Tag Archives: Electrified Vehicles

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Voltswagen

The “Voltswagen” April Fool’s Day prank has led to an investigation by the SEC.

What started out as a “humorous” advertising and marketing ploy could land German automaker Volkswagen in serious trouble with the federal government.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is apparently looking into VW’s “Voltswagen” marketing stunt to determine if it hurt company stock prices and may have broken any U.S. securities laws, according to German news outlet Der Spiegel.

The incident in question dates back to March 29. As a sort of early April Fool’s Day prank (and marketing ploy), VW “accidentally” released a rough draft of a press release declaring the company was going to change its name to “Voltswagen” as part of a larger effort to promote its ever-growing line-up of electric vehicles (EVs).

This action was picked up by the worldwide automotive press and on March 30 VW issued an official press release to several news outlets, including the Associated Press, confirming the leaked statement from the day before.

This action resulted in VW’s stock price going up. At one point it was 12.5% above its price before the whole incident.

SEC looking at jump in stock price

VW of America President Scott Keogh took responsibility for the poorly received April Fools’ prank that wasn’t on April 1.

This is what caught the attention of the SEC, taking what many considered a fairly unfunny publicity ruse to a possible federal offense.

After the April Fool’s stunt failed in the eyes of the media and the public, VW issued a press statement saying the releases were actually part of a larger tradition in which companies often issue prank statements.

This one just meant to also focus the world’s attention on VW’s growing EV portfolio.

But public statements that affect stock prices usually don’t get an “April Fools” immunity. An SEC investigation could result in charges against the company.

Several news organizations, including The New York Times and Reuters, have asked for a comment from VW. So far, the company has declined to issue one.

Just one of many VW legal scandals

This is not the first time VW has gotten into trouble for the way it conducts its business.

Oh those wacky Germans!! As quickly as it got here, VW took it away: Voltswagen is the company that never was.

In October 2015, as Volkswagen struggled to deal with its diesel emissions scandal, new data raised questions about whether the automaker properly reported death and injury claims to U.S. regulators during the past decade.

A study by the financial advisory firm Stout Risius Ross Inc., found that Volkswagen of America reported nine times fewer deaths and injuries than the average of the 11 largest automakers operating in the U.S. market. Significantly, VW reported less than half as many incidents as either Fiat Chrysler or Honda, both of which have been fined for underreporting their own death and injury data.

Back in September 2015, the EPA accused the German maker of using a so-called “defeat devices,” software designed to fool government emissions tests, on a variety of luxury models from the Audi and Porsche brands. The feds charged VW took steps to cover up excess emissions on 482,000 vehicles sold in the U.S. during a 7-year period.

The end result was VW paying billions of dollars in fines to various governments around the world. The company also faced numerous consumer lawsuits that further cost the company money.


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The Mercedes EQB is the third all-electric model the automaker has rolled out so far this year,

After a slow start, Mercedes is ramping up its assault on the battery-car market with the launch of the new EQB sport-utility vehicle at the Shanghai Auto Show.

Available with up to seven seats, the EQB debuts barely a week after the automaker unveiled its all-electric flagship, the EQS, the latter to serve as the battery-powered alternative to the classic Mercedes-Benz S-Class that also has been redesigned this year. The year began with the rollout of the EQA, bringing to three the number of battery-electric vehicles the German automaker has debuted in less than four months, with still more products to come.

“With the all new EQB we have created an iconic electric SUV that takes the heritage of our boxy off-road vehicles and transforms this into the future,” said Gorden Wagener, chief design officer of Daimler Group — who spoke to TheDetroitBureau this past week in an exclusive Q&A. “We combine the significant boxy silhouette with futuristic elements such as the black-panel front to create the extraordinary look of the vehicle.”

Lot’s in common with the familiar Mercedes GLB

The EQB will debut in its most premium form on the Chinese market, with Europe and the U.S. to follow.

At 184 inches in length, 72 inches in width and 66 inches in height, and with a wheelbase of 66 inches, the Mercedes EQB’s dimensions are nearly identical to those of the conventional GLB crossover. But, like the rest of the new Mercedes EQ family, the new model mounts batteries, motors and other key electrical components below the load floor in a skateboard-like platform.

The design is not nearly as radical as that of the new EQS sedan, with its breakout “one-bow” styling. The EQB could be confused, at a casual glance, with the more familiar GLB, starting with the traditional two-box SUV silhouette.

But a closer inspection reveals a number of distinctive details, starting up front with a large black grille with the Mercedes tri-star that is there primarily for appearance sake. As with other BEVs, there is little need for airflow under the hood without an internal combustion engine. Smaller air intakes below the bumper provide cooling air for the battery pack, brakes and electronics.

Another distinctive touch is the fiber-optic lighting strip that runs just below the hood cutline, linking the EQB’s LED headlights and daytime running lights.

Plenty of room

The Mercedes EQB will offer an optional third row.

The interior is likely also to feel familiar to current EQB owners, starting with the large, twin videoscreens, one replacing a conventional gauge cluster, the other serving the infotainment unit. That system can be operated by voice, a console-mounted touchpad, controls on the steering wheel or by using the MBUX operating system. The Alexa-like voice assistant recognizes plain language commands and can also perform tasks like checking the weather.

The new model also integrates what Mercedes calls “Navigation with Electric Intelligence” which, it says, “contributes to the effortless handling of the EQB in everyday life. It calculates the fastest route to the destination, taking into account maximum charging power and the duration of possible charging stops. In addition, the Navigation with Electric Intelligence ensures that the high-voltage battery is brought to an optimal charging temperature before a planned charging stop, as needed.”

The new Mercedes EQB comes standard in a five-passenger configuration. But it also can be ordered with a third row adding room for two more. The center row can tilt and slide fore and aft by as much as 5.5 inches.

A staggered global rollout

A variety of different powertrains and battery packs will be offered for the Mercedes EQB.

The automaker plans to offer the EQB in a number of different markets and a variety of different configurations. It will reach showrooms first in China, not surprisingly, a country that has laid out an aggressive plan for growing its electrified vehicle market. The initial Chinese version, said Mercedes in a statement, will be “a fully equipped top-of-the-range model with AMG Line and an output of 288 horsepower.”

Europe will get the EQB later this year and, said Mercedes, “customers will have the choice between several models with front-wheel and all-wheel drive and various power levels, some rated at over 268 hp.”

The U.S. introduction is scheduled for 2022, but the automaker is being vague about the details of what will be offered in that market. It is considered likely that American buyers will have at least one of the higher-output drive systems with all-wheel drive available as an option, if not a standard feature.

Quick charging

The cabin will be relatively familiar to current Mercedes-Benz GLB owners.

Mercedes noted that the European battery pack will be a relatively modest 66.5 kilowatt-hours, only a fraction larger than what Chevrolet offers in the Bolt EV and newer Bolt EUV. But “a long-range version also is planned” for different markets, said the company.

The EQB features an 11 kilowatt onboard charger. It also can plug into a public quick charger and, with at least 100 kW of DC power will go from a 10% to an 80% charge in 30 minutes.

There has been speculation that a higher-power version of the EQB also may be in the works. The gas-powered, seven-seat Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 punches out 302 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, getting it to 60 in about 5 seconds. The EQB does have the advantage of instantaneous torque from its electric drive system, though Mercedes has not released performance figures yet.

Pricing yet to be announced

Also yet to be revealed: pricing for the various EQB models.

The new Mercedes EQB will be assembled at the automaker’s plant in Kecskemet, Hungary. It will be the factory’s first all-electric model, though it has already handled plug-in hybrid versions of the Mercedes-Benz CLA line and will add the A-Class plug-in sometime in the future.

All told, Mercedes says that most of the $85 billion product development money it has outlined for 2021-2025 will go towards battery and digital technologies. By the end of 2022 it plans to have eight all-electric models in showrooms around the world.

“The company envisages that more than 50% of its passenger car unit sales will be accounted for by plug-in hybrids or all-electric vehicles by 2030,” it said in a statement released last week.


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2019 Hyundai Kona EV charging

Interest in electric vehicle ownership continues to grow, but prospective buyers want prices to drop before they commit to buying one.

While EVs have been in the news a lot lately, consumer concerns about the cost of an initial purchase are a real thing.

Those worries came to light as part of a survey by OC&C Strategy Consultants, Reuters reported. Consumers around the world are much more interested in purchasing EVs than ever before, the study showed, but remain wary about the price of battery-powered cars, which are generally more expensive than their internal combustion engine counterparts.

The report shows that more than half of potential new-car buyers in Italy and France are interested in purchasing an EV. Numbers in the U.K. and the U.S. are even higher — 81% and 61%, respectively.

This problem is nothing new. U.S. News & World Report reported last year EVs are frequently more expensive up front than comparable gas-powered vehicles. “Sticker shock” can turn shoppers away from EVs, especially since initial prices are more widely considered than the overall cost to own.

But concerns about initial cost remain a barrier.

ChargePoint charging outlet

Automakers are preparing an overwhelming number of electric vehicles for U.S. consumers.

Of the consumers likely to buy an EV, 69% said they would not pay more than a $500 premium compared to a gasoline-powered car — an unlikely scenario without government subsidies.

Countries with purchase incentives have seen a faster uptick in EV sales and European countries have introduced several generous incentives.

Help might be on the way in the U.S.

President Joe Biden recently unveiled a $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan for the country. Included is a proposed $174 billion to promote U.S. EV manufacturing, sales and the development of infrastructure.

Part of the sales promotion part is to give EV buyers “point of sale” rebates and tax incentives to buy American-made EVs. This reflects the reality that consumers are still worrying about purchase costs.

And OEMs are also aware of the cost problem. One solution is to reduce the cost of EVs, and some are moving in that direction. GM spokesman Phil Lienert said that GM sees a lot of promising technological improvements that will really help reduce EV costs to the consumer.

GM showed of its third-generation global electric vehicle platform with its Ultium battery technology.

“Our third-generation EVs will use the Ultium platform,” Lienert said. “This is about 40% less expensive than the Bolt EV platform. We are working to get that number closer to 60% less expensive.”

And as production of EVs ramp up, economies of scale kick in, further reducing EV prices. But despite the dropping costs of batteries and EVs, it is believed that consumers still need incentives to buy more expensive electric cars.

To help with that, Biden plans to extend the current $7,500 federal tax credit, an amount that diminishes for vehicles built by automakers including Tesla and General Motors that already have sold more than 200,000 electric vehicles. Biden could eliminate that 200,000 ceiling as well as enhance incentives for EV buyers in disadvantaged communities.

Incentives matter

“EV buyers love their cars, even there are challenges along the way,” said Joel Levin, executive director of Plug In America, an EV owners advocacy group in February.

2021 Tesla Model Y blue

Already the top seller of EVs in the world, Tesla would definitely benefit from the reinstatement of the $7,500 tax credit for buying a battery-powered car.

The phase out of federal tax credits, said Levin. Both Tesla and General Motors no longer can offer the $7,500 incentives after hitting a Congressionally mandated sales threshold. Nissan and Ford are approaching the phase-out point, as well.

“It certainly hurts the market, especially for those who want to buy American,” said Levin.

While the upfront cost of purchasing an EV might be higher than an ICE car, there are other cost factors to consider.

Throughout a vehicle’s lifetime, the cost maintaining the typical vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine will add up to around 6.1 cents per mile, according to research by Consumer Reports. By comparison, BEV owners can expect to spend about 3.1 cents per mile. Surprisingly, the study found that maintaining a plug-in hybrid, such as the Toyota Prius Prime, can be even slightly less expensive, at 3 cents per mile.

“Electric vehicle owners don’t need a coupon to get half-off typical maintenance and repair costs from their dealer, it comes standard,” said Senior Transportation Policy Analyst Chris Harto, author of the study which is based on real-world data from Consumer Reports. “These savings are going a long way to offset the upfront costs for consumers.”

2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E front driving

The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium is part of the wave of new EVs coming available.

Sell the concept, not individual concerns

GM spokesman Stuart Fowle said the company’s goal is to reach beyond early adaptors and tech nerds. To do that GM plans to launch 30 new EV models by 2025.

“I have two children,” Fowle said. “I need a car bigger than a Bolt but I don’t need one as big as a Hummer. Once you get a line-up that matches consumer needs, you can sell EVs.”

But selling EVs is not about going line by line and saying they are cheaper in the long run or easier to maintain or improving range, Fowle said. It’s about getting the public comfortable with the tech.

As more consumers see friends and neighbors drive EVs, a tipping point will be reached where people will feel left out if they don’t buy an EV.

“That day is coming sooner than many people think,” Fowle said.


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Mercedes-Benz has developed a new, more flexible platform for its eSprinter.

As part of its plans to electrify its fleet, Mercedes-Benz announced Tuesday it is finalizing plans to build the next generation of its eSprinter van at its plant in North Charleston, South Carolina, as well as its manufacturing facilities in Düsseldorf and Ludwigsfelde in Germany.

The new eSprinter will be built on a new platform announced at the end of 2020. Dubbed the Electric Versatility Platform, it’s offered with three battery and multiple body configurations and developed at a cost of 350 million euros, or $410.3 million. It’s part of the company’s overall electrification efforts.

“The future of mobility is electric in the transport sector, especially in the last mile delivery segment. Our share of battery-electric vehicles is constantly growing. We have consistently aligned our strategy accordingly,” said Marcus Breitschwerdt, head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, in a statement. “With our newly developed Electric Versatility Platform, we are significantly expanding our offering in the commercial series.”

Tough competition

The eSprinter EVP offers more configurations for its vans.

While final details of the new van will become available when it debuts, the current Sprinter is offered in three wheelbases, four body lengths, three roof heights, four powertrains, and four instrument panels, which are offered in various configurations of storage compartments, cupholders, infotainment options, and climate controls.

All models will have push-button start and new driver-assistance features. The Sprinter van was first introduced in the United States in 1995, updated in 2010 and last redesigned for the 2019 model year, and available with gas or diesel powertrains. The eSprinter, available in Europe, was not offered in the United States, although a badge-engineered Freightliner Sprinter was offered stateside.

Overall, the Sprinter ranked fourth in full-size van sales in 2020 at 41,916 units, behind the-place Ram ProMaster at 50,556 units, second-place Chevrolet Express at 55,131 units and first-place Ford Transit at 131,556 units.

Only the Nissan NV (15,247 units) and GMC Savana (15,108 units) trailed the Sprinter in popularity. Of the Sprinter’s competitors, only the GMC and Chevrolet compete with the Sprinter’s diesel engine option, and none are electrified.

A slew of electrified full-size cargo vans planned

2022 Ford E-Transit

Daimler’s facing tough competition for the eSprinter, starting with the 2022 Ford E-Transit – an all-electric version of the world’s best-selling cargo van.

That should change with the arrival of the 2022 Ford E-Transit, which Ford says will have a range of 126 miles, 33% more than the 74-mile average daily range for commercial vans in the U.S. The company builds the van at its Kansas City Assembly plant.

General Motors has also announced a new standalone EV commercial vehicle brand named BrightDrop, with plans to produce the EV600 electric cargo van by the end of 2021. Powered by GM’s Ultium battery, the EV600 has an estimated range of 250 miles and is capable of 120-kw DC fast-charging 170 miles of range in about an hour.

Also on the horizon is Rivian’s delivery van — already engaged in real-world testing — built in partnership with Amazon, EV startup Canoo, which plans to offer the MPDV2, with EPA estimated ranges from 90 miles to 190 miles. Not to be outdone, Karma Automotive unveiled an extended-range electric cargo van concept called the E-Flex, a battery-electric vehicle with a range of 200 miles. And that’s just the beginning.

Three plant strategy

By building the eSprinter in three locations, the company hopes to optimize production to meet demand worldwide. Currently, the company already builds a version of the eSprinter at its Düsseldorf factory on a line alongside conventionally powered Sprinters.

Powered by the Ultium battery system, the BrightDrop EV600 is targeted to have an estimated range of up to 250 miles on a full charge.

“In the future, we will be able to quickly meet the ever-increasing demand for electrically driven vans and, thanks to our intelligent and flexible production, be able to respond very precisely to the requirements of the different markets,” said Ingo Ettischer, head of Production for Mercedes-Benz Vans.

The expertise the company has developed at building differing Sprinters will be implemented at its North Charleston and Ludwigsfelde plants. In addition to the Sprinter panel van, the company will also construct a chassis model that can used for ambulances, motorhomes or refrigerated transporters, and other types of vehicles. Production of the eSprinter is expected to begin in the second half of 2023.

Pandemic accelerates trends planned for years ago

With the pandemic shutting down retailers and restaurants, and driving to the store is no longer a choice, having the store come to the customer is now an essential part of life. Mercedes-Benz already foresaw the accelerating growth in deliveries four years ago, when the company introduced its current line of Sprinters.

“The biggest issue is that there is not enough capacity out there to deliver the parcels to the customers,” said Volker Mornhinweg, then the head of Mercedes-Benz Vans.

The platform allows for vans of all sizes within the eSprinter line-up.

And that was before COVID accelerated delivery growth to unprecedented degree.

At the time of the current Sprinter’s introduction, Mercedes-Benz debuted Mercedes Pro, a telematics system that communicates between fleet manager and driver, providing vehicle status, vehicle logistics, fleet communications, maintenance management, accident recovery and a digital vehicle log.

The web-based service enables managers to optimize a driver’s efficiency by providing a vehicle’s location, fuel level and maintenance intervals in real time. The system can even track the items in the Sprinters cargo hold, allowing companies to track inventory, and alert a driver about job changes and reroute the van to guarantee to timely deliveries.

A mix of manufacturing facilities

The Mercedes-Benz plant in North Charleston, S.C., is the smallest of the Sprinter plants. Founded 15 years ago for Sprinter and Metris vans, it was expanded to full Sprinter production in 2018 and currently has 1,600 employees.

By comparison, the Ludwigsfelde plant, now 30 years old, employs about 2,000. The Düsseldorf is the oldest of the three plants at 59 years old, and is the largest, employing 6,000. Going forward, Mercedes-Benz is also looking to make its factories carbon-neutral worldwide by cutting emissions generated from vehicle production or from the energy supply used by the plants.


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Land Rover Defender 110 V-8 - driving

Land Rover is bringing out the newest iterations of its Defender, the V8 series.

Starting next summer, Land Rover is bringing on new versions of the Defender V8 for the 2022 model year as part of an enhanced Defender 90 and 110 line-up.

Earlier this month, Jaguar Land Rover Chief Executive Thierry Bollore said the company’s new “Reimagine” strategy calls for the Land Rover brand to introduce six BEVs by mid-decade. The first all-electric model is scheduled to reach the market by 2024. The all-electric models are expected to generate 60% of Land Rover’s volume by 2030, according to the company’s planning projections.

“It’s time to re-imagine the next chapter for both brands,” Bollore said in a statement revealing the company’s BEV strategy.

Nonetheless, Land Rover is not about to turn away from wealthy buyers looking for power from a bit engine.

Gas power lives on a bit longer

Land Rover Defender 90 V8

The new Land Rover Defender 90 V8 should hit the U.S. this summer.

The 5.0-liter, supercharged V-8 in the 2022 Defender 90 and Defender 110, which will be available next summer, will produce 518 horsepower, JLR said.

In addition, the new Defender V8 and flagship Defender V8 Carpathian Edition will offer performance and capability, with bespoke chassis settings capable of delivering new levels of driver engagement and agility both on and off-road, JLR executives said.

The new V8 models also are engineered specifically to be the fastest and most engaging production Defenders with unrivalled agility and driver appeal, they added.

The exclusive Carpathian Edition based on the Defender V8 is described as representing the ultimate expression of Defender design, performance, and capability, while a new XS Edition replaces the successful First Edition and combines bespoke exterior and interior design elements, according to JLR officials.

New vehicle performance

“The introduction of our V-8 powertrain adds a new dimension of driving engagement and off-road capability to Defender. Fast and fun to drive, it represents the pinnacle of the Defender family and is as rewarding on the road as it is capable off it,” said David Hemming, chief product engineer, Jaguar Land Rover.

Land Rover Defender 110 V-8 - rear 3-4

Land Rover pricing for the Defender V8 series begins at $97,200 and tops out at $107,200.

“We’ve also broadened the appeal of the entire Defender lineup with new derivatives, option packs and enhanced connectivity, so there really is a Defender for everyone,” he added.

The Defender 90 V8 accelerates from 0-60 miles per hour in 4.9 with a top speed of 149 mph, according to specification released by the company.

The Defender V8s also come with an additional layer of driver appeal, through the introduction of a new Dynamic program within the Terrain Response system, which is available only on V-8-powered Defender vehicles. It allows drivers to exploit the more dynamic character and handling balance of the V8 model on tarmac and loose surfaces, according to Land Rover engineers.

Larger-diameter solid anti-roll bars are designed to help reduce body roll in cornering, while the unique Electronic Active Rear Differential introduces a Yaw Controller that allows fine control of the cornering attitude of the Defender V8, they said.

The Defender V8 also features several exterior enhancements such as unique exterior badging, distinctive quad exhaust tailpipes and unique 22-inch alloy wheels combine to set the most powerful model in the line-up apart.

Design and technology

Land Rover Defender 110 V-8 - interior

Ready for the rugged world outside, nothing but comfort and opulence inside.

The Defender V8 also is set apart by its Xenon Blue front brake calipers and 15-inch from brake discs.

Land Rover also is expanding the personalization potential with the introduction of new optional exterior design packs. The Bright Pack, Extended Bright Pack and Extended Black Pack boast unique exterior features that will enhance the silhouette of the Defender, Land Rover’s announcement said.

Heightened connectivity is also part of the updates for 2022 with the Pivi Pro infotainment system making available new features, including an 11.4-inch touchscreen. Wireless device charging with integrated signal booster is now as standard for improved convenience and call quality also is included for 2022.

The new models go on sale this summer starting at $47,700 for the Defender 90. The Defender 90 V8 begins at $97,200 and works its way up to $107,200 for the Defender 110 V8 Carpathian Edition.


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2022 McLaren Artura top shot

The 2022 McLaren Artura is a transformative vehicle for the British supercar maker.

The perception of driving a hybrid continues to change as more and more sports car makers reap the benefits of instant torque for neck-snapping acceleration, the latest being McLaren’s new Artura hybrid supercar.

Joining the likes of Porsche 918 Spyder, Ferrari SF90 Stradale, Acura NSX, Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 and even its stablemates the P1 and Speedtail, the Artura is designed to be the next step in the evolution of the breed.

The 2022 Artura is different from the other McLarens as it’s the company’s first-ever series production model. It’s also the first to use the company’s new McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture, or MCLA, specifically designed for high-performance hybrids. The new model is the result of intense work to migrate toward hybrid and, eventually, all-electric vehicles.

Purpose-built high-performance hybrid

2022 McLaren Artura MCLA

The supercar maker developed a new lightweight tub fro the Artura called the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture.

The new model went on a diet, in some measure because of the MCLA, but also the company looked to cut weight wherever possible. For example, they reconfigured the cabling used in the electrical systems, saving 10% in that area.

Not including the hybrid components, the Artura boasts a dry weight of 3,075 pounds. The total weight of the hybrid components is just 287 pounds, which includes the 194-pound battery pack and 34-pound E-motor), resulting in a DIN curb weight of 3,303 pounds.

This puts the new model on par with comparable nonhybrid supercars, which is a massive advantage for the Artura. It boasts a power-to-weight ratio of 481bhp/ton, which leads the class, McLaren says.

“Every drop of McLaren’s experience and expertise has been poured into the Artura,” said Mike Flewitt, CEO, McLaren Automotive, during the online debut of the newest model.

“Our all-new, High-Performance Hybrid delivers all of the performance, driver engagement and dynamic excellence for which McLaren is renowned, with the additional benefit of EV driving capability. The introduction of the Artura is a landmark

2022 McLaren Artura rear

The new Artura races from 0-to-60 mph in just 3 seconds, and from stop to 124 mph in 8.3 seconds.

moment – for McLaren, for our customers who will appreciate and enjoy this car on every emotional and rational level, and for the supercar world.”

A new breed of McLaren

The result of this effort is a stunning machine that moves McLaren forward from being a maker of no-nonsense, no-frills performance beasts to modern supercar purveyors. Want outrageous power? 671 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque. Check.

Want outrageous speed? In the video revealing the new car, the company skipped 0-to-60 mph (3 seconds, btw) instead heading straight to 0-to-124 mph, which it clocks in 8.3 seconds. It hits 186 mph (or 300 kph) in 21.5 second and a top speed limited to 205 mph. Check.

2022 McLaren Artura interior

McLaren offers its new hybrid supercar in four interior color combinations and two types of seats.

Perhaps most interesting, like the aforementioned Acura NSX and others, the gas-powered engine in the Artura is not a V-8, but a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that on its own puts out 577 hp and 431 lb.-ft. of torque.

High performance isn’t new for McLaren. However, now you get all of this jaw-dropping outrageousness with an all-new interior with niceties like air conditioning, key controls on the steering wheel, an 8-inch touchscreen for infotainment and configuring the advanced driver assistance systems and — gasp — Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

All of this comes with McLaren exterior design that screams “I’m faster than you,” and the revised interior that comes in four different color options. If you’ve got $225K, you can order it now. It comes four specifications that include things like power folding mirrors, soft-close doors, power seats and Homelink. It also comes with a five-year vehicle warranty, a six-year battery warranty and 10-year body warranty.


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GM BrightDrop EV600 electric van

Merchants Fleet is working with BrightDrop to procure 12,600 BrightDrop EV600s, an all-new, electric light commercial vehicle.

General Motors has lined up a major new customer for its new, all-electric commercial van and reiterated its support to Lordstown Motors, the Ohio EV maker preparing to launch a new electric pickup truck.

New Hampshire-based Merchants Fleet said it plans to further electrify its portfolio with 12,600 new commercial vehicles from BrightDrop, the fledgling business backed by General Motors.

“Merchants Fleet’s move to add such a large number of BrightDrop EV600s to their portfolio signals their strong commitment to accelerate the electric fleet movement, and their belief that BrightDrop solutions will help them and their clients achieve a greener and more efficient future,” said BrightDrop President and CEO Travis Katz in a statement.

Customer to use GM new battery system

GM’s third-generation global electric vehicle platform with its Ultium battery technology.

The EV600 is powered by GM’s Ultium battery system that it’s producing in concert with South Korea’s LG Chem. The vans will be built at the GM CAMI assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, and Merchants Fleet expects the BrightDrop EV600s to enter its clients’ fleets starting in early 2023.

The new van is one of the 30 electric vehicles GM plans to launch during the next several years in a wide range of segments. GM’s goal is to sell more than a million electric vehicles annually by the middle of the decade.

Ideally for GM, thousands of those EV will be snapped up by fleet management companies, like Merchants Fleet, which is one of the nation’s fastest growing examples. BrightDrop says it is building a smarter way to deliver goods and services. The company says it plans to use electric first-to-last-mile products, software and services while improving overall sustainability.

GM renews endorsement of Lordstown Motors

In addition to the new deal, GM also offered a strong statement of support for Lordstown Motors, the new EV maker that purchased the company’s former plant in Lordstown, Ohio, hence the name.

Lordstown CEO Steve Burns announced the company’s plans to go public, in a reverse merger with DiamondPeak Holdings.

GM said it is by working closely with Lordstown Motors Corp. to support the launch of the battery electric Endurance pickup. Lordstown Motors is in the midst of a reverse merger by DiamondPeak Holdings Corp. That deal is expected to close during the fourth quarter and the company will be listed on the Nasdaq.

Additionally, GM is investing $75 million in the company, which includes the sale of the former Lordstown Assembly plant and production equipment, noting its support for Lordstown Motors dates back to May 2019 and is part of the company’s continuing support for the Lordstown community.

GM and LG Chem have formed a joint venture and together are investing more than $2.3 billion to build a new, state-of-the-art battery cell manufacturing plant in Lordstown that will create more than 1,100 new jobs. Construction of the facility is on schedule.

The new battery cell manufacturing plant will play a critical role in GM’s commitment to an all-electric future, GM said as it announced a new investment at GM plant in Toledo, Ohio.

GM to invest more in Toledo Transmission

GM is investing $75 million in its Toledo plant.

GM said it will invest $75 million in its Toledo, Ohio transmission manufacturing plant. The investment will increase the plant’s capacity to build 10-speed automatic transmissions that are used in GM’s full-size trucks. Work will begin immediately at the Toledo plant.

“Through this investment, we continue to take steps to strengthen our current core business and build on our significant manufacturing presence in Ohio,” said Phil Kienle, GM vice president, North America Manufacturing and Labor Relations.

Since 2009, GM has invested more than $3.3 billion in Ohio, Kienle noted. Toledo Transmission Operations opened in 1916 and now employs about 1,700.


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GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra’s been pushing the company’s all-electric future, she offered a peek as some of that at CES 2021.

General Motors Chairman and CEO Mary Barra is fond of saying the automaker is “on a path to an all-electric future,” something she underscored during a virtual CES webinar focusing on not only the automaker’s battery technology but also showing off some of the many battery and autonomous vehicles in development.

Along with models the automaker already has unveiled, like the Chevrolet Bolt EUV and GMC Hummer, several other projects were revealed during the hourlong presentation, including an ultra-luxurious new Cadillac dubbed Celestiq, as well as a flying car concept “designed for the moment when time is of the essence.”

“The key” to just about everything GM has in development is electrification, stressed Barra, who has led a massive shakeup of GM’s traditional approach to the car business since being named CEO in December 2013. Barra recently announced GM will introduce 30 all-electric models by 2025, up from the previous target of 20 by 2023. Meanwhile, spending on EVs and AVs, or autonomous vehicles, will jump to $27 billion by mid-decade.

(GM wants to revolutionize e-commerce with electric droids and vans.)

GM’s Crystal Windham talks about Cadillac’s latest product, the Celestiq, during CES 2021.

The automaker introduced its first long-range all-electric model, the Chevrolet Bolt EV, in 2016 and is set to begin expanding the line-up this year with the stretched Bolt EUV and GMC Hummer pickup. The pace will rapidly accelerate in 2022 when Cadillac’s first battery-electric vehicle, the Lyriq SUV, launches, along with an SUV version of the Hummer and other products.

The Cadillac brand was GM’s first to offer a specific target date, 2030, for going entirely electric, and the new Celestiq will fill a long-opened gap as the luxury division’s new flagship. First shown during a media backgrounder last March as a pure concept exercise, the project was formally confirmed during Tuesday’s CEO keynote.

It’s “a designer’s dream,” said Crystal Windham, Cadillac’s director of interior design. While the Celestiq prototype was shown largely concealed by shadows during the webinar, the version seen by reporters last March bore much in common with the over-the-top Cadillac Sixteen concept of 2003 with what Windham described as “a dramatic presence with a low profile and rear-drive proportions.”

One of the most distinctive features of the Celestiq will be an all-glass roof divided into four quadrants. It will use electroluminescent technology so that each of the exotic sedan’s passengers will be able to change it from transparent to opaque. The instrument panel, meanwhile, will take things a step beyond what is offered in the latest-generation Caddy Escalade, introducing a video screen running pillar to pillar. There will be additional screens for rear seat passengers and additional touchscreens to operate climate and other vehicle controls.

GM didn’t offer an unobscured view of the Celestiq, but instead showed bits and pieces of the luxury EV.

GM officials have been mum about other details but Celestiq will use an all-wheel-drive version of GM’s new Ultium BEV platform and, based on comments made recently by brand boss Steve Carlisle, range of 400 or more miles is likely. Meanwhile, the Ultium platform can deliver up to 1,000 horsepower, though it is not clear if the Cadillac Celestiq will push that high.

During the Barra-led webinar, GM’s battery lab group manager Mei Cai revealed some of the automaker’s plans for the Ultium batteries that will soon start rolling off a new assembly line in Ohio built as part of a joint venture with Korea’s LG Chem.

The new cells will deliver 60% more energy than batteries used in today’s Chevy Bolt and deliver as much as 450 miles per charge, depending upon the vehicle and the size of its pack. They’re also about 40% lower in cost, which would mean something at or below $100 a kilowatt-hour.

(GM rolls out new logo and marketing campaign pitching its corporate transformation.)

In addition to luxury EVs for the road, GM revealed a VTOL flying car.

But GM already is working on second-generation Ultium technology which, said Cai, will yield another 40% reduction in price and double the energy capacity – meaning a range of as much as 600 miles per charge. Last March, GM President Mark Reuss also noted a longer-term goal of reducing charging times to as little as 10 minutes.

Lighter, more energy-dense batteries could prove critical for another project GM revealed during the Barra seminar. While just a concept, for now, it suggests the automaker is ready to join competitors like Hyundai, Toyota and Aston Martin in working on flying cars.

The four-rotor prototype, dubbed the VTOL (vertical-take-off-and-landing), is “designed for the moment when time is of the essence and convenience is everything,” said Michael Simcoe, GM’s vice president of global design.

Even fewer details were revealed about the VTOL than about Celestiq, though Simcoe did note the concept would use a 90 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

The flying car would be targeted at Cadillac customers, as would another prototype revealed during the webinar, this one a sort of living room on wheels that adopts the sort of toaster-on-wheels shape that we’re seeing with many driverless vehicle concepts.

Michael Simcoe talks about the Cadillac Halo pod concept at CES 2021.

GM’s “provides a societal space for a group of friends or family to spend time together on their way to a destination,” said Simcoe. Like Celestiq, it features an all-glass roof, “but encourages eyes to turn inside to focus on one another.”

Among other things, the high-tech cruiser uses biometric sensors to constantly control interior temperature and humidity, as well as lighting and ambient noise levels, and even introduces aromatics to influence the “well-being” of its passengers.

(CEO Barra wants GM to be dominant global EV maker.)

As with the VTOL flying car, the prototype is envisioned to become part of what Simcoe described as the “Cadillac Halo portfolio.” No details were offered on production plans for either model.

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Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga supports the move to ban the sale of non-electric new vehicles staring in 2035.

Despite strong pushback from the country’s largest automaker, Japan has announced plans to halt the sale of vehicles relying solely on internal combustion engines after 2035.

The move means the Asian nation will join a growing list of countries planning to phase out vehicles powered by gas or diesel, including both the United Kingdom and Norway. A number of other countries, including France and Germany, are considering similar bans.

Vehicles with internal combustion engines won’t be banned entirely. Automakers will still be able to market hybrids in Japan, regulators ruled. Even so, the plan released on Christmas Day was a significant victory for Japanese environmentalists considering it was strongly opposed by key industry leaders, including Toyota President Akio Toyoda who warned earlier this month that a broad shift to electric vehicles could cause the auto industry’s traditional business model “to collapse.”

(Toyota boss Akio Toyoda remains EV skeptic.)

Akio Toyoda, Toyota’s top officer, is against the ban.

As the head of Japan’s largest and most powerful company – and in his role as the head of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association – Toyoda hoped to convince regulators to back off on the proposed ban. But it had widespread backing from other quarters, including Japan’s new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

In October, shortly after assuming his post, Suga had pledged to cut Japan’s carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050 while indicating he supported a shift to battery-powered vehicles.

Global sales of electrified vehicles remain modest, running in single digits in all but a handful of markets, even when including hybrids, PHEVs and fuel-cell vehicles, as well as pure battery-electric vehicles. But demand is expected to increase sharply as key obstacles, such as range, cost and public charging, are addressed. It also will help that scores of new BEVs are scheduled to go into production in the coming years, proponents say.

While Japanese automakers were pioneers with their early push to bring hybrids to market, “Japan is very far behind” in terms of developing more advanced products relying solely on battery power, Masayoshi Arai, an official with the country’s

Nissan is one of a few Japanese automakers dedicating resources to a move to EVs.

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, said last week.

Toyota only recently introduced a BEV model in Europe, though it has announced plans to add two more – one through the flagship Toyota division, a second under the Lexus badge. It also this month revealed an all-electric microcar targeting the Japanese home market. Only the Nissan and Mitsubishi brands, among Japanese automakers, have committed significant resources to the development of pure battery-electric vehicles and, even then, they have fallen behind key foreign rivals in terms of bringing new products to market.

(Toyota hopes to boost interest in hydrogen tech with second-generation Mirai.)

Toyota officials have, throughout the years, pointed to numerous concerns about BEVs, including their cost, limited range and other obstacles to widespread consumer acceptance. For his part, company chief Toyoda said this month that he feared a switch to all-electric models would seriously disrupt the classic automotive industry business model. He also raised questions about whether Japan’s electric grid could supply the needed energy — and, if it did add the generating capacity, he warned, that could actually increase the country’s reliance on fossil fuels.

With the debut of the 2021 Mirai fuel-cell vehicle, Toyota’s hoping to spur interest in the tech again.

For his part, Japan’s new prime minister is downplaying such concerns and said that efforts to address greenhouse gas production “should be tackled as a strategy for growth, not as a limitation on growth.”

Downplaying the need for new coal or natural gas plants, the plan released by the Japanese government would add up to 45 gigawatts of new offshore wind generating capacity by 2040.

With the Christmas Day announcement, Japan becomes the second member of the Group of Seven, or G7, to lay out specific plans to ban non-electrified vehicles.

The UK originally had planned to do so by 2040 but now has pushed that target date up to 2030. Like Japan, its ban will continue to permit the sale of hybrids – but only through 2035, at which point only pure, zero-emissions vehicles will be able to be sold in Great Britain. That will include both BEVs and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.

Despite its reticence about EVs, Toyota rolled out a new battery-electric car Dec. 25: the C+pod.

A handful of other countries, including Norway, have also laid out ZEV transition plans. So have some states and regions – including California and the Canadian province of British Columbia. A number of cities, such as London, Paris, Berlin and Mexico City, plan to bar vehicles not running in zero-emissions mode, meanwhile. China, meanwhile, has laid out plans to have “New Energy Vehicles,” plug-based models, reach 20% of the market by 2025. It is considering a total ban at a later date.

(Britain to ban sale of all new gas and diesel cars by 2030.)

With most of the country’s automakers reluctant to bring plug-based models to market, demand has grown far more slowly than in many other major regions. The Ministry of Economy, Industry and Trade noted that consumers purchased only 6,000 PHEVs and BEVs during the third quarter of 2020. By comparison, demand tripled in Europe to 270,000 – all-electric models accounting for roughly three-quarters of Norwegian sales. China, meanwhile, is expected to again top 1 million plug-based models for all of 2020.

•

The production version of the i4 Concept will reach the U.S. next year. It will use a shared platform.

A week before unveiling the all-new iNext battery-electric vehicle, BMW said it will “realign” its strategy and begin developing a unique architecture solely for “electric drives,” rather than sharing the same platform for vehicles using both battery and conventional gas and diesel powertrains.

That’s a complete about face for the Bavarian marque which, in recent years, had hoped to save money and simplify manufacturing by coming up with common architectures that could roll off the same line. But it also marks a return to BMW’s original strategy when electrified models like the all-electric i3 city car and plug-in hybrid i8 sports car used unique platforms.

“The aim is to create an overall optimum with the new architecture,” CEO Oliver Zipse said during BMW’s quarterly earnings presentation on Wednesday.

(BMW preps for i4 launch, confirms plans for all-electric 5-Series and X1.)

Over the past decade, the auto industry has gone back and forth on the appropriate approach to developing electrified vehicles, pure battery-electric models, in particular. Some, like the Ford Focus Electric and the Volkswagen e-Golf, shared common platforms with the gas and diesel versions of those vehicles. Others, such as the original BMW i models, as well as the new Ford Mustang Mach-E and VW ID.3, used unique architectures.

BMW says the production iNext should get nearly 400 miles of range per charge.

Each approach had both pluses and minuses. Shared platforms result in design compromises, often limiting the amount of batteries that could be stored on a vehicle – impacting range, among other things. But development costs can be held down, while increasing the flexibility of a company’s assembly lines.

Unique platforms, most adopting a skateboard-style layout with batteries and motors mounted below the load floor, can handle larger packs, increasing range and lowering a vehicle’s center of gravity. But that means additional development costs and the tooling up of plants dedicated solely to EVs.

With an upcoming wave of new products BMW had aimed for a compromise strategy. They use flexible platforms that can squeeze more batteries under the load floor for models like the all-electric i4 fastback due out next year. But there’s space for a conventional internal combustion engine for products such as the next BMW 4-Series.

Now, , “We will realign our vehicle architecture from the middle of the decade,” said Zipse, adding that, “Our new cluster architecture is geared towards electric drives” exclusively.

BMW’s i3 is one of the automaker’s best-selling electric vehicles. It uses a unique, rather than shared, platform.

“Our new plant in Hungary plays a key role here,” said the CEO, noting that production of “the new BEV-centered architecture will start there.”

(BMW and Mercedes suspend joint autonomous vehicle development program.)

The plan is to make the new strategy a high priority, an all-new product development operation reporting directly to Zipse. But it will be able to reach out to all other areas within the company, from engineering to sales and marketing which “gives us more control and makes us much faster,” he explained.

The shared platform strategy had come under intense scrutiny within BMW, noted German magazine Automobilwoche, Over the summer, Manfred Wochs, the head of the BMW Works Council, had warned that it resulted in “too many compromises” that could set BMW back competitively, especially in key markets like the U.S. and China.

BMW is racing to get a leg up in an emerging market segment that currently is dominated by the upstart Tesla – with an assortment of traditional competitors, as well as start-ups like Lucid, Fisker and Rivian, aiming to gain share.

But Zipse insisted that BMW will be ready when its new EVs hit market around 2025. “We anticipate that the demand for fully electric vehicles will continue to increase significantly from 2025 onwards. Exactly then – keyword timing – we will ignite phase III of our transformation.”

(BMW may go for a plug-in hybrid with upcoming X8 M.)

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