eBay expands auto channel, launches eBay Garage platform

eBay Motors has launched eBay Garage, an online community and personalization platform that allow auto enthusiasts to interact in several ways. In addition to showcasing their vehicles, enthusiasts can connect to share information of purchase new parts and accessories. The new eBay Garage platform significantly builds upon the functionality of My Vehicles, a feature of eBay Motors where enthusiasts have virtually parked more than two million vehicle profiles. Fresh features that car fanatics will notice in the new eBay Garage include:* eBay Garage Community Page: A single destination for enthusiasts to find a continuous stream of vehicle photos and profiles

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#275, An Interview with Barrett-Jackson CEO Craig Jackson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:36 — 67.7MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreCraig Jackson is the CEO of Barrett-Jackson, the country’s most well-known auction company, and he owns 108 vehicles — from muscle cars to sports cars and modern classics to resto-mods. Immersed in the automotive world since he was a boy, Jackson recently attended the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) annual gathering in Las Vegas. He was our special guest for the latest episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts James Raia and John Berg spoke with Jackson inside the Barrett-Jackson trailer on the showroom

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The Advantages of Motorcycle LED Lights and How They Enhance Your Ride

Safety is of incredible importance for motorcycle riders due to the increased exposure and lack of support compared to vehicles. Therefore, as a bike owner, we urge you to take your safety seriously and look at different things you can do to keep your bike road-worthy, and protect yourself from danger. A simple way to do this is to look at vehicle accent lighting and the use of LED lights for your bike. As you will see below, LED lights for your bike offer multiple benefits including improved safety, and cost-efficiency. Enhanced Visibility and Safety Motorcycle riders face more safety

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Industry fuel cell expert clears the air on hydrogen

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Nineteen months ago, Chris White did something no one else in Northern California had done. She leased a new car that operates only on hydrogen. Honda, Toyota and Hyundai are manufacturers offering hydrogen-only vehicles. Mercedes-Benz and GM also have plans for hydrogen-only vehicles, the emissions of which are water. The 2017 and 2018 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell are available for lease only in only 12 dealerships in California. Five locales are in the San Francisco Bay Area, one is in Roseville. The long-time Communications Director of the California Fuel Cell Partnership in West Sacramento, White also lives in West Sacramento.

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Keep Your Car Looking New Longer

Buying a new car is a significant investment and it should be protected. But while purchasing a new vehicle is a great feeling, your new car quickly loses value. Some cars can lose almost half of their value from depreciation within the first five years of ownership. Therefore, it’s logical to prevent the value of your vehicle from depreciating at lightning speed. One of the best ways to avoid the sometimes massive losses is to keep a vehicle longer. Getting as much use from a safe vehicle for as long as possible helps minimizes the early depreciation. Besides benefitting from

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BREAKING NEWS: Mercedes-Benz live celebrity Zoom show

With so many automotive events, the Geneva International Motor Show to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance to the Paris Motor Show, all canceled, Zoom had a good idea. In a hastily announced press release, Mercedes-Benz will have an online automotive show on Zoom called the Concours de Zoom. It will feature the Mercedes-Benz vehicles of celebrities and car collectors ranging from Jay Leno to Martha Stewart. The just-announced event will be broadcast on Zoom at 2 p.m. Pacific Time, 5 p.m., Eastern Time. Zoom in to Mercedes-Benz online car show Mercedes-Benz will make a financial donation to the American Red

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Lily Tomlin takes on General Motors nearly 40 years ago

Nearly 40 years ago, Lily Tomlin replaced Judy Carney on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, the NBC Comedy Series. Tomlin portrayed many iconic characters during her four-year tenure on the program, including switchboard telephone operator Ernestine Tomlin. In one of her most well-remembered skits, Ernestine, in her nosy demeanor, nasal voice and condescending tone, calls General Motors. As she did in all of her Ernestine skits, she snorts, laughs at her own jokes and when the person on the other end of the line answers, she says: “Is this the party to whom I am speaking?” In her less than four-minute

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One Chevy Volt burns, another smokes, NHTSA starts probe

Following problems while under close monitoring by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the U.S. Government has started a safety defect investigation of the lithium-ion batteries in General Motors Co.’s Chevrolet Volt. The probe began after one Chevy Volt battery pack caught fire after a crash test. Another crash-tested battery emitted smoke and sparks, according to the NHTSA report. General Motors responded in a statement that the Volt “is safe and does not present undue risk as part of normal operation or immediately after a severe crash.” The latest fires are in addition to a battery fire in a

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Chevy Volt hybrid unplugged by GM for five weeks via low sales

The Chevrolet Volt, the plug-in hybrid highly touted by General Motors but not overwhelmingly accepted by the car-buying public, has fallen short of GM’s anticipated sales predictions and thus will not be made for five weeks beginning March 19. According to the carmaker, production will stop through April 23 at its Hamtramck assembly plant in Detroit. The plant had increased its production to full speed in Feb. 6. from March 19 until April 23. Sales of the Volt in February more than tripled from a year earlier to 1,023. But sales are below what’s needed to meet Chief Executive Officer

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GM makes high-voltage move, calls back all Volts for potential battery fires

Arguably biggest setback for hybrid and electric cars has been announced with General Motors’ revelation that it’s “calling back” all Chevrolet Volts sold in the United States as a precaution against battery pack fires. The call back involves about 8,000 vehicles, with the carmaker detailing it needs to “toughen the protection around the battery pack and make other changes to prevent fires following a crash.” Sales of the Chevy Volt began U.S. markets in mid-December 2010. GM executives said while the changes came following a federal probe into three fires in Volt battery packs after crash tests, they had seen

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Hyundai, Kia, VW, GM all back in sold out Super Bowl commercial spotlight

The most coveted and most expensive advertising platform, the Super Bowl, is sold out. And for the auto industry that means welcome back Volkswagen, GM, Toyota, Hyundai and Kia — among other auto-related sponsors. According to a report in USA Today, all 30-second slots, which cost a record $3.5 million each, were purchased by the end of last November. Seth Winter,  senior vice president of sales and marketing at NBC’s sports group, told the newspaper, “We have shattered any recent revenue stories in regards to the Super Bowl.” Last year, Volkswagen had two of the most popular Super Bowl commercials, including

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GM Energy PowerBank: Bringing Home Energy Storage and Backup Alongside Ultium

General Motors is not just making strides in electric vehicle (EV) technology; it’s now making a significant impact in home energy solutions. With the launch of GM Energy’s PowerBank, the company aims to provide homeowners with a robust, reliable backup energy storage system that integrates seamlessly with its Ultium platform. The PowerBank is designed to offer backup power for homes during outages and peak demand periods, while also enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability. This marks a major step forward in GM’s broader strategy to establish itself as a leader in renewable energy solutions. With the PowerBank, GM Energy is delivering

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Elon Musk Introduces Tesla Cybercab at We, Robot with Full Self-Driving Autonomous Technology

In an era where autonomous vehicles are no longer a distant dream, Tesla has taken yet another leap forward with its highly anticipated Cybercab—an all-electric, fully autonomous robotaxi designed to transform urban mobility. Unveiled by Elon Musk at Tesla event ‘We, Robot’ on October 10, 2024, the Tesla Cybercab is more than just a vehicle; it’s a glimpse into a future where human drivers may become obsolete. But what does this mean for city transportation, and how does the Cybercab compare to Tesla’s other innovations? The Concept Behind the Cybercab Elon Musk’s vision for Tesla has always included a future

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Electric Truck Charging Stations: Future Trends and Innovations

The transportation world is shifting gears, and electric trucks are leading the charge. As we move towards greener options, electric truck charging stations are becoming more critical. This article explores the future trends and innovations in this exciting field. Rapid Charging Technology: The Need for Speed Electric trucks need fast charging to stay competitive in the fast-paced logistics industry. Slow charging won’t cut it, so rapid charging technology is quickly advancing. Ultra-Fast DC Chargers Ultra-fast direct current (DC) chargers are becoming more common. These can deliver a high power output, allowing trucks to charge much faster—minutes instead of hours. This

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Automakers Reassess Electric Goals as Costs Outpace Expectations

Electric vehicles (EVs) were once heralded as the inevitable future of the automotive industry, with automakers rushing to announce bold plans to electrify their lineups. But as 2024 unfolds, it’s becoming clear that this future may not arrive as quickly as once expected. The last few months have seen a significant pullback from several major automakers, including Ford, General Motors (GM), Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, and Volvo. Economic headwinds, rising costs, and supply chain issues are forcing these companies to reassess their once-lofty EV ambitions. While consumer demand for electric vehicles remains strong, the reality of scaling EV production has proven far

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Driver’s dozen provides new car review challenge, South Korean EVs take honors

Automotive journalists often drive new vehicles for a week and then write reviews about their experiences. It’s rare one vehicle in a manufacturer’s lineup can be quickly compared to a more modest or a higher-end trim of the same car. Also unusual is promptly testing two diverse cars or trucks from the same carmaker. The novel approach was one idea presented at the recent Best of the Bay, a 2 1/2-day gathering of the Western Auto Journalists (WAJ). It’s the 30-year-old Bay Area community of automotive content creators and industry representatives. Nine manufacturers showcased 13 cars at Vintner’s Resort in

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