Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Wondering what happens next to ID. 4? Happy to already run a FIRST DRIVE of the VW ID. Tiguan, but bummed that U.S. assembly at serious volume isn't the plan this time around. www.wardsauto.com/news/first-d...wardsauto.comFirst drive: Volkswagen ID. Tiguan EV will be more than a new nameTime inside the ID.4’s replacement shows revised styling, an upgraded MEB+ platform and a redesigned interior as the automaker moves the look and feel of its electric lineup closer to mainstream. 171
Reposted by Bengt HalvorsonBengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 28/09/2026What I noticed this weekend was that diesel is now solidly over $7 a gallon here in the PNW -- and according to AAA it's well above $8 a gallon now in California. Rolling coal may be legal, but you have to pay up for it in a different way. 031
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 28/09/2026What I noticed this weekend was that diesel is now solidly over $7 a gallon here in the PNW -- and according to AAA it's well above $8 a gallon now in California. Rolling coal may be legal, but you have to pay up for it in a different way. 031
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 28/09/2026This appears to be the form of my much-touted regulatory relief. Oh that's not what you voted for? You missed the fine print that said "lower regulatory fees by being able to pass more of them along to customers." 000
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 13/09/2026Earlier this evening something rare and distinctive in the rearview… 110
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 05/09/2026Happy to see a throwback from @martinpadgett.bsky.social -- Land Rovers, Belize, 1994, in my feed this Saturday afternoon. Although LR was one of the earliest partners of "Tread Lightly!" Stewardship and, well... www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a735...caranddriver.comThe 1994 Land Rover Discovery Doesn’t Need RoadsGood thing, because there aren’t many in the Belizean rainforest, where we drove Land Rover’s new Discovery. 110
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 20/08/2026The longer I chew on this, the less sympathy for those the most worked up about this. Poor parasites realizing that all their money spent gaming SEO suddenly isn't working. www.wsj.com/cmo-today/br... Reddit has survived a lot. Now I'm wondering how the GEO people are going to wreck it.wsj.comBrands Suddenly Care About Reddit. Redditors Don’t Return the Feeling.Reddit has moved from marketers’ periphery to the core as they try to influence large language models and consumer choices. 020
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Ionna-tops-Tesla fast-charging headline aside, satisfaction with public destination charging (yes the slower L2 kind) is way down. Why? Because more people have to pay for it now. Based on JD Power's EVX sample set, 60% got it in 2023 but just 34% in 2026. www.wardsauto.com/news/ionna-t...wardsauto.comIonna tops Tesla Supercharger network in EV charging studyThe network founded by eight legacy automakers is topping Tesla in satisfaction — and there are some very noteworthy reasons why. 120
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 04/08/2026Nope! And simple reason: A great many of those simply can’t deliver the voltage… Topped off at ~480V I believe. 011
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 04/08/2026Catching up with one of the most eye-catching new SUVs of the year — the Kia Telluride. So spacious, so comfortable. Wasn’t sure I’d warm up to the base turbo 4 here, but it’s smooth and I averaged 24 mpg over 300+ miles. About +15% vs the prev V-6. But hold out for the hybrid, right? 020
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 20/07/2026Is Hawthorne Game Exchange still going for that (formerly CD Game Exchange)? I've only set foot once in there since the Covid-era rename and noted the new owners are less into the media side. Hoping that's changed... 001
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 17/07/2026It's a slow news week, but the Prologue EV was always only supposed to be a three-model-year vehicle. Honda even said so back at the launch. Insight on what the economics looked like for Honda on this deal, whether GM said no to a renewal post 0 Series? Now THAT is the story. Wanna be my source? 010
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 03/06/2026Critical for the top-selling F-150 and other go-light U.S.-made vehicles that use aluminum -- but finally ramping back up! www.wardsauto.com/news/novelis...wardsauto.comNovelis aluminum plant to resume operations following fire damageThe company has started commissioning the Oswego, New York, plant and expects to ramp up hot mill production in the coming weeks. Disruptions have negatively affected automakers for months. 021
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 25/05/2026Right?!? I just made this connection too, and then said wait a minute, the I-Pace silhouette is racier + more voluptuous LOL 020
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 25/05/2026Did Ferrari just out-Jaguar itself? Forwarding this story as it directly tackles how offbeat this exterior appears—a cab-forward Ferrari. Broadly I'm seeing so much flattery. Let's just say you had to have been there, with benefits? www.motortrend.com/news/first-l...motortrend.comThe Polarizing Ferrari Luce Breaks Every Ferrari Rule We KnowThe Ferrari Luce is Ferrari’s first EV, a 1,035-hp four-door with 193-mph performance, radical design, and seating for five. 230
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 24/05/2026Borrowed this charming ‘90s era Nissan Hardbody 4-cyl/5-speed from a friend for some hauling errands yesterday and now wondering if I want a simple truck back in my life. 020
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 17/05/2026Spotted on the neighborhood walk: Cadillac Allanté – and don't you dare forget the accent! A favorite subject of former Automobile Magazine boss David E. Davis Jr. 020
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 08/05/2026So what's next week? Where are Asimo, Optimus, and the rest of the auto-bots? 030
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 08/05/2026Then this week Toyota showed them who's king of the court with an AI basketball bot toyotatimes.jp/en/newscast/...toyotatimes.jpTOYOTA TIMES NEWS|Toyota’s New Basketball Robot CUE7 Unveiled – A Glimpse Behind Its Evolution|TOYOTA TIMESGuinness World Record™-holding AI basketball robot CUE has undergone major evolution. The development team aimed to create something that would make people say, “Japan still has Toyota.” This week’s T... 120
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 08/05/2026Last week, Hyundai revealed a firefighting robot, in-wheel motors and all www.hyundaimotorgroup.com/en/tv/CONT00...hyundaimotorgroup.comThe Vision of the Unmanned Firefighting Robot | Hyundai Motor Group#ASaferWayHome #HyundaiMotorGroup #HyundaiMobis #KoreaNationalFireAgency #UnmannedFirefightingRobot #Firefighting #Robot 120
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 19/04/2026The real world just wrote the sequel to Cocaine Bear. www.koin.com/news/nationa... 000
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 02/04/2026Hello to Subaru's biggest passenger vehicle and what's effectively its new flagship! Made in Kentucky, batteries from Michigan. Home bidirectional charging goodness is on the way, and from time up close I can touch that this is all looking very competitive vs EV9. www.wardsauto.com/news/2027-su...wardsauto.com2027 Subaru Getaway EV primed for family funA smart strategy with Toyota brings Subaru an electric SUV that serves as a stealth flagship. 4100
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 12/03/2026Lucid development chief Emad Dlala promises superior efficiency with Atlas/Midsize "compared to the newest, most optimized platforms in the world"—pointing to Chinese, German rivals. 040
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 12/03/2026Lucid design boss Jenkins nails the punchline, with a promise of "mechanical analog door handles" in Cosmos and Earth. "What a time to be alive." 150
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 12/03/2026Lucid Cosmos and Earth confirmed for first two of three vehicles on its Midsize Platform. Together these vehicles may represent a 10x increase in its addressable market, it says. 0131
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 13/02/2026Alt title: EPA gags itself on climate... What I'm hearing out there, sometimes between the lines, is that the auto industry is getting way more than it asked for—and it's not necessarily a good thing. www.wardsauto.com/news/trumps-...wardsauto.comTrump’s EPA scraps greenhouse gas emissions standardsThe agency said its action would rescind the electric-vehicle "mandate" in place under the former Obama and Biden Administrations. 020
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 06/02/2026Excellent overview of how AD/AV investment is back in vogue from Dave Zoia—including some news-to-me PwC insight: That "automakers now see being among the first to offer higher levels of automated driving as the best near-term opportunity to gain market share." www.wardsauto.com/news/automat...wardsauto.comAutomated driving is staging a comeback with the help of AIInterest in self-driving waned as technology hit some snags and automakers invested in battery-electric vehicles. But autonomy is back in focus and headed to the market in a big way. 000
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 05/02/2026Today’s auto-tech-beat word that doesn’t mean what it sounds like it might: analog computer. 010
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 23/01/2026Not unsupervised. Double the cars /congestion. Double the energy consumed. electrek.co/2026/01/22/t...electrek.coTesla didn't remove the Robotaxi 'safety monitor' – it just moved them to a trailing carEarlier today, Elon Musk announced on X that Tesla had “just started Tesla Robotaxi drives in Austin with no safety... 020
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 23/01/2026Happy tethering a stream of your trip and driving data in exchange for 50% off insurance? Definitely begs more dystopian questions about privacy. 021
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 19/01/2026Many of the 1.1M+ EVs leased under a juicy Biden policy loophole will soon be returning to base as Trump-era used cars, starting a surge of late-model EVs in 2026. At bargain prices vs. gasoline models, read why they may upend the market. www.caranddriver.com/news/a700209...caranddriver.comWhy 2026 Will Be a Great Time to Buy a Used EVA flood of off-lease EVs will soon start hitting dealers, driving down prices. 020
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 16/01/2026Is this really "it"? Lots of CES headlines peg Donut's CES buzz—of solid-state batteries headed to motorcycles in weeks, cars soon. With 3rd-party vetting, it might beat such projects bankrolled by global automakers, battery giants—and change the shape of cars. www.hagerty.com/media/news/a...hagerty.comAre Solid-State Batteries and In-Wheel Motors Coming for Electric Sports Cars? - Hagerty MediaDid tech just enable more electric sports cars? Donut Lab and WEVC think so, and they want to build your niche EV. 030
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 14/01/2026The 2026 Hyundai Palisade Hybrid is an excellent big family vehicle, with a fresh form, a cabin experience that's tech-forward but uncomplicated. Recently drove it for a few days and topped 30 mpg. If you're not plugging in, impressive for the three-row size and space. Kudos on the NACTOY win! 170
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 14/01/2026I recently followed up with the Ford Maverick Lobo...asking myself "What pickup?" With some of the driving flavor of a performance compact car, the Ford Maverick Lobo hauls. Congrats to Ford on the Truck of the Year win; now let's see how this can be channeled in a more electrified direction. 020
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 13/01/2026In Ford's own Bill Ford bio: "During the last industry downturn, Ford invested heavily in fuel economy and technology at a time when many others were pulling back,” he says. “It absolutely was the right thing to do.” Quick! Change it. [scramble behind the scenes] 010
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 13/01/2026I took that to be a nervous laugh from "environmentalist" Ford at first. But now I'm entirely second-guessing it. Thoughts? 110
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 12/01/2026EPA. Protecting a different sort of environment since 2025. 020
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 09/01/2026Pacifica Hybrid is an *excellent* PHEV—not just in terms of efficiency and drivability, but the accessibility of the tech. It doesn't intimidate drivers with a boggle of modes; it just makes your driving more electric. Should be the template for future PHEVs from these brands. 030
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 09/01/2026Yes, it's TWO new gasoline 8-cyl engines (a V-8 and a flat-8), from a Chinese automaker building on an era of consistent EV subsidies. Eye-opening? Delightfully contrarian? Simply part of the Chinese OEM surge at CES 2026 as most other automakers sat it out. www.caranddriver.com/news/a699468...caranddriver.comChina's Great Wall Motors Flaunts Two 8-Cylinder Engines at CES That Could Reach ProductionAs Western automakers are purging V-8s from their lineups, China’s Great Wall Motors has a different idea. 000
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 08/01/2026Around CES I've driven a sample of vehicles from Geely Auto's core brands, inc Zeekr and Lynk & Co. The cars are ready for the U.S. Soon, with help from Volvo (or Renault) will they be delivered near the compelling price points they have in other markets? www.caranddriver.com/news/a699351...caranddriver.comChinese Giant Geely Eyes Entering U.S. Market: Could These Cars Reach Our Shores?The Geely Auto Group claims to be the fastest-growing automaker in the world, but it’s taking its time about entering the U.S. market. 000
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 04/01/2026No, that’s not a poster backdrop… Out getting to know the Acura MDX in the Pacific NW. Checks *almost* all of the boxes. Time to electrify it. 040
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 03/01/2026With the Prelude hybrid arriving now, let's look at Honda's original hybrid moonshot—the Insight! This quirky coupe was loaded with innovations handed down from F1 racing and the original NSX. But 25+ years on will it find its own halo and a place with collectors? www.hagerty.com/media/car-pr...hagerty.comMPG Moonshot: The Original Honda Insight Went Farther with Less - Hagerty MediaThe original Honda Insight was no NSX when it comes to collectability, but there are undeniable parallels in the pair. 040
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 02/01/2026Rapid progress for lithium-ion, from smartphones to EVs. 6 yrs and 83% from constant use with no cooling! Basically same strategy that kept our OG Leaf fine on original pack: Avoid fast-charging when possible, don’t let it get too hot; don’t let it sit at 100%, and save those full charges. 040
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 30/12/2025Yes, sorry if I led you astray with that earlier post -- it does not have a heat pump! Back at the launch event, Nissan had confirmed to me and a few others that all versions would have it, but in following back up with PR it's clear something was lost in translation. 000
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 30/12/2025Charging at a Tesla Supercharger went as Lucid claimed. Plug-and-charge started promptly, 30 min for 7%-80%. Despite precon maybe nixed by nav (see prev post), charge power hit 220 kW by 9%, maintained to 49%, still ticking 150 kW at 74%. Even at 91% it was at 87 kW. Road trip machine! 030
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 30/12/2025First, range/efficiency was lower vs. EPA than I expected given all my time in Air, and I don’t have a clear explanation why. With temps 45-55 F (some sun, a little rain), I saw a Gravity-est 280 miles per charge. Yes, some brief Swift and Sprint samples, but much of it rather easygoing driving. 130
Bengt Halvorson @ben-gt.bsky.social · 30/12/2025Time to bring you what I saw in my first sample of real-world range and charging takeaways with Lucid Gravity: Efficiency and range picture not yet complete, but this EV charges on Superchargers exactly as spelled out. 120