Chevy Bolt EVs testing Cruise Automation driverless tech on San Francisco streets

By Bruce Brown Published November 17, 2017

It didn’t take long for GM and Cruise Automation to put the results of their alliance on the road. Following GM’s March 2016 purchase of the San Francisco-based startup, Cruise is now testing GM Chevrolet Bolt EVs equipped with its self-driving technology on the city’s streets.

Cruise is also listing job openings for a fleet of engineers, again all to work in San Francisco. The rush to combine driverless vehicle technology with electric cars and to use them with ride-sharing firms is on. In GM’s case, its $500 million investment in ride-sharing company Lyft looks likely to push forward the alliance with Cruise. No timeline has been announced for when we can expect to see driverless Bolt EVs responding to our ride hail call with a big pink mustache on the front bumper, but it might be sooner than we thought.

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The 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV won the Digital Trends Best of Show Award at CES 2016 in January. The Bolt EV is expected to have a 200-mile range and to cost approximately $30,000 after incentives.

The all-electric version of the Bolt is targeted as an entry-level family car. “The Bolt EV is really going to be for that customer that wants to go full-fledged, both feet in. Their driving patterns and lifestyle allow for a 200-mile EV range to fit in, or they may have a second or third vehicle for extra trips, ” Chevrolet’s Darin Gesse, the Product Marketing Manager for the Bolt EV and Volt plug-in hybrid told Digital Trends in March 2016.

The Bolt EV is expected in dealer showrooms this fall. Don’t expect a driverless version that soon, but if you’re walking on the streets of San Francisco you might just see one drive by. And sometime in the next few years, as soon as driverless technologies and local, state, and federal regulations allow, it appears that when you call Lyft, you might get picked up by a pink-mustached, driverless Bolt EV.

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Contributing Editor

Bruce Brown Contributing Editor As a Contributing Editor to the Auto teams at Digital Trends and TheManual.com, Bruce…

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Tesla’s new Cybertruck trim goes low on price, high on range

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Tesla has just introduced the most affordable variant of its Cybertruck in the US market. Carrying a sticker price worth $69,990, and dipping down to $62,490 with the federal tax credit applied, the new “Long Range” rear-wheel drive (RWD) model is quite an interesting package, in both good and odd ways.

For starters, despite being the most affordable trim, it offers the highest per-charge mileage at 350 miles. The pricier All-Wheel Drive version delivers a range of 325 miles, while the top-of-the-line $99,990 Cyberbeast model can only muster 301 miles.

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Subaru’s electric comeback starts now: Trailseeker EV to debut in NYC

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Subaru is finally accelerating into the EV fast lane. The automaker is officially teasing the 2026 Trailseeker, an all-new electric SUV set to debut at the New York International Auto Show next week. While details are still scarce, the Trailseeker marks Subaru’s long-awaited second entry into the EV space, joining the Solterra — and the expectations couldn't be higher.
The teaser image offers only a glimpse of the Trailseeker’s rear badge and taillight, but the name alone suggests rugged ambitions. It's a clear nod to Subaru’s outdoorsy heritage. But in the EV space, the outdoors belongs to brands like Rivian, whose upcoming R2 compact SUV is already turning heads. The Trailseeker is Subaru’s chance to reassert its identity in an electric age.
Currently, Subaru’s only EV is the Solterra, a joint venture with Toyota that shares a platform with the bZ4X. While the Solterra nails some Subaru essentials — all-wheel drive, spaciousness, and off-road capability — it falls short on key EV metrics. Reviewers have pointed to its modest 225-mile range, slow 100kW charging, and unremarkable acceleration, especially compared to rivals like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Ford Mustang Mach-E.
The hope is that Subaru has learned from these criticisms and is poised to deliver a more competitive product. The Trailseeker could either be a variation of a newer Toyota EV (possibly the next-gen C-HR+), or something entirely new under the shared platform strategy. Subaru previously announced that its next three EVs would be co-developed with Toyota, before launching four in-house EVs by 2028.
Given how long Subaru has waited to expand its EV offerings, the Trailseeker has to deliver. It's not just about adding a second electric model — it's about keeping pace with a market rapidly leaving legacy automakers behind. If the Trailseeker can improve on the Solterra's shortcomings and channel that classic Subaru ruggedness into a truly modern EV, it might just be the spark the brand needs.

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EVs top gas cars in German reliability report — but one weak spot won’t quit

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Electric vehicles are quietly crushing old stereotypes about being delicate or unreliable, and the data now backs it up in a big way. According to Germany’s ADAC — Europe’s largest roadside assistance provider — EVs are actually more reliable than their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts. And this isn’t just a small study — it’s based on a staggering 3.6 million breakdowns in 2024 alone.
For cars registered between 2020 and 2022, EVs averaged just 4.2 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles, while ICE cars saw more than double that, at 10.4 per 1,000. Even with more EVs hitting the road, they only accounted for 1.2% of total breakdowns — a big win for the battery-powered crowd.
Among standout performers, some cars delivered exceptionally low breakdown rates. The Audi A4 clocked in at just 0.4 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles for 2022 models, with Tesla’s Model 3 right behind at 0.5. The Volkswagen ID.4, another popular EV, also impressed with a rate of 1.0 – as did the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross at 1.3. On the flip side, there were some major outliers: the Hyundai Ioniq 5 showed a surprisingly high 22.4 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles for its 2022 models, while the hybrid Toyota RAV4 posted 18.4.
Interestingly, the most common issue for both EVs and ICE vehicles was exactly the same: the humble 12-volt battery. Despite all the futuristic tech in EVs, it’s this old-school component that causes 50% of all EV breakdowns, and 45% for gas-powered cars. Meanwhile, EVs shine in categories like engine management and electrical systems — areas where traditional engines are more complex and failure-prone.
But EVs aren’t completely flawless. They had a slightly higher rate of tire-related issues — 1.3 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles compared to 0.9 for ICE cars. That could be due to their heavier weight and high torque, which can accelerate tire wear. Still, this trend is fading in newer EVs as tire tech and vehicle calibration improve.
Now, zooming out beyond Germany: a 2024 Consumer Reports study in the U.S. painted a different picture. It found that EVs, especially newer models, had more reliability issues than gas cars, citing tech glitches and inconsistent build quality. But it’s worth noting that the American data focused more on owner-reported problems, not just roadside breakdowns.
So, while the long-term story is still developing, especially for older EVs, Germany’s data suggests that when it comes to simply keeping you on the road, EVs are pulling ahead — quietly, efficiently, and with far fewer breakdowns than you might expect.