They’re Birds? They’re Planes? They’re Flying Cars!

They’re Birds? They’re Planes? They’re Flying Cars!

Suzuki and SkyDrive Are Revolutionizing the Automobile with Flying Cars

A photo of SkyDrive's prototype flying car.

We don’t need roads where we’re going. Because the future is officially here with the development of flying cars.

Suzuki and Japanese startup SkyDrive are bringing us the future we were promised with a car that flies. 

The vehicle is a two-seat, electric-powered flying car, which they previously referred to as an “electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft” or eVTOL. As the name implies, the vehicle can vertically ascend and descend with impressive stability. 

This flying car is special because it’s electric, fully autonomous, and features a completely vertical takeoff and landing. We don’t have all the details yet, but previous concepts show a two-seat design with eight propellers on what looks like a small fighter jet cockpit.  Basically, it looked like a really big drone — a people drone.

This model was designed to lift up to 1,100 lbs and fly at about 62 mph. Regardless of what the final model will look like, but since it’s a flying car we can expect it to look futuristic.

This is just the beginning

Japanese startup and Suzuki are teaming up to split the research, development, and marketing tasks. 

Suzuki released a statement that said the collaboration with SkyDrive will “start consideration to collaborate in areas of business and technology that include R&D, planning of manufacturing and mass-production systems, development of overseas markets with an initial focus on India, and promotion of efforts to attain carbon neutrality.” 

SkyDrive is also a member of Japan’s Council for Advanced Air Mobility and is the only firm in Japan to have successfully undertaken manned test flights. This is only the beginning of this air-bound journey.

Flying cars are a huge gamechanger for the automobile industry, but it will also be a significant factor in regard to carbon-neutral air mobility. 

Ambitions for flying cars are sky-high

A line-drawing of drone-like flying car.SkyDrive also intends to unveil an air taxi service during the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka, Japan. The company is already discussing potential routes for the expo, which include eight destinations and twenty flights an hour. This advancement will be a cornerstone of the Japanese government’s plans to solve mobility problems through air travel. 

Ahead of this exciting possibility, SkyDrive has already made waves by becoming the first company to succeed in a manned test flight, with a computer system that was also responsible for flight stability and safety. 

Now with the help of Suzuki, SkyDrive will be able to take things several steps further. For Suzuki incorporating flying vehicles will become the brand’s fourth mobility category, along with automobiles, motorcycles, and outboard motors. This also comes with a plan to invest $1.37 billion in its factory, located in India, to produce electric vehicles and batteries. 

There is definitely much more to expect from the Suzuki X SkyDrive dream team. As for now, we’re looking forward to seeing more flying cars. 

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F1 Hits the Las Vegas Strip

F1 Hits the Las Vegas Strip

F1 to speed through the streets of Sin City next year.

Line illustration of the new F1 track in Las Vegas

After four decades, F1 is finally returning to Las Vegas, and the track looks dope!

Our marketing strategist, Austin Hille, actually drove a racecar on a racetrack in Las Vegas. So he’s basically an F1 driver at this point. He can’t stop talking about this race. 

In fact, yesterday’s marketing plan was, “Did you know they go so fast that their tires don’t generate enough grip if the car is going below 100 miles per hour? That’s literally the definition of built for speed.”

Look at This Track

The track design for Las Vegas will run down the actual Las Vegas Boulevard, which reminds us of the street course in Monoco (think Iron Man 2).

Image showing track layout for the 2023 F1 race in Las Vegas, which will see drivers flying past casinos.

The track announced for the 2023 F1 race in Las Vegas features a straightaway that will send drivers flying down the iconic strip.

Drivers will take 50 laps around the track 3.8-mile track that will send drivers flying past all of the city’s neon landmarks.

For anyone interested in F1’s history in the US, Autoblog did a great job summarizing it.

The Most F1 City in America

This is the third US stop on the circuit, and if there was ever a city built to host an F1 race… well it’s Miami. But Vegas is definitely the second-most F1 city in America.

Speaking of Miami, the premier racing circuit will make its debut in the Magic City next month (tickets sold out in one day). F1 has also raced in Austin, Texas for the last 10 years.

Three races don’t seem like very many, but no other country hosts more than two in a single season. 

Additionally, races in Mexico City and Montreal will bring F1 racers to North America five times in 2023. 

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EV Models Galore: Everyone Announced EVs in March

EV Models Galore: Everyone Announced EVs in March

And some of these EV models look like spaceships

A line-drawing of a bullhorn in Carmigo branded colors.It feels like new EV models are announced every single day. There are so many we can barely keep up. 

Thankfully Car and Driver put together a list of something like 60 EV models we can expect to see in the next five years, and it doesn’t even include some of the announcements made in the last month.

And even though that list was published this year, it’s missing a ton of new EVs.

There were at least a dozen new EV models announced in the last month or so. Here are a few we’re excited about:

Wait a minute, Doc. Are you telling me you built an EV?

For instance, DeLorean tweeted a teaser for a new EV earlier this week.

The car is slated to be on display at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on August 21. But according to this tweet, the new DeLorean will officially be unveiled three days earlier. 

Honda has been busy.

Honda announced partnerships to make both high-end and affordable EVs. 

And they’ve teamed up with GM to create EVs for people currently priced out of the growing market. The new project aims to develop a line of compact crossovers that retail for under $30,000.

And the Japanese automaker is also partnering with Sony to create a much more expensive line of electric cars for those who enjoy the finer things in life. 

But that’s not all (for the luxury EV models).

Maserati, Rolls Royce, and Mercedes-Benz have all entered the chat. 

The Rolls Royce, which was announced last year, completed winter testing a few miles south of the arctic circle last month.

Meanwhile, Maserati announced its line of EVs called Folgore (Italian for lightning). 

And Mercedes-Benz teased the unveiling of its EQS, the first SUV in its EV stable. 

What Do These EVs Mean for You?

The more the market transitions to Electric Vehicles, the more EVs we’ll see on the resale market, meaning they’ll begin to be even more affordable.

At the same time, it’s good to see auto manufacturers innovating on both the economy and luxury ends of the spectrum. Making the latest technology available to all is key to innovation. 

But the changing EV landscape isn’t just for EV enthusiasts. As automakers switch production lines to electric vehicles, we suspect the demand for used combustion engine vehicles will continue to tick up. And as we all know, reduced supply and increased demand drive prices up. 

Take good care of that combustion engine and it could make you some serious money one day. When you’re ready to sell, give us a chance to sell it for you.

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Tupelo Auto Online Startup Aims to Stem ‘Brain Drain’ by Selling Used Cars

Tupelo Auto Online Startup Aims to Stem ‘Brain Drain’ by Selling Used Cars

By Kayode Brown | April 7, 2022 

Carmigo Founder and CEO Andrew Warmath got the idea for starting his Tupelo-based company during the COVID-19 pandemic, when demand for used cars increased because of the virus’ impact on the economy and, especially, on vehicle manufacturing, with factories shutting down.

His business allows owners to sell their used cars to the highest bidder among various auto dealerships. “Right when the pandemic first started, everything just shut down,” he said in a March 15, 2022, Zoom interview. “Most (auto) retail (outlets) were shut down overnight, but a few weeks later, the faucet turned back on, and traditional supply for cars was shut off while demand exploded.”

“So dealerships were looking all over for different sources of inventory, and we were having trouble finding it,” he added. Barnes Crossing Auto Group, the company for which he worked the time as chief financial officer, experienced the same need.

Now with about 30 employees, most of them in Mississippi, a big part of Warmath’s focus is offering employment in the Magnolia State to combat brain drain, he says.

Read the full Mississippi Free Press article here.

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Tesla Is on Fire, Breaking Delivery Records Again

Tesla Is on Fire, Breaking Delivery Records Again

Shutdowns and supply-chain issues can’t slow Tesla Photo depicting each of the Tesla models on offer, from left to right a silver Model S, a red Model 3, a white Model X, and a blue Model Y.

Tesla produced more than 305,000 cars and delivered more than 310,000 during the first quarter of 2022. And the company achieved these numbers despite COVID outbreaks forcing two extended shutdowns at its Gigafactory in Shanghai. The factory performs final assembly of Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. 

What Does This Mean For You?

We would normally say global supply and distribution issues would slow Tesla’s efforts to deliver the cars it’s selling, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. 

Tesla produced about 500 cars this quarter compared with the last quarter of 2021. That doesn’t seem like a large enough production reduction to cause alarms.

And if you’re a Tesla owner thinking about jumping ship, this could be a great time to sell your car. We even know where you can get bids from a network of dealers instead of one trade-in offer. 

Will Tesla Ever Slow Down?

These first-quarter numbers are even more impressive when compared to the same last year. In Q1 2021 Tesla made 180,338 cars and delivered 184,800.

Fred Lambert at Electrek said the next quarter will be another interesting one. The company will likely face similar shutdowns and supply problems, but Lambert said, “Otherwise, Tesla would be well-positioned to grow significantly during the current quarter as it ramps up Gigafactory Berlin and Texas.”

How Does Tesla Stack Up?

The country’s largest automaker (GM) delivered fewer than 500 EVs in the first three months of 2022. Hyundai is the only company that reported EV sales growth in the US this past quarter. 

Green Car Reports also reported sales decreases by Audi and Kia, while BMW hasn’t even begun shipping its iX and i4 EVs. 

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US Postal Service Doubles Electric Delivery Vehicle Order

US Postal Service Doubles Electric Delivery Vehicle Order

DeJoy announced 20% of new US Postal Service vehicles will be EVsA photograph of the new EV US postal service delivery truck.

The US Postal Service is planning to purchase more than 10,000 of these cute electric delivery vehicles as a part of its efforts to replace its aging fleet.

The US Postal Service announced it’s going to order more than 10,000 electric vehicles as a part of its larger order of 50,000 “next generation” delivery vehicles.

This announcement comes after the USPS received flak for their initial order, which included 50% fewer EVs.

US Postal Service Postmaster General on the Decision

Here’s what Louis DeJoy had to say: 

“We owe it to our carriers and the communities we serve to provide safer, more efficient vehicles to fulfill our universal service obligation to deliver to 161 million addresses in all climates and topographies six days per-week.”

Why Does the USPS Need EVs?

As it stands, EVs are significantly less expensive to fuel than gas-powered vehicles, even before gas prices began skyrocketing in March. It’s no secret that the postal service is financially stressed, so any savings are welcome. 

Additionally, current trucks lack safety features and don’t even have air conditioning. Add to that the fact that the aging fleet is getting costly to maintain. 

The electric delivery vehicles could mean the USPS can save money on fuel and maintenance while future-proofing their vehicles.

And since many postal routes are short, the USPS doesn’t need its delivery trucks to go very far between charges. That gives it a little more flexibility than other logistics and transportation organizations

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Charging Stations of the Future Look Like Apple Stores

Charging Stations of the Future Look Like Apple Stores

New EV Charging Stations from Electrify America Designed for Comfort

Electrify America's new plans for EV charging stations look like a hybrid between a gas station and an Apple Store.

Electrify America announced new “Human-Centered” EV charging stations and the fueling stations of the future look like… well gas stations.

Electrify America is calling their new EV charging stations a “customer oasis.” Quite frankly, they do seem like a nice place to spend 30 minutes while you charge up your monstrous F-150 Lightning.

Follow this link to see Electrify America’s lookbook for the new concept. All joking aside, they look like a very chill place to charge a car.
 

The EV Charging Stations

Green line-drawing icon of an EV charging station.

Here’s what else Electrify America’s press release said about the new concept:

  • Providing a more inviting transition to an electric vehicle lifestyle from a traditional gas station 
  • Adding solar canopies, waiting areas, and other customer services at select locations 
  • Introducing technology and design enhancements to its next-generation ultra-fast charger
  • Expanding onsite battery storage systems to more than 150 stations

The retail spaces will be designed to accommodate waiting travelers in safe, comfortable, and well-lit spaces. 

The customer lounges should be well-received, at least until recharge times are shorter. Currently, charging takes at least 30 minutes, though industry experts think it will reach 10 minutes. 

Electrify America’s Plan

A photograph of a new EV charging station prototype from Electfiy America. The prototype is made to be both smaller and more accessible.

One of Electrify America’s next-generation EV charging stations. The company recently announced plans to make the pumps smaller and even easier to use.

In addition to the customer-focused amenities, Electrify America said it intends to increase battery capacity at 150 stations around the country to make the process more efficient. 

And the solar panel awnings will do a lot more than simply provide shade to customers. The panels should help stations produce power themselves, store it on-site, and reduce strain on the energy grid. 

The company said they’re also working to make the actual charging stations (think gas pumps) easier to use. 

The EV Charging Future

Cross-country EV road trips aren’t easy to pull off with the disjointed charging infrastructure. But, now Electrify America is stepping in to some of the gaps in the current system. 

The Biden administration and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg have been clear about their plans to strengthen the electric infrastructure. They’ve been especially bullish on EV charging stations. 

Biden has outlined a plan to have 500,000 EV charging stations in the US.

As of now the future of EVs is unclear. But Electrify America has given us a glimpse into what it will look like in the short term. 

Electrek has some more details on the plan, which includes rollouts in markets in California and New York this year and next.

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The Ford F-150 Lightning Is a Monster — and it Is Going Places

The Ford F-150 Lightning Is a Monster — and it Is Going Places

The New F-150 EV Truck Hauls Tons in Extreme Heat and Goes 300+ Miles on a Charge

The more we hear about the new Ford F-150 Lightning, the more we want to get behind the wheel. We would normally say peak under the hood, but there’s nothing there (seriously, they’re calling it a “frunk”).

This Truck Is Powerful

This truck hauled a 10,000 load up the steep and frigid Ike Gauntlet in the snow. And then it hauled the same load across the sweltering Davis Dam which rises 3,000 feet in 11 miles. 

It feels like just yesterday when everyone thought an electric engine was no match for good-‘ole American combustion engines. But here we are — the most capable truck on the market might soon be an EV. We can’t wait to see the Denis Leary commercials for these trucks. “Plug into your inner tough-guy, and plug into the Ford F-150 Lightning. That’s right, lightning. Because these big tough trucks can tackle any job.”

Go the Distance in an F-150 Lightning

Image of a husband and wife cleaning up storm damage in their driveway. In the background, a Ford F-150 Lightning provides backup power to their house.

The new Ford F-150 Lightning can even serve as a backup power source for your house.

 And don’t worry about getting stranded on a rural worksite in your loaded-down Ford F-150 Lightning. The EPA confirmed Ford’s estimated ranges and even found a few trim packages to go farther than estimated on a single charge. 

The lower-tiered trims are estimated to get 230 miles and the more advanced trims should get 320 miles on a single charge.

If that don’t impress you much, the truck even serves as a power source for your house!

The future isn’t as spaceship-filled as promised, but at least the Ford F-150 Lightning feels kind of like a spaceship. 

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Uber Is Listing Yellow Taxis to Lower Prices

Uber Is Listing Yellow Taxis to Lower Prices

A yellow taxi drives through Times Square in New York. Soon, Uber will allow users to hail taxis from within its app.

Soon, the very taxis Uber sought to disrupt will be available through the Uber app. “Yellow Cab” by Bert Boerma is licensed under CC BY 2.0

How the Disruptors Are Getting Disrupted

After years of fighting and bitterness between Uber and New York taxi owners and operators, the two are joining forces. 

This is seriously wild. Uber, the “Uber” of ride-sharing apps, is turning to the very industry it disrupted to help fill the demand for drivers. The entire Uber story arc is based on its fight to eliminate the taxi-cab industry. 

And now, they’re cutting deals with the taxi drivers of New York City, the most active battleground in the aforementioned fight, all because they can’t get enough drivers to meet demand. 

What Uber’s Move Means for You?

If Uber’s plan works, fares should go down. As taxi drivers begin accepting Uber rides, the availability will go up, and surge pricing will be rarer.

As for pay, taxi drivers in New York City will be paid the Uber rate for rides accepted through the Uber app. But unlike other drivers, taxi drivers will be able to see an estimated fare before accepting the ride. 

Where Are All the Uber Drivers?

Rideshare apps are experiencing a massive lack of drivers, making it feel like we’re always paying for surge pricing. The lack of drivers can be explained by a truly perfect storm, but in one word, COVID. Here are the three factors that created the storm: 

PANDEMIC – When people sheltered at home in 2020, rides on the app fell off a cliff. 

DELIVERY – Simultaneously, food and grocery delivery demand are skyrocketing. Drivers found themselves making more money and driving fewer miles delivering food. And groceries typically don’t barf in the backseat on the way home from the bar. Dain Evans summed it up nicely for CSNBC:

“It was a bit like a gold rush for drivers who were not able to deliver passengers during the pandemic; while Uber’s ride-sharing revenue decreased 43% between 2019 and 2020, its delivery revenue increased 179%, according to its 2020 annual earnings report.”

BAD BUSINESS – To top it all off, Uber had been notorious for undercutting its drivers ever since the startup’s new-car smell wore off. As soon as the driver’s found a better way to make money, they jumped ship and didn’t think twice. 

Uber Appears to Be In It for the Long Haul

A line illustration of the Uber logo inside of a map waypoint.
This move looks like more than just a bandaid for Uber. To list taxis on its app, Uber is integrating its tech with Curb Mobility and Creative Mobile Technologies.

They’ve already worked with the Taxi industry internationally, including in countries in Europe, East Asia, and South America. It looks like integrating their competition is the future, and honestly, the best way to save Uber’s business.

Lyft Is Joining the Party, Sort Of

Meanwhile, in Nashville, Lyft is integrating Spin’s electric scooters into its app. This move is weird for completely different reasons. It seems less like they’re offering a solution and more like they’re saying, “We’re kind of busy, why don’t you just walk.”

Our Take on Uber’s Move?

Honestly, if Carmax or Cavana started buying cars on Carmigo, we’d be stoked. Inclusivity creates more room in the marketplace and usually brings the customer added value too. 

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Tornado Tosses Truck, No Big Deal For Texas Teen

Tornado Tosses Truck, No Big Deal For Texas Teen

Chevrolet replaces damaged Silverado with a brand new one

Line drawing of truck being spun in the air by a tornado.Riley Leon, a Sixteen-year-old high-schooler from Elgin, Texas, was caught in the destructive path of a Tornado. In a now-viral video, his red 2004 Chevrolet Silverado is lifted off the ground and spun around. It’s terrifying to watch, but then you see the driver speed away as if nothing happened. 

 



According to Carscoops, the “16-year-old behind the wheel shrugs and drives away like a boss.” The teen also told Fox7 Austin that he was “on his way back from a job interview at a Whataburger 10 minutes away from his home when the accident happened and is now just happy to be alive.” Thankfully Riley only sustained a few scrapes on his left arm from the ordeal. I imagine it was nightmarish to experience, but at least he is safe now.

The tornado truck survived too, kinda

KXAN Austin tracked down the truck Riley Leon was driving and the truck made it out relatively unscathed, too. The Drive reports that Chevrolet received a lot of PR from this and took it one step further. In a collaboration with Bruce Lowrie Chevrolet in Fort Worth, Riley will soon receive a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT All Star Edition in Cherry Red. This is definitely a silver lining and a new truck will definitely help the Leon family. It looks like Chevrolet is also sending the American Red Cross $50,000 to help Texas after the storm.

Chevrolet trades tornado truck for new Silverado

Chevrolet also released a statement on the viral video, “We are thankful Riley is safe, commend his driving skills during a frightening situation, and our hearts are with other families in Texas that have been affected by these storms. Due to the quick action of the team at Bruce Lowrie Chevrolet, the new truck will be presented to Riley and his family.” 

Chevy taking this moment to connect with Riley and his family and also donating to Red Cross looks great for the brand. It’s always nice to see happy endings to stories like these. It’s a minor effort on Chevrolet’s part, but it’s still amazing to see large corporations go out of their way to make someone’s day better. This is a great example of not overthinking corporate social responsibility. 

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