With the powertrain reveal scheduled for next month, there’s a good chance Ferrari could slip in a teaser of the car itself, finally giving us a glimpse at its true silhouette

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The Current Roadmap

Ferrari has certainly taken its sweet time bringing its EV to market. To the brand’s credit, the company said at the time that it would tell us about its first electric vehicle in 2025, and sure enough, we’re less than a month from that. We expect Ferrari to begin customer deliveries around a year from now. Below are some spy shots we brought you back in May of another Ferrari EV test mule.

Interestingly, while Ferrari has only confirmed development of a single EV, Reuters recently reported that this first model, said to be co-designed by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, is more of a statement piece than a volume seller. Positioned as a “symbolic milestone,” it is expected to cost over $500,000, be produced in very limited numbers, and come in a format larger than the typical Ferrari without straying into SUV territory.

More: Ferrari Just Delayed Its Second EV Because Rich People Can’t Kick Their Combustion Habit

That same report suggests a second EV program, originally projected at 5,000 to 6,000 units over five years, has been delayed to 2028. If true, it suggests Maranello may be hedging its bets, slowing its EV rollout to test the waters of demand while also sending a message to investors that the company isn’t rushing headlong into a market shift that could unsettle long-term returns.

An older Ferrari test mule captured by our spy photographers earlier this year.

Safety has long been central to Tesla’s identity, and the brand often finds itself defending that reputation. While there might be lingering questions around Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised) for years to come, what seems like an open-and-shut book is how these electric cars protect occupants.

More: Family Says Cybertruck Became A Fiery Trap That Killed Driver

Despite many concerns that the Cybertruck would struggle to keep up Tesla’s excellent crash-test rating, it just sailed through IIHS crash testing with flying colors. At the same time, there’s room to improve in terms of headlights and seat belt reminders.

Solid Crash-Test Credentials

Overall, the IIHS gave the Cybertruck a ‘Good’ rating in the updated moderate overlap front test. The rating applies to examples built after April of 2025, when Tesla updated the front underbody structure. The driver dummy showed low risk of injury to the head, chest, and legs. The rear passenger experienced only a moderate risk of chest injury. These results fall in line with the five-star crash-test rating that the NHTSA gave the Cybertruck.

The Cybertruck also aced collision avoidance tests, where it avoided every collision. That includes at 12 and 25 mph during the day and night. It also includes nighttime testing at 25 mph and 37 mph, where the potential obstacle is traveling in parallel with the Cybertruck. Those are great results considering how much concern there was in the past over the way this car might interact with pedestrians.

Lighting Holds It Back

The biggest thing holding the Cybertruck back from a Top Safety Pick award is its headlights. The IIHS says that “systems that create excessive levels of glare on specific road sections do not receive full credit for visibility readings in that scenario.”

Sure enough, the Cybertruck’s lights did create that glare, and they struggled in other areas too. Illumination was found lacking on the left side of the road and when turning left, leaving gaps in coverage. By contrast, the right side met almost every benchmark comfortably, creating an uneven performance overall.

More: Cybertruck Crushes Safety Tests With 5-Star Rating

That all said, this is just one more good mark for EVs when it comes to safety. The Rivian R1T scores even higher than the Cybertruck and earned an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award in 2024. Last year, it was still a Top Safety Pick as standards became tougher. The only ICE truck to meet that type of score is the Toyota Tundra. If the Cybertruck wants an award, it’ll need to improve its headlight situation, and the IIHS will need to submit it to small overlap and side crash tests. 

Six More EVs Tested

The Cybertruck was not alone in facing the spotlight in this latest round of IIHS safety tests. Six other electric models went through the same moderate overlap front crash test, and most came out well. The BMW i4, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Volkswagen ID.Buzz all earned good ratings, while the Tesla Model 3 was marked ‘acceptable’ due to higher chest-injury risk for rear passengers.

The F-150 Lightning and Ariya fell behind, with the Ford truck posting a poor score after rear dummy readings revealed risks of chest, head and neck injuries, and the Nissan EV receiving a marginal rating for elevated chest injury risk in the back seat.

Beyond crash protection, pedestrian crash prevention and headlight performance played a significant role in the results. The i4, F-150 Lightning, and Model 3 all earned good marks for pedestrian avoidance, with the ID.Buzz rated acceptable and the Blazer holding the same score from earlier testing.

Headlights Prove the Weak Spot Again

Headlights, however, proved to be a universal weak spot. Five of the seven electric models settled at acceptable, while the i4 and Cybertruck were marked down further for glare and poor high-beam illumination. Because of these issues, and the stricter award requirements, none of the seven EVs tested here qualified this time around for a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+.

Credit: IIHS

Tesla has fought, and consistently won, court battles over its semi-autonomous Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (Supervised). That record changed recently when a Florida jury decided that the EV maker was partially to blame for a crash that ended in a fatality. Now, Elon Musk’s company is pushing for a new trial, arguing the verdict could stifle development of safety technologies.

A Fatal Florida Crash

The case stems from the death of 22-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon, who was killed in 2019 when a 2019 Model S slammed into a parked Chevrolet Tahoe in Miami-Dade county. Her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo, suffered serious injuries.

More: Over 10,000 Owners Sue Tesla Over This Widespread Complaint

The driver, George McGee, admitted he dropped his phone, took his eyes off the road, and believed the car would brake on its own. At the same time, he conceded that he was negligent and placed too much trust in the car.

Jury Finds Tesla Partly Liable

Despite that, a jury found Tesla 33 percent liable, awarding $42.5 million in compensatory damages and a staggering $200 million in punitive damages. Jurors were reportedly swayed by the plaintiffs’ argument that Tesla overstated the capabilities of Autopilot, even as the company repeatedly warned drivers to stay alert and keep their hands on the wheel. According to CarComplaints, Tesla admits that the whole thing was a tragedy but says it was entirely the fault of McGee’s “extraordinary recklessness.”

Tesla Pushes Back

In its filing, the company said “No other car in existence would have stopped when the driver was telling it to ‘go.’” Tesla argued that McGee was “reckless in the extreme by ignoring or overriding every safety feature in his car,” including by pressing the accelerator pedal, which overrides the system’s cruise control and braking functions. There’s no question that this is a sticky situation, but Tesla makes a few interesting points.

“For as long as there have been cars, there have been reckless, self-absorbed drivers like McGee,” Tesla said. “Those drivers should face every legal consequence for their wrongful conduct. Holding Tesla liable for providing drivers with advanced safety features just because a reckless driver overrode them cannot be reconciled with Florida law. That rule would impede the development of safety features, deter progress, and cost lives both now and in the long run.”

The Bigger Question

Ultimately, all of this seems to stem from the nomenclature and advertising of Autopilot. Were it called something else and marketed differently, it would seem more difficult to blame Tesla at all. The automaker is asking the judge to either order a new trial or reduce the damages, a move that will weigh driver responsibility against driver-assistance technology. The outcome could make a huge impact in the future of automakers and their relationship with autonomy.