Tag Archives: Electric Vehicles

New Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 Priced From £155k In The UK, Nearly £16k More Than 751HP Taycan Turbo S

December 23, 2021 admin

Two months ago, Mercedes unveiled the AMG EQS 53 at the Munich Motor Show as the first electric vehicle to wear the AMG badge. Now, the German automaker has released pricing for it, and it’s about what you’d expect for a range-topping high-performance EV sedan.

The EQS 53 will start at £154,995 (equal to around $208,000 at current exchange rates) in the UK, or 55% more than the base EQS 450’s starting price of £99,995. It’s also more expensive than the current flagship Porsche Taycan Turbo S that’s rated for 761PS / 751HP and kicks off from £139,280 (about $186,900).

For that money, you get a dual-motor AWD drivetrain producing 649 hp (658 PS / 484 kW) and 701 lb-ft (950 Nm) of instant electric torque. Upgrade to the AMG Performance Package with the Night Edition that pushes the starting price to £163,900 (around $220,000) though, and that same drivetrain produces 751 hp (761 PS / 560 kW) and 752 lb-ft (1020 Nm) of torque.

The former enables a 3.8-second sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) with a top speed of 137 mph (220 km/h), while the latter allows for 3.4 seconds to 62 mph with a top speed of 155 mph (249 km/h). The range is the same for both, with a WLTP-estimated 358 miles (576 km) on tap from the car’s 107.8 kWh battery.

Standard features on all variants include the 56-inch Hyperscreen, an AR heads-up display, Nappa leather upholstery, a Burmester® surround sound system, a Parking package with Active Parking Assist, and 360° camera, Driving Assistance Package Plus, AMG sound programs, AMG-specific bodywork, and an AMG steering wheel.

Included with the Night Edition are 21-inch AMG alloy wheels, a flat-bottomed sport steering wheel, and sport pedals. Upgrading to the £8,995 AMG Performance Package (which is only available with the Night Edition) gets you carbon-ceramic brakes, AMG Dynamic Plus boost for Race Start, the AMG Sound Experience, the AMG Driver’s Package with increased top speed, AMG TRACK PACE, and AMG carbon-fiber interior trim.

Finally, serving as a counterpart to the bold Night Edition is the more subtle Touring specification, which comes with 22-inch AMG multi-spoke alloy wheels and elegant ambient lighting in the cabin. On top of that, you can opt for the £2,995 Rear Luxury Lounge package (only available with the Touring), which outfits the multi-contour rear seats with black Exclusive Nappa leather upholstery, power reclining, luxury headrests, neck and shoulder heating, comfort armrests, separate climate controls, an MBUX tablet, wireless charging, and additional USB ports.

The 2022 Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ is currently on sale now, with the first UK deliveries expected to arrive in April 2022.

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Buick Trademarks The Electra Name, Does It Hint At Upcoming Electric Crossover?

December 23, 2021 admin

Buick’s range in North America comprises exclusively of SUVs including the Envision, Encore and Enclave, but none of them is fully electric. This could change in the near future as the automaker filed a trademark for the Electra name in Canada, a move that could hint at a production version of last years’ fully electric crossover concept bearing the iconic name.

General Motor’s trademark filing from December 20 for the Buick Electra name was posted at the Rivian Owners Forum. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean that Buick will use the Electra name on a production vehicle, nor that this will be a fully electric crossover, however both of those assumptions sound plausible given the timing.

The pictured Buick Electra concept was unveiled last year in Shangai. The prototype brought back an iconic name used in full-size luxury sedans from 1959 to 1990. Unlike its predecessors, the new Electra adopted a sleek crossover-style silhouette previewing Buick’s future design language.

Like the Cadillac Lyric that was unveiled in production form earlier this year, the Buick Electra concept was based on GM’s Ultium architecture with a fully electric powertrain. In the concept, the dual electric motors produced 583 hp (435 kW / 589 PS), while the Ultium battery allowed a range of more than 410 miles (660 km). The production version could use the Lyriq’s 100 kWh lithium-ion battery pack which is good for a more down-to-earth 300 mile (483 km) electric range.

A Buick Electra SUV could be a competitor for the rumored Chrysler Airflow and the Ford Mustang Mach-E, or move upmarket to rival more premium electric SUV proposals from BMW (iX), Audi (e-tron), and Mercedes-Benz (EQE). In any case, the design of the concept would have to be toned down for production, including a more conventional design for the greenhouse and the doors while retaining elements like the overall crossover shape, the Matrix LED lighting units, and the large-diameter wheels.

Buick hasn’t made any announcements for the future product strategy so we don’t know if and when they are planning to introduce their first fully electric SUV. Outside North America, the automaker is steadily increasing its sales in China, where it is also offering a wide range of sedans, SUVs, and luxury MPVs.

Subaru Previews Fully Electric STI E-RA And Three More STI Performance Concepts For Tokyo Auto Salon

December 23, 2021 admin

Subaru will join the Tokyo Auto Salon 2022 with a bunch of interesting concept cars that were previewed today in a press release. The most important launch will be the STI E-RA Concept signalling the electric era of the performance brand, but we are also going to see “STI Performance” variants of the WRX S4, Levorg, and BRZ in concept form.

The STI E-RA Concept is described as a “study model of motorsport vehicles for the carbon-neutral era,” so don’t get your hopes up for a production vehicle anytime soon since this is probably a racing car prototype. However, as suggested by the teaser, the model will introduce new design elements that could be used in future Subaru vehicles like the C-shaped LED headlights mounted on the fenders, the double vented bonnet, the red illuminated STI badge on the low nose, and the front bumper with a prominent splitter. Subaru didn’t give us details on the powertrain, other than it will be fully electric.

Besides the motorsport concept for the new era, Subaru will also showcase three “STI Performance” concepts of the WRX S4, the Levorg, and the BRZ. The first one was previewed in an official picture showing additional aero components, which will likely be the case with the other two as well.

Compared to the WRX S4 STI Sport R that is already on sale in Japan and served as a base for the concept, the new aero includes a splitter, side sills and rear bumper extensions painted in pink, matching mirror caps and STI emblem, plus a large carbon-fiber rear spoiler. The bumpers seem to be slightly redesigned for a sportier look while there is a new set of black rims shod in performance tires. We are not sure if there will be any mechanical upgrades over the production model but Subaru also mentioned a performance muffler.

Similarly, the Levorg STI Performance concept will be based on the recently announced Levorg STI Sport R trim. It will feature cherry red accents on the additional aero components, a performance muffler, plus items “that will improve the usability” of the performance-oriented wagon. As for the BRZ STI Performance concept, it will add performance parts to the BRZ S grade painted in the same cherry red shade.

Lastly, the BRZ GT300 2021 racing car that won the class victory this year will be also exhibited at the Subaru booth, where the automaker will make announcements for the 2022 motorsport team. A lucky visitor of the Tokyo Auto Salon 2022 will drive away in a brand new WRX STI Sport R EX that will be this years’ questionnaire prize.

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Renault 4 Van: All We Know About The Retro-Flavored Electric LCV

December 19, 2021 admin

This article includes illustrations made by Jean Francois Hubert/SB-Medien for CarScoops based on teasers and information we’ve obtained. They are not related to or endorsed by Renault.

Renault’s ambitious electrification plan is already underway, and the Mégane E-Tech will soon be joined by the Renault 5 supermini, the 4ever SUV, and a commercial vehicle variant inspired by the Renault 4 Fourgonette (1965-1992). The latter has already been teased by Renault so we decided to dive deeper with renderings and all the available information up to this point.

The fully electric model will complement Renault’s commercial vehicle range sitting below the slightly larger Kangoo E-TECH. It is expected to share the CMF-BEV platform and many other components with its SUV sibling, most likely including several body panels and parts of the interior. The front end will be identical, with a covered grille housing retro-inspired LED lights and Renault’s new emblem.

The exclusive rendering created for Carscoops by Jean Francois Hubert/SB-Medien sheds more light on the design of the upcoming LCV, based on Renault’s official teaser of its silhouette.

Unlike modern light commercial vehicles which have integrated the rear cargo space in an aerodynamic outer shape, the Renault 4 Van will follow the lines of its distant ancestor. The bump on the roof had the advantage of increasing cargo space, even though it does create more drag, which is not ideal for efficiency. However, Renault designers seem to prioritize style and practicality over the maximum possible range in this specific model, since its use will be often limited within cities.

The old 4 Fourgonette had the unconventional “‘giraffon” rear hatch with the main door opening sideways and a small part opening upwards. We don’t know if this feature will be inherited by the new model, but it’s likely that Renault will opt for a set of “barn doors” which is the most common solution in panel vans nowadays. It is also likely that the R4 van will maintain the ground clearance and the plastic cladding of the SUV since those features come in handy for professionals and look like the perfect match for the commercial vehicle’s unpainted bumpers offering a purposeful look.

Renault Group Design director, Laurence van den Acker, has admitted that the R5 and the mechanically related by slightly larger R4 in both SUV and Van forms will “tell stories from the past”, inheriting a separate design language from the rest of the French brand’s range, similar to what Ford is doing with the Mustang and Bronco nameplates.

In terms of underpinnings, Renault has confirmed that the panel van will be based on the CMF-BEV architecture. The flat floor of the electric platform will be ideal for the interior layout making use of all the available space behind the front seats for cargo.

The underfloor battery pack will feature nickel, manganese, and cobalt (NMW) technology, bringing the cost of the EV closer to ICE-powered vehicles. The batteries will be produced in France through Renault Group’s latest partnerships. The WLTP range of CMF-BEV based models will be up to 400 km (249 miles), although probably lower for the panel van. As for the powertrain, we expect front-mounted electric motors similar to the ones on the Renault 5 prototype.

The stylish van bearing the R4 name is rumored to debut in 2025, alongside its SUV sibling. By then, Renault will have a range of 10 new electric models, with the goal of achieving a 90 percent electric sales mix in Europe by 2030 across the entire Renault Group.

Mary Barra Says GM Can Catch Tesla In EV Sales By 2025

October 28, 2021 admin

General Motors chief executive Mary Barra says the car manufacturer can catch Tesla in U.S. sales of electric vehicles by 2025.

GM intends on launching no less than 30 electric vehicles by 2025 and while recently speaking during CNBC’s Squawk Box, Barra expressed confidence in her belief that the company will establish itself as the EV leader.

“I am very comfortable, because when people get into these vehicles, they are just wowed,” she said. “So we will be rolling them out and we’re going to just keep working until we have No. 1 market share in EVs.”

Tesla currently dominates the electric vehicle space in the United States. In fact, the automaker accounted for 79 percent of all EVs sold in the U.S. throughout 2020. However, research and forecasting company HIS Markit says Tesla’s U.S. share of EV sales will drop to 56 percent throughout 2021 and fall to approximately 20 percent in 2025.

Speaking with CNBC, LMC Automotive added that sales of EVs, including plug-in hybrids, will account for less than 4 percent of vehicle sales across the country this year. The research firm suggests that EVs will make up 34.2 percent of new U.S. vehicle sales by 2030, with 4.1 percent of those sales being for plug-in hybrids.

A key pillar in GM’s EV expansion goals is their plans to install up to 40,000 Level 2 EV chargers across the United States and Canada as part of a $750 million investment.

Renault 4L Electric Concept Inspired By Chic Hotels Celebrates The Model’s 60th Anniversary

October 23, 2021 admin

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Renault 4, of which more than 8 million were sold over 30 years, the automaker turned to French designer Mathieu Lehanneur to reinterpret the car. And what he delivered is a fully electric concept inspired by chic hotels.

The Suite N°4 concept is based on the Renault 4L but trades in the rear body panels for polycarbonate windows to offer passengers plenty of light. The roof, meanwhile, is covered in transparent solar panels to help charge the fully electric drivetrain that replaces the standard engine.

To reflect the fact that it’s now electric, the model’s traditional grille has been replaced by a polished aluminum sheet to give the car a fluid appearance. The paint, on the other hand, is designed to look more solid. Coated in three layers, it’s supposed to look like concrete, a nod to the design trends in modern architecture.

Inside, fabrics have been used to make the interior feel warm. The front seats and dashboard are covered in yellow velvet, while the back seats are finished in a thick, ribbed, chenille fabric to make them feel more robust.

The trunk has also undergone a big transformation, as it features a natural fiber floor covering and a wooden drawer that can be removed to provide sheltered seating when the hatch is open. According to Renault, all the materials were provided by high-end Parisian furniture makers.

“I wanted to merge the worlds of cars and architecture to create an open-air hotel room,” says Lehanneur. “Even better than the finest palatial suite, the car is exactly where you want it to be, whether that’s by the sea, in the middle of a field, or driving around the city you’ve always dreamed of.”

Those interested in getting a glimpse of the oncept can check it out this weekend when it will be on display at the Maison & Objet exhibition in Paris. It will then join the automaker’s collection at Atelier Renault starting in November.

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Cupra’s Small EV To Cost €5k More Than Volkswagen’s Own Model

September 26, 2021 admin

The Volkswagen Group is readying a trio of fully electric small models wearing the VW, Cupra, and Skoda badges. It turns out that Cupra’s offering will be the most expensive of the three, with a starting price of €25,000 when it arrives in 2025.

The Cupra UrbanRebel Concept that premiered in Munich a few weeks ago previewed for the upcoming production model. In a similar fashion, Volkswagen previewed their own offering with the ID.LIFE Concept that will spawn a production car by 2025. Both models, together with the rumored Skoda Elroq, will be based on a shortened version of the MEB platform.

Cupra’s EV city car will start at around €25,000 which makes it more expensive compared to its Volkswagen sibling, starting at €20,000. We don’t have information about the Skoda, but given the budget-oriented nature of the brand, we guess that it will be slightly cheaper.

Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths admitted that their EV city car will be priced higher, as they want it “to be positioned between the mass and the premium segment”. He added that the production version will retain the bold design language of the concept car, with the exception of the massive aero components: “You take the fin off the back and the spoiler off the front, and then you get very very close to what we want to do with the car we want to launch in 2025”.

As reported by Automotive News Europe, the production version will be fitted with a single electric motor producing 228 hp (170 kW / 231 PS) and feature a 55 kWh battery pack allowing for a 248-mile (400 km) range. Like its VW sibling, the Cupra will accelerate from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 6.9 seconds, while Griffiths claims that the compact dimensions and the low weight will make the car quite sporty.

Cupra’s new small EV will join the upcoming Born C-Segment hatchback and the Tavascan SUV in the growing range of fully electric models. All small EVs of the VW Group will be produced in Spain with a capacity of up to 500,000 cars per year, utilizing both Seat’s Martorell and VW’s Pamplona factories.

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Live photo credits Stefan Baldauf / Guido ten Brink for CarScoops

Elon Musk Praises Chinese Automakers As He Attempts To Restore Tesla’s Image In The Country

September 18, 2021 admin

Elon Musk was in a complimentary mood during his appearance at the World New Energy Vehicle Congress. In his message, he praised Chinese automakers, who he opined were “the most competitive in the world.”

Bloomberg reports that Musk’s comments during his pre-recorded appearance can be seen as an attempt at repairing Tesla’s image in China. “I have a great deal of respect for the many Chinese automakers,” said Musk, adding that the country’s carmakers are particularly strong on software. “Public sentiment and support for electric vehicles is at a never before seen inflection point because they know it is the future,” he noted.

Tesla has faced a difficult few months in China following a largely positive welcome. China is a crucial market for the California-based carmaker as it’s the world’s largest EV market, with the added jeopardy of having plenty of home-grown EV competition.

In May, Tesla’s sales halved in the wake of public and government criticism. Accusations of poor aftersales service spurred negative opinions of the brand, with a local paper saying that the company’s “arrogant and overbearing stance” was “repugnant and unacceptable.”

Read: China Is Developing Tech That Can Track Automotive Data Sent Abroad

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Meanwhile, Chinese authorities grew suspicious of Tesla and how it handled the storage of customer data. Staff at some important Chinese government facilities were told not to park their Tesla vehicles inside government compounds due to security concerns related to their exterior cameras.

Musk spoke about data security, reiterating that the company was working with national authorities to ensure the security of data gathered by their vehicles. Tesla has complied with a request from the Chinese government to store data gathered by its locally-used cars within the nation.

China has gone on to develop advanced machines that will be able to track data sent overseas by cars driven on its streets. The system, which analyzes the path of data transmission, is currently being tested on vehicles from foreign automakers, including Tesla.

New York State To Ban Sales Of New ICE-Powered Cars And Light-Duty Trucks By 2035

September 9, 2021 admin

New York Governor Kathy Hochul last Wednesday signed into law a bill that sets a goal of making all new passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks sold in the state zero emissions by 2035. The state will then seek the same for all new medium- and heavy-duty trucks by 2045, if feasible.

“New York is implementing the nation’s most aggressive plan to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions affecting our climate and to reach our ambitious goals, we must reduce emissions from the transportation sector, currently the largest source of the state’s climate pollution,” Hochul said in a statement on Wednesday.

New York City, meanwhile, said that to meet its climate goals, it will need nearly a quarter of its 2 million vehicle owners to switch to EVs by 2030, per Reuters. To help make that goal a reality, the city vowed to install 10,000 curbside charging points by the end of the decade.

“When adopted, this new regulation will require an increasing percentage of all new trucks sold in New York [state] to be zero-emissions vehicles beginning with the 2025 model year, cementing our state as a national leader on actions to address climate change while spurring economic opportunities and helping to reduce air pollution,” said Basil Seggos, Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner.

New York joins California in setting a goal that is stricter than the federal government’s goal of making 50 percent of all new vehicles sold in America EVs by 2030. President Biden, though, has repeatedly refused to phase out all gas and diesel-powered vehicles by 2035, despite being asked to by Democrats in Congress. New York, therefore, has decided to go its own way.

“This new law and regulation mark a critical milestone in our efforts and will further advance the transition to clean electric vehicles while helping to reduce emissions in communities that have been overburdened by pollution from cars and trucks for decades,” said Hochul.

Cupra UrbanRebel Wants To Get You Super Excited About Upcoming Small EV With Super Unrealistic Concept

September 1, 2021 admin

Cupra’s new UrbanRebel concept looks like some kind of crazed hot hatch destined for an awesome new race series. But don’t be fooled by the motorsport wing and wheels. Beneath the auto show razzmatazz is the small EV Cupra will bring to market in 2025.

Revealed ahead of a public appearance at this month’s Munich Motor Show, the UrbanRebel gives us our first look at one of a suite of small EVs built around the VW Group’s shortest MEB electric platform. It will be joined by other small EVs from VW Group brands using the same architecture by the second half of this decade.

A huge cow-catcher bumper that wouldn’t look out of place on a wild west train dominates the front view, while the pronounced crease running from the front fenders to the base of the C-pillar is an even more dramatic interpretation of the design language we saw in 2019’s Cupra Tavascan SUV concept.

Get A Look At That Wing

At the rear, the giant wing commands your attention, and not only because of its sheer size. The rear light units cleverly extend from the Cupra logo mounted in the center of the bodywork below the rear window, than carry on up the wing uprights.

Cupra says the concept’s unspecified electric powertrain produces a constant 335 hp, but has the ability to kick out as much as 429 hp for limited periods. That’s enough for a zero to 62mph time of 3.2 seconds.

Come 2025 though, the production version will make less than half that power, and take more than twice as long to get to 60mph, at least in standard trim.

And while the concept has just three doors to enhance the sporty look, it’s almost certain that the near-universal demand for five-doors, even in small cars, means the real thing will have back doors, too.

How Much Will The Tamer Production Version Cost?

Volkswagen is targeting a starting price of around €20,000 ($24k/£17k) for its smallest EVs, possibly by using cheaper lithium phosphate batteries. More than 500,000 EVs from various VW brands will be built at the Seat-Cupra factory in Martorelli, near Barcelona in Spain.

One thing not clear is where this all leaves Seat. VW’s decision to unveil the UrbanRebel as a Cupra leaves us wondering again if it may drop the Seat brand altogether, using Skoda to plug the gap.

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