2023 Fisker Ocean on 2040-cars

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Bob Lutz named chairman at Via Motors

Bob Lutz is staying very busy. The ex-vice chairman of General Motors, and champion of the Chevrolet Volt, has been named chairman of the board at Via Motors. Lutz will need to squeeze that in between his role as senior advisor at vehicle interior designer Katzkin, being an owner at VL Automotive and perhaps as an advisor to Wanxiang and Fisker Automotive. Lutz thinks that Via's business plan of building extended range plug-ins is a smart way to go. "If we are going to see main stream adoption of electric vehicles, the technology must deliver a good return on investment to the largest segment of the auto business, namely trucks, vans and SUVs," Lutz said in a prepared statement, which you can read below. Lutz has decades of experience holding executive positions at some of the world's leading automakers and has spent the last few years working with green-focused start-ups. Lutz will replace Carl Berg, who served as chairman since Via's launch in 2009 and will continue to be the company's largest stakeholder. As Via's new chairman, we figure Lutz will continue bragging about the trucks' bells and whistles – such as its built-in solar panels that can add 10 miles of range to the battery pack if it's parked in the sun all day. ANN ARBOR, MI– VIA Motors announced today that auto legend, Bob Lutz, former vice chairman of General Motors and a board member of VIA Motors, was appointed Chairman of the Board of VIA Motors, maker of extended range electric trucks, vans & SUVs. Lutz is also known as the "father of the Chevy Volt" America's best selling electric vehicle. "VIA is fortunate to have the experience of one of the industry's foremost executives leading our board," said John Weber, VIA Motors, CEO. Mr. Lutz brings with him a passion for the evolution of the automobile, and decades of experience from his tenure in top executive positions at each of the world's leading auto companies, noted Weber. "I believe VIA is electrifying the right end of the business and is implementing a very sound business strategy," said Lutz. "If we are going to see main stream adoption of electric vehicles, the technology must deliver a good return on investment to the largest segment of the auto business, namely trucks, vans & SUVs. That's why I am so confident in VIA and I'm pleased to serve as Chairman," said Lutz. Lutz is replacing retiring chairman Carl Berg, who has served with distinction since VIA's launch in 2009.

Recharge Wrap-up: BMW tests AdBlue pumps, Drivr is a Tesla taxi service

BMW is testing AdBlue pumps in Germany. AdBlue fluid is used to remove NOx from diesel exhaust, and it is stored in its own tank within the vehicle. Filling AdBlue is easy enough for drivers to do it themselves, and with the proliferation of diesel vehicles in Europe, a pump filling system could make more sense than using the current hand-held containers. BMW is testing AdBlue pumps at three fueling stations in Munich and Berlin to help develop further AdBlue dispenser technology. Read more at Green Car Congress. Drivr Green Personal Transportation is a Tesla taxi service in Cincinnati. Two former employees of Tesla Motors founded the startup, which bills itself alongside ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft. Customers book a ride online, and are picked up by a Tesla Model S. The ride costs $2.50 per mile with a $15 minimum. Drivr currently operates three cars with seven drivers, with plans to lease another 10 Teslas and employ up to 30 drivers. The service will also be expanding to Denver soon, according to the website. Learn more at the Drivr website, or read more at Clean Technica. Ford is opening a research and development facility in Silicon Valley. The Ford Research & Innovation Center, which will be located less than three miles from Tesla Motors headquarters in Palo Alto, California, is expected to be one of the automotive industry's largest R&D facilities. "We're driving to be both a product and a mobility company, and ultimately to change the way the world moves," says Ford CEO Mark Fields. Read more at Automotive News. Law firms advising Fisker Automotive have been denied a $2.50-million fee enhancement in the car company's bankruptcy. Brown Rudnick LLP and Saul Ewing LLP were denied the extra fees, as a Delaware bankruptcy judge ruled there is "no evidence" that the firms provided anything more than what they originally expected. In denying the fee enhancement, the judge cited a "very high bar" for such awards. Read more at Law360. Featured Gallery BMW Tests AdBlue Pumps in Germany Related Gallery Tesla Factory News Source: Green Car Congress, BMW, Clean Technica, Drivr, Automotive News Green BMW Fisker Ford Tesla Transportation Alternatives Diesel Vehicles Electric recharge wrapup

Edmunds bought a Fisker Ocean, warns others not to make the same mistake

We're going to guess you were not considering buying a 2023 Fisker Ocean SUV, even at the recent deeply discounted prices. However. On the microscopically remote chance you were considering acquiring an Ocean, Edmunds suggests you reconsider. In fact, the car-buying site doesn't merely suggest, it headlines a piece on the battery-electric SUV it bought in January, "Do not buy a new Fisker Ocean; Fisker's uncertain future makes buying an Ocean too much of a gamble." What makes the Edmunds piece more interesting than information you already know or mere piling on is that the site details much of its time with the Ocean, from the sorely under-baked delivery version that they paid $69,012 for to the slightly more livable but still misfit version missing promised features and recently hammered by at least 43% in depreciation. Similar to the issues Edmunds had with its Chevrolet Blazer EV, the Ocean's dash loved to throw up warning lights and errors before the OS 2.0 software update. The key fob had separation issues, occasionally needing to touch the door handle to unlock the SUV; Edmunds didn't mention the door latch issue the NHTSA is investigating. The Ocean's audio system enjoyed giving the silent treatment, and the e-motors wouldn't hold the vehicle when stopped on a hill.   The 2.0 software apparently fixed the fob, the dash lights, and infotainment responsiveness, while adding features like data on solar panel energy and trailer sway control. But the anticipated adaptive cruise control didn't materialize, and the new brake hold feature relies on a fiddly driver's-seat sensor that can put the Ocean in Park if the driver shifts their weight in the seat.     So, you can get an Ocean in dealer inventor today for fixed pricing as low as $24,999, no matter the options. Edmunds advises: Don't. Meanwhile, the latest report is that Fisker has withdrawn its financial guidance for the year while it tries to scare up a rescue plan. Even brand-specific forum Fiskerati jumped ship — it's now a general EV-focused site called CH4RGE. The All Things Fisker forum remains, though, and its current trade-in prices thread is brief, wild reading, from dealers unwilling to take the car, to initial offers in the $20,000s to $40,000s dropping to zero, to a few posters determined to stick it out with their delivered cars.  It's not like the Ocean's alone in foibles, though. The Issues.