Tesla Charging Layoffs, Blue Ridge Parkway Camping Fees, Google Maps Updates, and Other News

Here’s what you might have missed this week in outdoor, innovation, and EV news.

Tesla Lays Off Its EV Charging Team

Why are we talking about Elon Musk again? Because he keeps making news. This week it was announced that Tesla laid off its entire EV charging team. The company’s extensive Supercharger network has long been the gold standard for EV charging in the U.S. In the midst of other automakers, including Ford and GM, committing to making their cars compatible with Tesla’s network, the new move has consumers and competitors looking for answers.   

Read More (from CNN)

Majority of Campers Don’t Use Their Reserved Spots

A survey by campground availability app The Dyrt shows that as many as 58% of camping reservations in 2023 resulted in either a cancellation or a no-show. Available campsites have been harder to come by in the last few years, and one reason could be that people book sites they don’t actually intend to use.    

Read More (from RV Travel)

Blue Ridge Parkway Increases Camping Fees

With a whopping 16.75 million visitors in 2023, the Blue Ridge Parkway is the most visited National Park Service site in the U.S. This season, the NPS is implementing some changes to its camping fee structure along the highway in the first significant parkway fee increase since 2016. The new, slightly higher fees go into effect on May 24, 2024. 

Read More (from Transylvania Times)

Detroit Tests Wireless EV Charging Road

Detroit officials are testing a new solution for EV charging: a smart road that charges vehicles while driving, without the need to stop and plug in. The road uses a wireless inductive charging coil, according to Justine Johnson, Michigan’s Chief Mobility Officer. “So while a vehicle is driving, as long as it has the receiver underneath the vehicle, you charge and you drive at the same time maintaining your charge but also adding some charge range to that as well,” she told NPR. 

Read More (from NPR)

Google Maps Announces New EV Features

The most stressful thing about driving an electric vehicle is finding charging stations, but a new update from Google Maps is aimed at making this easier. Among the new features is a tool that will help you find chargers, with real-time updates on what's available and functional. The EV features will start rolling out in the next few months. 

Read More (from Washington Post)

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