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Reuters: Tesla Has Ditched Its Affordable EV Efforts in Favor of Robotaxis

The Truth About Cars

Affordable EVs seem to be a nut that no automaker can crack, as every promise of a “sub-$30,000” model or similar has fallen through in favor of higher prices. CEO Elon Musk has been beating the affordable EV drum for a while, telling investors in January that the car would enter production in Texas as soon as late 2025.

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Bosch developing sensor box for air taxis using production-tested components from automotive

Green Car Congress

Bosch is working on sensor technology for air taxis. The Boston Consulting Group predicts that people around the world will take 1 billion flights in air taxis in 2030, once sharing services have also established a presence on fixed routes above the ground; most of those air taxis will be capable of operating without a pilot.

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Mercedes-Benz eVito Tourer now available with a lower capacity battery variant

Green Car Congress

For more than a year, the Mercedes-Benz eVito Tourer battery-electric van has demonstrated its suitability for daily operations—be that as a hotel shuttle vehicle, a high-capacity taxi or a vehicle for on-demand mobility concepts in public transport. The range of the eVito Tourer with a 60 kWh battery is 217-239 km (135-149 miles).

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SoCalGas adding 50 Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell EVs to fleet

Green Car Congress

The zero-emissions Toyota Mirai HFCEVs have a driving range of 400 miles and since they run on hydrogen the only by-product is water. For vehicles with longer range requirements or higher utilization needs, such as taxis, ride-share fleet, or SoCalGas’ own fleet, HFCEVs could be cost-competitive in the 2020s.

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GEM commits to invest up to $100M in Skyworks Aeronautics; commercialization of eVTOL gyroplanes

Green Car Congress

Skyworks Aeronautics will use the funds to move forward with the commercialization of its gyroplane aircraft, including the eGyro electric air taxi geared towards urban air mobility and the 400 mph VertiJet VTOL aircraft that competes directly with helicopters, but at a much higher speed, longer range and lower operating cost.

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Following the Money in the Air-Taxi Craze

Cars That Think

During rush hour, the skies over a large city, such as Dubai or Madrid or Los Angeles, would swarm with hundreds, and eventually thousands, of eVTOL “air taxis.” Costs will be similar to those of helicopter trips, which tend to be in the range of $6 to $10 per mile or more.

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SkyDrive electric helicopter could be flying above Japan in 2025

Teslarati

Japanese electric helicopter startup SkyDrive has unveiled its electric helicopter that they hope to use as an air taxi service by 2025. SkyDrive, an Osaka, Japan-based company, plans to introduce a “sky taxi” service to Osaka Bay by 2025, just in time for the World Expo being held there in 2025.

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