Florida Man: Elon Musk Is Building a Tesla Tunnel Taxi Service?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, recently accepted a bid from Elon Musk’s company to create a Tesla tunnel taxi service. What is a Tesla tunnel taxi service? Well, that isn’t really clear yet.

The Elon Musk Tesla tunnel

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is working on a new project | Frederic J. Brown /AFP via Getty Images

According to reports from CNN, Elon Musk’s The Boring Company is working on a deal with Fort Lauderdale to offer a Tesla tunnel taxi service. Beachgoers would be able to take the Tesla tunnel from downtown Fort Lauderdale to the beach in a Tesla. Right now, the price of this trip in an uber costs about $10 per trip. This can go much higher during peak hours. Musk estimates the price to be around $5 to $8 per person with the Tesla taxi service.

The project is currently called the Las Olas Loop, based on a local road used to get to the beach. Like the tunnels used in various Tesla events, the Tesla electric vehicles will use the tunnel to beat traffic. The Boring Company recently opened a similar Tesla tunnel at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Will the Tesla tunnel alleviate traffic?

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said, “This could be a truly innovative way to reduce traffic congestion.” Other firms have 45 days to submit proposals before a decision is made. Not everyone is on board yet, with some transportation officials noting much more efficient ways to use a tunnel. Limiting it just to Tesla vehicles in the Tesla tunnel could exclude larger groups from having an affordable way to reach the beach.

“This is the type of big, bold idea that we should be exploring. Good transportation is ultimately about the functionality of a city.”

Ben Porritt | Brightline spokesperson

The largest Tesla available offers a small third-row but can still carry far fewer passengers than a van or a bus. It would, however, ease the number of rides the Broward County Transit bus line makes every day. Additionally, it will make the parking situation a bit easier to manage. People would be able to park at the Brightline train station downtown and hitch a ride in a Tesla Model 3 to the beach.

Thus far, this seems like a shiny idea to ramp up the visibility of Tesla electric vehicles in Florida. 100 trips in a car can’t replace the number of people a few bus trips could take. However, Musk has noted that these “pod” vehicles could seat up to 16 passengers in recent family projects.

There are a lot of unknown details

There are many potential hurdles The Boring Company would have to address, such as the cost of building a tunnel in Florida. Florida isn’t exactly known for its tunnels and basements due to the limestone and underground aquifers. Fort Lauderdale hasn’t released more specifics about the project yet and likely won’t until the 45 days are up.

Beyond the obvious traffic benefits, driving in a Tesla would likely bring in some beachgoers for the novelty of the idea. On the flip side, a tunnel in a beach town that experiences hurricanes regularly during the season also has its drawbacks.

It sounds like there are a few details to be worked out before we can hop in a Tesla and head to the beach. If anyone can do it, it’s probably Elon Musk and the Tesla tunnel service.

RELATED: 3 Used Tesla Models Consumer Reports Gave the ‘Never Buy’ Label

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3 Nissan Models Whose Insurance Costs Won’t Kill Your Budget

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Every driver needs car insurance, but it can cost a lot of money for some folks. That said, some cars are cheaper to insure than others, and Nissan makes vehicles with some of the lowest insurance costs. Here’s a look at three Nissan models that don’t cost a fortune to insure.

Nissan makes some of the cheapest cars to insure | Budrul Chukrut/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Car insurance is complicated, and insurance companies look at many factors before giving customers a quote. One of the more important factors is the model you drive. There are many reasons for this, and aspects like how safe the car is, how much the car costs, and how much repairs may cost factor into the equation.

However, according to NerdWallet, even safe and cheap cars can cost plenty to insure for other reasons. For example, NerdWallet says the Honda Accord — despite being popular, safe, and affordable — is relatively expensive to insure. The site adds that’s probably because the Accord is one of the most stolen cars in America, so insurance companies may give a higher quote for insuring one.

In any case, on average, three Nissan models made NerdWallet’s list of the 25 popular cars that are cheap to insure. Unfortunately for the automaker, no Nissan made the top 10, but one got close.

The Nissan Rogue, Sentra, and Altima have relatively low insurance costs

The cheapest Nissan model to insure is the Rogue, NerdWallet reports. Premiums cost about $1,585 a year, and that makes this compact SUV the 11th-cheapest car to insure. In fact, the Toyota RAV4, which ranks 10th, costs $1,555 a year to insure. This means the Rogue is about $30 away from cracking the top 10.

The other two Nissan models on the list are both near the bottom of the list. The Sentra comes in 22nd place, costing an average of $1,724 a year to insure. Finally, the Altima came in 24th place, and it costs about $1,781 a year to insure. For comparison’s sake, the cheapest car to insure per NerdWallet is the Subaru Outback. It costs about $1,392 a year.

Hard numbers are one thing, but percentages matter too. After all, some cars cost more to buy than others, and as such, their insurance premiums may equal a small percentage of that cost. This is the case for the Rogue, but not so much for the Sentra and Altima. NerdWallet explains that the Rogue costs only 6.27 percent of its price to insure per year, while the Sentra costs 9.03 percent, and the Altima costs 7.39 percent.

Different cars for different folks

Although all three Nissan models are relatively cheap to insure, at the end of the day, they’re still different cars. The Sentra and Altima, for example, are compact and midsize sedans, respectively. The Rogue, meanwhile, is a compact SUV. The Rogue is more spacious than the Sentra and Altima, but the Nissan sedans are more powerful than the Rogue.

As such, compared to the Rogue, the Sentra and Altima have lower sticker prices. NerdWallet says the Rogue has a starting price tag of about $25,000, while the Sentra starts at $19,000, and the Altima costs $24,000. 

RELATED: The 2021 Nissan Sentra Is the Best Sentra Consumer Reports Has Ever Tested

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4 Robot Vacuums Under $300 Earned Consumer Reports’ ‘Best Buy’ Label

by Gabrielle DeSantis

You’re ready to buy a robot vacuum cleaner. And you’re doing all of your homework about pricing, maintenance, and user reviews before making a final decision. But with so many models out there, you might still feel unsure about which brand offers the best value.

Consumer Reports recently gave several robot vacuum cleaners its coveted “Best Buy” distinction. Before you make a purchase, here are four models under $300 that deserve a look.

This brand makes some of the best robot vacuums

A robot vacuum cleaner | Britta Pedersen/picture alliance via Getty Images

iRobot’s Roomba may be the most recognized name in robot vacuums, but it’s not the only one and not necessarily the best. In fact, after analyzing owner experiences and performing extensive testing, Consumer Reports determined that Eufy makes several models deemed CR’s “Best Buy.”

CR’s testers put these robotic vacuums through the paces in simulations, including on bare floors and carpeting. Reviewers based their decisions on maintenance, navigation technology, and predicted reliability.

And In most reviews, Eufy robot vacuums performed as well as the rival Roomba models, but with more affordable price points. Many Eufy models offer side brushes, low clearances, remote controls, minimal maintenance requirements, and powerful Li-ion batteries. Here are the four models that earned Consumers Reports’ “Best Buy” label.

Eufy 11S and RoboVac 11S Max

If the Eufy brand is new to you, two models deserve consideration. The Eufy 11S got an overall score of 72 out of 100 from Consumer Reports. Earning a perfect 5 out of 5 in predicted reliability, performance on bare floors, and navigation tech, the 11S comes highly recommended. And it only costs only $220, making it an incredible value.

The Eufy RoboVac 11S Max is a more robust version of the 11S and costs about $50 more. It scores an overall 68 but still earned 5 stars in the same categories as its counterpart. It also boasts some upgrades, including a smaller size, TechHive reports. The RoboVac 11S measures 12.8 inches across and only 2.8 inches tall, making it one of the slimmest robot vacuum cleaners, perfect for low-clearance navigating around tables, chairs, and other obstacles.

Eufy 30C and 35C

The Eufy 30C is another robot vacuum worth checking out. According to Eufy, the 30C comes with a popular Wi-Fi convenience feature, allowing the device to voice-control with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Consumer Reports gives this model an overall 68 score and 5 out of 5 stars in navigation, bare floor, and predicted reliability categories. And you can find this model on sale for as little as $169. But even without discounts, these models still typically sell for under $300.

Consumer Reports also reviewed the Eufy 35C. And overall sentiments are that this robotic vacuum cleaner works great on bare floors. But it’s not necessarily as powerful as some of the other models when it comes to embedded dirt testing. The 35C got a 67 overall score and 5 stars for bare floors and predicted reliability. Price ranges, based on online availability, are $149.00 to $433.82.

So before you buy a robot vacuum cleaner, don’t forget to check out models other than Roomba. Of course, you’ll want to buy according to your home features, suction power, battery life, noise level, and sensor technology. But you don’t have to spend a small fortune on the Roomba when some Eufy do a comparable job.

RELATED: 8 Best Zero-Turn Lawn Mowers Under $4,000

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2022 Toyota Tundra Specs: What We Know So Far

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Toyota didn’t exactly plan on giving the world all of the details about the new 2022 Toyota Tundra, but then the information leaked anyway. So what specs do we know about the beloved Toyota Tundra truck? Enough to keep us waiting for more.

The 2022 Toyota Tundra has “uncompromising power”

The 2022 Toyota Tundra | Toyota

While Toyota hasn’t released all the details on the 2022 Toyota Tundra yet, the tidbits teased in a press release are fairly exciting. The Japanese brand isn’t one to make changes lightly, but the Tundra definitely got a new look for 2022.

If there is one thing known, it is that the truck market is not messing around. Ford, Ram, and Chevy have all stepped up, and the Tundra is next on the list. According to Car and Driver, the Tundra sold less than 50,000 units last year, while the F-Series trucks sold 787,000 units. To capture some of that market, the Tundra has to come out with a strong redesign and new features.

The current Toyota Tundra is more than a decade old. The interior shown in the PR images from the Toyota TRD Pro model appears to be red, an upgrade. The infotainment system needs a revamp, and a hybrid powertrain wouldn’t hurt.

Will there be a 2022 Tundra TRD Pro?

Another released image from Toyota shows a newly improved infotainment screen on the dashboard of what we can assume is the TRD Pro model. It shows Apple CarPlay, so we can presume Android Auto is involved. The screen in question is bigger than the current eight-inch offering. On the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500, the screen is 12 inches. The image also shows a JBL sound system.

The 2022 Toyota Tundra is expected to use a new twin-turbo V6 engine getting around 409 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. This is similar to the engine in the new Land Cruiser. In one of the released photos, a plaque showing iForce MAX is displayed. This is potentially electrification of the Tundra ready to compete with the F-150 PowerBoost hybrid. Toyota has alluded to an electric pickup, but it has not been confirmed to be the Tundra.

In the images of the TRD Pro, a new large grille is visible, and a light bar is integrated into the grille. This is likely specific to the TRD Pro model. One further interesting tidbit pointed out on the grille is the three lights above the word “Toyota.” These amber lights are now required on any truck over 80 inches wide. The Ford Raptor and Ram Power Wagon are already sporting such lights due to their size.

Toyota needs to offer a major upgrade after 14 years

The current generation Tundra came out in 2007 with a variety of trim levels available. These trim levels are SR, SR5, Platinum, Limited, and TRD Pro. Within those, Toyota offers crew cab and extended cab configurations. The lineup for the Toyota Tundra is likely similar, with a mixture of trims and cabs.

Some upgraded suspension is probably included due to the bigger size and competition. Since it has been 14 years since the Toyota Tundra had a redesign, Toyota knows there are a lot of eyes on this release. More powerful engines for towing and off-roading are definitely needed to keep up with the competition.

Toyota says more information is coming soon, and perhaps some surprises are in the pipeline for the 2022 Toyota Tundra.

RELATED: 3 Most Reliable Toyota Tundra Years, According to Consumer Reports

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