Tag Archives: news

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.

Hyundai Introduces New Hydrogen-Powered Concepts, Including A 671 HP Sports Car

September 7, 2021 admin

The auto industry is undergoing a major transition as the era of the internal combustion engine is coming to a close.

While a number of companies are going electric, that isn’t the only option as fuel cells are waiting for their moment in the spotlight. Hyundai is shining some on them today with a Hydrogen Wave event, which aims to popularize the eco-friendly technology and usher in a new ‘wave’ of hydrogen-powered products.

There’s a lot to cover, but the Hyundai Motor Group believes they will be able to offer fuel cell vehicles at a price point that is comparable to battery electric vehicles by 2030. This would be a big change as the Hyundai Nexo starts at $58,935⁠ while the Toyota Mirai begins at $49,500.

Also Read: Hyundai Plans To Deploy 30 Hydrogen Transport Trucks In California By 2023

In order to achieve this, the company is planning to introduce their next-generation fuel cell system in 2023. It promises to be 50% more affordable than the current system, while also offering improved durability and output.

The third-generation fuel cell is currently in development, but the company showed off two different versions of it. The 100 kW stack is 30% smaller than the current one and this enables it to be used in a greater range of vehicles and applications. The company also showcased a 200 kW version designed for commercial vehicles and it’s roughly the same size as the current Nexo system, despite having twice the output.

The fuel cells can also be used in a variety of non-automotive applications and Hyundai mentioned using them as an emergency power supply for large ships or IT companies. As part of this effort, 100 kW units can be linked together in a Lego-like fashion to provide combined outputs ranging from 500 kW to 1 MW.

The company also revealed a “Full-Flat System,” which has a reduced stack height of 9.8 inches (25 cm). This allows fuel cells to be used in vehicles – ranging from buses, trams and MPVs – with minimal clearance.

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Much of the news focused on commercial vehicles and Hyundai expects to become the first global automaker to apply fuel cells to all their commercial vehicles by 2028. The company isn’t a stranger to this as the XCIENT Fuel Cell was the world’s first mass produced fuel cell heavy-duty truck and is already in use.

There are a number of other vehicles on the horizon including a tractor based on the XCIENT Fuel Cell, which will arrive in 2024. Hyundai also announced plans for a 5- to 7-meter (16.4 – 23 feet) purpose built fuel cell vehicle, which will compete in the global light commercial vehicle segment.

While hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles will help to significantly reduce CO2 emissions, the real highlight of the event was the introduction of a handful of concepts. The most eye-catching was the Vision FK, which is a high-performance model that is apparently based on the Kia Stinger.

Hyundai didn’t go into many specifics, but said the prototype has a “fuel cell energy converter” and a rear-wheel drive plug-in hybrid powertrain. This setup gives the car an output in excess of 671 hp (500 kW / 680 PS) and allows for a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time of less than four seconds. The model is also slated to have a range of over 373 miles (600 km).

During a press conference last night, Hyundai’s research and development boss revealed the model was developed with the assistance of Rimac and described it as “technical overkill.” Albert Biermann added the car’s development was an exciting challenge and hinted at the possibility of taking it racing.

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On the trucking side of things, there’s the Trailer Drone concept. It’s essentially a container, which rides on two e-Bogies. The latter are the star of the show as they’re essentially fully autonomous vehicles with the top half cut off.

Each e-Bogie has a fuel cell powertrain as well as wheels with independent steering. The latter allows for unprecedented maneuverability and even a Hummer-like crab walk function. Furthermore, the company envisions a Cluster Mode, which would enable “multiple Trailer Drones to travel together in an almost train-like configuration.”

The e-Bogies can be used for other applications and that’s apparent with the Rescue Drone concept. It’s effectively an e-Bogie, which has been outfitted with a number of drones. The concept is envisioned to be used in emergency situations, such as fighting fires.

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Hyundai also showed off a portable hydrogen refueling station as well as a Rescue Hydrogen Generator Vehicle. The latter can be used to supply power to stranded EVs in remote, off-road areas.

According to Chairman Euisun Chung, “Hyundai Motor Group’s vision is to apply hydrogen energy in all areas of life and industry such as our homes, work places and factories. The goal is to make hydrogen readily used for everyone, everything and everywhere.” He went on to say the company wants to offer “practical solutions for the sustainable development of humanity” and help foster a hydrogen society by 2040.

While some of the ideas seem a little far fetched, Hyundai wants to educate people about hydrogen and get them excited about fuel cell vehicles. The company is also optimistic about the future of the technology as a number of governments have announced plans to support efforts to promote fuel cell vehicles.

PHOTO GALLERY

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Ram Teams Up With Wolverine To Create Truck-Inspired Work Boots

September 4, 2021 admin

Fancy pants supercar manufacturers aren’t the only ones that can partner with apparel-makers to create exclusive footwear. Ram announced that it is working with Wolverine to create a series of boots for skilled workers.

The collaboration will lead to the creation of three pairs of special edition boots inspired by Ram trucks, as well as some socks, too.

The Wolverine x Ram Tradesman Safety Toe is available in two colors (white and tan) and features the Ram logo on the tongue. It costs $229. The Wolverine x Ram Rebel Safety Toe, adds another $10 to the price tag and features signature Rebel Red details and all-day comfort. It’s available in black with red detailing or in red with black and white detailing.

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The Wolverine x Ram Limited 1000 Mile Boot, finally, is handcrafted in America and features Horween leather inspired by the Limited’s ultra-premium interior. As for pricing, at $400 it is the most expensive of the three.

“We are proud to partner with Ram Truck, an industry leading brand, to honor essential workers and the excellent career opportunities the skilled trades offer,” said Tom Kennedy, global brand president for Wolverine Footwear and Apparel. “Since 2017, Wolverine has donated more than $2 million toward supporting the next generation of skilled workers, and we’re excited to be working with another brand who is equally passionate about investing in the future of the American workforce.”

Ready just in time for Labor Day, for every pre-order the boots receive Wolverine and Ram will donate an unspecified amount to SkillsUSA, a non-profit organization that works to support the next generation of skilled tradespeople. Together, the teams also created an ad honoring tradespeople.

“The unrivaled elements of the Ram Truck brand meet the style and timelessness of a classic American boot brand through the launch of our licensing collaboration with Wolverine,” said Marissa Hunter, vice president of marketing – North America for Ram. “The collection seamlessly merges the worlds of automotive and fashion, drawing inspiration from the Ram truck interior while staying true to Wolverine’s staple design elements and unwavering reliability.”

PHOTO GALLERY

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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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Widebody Trans Am With 808 HP Pits Itself Against A 600 HP BMW E36 Time Attack Car

August 30, 2021 admin

Hoonigan’s ‘This vs. That’ drag racing series routinely pits some of the quickest cars on four wheels against each other and in this latest clip, brought together a Plymouth Trans Am and a BMW E36 3-Series. However, both have been heavily tuned.

The owner of the 1970 Trans Am featured has gone to town overhauling his muscle car, outfitting it with a 6.5-liter LSX V8 that churns out no less than 808 hp. Coupled to this engine is a G-Force GF4A transmission that powers the rear wheels.

There is clearly no mistaking this Trans Am from a regular, road-going example as it features flared front and rear wheel arches. The interior has also been completely stripped out, meaning it weighs only 3,165 lbs (1,435 kg).

As impressive as this Pontiac is, the BMW 3-Series it raced is equally as unique. It’s been designed as a Time Attack car and has also undergone an engine swap that saw a massive 7.3-liter V8 slotted under its hood. It also features a sequential transmission, is rear-wheel drive, and tips the scales at 2,700 lbs (1,224 kg).

During the first race, the driver of the Trans Am messed up a gear change, allowing the BMW to take an easy win. The second rolling race, by comparison, was extremely close with the Pontiac taking the win by roughly one foot, meaning it was all to play for in the third and final race.

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2021 Jeep Wrangler Announced With Tuscadero Pink, Only Available Until November

August 27, 2021 admin

Not long after being previewed, Jeep has officially launched the new Tuscadero pink color for the 2021 Wrangler.

The paint job gets its name from Happy Days character Carol ‘Pinky’ Tuscadero who wore many pink outfits in the popular TV show. Interestingly, Tuscadero pink will only be available through November 2021, meaning those wanting to order a particularly striking Wrangler had better place an order before it’s too late.

All Wrangler variants can be optioned with the color that is a $395 option. That includes two- and four-door Sport, Sahara, Rubicon, 4xe, and 392 models. However, the new color can’t be paired with the off-roader’s available half-doors. There is no word on whether other Jeep models, such as the Gladiator, will be available with the same color moving forward.

Watch Also: What’s Quicker, A 2.3-Liter Ford Bronco Or A 3.6-Liter Jeep Wrangler?

This isn’t the first time that FCA/ Stellantis has offered this color. It was previously available for the 2010 Dodge Challenger when it was known as Furious Fuchsia, although the paint code was the same.

“With the Jeep brand celebrating its 80th anniversary, it’s the perfect time to launch a confident and custom color on the most iconic Jeep vehicle – both of which are designed to break the mold and stand out on the road and trails,” Jeep Brand North America chief executive Jim Morrison said. What’s unique about colors like Tuscadero is that they draw a huge enthusiast following because they’re exciting, authentic and stand out, much like the Jeep community.”

The launch of this new color comes at an exciting time for the Jeep brand with recent confirmation that its first all-electric vehicle will launch in the first half of 2023. The automaker has not specified which of its models will be the first offered in electric guise but the Wrangler is thought to be one possibility as an electric Wrangler concept was unveiled earlier this year. Other possibilities include the Compass, Renegade, and Commander, all of which are already available with plug-in hybrid powertrains.

2022 Toyota GR 86 Tested Hitting 60 MPH In 5.9 Seconds

August 24, 2021 admin

Hot on the heels of our first drive of the 2022 Toyota GR 86, Jason Cammisa recently teamed up with Hagerty and put the car through its paces. During his test, he also recorded some very impressive acceleration figures.

Powering the GR 86 is an all-new 2.4-liter four-cylinder boxer engine with 228 hp and 184 lb-ft (249 Nm) of torque. While many had hoped the second-generation 86 would be turbocharged, we’re happy to report that it doesn’t need a turbo and when equipped with the available six-speed manual, Toyota says it requires just 6.1 seconds to hit 60 mph (96 km/h). As it turns out, that claim is a little conservative.

While testing out the fact, Cammisa was able to hit 60 mph in 5.9 seconds or 5.6 seconds with a one-foot roll-out. That’s impressive, particularly when you consider that the new GR 86 needs to be shifted into third gear at 59 mph and the car tested by Cammisa had the standard Primacy tires, rather than the stickier Michelin PS4 tires available on the Premium model.

Cammisa also weighed the car and with three-quarters of a tank of gas, it weighed in at just 2,769 lbs (1,255 kg), right in line with Toyota’s claimed curb weight of 2,799 lbs (1,270 kg) with a full tank.

During his test for Hagerty, the veteran automotive journalist also raced it against a Mazda MX-5 Miata and a VW Golf GTI. It manages to out-sprint the Miata but couldn’t quite keep up with the Golf GTI, although that’s no surprise considering the Golf is turbocharged.

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A Mustang Dressed As A Mercedes-AMG GT Crashed Through A Bus Stop

August 21, 2021 admin

A Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door has been destroyed after crashing into a bus stop in Bulgaria.

Details surrounding the incident are unclear but images and video shared online show the high-powered sedan resting against the bus stop after crashing at what appears to be a large roundabout.

It is difficult to determine the precise GT 4-Door variant we’re looking at, but one local publication suggests that it is a GT 63+ model tuned by Brabus.

Although nothing’s certain, it’s possible that the driver of the expensive Mercedes-AMG model lost control of the car while entering the roundabout, driving straight over the concrete curb before smashing into the bus stop. The incident happened late at night and the car was still stuck in the bus stop the following morning.

The damage sustained to the car is, obviously, quite comprehensive. Jumping over the high curb probably severely damaged the sedan’s front fascia and suspension components while the actual impact with the bus stop inevitably resulted in even more damage. One video that seems to have been taken shortly after the crash shows that the ignition was still turned on and its hazard lights were flashing while the car was sitting almost upright with its front end mangled.

There is no word on whether the driver, or any occupants, of the GT 4-Door were injured in the crash.

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Would A Big Rear Wing And Retro Wheels Fix The New Lamborghini Countach For You?

August 19, 2021 admin

While traditionalists may not like the idea of Lamborghini reviving the famed Countach name with a limited-run model based on the Sian, there’s no denying that the exterior design of the car is eye-catching. But is that enough for such a storied nameplate?

In designing the 2022 Countach LPI 800-4, Lamborghini (much to our surprise) didn’t go all out in replicating later Countach models such as the LP5000 QV and 25th Anniversary Edition and instead looked to the playbook of the original LP4000. That means the Countach LPI 800-4 lacks a rear wing.

Curious about how the new car would look with design elements inspired by later Countach models, YouTuber TheSketchMonkey got to work with tweaking its design and making it all the more eye-catching.

In recreating this modern-day Countach, some minor tweaks were made to the front fascia. Most notably, the headlights were shifted down in a move that, to our eyes, radically improves the design of the car. The designer then equipped the supercar with classic phone dial wheels that act as the perfect throwback to the glory years of the Countach.

Elsewhere, the car’s side skirts have been modified with some new vents and, most importantly, a fixed rear wing has also been fitted. While these alterations may not seem all that significant, they drastically alter the design of the car and bring it somewhat closer to the original.

Is this how the Countach LPI 800-4 should have looked all along? Let us know in the comments below.

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How Far Can The Latest Electric Cars Really Go On A charge?

August 13, 2021 admin

Range anxiety is one of the biggest barriers to EV ownership, even though most modern electric cars can drive much further on a full charge than their ancestors could.

But as What Car? discovered, there’s a huge disparity between between current EVs in terms of how far they can travel, how that real-world range compares to the official range, and how efficient they are in terms of miles travelled per kWh of energy consumed.

To separate the EV champions from the also-rans, the Brit mag took 10 of the newest and most popular electric cars available in Europe, including the Mazda MX-30, VW ID.3, Kia e-Niro, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Audi Q4 e-tron and Tesla Model 3, and drove them until they died.

In the interests of safety and consistency they performed the test, not on the road, but at a former GM proving ground in Bedfordshire. Starting with a full charge, each car was repeatedly driven around a 15-mile loop that included 2.6 miles of simulated stop-start driving, four miles at 50mph and eight miles at 70mph.

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Unsurprisingly, given its tiny 35.5 kWh battery is the smallest of the bunch, the Mazda MX-30 gave up the ghost first, dropping out after just 115 miles (185 km). That’s against an official WLTP range of 124 miles (200 km). Although the car is coming to the U.S. there’s currently no EPA rating, but since EPA numbers are consistently more realistic than WLTP figures, you can guarantee it’ll be lower.

The new Fiat 500e EV was even more disappointing. It might have outlasted the Mazda, covering 140 miles (225 km) before keeling over, but Fiat says it can do 198 miles.

At the other end of the list the Tesla Model 3 Long Range proved the most efficient, achieving 4.1 miles per kWh, but could only manage 284 miles against a WLTP rating of 360 miles or 576 km (the EPA estimate is 353 miles). The Porsche Taycan 4S’s 281 miles (452 km) doesn’t sound that great until you consider its official rating, which is 290 WLTP miles and just 227 EPA (467 / 365 km respectively).

But the range king was the Ford Mustang Mach-E with the 88 kWh battery. It was the least efficient and couldn’t get close to Ford’s 379 WLTP claim, but its 302-mile (486 km) real-world rating almost perfectly tallies with the EPA’s 305-mile (491 km) figure. So if you’ve got range anxiety, get the Mustang.