Tag Archives: Technology

•

In the race to put self-driving vehicles on the road, General Motors may be ready to take the lead with the new Ultra Cruise system it plans to put on the road by 2023.

Cadillac plans to expand the rollout of Super CruiseTM, the world’s first true hands-free driver assistance feature for the freeway. Super Cruise will be available on all Cadillac models, with the rollout beginning in 2020. After 2020, Super Cruise will make its introduction in other General Motors brands.
GM is currently rolling out its original Super Cruise system on a wide range of products, including Chevy and GMC models, as well as those from Cadillac.

The new system will increase by tenfold the number of miles of roads GM’s Super Cruise system can operate on – and where the current system only can operate on limited-access roadways, Ultra Cruise will cover “every road including city streets, subdivision streets and paved rural roads, in addition to highways,” GM said in a statement announcing the new technology. At launch, Ultra Cruise will operate on 2 million miles of roads, said GM, with a goal of increasing that to 3.4 million.

With Ultra Cruise, GM seems positioned to leapfrog Tesla, the EV automaker that marketed the first “self-driving” system, Autopilot. Despite releasing a new update it refers to as “Full Self-Driving,” Tesla’s technology still requires drivers to keep their hands on the wheel at all times.

“Ultra Cruise is not just a game changer in terms of what it enables ­− a door-to-door hands-free driving experience − but a technological one as well,” said Doug Parks, GM’s executive vice president of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain.

The race for autonomy

The auto industry is in a race to develop autonomous vehicle technology – with the eventual goal of having vehicles operate without the assistance of a human driver. GM’s San Francisco-based Cruise subsidiary recently won approval from the State of California to test prototype vehicles that don’t even have a steering wheel or other driver controls. But most experts believe that it will be late in the decade before such systems are ready for widespread use.

(Click to expand.)

In the meantime, the focus is on more limited systems that can reduce the role of the driver – though a motorist would still need to be ready to take control in an emergency, or if the vehicle were to travel outside a “geofenced” area.

A number of manufacturers are developing these systems – known in industry parlance as “Level 2 autonomy.” Tesla was first to market with the original Autopilot, GM following with Super Cruise which it is now rolling out on a wide range of vehicle lines.

Both have significant limitations and make various trade-offs. Tesla has dubbed the latest version of Autopilot “Full Self-Driving,” and many owners have been using the system hands-free. Some have been recorded going so far as to jump into the back seat while the vehicle is moving. But the automaker actually stresses that motorists need to maintain at least a loose grip on the wheel.

Tesla v GM

GM claims drivers actually can take hands off the wheel using Super Cruise. But the system is restricted to about 200,000 miles of U.S. and Canadian roads. And the GM system uses a camera to ensure that the driver remains alert and in position to take over quickly, if necessary.

Tesla FSD Simulation
A digital simulation of Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system.

Tesla has, until recently, not monitored the driver. But it plans to do so after coming under fire for the lax way in which many drivers use Super Cruise. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is conducting a probe of Autopilot in the wake of several dozen crashes, a number of those involving Tesla vehicles impacting stationary emergency vehicles.

“The way Tesla is doing it, there always will be error problems,” said Sam Abuelsamid, principal auto analyst with Guidehouse Insights.

Tesla relies on the data gathered by a network of cameras to operate Autopilot. GM, on the other hand, uses radar, as well as ultra high-definition street maps, with Super Cruise. And the Ultra Cruise system will add LIDAR, a 3D laser technology.

“This is a more robust solution,” said Abuelsamid. “They’ve taken a safer approach (even as they) expand tenfold the number of roads they can use Ultra Cruise on.”

No rollout roadmap – yet

The GM system will be able to recognize street signs and traffic signals, as well as pedestrians, bicyclists and animals. And it will be able to handle pretty much any sort of situation that a human driver would normally be required to negotiate, according to GM.

The automaker hasn’t provided a specific roadmap for rolling out Ultra Cruise but it’s expected to follow the same model used for the original Super Cruise system. That would begin with the flagship Cadillac brand and then expand to other GM brands.

Motorists pay additional fees for vehicles equipped with the basic Super Cruise hardware and GM recently announced that it will charge a monthly usage fee, as well. Tesla, Ford and other manufacturers are adopting similar pricing models.

•

According to a new study ranking driving in the 100 largest U.S. cities, Raleigh, N.C. ranks tops according to a new report by WalletHub. 

Raleigh NC at night
Raleigh, North Carolina was ranked as the top city to drive in for 2021.

If there’s a No. 1, then you know there’s a No. 100: Oakland, California placed last.

The ease of driving in America’s largest cities matters, as 87% of daily trips are made in cars, trucks and SUVs. On average, Americans spend about 6 hours a week driving or riding in automobiles — that’s nearly 13 days.

“Longer time behind the wheel could lead to issues such as fatigue, distraction, and impatience for drivers, which are all contributing factors for vehicle crashes,” said David Yang, executive director for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, in a statement.

COVID caused changes

And the pandemic has led more people to abandon public transit for private transportation. But the increased number of private cars is clogging roads and raising tempers, so a look at the overall quality of driving life is timely.

Oakland California
If there is a best place to drive, there’s also a worst: Oakland, California came in last at No. 100.

The WalletHub study measured such metrics as gas prices, new car costs, maintenance costs, insurance rates, parking rates, hours spent in congestion, average commute time, quality of roads and bridges, weather, fatality rates, seat belt usage, the number of uninsured drivers, car thefts, larceny, access to car dealers, repair shops, car washes, gas stations and garages.

Raleigh, N.C. placed first at 67.662 points. It was followed by Lincoln, Nebraska222.; Greensboro, N.C.; Winston-Salem, N.C.; and Corpus Christi, Texas rounding out the top five. 

At the other extreme was Chicago at 95th with 40.69 points, it was followed by New York City; Philadelphia; San Francisco; Detroit; and Oakland. 

Other measurables

But the study also ranked several other metrics as well, coming with some interesting results.

Residents in El Paso, Texas and Lubbock, Texas tied for the least amount of time dealing with traffic congestion. Those living in Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York tied for spending the most time sitting in traffic.

Chicago downtown
Chicago ranked 95th in the top U.S. cities to drive in by WalletHub.com.

Chula Vista, California has the lowest fatality rate of 2.55 deaths per 100,000 residents; Memphis, Tennessee lays claim to the highest at 7.8 deaths. 

You’re least likely to have your car stolen in Irvine, California. Car thefts occur at a rate of 0.56 per 1,000 residents, while Oakland has the most at 11.61 per 1,000 residents.

Looking for cheap gas? Head to San Antonio, Texas, where it costs the least in America’s 100 largest cities: $2.66 per gallon. Avoid San Francisco where gas is the most expensive at $4.40 per gallon.

Parking your car costs 90 cents for two hours in Hialeah, Florida whereas it will cost you $34.80 for the same amount of time in Boston.

Car owners in Jacksonville, Florida enjoyed the lowest maintenance costs, which includes the cost of gas, while those in Portland, Oregon have the highest, narrowly beating out Honolulu, Hawaii. 

But you’ll spend the least amount of time in inclement weather in Las Vegas, Nevada — hardly a surprise. This contrasts with Portland, Oregon, which has the most rotten weather. Again, hardly a surprise.

•

General Motors doesn’t want to share the sandbox with Ford when it comes to using “cruise” in the name of semi-autonomous driving technology. 

Ford BlueCruise in F-150 driving
Ford is offering BlueCruise, a subscription-based version of Level 2 autonomous driving technology this fall.

In response to GM’s lawsuit against its fellow Detroit-area automaker, Ford asked the U.S. Patent Office to rescind the trademarks GM filed using the word. Officials claim that “cruise” is so generic a term that no one should be able to lay claim to it.

The “cruise” chaos came to the fore when Ford announced its new semi-autonomous driving technology in mid-April, dubbed BlueCruise. GM already employs two versions of the word for similar purposes. It’s Super Cruise technology performs a similar task to Ford’s new product. Meanwhile, it also owns a significant stake in Cruise LLC, which is developing autonomous vehicles to be used as robo-taxis in the San Francisco area.

Going to court

Cruise Bolt in SF
GM’s Cruise subsidiary is hoping to offer a fleet of robs-taxis in the near future.

“Ford’s decision to rebrand by using a core mark used by GM and Cruise will inevitably cause confusion between the parties, the affiliation, connection, or association between them, and/or origin, sponsorship, or approval of their goods and services,” GM said in the lawsuit. 

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in San Francisco where GM’s self-driving enterprise is testing the system without safety drivers. According to the lawsuit, GM, Cruise and Ford “engaged in protracted discussions” following Ford’s announcement, “but Ford insisted on moving forward with the ‘Blue Cruise’ name despite Cruise’s preexisting rights.” 

GM and Cruise are asking for Ford to pay monetary damages related to the incident and for the manufacturer to stop using the BlueCruise name. 

Cadillac’s Super Cruise system allows some hands-free driving but requires drivers to stay focused in the even of an emergency.

“While GM had hoped to resolve the trademark infringement matter with Ford amicably, we were left with no choice but to vigorously defend our brands and protect the equity our products and technology have earned over several years in the market,” according to Reuters. 

Can’t sue if no infringement

While GM went to court, Ford — which contends the suit is without merit — instead went to the patent office. That move is seen by some as akin to pouring gasoline on a fire; however, company officials claim there was little choice.

“To defend itself, Ford has no choice but to ask the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to rescind both of GM’s “Cruise” and “Super Cruise” trademark registrations that should have never been registered in the first place,” Ford said. “Any number of companies use the word ‘cruise’ in connection with driver assist technology.”

Ford essentially contends the word cruise is commonly used by all automakers for similar technologies, in particular, cruise control. However, the automaker offered other examples, including “smart cruise control” by Hyundai, “predictive cruise” by Mack Trucks and more.

•

The new Audi skysphere concept takes the idea of a “convertible” to new extremes.

Audi skysphere concept front on road
Audi’s skysphere concept is the first of three concepts coming from the German brand.

The first of three cutting-edge prototypes the German automaker plans to reveal in the months ahead, skysphere explores the extent to which autonomous and electric drive technologies will transform the auto industry.

The long, low roadster’s roof can retract, but that’s just the start. It can even change its wheelbase at the touch of a button. And, when you get tired of putting the skysphere through its paces, the steering wheel and pedals tuck away, transforming the cabin into a luxurious lounge on wheels.

“New technologies like electrification, digitalization, and autonomous driving gave us the opportunity to create an experience that goes way beyond the one that typical roadsters offer today,” said design project manager Gael Buzyn.

Audi skysphere concept rear on road
Audi’s skysphere concept is an all-electric roadster with Level 4 autonomous capability.

A fondness for extreme machines

Audi has had a fondness for unusual concepts and has been taking advantage of the way electric propulsion opens up vehicle designs. With batteries and motors mounted under the load floor, freeing up space normally devoted to the engine compartment, all sorts of things can happen.

In the case of skysphere, the show car retains classic roadster proportions, Audi officials saying they were strongly influenced by the Horch 835, one of the most celebrated German luxury vehicles of the 1930s. Horch was one of the four brands that eventually became Audi. (Horch, in German, means the same thing as Audi, in Latin. In English it’s “to hear.”)

Audi skysphere concept with driver controls
The Audi skysphere concept can act as a performance machine for the driver or …

The design is far from retro, however. About the only visual connections to Audi’s prestigious past comes in the form of skysphere’s suicide-style doors and 23-inch wire-style wheels — and even here, it’s a rather abstract link.

A retractable roof and a platform that can stretch up to 10 inches

Like any good roadster, the two-door’s roof retracts. But here’s where Audi engineers pulled off a neat bit of magic. As a roadster, skysphere measures about 194 inches in length. And, with its low-mounted two-part battery pack and motors, it should be capable of scooting nimbly around corners.

Audi skysphere concept sans driver controls
… switch to full autonomous mode where the driver controls retract for comfort.

The show car uses a single electric motor that punches out 623 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque through the rear wheels. Audi claims that will launch the roughly 4,000 pound skysphere from 0-60 in just 4 seconds.

But when you’ve had your fun and now want to go for a comfortable cruise, skysphere transforms into a mobile lounge. The wheelbase stretches by nearly a foot, to 204 inches, nose-to-tail, as body and frame components pull apart. At the same time, the traditional driver controls vanish, the prototype now operating at Level 4 autonomy. That means it can go anywhere, anytime, without ever needing a driver’s intervention.

Digital reality

Audi skysphere concept top
The Audi skysphere concept is a low-slung roadster designed completely digitally.

Skysphere was developed digitally at Audi’s advance research facility in California. But it bears the imprint of Marc Lichte, the brand’s global design director. He’s a fan of minimalism — at least when it comes to traditional knobs and switches, and the new concept goes well beyond what we’re seeing with Audi’s latest production models. The instrument panel is, essentially, a pillar-to-pillar, 56-inch video display, with an additional touchscreen at the front of the center console, as well as by your fingertips on the doors’ armrests.

Audi has been teasing the arrival of the skysphere for several weeks and formally released these images today. The concept will arrive in solid form at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance next weekend.

It’s just the start, however, with Audi saying its part of a trio of concepts, set to be followed by the “Audi grandsphere, and, coming in 2022, Audi urbansphere.” These collective will serve as the brand’s “showcase (for) its vision of progressive luxury. In the process, Audi is creating a vehicle experience that goes far beyond the purpose of merely spending time in a car to get from point A to point B, and even far beyond the driving experience itself.”

It might be easy to dismiss the skysphere as just a fanciful fantasy in chrome, but Audi leaves us wondering just how much it might influence the brand’s future products. “A vehicle like the Audi skysphere concept,” it says in a statement, “will become a platform for experiences that expand horizons beyond the mere ride in just a few years.”

•

A prototype Rivian SUV played a cameo role in today’s launch of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and three other astronauts into space.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, second from left, rode to to the launch pad in a Rivian R1S.

The R1S is one of several battery-electric SUV and pickup prototypes used by Bezos’s Blue Origin rocket company at its launch site in Texas, and it “assist(ed) with launch-day transportation,” Rivian spokesperson Tanya Miller confirmed in an e-mail to TheDetroitBureau.com.

While the R1S may have played a secondary role in the events of the day, it was nonetheless a high-profile breakthrough for Rivian, which plans to put its first retail models into production this year. While Bezos’s launch got off on time, Rivian’s plans have been put on temporary hold.

A battery-electric car in the space race

The founder of online retail giant Amazon — and, until July 5, its CEO, Bezos is one of a small group of billionaires launching their own manned rocket companies. Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s SpaceX already serves as a taxi service for NASA astronauts and is planning a mission to Mars. British entrepreneur Richard Branson was one of several passengers on a hybrid Virgin Galactic rocket-plane to reach the edge of space earlier this month.

Bezos’s flight was shorter, but higher — at just 10 minutes, but a peak altitude of 66.5 miles — than Branson’s. Now Amazon’s executive chairman, he was joined by brother Mark Bezos, as well as Mary Wallace “Wally” Funk, and teenager Oliver Daemen, lifting off from a Texas launch pad atop Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket. They eventually reached an altitude of just over 66 miles during their 10 minutes in space. At 82, Funk became the oldest person ever to earn astronaut wings, with 18-year-old Daemen the youngest.

Bezos drove a Rivian R1T back to the landing site later in the day.

The four, in their spacesuits, squeezed into a Rivian R1S for the drive from Blue Origin’s mission control to the pad where a Blue Origin New Shepard rocket waited for liftoff at 9 a.m. EDT.

More than serendipity

The use of the Rivian SUV wasn’t just serendipitous. Amazon is one of the startup’s biggest investors — as well as a major customer. A handful of all-electric Rivian vans are now being field-tested by Amazon Prime. The delivery service expects to field 100,000 this decade.

The R1S, along with the similarly sized R1T pickup, ride on a skateboard-like platform with batteries and motors mounted under the floorboards. Several different versions of the two models will be offered. The top-end R1S will use a 180 kilowatt-hour battery pack capable of up to 400 miles range per charge. Four electric motors, one driving each wheel, will deliver up to 800 horsepower and will be able to launch the battery-SUV from 0 to 60 in about 3 seconds. Prices will start at around $67,000.

They were supposed to go into production this month, but while the factory is slowly rolling out prototypes, volume production has now been pushed back until at least September, company sources confirmed.

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe says issues related to the pandemic has pushed back the production starting time of the R1T and R1S.

Looking forward

“The cascading impacts of the pandemic have had a compounding effect greater than anyone anticipated,” Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe wrote to customers who have placed orders for the vehicles.

The auto industry, as a whole, has been hammered by the pandemic. The entire North American automotive manufacturing network closed for about two months in spring 2020, creating a huge shortage of not only fully assembled vehicles but automotive parts and components. The situation has grown even worse in recent months due to short supplies of semiconductors. That’s a particularly serious problem for electric vehicles that use even more microchips than conventional vehicles.

Along with the R1S, R1T, and the Amazon delivery van, Rivian is expected to launch a line-up of other products. It is also working with other investors, notably Ford Motor Co. The Detroit automaker had planned to develop a Rivian-based SUV for its Lincoln brand. That project has been scrapped but Ford and Rivian have signaled that they will jointly bring other products to market in the future.

•

Top executives at Hyundai and General Motors reconfirmed each automaker’s commitment to produce a viable flying car, perhaps as soon as 2025, but more likely by the end of this decade.

Hyundai’s air taxi service could be operational as soon as 2025, Global COO Jose Munoz said.

Hyundai Global Chief Operating Officer Jose Munoz, who also heads up the company’s North American operations, told a group of investors and media that an air taxi service could be operational by 2025, if everything goes well.

He noted his company is ahead of its original timetable for producing a useable flying car, originally 2028. 

“We see this market as a significant growth opportunity,” Munoz said Monday during the Reuters Events Car of the Future conference. The South Korean automaker’s new CEO, Euisun Chung, essentially declared the automaker was shifting to becoming a mobility company in the near-term future. 

He specifically noted plans for flying taxis during his introduction as Chairman last October and the earlier debut of Hyundai’s $52 billion “Strategy 2025” plan which called for battery-electric cars and “personal air vehicles.”

In addition to luxury EVs for the road, GM revealed the Cadillac VTOL flying car concept at CES 2021 in January.

Hyundai’s not alone

Other automakers are also putting resources — human and financial — behind the effort to develop a flying car, including GM, Toyota, Daimler AG, Aston Martin and Geely. GM’s top tech officer, Pamela Fletcher, offered a more tempered view.

“I think that there’s a long pathway here,” she said, according to Reuters. “2030 is probably a real commercial inflection point.”

GM earlier this year rolled out a Cadillac flying concept vehicle at CES 2021. “It’s a very nascent space,” Fletcher later noted. “There’s a lot of work to be done on the regulatory side, as well as the actual technology side.”

In January, the company teased a 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, at the time.Details about the VTOL were scarce, though Simcoe did note the concept would use a 90 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The flying car would be targeted at Cadillac customers.

•

Volkswagen of America revealed 3.3 million buyers and prospective buyers in North America were the subject of a data breach after one of its vendors left some files unprotected. 

VW said only a small number of people had sensitive information, like social security numbers and dates of birth, exposed.

The automaker is offering some assistance and says the info was mostly phone numbers and email addresses. The majority of those involved were interested in Audi, a VW subsidiary. The information obtained is typically used by Audi and some of its U.S. and Canadian dealers for digital sales and marketing efforts.

According to Reuters, most of the information exposed was collected between 2014 and 2019, and largely consisted of phone numbers and email addresses; however, within the 3.3 million, about 90,000 Audi customers and potential buyers had sensitive information put at risk.

Bigger potential problems for some

VW is offering credit production to those affected by the data breach.

For the 90,000, in addition to things like the type of vehicle purchased or lease or, in the case of prospective buyers and lessees, what they were interested in, the hackers accessed data relating to purchase and lease eligibility. 

Even worse, for 95% of those driver’s license numbers were collected. In a small number of cases, it included information like dates of birth, social security numbers and other account numbers. VW said none of that information was gotten from Canadian accounts.

The automaker thinks the data was secured between August 2019 and last month. VW found the problem. The company said it will offer free credit protection services to those impacted by the event.

“We recently discovered that an unauthorized third party obtained limited personal information received from or about customers and interested buyers from a vendor that Audi, Volkswagen and some authorized dealers in the United States and Canada use for digital sales and marketing activities,” the company said in a statement. 

“We regret any inconvenience this may cause our current or potential customers. As always, we recommend that individuals remain alert for suspicious emails or other communications that might ask them to provide information about themselves or their vehicle.”

•

Computer tech behemoth Apple Inc. is reportedly in talks with two of China’s biggest electric vehicle battery makers to build cells for a vehicle it has never publicly confirmed it plans to produce.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said not long ago the company’s automotive focus was on developing and autonomous vehicle system.

Reuters, citing four sources, reported the California-based tech company is talking with CATL and BYD, the largest and fourth-largest battery producers in the world about the project. The talks are not a simple as how many and when as Apple wants the batteries built in the United States.

“My understanding is that Apple is talking about building advanced battery production factories here, here in the U.S.,” Jared Bernstein, a senior White House economic adviser, told Reuters.

“That is completely consistent with what the president has talked about in terms of onshoring supply chains particularly in areas where we might grab global market share.” President Joe Biden is hosting a summit on improving the manufacturing supply chain in the U.S. this week.

Building batteries in the U.S.

No location for this proposed battery plant has been revealed, but it follows the lead of potential competitors to the as-yet-named — or even confirmed — Apple battery-electric vehicle. 

A sketch of a possible Apple Car interior leaked out several years ago.

However, Tesla’s produces batteries for its vehicles at Gigafactory just outside Reno, Nevada and will make more at its facility near Austin, Texas, which is currently under construction. General Motors is partnering with South Korea’s LG Energy, a subsidiary of LG Chem, to build its Ultium series of batteries at a plant in Lordstown, Ohio, which is nearing completion.

The company is also building a second site near its plant in Spring Hill, Tennessee, which will supply batteries for the Cadillac Lyriq, the brand’s first-ever fully electric vehicle. Ford is partnering with SK Innovation to build batteries at a site in northern Georgia.

The demand to build batteries is a potential stumbling block to a deal given the current state of affairs between the U.S. and Chinese government, but talks haven’t ended.

Project Titan or Titanic?

Apple previously talked with Hyundai about building an EV at the Kia plant in West Point, Georgia.

Apple’s been rumored to be building an electric vehicle for nearly a decade while never coming out and confirming it and reportedly cancelling it at least once in favor of simply producing autonomous technology to be sold to other makers.

What was known internally at Apple as Project Titan went through a series of ups-and-downs after it was formed in 2014. Insiders suggested that as many as 1,000 people were brought in to work on the car’s development, some with traditional automotive experience, others from Tesla and similar nascent enterprises. 

But the project went through a massive downsizing two years ago, at least 20% of the staff either let go or voluntarily leaving. Many others were transferred within Apple to other projects, a spokesman told CNBC in January 2019.

A few years back, CEO Tim Cook decided to put the rumors to rest, saying the company was working on the development of autonomous technology that could be used by automakers. It is projected to be ready in 2024.

However, the company reportedly entered into talks in January with Hyundai to produce a vehicle. Early reports had the car being produced at the Kia plant — Hyundai owns Kia — in West Point, Georgia. Apple never commented on the discussions while Hyundai issued a terse statement confirmed talks were in their early stages.

•

Less than a week after its corporate sibling Kia rolled out the EV6 in New York City’s Times Square, Hyundai revealed its Ioniq 5 all-electric crossover to the U.S. — via the internet.

The new Ioniq 5 crossover will hit the U.S. market this fall with orders being taken in a few weeks.

The South Korean automaker provided an initial look at the first offering from its now all-electric sub-brand in late February. However, it offered more details about what U.S. consumers can expect from the new offering — starting with fact that it will begin arriving in the U.S. this fall.

No pricing was released, but officials did note that there would be a subscription for young, EV-friendly consumers who want some time in a vehicle before they fully commit. The graphics show the program would allow them to lease a vehicle for either $295 or $395 a month, which would include the vehicle, insurance and maintenance. 

The vehicle won’t be limited to California and a few other traditional EV trial states, but instead will be offered to several larger states, including Texas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Arizona.

What’s coming?

It will come in two versions: a single-motor model and a dual-motor vehicle. The rear-wheel drive single motor version puts out 225 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The dual motor puts out 320 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque pushing the crossover from 0 to 60 mph in just less than 5 seconds.

The single motor boasts 300 miles of range while the dual motor comes in at 244 miles. Both hit a top speed of 115 mph and can tow 1,500 pounds, which is ideal for “glamping,” noted Olabisi Boyle, Vice President, Product Planning and Mobility Strategy, Hyundai Motor North America, during the event.

All charged up when you’ve got everywhere to go

Hyundai announced it was offering two years of free charging through its existing partnership with Electrify America. To be clear, it’s unlimited 30-minute charging sessions. Once you hit 30 minutes, you’ve got to move along.

The new crossover features an 800-volt system that allows you to add 68 miles of range in just five minutes or go from a 10% charge to 80% in just 18 minutes if using a high-speed 350-kW charger. If you use an Electrify America charger, which has more than 600 locations — with plans to bump that to 800 with more than 3,500 ultra-fast chargers by the end of this year — across the U.S., you’ll get that “fill up” for free, officials noted.

If you’re using the standard on-board charger at a Level 2 charger, then owners can get a full charge in less than seven hours. 

The new Ioniq 5 can also act as a charger for other vehicles, power devices while camping or tailgating and there is a second outlet in the vehicle for powering and charging devices as well, Boyle calling the new utility a “mobile power strip.”

Bigger, faster and more comfortable

Like its Kia sibling, the Ioniq 5 rides on Hyundai’s flexible E-GMP platform, which carries the batteries and motors below the vehicle’s floor. This allows designers to better utilize the space they have available — and even create a bigger vehicle. 

The new ute boasts the longest wheelbase in the Hyundai portfolio, including that of the Palisade SUV, though it’s 14 inches shorter overall, noted Simon Loasby, Hyundai vice president, head of Hyundai Styling, during the event.

That translates to useable interior space, including 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, which jumps to 59.3 cf when those seats are folded flat. Overall, it’s got more room for passengers than the new Ford Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen ID.4, according to Hyundai officials.

The new model focuses on interior comfort and function. There are simple touches, like a magnetic pad on the far left side of the dashboard to allow the driver to hang pictures or reminder notes. However, that same driver also enjoys a seat that reclines to a zero-gravity position for his or her comfort while the vehicle is recharging at a charging station.

Hyundai engineers reduced the thickness of these seats by 30%, providing even more space for those seated in the second row. The second-row seats also recline and slide to provide more legroom than a midsize SUV and additional headroom. 

The sliding second-row seats also can provide additional luggage space when needed. To give the interior an even greater sense of openness, Ioniq 5’s vision roof consists of one large glass panel without cross members, the company noted.

More products coming for the sub-brand

The Hyundai Motor Group – which includes the Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands, as well as the new Ioniq marque – plans to spend 104 trillion Korean won, or around $87 billion, during the next five years on the development of both electric and autonomous vehicles, EVs expected to take the lion’s share of that investment. 

By 2025, the company plans to sell 1 million battery-electric vehicles annually, accounting for 8-10% of global EV sales, said José Muñoz, global chief operating officer, Hyundai Motor Co., who also heads up the brand’s North American and U.S. operations.

He noted the Ioniq 6 will be coming in 2022, it adopts a distinctly different design language. Earlier officials noted it would feature a rounded, coupe-like sedan body directly influenced by the Hyundai Prophecy concept.

The Ioniq 5 and 6 models appear to be taking aim at the likes of the Tesla Models Y and 3, respectively, as well as other new EV offerings, such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Volkswagen ID.4. The Ioniq 7, however, will be a larger utility, with no direct link to any existing concept or production model.

•
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.


html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container { background: #fff; border: 3px solid #91a6bf; -webkit-border-radius: 5px; -moz-border-radius: 5px; border-radius: 5px; margin: 10px auto; text-align: center; width: 100%; padding: 20px 30px; color: #555; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-miniText { font-size: 1em; line-height: 28px; text-transform: uppercase; color: #54C3A5; font-weight: bold; font-family: 'Alfa Slab One', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; display:none; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-heading { font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-caption { margin-top: 12px; font-style: italic; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container .columbine-form { overflow: hidden; margin-top: 20px; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col1 { float: left; width: 33.333%; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col2 { float: left; width: 33.333%; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col3 { float: left; width: 33.333%; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col1 { float: left; width: 66.333%; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col2 { float: right; width: 33.333%; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.columbine-input, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.date-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.text-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.password-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container select.mo-optin-form-custom-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container textarea.mo-optin-form-custom-field { background-color: #ffffff; width: 100%; display: block; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-border-radius: 0; -moz-border-radius: 0; border-radius: 0; padding: 11px 17px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 16px; text-align: left; border: 1px solid #ccc; color: #555; outline: none; margin: 0; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.columbine-input, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.date-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.text-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.mo-optin-form-custom-field.password-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container textarea.mo-optin-form-custom-field.textarea-field { -webkit-appearance: none; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input.columbine-submit, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container input[type="submit"].mo-optin-form-cta-button { display: block; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-appearance: none; border: 0; background: #54C3A5; padding: 13px 10px; font-size: 16px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; color: #fff; outline: none; cursor: pointer; font-weight: 700; width: 100%; margin: 0; border-radius: 0; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-note { margin-top: 10px; line-height: normal; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.mo-optin-error { display: none; background: #FF0000; color: white; text-align: center; padding: .2em; margin: 0; width: 100%; font-size: 16px; -webkit-box-sizing: border-box; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; box-sizing: border-box; border: 1px solid #FF0000; } @media only screen and (max-width: 650px) { html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.mo-optin-error { margin-bottom: -10px; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col1, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col2, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col1, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col2, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col3 { float: none; width: 100%; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 10px; } } html div#JkaXGWBzgI.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-column, html div#JkaXGWBzgI.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col1, html div#JkaXGWBzgI.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-two-col2, html div#JkaXGWBzgI.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col1, html div#JkaXGWBzgI.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col2, html div#JkaXGWBzgI.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-three-col3 { float: none; width: 100%; margin-right: 0; margin-top: 10px; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI.mo-optin-has-custom-field div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.columbine-container div.columbine-column textarea.mo-optin-form-custom-field.textarea-field { min-height: 80px; }div#JkaXGWBzgI *, div#JkaXGWBzgI *:before, div#JkaXGWBzgI *:after {box-sizing: border-box;-webkit-box-sizing: border-box;-moz-box-sizing: border-box;}div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-field:focus {outline:0}div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-submit-button:focus {outline:0}div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container div.mo-optin-powered-by{margin:5px auto 2px;text-align:center;}div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container div.mo-optin-powered-by a {font-size:16px !important; text-decoration: none !important;box-shadow:none !important;border-bottom-width:0px !important;cursor:pointer !important;}div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container .mo-acceptance-checkbox {background-color: #fff;line-height: 0;border: 1px solid #bbb;width: 16px;min-width: 16px;height: 16px;margin: 0 5px 0 0 !important;outline: 0;text-align: center;vertical-align: middle;clear: none;cursor: pointer;}div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container .mo-acceptance-label {cursor:pointer}div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost p {padding:0px !important;margin:0px !important}div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-wrapper label {color:inherit;font-weight: normal;margin: 0;padding:0;}div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost input[type=submit] {-webkit-appearance: none;}div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost_container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost input {z-index: auto;}div#JkaXGWBzgI.mo-cta-button-flag .mo-optin-form-note .mo-acceptance-label {display:none;}div#JkaXGWBzgI .mailoptin-video-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; } div#JkaXGWBzgI .mailoptin-video-container iframe, div#JkaXGWBzgI .mailoptin-video-container object, div#JkaXGWBzgI .mailoptin-video-container embed, div#JkaXGWBzgI .mailoptin-video-container video { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost.mo-optin-form-wrapper {max-width:100% !important}#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-spinner { border-radius: inherit; position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; background: #fff url(https://www.thedetroitbureau.com/wp-content/plugins/mailoptin/src/core/src/assets/images/spinner.gif) 50% 50% no-repeat; left: 0; top: 0; opacity: 0.99; filter: alpha(opacity=80); } #JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-success-close { font-size: 32px !important; font-family: "HelveticaNeue - Light", "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif !important; color: #282828 !important; font-weight: 300 !important; position: absolute !important; top: 0 !important; right: 10px !important; background: none !important; text-decoration: none !important; width: auto !important; height: auto !important; display: block !important; line-height: 32px !important; padding: 0 !important; -moz-box-shadow: none !important; -webkit-box-shadow: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; } #JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-success-msg { font-size: 21px; font-family: "HelveticaNeue - Light", "Helvetica Neue Light", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif; color: #282828 !important; font-weight: 300; text-align: center; margin: 0 auto; width: 100%; position: absolute !important; left: 50%; top: 50%; -webkit-transform: translate(-50%, -50%); -moz-transform: translate(-50%, -50%); -o-transform: translate(-50%, -50%); -ms-transform: translate(-50%, -50%); transform: translate(-50%, -50%); } #JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-success-msg a { color: #0000EE; text-decoration: underline; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .list_subscription-field:not(select), html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .checkbox-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .radio-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .select-field { margin-top: 6px; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .checkbox-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .radio-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .select-field { text-align: left; padding: 6px; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .checkbox-field label, html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .radio-field label { display: block; text-align: left; margin-top: 6px; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .checkbox-field label input, html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .radio-field label input { margin-right: 5px; vertical-align: middle; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .select-field select { width: 100%; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .list_subscription-field:not(select), html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .mo-optin-form-custom-field.checkbox-field, html div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .mo-optin-form-custom-field.radio-field { padding: 0 !important; border: 0 !important; background: transparent !important; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .list_subscription-field label { display: block !important; margin: 5px 0 !important; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .list_subscription-field label:last-child { margin: 0; } html div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-optin-form-container .mo-optin-form-wrapper .mo-optin-fields-wrapper .list_subscription-field input[type=checkbox] { cursor: pointer; } div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-headline, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container h2, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container h1 { font-size: 32px !important; }div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-description, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost p { font-size: 18px !important; }div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-note { font-size: 14px !important; }@media screen and (max-width: 768px) { div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-headline, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost h2, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost h1 { font-size: 30px !important; } div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-description, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost p { font-size: 18px !important; } div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-note { font-size: 14px !important; } }@media screen and (max-width: 480px) { div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-headline, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost h2, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost h1 { font-size: 25px !important; } div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-description, div#JkaXGWBzgI div.mo-optin-form-container div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost p { font-size: 16px !important; } div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-note, div#JkaXGWBzgI div#JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-form-note * { font-size: 12px !important; } } #JkaXGWBzgI #JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-name-field::-webkit-input-placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } #JkaXGWBzgI #JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-name-field:-ms-input-placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } #JkaXGWBzgI #JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-name-field::placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } #JkaXGWBzgI #JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-email-field::-webkit-input-placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } #JkaXGWBzgI #JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-email-field:-ms-input-placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } #JkaXGWBzgI #JkaXGWBzgI_inpost .mo-optin-field.mo-optin-form-email-field::placeholder { color: #555555 !important; } div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-mailchimp-interest-container { margin: 0 10px 2px; } div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-mailchimp-interest-label { font-size: 16px; margin: 5px 0 2px; } div#JkaXGWBzgI input.mo-mailchimp-interest-choice { line-height: normal; border: 0; margin: 0 5px; } div#JkaXGWBzgI span.mo-mailchimp-choice-label { vertical-align: middle; font-size: 14px; } div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-mailchimp-interest-choice-container { margin: 5px 0; }div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-mailchimp-interest-label { display:inline-block!important; } div#JkaXGWBzgI span.mo-mailchimp-choice-label { vertical-align:baseline!important; } div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-mailchimp-interest-container { padding:18px 0 6px 0; } div#JkaXGWBzgI .mo-mailchimp-choice-label { font-size:16px!important; }