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7 major automakers to build open EV charging network

A new joint venture established by BMW, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis will build a new North American electric vehicle charging network on a scale designed to compete with Tesla's industry-benchmark Supercharger network. The 30,000-plus planned new chargers will accommodate both Tesla's almost-standard North American Charging System (NACS) and existing automakers' Combined Charging System (CCS) options, effectively guaranteeing compatibility with the vast majority of current and upcoming electric models — whether they're from one of the involved automakers or not.  "With the generational investments in public charging being implemented on the Federal and State level, the joint venture will leverage public and private funds to accelerate the installation of high-powered charging for customers. The new charging stations will be accessible to all battery-powered electric vehicles from any automaker using Combined Charging System (CCS) or North American Charging Standard (NACS) and are expected to meet or exceed the spirit and requirements of the U.S. National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program." Critically, the automakers involved will have a say in how the charging tech is implemented, guaranteeing that the hardware will play nicely with each automaker's in-house charging systems. Hyundai and Kia, for example, were hesitant to jump on board the Tesla NACS bandwagon earlier this year over concerns that the Supercharger network is insufficient for powering the two automakers' 800-volt charging systems; similar tech is used by Volkswagen and Porsche.  In addition to providing much-needed capacity and high-output charging for America's growing fleet of electric cars and trucks, the new network will integrate seamlessly with each automaker's in-app and in-vehicle features, rather than forcing customers to use third-party tools and payment systems, as is the case with some existing public charging infrastructure.  "The functions and services of the network will allow for seamless integration with participating automakersÂ’ in-vehicle and in-app experiences, including reservations, intelligent route planning and navigation, payment applications, transparent energy management and more. In addition, the network will leverage Plug & Charge technology to further enhance the customer experience," the announcement said.

PGA golfer Kevin Na won a '73 Dodge Challenger, gave it to his caddie

PGA Golfer Kevin Na had one of the best Memorial Day weekends on the planet, as he took home more than $1.3 million from winning the Charles Schwab Challenge. But his caddie Kenny Harms' weekend wasn't too far behind. In addition to the monetary purse, Na won a restomodded 1973 Dodge Challenger, which he then immediately gifted to Harms. Plus, as a sponsor of the event, Lexus gave Harms a free one-year lease on a new UX F Sport. In 15 events so far in 2019, 35-year-old Na has three times finished in the top 10, but his victory at the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Texas was his first tournament win of the year. Na, who has been a pro since 2001, was awarded a restored '73 Challenger as part of his winnings. His caddie had been ogling the ride all week, and even predicted the car would be his: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. As soon as Na won the tournament, turned to Harms and yelled, "that's your car!" This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. After the event, Na joked that he wasn't sure how Harms convinced him to give the car away. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. According to a PGA.com report, Harms had told Na he wanted the car, which commemorates the year Charles Schwab was founded, when they heard about the prize months before. Coincidentally, Harms first car was a crummy 1973 Chevrolet Camaro. Steve Strope and his Cali-based shop Pure Vision handled the Challenger customization. Aside from the suggestion of blue paint, Schwab let Strope work his magic. He took the car down to the bare metal before building it back up as an impressive restomod. Because Dodge started downgrading power in the '73 Challengers, Strope swapped in a modern 6.4-liter Hemi crate motor that's rated at 485 horsepower. Several other special touches were added, including tartan interior accents that nod to the famous tartan jacket that is awarded to the tournament's winner. The video above details some of the work. Something tells us the Lexus UX might get a little more use but a little less love than the Challenger. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Auto News Dodge Coupe Classics lexus ux PGA

Dodge Hellcat Widebody delivers Christmas tree at 174 mph

The holidays are here, and so last-minute shoppers are going to be in a serious rush to get all the items they need, especially Christmas shoppers that haven't even put up a tree yet. Those seriously late folks may want to invest in a Challenger Hellcat because apparently they can go an incredible 174 mph with a Christmas tree strapped to the roof. This was discovered by the folks at Hennessey. They got a Hellcat Widebody from Dodge for the little experiment, along with a suction cup mount roof rack from SeaSucker and a real Christmas tree from Lowe's. Then it was off to the Continental Tire test track in Texas to see how fast it could go, which, as mentioned was 174 mph. As you'll see in the video, it takes quite a bit of road to move up from 170 to 174 mph. It's impressive that the tree and roof rack don't seem to budge. And it's all capped off with a huge smokey burnout to the sound of V8 rumble and supercharger whine. It's a fun way to get into the holiday spirit. And we'll look forward to next year when maybe Dodge will give Hennessey a Demon to try out. Related Video: