Electric Vehicles

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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.

Read More: Electrifying 751-HP Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 Is Benz’s New Performance Flagship Limo

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.

Related: 2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 Spied Almost Undisguised With Different Wheel Designs

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’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.

See Also: 2023 Cadillac Lyriq Electric SUV Unveiled In Production Form

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.

See Also: Buick Smart Pod Is A Futuristic Luxury Minivan Concept

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.

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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.

See Also: 2023 Subaru Solterra Arrives In America With 220+ Mile Range And Standard AWD

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.

See Also: Subaru Unveils WRX S4 In Japan With STI Sport R Flagship Trim Level

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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The all-electric Lucid Air may come from an automaker with no prior experience building cars but it has proven itself to be one of the finest electric vehicles on the market.

A bunch of journalists have had the opportunity to drive the Lucid Air over the past couple of months and most recently, the guys from Throttle House in Canada headed to California to put the Lucid Air Dream Edition Performance variant through its paces. They walked away from the review seriously impressed.

Powering this flagship variant of the Lucid Air are two electric motors that combine to produce 1,111 hp. It is the most performance-focused variant of the Air but it still offers a range of 471 miles (758 km). Those who don’t need all 1,111 hp can also purchase the Air Dream Edition in Range guise with 933 hp and 520 miles (837 km) of range.

Read Also: Lucid Makes The Very First Customer Deliveries Of The All-Electric Air

While testing the electric sedan, Throttle House notes that it feels like a luxury car first which is quite a bold statement considering the phenomenal performance that it offers. The Lucid Air also weighs several hundred pounds more than a Tesla Model S Plaid but despite that, it controls its mass incredibly well and offers up loads of grip and gives the driver heaps of confidence. Unlike the Model S Plaid, it also has a set of brakes that match the insane straight-line performance.

The Lucid Air has received a lot of praise recently and was even named as Motor Trend’s Car of the Year. Unlike some other electric vehicles, it has also started to reach the hands of customers and proves that while Tesla continues to dominate the EV market, it now has some serious rivals to worry about.

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Electric vehicle charging stations aren’t terribly exciting as many of them are simply a handful of chargers located at the back of a parking lot.

Audi is turning that idea on its head with their swanky new charging hub project. Instead of visiting a desolate parking lot, EV owners are treated to a premium charging experience that is similar to airport lounges.

Originally announced earlier this year, the first charging hub is located in Nuremberg and will open to customers on December 23rd. It’s an early Christmas present to residents of the German city as EV owners can reserve one of the six chargers through the myAudi app. Once owners arrive, they plug in their vehicle and can visit the lounge upstairs.

Also Read: Hyundai To Launch F1-Inspired Electric Charging Stations Across Korea

The lounge spans approximately 2,153 square feet (200 square meters) and features an open design as well as numerous seating areas, where visitors can relax or work while their vehicle charges. They can also hang out on the patio or play around with a massive 98 inch display that can be used to show vehicle charging information, details about the charging hub, or an Audi configurator.

If that wasn’t enough to keep you occupied, you can grab a bite to eat at the automat or use the station’s “just-in-time” food delivery service. The hub also has an exchange station for electric bike batteries, an electric scooter lending service, and supervised test drives in the Q4 e-tron and RS e-tron GT.

Putting the lounge aside, the charging hub is constructed out of “flexible container cubes” that allow stations to be assembled and disassembled in a matter of days. The station also uses ‘second-life’ batteries from dismantled development vehicles and this eliminates the need for high-voltage power lines and expensive transformers as the batteries “bring quick-charging infrastructure where the electric grid is not enough.”

As Audi explained, the charging hub has an interim storage capacity of 2.45 MWh and this means the station only needs a relatively modest 200 kW connection to the grid. This is “enough to continually fill the storage modules” and solar panels on the roof help to contribute up to 30 kW of green energy. Audi went on to say approximately 80 vehicles can be charged per day, without exceeding the power limits of the hub.

Speaking of charging, visitors with an e-tron Charging Service contract can charge for 31 cents per kilowatt hour. Audi says that’s similar to what it would cost using a wallbox at home.

That’s notable as the charging hub has been designed for people who can’t charge at home either because they live in an apartment or otherwise don’t have access to a charging port. As charging hub project manager Ralph Hollmig explained, “We’re going where our customers don’t necessarily wake up in the morning with a fully charged electric car and at the same time thinking about increasing charging demand in the future.”

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Volvo and Northvolt will open a joint research and development center in Gothenburg, Sweden. The center will be tasked with developing new batteries for EVs that deliver on range and charging time expectations while reducing the carbon footprint of the batteries themselves.

The R&D center will become operational in 2022 and the location has been chosen to keep it close to Volvo’s own R&D center as well as Northvolt‘s existing innovation campus in Västerås, Sweden, to ease cooperation.

“Our partnership with Northvolt secures the supply of high-quality, sustainably-produced batteries for the next generation of pure electric Volvos,” said Håkan Samuelsson, chief executive for Volvo Cars. “It will strengthen our core competencies and our position in the transformation to a fully electric car company.”

Read Also: BMW Signs A $2.3 Billion Battery Deal With Sweden’s Northvolt

Volvo says that the partnership will focus on developing “tailor-made” batteries that give buyers long ranges and quick charging times. The automaker wants to collaborate with Northvolt to create an end-to-end system for battery manufacturing to allow it to develop its own batteries. Since batteries are the single largest component of an electric vehicle and the single biggest contributor to their carbon footprint, the development of new technology will be an important area of focus.

The center is being created as part of a SEK30 billion ($3.3 billion) investment in battery development. Batteries developed there will also power Polestar vehicles, which announced this year that it intends to build climate-neutral cars by 2030.

Following the completion of the R&D center, Volvo and Northvolt will build a battery manufacturing plant in Europe. Although the exact location of the site is not yet known, Volvo says it will be announced in early 2022.

The plant will have a potential annual capacity of 50 GWh, enough to supply about 500,000 vehicles, the automaker says. Construction is expected to commence in 2023 and large-scale production should kick off in 2026. Part of Volvo’s commitment to sell only electric vehicles by 2030, the plant and the R&D center are quite important when it comes to the automaker’s plans for the future.

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The Tesla Model S Plaid has been in the headlines a lot in recent months and has established itself as the world’s quickest production car this side of the Rimac Nevera and Pininfarina Battista hypercars.

Importantly, virtually all performance tests you’ll see online of the Model S Plaid show it being driven in Plaid mode with the available Drag Strip Mode system enabled. Eager to see how his Model S would perform in the more relaxed ‘Chill’ and ‘Sport’ driving modes, YouTuber DragTimes headed onto the street for some tests.

Read Also: Tesla To Add $20,000 Carbon Ceramic Brake Kit Option For Model S Plaid

For the first test, he set a baseline with Plaid mode and Drag Strip Mode enabled, rocketing to 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 2.42 seconds and running the quarter-mile in 9.52 seconds at 148.58 mph (239.1 km/h). He then switched the EV into Sport mode. Doing so saw the 0-60 mph time climb to 3.51 seconds while the car then needed 11.14 seconds to run the quarter-mile with a trap speed of 129.36 mph (208.18 km/h). That’s still a quick quarter-mile time and just a few couple tenths behind a BMW M5 CS.

As for the ‘Chill’ mode, well it is exactly that. After pinning the throttle in this mode, the YouTuber is immediately amused with how much slower it is. It picks up speed very gently and ultimately needs a full 7.13 seconds to hit 60 mph and completes the quarter-mile in 15.27 seconds at just 93.81 mph (150.97 km/h).

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The age of all-electric supercars and hypercars has arrived and as car manufacturers look to push performance boundaries to new levels, some are turning to smaller EV specialists.

One of these companies is British firm YASA which was recently purchased by Daimler. YASA already suppliers motors to the likes of Ferrari, Koenigsegg, and an unnamed British supercar company and will soon supply its electric motors to the Mercedes-AMG brand.

The YASA axial flux electric motor is similar in size to a steering wheel and is flat, meaning it is also lighter and more efficient than more conventional radial flux motors. YASA’s motor is also oil-cooled and already being used by the Ferrari SF90 Stradale and 296 GTB.

Read More: Every New Mercedes Model Will Get An All-Electric Version, Starting In 2025

Fellow British motor manufacturer Saietta has also developed its own water-cooled axial flux motors and will produce them for the Asian motorcycle market. Speaking with Reuters, Saietta’s chief commercial officer Graham Lenden said automakers need a helping hand when it comes to electric motors.

“These manufacturers know combustion engines forwards, backwards and inside out but they do not know electric powertrains and what they are looking for is someone to hold their hand,” he said.

YASA aims to bring the costs of its axial flux electric motor down so that Daimler can use them for its entire range of cars.

Of course, the motor of an EV is only one part of the equation. Supercar and hypercar manufacturers know that weight is their enemy and are also looking for ways to reduce the weight of heavy battery packs or, at the very least, offset a battery’s heft with weight savings elsewhere across vehicles.

For example, the Rimac Nevera‘s body and chassis are made from carbon fiber and its batteries form part of the car’s structure, while the platform of the Lotus Evija uses light aluminum alloys to reduce its weight.

According to Silk-FAW vice president for innovation and technology, Roberto Fedeli, “weight saving is even more important than a higher level of power.” Silk-FAW plans to build a range of electric sports cars in Italy.

YASA axial-flux electric motor

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Just a few days after Motional unveiled its Hyundai Ioniq 5-based robotaxi at the Munich Motor Show, a prototype has been spied by a CarScoops reader several thousand miles across the Atlantic on American shores.

This heavily-camouflaged prototype was spied testing at an airport in Las Vegas and certainly appears to have turned quite a few heads. It is equipped with an array of sensors previewed through renderings released by Motional last month.

Read More: Hyundai Ioniq 5 Robotaxis With Level 4 Autonomous Tech Coming To Lyft In 2023

The Ioniq 5 robotaxi has no less than 30 sensors that includes a host of cameras, radar, and LiDAR. Sensors can be seen on the roof of the car, as well as its front fascia, front quarter panels, and rear-end. A driver was pictured behind the wheel controlling the car but when development of it is complete, Motional hopes to remove the driver completely and use a remote vehicle assistance as a safety redundancy, allowing a remote operator to control the robotaxi in the event of something unexpected happening.

“For the Ioniq 5-based robotaxi, we have applied various redundancy systems, in addition to a suite of essential technologies to ensure safety and convenience of the passengers,” head of the Autonomous Driving Center at Hyundai Motor Group, Woongjun Jang recently said in a statement. “By successfully integrating the Group’s Ioniq 5 Robotaxi with Motional’s autonomous driving technology, we are proud to announce that we have achieved another important milestone on the road to the commercialization of our robotaxi.”

The vehicle will begin to transport passengers in 2023 through a partnership with ride-hailing giant Lyft, meaning Motional and Hyundai still have plenty of time to get the autonomous EV ready for launch.

Thanks to Aditya Gaur for the photos!

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General Motors is extending the production shutdown at the Michigan plant, where the Chevrolet Bolt is made, for another two weeks following a recall related to the battery units catching fire.

Reuters reports that the pause in production will last until at least September 24 as “a result of a battery pack shortage.” GM added that it will not resume production or sales of the Bolt until it is satisfied that the recall remedy will address the fire risk.

GM stopped production of the Chevrolet Bolt on August 30 as it sought to determine the cause of fires that are originating from the battery modules in some cars built since 2017. That shutdown was initially supposed to end on September 6. Just three days before that, though, GM said it wasn’t yet satisfied that its supplier, LG Chem, had yet become capable of building new batteries without any defects.

Read More: Chevy To Pause Bolt Production For Two Weeks After Expanding Recall

“If we took the battery stock that’s in the field right now or at a warehouse, we’re not confident that it is defect-free,” a GM spokesperson told the Detroit Free Press. “Because we are not confident that LG has the capability to build defect-free products, we’ve put the repairs on hold and we are not building new Bolts. We’re not going to start recall repairs or start building new Bolts until we’re confident LG will build defect-free products.”

Indeed, GM has reason to be cautious, since it has had to recall the Bolt twice. In July, it announced that Bolts that had already received the fix from a 2020 recall had to be recalled again. As a result, the automaker has had to widen its recall to 140,000 vehicles at a cost that is estimated to reach $1.8 billion.

GM’s spokesperson said earlier this month that it and LG Chem have hundreds of people working round the clock to find the cause of and a solution to the battery defects.

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