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FRANKFURT, Germany — Automaker Volkswagen says it will invest $50 billion (44 billion euros) in developing autonomous and electric cars and expand the appeal of battery-powered cars by selling its upcoming ID compact for about what a diesel-powered Golf costs.

Tire failures remain the No. 1 reason for roadside assistance calls. And most tire-related problems come from underinflation as a result of leaks, punctures or just poor maintenance programs.

As truck makers prepare to test and introduce Class 8 battery-electric and hydrogen-electric trucks in the next 12 to 24 months, one must wonder why only a very small number of truck operators have adopted clean solar technology.

Albemarle Corp., the world’s largest lithium producer, is planning to expand production in Australia, chasing the market for a form of the metal increasingly being used by the makers of electric car batteries.

The latest company born out of General Electric Co. expects sales of its industrial engines fired by natural gas to benefit from the spread of renewables such as solar and wind.

The U.S. average retail price of diesel dropped 1.7 cents to $3.338 a gallon as prices for West Texas Intermediate crude oil continued to sink despite concerns that global supplies could fall amid U.S.-imposed sanctions on Iran. It was the third consecutive weekly decline in the price of diesel.

Nikola Motor Co. announced it would begin production within five years in Europe of a heavy-duty, hydrogen-electric truck designed to be compatible with full autonomy as it expands its business beyond North America.

AUSTIN, Texas — Shell Lubricants announced the launch for fleet customers and noncustomers alike of Shell ProAcademy, an online modular learning tool intended to educate and retain technicians.

OAKLAND, Calif. — Representatives from UPS Inc. and Walmart Inc., two of the country’s largest fleets, said electric vehicles can provide environmental, economic and community benefits, which make efforts to work through challenges surrounding duty cycle, charging infrastructure and cost worthwhile.