Electric vehicles aren’t new, just new again after 200 years

Approaching 200 years ago, a few smart, innovators with big dreams began experimenting with vehicles propelled by electricity, the original Electric Vehicles. Two Scotsmen respectively introduced an electric carriage and locomotive with galvanic cells with limited lives. The contraptions quickly gained notoriety. They were revolutionary for the early 1830s, but are best remembered as pre-historic precursors to the current electric vehicle surge. All major and niche car manufacturers — Chevrolet to Ford, Tesla to Lucid —have electric cars and trucks or are preparing an alternative fuel or electric vehicle. The automotive future is now, accelerated in California by Gov. Gavin

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2022 Lexus NX 350h: Improved SUV drives well, looks ugly

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The 2022 Lexus NX 350h is an automotive dichotomy. Now in its second generation and eight years removed from its debut, the futuristic-looking sport utility vehicle is categorized as a subcompact luxury crossover. The description is contradictory and inaccurate. Luxury in vehicles was once determined by spaciousness, top-end construction, top-line materials and a handsome, confident and powerful presence powering along the highway. The NX 350 is none of that. Lexus remains the luxury brand of Toyota. Its upscale offerings were vaulted to the top of the J.D Power & Associates in 1991, the car maker’s third model year. More than

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#231, Bruce’s RV update, new retro trailers, Cruise taxis

Not too many days pass without the automobile, truck or RV industry abuzz. But it’s not always about Elon Musk, Tesla and the latest delay of his electric pickup truck. Sometimes, Bruce and I just have to get caught up in other auto news, and that’s what we do on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. We cover several topics. Bruce and his wife Alene recently returned their fifth trip in their new fifth-wheel RV, a 29-foot Keystone Cougar, towed by their 2022 Ford F-250 pickup truck. Bruce updates listeners with his tales from the road — hot weather

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2022 Toyota Highlander: maturing SUV remains worthy

The Toyota Highlander turned age 22 in 2022 and it retains its status as a respected midsize sport utility vehicle. Its consistency and versatility have provided long-haul clout. Last year, the Highlander had its best sales year since the three-row family hauler’s debut. Key Takeaways Highlander posts record sales year in a crowded segment: Now in its fourth generation, Toyota’s three-row SUV delivered its best annual total since its 2000 debut despite strong rivals in the Telluride, Pilot, Pathfinder, Ascent, Atlas, and Traverse. 295-hp V6 with eight-speed automatic powers all six trims: Every Highlander gets the 3.5-liter V6, plus Eco,

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Elon Musk faces more woes including massive lawsuit

Elon Musk can seemingly never escape controversy. The latest? The electric vehicle pioneer and two of his companies, Tesla and SpaceX, are being sued for $258 billion. According to Bloomberg, the business news service, the CEO of the country’s increasingly popular EV, is facing a massive lawsuit filed by Keith Johnson and announced on June 16. On the same day, employees of SpaceX, sent a letter to the company’s executives detailing that Musk is a “distraction and embarrassment” to the company. Elon Musk: Dodgy Dogecoin? “Elon’s behavior in the public sphere is a frequent source of distraction and embarrassment for

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Ford recall numbers skyrocket, another 3 million affected

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For the fifth time in five years, Ford is recalling vehicles. The culprit this time is the possibility of nearly three million cars rolling away after being shifted into park mode because of degrading transmission components. The recall covers certain 2013 to 2019 Escape, 2013 to 2018 C-Max, 2013 to 2016 Fusion, 2013 to 2021 Transit Connect, and 2015 to 2018 Edge vehicles. Ford Recall: Latest Defect Cause Unknown According to a Ford recall report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a damaged bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission could degrade or detach in

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#230, Bruce Meyer, ’32 Fords and the Petersen Auto Museum

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Bruce Meyer loves 1932 Fords. He owns 10. It may seem excessive unless you’re a founding member of the Petersen Auto Museum in Los Angeles and it just unveiled an exhibition honoring the 90th anniversary of the vehicles and their iconic legacy as hot rods. Meyer, 90, founding chairman of the museum, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Meyer the country’s most well-known museum and its celebration of the cars often known by their moniker, “Deuce.” The exhibit began earlier in June with a celebration and honor given

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#229, Tracy Broshar embraces three-wheel motorcycles

Tracy Broshar began riding motorcycles at age 19 but she hadn’t ridden for years out of respect for her partner’s wishes. When her partner died three years ago and the effects of Covid-19 hit, Broshar “felt lost.” “I kept thinking, ‘what can I do to get myself out of this,’ ” the resident of Sacramento recently explained. “I know I couldn’t ride two-wheelers anymore because I needed a knee replacement. I started looking online and I found the three-wheelers and history was written.” Broshar, 63, now a passionate rider and advocate of three-wheel motorcycles, is our guest on this episode

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2022 Genesis G80 defines the best of luxury sedans

The guy standing next to his parked Mercedes-Benz sedan was three spots away from my ride in the far reaches of a Home Depot parking lot. He stared at the 2022 Genesis G80 and said, “Nice lines. What kind of car is it?” The entire Genesis lineup gets plenty of similar reactions. Praised by critics and inundated with awards, the South Korean carmaker debuted as a stand-alone luxury brand from Hyundai in 2016. But it remains unheralded. Further confusing, Hyundai offered a Genesis as its top-line sedan beginning in 2009. Now Genesis manufacturers the G70 sports sedan, G80 mid-size sedan,

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Parts Authority Turn5, Inc. schedules annual charity event

The annual Parts Authority Turn5, Inc. Charity Auto Show, the automotive community event held to support Make-A-Wish Philadelphia, Delaware & Susquehanna Valley, will be held Oct. 1, 2022, at the Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pennsylvania. The show expects to attract more than 8000 muscle car, truck, and off-road enthusiasts. Highlights include Make-A-Wish’s opening ceremony parade, a muscle car burnout competition, dyno competition, RTI ramp and teeter-totter for Jeep/Off-Road vehicles, raffles and a muscle car revving competition. In addition to thousands of vehicles, events will be held throughout the day with proceeds adding to the more than $400k Turn5 has

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2022 Ford Maverick reigns in pickup gas mileage rivalry

The 2022 Ford Maverick has proven a success, although many buyers who placed orders for the new offering in the manufacturer’s extensive of lightweight trucks haven’t received their vehicle and likely won’t soon. The Maverick combines affordability and fuel efficiency, and it’s also backlogged with many other cars and trucks and many other products within the supply chain fiasco. With a starting price of $21,490 and a combined fuel economy of 37 miles per gallon, the Ford Maverick tops the list of the country’s most fuel efficient trucks. Ford Maverick: Best MPG Among Trucks Here’s a “baker’s dozen” list of

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2022 Hyundai Tucson: new, bold, worthy

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson, the debut of the small sport utility’s fourth generation, is the South Korean manufacturer’s finest effort to compete against the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. It’s a worthy challenger. Unheralded and 13th in small SUV sales in 2021, this year’s Tucson has been redesigned with a sculptor’s bold ideas. It has squared wheel arches, sharp bodywork creases, a radical headlight design and a snarky-looking front grille. More important, the Tucson for the first time is available in three powertrains, a gasoline engine, a standard hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. The latter has a maximum 28-mile electric-only

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Volkswagen hints toward new electric pickup truck

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Nearly 40 years after Volkswagen stopped selling pickup trucks in the United States, it will do so again. At least that’s what VW of America CEO Scott Keogh suggested recently during an interview with Business Insider. “I think it’s the chance of a lifetime in this segment because electrification gives you a reset moment,” Keogh said. “It gives you a chance to bring some, let’s say, alternatives and some new ideas into this great segment.” VW leaning toward pickup truck return Keogh said an electric pickup is something VW is “actively investigating.” Volkswagen has twice suggested it would re-enter the

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#228, Newport Auto Museum artist David Lloyd Glover

David Lloyd Glover, a former newspaper illustrator who has worked as a full-time artist since 1969, created the auto museum artwork in the showrooms of vehicles and architecture in the Newport Car Museum. A week after Gunther Buerman, visionary and founder of the museum was our guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast, Lloyd Glover joined the podcast to discuss his collaborations with the auto museum. A long-time vintage car collector, Lloyd Glover works often with translucent watercolors using the classic British technique. His work has been featured in numerous galleries in the United States and internationally. He works in a

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#227, Journalist Mark Glover set for 58th Indy 500

Mark Glover, the long-time Sacramento-based journalist, will continue his passion for motorsports this week. He will attend the Indy 500 for the 58th time. It will be a family affair. Glover’s son will accompany his father for the 30th time. Glover is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver podcast. Co-host Bruce Aldrich and I talk with the Indy 500 historian about his legacy at the race, the event he first attended with his father when he was a young boy. Glover was also our guest on Episode #39 in 2018. We also talk with Glover in Episode

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2022 Toyota Supra matches sports car rivals, costs less

More than two dozen cars debuted in 1979. They varied from long-gone oddities like the Datsun Bluebird and Ford Durango to icons with legions of followers, the Volkswagen Jetta and Toyota Supra. As a compact two-seater, four-seater and wagon, the Jetta is an all-time top seller as a durable, reliable and affordable family car. The Supra was a near-instant hit as a high-performing, handsome sports car eventually gaining starring movie roles. It had nearly a 20-year hiatus beginning in 1998, but it’s been back for a few years. And it’s much to the joy of long-time enthusiasts who thrive on

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