When Porsche first unveiled the new 911 GTS, it's safe to say that there weren't many people on planet Earth pining for a hybrid 911. The idea of one of the world's most iconic sports cars taking a cue from the humble Toyota Prius is a concept that's a little hard for the average auto enthusiast to get their head around.

But they should try, because the technology that Porsche has deployed in the new 911 GTS, Porsche's first hybrid sports car, is properly impressive. This is a hybrid system that exists not to improve fuel consumption, but to genuinely make a sports car better thanks to the injection of a little high voltage and a lot of boost.

Tech meets tradition

The 911 has maintained its stubborn rear-engined layout since the beginning. Its motor is slung between and behind the back wheels, not because it's necessarily the best place for handling, but just because that's how it's always been done. That doesn't change with the 911 GTS. What is new, though, is the addition of an electric motor into the mix, augmenting that gasoline engine in the way-back. That new motor sits neatly inside the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, adding 54 horsepower and 29 pound-feet of torque.

Those numbers are hardly remarkable, but the real magic is what else the car does with its new high-voltage system. There's actually a second electric motor here, a tiny one capable of surviving ridiculously hot temperatures. That's needed because it lives within the turbocharger.

A turbocharger is a simple wheel that is spun by exhaust gas. This in turn spins another wheel that forces air into the engine's intake. It's a simple technology developed well over 100 years ago, but since those early days of forced induction, there's always been an issue when it comes to automotive applications: lag. The reliance of exhaust gases to spin the turbocharger creates an intrinsic delay between the driver requesting acceleration and the car actually delivering it. Internal combustion needs to build pressure to spin the wheel to suck in more air to provide more power.

Porsche short-circuited that with this novel electric motor that spins the turbocharger up to 120,000 RPM in less than a second. Lag isn't completely eliminated, but it's so radically reduced that you hardly know it. Pair that with the extra, instant kick of torque provided by the electric motor in the transmission, and you have something magical: a car powered by gasoline that accelerates with all the instant ferocity of an EV.

Design sensibility

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Porsche calls that whole system, plus the 1.9-kWh battery that powers it, T-Hybrid. The net result in the 2025 911 GTS is 532 hp and 449 lb-ft of torque. That's a substantial, 59-hp boost over the old GTS.

Yet the only obvious sign that there's anything different about this car is the subtle T-Hybrid badges mounted down low on the doors. And that's a good thing, because I'm of the opinion that the current-generation 911, internally called the 992.2, is one of the prettiest cars on the road. Even in this decidedly understated Chalk color, it is absolutely striking. The color pairs perfectly with the 20-inch front and 21-inch rear black wheels and other ebony highlights around the car.

The interior is similarly minimalist, monotone to an extreme. But there are just enough subtle highlights of materials like carbon fiber and Alcantara to make it feel racy and purposeful, not basic. And, if you like, you can go with many more wild interior combinations. Porsche is happy to let you customize to your heart's content, but beware that it's going to cost you.

The car's interface is simpler than 911s of yore, too. Most of the controls have been consumed by the car's petite 10.9-inch touchscreen, serving both wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, while a curved, 12.6-inch virtual gauge cluster lives behind the steering wheel. What physical controls remain are well positioned, delivering strong tactility for your frequent tasks. Perhaps the most important is the drive mode dial that’s mounted at the four o'clock position on the steering wheel. It's how you dial up the intensity of the 911 GTS. Or, push the shiny little red button to go fully manic.

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Driving

The GTS isn't Porsche's most powerful 911 of the moment. That honor lies in the 640-horsepower 911 Turbo S. But no other 911 delivers power like this one, offering a taste of the instant shove of the electric Taycan mixed with the internal combustion fury and high-speed acceleration you'd expect from a 911.

It is, suffice to say, quite intoxicating. And to get the best taste of it, push that aforementioned crimson button. That gives you 20 seconds of Sport Response mode, with the car's electronic turbocharger assist doing its damndest to maintain maximum power. The exhaust opens fully, the transmission drops a gear or two and suddenly that machine you were idling through traffic absolutely comes alive.

Put your foot down in this mode and the 911 GTS surges forward, without a moment's hesitation. You can hear the turbocharger behind your head whistling as it works to build intake pressure, hauling in air from the environment and jamming it right into the combustion chamber for the next squeeze and bang.It's addictive, but if you've become used to the silent surging power of an EV, it's perhaps a bit much. In Sport Mode, the standard sport exhaust on the GTS is loud enough to terrify anyone you go soaring past on a two-lane road.

Thankfully, the GTS is easy to silence. One tap of the exhaust button mounted below that touchscreen and the GTS becomes quiet. It's not-quite EV quiet, but very hushed. Despite having electric motors and a battery, this is not a plug-in hybrid. You'll struggle to even get out of your driveway without that engine firing up. But that's okay. Remember: This isn't an efficiency play.

In Normal mode, the suspension softens and the ultra-fast transmission transitions into something that smoothly slips from one gear to the next, keeping revs as low as possible to maximize fuel consumption. That nets the 911 GTS a 19 mpg combined rating per the EPA. Despite some bits of driving exuberance, I substantially bettered that, managing 25.1 mpg.

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But even at its most tame, the GTS is not a luxury grand tourer of the likes of an Aston Martin DB12 or Mercedes-AMG GT. At its softest, the suspension is still firm, the road noise from those prodigious tires is grating and even the wind noise at high speed is a bother — so much so that the middling Bose sound system struggles to overcome it.

So, despite the GTS moniker, it's more of a sports car than a grand tourer. Instant power is this car's party trick, paired with amazing feel, effortless handling and the kind of prodigious grip that will make your favorite driving roads feel tame.

Those are all the more reasons to find your new favorite roads. Despite punishing you on the highway and over broken asphalt, the 911 GTS never feels flustered and always leaves you wanting more. It's a car you won't want to get out of, which perhaps explains why I'm writing this very sentence from the driver's seat.

Cost of entry

At over $170,000 to start, or $196,185 as configured, it's not an affordable machine. Were I buying, my GTS would be a little cheaper. I'd stick with the rear-drive GTS model, rather than the all-wheel drive Carrera 4 you see here, simply for the fun-factor. I'd also skip the sunroof, which adds both $2,980 to the bill and weight to a car that already gained over 100 pounds compared to the prior GTS.

Those two deletions alone would cut about $10,000 from that still-soaring price. Expensive, yes, but the technology here feels worth it. This is a novel approach to electrification, making a sports car sportier with hardly any compromise. It is a truly desirable machine, the kind of hybrid that Porsche fans may not have known they needed, but one they definitely need to try.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/porsche-911-gts-review-the-first-hybrid-911-is-better-with-a-battery-120038613.html?src=rss

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© Tim Stevens for Engadget

Honda and Acura EV owners can now take advantage of the sprawling Tesla Supercharger network with the release of the first Honda-approved NACS-CCS DC fast-charging adapter. This means that Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX owners can join the growing ranks of non-Tesla EVs that you might see filling up at any one of the more than 23,500 selected Tesla Superchargers.

"Combined with other growing charging networks, Honda and Acura EV drivers now have added peace of mind with a wider range of dependable DC fast charging options nationwide," said Ryan Harty, assistant vice president of Sustainability and Business Development at American Honda Motor Company.

While Honda and its subsidiary brand Acura only have one fully-electric model each at the moment, this lays the groundwork for future models to use the Supercharger network.

Prologue and ZDX drivers will now see Tesla Superchargers marked on their built-in Google Maps for easier navigation. Once they arrive, drivers will use the Tesla app to begin charging. Integration with HondaLink and Acura EV apps that will allow plug and charge capability are currently under development, according to Honda.

Customers can now buy the Honda-approved adapter from their authorized Honda and Acura dealership in the US or online. The adapter will retail for $225.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/honda-and-acura-ev-owners-gain-access-to-tesla-supercharger-network-180654467.html?src=rss

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Subaru just screwed up our SEO with the launch of the Uncharted, an electric crossover with up to 300 miles of range that probably has nothing to do with the video game. It uses the same E-TNGA platform as Toyota's CH-R EV and strongly resembles that model.

Due to arrive next year, the 2026 Uncharted will come in two versions, both with 74.7kWh batteries. The first is a front-wheel drive version with 228 horsepower and 300 miles of range, while the second is a much grunt-ier dual-motor four wheel drive version with 338 horsepower and a sub-five-second 0-60mph time in either Sport or GT trims, but slightly less range (290 miles). The latter specs are identical to the CH-R EV, by the way. 

Subaru

The Uncharted will come standard with a Tesla-style NACS charging port to give drivers Supercharger access. Fast charging speeds are limited to 150kW but Subaru claims it'll charge from 10-80 percent in under 30 minutes with the use of battery preconditioning. 

It's definitely a spitting image of the CH-R EV right down to the side cladding, though it has slightly different headlights and a restyled front end. Even the interior has a substantially similar center console that can wirelessly charge two phones plus the same 14-inch infotainment screen with Android Auto/CarPlay support. It has a generous complement of manual controls, unlike Tesla's EVs.  

Subaru

Subaru hasn't released pricing yet for the 2026 Uncharted, but it might be similar to the CH-R EV which starts at $35,000. It's just the company's third electric vehicle, following the three-year-old Solterra and Outback-like Trailseeker, also set to arrive next year. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/subarus-third-ev-is-the-uncharted-yep-with-300-miles-of-range-and-338-horsepower-130015496.html?src=rss

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Just a day after the xAI team issued a comprehensive apology and explanation about why its chatbot was spreading antisemitic rhetoric, Tesla updated its software for its cars to include the supposedly fixed Grok. According to Tesla, all new vehicles delivered on or after July 12 will have Grok available in-car. There's no additional subscription cost, but Tesla is limiting Grok's availability to models in the US for now.

For older models to run Grok, it requires a Tesla with an AMD processor, the latest software update of 2025.26, and either a stable Wi-Fi connection or Tesla's $9.99 Premium Connectivity subscription. It's worth noting that Grok will simply be an AI chatbot you can ask questions to, but won't be able to interface with the car itself. In other words, Grok can't help you set up directions to your destination, lower the music's volume or control the car's temperature. Instead, it can offer excruciatingly cringe-inducing responses under its "Unhinged" personality, as seen in an X post from Tesla.

While Tesla has incorporated the chatbot into its newly delivered cars, the company still faces safety concerns with its Full Self-Driving system, which uses mostly cameras and AI. Tesla added that Grok may become available to more of its vehicles with over-the-air software updates in the future, but noted that "Grok availability is subject to change or end at any time." Like when Grok went "MechaHitler" only a few days ago and had to be disabled.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/great-grok-is-in-cars-now-too-202153874.html?src=rss

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One of Tesla's fully autonomous robotaxis grazed a parked car after completing a ride recently in Austin, Texas. In a video recorded by YouTuber DirtyTesla, a self-driving Model Y is seen turning and accelerating into a Toyota, making light contact with its tire. As seen in the video, the Model Y already dropped off its passenger, but had trouble navigating out of the dark alleyway afterwards. Tesla's robotaxi service launched in Austin just two weeks ago with a small fleet.

According to DirtyTesla, there were no serious injuries or damages and the robotaxi's safety monitor eventually swapped to the driver's seat and drove off. Although the sideswipe was minor, it's unclear what caused the Tesla to drive into the parked car instead of driving off normally after completing the ride.

Outside this incident involving another car, other invited guests have shared their unexpected experiences with Tesla's robotaxi service. So far, we've seen the robotaxi service abruptly stop for emergency lights that aren't on the road and briefly drive on the wrong side of a double yellow line. It's important to note that Tesla's self-driving software relies mostly on cameras and artificial intelligence. That's unlike some of its competition, like Waymo, which uses a combination of cameras, lidar and radar for its robotaxi service. However, Waymo isn't without its own incidents, one of which led to a voluntary recall of its fleet in Phoenix, Arizona, following a collision with a telephone pole last year. More recently, Waymo issued another recall for its robotaxis, which were reportedly prone to hit roadway barriers that are harder to see.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/a-tesla-robotaxi-inexplicably-drove-into-a-parked-car-171004400.html?src=rss

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President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" has squeaked through the Senate in time for this weekend's pyrotechnic celebrations. The bill festively shoots down a long list of environmental protection measures of all shapes and sizes, with the red glare of those rockets looking set to burn all current federal EV rebates in particular.

While the exact timing is still in flux, as things stand the $7,500 federal rebate for electric vehicles would expire not in 2032 as originally specified, but as soon as the end of September. It's an abrupt, ignominious end to a series of incentives that, in some form or another, dates back to the George W. Bush administration.

This change doesn't just cover new consumer vehicles, like the Kia EV9 or Volkswagen ID.Buzz. It also eliminates the $4,000 federal credit on used EVs, and even stands to kill rebates for commercial vehicles of the sort that inspired a whole new and weird generation of electric vans like those from Rivian and Arrival (RIP).

All those initiatives were meant to drive down the environmental impact of a transport industry that, combined, makes up 29 percent of total US greenhouse gas emissions. While that unfortunate environmental impact might not be immediately felt, for anyone considering buying an EV, some pain in the wallet is coming much sooner.

But it could have been worse.

A proposed annual EV tax

Earlier versions of the bill imposed a $250 annual fee for EV owners, and a still-spiteful $100 for hybrid owners. That fee would go into effect regardless of when you bought your wheels, so even if you were doing the electric thing before it was cool, you'd have been stuck with a substantial annual premium.

That fee was to be directed to the Highway Trust Fund, ostensibly ensuring that EV owners are paying their fair share for federal transportation infrastructure maintenance. The bulk of that funding comes from an 18.4 cents per-gallon tax on gasoline, which imprecisely ensures that drivers are paying roughly their fair share for highway use.

This supposed attempt at EV equivalence, however, was structured in a wildly disproportionate way. The average American drives 11,318 miles per year, according to the Department of Energy, which works out to just under $100 annually in taxes on gasoline. That's less than half the proposed annual fee for EVs. Yes, electric cars and their heavy batteries do indeed wear out roads more quickly, but not to that degree.

That felt more than a little unfair, but lawmakers faced an even bigger roadblock: They literally couldn't make such a fee structure work. "There is no mechanism today for the federal government to collect an annual fee," Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Moreno told Politico.

Regardless of the reasoning, for now at least, this fee is no longer part of the bill.

The industry impact

American EV sales haven't exactly been following the hockey stick growth that most industry experts had formerly been projecting. Still, it has been steadily trending upward. American EV sales in the first quarter of this year were up 10 percent, according to Cox Automotive, and that's despite Tesla's precipitous slide of late.

Considering the average cost of a new car in the US is $48,799, and the average cost of a new EV is $57,734, that $7,500 federal EV tax credit clearly makes a substantial difference in bridging that gap. Assuming the Big Bill passes, that bridge will be demolished in just a few months time.

While it's impossible to say how much the American EV market's growth has been driven by those incentives, we can look at the impact such cuts have had in other markets. Germany's Climate and Transformation Fund paid out €10 billion between 2016 and 2023, chipping in towards the purchase of 2.1 million EVs.

EV sales declined in Germany by 16.4 percent through the first half of 2024 after that program ended. Meanwhile, elsewhere in Europe, EV sales continued to grow by nearly 10 percent. It's looking like it was only a temporary setback, though. In the first five months of this year, German EV registrations are up more than 40 percent. That, again, is despite Tesla's particularly steep decline there.

Brands and chargers

As to which manufacturers will be most impacted, it stands to reason that buyers looking for with lower-priced EV offerings — cars from brands like Hyundai, Kia and Nissan — will take this change the hardest; buyers of premium brands — like Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Porsche — will be a little less dissuaded. Regardless, it should come as no surprise that not a single vehicle manufacturer is found in the list of endorsements for the "Big Beautiful Bill."

You will, however, find a who's who of players in the petrochemical world, like the American Petroleum Institute, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Coterra.

The bill won't just kill incentives for EV buyers or leasers. America's charging infrastructure is also set to take a hit thanks to the repeal of the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit. This covered up to 30 percent of the cost of EV charger installation, encouraging more businesses to put more chargers in more places.

Deleting that credit certainly won't help the stubbornly slow buildout of America's charging infrastructure.

Silver lining

Critics of the American federal credit program have long said that it was too frequently used by wealthy buyers to chip a little off the cost of their next luxury EV. That, at least, is being addressed in one of the bill's other transportation-related changes, something that could actually be a positive for many Americans.

The bill includes a new tax deduction that could help modern shoppers saddled with debt after a car purchase. If passed, the bill would allow buyers with car or motorcycle loans to claim up to $10,000 in interest per year on their taxes.

This applies to vehicles regardless of propulsion type, meaning EVs and hybrids qualify, but there are plenty of other criteria, including that the vehicle must be for personal use, cannot have a salvage title, and must have undergone final assembly in the United States. Beyond that, to claim the full deduction, individuals must have an adjusted gross income (AGI) of less than $150,000 if filing as an individual, or $250,000 for a married couple filing jointly.

What now?

If you're a shopper who's been on the fence about buying an EV, it's safe to say that now would be a very good time to pull the trigger. And I do mean now. The federal rebate may carry through September, but extra dealer incentives will be drying up quicker than crocodile tears.

If, on the other hand, you're a manufacturer of EVs, chances are there's not a lot you can do right now. The auto industry was not designed to react to the whims of our current presidential administration and the gasoline-loving special interests that fuel it. Hopefully, the success of your business wasn't tied to the continued existence of federal incentives — or, indeed, a lack of import tariffs.

Going forward, American EV offerings will need to be one of two things: Priced on par with the internal combustion competition, or so fundamentally compelling that they're worth the extra cost. If your vehicles don't meet that criteria, come October you might have a problem.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/trumps-big-beautiful-bill-is-bad-for-american-evs-but-it-could-have-been-worse-210155196.html?src=rss

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© Nathan Heleine / Rivian

Tesla's robotaxi service may have had some early hitches, but the company said it just successfully delivered a car autonomously. Using the same robotaxi technology, Tesla showed the delivery process of a Model Y from its Gigafactory Texas in Austin to a customer with a roughly 30-minute journey as seen in a video posted on X. Unlike the robotaxi service launch last week, the automated delivery had no safety monitor, nor anyone behind the wheel. Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, also posted on X that the delivery didn't have any "remote operators in control at any point."

The trip covers navigating through everything from the Gigafactory Texas' parking lot to city streets, even managing to handle the highway without any incidents. This delivery comes just after Tesla's rollout of its robotaxi service in Austin, with Musk promising that the "first Tesla that drives itself from factory end of line all the way to a customer house is June 28." While impressive, it's not the first time that a fully autonomous car has used the highway, since Waymo started allowing its employees access to self-driving rides on Los Angeles freeways earlier this year.

Tesla's competing robotaxi service hasn't been without its hiccups. As seen in a 10-mile trip posted on X, the Model Y using the robotaxi software struggled to make a left turn and corrected its course by entering the other side of the road briefly. In another launch day video, the robotaxi was seen braking hard twice after encountering police cars with their lights on, even though none of the emergency vehicles were on the road. The robotaxi pilot program has caught the attention of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which said that it reached out to Tesla for more information about these incidents. On top of the robotaxi concerns, recent demonstrations showed Tesla's Full Self-Driving software failing to stop for a school bus' flashing lights and stop signs, as well as for kid-sized mannequins who dart into the road.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/tesla-shows-off-its-first-fully-autonomous-delivery-to-convince-us-its-self-driving-cars-work-163805707.html?src=rss

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Tesla launched its robotaxi service over the weekend, with only a small number of cars and heavy human supervision on and off the road. While less impressive than previously promised, the company's caution ultimately seems for the best — at least one robotaxi attempted to drive on the wrong side of the road, based on a video posted to X and spotted by Bloomberg.

The ride video shared by Rob Maurer is largely uneventful, with the Tesla navigating turns and lane merges with few issues. Except for around seven minutes or so into the ride, when the Tesla's wheel starts jerking back and forth and the car briefly crosses onto the wrong side of the road. As Bloomberg notes, "a honking horn can be heard as the Tesla re-enters the correct lane over a double-yellow line, which drivers aren’t supposed to cross."

The Tesla may have corrected itself on its own or under the influence of someone monitoring the ride remotely, but the in-car supervisor didn't appear to do anything. That's not the only instance of potentially unsafe driving Bloomberg spotted. Early riders have shared multiple instances of robotaxis going over the speed limit, though that might be more of a reflection of the cars driving around Tesla's vehicles than their collective need for speed. Waymo, which also operates in Austin, strictly follows the posted speed limit as a rule.

Tesla's Full Self-Driving system has been heavily criticized in anticipation of the company's robotaxi launch and the eventual introduction of its Cybercab, which doesn't have a steering wheel. Earlier in June, The Dawn Project staged a demonstration showing a self-driving Tesla plowing through child-sized mannequins eight times in a row. The company's Full Self-Driving system is also currently being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over its involvement in four different crashes.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/teslas-first-robotaxi-rides-are-already-running-into-a-few-bumps-205308245.html?src=rss

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The June 22 launch of Tesla's robotaxis in Austin, Texas, actually occurred. It's a tentative first step for the company, however: a human "Tesla Safety Monitor" is accompanying the first riders. There are also only ten cars and rides are limited to certain Tesla users. Those early riders and influencers have been sharing their experiences on social media, mostly (surprise) on X. 

Most of the early riders appear to be pro-Tesla users, with a company mention in their social media bio or a Tesla cap in their profile picture (or both), so consider these initial reactions within that context. Having said that, an autonomous car ride is... an autonomous car ride. Many livestreams show the safety monitor gripping a handle on the right side of the passenger seat, possibly with emergency controls. However, that hasn't yet been confirmed. Many passengers attempted to talk with their safety monitors, with, er, limited success.

One user, Bearded Tesla Guy called the app “basically Uber.” Others found it challenging to summon a Tesla car from the limited pool of rides, watching multiple driverless Waymos pass them by as they waited. Austin is the place for autonomous ride testing: Waymo is scaling up its service in partnership with Uber, while Amazon’s Zoox is also testing its tech in the area.

After verifying your identity with the human safety monitor, you initiate the journey by pressing the “start ride” button. Tesla has linked the service to users’ existing profiles, allowing you to import your existing music playlists, which is a nice touch. You can also adjust your temperature settings, seat position and more from the companion app. Unlike a typical Tesla, the robotaxi has buttons to ask the car to pull over or stop in lane. There’s also the option to call support if you encounter any issues with your automated ride, although we’d assume that a human safety monitor would likely offer quicker assistance.

As the service kicked off, Tesla revealed a new robotaxi page, with all the guidelines and rules for its Robotaxis. The company also has detailed FAQs for using the service and a sign-up sheet for updates. Early access riders are being charged a flat rate of $4.20 for their journeys.

Parameters are strict, on top of the limited pool of cars. Rides have to go within a geofenced area that excludes airports and run between 6AM and midnight. At this point, we know to take Musk’s claims with a grain of salt, but the Tesla boss says the company plans to grow its taxi fleet to a thousand driverless cars on the road “within a few months.” Tesla has also said it will operate its robotaxi network using an “unsupervised” version of its self-driving software.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/teslas-first-robotaxi-rides-kick-off-in-austin-texas-100015076.html?src=rss

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