Here are all of the weekly EV of the Week posts for 2022, most are either here now, or coming soon. A few are very much concepts. Together they make a snapshot of how the EV world is developing this year and into the near future:
Pininfarina Battista Is World’s Fastest-Accelerating Road-Legal Car
Automobili Pininfarina has released performance figures for the Battista electric hyper GT, and the numbers are outstanding.
In a demonstration at the Dubai Autodrome in the United Arab Emirates where the Battista made its dynamic debut in the Middle East, the all-electric hyper GT celebrated a series of world records recently achieved in the final round of homologation.
The Battista’s performance credentials were recorded and verified at Nardò, in Italy, as part of the vehicle’s global test and development program earlier this year. The official acceleration and braking figures have now been revealed, and they are record-breaking. Thanks in part to its unique launch control technology, the Battista sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 1.79 seconds—that’s quicker than a Formula 1 car!
It goes from 0 to 62 mph in 1.86 seconds, 0 to 120 mph in 4.49 seconds and 0 to 124 mph in just 4.79 seconds. The electric hyper-GT’s top speed is 217 mph. These numbers certify it as the world’s fastest-accelerating road-legal vehicle (insideevs)
Photo: Automobili Pininfarina
China leaks pictures of the Buick Electra
Buick is not a brand that resonates at all in Europe, and not a great deal in the US nowadays. GM have concentrated the brand on China where it is their best seller. In the USA they have a very dated range, but of course the shift to EV allows a fresh start and it is thought that the mid-size SUV leaked by the Chinese Industry And Information Technology website may also be sold in other markets.
The car looks to have clean lines, will likely have a range of 250-300 miles and is to be called the Electra E5. (Insideevs)
First Fisker Ocean rolls off the Magna Steyr production line
Henrik Fisker wears plenty of scars from being an early entrepreneur in electric motoring. He earned his motor industry stripes designing sports cars for BMW and others, but his first electric venture, the Fisker Karma was a luxury hybrid that failed, but he licked his wounds, learned a number of lessons and has come back with a compelling proposition called the Ocean.
The Ocean is a mid-size SUV, which is a hardly an original configuration. However it looks well proportioned, sporty and practical. It scores well on performance and sustainability, it’s seats are made from recycled fishing nets. Novelties in the premium models include a solar roof, “California Mode” where all the windows open including the rear boot window, and a infotec screen that swivels between landscape and portrait.
Most interesting, though, is the manufacturing model. Fisker, based in Annaheim, USA are responsible for design, but all manufacturing and parts sourcing is subcontracted to Magna Steyr, a big name in the field. The cars will be produced in their factory in Austria and all battery supply is under contract with world leader CATL.
These innovative arrangements should ensure that quality is good and that the company are not bedevilled by supply issues leading to endless delays, as has happened to other newcomers such as Lucid and Rivian or even Tesla. It seems to be working as the first production models rolled off the line exactly on schedule this week. It will also allow Fisker to control costs, and the company believes that when the base model called the Ocean Sport is launched next year it will retail for around £35,000. In EV land that is seriously competitive.
photo: Fisker Inc.
Zeekr to launch in Europe in 2023
Geely are a Chinese motor company that are highly active in the EV space on a bewildering number of fronts. They have been collecting international motoring brands, including well known names like Volvo, Lotus, Proton and LEVC. They also own stakes in Aston Martin, Mercedes and Smart. Not content with that lot they also have that least three brands of their own: Polestar who will be well known to regulars of this newsletter, Lynk & Co who make a range of Hybrids and EV’s that are sold exclusively on subscription and are already on sale on the continent. Finally they have their upscale brand called Zeekr which launched a high end “liftback” last year called the Zeekr 001 boasting a 450 mile range and very high performance. This car, it has been announced, will be launched in Europe next year. It is selling well in China now.
Not content with this, the hyperactive Geely announced a second Zeekr, the 009 which is a minivan shape with seating for 6 and a spectacular grill filled with LED’s. It will be the first car to run on CATL’s third generation cell-to-pack battery. The 140kWh lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt unit is claimed to provide the 009 with a range of up to 511 miles and shoot this bus to 60mph in 4.5 seconds, guaranteed to leave the five passengers feely a little queazy.
photo: Geely/Zeekr
Rolls Royce join the party
I have spent the last few weeks highlighting ways in which electric cars will look to embrace affordable motoring.
Now for something totally different: Rolls Royce have announced that they will be launching late next year a full EV coupe called the Spectre. This magnificent beast will be yours for an estimated £400,000, will have a range of about 260 miles, will be quick and, of course totally silent. You would think RR and EV’s would be made for each other, so it shouldn’t surprise that this will be the first full range as the company expects to be all-electric by 2030.
photo: Rolls Royce
Renault re-imagines the R4 at Paris
Renault is reaching back, again, into the nostalgia cupboard as it moves forward into the electric era.
The original Renault 4 (often affectionately referred to as the ‘R4’) was Renault’s answer to the Citroen 2CV. Whilst the R4 was arguably the world’s first mass-produced front-drive hatchback, it was marketed at the time as a small wagon.
Sold as a basic, go anywhere, do anything car for the masses, the R4 sold by the millions. You still see plenty on the roads and every French barn has a gently rusting example in the corner.
So it is hardly surprising that, given the excitement around Renault’s re-imagining of the R5 as an electric super-mini, they announced at the Paris Show that they are doing a similar job with the R4. The show car, called the R4EVER, has been imagined as an all-road, Tonka-tuff mini-SUV. There are a few styling cue’s from the original; the flat front panel and the shape of the rear quarterlight. I am guessing that a production version would likely be stripped of all the plastic accessories, so could be a worthy successor.
Photo: Renault
Polestar 3 new/beautiful/expensive/elusive
I received emails this week telling me that the new Polestar 3 was to be launched and that the new Battersea Polestar store was opening tp coincide with the opening of the Battersea Power Station mall. Like quite a few others I assumed that the two events were linked so jumped on my bike to take a look and inflict on you a selfie with one of the new SUV’s. However, when I got to the store, not a “3” to be seen, at least not until June.
Never mind. Despite the poor PR I still rate Polestar highly. The 3 is a high end large SUV that looks great, is fast, has range of 305 miles allegedly. It costs an eye watering £80,000 which pitches it against the Porsche Taycan, Audi e-Tron and base BMW i-X. Can it justify the price? Maybe, but this launch model is loaded with every kind of sensor to help/hinder the driver. I assume that, as with the Polestar 2 a more prosaic version will appear in time, which will be needed to fend rapidly increasing compatition from the likes of Fisker and a host of Chinese such as Nio, Xpeng and BYD.
As for Battersea Power Station, re-opening after 250 years and one inflatable pig? Think Westfield meets the Tate Modern, which may or may not be a meeting the world really needs.
Photo: Polestar
Citroen show off their idea of a no-frills EV: the Oli
This is the third week that I look at attempts to offer an EV to a costs conscious client. Citroen have already laid down a marker with the minute Ami city car, and now show a very radical concept they call Oli (pronounced like Wall-e without the W). The objective is to cut out all the clutter that makes EV’s heavy and expensive, whilst retaining the fun and quirkiness associated with the brand (sometimes). The car still has a range of 250 miles off a 40kWh battery. Its panels are kept flat and use innovative cardboard/fibreglass/resin mix designed by BASF. Even the windscreen is kept flat to reduce cost and avoid a greenhouse effect warming the car, to allegedly save 17% on air conditioning in summer.
Oli has been made practical with multiple attachments available for the roof rails and clever compartments. Whilst Oli is not due to go into production the Stellantis/Citroen designers have come up with some interesting ideas with Oli and pose serious questions for the industry.
photo: Citroen (the front is facing the camera)
Tata launches $10k EV for local market
Indian automaker Tata Motors on Wednesday announced an electric car that will sell for the equivalent of $10,000 in its home market.
the Tiago EV is noteworthy even in a market dominated by low-priced cars. India is the world’s fourth-largest car market, but most cars sold there are priced under $15,000, Reuters notes, adding that the Tiago.ev is much cheaper than India’s next-cheapest EV—the Tata Tigor EV (also based on an existing internal-combustion model), which starts at approximately $14,940.
Granted, the low price doesn’t buy much in the way of performance.Tata estimates 155 miles of range for the smaller pack and 196 miles for the larger pack, both based on India’s extremely optimistic ARAI testing cycle. DC fast charging is available, but at a maximum 50 kw it takes 57 minutes to go from a 10% to 80% charge. (greencarreports)
photo: Tata
MG4 – The disruptor
A little scene setting for readers who still associate the brand MG with British sports cars of the last century. MG was reborn in 2005 as a sub-brand of Chinese battery & EV giant SAIC. They relaunched MG selling low cost saloons and SUV’s with an EV variant tagged onto each range. Their sales have grown steadily and they now sell more cars in the UK than Mini, Land Rover or Skoda.
With the launch of the MG4 SAIC take it to another level, and the European motor industry should take serious notice: They have clearly benchmarked the VW ID.3 as the MG4 has very similar dimensions rides on a bespoke slim battery platform, has rear wheel drive, offers or 280mile range variants and even switch on when you sit in them like the ID.3.
However, in two killer respects the MG4 is different: SAIC, like BYD (see Titbits a couple of weeks ago) are fully vertically integrated and fully control their supply chain. They will be able to deliver without one year waiting times and the MG4 will go on sale a full £10,000 cheaper than the similarly specified VW model.
Just to add a cherry to the cake, reviewers suggest that the build quality of the MG4 is excellent. As I have repeatedly said, the European industry has had enough warnings.
As the MG4 review in the Sun said “OH MG!”
photos: MG UK
Jeep repositions as an electric brand
The iconic American tonka tough brand is now owned by Stellantis (Peugeot to you and me). According to Autocar they are joining the parent’s efforts to offer full electric versions of their new cars, and this week announce three of five new electric offerings all of which will come to Europe.
First up is the “Avenger” which will utilise the existing small electric platform of the parent, as used by the Peugeot e-2008 and Vauxhall e-Mokka. It is a small SUV of European dimensions which aims at a younger buyer. It will be good for 240 mile range and should launch in mid-2023.
By 2025 this should be joined by the “Wagoneer”, a large all singing SUV with high spec and range of as much as 400 miles and will sit on the upcoming large car architecture from Stellantis. Also coming is the Recon which is a stripped down off-road specialist with removable doors and roof, like the old Wrangler. It will also sit on the large car platform.
photos: Stellantis
Munro Electric launch a no-frills electric Off-Roader
Munro Vehicles is an automotive startup founded in 2019 in Glasgow and its first offering, the Munro Mark 1, is a rugged electric off-roader designed to carry people and equipment over difficult terrain.
The plan was to make a vehicle that is interesting for industrial operations like gold mining, forestry or even just farmers and half of first year production run is already spoken for and going to the US where it already has a distribution deal in place.
The Munro Mark 1 has a single 371 horsepower / 516 pound-foot (700Nm) electric motor that sends power to all four wheels through Land Rover Defender solid axles. The vehicle is largely based on an off-road kit car called the Ibex and what Munro Vehicles has done is reengineer that vehicle to accommodate its own electric powertrain.
Battery capacity is 80.1 kWh and they say it is capable of achieving 168 miles on one charge (on-road) and that it will have fast charging. The vehicle’s interior is very basic, although it does get selectable high and low ranges courtesy of its conventional driveline. It can wade through up to 3 feet of water, which is about as much as a Rivian.
Limited production of the Munro Mark 1 will begin in 2023 when the company intends to build 50 units. If all goes to plan, it intends to increase production to 2,500 units per year by 2025 and then 5,000 units by 2030. Both left- and right-hand drive versions are in the pipeline and they plan to sell them at around £75,000 (insideevs)
photo: Munro Electric
BYD are coming to the UK this year
You hear quite a lot about this little known company in Titbits. I have pointed out their excellent LFP “Blade” batteries, that they supply electric busses and lorries as well as cars and that they have recently overtaken Tesla as the world’s largest EV maker (if you include PHEV’s). They are already selling cars in Norway, Australia, Japan, India and many others, even Cambodia and are about to launch in continental Europe. Now they have announced that first deliveries to the UK will start before the end of 2022.
The first car to be sold will be mid-size SUV called the Atto 3, which has already been well received in Australia. It is sized between the Hyundai Kona and the VW ID.4 and will be well equipped, such that pricing is expected to be mid-to-premium rather than bargain like the MG range.
By itself this may not be that exciting, but BYD control all aspects of production, including ever-scarce microchips so are promising that when they launch there will be plenty of cars available, in contrast to many of their competitors here.
photo: BYD
Myers Manx revives its iconic beach buggy
As far as beach buggies go, Myers Manx has always been the most iconic. The legendary brand has returned to the modern age by revealing the Myers Manx 2.0, which is an all-electric version.
Sporting the same style as the original Volkswagen Beetle-based buggies, the 2.0 not only looks fantastic, but can back up this handsome aesthetic with impressive numbers.
Two versions of the Myers Manx 2.0 will be offered, an entry-level model with a 20kWh battery, and another model with a 40kWh battery. Up to 480km of range will be offered with the bigger battery.
In terms of performance, the 40kWh model will get 150kW and 325Nm and will be able to hit 100km/h in just 4.5 seconds, which will be rather rapid for a vehicle of this size.
Staying true to its roots, the 2.0 will be exclusively rear-wheel drive, with both powertrain options coming with electric motors fitted to the rear axle. The retro vibe continues inside with a digital dash in the same style as the original VW>
Instead of a fibreglass body like the original, this EV version uses an aluminum body to help with rigidity. It only weighs an extra 180kg over the original Beetle-based buggy. (thedriven)
The XBus Camper is a quirky, cheap & fun
The XBus is a minuscule modular marvel from Germany’s Electric Brands that features 4 in-wheel motors and various battery packs from 10 kWh to 30 kWh. Now don’t go snickering about the tiny standard battery. The basic XBus is so efficient, it can go up 200 km — more than the Series I Nissan LEAF with its 24 kWh battery.
The XBus features an array of modular body configurations — flat bed, pickup truck, tilt bed truck, cargo van, or 4-door pickup. If your neighbour has one, you can mix and match the various components so you both have the vehicle you need when you need it. The batteries are removable, so you can swap in fully charged batteries when needed rather than waiting for charging to take place while you are out and driving your XBus. (cleantechnica)
At last, a no-bullshit EV
If I were to list the nonsensical boasts of the EV industry, it would take quite a while: Absurdly fast, sensors everywhere, byzantine touch displays, weird vegan interiors, programmable headlights, joysticks, farting. That is just the start, and also prices are resolutely “premium” and virtually all the companies launch the most excessive versions first, when reviewers agree that the base models tend to be best.
Fear not, however, a no-frills saviour is at hand: The Sion from Sono Motors, a Munich based startup will launch early next year. It is a mid-sized, boxy, practical family estate that comes in one specification with a 54kWh battery good for 190 miles. It’s panels are almost all flat, so can be completely covered with solar panels, which can generate up to an extra 70 miles of range a week. This is a genuine self-charging EV.
OK it does have one cute gimmick: in its no frills dashboard is a clear strip which houses a bright green moss. It is not there to filter the air, just to make you feel good.
The Sion is to be manufactured in Finland in decent numbers, and will be available from early next year. The fledgeling company already have over 19,000 reservations, which certainly helps to validate the concept.
photos: Sonos Motors
Hyundai IONIQ 6 Electrified Streamliner gets virtual launch
Anyone who followed EV of the Week regularly will know that Hyundai (and sister company KIA) are creating well thought out and innovative EV’s. Their bespoke platform e-GMP delivers a fine combination of driving range, efficiency and very fast charging. The infotainment package is arguably the most useable in the market and even the gimmicks such as the v2L (vehicle to load, the ability to run electric items off the battery) and recliner seats have their fans.
Now that the platform is proven, it is reasonably straightforward for the companies to expand the range of vehicles on offer, so expect a slew of new launches over the next two years.
Next up is the IONIQ 6 which is a saloon car squarely aimed at the Tesla Model 3. Whilst it has styling cues from the IONIQ 5 hatch/SUV such as the pixel lights its design looks to me like a stretched four door Porsche 911 and is highly aerodynamic, further helping driving range (there is talk of 370miles). The car is launched with a video, HERE which is clearly targeting millennials (older viewers, you have been warned!) Expect deliveries to start later this year.
photo: Hyundai
Maxus T90EV – officially the UK’s first fully electric pick-up.
Whilst Americans queue for the Ford F-150 Lightning (see last week’s Titbits), we in the UK can celebrate the arrival of a first electric pick-up courtesy of Maxus (a division of the Chinese firm SAIC, who also now own LDV)
The Maxus T90EV is a fully electric variant of an existing petrol model sold in China. It therefore has the standard chunky looks of a pick-up, which means it should have no problem with acceptance in the market here. It is launched with an 89kWh battery pack, which powers a 200hp electric motor at the rear. According to Maxus, it’ll offer a range of up to 198 miles.(leasing)
photo: Maxus
Ford F150 Lightning is a big deal
This is the brand-new Ford F150 Lightning, and it’s a pick-up truck that can fit an entire adult under the bonnet.
This is an all-electric version of America’s best-selling truck for the last 45 years and it has a Mega Power Frunk instead of pistons under the hood. In a good year Ford sells close to a million of its F-Series trucks and turns over around $40bn in the process. It is an absolute titan and crucial not just to Ford’s balance sheet, but the US economy as a whole. All of which means messing with the formula like this, is kind of a big deal.
This is a car with a shot at changing opinions on EVs across America. If it does, the floodgates could open, for Ford and other manufacturers of electric vehicles. Ford is calling this the most important car it’s launched since the Model T. They might be right.
There are two models to choose from, the entry-level version with a 98kWh battery, 446bhp and a 230-mile range. Or the extended range model with a mammoth 131kWh battery (removable from below with just eight bolts), 572bhp and a 320-mile range.
Both models produce 775lb ft of torque, and the faster one will do 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds. That’s just bonkers, sports car pace from something the size of a small planet. Make no mistake, this is an enormous vehicle – the length of a long wheelbase Mercedes S-Class… plus another 60cm, and it weighs the best part of three tonnes. Driving one of these in the UK would feel like a double decker bus, but in Texas, where everything is supersized, it just fits.
Ford have managed to price this at only a small premium to the petrol equivalent, which is great, except that the first year’s production of 200,000 is already sold. Top Gear describe it as:
“It looks familiar, goes like a muscle car and it’s full of brilliant practical touches”
No doubt this is the car that, more than any other, could convert the EV sceptics, whilst also establishing Ford a place at the top table in the emerging EV world. (topgear)
photo: Ford
Mercedes adds SUV to the EQE range
There was a time when Mercedes would launch three variants of a range: saloon, estate, and sports/coupe and this was consistent across their major platforms, notably the C Class and E Class. Now that they have launched the electric equivalent of the E Class saloon called the EQE and its sporty sister the EQS, it would make sense to add the estate variant. However nowadays most car makers prefer to add a SUV and Mercedes are doing likewise with the launch this month of the EQS SUV.
The SUV is well appointed and will be competitive on driving range, comes in either rear wheel drive of 4MATIC. One differentiating feature is that they offer as an option a suite of screens that run the width of the dashboard, which may prove popular.
It is a sign of intent from Mercedes that they are filling out their electric range, but they have work to do even to capture third spot in the global EV market as the articles below show.
photos: Mercedes
Delorean Motor Company teases EV concept launch
For my youngest readers a potted history of the Delorean Motor company: Entrepreneur John Delorean managed to persuade the UK government to sponsor loads of dosh (allegedly about £200m) to help him build a factory in Northern Ireland from which he was to build a futuristic stainless steel sports car with gullwing doors. The factory was built in record time but quality and logistics problems delayed the launch of the car. It did eventually appear two years late in 1981, but sales were only half that forecast and the company folded.
Nothing so strange about all that, but throw in the mysterious FBI sting operation that purported to catch John DeLorean conspiring to ship tons of cocaine (he was acquitted) and the car’s adoption as the iconic focus of the successful film franchise Back to the Future and this is how legends form. Many of the 9,000 originals are still around and change hands for big money.
Scroll forward 40 years and an announcement this week from the DeLorean Motor Company, now based in Texas that an electric sports car concept will be unveiled on the 18th August. All we know so far is the teaser picture below and that it will be pitched into the segment occupied by the Porsche Taycan.
To misquote the film: “wait a minute doc, maybe they have built a time machine out of a DeLorean”
Lotus shows off electric “hyper-SUV”
Lotus are owned by Geely who also own Volvo and Polestar amongst others. Whilst they have been involved in technical work around EV’s the nearest they had come to an actual car was that a Lotus was used as the template for the original Tesla sports car from which all things Tesla grew.
Now Lotus announce their own entry into the increasingly crowded electric SUV field. Their car is called the Eletre and describe it as a hyper-SUV. It is a big car, longer than a Range Rover. It will be fast, obviously, should handle well and promises over 300mile range using a battery of at least 100kWh. A lot of work has been done on aerodynamics and weight, Lotus are good at trimming weight off their cars. The company promise that a sports car is to follow.
photo: Lotus
Nissan release the Ariya SUV
Nissan are a bit of an enigma in the EV world. Pioneers of the sector with the Leaf, which drew many fans, but then nothing for years. They allow many other makers to release small/mid-scale SUV’s then finally join the party themselves with the Arriya. Will electric goodwill sweep them to success or have they blown their early advantage?
Scanning a few reviews for the Ariya, the specs look very similar to many of the new arrivals: Smaller battery for c 200 mile range, bigger for 300 in the right conditions plus a higher performance all-wheel drive. Those specs and the suggested pricing look very much in line with the offerings from the VW group. Performance is said to be mild by EV standards but OK, and Nissan get plaudits for the steering, breaks and the car’s looks both exterior and interior. Ride quality and pricing are considered not so competitive. However they score a significant bonus for delivering a properly workable infotainment as have sister company Renault (see Titbits 10th Oct)
photo: Nissan
Maserati GranTurismo Folgore EV Coming In 2023
The Stellantis-owned company says it will be the first Italian luxury car brand to produce full-electric models under a dedicated lineup called Maserati Folgore—Italian for lightning.
Paving the way for these new EVs will be the next-generation GranTurismo, which will debut sometime in 2023 in both GranTurismo coupe and GranCabrio convertible body styles as part of the all-electric Maserati Folgore range.
The GranTurismo EV will pack a tri-motor powertrain with more than 1,200 horsepower and signature Maserati handling control. It will also feature Formula E inverters and lightweight multi-material architecture and body to keep the weight down.
It will be able to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in under 3 seconds and reach a top speed of 186 mph. (insideevs)
photo: Maserati
ID Buzz finally breaks cover
VW showed off the much anticipated electric heir to the Combi called the ID Buzz. This has been teased, touted and speculated about for years. Even after the launch we still don’t know much. It runs on the same MEB platform as the ID3 and ID4 and will run the larger 82kWh battery which should give a range of about 250 miles, but that is only an extrapolation from the figures for the ID4. VW have not given either performance of pricing numbers yet. It will, however go on sale later this year in Europe and VW will start taking orders soon.
It has to be said that the final version does not look as sexy as the concept that Titbits previewed years ago, but it does not look bad and the two tone colours, clever packaging of the interior and space availability will endear it to customers. It will be interesting to see whether the initial buzz converts into orders, it probably will. The kind of cult status bestowed on the much loved Combi may take a while to earn though.
photo: VW
Smart relaunches and introduces Smart #1 electric crossover
Smart is entering a new chapter this year with the launch of its first model developed under the shared ownership of Mercedes-Benz Group and Geely.
Now named Smart Automobile Co Ltd, the joint-venture company has announced the name of its first new generation model, the #1 electric crossover. The combination of the “#” symbol and a number will be adopted by future models as well.
Designed by Mercedes-Benz and engineered by Geely, the new model underwent a series of tests at the China Automotive Engineering Research Institute in Chongqing, with one of them revealing a drag coefficient of 0.29, a good value for subcompact SUVs.
The #1 has also undergone extensive cold weather testing in China with, reportedly, excellent results. (insideevs)
photo: Smart
Kia EV6 win Car of the Year 2022
The What Car magazine Car of the Year award is a highly prestigious thing and much coveted and even more trumpeted by the winner. On the whole the award has taken its responsibilities seriously and made sensible and occasionally interesting choices, although there have been a few aberrations (Ford Puma last year anyone??).
I am guessing that it would have been perverse not to give the honour to an electric car this year, so the announcement of the Kia EV6 as overall winner makes plenty of sense. Here is what they say about the car:
For starters, the EV6 combines a huge real-world range with the ability to charge at speeds that even some Teslas can’t keep up with, addressing two of the biggest concerns that people still have about electric cars.
What’s more, by basing the EV6 on bespoke electric underpinnings rather than a set that’s shared by petrol and diesel models, Kia has been able to take advantage of the compact size of electric motors and produce a car that’s hugely spacious and practical.
Add in its effortless performance, outstanding refinement, competitive pricing and one of the best warranties around, and the striking EV6 doesn’t just look like the future – it feels like it too.
Titbits has no issue with this choice and would add that the EV6 and sister car the Hyundai Ioniq 5 demonstrate conclusively that the transition to electric motoring is changing the world order in terms of private transport. I have repeatedly warned that the Chinese are coming, but Hyundai/Kia are laying down the challenge to the established “quality” makers right now. They are going to make cars that perform and feel as good as the best. Our only query is whether the EV6 is really an SUV. We would use an old fashioned description “shooting brake”
photo: KIA
Nuro Unveils Third-Generation Autonomous Delivery Vehicle
Autonomous vehicle startup Nuro unveiled a third-generation electric autonomous delivery vehicle designed for commercial operations and manufactured in partnership with BYD North America.
Nuro’s third-generation vehicle is designed to carry more goods and enable more deliveries, with twice the cargo volume of the company’s second generation vehicle. The automotive production-grade vehicle will also feature modular inserts to customize storage and new temperature-controlled compartments to keep goods warm or cool. The introduction of the new model furthers Nuro’s ongoing commitment to sustainability through fully electric and zero emissions vehicles. Nuro is also announcing it will use 100% renewable energy for all vehicle charging and facilities for the first time starting this month. In addition, the company is releasing its first sustainability highlights report, covering actions the company has taken toward sustainability thus far and upcoming plans for the year ahead. (electriccarsreport)
photo: Nuro
