NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation launched the probe in July 2021 to investigate more than 300 consumer complaints alleging one or both of the sliding doors on those vehicles could not be opened either by using the mechanical handle or electronic remote switches or controls.
GM said on Tuesday it lost $500 million on Cruise during the second quarter — more than $5 million a day.
The groups released a set of updated and expanded terms for driver-assist features that they say will reduce driver confusion as the technologies become more common.
Sono Motors has debuted the production design of its Sion, a battery-electric crossover that uses solar cells to generate electricity and extend range.
The Munich-based startup, which trades on the Nasdaq under SEV, pitches the Sion as “the world’s first affordable solar electric vehicle.”
At a Munich event Monday, Sono also unveiled a solar kit for diesel buses that transit services can use to supply power to subsystems such as HVAC and reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
But in the Sion, solar will help refill the batteries that power propulsion. The vehicle features 456 solar half-cells that generate enough energy to add about 70 to 150 miles per week to the range, depending on weather and driving conditions. It’s enough solar power to “enable self-sufficiency on short journeys,” the company said. The Sion’s 54-kilowatt-hour lithium iron phosphate battery has an estimated range of 189 miles.
Selling point of solar
Supplementing the vehicle with solar-generated power provides up to four times more range than found on autos with the same battery size, said Laurin Hahn, co-founder and CEO of Sono Motors.
The largest of the five safety probes covers an estimated 1.3 million Jeep Cherokees from the 2014-20 model years.