TeeJay Tech Bro

  For years, automotive analysts have been predicting that electric vehicles would become cheaper than their gas-powered equivalents. They figured it would happen sometime in the latter half of the 2020s. BloombergNEF , for example, expected it to happen in 2026.  They weren’t far off. EV prices have dropped significantly in the last few years, but it has been hard to compare prices with fossil fuel vehicles because not every EV has a like-for-like gas-powered model.  BMW has given us one. The 2027 BMW 3 Series comes in both gas and electric versions, and the EV is $4,400 cheaper . The gas-powered M350 xDrive will set you back $65,900, while the electric i3 50 xDrive will cost $61,500; neither price includes destination charges. Both are similarly powerful, similarly styled, and aimed at similar pocketbooks. The difference is the EV is 6.7% cheaper.  Pedants will point out there’s a significantly cheaper gas-powered 3 Series trim, though it has no electric equivalent...

  Tesla sold more than 480,000 EVs in the third quarter, as the company continues finding ways to move new cars despite its troubles in the U.S. market. It was the second strong quarter in a row for Tesla after a somewhat rough start to the year. The sales figure easily beat out consensus estimates from Wall Street and topped even the most optimistic view for the company, which made its 10 millionth vehicle earlier this year . The company said Friday morning that it built 464,391 vehicles in the quarter and delivered more than 486,532. That’s an increase of roughly 6,000 vehicle deliveries compared to the second quarter . But sales were still down from the same period last year, when Tesla delivered 497,000 vehicles. That quarter — Tesla’s best ever — was helped by a rush of U.S. buyers who were looking to take advantage of an expiring federal tax credit. Before Friday’s numbers were released, Tesla’s sales were down nearly 20% year-over-year in the U.S. market, according to Co...

  Rivian has issued a recall for its R2 SUV after the company discovered that fasteners on its high-voltage battery pack might not be properly tightened, which can cause a loss of power while driving. The company says only around 14 vehicles may have been affected, and that it will repair or replace damaged components on customer vehicles as needed. Rivian told TechCrunch that all of the affected vehicles are at service centers “being inspected to properly torque the fastener or replace damaged components at no cost to customers.” This is the second recall Rivian has issued for the R2, which started shipping to customers this year. It’s an all-important vehicle for the company, as it’s the first Rivian EV meant for a mass market and is supposed to help it reach profitability for the first time. The first R2 recall, issued last month, had to do with the visibility of the backup camera and was addressed with a software update . In a filing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Admini...

  Rivian sold more electric vehicles than ever in the third quarter, thanks in large part to the launch of its new, more affordable R2 SUV. The company said Friday morning that it built 19,751 vehicles and delivered 19,248. That’s roughly 45% more than it delivered in the same period last year. n October 29. Rivian has big plans for the R2, which currently starts at just under $60,000. The company is betting that it will sell between 20,000 to 25,000 R2 vehicles by the end of the year, which would make it one of the fastest-selling EVs in U.S. history — second only to Tesla’s Model Y . Rivian also plans to make cheaper models available that will cost as low as around $45,000. If Rivian hits those numbers, the company believes it can sell between 65,000 and 70,000 vehicles this year, including its R1 lineup of vehicles and its commercial electric van. That would be its best sales year ever, as the company has spent the last few years stuck at around the 50,000-vehicles-sold mark. R...