In 2003, Tesla cofounder Martin Eberhard borrowed AC Propulsion's tZero electric roadster to demonstrate its impressive acceleration to venture capitalists on Silicon Valley's Sand Hill Road and at Buck's of Woodside restaurant. Google cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page connected Eberhard with Elon Musk, who was intrigued by the tZero's performance and agreed to test drive it in January 2004, marking a pivotal moment in Tesla's founding.
Einride and Lidl deployed the first cab-less, SAE Level 4 autonomous truck on a German public road, operating between a warehouse and store under an official permit from Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority. The milestone represents a global first for autonomous logistics and addresses supply chain challenges like driver shortages.
Analysis of 430 real trips comparing Tesla driving versus flying shows driving wins 64% of the time overall, but flying becomes cheaper beyond approximately 350 miles. Driving costs $0.12–$0.39 per mile depending on distance, while flying ranges from $0.34–$1.74 per mile, and electric vehicles produce 7.4 times less CO2 than planes on 427 of 430 trips analyzed.
Volkswagen's Mission Efficiency prototype electric car set three world records for efficiency, achieving a 0.158 Cd drag coefficient, consuming 6.48 kWh/100 km in controlled tests and 7.51 kWh/100 km in real-world conditions over a 1,278 km journey. The vehicle uses production-ready technology based on the MEB+ platform and ID. Polo drivetrain, with aerodynamic design being its key strength.
A data explorer tool tracking China's clean technology exports including solar PV, batteries, and electric vehicles, updated monthly with country-level breakdowns. China produced approximately 80% of global solar modules and battery cells in 2024, making its cleantech export data crucial for understanding the global energy transition.
A 2026 car buyer criticizes modern electric vehicles for problematic design choices: ubiquitous glass roofs that cause discomfort and reduce efficiency, touchscreen-only controls that distract from driving, and unreliable smartphone-based key systems. The author notes that manufacturers like Volkswagen and Hyundai have acknowledged these complaints and are reverting to physical buttons and traditional key options.
On September 10, 1897, London taxi driver George Smith became the first person in Britain—and possibly the world—to be convicted of drink-driving after his electric cab crashed into a building on New Bond Street. Smith admitted to consuming beer and was fined 20 shillings under existing legislation designed for horse-drawn carriages, years before Britain introduced driving licenses or breathalyzers.