Connect with us

Published

on

Waymo has announced an upcoming expansion in Dallas, Texas, and a new partnership with car rental giant Avis to provide fleet maintenance.

While Tesla CEO Elon Musk makes wild claims about its robotaxi covering half of the US population by the end of the year, Waymo is slowly but surely expanding its autonomous ride-hailing service to more markets.

Tesla and Waymo had a brief back-and-forth over the last month regarding expansions of their service areas in Austin.

Now, Waymo announced that it is expanding into Dallas:

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Dallas offers a vibrant downtown and bustling metro area well suited for our 24/7 autonomous ride-hailing service. Whether catching a Mavericks’ game, hitting up the multiple arts districts, or tasting your way through the trendy culinary scene, the Waymo Driver offers a convenient, consistent way for both residents and visitors to get around town. 

The company has begun testing in the city and plans to launch customer rides in 2026.

Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert commented on the announcement:

“We are excited that fully autonomous ride-hailing services are scheduled to begin in Dallas next year. The Waymo and Avis partnership will offer an innovative, technology-based transportation option for our residents and visitors.  We look forward to the launch of this new service.”

On top of the upcoming expansion of the autonomous ride-hailing, the Dallas area will also include a new partnership with Avis to help manage the fleet:

Waymo will offer our ride-hailing service to the public through the Waymo app, and our fleet will be managed through a new strategic, multi-year partnership with Avis Budget Group, a leading global mobility solutions provider. Avis brings decades of fleet management expertise, a track record of fast, efficient execution, and a commitment to adopting cutting-edge technology, which will help us scale the Waymo Driver even faster. Avis will provide end-to-end fleet management services, including infrastructure, vehicle readiness, maintenance, and general depot operations. This is an exciting initial phase in Dallas, and we intend to expand to more cities together over time. 

Brian Choi, Chief Executive Officer of Avis Budget Group, commented on the announcement:

“Our partnership with Waymo marks a pivotal milestone in our evolution, from a rental car company to a leading provider of fleet management, infrastructure and operations to the broader mobility ecosystem. Together, we’re committed to making scaled autonomous mobility a reality for the people of Dallas, with plans to expand to additional cities in the near future.” 

Waymo serves over 250,000 paid trips and drives millions of miles every week across five cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin, Phoenix, and Atlanta.

Dallas now joins Miami and Washington, D.C. in the list of confirmed cities for Waymo’s expansions in 2026

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Report: Ferrari were SO impressed by the Xiaomi SU7, they bought one

Published

on

By

Report: Ferrari were SO impressed by the Xiaomi SU7, they bought one

With its tire-blistering acceleration and record-setting performance, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra has been getting attention throughout the auto industry, impressing everyone who’s seen it. That “everyone” now seems to include the OG supercar brand, itself.

CarNewsChina posted pictures from a Weibo user that reportedly show a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra exiting the storied Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy. According to a Chinese blogger going by 西米露在博洛尼亚 (which seems to translate to “Sago Dessert in Bologna”), the prancing horse brand is actively benchmarking the Chinese hypercar for its own upcoming EV.

The SU7 Ultra was definitely coming from inside Ferrari’s facility. After verification, we learned this specific vehicle was officially purchased by Ferrari for testing, and the development of their next-generation electric platform.

西米露在博洛尼亚

Yet another Chinese auto blogger, 苏黎世贝勒爷, claims that Ferrari representatives visited Xiaomi headquarters last year, allegedly to discuss the joint development of next-generation high-performance EV motors.

The Xiaomi SU7 Ultra made its debut last year, promising 1,548 hp, sub 2.0-second 0-60 mph times, and a top speed well over 200 mph – all at a price lower than a Tesla Model S Plaid or Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. The car sold out almost immediately after it was unveiled, racking up some 50,000 orders almost overnight.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

The new electric benchmark


Xiaomi SU7 Ultra at Fiorano; via Weibo user Piniluoshan.

In the automotive world, “benchmarking” is a process in which car companies systematically tear down each others’ competitive products to compare everything from sound insulation, vehicle ride and handling, component materials, and even manufacturing methods against their own or against other industry leaders. The goal is to evaluate performance, cost, quality, and other key metrics, effectively figuring out “where they stand” in the market.

If Ferrari really did buy an SU7 to benchmark it against their own upcoming electric supercar, it’s more than just a curiosity – it could mean that the highest tiers of automotive innovation have shifted from West to East. Maybe forever.

Featured image via Xiaomi; sources throughout the post.


If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Chevy teases new Bolt w/NACS, front fascia redesign, rear brake lights

Published

on

By

Chevy teases new Bolt w/NACS, front fascia redesign, rear brake lights

We’re finally getting our first teases of the upgraded 2027 Chevy Bolt, built on GM’s battery/motor platform formerly known as Ultium. So far, so good for the vehicle, which will be revealed later this Fall.

Chevy took to social media today to tease the 2027 Chevy Bolt, saying, “You asked, we listened. The #ChevyBolt is back and better than ever. More this fall. 👀”

Chevy ended the original Bolt program with the 2023 model, which was loved by a loyal group of customers (including myself). Some of the major gripes, including charging speed and rear brake lights, already look to be addressed. Also, a new more aggressive fascia is debuting.

Electrek’s take

GM has done an incredible job keeping the 2027 Bolt under wraps. It will be the first GM vehicle with a native NACS port after the Cadillac Optiq-V, which we spied in Seattle last week.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

Hopefully, the new Bolt will have improved charging speeds over and above the 54kW that previous Bolts adhered to. One possible downgrade is that the old Bolt’s amazing wireless CarPlay/Android Auto system will likely be replaced by GM’s move to Android’s built-in experience. For a few years, the Chevy Bolt was the most affordable long-range EV, and it won our 2022 Electrek car of the year for its versatility and price.

I would, of course, like to see the new Bolt as a hot hatchback, but GM CEO Mary Barra has hinted that it will likely take more of the EUV’s SUV form factor. Things like AWD options, SuperCruise, pricing, power and range are yet to be revealed, but stay tuned to Electrek for the latest on Bolt developments.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Tesla tops another ADAS test, Hyundai tops range tests, and Texas gets BESS

Published

on

By

Tesla tops another ADAS test, Hyundai tops range tests, and Texas gets BESS

On today’s test-acular episode of Quick Charge, it’s a new day and a new Chinese ADAS test for Tesla to conquer – but this one’s got a LOT more pedestrian carnage to parse through! We’ve also got some great e-bike deals from Retrospec and a bladder-busting Hyundai.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Retrospec – the makers of sleek, powerful e-bikes and outdoor gear built for everyday adventure! To that end, we’ve got a pair of Retrospec e-bike reviews followed up by the updated Hyundai IONIQ 6 with nearly 350 miles of range from its updated long-range battery. With that, Hyundai now has the longest range Korean EV on the market, while Texas is adding megawatts of battery energy storage to beef up its troubled grid, and it’s doing so faster and cheaper than ever before.

PlusQuick Charge listeners can get an extra 10% off the price of their next awesome e-bike by using code ELECTREK10 at retrospec.com!

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (most weeks, anyway). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.


If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Trending