G. David Felt

Ionic 5 has a far superior interior over a Tesla Model 3 imho

I have noticed far more new EVgo, ChargePoint and Electrify America 150 and 350 kW chargers being installed or upgraded around the Washington state area which have been very reliable for me so far and charge much faster than Tesla Supercharger stations. 400V versus 800V charging is amazing. I also saw that only 20% of Ford EV buyers are using Tesla Supercharger stations in comparison to other brands. So I think the Tesla station might be a bit over sold as the best thing. I will say, I am happy with the NACS charge port / cable as it is much smaller, about on par with a home Level 2 CCS charger. Seems Ford has delivered 140,000 free adapters to their N.A. customers to date. https://driveteslacanada.ca/news/ford-delivers-140000-free-nacs-adapters-to-ev-owners/ Yet only 20% are using it. https://www.pcmag.com/news/despite-tesla-supercharger-access-ford-drivers-only-use-them-20-of-the

Interesting, seems Hyundai is hitting it to ensure they take leadership in EV sales by expanding the charging credit or a free ChargePoint Level 2 charger for home use. Hyundai Expands Complimentary ChargePoint® Home Charger or $400 Charging Credit Offer to Even More IONIQ Models - Hyundai Newsroom

I have to question just how fast Toyota can really catch up with the rest of the EV market as the Chinese and Koreans seem to now be leading the industry for 800V EVs versus 400V Tesla and others. Hyundai And Kia Patent Structural Battery

Many Bull Investment houses have started this week off with now saying they expect Tesla Stock to drop as low as 100 to 120 per share and they are expecting 20 to 25% reduction in sales for the quarter over last year. Example: JPMorgan Issues Scathing Tesla Delivery Prediction Amid Elon Musk’s Polarization With so much other competition in the EV space and better built with better electronics, such as an 800V system over a 400V system, Tesla is a Dated dog. Tesla WAS the leader, they are now just also ran and could drop even lower due to the CEO/Chairman.

Big question is what version of Supercharging will Tesla put in here as they seem to be bloody slow at rolling out V4 chargers to compete with EVgo, Chargepoint, Electrify America, etc. Tesla strikes sweeping deal to install Supercharger stations outside of popular fast food chain

Very cool Tech, Breakthrough that could help reduce cost of electric motors as no RARE EARTH metals are needed to create magnets now. A novel two-step grain boundary diffusion process using TaF5 and Pr70Cu15Al10Ga5 for realizing high-coercivity in Nd-Fe-B-sintered magnets without use of heavy rare-earth - ScienceDirect

Yes, Quality will always be subjective into what one considers a true recall. There has actually been a total of 9 recalls for my EV9. 5 were physical recalls and the other were software based. 2 of the software-based recalls affected features that you have to pay a monthly subscription for which I do not need as I just do not see any need for self-parking, self-parallel parking. The physical recalls do not affect my EV9 at all. The rear motor welding is a 2025 issue, I have a 2024 issue. This is a true American Made quality issue as the American Supplier did not follow spec. The fasteners did not affect mine, I had all my second and third row bolts installed and torqued properly. The ceiling panel issue was again those that were part of the early build at the U.S. plant that had missing glue and security clips. The very first recall for the gear unit for the 2024 Niro and EV9 were the first few hundred made and did not affect mine as such it was never part of the recall. So one could say I am nitpicking since not all the recalls were sent to me or affected me. Software is software and will constantly be improved and updated OTA. Toyota talks the talk of reliable quality. Part of this is true when you have a featureless vehicle with many manual parts. Old style, reliable, my neighbor has his 2001 Toyota pickup and talks about how reliable all the time it is. I always point out, manual windows, manual locks, manual transmission, no AC, No Radio, it is as bare bones as it comes, so as a basic 2wd truck it should be reliable for the 100 plus years they have had to improve it to be reliable. Looking at Toyota and electronics, their reliable rating has not been that great and of course as we all know they have had their fair share of frame issues, no different than other auto companies and especially in heavy salted road states, the autos wear out much faster. Toyota says these are reliable and best quality so we will see considering they are also band new first serious endeavors to the EV market.

I am sure to the Toyota Faithful they are worth it, but to the rest, I wonder too. Weird looking autos imho.

Reminds me of the Eagle lineup of autos. Toyota repeating what has already been done in the past by American auto companies.

See my responses inline with your questions above. This is all from their official press release, so I find it interesting that Toyota tends to say things that others also say about their own product lines when we the end users tend to know better. I know there have been folks on this forum that have stated Toyota is a quality-built product even though the recalls have been crazy high in the last decade.

Toyota corporation is made up of two divisions for the most part, Toyota, their mainstream brand and Lexus their luxury arm. While very late to the EV party, Toyota Motor Corporation has had the deep funding pockets to catch up. Did they succeed? Toyota has started with a Blitzkrieg in Europe first for 2025 before they will be rolled out to the rest of the world. Lexus, the luxury arm of Toyota had their World Premiere of the New "RZ" EV with an amazing strike at Tesla in offering Toyota Quality and build. RZ points of interest: Continuously pursuing the 'The Natural' driving concept to further refine the Lexus Driving Signature Optimizing the battery EV system to achieve a 20% increase in driving range and shorter charging times Expanding the lineup with the high-output motor-equipped RZ 550e F SPORT Accelerating the 'Dialogue between Driver and Vehicle' with the adoption of a Steer-by-Wire System for a new driving experience Introducing Interactive Manual Drive, a feature enabling manual-like control of drive force for an engaging driving experience Lexus has stated that electrified vehicles make up 52% of their global sales and as such they will continue a full on press of BEV, HEV, and PHEV options as Toyota drives towards carbon-neutral society. The 2025 RZ is a fully redesigned BEV system, that delivers increased horsepower, extended driving range and reduced charging time. The 2025 RZ is also the introduction of the steer by wire system tied to a refined DIRECT4 all-wheel-drive system that Lexus believes delivers class leading experience. RZ will continue with their feature packed RZ 350e, 500e EV and add a RZ550e performance F Sport model. The all new RZ lineup will have exclusive color options, exclusive aerodynamic wheels that enhance performance along with luxury interior exclusive choices. Main Features of the New RZ Fully redesigned the BEV System, thoroughly pursuing fundamental performance. Improved dynamic performance through higher output, while offering more options tailored to customer needs. Extended driving range, prioritizing practical usability for customers. Shortened charging time through an optimized charging system. Deepening the Lexus Driving Signature and delivering a new driving experience. Enhanced dynamic performance through refinements to the dedicated BEV platform and vehicle fundamentals. Incorporating Lexus' first-ever Steer-by-Wire System. Enhanced DIRECT4 all-wheel-drive system to deliver a driving response that faithfully reflects the driver's intent. New Interactive Manual Drive, providing a more engaging and enjoyable driving experience. Exceptional quietness unique to Lexus BEVs, achieved through source-level noise and vibration suppression F SPORT exclusive design for a more engaging driving experience. Aerodynamics focused F SPORT exclusive exterior design. A clean, open cabin space designed to meet customer preferences. F SPORT-specific interior, featuring a exclusive steering wheel and sporty design elements. The entry level RZ350e is a FWD EV that will weight from 4,398 lbs to 4,520 lbs depending on option packages. Wheel size - 18/20 inch options Cruising Range - 357 miles estimate Electrical consumption is estimated at 144 Wh/km Performance 223 HP / 198 lb-ft of torque limited to 221 HP total output. 0 to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds The mid level RZ500e AWD will weight from 4,630 lbs to 4,751 lbs depending on option packages. Wheel size - 18/20 inch options Cruising Range - 310 miles estimate Electrical consumption is estimated at 166 Wh/km Performance is front and rear motor 223 HP each for a total of 446 HP / 396 lb-ft of torque. Limited to 375 HP total output. 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds The top level RZ550e F Sport AWD will weight from 4,707 lbs to 4,806 lbs depending on option packages. Wheel size - 20 inch only Cruising Range - 279 miles estimate Electrical consumption is estimated at 184 Wh/km Performance is front and rear motor 223 HP each for a total of 446 HP / 396 lb-ft of torque. Limited to 402 HP total output. 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds. The RZ comes with a 77kWh battery pack based on Rapid charging port of CCS/NACS depending on market. The battery pack is a liquid cooled / heated battery pack to optimize range and charging speed. Charging speed at home will be handled by a 22kW controller for optimized charging. With a steer by wire system, Toyota has optimized the steering wheel to allow minimal input to maximize the driving enjoyment. This is just one of many improvements Lexus has incorporated into their autos for comfort in Daily driving. Space is the final frontier and yet in this case it is giving plenty of room forward and back for the occupants to spread out and enjoy the drive. Better yet is the availability of various two-tone interior choices. The 350e version will come with a standard steering wheel thus allowing those that might not be ready for a steer by wire with yoke steering wheel to still get an RZ Images Now that we have covered the Lexus RZ, let's take a look at what Toyota has revealed for the global market. Again, Europe will be the starting point with the all-new Toyota C-HR+ and bZ4X. Toyota C-HR+ The C-HR+ will come with the following specifications: Performance choices FWD 164 hp or 221 and AWD 337 HP Range based on the above HP - 282 miles FWD, 372 Miles, and AWD 326 miles. 0 to 60 mph is 8.6 seconds for entry level, 7.4 seconds for mid-level and 5.2 seconds for AWD. Base entry has a 57-kWh battery pack, top level FWD and AWD will have a 77-kwh battery pack. Toyota bZ4X The bZ4X will come with the following specifications: FWD 164 hp or 221 and AWD 337 HP Range based on the above HP - 276 miles FWD, 356 Miles, and AWD 323 miles. 0 to 60 mph is 8.6 seconds for entry level, 7.4 seconds for mid-level and 5.1 seconds for AWD. Base entry has a 57-kWh battery pack, top level FWD and AWD will have a 73-kwh battery pack. The interior is something of a branding badge job that will be interesting to see if customers like it or not Toyota C-HR+ Interior Toyota bZ4X interior Toyota will be releasing more details about all their EVs as they get closer to the launch date for the European market. Toyota Images So the question based on what you see here, did Toyota do enough to succeed against the Chinese, Europeans and Americans? View full article

@ccap41 Thank you for bringing up a good point, I to wonder what the length of the Mini hood is. Went here as it has all the dimensions, but sadly no hood length. MINI Cooper Dimensions (2002 - 2025): Your Go-To Guide I cannot seem to find exact dimensions, but on the various replacement mini auto parts sites, they say depending on model, 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 feet is the hood. Then if this is pushed to the front the way it looks, it very well could have a 5ft bed as their website states. I would have to think this is the small space behind the back seats and the hood space.

OUCH Food prices suck Here’s the inflation breakdown for February 2025 — in one chart

WOW, such a bland interior for a supposedly premium trim. 🤢

Thank you for that reply of info. With the hiring of Dale Beever, I bet he will end up taking this and then applying the required Federal safety bits, so we will see how much it changes then.

Yup, my company has flown me on just about everyone over the last couple decades and for the most part Alaska Airlines for U.S. travel and then Asiana, Korean Air, JAL are my favorites for the Asian rim, Lufthansa for European flights.

Never flew Southwest as it was just a meh airline, very dirty to boot imho. Plus, not into cattle pen line up to get a seat.

Seems the Board of Nissan would rather be a division under Honda than Chinese owned and controlled by FoxConn. Nissan CEO is out. Nissan appoints new leadership: CEO and senior management changes announced

TELO is sure getting more press. Telo Clears Big Hurdle for Its Small Electric Pickup Truck TELO has confirmed since opening up reservations, they have over 5,000 in the last few days.

This was the newest listing I could find and does not seem to require that the front of the wheels be covered. Microsoft Word - 7176_QuickReferenceGuidetoFMVSS_02-24-11_v2.docx NHTSA Statutes, Regulations, Authorities & FMVSS | NHTSA

Days of cheap autos are over I fear due to incompetent leadership. I think the new era will see all types of autos be in the 35 to 45K range. I do think these are a bit expensive for a subcompact auto, but then if they have all the safety features, they talk about then there is the cost there that would help to justify cost. @Drew Dowdell do you know if the NHTSA requires covers on those front wheels? I seem to see plenty of Jeeps Wranglers that really do not have covers there, so while I found conflicting info from a state standpoint, I have not been able to find any requirements for wheel coverings on the front wheels.

TELO started in 2023 with a dream, design and build a modern EV truck from the ground up that incorporates electrification and 21st century technology. TELO states that they would build a modern EV truck that had Toyota Tacoma capabilities, Tesla-like range and efficiency, in a footprint of a Mini Cooper. June 13th, 2024, Tela announced a partnership with Aria Group, a leading manufacture to build their first fully functional EV truck called the TELO MT1. TELO Trucks TELO is the brain child of 3 influential men, Founder CEO Jason Marks to the left in the photo, Founder CTO Forrest North center, and Founder CCO Yves Behar right in the photo. A little history to understand the men: Jason Marks - Jason led the Autonomous Vehicles and Driver Assistance Systems test programs at National Instruments (NI), where he was a Chief Business Development Manager. He developed the test systems for five major U.S. automakers' Autonomy and ADAS test systems for their 2024 model year vehicles. He's an experienced Sales, Marketing, and R&D leader with patents in LiDAR. Forrest North - Forrest was on the early Tesla team where he developed the battery pack on the Roadster that's on its way to Mars. He founded Mission Motors, one of the first electric motorcycle companies that broke the land speed record for an electric motorcycle. He founded and sold Plugshare, which was the #1 app for finding charging stations. He's an experienced entrepreneur with over 15 patents in electric vehicle batteries and charging. Yves Behar - Yves founded Fuseproject in 1999, an award-winning, international multidisciplinary design studio. As CEO and Creative Lead, Béhar works with brands like Herman Miller, Samsung, L'Oreal, Puma, SodaStream and Prada and has also co-founded start-ups including August Home, Canopy Space and FORME Life. Béhar's works are included in permanent museum collections worldwide, and he speaks frequently on topics including design, technology and sustainability. In September 2024, TELO hired Automotive Design Luminary Dale Beever as Director of design technical operations. Dale was formerly the President of ICG Inc., Beever has been the creative force behind some of the most iconic vehicles on the road today. He served as the design engineering lead for award-winning efforts in both automotive and aerospace, including Ford Motor Co.’s 50th Anniversary edition Mustang, the Lincoln Continental Concept, the Airstream Nest RV, and the Icon A5 by ICON Aircraft. Beever’s expertise in digital modeling, design engineering, and industrial design—combined with his deep understanding of advanced 3D technologies—enables him to evolve the look and feel of iconic machines while staying true to classic vehicular design. With a top notch assembly of automotive folks to lead the company, TELA built their first simple roll cage version to test their RWD/AWD powertrain. TELO has since expedited to building their minicooper sized five passenger, four door EV pickup with a bed equal to that which comes on a Toyota Tacoma. The TELO MT1 is 152 inches in length, 73 inches wide and 66 inches in height. Compared to a Toyota Tacoma truck that is 212.3 inches long, 75 inches wide, and 71 inches in height. TELO MT1 also drives home their efficient packaging design by comparing it to a Ford eTransit Connect van that has an overall length of 176 inches, 75 inches wide, and 72 inches in height. TELO motto is "Designed to do more with less" had been a driving goal that has delivered on it in more ways than one. Taking a page from Chevrolet Avalanche, the MT1 comes with a mid-partition or what Chevrolet called a mid-gate. This allows the 60-inch bed to expand to carry a full 4-by8-foot plywood sheet of wood. Yet TELO also allows this to give configuration change that can accommodate up to eight passengers. 2WD will have a 2,000lb payload capacity versus 4WD will have a 1,700lb payload capacity. This all while delivering a 0-60 mph time of 4 seconds, up to 350-mile range and up to 500hp depending on powertrain configuration. The RWD has 300hp and AWD has 500hp. Battery choice is standard with 260 miles of range or long range with 350 miles of range. Wheel size is 215/65 R 16 in a General Grabber A/T tire for ultimate in traction of your lifestyle choice from mountains to beach. TELO MT1 is an innovative approach to modern lifestyle living that allows one to haul just about anything or anyone. From a truck standpoint you have a secure tonneau cover to protect ones belongings, be it work tools during the week to weekend essentials on the go. TELO has picked up some of the best ideas across the auto industry to incorporate it into one of most versatile pickup trucks. The TELO storage tunnel takes what Rivian has done one step farther as mentioned earlier when stated that the midgate could be folded down to be converted into hauling 8 passengers. The storage tunnel becomes the footwell for a third row of seats, converting your truck into an SUV. TELO has taken the motto of "Nothing in Excess" in their approach to the interior. Blending clean, understated patterns with natural fabrics and recycled materials in a TELO approach to minimal, but functional comfort and utility. Official interior images have not been shown yet in their test mules, but their press release images are as follows for digital design. Safety is a key part of the TELO company philosopy. As such, TELO will be incorporating the latest safety technology from sensors to predict and classify collisions before they happen to airbags, and structural technology to make the auto safer for everyone on the road. TELO has stated the "Range to Roam" is key, the long range battery is a 106 kWh battery pack with a 20 minute to 80% fast-charge within the footpring of this subcompact EV. Being classified as a Subcompact, means the ease of city parking is that much easier while having the interior space of your average midsize vehicle. With the pricing of current on market EVs, many would wonder how expensive will the TELO MT1 truck be and what is a reservation fee? TELO MT1 Pre-Order One can reserve their TELO MT1 with a $152 deposit which gets you a promised base price before configuration of $41,520 2WD 260 mile range 300 hp truck base truck. The same deposit fee if you choose the 500hp / 4WD with standard 260 mile battery at $46,019. One can also choose to pay an additional $3,980 for the long range 350 mile battery pack which makes the prices $45,500 in 2WD or $49,999 in 4WD. Currently TELO offers eight color choices. Blizzard White Ocean Blue Dark Emerald Sand Dune Sunset Orange Cool Steel Night Shadow Sable Bronze At this time, no official start of manufacturing has been announced. Will update once I hear back from TELO on estimated manufacturing of the MT1 truck. View full article