Weekend News Roundup January 06, 2024
Here we present our weekly Jalopnik series that recaps the latest in news. We’ve showcased our most read offerings as well as some you may have missed.
Hyundai Considers Jumping On The Tesla Charger Bandwagon Too
Consumer Reports Says These Are The Best Hybrid Cars For Less Than $35,000 In 2024
Photo: Toyota
We’ve come a long way since the second-generation Toyota Prius took the world by storm. With its innovative hybrid powertrain it was able to get 46 mpg combined at a time when the most fuel-efficient Camry only got 24 mpg combined. These days, automakers’ lineups are full of hybrids. Heck, Ford even introduced a hybrid version of the F-150. – Collin Woodard Read More
Watch The Tesla Cybertruck’s Windshield Wiper Flop Around Like A Wet Noodle
Even though the Tesla Cybertruck is still routinely in the headlines, there’s a good chance most of us haven’t seen much of this electric pickup. I’m talking really seen, in the form of a deep, comprehensive review in place of actually experiencing it ourselves. Thankfully, we have Out of Spec Reviews to give us an almost two-hour video of all things Cybertruck — including its floppy windshield wiper. – Elizabeth Blackstock Read More
Olympic Cyclist Dies After Husband Allegedly Hit Her With A Ute
Melissa Hoskins after winning the team pursuit at the 2015 UCI Track World ChampionshipsPhoto: Haslin Frederic/Corbis (Getty Images)
World champion cyclist Melissa Hoskins was killed on December 30 when her husband Rohan Dennis allegedly struck and killed her with his Volkswagen ute in Adelaide, South Australia. Dennis was charged with death by dangerous driving, driving without due care and endangering life, according to ABC. Dennis is also an accomplished cyclist, recently retiring as a two-time world champion. – Ryan Erik King Read More
Police Commissioner Says High-Speed Chase That Killed Driver Was ‘The Right Call’
On December 26, a 24-year-old man died in a brutal car crash with a box truck following a high-speed police chase after he was pulled over in Warren, Michigan. Police maintain that they were doing their job despite the fact no one should be condemned to death for a traffic violation. – Andy Kalmowitz Read More
Tesla’s CCS Adapter Doesn’t Work With The Cybertruck: Report
In general, I don’t trust NACS to CCS adapters, or vice versa. If the car wasn’t designed to accept the cable, it’s not a great idea to try to shove electrons through any variety of contraption. That’s a lot of energy, a lot of heat, and a lot of deadly flowing through that hunk of unregulated plastic. But, needs must and all that. People are going to continue using them, so it’s interesting that Tesla’s own factory-accessory CCS adapter doesn’t actually fit the Cybertruck. – Bradley Brownell Read More
Acura Sold 5 NSX Supercars In 2023, And There’s Still A Few Left For Sale
Photo: Steve DaSilva/Jalopnik
When a vehicle goes out of production, some may think that that means it’s done completely. That’s not the case, though, depending on the model. Dodge Challenger and Charger production just ended, but there are thousands of new ones left on dealer lots. Some cars still sell years after their production ended; Chrysler reported selling a single 200 sedan in Q2 of 2023 more than six years after its production ended. – Lawrence Hodge Read More
The Average EV Driver Is Sitting At A Fast Charger For More Than 40 Minutes
Image: Hyundai
Whether it comes down to a trend of buyers seeking bigger batteries, public DC fast chargers not delivering the speeds they advertise, or lack of knowledge of fast charging practices, it’s taking 42 minutes for the average EV to charge up. A study from Energetics covering 2.4 million charging sessions over a three-year period proved that many drivers are sitting at chargers for a lifetime to get their EVs packed with electrons. – Bradley Brownell Read More
Taking Your Rented Porsche Macan Mudding In Death Valley Will Probably Land You In Jail
Image: National Parks Services
Two vehicles drove off road in Death Valley National Park and got stuck. One got stuck trying to retrieve the first. All drivers involved have been cited, received mandatory court appearances, and could face jail time for their part in the whole ridiculous matter. According to the National Parks Services, on December 22, two men drove a rented Porsche Macan on a muddy path, and got stuck 200 yards away from the road heading toward the salt flat. The men then hired a truck to tow them out, and the truck also got stuck. – Bradley Brownell Read More
Billionaires Keep Their Cars In Buildings Nicer Than Your House
Image: Porsche Design Tower
Oh, to be a billionaire car enthusiast. Not only are super-rich car enthusiasts able to buy any vehicle they want without a care in the world, they’re storing them in places that developers aren’t even referring to as garages anymore — Places that in most instances are nicer than most people’s homes and wouldn’t look out of place as an elaborate auto show setup. – Lawrence Hodge Read More
Getting Access To Tesla Superchargers Won’t Solve All Your Charging Woes
Photo: Smith Collection/Gado (Getty Images)
Last year, a whole host of automakers adopted Tesla’s NACS charging plug as their own — from Ford to GM, Subaru to Mercedes, the number of brands that won’t use Tesla’s plugs in their cars is starting to dwindle. – Steve DaSilva Read More
