Elon Musk's Tesla woes, Mercedes and Stellantis recalls, Fisker struggles

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Image for article titled Elon Musk's Tesla woes, Mercedes and Stellantis recalls, Fisker's looming bankruptcy: Auto news roundup — Graphic: Images: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg, Mercedes-Benz, Fisker, Justin Sullivan

Automakers are embracing the Environmental Protection Agency’s new rules for tailpipe emissions that support electric vehicles, even as automakers are struggling.

Elon Musk’s Tesla is planning to release its updated Roadster, but its stock is tanking and it ordered a production slowdown in Shanghai. Plus, EV startup Fisker is pausing production and planning for bankruptcy. Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis’s Chrysler have issued massive recalls for a variety of gas-powered cars. And Shell is quadrupling its investment in EV chargers, but closing stores.

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The EPA’s pro-EV standards are being attacked by corn and oil associations

The Biden administration has imposed stringent tailpipe emission limits to compel automakers to rapidly boost sales of battery electric and plug-in hybrid models

Although the Environmental Protection Agency’s new restrictive rules on tailpipe emissions have been praised by climate activists and automotive groups, they’re facing pushback from opponents of electric vehicles.

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Mercedes and Chrysler are recalling more than 150,000 vehicles over safety issues

Mercedes-Benz recalled 34 products Wednesday, including the AMG GLE53 SUV.

Mercedes-Benz and Chrysler are recalling more than 150,000 vehicles over safety issues, adding to the more than 1 million cars already recalled by automakers in March.

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Shell is quadrupling the size of its EV charging network while getting rid of 1,000 retail locations

Shell says it has more than 46,000 retail locations around the world. Many, if not most of them are gas stations. And as part of its “Energy Transition Strategy” report that plots its (flagging) efforts to fight climate change, the British oil giant said it would close some of them. Not all of them, just 1,000. And not all at once — the cuts will be spread out over two years.

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Tesla is the worst-performing stock in the S&P 500 this year (still)

Tesla is no longer one of the top 10 U.S. companies by market capitalization. It recently fell behind Visa and J.P. Morgan Chase.

Despite a rally, Tesla stock is the worst performer in the S&P 500 so far this year. Still. The electric vehicle maker is no longer one of the top 10 U.S. companies by market capitalization, trailing behind Visa and — more recently — JPMorgan Chase.

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Elon Musk talks DEI, Tesla Roadster, and Trump vs. Biden in Don Lemon interview

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is one of the world’s wealthiest men and owns the social media platform X and aerospace company SpaceX.

Don Lemon, several months after being fired by CNN for making controversial comments on the air, said in January that he would have a new show, this time on Elon Musk’s X — formerly known as Twitter. That show was canceled shortly after Lemon interviewed Musk for an hour, grilling the billionaire on Tesla’s future, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, censorship on social media, allegations of racism, and more.

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EV startup Fisker is getting closer to bankruptcy with a production halt and a missed payment

**Electric vehicle startup Fisker has sold just 1,300 vehicles since the year began.**

Fisker might be the next electric vehicle startup to fail, joining the likes of Aptera and Detroit Automotive. The company has reportedly hired advisors in preparation of a possible bankruptcy.

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Tesla is making fewer cars in China as EV sales slow and competition rises

In February 2024, Tesla had its worst sales month in China since December 2022.

As electric vehicle sales growth comes back down to earth and the Chinese auto market becomes increasingly crowded, Elon Musk’s Tesla has reportedly told workers to relax.

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Car fans, you’re going to want to listen to this

Riot-causing, philosophy inspiring tail light.

You’ve seen the endless sea of red when you’re stuck in traffic. But chances are, you haven’t given the simple tail light much thought. Car designers past and present have, though — and so has Jason Torchinsky, co-founder of auto news blog The Autopian. These signals, which include the lights that indicate a car’s existence on the road, brake lights, and turn indicators, have traveled from oil lamp to bespoke brand signature over the years. All so we can show each other where we are and where we’re going. This episode of the Quartz Obsession podcast is guaranteed to change how you think about any road-based journey (and it might involve a little tail light fan fiction, too). Read the full transcript here.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google | Pandora

Elon Musk's Tesla woes, Mercedes and Stellantis recalls, Fisker's looming bankruptcy: Auto news roundup

Plus, Shell is quadrupling its EV charging network, and the EPA releases its "strongest ever" pollution standards

Car fans, you’re going to want to listen to this

Car fans, you’re going to want to listen to this