2004 Chrysler Pt Cruiser Limited on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Recharge Wrap-up: Storm Pulse EV touring motorcycle, Elio COO launches YoYo car subscription service

The Eindhoven University of Technology in The Netherlands has created the Storm Pulse electric touring motorcycle. Its 28.5-kWh modular battery pack provides 236 miles of riding on a single charge. The batteries can be charged on a standard household outlet, and can be swapped out in a matter of minutes. The Storm Eindhoven team is raising money to take the prototype bike on a world tour this summer, covering 40,000 kilometers (24,855 miles) in 80 days, not just to show off the Pulse, but also to demonstrate the feasibility of electric mobility. Check it out in the video above, and read more at Technologic Vehicles. Chile is generating so much solar power that it is giving it away for free. Thanks to its well-developed solar infrastructure – which includes 29 solar farms with 15 more in the works – feeding its central grid (as well as problems distributing it to other parts of the country), the surplus means energy prices have dropped to zero in certain locales for well over a hundred days of the year. Chile is now trying to improve its transmission networks, though lack of revenue could slow future investment in solar power. Read more at Green Car Reports. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is reportedly talking to Uber Technologies about a possible partnership regarding driverless cars. Anonymous sources close to the matter have said that a venture could be announced by the end of 2016. Uber is also in talks with other automakers, according to one source. Having access to Uber's massive fleet of vehicles around the world provides large opportunities for gathering data and improving systems. Sources say Fiat has also been in contact with Amazon about autonomous delivery vehicles. Read more at Automotive News Europe. Former Elio Motors COO Hari Iyer is launching the YoYo car subscription service as its CEO. YoYo will offer cars on-demand with a concierge service, using a pay-per-mile model. Iyer will maintain a relationship with Elio as a member of its Board of Directors, and as a strategic advisor to CEO Paul Elio. "I am proud of our team's accomplishments [at Elio] and the progress we've made to date and will look on with pride when I see an Elio on the road," says Iyer. He adds, "My work at YoYo is continuing our shared mission to usher in a new era of affordable access to cars." Read more in the press release below.

Chrysler recalling 278,222 trucks and SUVs over bad rear axles

Chrysler has issued a recall of 278,222 light trucks and sport utility vehicles here in the United States. The reason: bad rear axles. Specifically, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the rear axle pinion nut may lack a necessary adhesive patch, which could cause the nut to loosen. If this happens, the axle can lock up, which could cause all sorts of havoc on the road.
This is an expansion of the rear axle recall announced in October of last year, where 44,300 Ram 1500 and Dodge Dakota models were being called in. At that time, 12 accidents had been reported due to the faulty axle pinion nut.
Affected vehicles include Ram 1500 trucks from the 2009 to 2012 model years, Dodge Dakota models from the 2009 to 2011 model years, and both the Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango SUV twins, both from the 2009 model year only.

Fiat Chrysler and Renault are in advanced partnership talks

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Renault are in advanced discussions about a possible alliance, according to a report from the Financial Times citing an anonymous "person familiar with the matter." The news isn't particularly surprising, as FCA has been a constant subject of merger and alliance talks for as long as many of us can remember. We've reported on a potential tie-up between these two automakers several times, as far back as 2008 and as recently as two months ago. FCA CEO Mike Manley has mentioned the company's openness to merging with another automaker. At the Geneva Motor Show a few months back, he said, "We have a strong independent future, but if there is a partnership, a relationship or a merger which strengthens that future, I will look at that." It's no secret that FCA is much stronger in the United States than it is in Europe. For its part, Renault has basically zero presence in the United States. A partnership or potential alliance between the two could shore up each automaker's weak spots and allow the group to split investment money into new technologies, including electric vehicles and autonomy. Of course, Renault is already tied up with Nissan and Mitsubishi, but that partnership has been a little tattered since the arrest of former Nissan and Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn on charges of financial misconduct in Japan. And in addition to Renault, FCA is understood to have discussed various partnership strategies with the PSA Peugeot Citroen group. What a final agreement – if there's any agreement at all – could look like between the two global automakers remains to be seen, and the report from Financial Times cautions that many different options for FCA and Renault are currently on the table. In other words, stay tuned.