Latest news with #TeslaSuperchargers
Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
This hidden rural oasis makes for a splendid day trip — and it's just an hour from L.A.
Ask a random Angeleno to find Piru, Fillmore or Santa Paula on a California map and odds are they'll shrug and give up. Blame it on location, location, location. Collectively known as the Heritage Valley, these small towns hidden on the stretch of Highway 126 are often ignored and bypassed by L.A. travelers bound for Ojai or Ventura. But if you take the time to stop in this rural oasis, you'll find miles of citrus groves, heaps of history and truly tasty Mexican food. Yes, there are more tractors than Tesla Superchargers in this region — that's part of the draw. This, you realize, is what Southern California looked like before suburbia moved in. Heritage Valley was previously known as Santa Clara River Valley, which is what the locals still call it. In 1998, a committee was assembled to help bring in tourists, and the new, jazzier label was coined. It was an improvement over an earlier, clunkier nickname, Santa Clara River Valley Heritage Trail, which sounded more like a hiking path. It wasn't the only title created for the sake of marketing. The town of Santa Paula has always proclaimed itself 'the citrus capital of the world' for its abundance of lemons and oranges. Fillmore, not to be outdone, picked a gem: 'The last, best small town,' which inspired a play of the same name that's set there. Piru was already born with a compelling handle when its devoutly religious founder proclaimed it as 'The Second Garden of Eden' in 1887. Today, it's better known for its popular outdoor recreational area, Lake Piru. (After 'Glee' actress Naya Rivera drowned in the lake in 2020, swimming was temporarily banned. It's now allowed, but only in designated areas between Memorial Day and Labor Day.) If you go back hundreds of years before Lake Piru was created by the construction of the Santa Felicia Dam, you'd see Chumash villages dotting the valley. Then came the Spanish expeditions in the late 18th century, followed by ranchos that used the land for sheep and cattle. Soon the railroads arrived, and then an oil boom. The valley's eventual transformation into an agricultural mecca was hastened by a Mediterranean climate that proved ideal for crops — first citrus, then avocados. But along with the bounty there were disasters, both natural and man-made, including the 1994 Northridge Earthquake and the catastrophic flood from the 1928 St. Francis Dam collapse. Numerous fires also have made the valley live up to a Times article that called it 'among the most dangerous wind and fire corridors in Southern California.' Yet through it all, the population has steadily grown and more travelers are discovering the area for its lively gatherings (the Santa Paula Citrus Music Festival took place last week), new attractions (check out the 17-mile Sunburst Railbike experience) and stunning hikes. Here's where to go on a road trip along Highway 126.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Lucid Air Just Got Better For 2026 With More Range And Tesla Supercharger Access
The Lucid Air has a quite compelling argument for being the best electric vehicle you can buy, and it's set to get even better for 2026. Lucid says its flagship sedan will gain access to Tesla's Supercharger network starting later this month. On top of that, some models are getting even more range, there's a new AC compressor "under the hood" meant to improve cooling and make everything a bit quieter, and there are some new wheel and seating options all meant to make your Air even lovelier. For most customers the big news here is that all Airs will be able to fill up on electrons at Tesla Superchargers starting on July 31. Of course, owners are going to have to use a $220 Lucid-approved NACS adapter, but that's still a big improvement and gives drivers access to over 17,000 new chargers. (Lucid's Gravity SUV has a NACS port as standard, but there's no word on when the Air might make that switchover.) With the adapter, owners will be able to start charging at V3 and above Superchargers via the Lucid App. There is one caveat to all of this: rather slow charging speeds, at least by Lucid's standards. The Newark, California-based company says Airs will be able to charge up at 50 kW and gain up to 200 miles of range per hour. That's good in a pinch, but it's rather crappy when you consider the fact that an Air Grand Touring can DC fast-charge at 350 kW and add that same 200 miles of range in just 12 minutes under ideal conditions. Currently, the highest-power Tesla Superchargers can deliver 250 kW, with plans for 350-kW stations. Read more: These Cars Are Police Magnets Changing Lucids For A Changing World The addition of Supercharging isn't the only news coming from Lucid land, either. Range is also up on the Air Touring to an estimated 431 miles, a 6% improvement thanks to higher density battery cells. On the top end, the Grand Touring retains its EPA-leading 512 miles of range. There's also plenty of new standard and optional equipment for 2026, like a new mobile changing cable kit that'll let you add up to 40 miles of range per hour, a new AC compressor courtesy of the Gravity, and new 19-inch wheels available on the Pure, Touring and Grand Touring that look way better than the old aero disc style. The Grand Touring gets 20-way adjustable seats with massage as standard, too. Lucid also says owners will get a major update to its DreamDrive Pro driver assistance suite, something we talked about last week. Drivers will now get Level 2 hands-free highway driving and hands-free lane changing that is meant to bring its system more in line with what you get from companies like General Motors, Ford and Rivian. Pricing for the Air lineup looks to be up about $1,000 across the board. The rear-wheel-drive Pure is slated to start $70,990 before destination — that charge is currently $1,500, but Lucid hasn't said if that's changing for 2026. The all-wheel-drive Air Touring comes in at $79,900, and above that, you've got the Grand Touring with a $114,900 pricetag. With price jumps happening seemingly every day, it's nice to get a small break. I should note that Lucid doesn't make any mention of the ultra-high-performance Sapphire in its release, but I'm going to assume not much is changing for that tri-motor monster with its 1,234 horsepower and 1.89-second 0-to-60-mph time. The world is better for it, too. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
CNET
22-07-2025
- Automotive
- CNET
Honda, Acura EVs Can Now Charge at Tesla Superchargers via Adapter
Table of Contents Honda, Acura EVs Can Now Charge at Tesla Superchargers via Adapter Good news, owners of the Honda Prologue EV or Acura ZDX: You now have more than 23,500 more places to charge on your next road trip. Honda has unlocked access to the Tesla Supercharger fast-charging network for the two electric SUVs and is now offering a Honda-approved adapter for connecting to any North American Charging System (NACS) DC fast-charging point. Pioneered by EV giant Tesla before being opened to the rest of the North American automotive industry in 2023, the NACS standard and charging connection has been rapidly adopted by nearly every automaker that sells or plans to sell electric cars in North America. Honda declared two years ago that it would be adopting NACS for its EVs starting in 2025, and today we see the fruits of that announcement. Read more: Best Electric Cars and SUVs for 2025 (and Beyond!) Designed and developed largely before the mass-adoption of NACS in the US, both the Honda Prologue EV and the Acura ZDX EV charge via the Combined Charging System (CCS) connection. To connect to a Tesla Supercharger or other NACS DC fast-charging station, Honda is now selling an OEM-approved NACS-CCS adapter at authorized dealerships in the US and on the web at its Acura and Honda DreamShop online retailer. The adapter, which connects between the charging station and the EV, retails for $225. Enlarge Image The Honda-approved adapter connects to the NACS cable and plugs into the EV's CCS port. Honda Third-party NACS-to-CCS adapters have existed for some time now, many of which are less expensive. However, Honda warns that damage to a vehicle caused by an unapproved adapter may void your EV's limited warranty. In addition to the new charging hardware, the Google dashboard software that's built into Prologue and ZDX EVs is also being updated to find and navigate to authorized Tesla Supercharger locations when people are searching for charging on the go. Owners will still need to install the Tesla Supercharger app on their smartphone to connect and pay upon arrival, but the automaker tells us that more seamless plug-and-charge capabilities are currently "under development."
Engadget
22-07-2025
- Automotive
- Engadget
Honda and Acura EV owners gain access to Tesla Supercharger network
Honda and Acura EV owners can now take advantage of the sprawling Tesla Supercharger network with the release of the first Honda-approved NACS -CCS DC fast-charging adapter. This means that Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX owners can join the growing ranks of non-Tesla EVs that you might see filling up at any one of the more than 23,500 selected Tesla Superchargers. "Combined with other growing charging networks, Honda and Acura EV drivers now have added peace of mind with a wider range of dependable DC fast charging options nationwide," said Ryan Harty, assistant vice president of Sustainability and Business Development at American Honda Motor Company. While Honda and its subsidiary brand Acura only have one fully-electric model each at the moment, this lays the groundwork for future models to use the Supercharger network. Prologue and ZDX drivers will now see Tesla Superchargers marked on their built-in Google Maps for easier navigation. Once they arrive, drivers will use the Tesla app to begin charging. Integration with HondaLink and Acura EV apps that will allow plug and charge capability are currently under development, according to Honda. Customers can now buy the Honda-approved adapter from their authorized Honda and Acura dealership in the US or online . The adapter will retail for $225.
Boston Globe
22-07-2025
- Automotive
- Boston Globe
Imagine having dozens of EV charging spots on the Mass. Pike. It could happen next year — really.
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'We're committed to it,' Bob Etchingham, executive chair and cofounder of Applegreen, said in an interview. 'Our aim is to deploy those chargers ahead of demand, so that people will automatically think of the plazas as the place to go when they're on a journey and they need to charge.' Advertisement The charger installations are a rare positive development in 2025 for the state's plans to address climate change amid the Trump administration's 'At a time when we're seeing so many federal rollbacks in the clean transportation space, it's great to see a forward-thinking commitment on EV charging at service plazas,' said Anna Vanderspek, EV program director at Boston nonprofit Green Energy Consumers Alliance. Adding more charging at the rest stops 'will encourage more people to make the switch to less polluting electric cars, cleaning up our air,' she added. Advertisement Applegreen aims to install eight to 12 fast-charger ports at every rest stop, depending on driver demand and available electricity connections, Eugene Moore, chief executive of Applegreen Electric, the company's charging subsidiary, said. Currently, the state has a total of 20 ports (that can charge any EV) at 10 of its rest stops on the Pike and other highways. Tesla operates a total of 32 ports at four rest stops (though most can only be used by Tesla EVs). And Applegreen's new equipment will charge at rates of 150 to 400 kilowatts, three to eight times faster than the state's current chargers. Modern EVs can add hundreds of miles of range in about 15 minutes on the fastest type of charger. Applegreen Electric already operates more than 1,325 charging ports in the US and Europe, including on the New York State Thruway and New Jersey Turnpike. That means the company won't need an outside company to operate or repair its equipment, a major problem with the original chargers installed at the Pike rest stops. Massachusetts was initially ahead of the curve, deploying EV chargers at six rest stops on the Mass Turnpike in 2017. But the gear broke down frequently and Lawmakers have been pushing the Department of Transportation Advertisement Applegreen said it will have staff at the rest stops available to help drivers using the EV chargers. Employees will be available to show inexperienced EV drivers how to use the chargers and to coordinate waiting cars at busy times, for example. 'The mere fact that we have a human being that you can talk to is a big difference, a big advantage that we have,' Etchingham said. Currently installed Tesla Superchargers at rest stops on the Pike in Charlton and on Route 128 in Newton and Lexington will remain in place for the foreseeable future, Applegreen officials said. Some Tesla drivers were upset when In Massachusetts, 'the Tesla chargers on the four sites that they're on will stay,' Moore said. Tesla's contract to operate the four rest-stop charging stations expires in about a year but the EV company has two options to extend for five years each, according to MassDOT. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment. Aaron Pressman can be reached at
