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There are precious few things that car drivers and cyclists can agree upon when it comes to cities, but one universal concept seems to be the hatred of massive box trucks clogging up streets and bike lanes. Could this miniature version of a box truck built on a golf cart frame be the answer?

I found it while dumpster-diving through the strange vehicle heaven that this is Alibaba’s electric car catalog. And boy, oh boy, does it make a great inclusion as this week’s Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week?

Box trucks are normally mammoth things taking up way too much space, especially in crowded cities. You’ll often see them being used by delivery companies, and the fine for double parking or blocking a bike lane is too often seen as simply a cost of doing business.

But what if delivery companies swapped to something like this for densely-populated urban areas? It sounds silly, but why not?

These tiny electric vehicles often have a top speed of around 20-25 mph, which fits nicely with New York City’s blanket 25 mph speed limit. And that rear cargo box seems like it could fit a heck of a lot of Amazon packages on board.

And the best part is that the thing seems relatively cheap at just US $6,000. Of course, that’s the price in China, and you’d have to spend several thousand more on shipping, customs, port fees, taxes, etc. But if you’re lucky you could get out of this for under $10,000. Considering a new golf cart in the US often costs around $12,000, you’d be sitting pretty by saving a few dollars AND having a much more functional version that can carry more than just golf clubs.

This isn’t the first golf cart-based contraption I’ve wanted to drive around, but it’s perhaps one of the most practical ones yet.

I’m not actually going to order one of these, however. And I don’t recommend anyone else do it either. Ordering vehicles sight unseen from China’s largest shopping platform can be full of pitfalls. So do yourself a favor, and don’t risk your hard-earned cash. Let’s just hope we see some of these emblazoned with “AMAZON” across the side, making deliveries in San Francisco soon.

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Is this the interior of Tesla’s upcoming ‘Robotaxi’?

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Is this the interior of Tesla's upcoming 'Robotaxi'?

Tesla has released a new video that includes some footage of a previously unseen vehicle interior. Could it be an early concept of the interior of the Robotaxi?

For the last few years, Tesla has been working on a vehicle designed from the ground up to be a self-driving vehicles. The company has been referring to it as ‘Robotaxi’.

CEO Elon Musk insists that Tesla is still dedicated to delivering its promised self-driving capability to existing vehicles delivered since 2016 through software update, but it also decided to build a new vehicle designed entirely around the fact that it will be driverless.

Not much is known about the vehicle other than hints that it won’t have a steering wheel or pedals, and that it will be “Cybertruck-like” in terms of design.

Now, Tesla has released a new video, which Musk wanted to make clear he wasn’t involved in, to try to encourage shareholders to vote for his $55 billion compensation package and moving the company’s state of incorporation to Texas:

In the video, many pointed out a shot of the interior of a vehicle that doesn’t match anything Tesla has released to date:

The image shows what appears to be a two-seater vehicle without steering wheel and a center display similar to what is found in current Tesla vehicles.

The seats are unlike what you would find in modern vehicles and something closer to what you would find in public transit, like a train:

Tesla plans to unveil its ‘Robotaxi’ on August 8th. The automaker has recently accelerated its timeline for the vehicle and plans to bring it to market as soon as next year.

Do you think this is an early concept for the Tesla Robotaxi interior? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Mercedes-Benz just opened more DC fast chargers at Buc-ee’s in Texas

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Mercedes-Benz just opened more DC fast chargers at Buc-ee’s in Texas

Mercedes-Benz High-Power Charging just opened more DC fast chargers at Buc-ee’s stores in the Dallas-Forth Worth area.

Three new Mercedes DC fast charging stations are at Buc-ee’s in Fort Worth, Temple, and Royse City. Mercedes asserts that every one of its chargers offers up to 400 kW of power.

It’s also adding 12 more charging stations at Buc-ee’s in the Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Houston metro areas – also known as the Texas Triangle, home to 68% of Texans:

Buc-ee’s isn’t your typical convenience store – they’re huge, with some stores covering over 50,000 square feet, and they offer a wide variety of items, including snacks, beverages, fresh food, clothing, home decor, and Texas-themed merchandise. It’s known for its homemade fudge, jerky, and beaver nuggets (caramel-coated corn puffs). Most Buc-ee’s locations are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In November 2023, Mercedes announced it had made an agreement with Buc-ee’s to build EV charging hubs at most of its existing stores. Mercedes is aiming to have around 30 online by the end of the year. There are currently 48 Buc-ee’s locations across the US South, 34 of which are in Texas.

When I spoke to Mercedes-Benz High Power Charging CEO Andrew Cornelia last year, he was passionate about the importance of placing EV chargers near amenities that travelers need.

Mercedes offers open access for all EV drivers, including roaming with other charging networks. Its charging hubs support contactless payments with credit cards or smartphone wallets.

The first Mercedes DC fast charging station came online last November at its headquarters in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Mercedes-Benz plans to deploy 2,500 high-powered chargers in 400 hubs by 2027.

Texas is the US’s No. 1 producer of clean energy and ranks fourth in public EV charging. However, to meet driver demand, the state needs around 95,000 more public chargers by 2027.

Read more: America, Mercedes-Benz wants you to indulge in retail therapy while you’re DC fast charging


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Polestar (PSNY) stock faces potential Nasdaq de-listing after failing to file its annual report

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Polestar (PSNY) stock faces potential Nasdaq de-listing after failing to file its annual report

Another EV stock may be removed from the Nasdaq exchange. After failing to file its annual report, Polestar (PSNY) received a notice from the Nasdaq as the company faces a possible de-listing.

Polestar, Volvo’s former high-performance unit, was established as an EV brand in 2017 under Geely’s control.

Since launching the Polestar 2, its first all-electric vehicle, the brand has expanded into 27 markets globally. The electric car has even become a top seller in several key markets like Norway, Sweden, and Germany.

However, like many EV startups, Polestar has hit its fair share of hurdles. After cutting guidance late last year (from 80K to 60K), Polestar still missed its target, delivering 54,600 vehicles last year.

In February, Volvo announced plans to sell 62.7% of its stake in Polestar as it looks toward its next growth stage. Volvo also confirmed it will “not provide further funding to Polestar” outside of its existing $1 billion outstanding convertible loan.

The news came after Polestar announced plans to cut 15% of its global workforce amid slowing EV sales earlier this year.

Polestar-de-listing
2024 Polestar 2 (Source: Polestar)

Polestar stock facing potential Nasdaq de-listing

After failing to file its annual report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, Polestar received a deficiency notice from the Nasdaq.

The notice states Polestar is not in compliance with its listing rules, which require the timely filing of periodic financial reports.

Polestar-4-price
Polestar 4 (Source: Polestar)

Polestar said the notice has no immediate impact on the company’s listing. However, under the Nasdaq listing rules, Polestar has 60 days to submit an action plan. If Nasdaq accepts it, Polestar could be issued an additional 180 days from the notice date, or until November 2024, to regain compliance.

The company has already received consent from lenders under its nearly $1 billion 3-year loan facility for the late filing. Polestar says it is fully committed to regaining compliance.

Polestar is working to file the annual report “as soon as practicable” and to report Q1 2024 earnings shortly after.

Polestar-de-listing
Polestar (PSNY) stock chart over the past 12 months (Source: TradingView)

Polestar stock was down over 13% on Monday following the potential de-listing notice. PSNY shares are now down over 50% this year, hitting their lowest prices since going public.

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