Elon Musk證實Tesla Cybertruck又將延後生產
從本屆2021 IAA慕尼黑車展中大部分車廠發表的產品或做新科技看來，我們可以確定電動車的時代真的不遠了。除了電動房車、超跑與SUV休旅之外，Pickup Truck皮卡 其實也是一個擁有龐大商機的車型，皮卡 依舊是2020年北美市場銷售量最高的車型。
圖／Tesla提供 facebook
Telsa於2019年11月發表的Cybertruck 電動皮卡 原型車搭載了顛覆傳統的科技化設計，搭配能抵擋9mm口徑手槍子彈的不銹鋼板車身、防彈玻璃、主動式氣壓懸吊系統、封閉式貨斗、比Porsche 911還要快的加速性能以及39,900美元(約112萬元新台幣)起跳的入門車價。這些都讓車迷們毫不猶豫地下訂了！
圖／Tesla提供 facebook
最初計畫將在2021年上市的Cybertruck 卻在Tesla 特斯拉2021年8月的第二季度財務業績報告中宣布將延至2022年，而公司創辦人Elon Musk最近又明確表示Cybertruck 上市時程將延至2022年底，並且要到2023年末才能正式大量生產。Elon Musk沒有具體說明Cybertruck 將於一個月或一個季度開始生產。
圖／Tesla提供 facebook
當Tesla Cybertruck 首次亮相時，人們期望它將成為第一輛市售電動皮卡 車。然而，目前看來，即將開始交車的Rivian R1T似乎將搶先一步。此外GMC Hummer EV和Ford福特 F-150 Lightning電動皮卡 也可能會比首批Tesla Cybertruck 更早交付到車主手上。
圖／Tesla提供 facebook
即使上市上市時間一再延，但大多數Tesla 買家們都非常願意等待。而根據報導指出，Tesla Cybertruck 的訂單已超過100萬張，這表示當Cybertruck 終於發表上市後，它將有潛力成為市場上最暢銷的電動皮卡 。
Elon Musk’s SpaceX vs. the environmentalists
SpaceX and its founder, Elon Musk Elon Reeve MuskBiden seeks to build Democratic support among unions Russia’s space chief jealous of Musk and Bezos: ‘Our millionaires prefer to invest more in yachts’ How will Biden’s Afghanistan debacle impact NASA’s Artemis return to the moon? MORE, face another potential legal challenge to their dream of conquering space. In addition to the lawsuit filed by Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin, a group of environmentalists would like to shut Musk’s business down entirely.
The Blue Origin lawsuit imposes delays in developing SpaceX’s Human Landing System (HLS) because of document storing and sharing problems at the Department of Justice (DOJ). However, the big threat to SpaceX’s operation in Boca Chica, Texas, and the SpaceX Starship’s development comes from the environmental lobby.
SpaceX’s Starbase launch facility is located next to a wildlife preserve, according to the U.K. Guardian. The problem, from the environmentalists’ point of view, is that Musk’s development plan for the Starship involves test vehicles blowing up and raining debris on the preserve. This, according to The Guardian, adversely affects several “vulnerable” species. Frequent road closures and other activities at the site have only added to the environmental cause célèbre.
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While the Starship’s atmospheric hops have been approved by government regulators, SpaceX currently awaits approval for the first orbital launch of the Superheavy/Starship stack. The Superheavy stage will lift a Starship into space, with the first stage splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico and the second landing in the Pacific off Hawaii. The test is crucial for regular operations supporting the Artemis return to the moon program and Musk’s dream of eventually settling Mars. Many environmentalists would like to stop SpaceX from conducting any more launches at Boca Chica to protect the wildlife preserve.
Even if the regulators approve orbital operations at the Boca Chica Starbase, various environmental groups are likely to take the matter to court if past behavior is any indication. The controversy could be tied up in litigation for years, further delaying America’s return to the moon.
The clash between space exploration and the environment is fraught with irony. Strictly speaking, Musk is an environmentalist. His electric car company, Tesla, is an attempt to wean drivers away from vehicles powered by internal combustion.
Environmentalists’ desires to preserve endangered species have stalled infrastructure projects and other human needs for decades.
Soon after the passage of the Endangered Species Act in 1973, the discovery of a fish called the snail darter stopped the construction of a dam in Tennessee. While the Supreme Court at the time ruled in favor of the fish, Congress later exempted the snail darter from protection. The Tennessee Valley Authority completed the dam and then transplanted the snail darter to other waterways and improved conditions for the fish species. AP reports that the snail darter has rebounded and is about to be removed from the endangered species list.
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The snail darter controversy and its resolution provide a model for how SpaceX and the environmentalists can resolve their differences. Congress should step in and exempt the wildlife preserve from environmental protection. In return, SpaceX and NASA can pledge to implement measures that would protect the vulnerable wildlife and repair the preserve when rocket launches damage it.
SpaceX is already making efforts to move launches of the Superheavy/Starship stack by purchasing offshore oil platforms and converting them to floating launch pads. The offshore launch pads would move operations away from the wildlife preserve, protecting it from any effects of launch operations.
The environmentalists should take this deal if it is offered. For one thing, the Artemis program is a national priority, endorsed by both major political parties. For another thing, the expansion of human activity into space, a long-term goal of Artemis, will involve moving polluting industries such as manufacturing and mining into space. Such a development would seem to satisfy the expressed desires of the environmental lobby to preserve the Earth from the damage that human activity can inflict.
Controversies involving the environment and endangered species need not necessarily create winners and losers. If one exercises a little creative thinking and a willingness to compromise, everyone can win. Humanity’s expansion into space is not at odds with saving the Earth. Each imperative supports the other.
Mark Whittington, who writes frequently about space and politics, has published a political study of space exploration entitled Why is It So Hard to Go Back to the Moon? as well as “The Moon, Mars and Beyond,” and, most recently, “Why is America Going Back to the Moon?” He blogs at Curmudgeons Corner. He is published in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Hill, USA Today, the LA Times and the Washington Post, among other venues.
Elon football pulls out first win against Campbell, 24-23
Correction: The first sentence in this article was incorrect. Elon University won its last football game in the sping of 2021, not 2020. Elon News Network regrets this error.
The Elon University football team scraped together it’s first win of the 2021 season and first win since spring 2021, against the Campbell University Fighting Camels, 24-23 .
The first half was filled with missed opportunities for the Phoenix, including a blocked punt, a blocked kick, two sacks and a pair of failed fourth down attempts that denied the team from finding it’s rhythm. But, despite the unconvincing first half by either team, the Phoenix came out the stronger team on both defense and offense.
Junior running back Jaylan Thomas ended the game with 60 rushing yards and 38 receiving yards. Combined with 269 passing yards from senior quarterback Davis Cheek , the offense came together to create momentous drives that led the Phoenix to it’s win.
“We wanted to come out and no matter who was getting the ball, just every time you touched the ball was an opportunity to make a play,” Thomas said. “With Davis throwing the ball and receivers catching and offensive line blocking, we wanted to put our best on film this weekend. It was a tough win, we gutted it out but, in the end, a win is a win.”
Defensively, the Phoenix shined in the second half as well. Sophomore cornerback Tre’von Jones forced two turnovers, picking off Campbell quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams and recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter. Jones also picked up a sack late in the second quarter.
“Tre’von Jones was a big playmaker for us today. Those two turnovers takeaways were big,” Head Coach Tony Trisciani said. “He also did it on special teams too, with his legs on punt returns and kickoff returns, he set us up with some field position.”
All the momentum created by the Phoenix’s defense could have been for nothing due to a late Campbell push in the game’s final minutes. After taking its first lead since the first quarter, Elon was up 24-17 when Williams found redshirt senior Caleb Snead for a 48 yard touchdown pass.
With just over a minute remaining and down by one, the Camels faced a decision to either go for the extra point and push the game into overtime, or try to complete a two-point conversion and play defense to win the game outright.
After taking a timeout, the Fighting Camels lined up to try for a two-point conversion. Williams took the snap, looking for a pass that never came. Williams tried to rush his way into the endzone, but came up short. Elon recovered the onside kick that followed, and went into victory formation to close the final minute of the game.
“It was a hard fought victory, and we needed it. We were a real hungry football team out there today, I’m pleased with our fight and our courage and our grit,” Trisciani said.
For Thomas, he hopes to carry this momentum into next week, and prove that the Phoenix are a team that can win any second half.
“What I would like to see carry through is just our will to fight,” Thomas said. “This is the second week in a row that we showed that we can fight to the end of the game, and that we can battle and we can battle with anyone.”
The Phoenix will play away again next week against Appalachian State in Boone. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.