Thursday, 15 October 2026

A Tesla crossed the grass median of Route 55 in New Jersey, entered oncoming traffic and struck an SUV head-on, killing 68-year-old Phillip Eastman, according to Electrek.

Tesla's report to federal regulators said the car's driver-assist system was engaged during the fatal crash, Electrek reported.

Electrek said the engaged system is not proof that it caused the crash, noting the driver may have been overriding it. The available information does not establish which driver-assist system was active.

Jody Kerns is leaving Tesla, where he served as Senior Manager of Cybercab General Assembly at Gigafactory Texas, to join Rivian as Director of General Assembly for the R2 in Normal, Illinois, according to Electrek.

Kerns is the second Cybercab launch leader to leave Tesla this year, Electrek reported.

Kerns announced the move in a LinkedIn post, thanking his Tesla team for everything "from the WEOL project to the launch of the Cyber Cab," according to Electrek.

BMW Group has started series production of its Gen6 high-voltage batteries for the Neue Klasse in Shenyang, in northeastern China, according to electrive.

The Shenyang facility is the third plant in BMW's new battery network, following Debrecen and Irlbach-Straßkirchen, electrive reported. The energy storage systems built there will power the Neue Klasse models that BMW manufactures in China for the local market.

According to electrive, the Gen6 cells raise energy density by more than 20 percent compared with the previous cell generation, while charging speed and range improve by up to 30 percent.

Three companies in the Obrist Group are insolvent with combined debts of about EUR 31.8 million, equivalent to roughly USD 37 million, according to Electrek.

The Feldkirch Regional Court in Vorarlberg opened bankruptcy proceedings at the end of September for Obrist Powertrain and Obrist Technologies, both based in Lustenau, Electrek reported.

Obrist DE, the group's German sales and development arm in Lindau, is also insolvent, carrying about EUR 6.8 million in liabilities, according to ORF Vorarlberg as cited by Electrek.

Rivian will roll out its point-to-point driving feature through an invitation-only Autonomy Early Access Program, according to Electrek.

The feature will launch for that group in late 2026 and will not expand broadly until 2027, Electrek reported.

Selected owners must sign a participation agreement that includes a non-disclosure agreement covering program details, according to Electrek.

Wallbox and Quebec-based EDP Électrique have partnered to deploy public EV charging infrastructure at Montreal Metropolitan Airport, the two companies said on October 15, according to Solar Builder.

The project has installed 120 Wallbox Pulsar Pro charging stations at the airport's YHU terminal, Solar Builder reported.

The partners plan to add 48 more charging stations once the airport's new building is complete, bringing the total to 168 chargers across the airport campus, according to Solar Builder.

A disguised prototype of Ford's Fathom electric pickup appeared outside the company's World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan, according to Electrek.

The truck is expected to start at around USD 30,000 and go on sale in early 2027, Electrek reported.

Ford said preorders will open in early 2027, with first customer deliveries expected by the end of that year.

Suzuki will start its first electric kei car, the e Sky, at 2.12 million yen in Japan, about EUR 12,000, according to electrive. That entry price undercuts electric kei rivals from BYD and Honda, electrive reported.

Sales begin on 16 November, according to electrive.

Above the entry-level A trim, the G version will retail at 2.39 million yen and the X version at 2.79 million yen, electrive reported.