GM and Honda will co-develop a series of affordable EVs using a global architecture and GM’s Ultium battery technology, the companies announced. They promised to build vehicles in multiple product segments, including the compact crossover category, calling it a “new chapter” in their partnership. That significantly expands on previous news that Honda would create two EVs using GM’s battery technology.
“GM and Honda will share our best technology, design and manufacturing strategies to deliver affordable and desirable EVs on a global scale, including our key markets in North America, South America and China,” said GM CEO and chair Mary Barra.
The companies promised to share technology, design and sourcing strategies, while working toward “standardizing equipment and processes to achieve world-class quality, higher throughput and greater affordability,” GM’s press release states. The companies will also discuss EV battery collaboration in an effort to drive down costs and improve performance and sustainability.
The Honda E
Engadget
The word “affordable” comes up a lot in the press release, as both companies emphasized the idea of building cheaper EVs than are currently available. “Honda and GM will build on our successful technology collaboration to help achieve a dramatic expansion in the sales of electric vehicles,” said Honda president & CEO Toshihiro Mibe.
The tie-up makes a lot of sense, particularly for Honda, which has lagged way behind rivals in terms of EV development. By joining forces with GM, it can share development costs and contribute its considerable BEV and hybrid expertise. The two automakers previously announced a collaboration in 2018 to produce autonomous vehicles, with Honda taking a stake in GM’s Cruise self-driving division. The companies also joined force on hydrogen fuel cells.
Honda recently showed that it can build EVs with the Honda E, a cute and technologically advanced vehicle with limited battery range, designed mostly for urban use. More recently, it unveiled a pair of vehicles it’s developing with GM including the Prologue, to be launched in early 2024, followed by Acura’s first EV SUV.
GM, meanwhile, continues to develop its Ultium battery tech that uses pouch- and prismatic-style cells rather than cylindrical cells like Tesla. The aim to use it in up to 30-plus vehicles over the coming years, with the first models arriving in 2023. GM affirmed that it would release “a new all-electric product for North America positioned at a price point lower than the upcoming Chevrolet Equinox EV, building on the 2 million units of EV capacity the company plans to install by the end of 2025.”
After years of teasing, the DeLorean Motor Company announced on Monday that it will unveil an all-electric vehicle on August 18th, promising to share its official name at the same time. Details on the concept car are scant, but what the automaker did share is that it worked with Italdesign, best known for its work with Volkswagen, to design the upcoming car. Judging from the DeLorean’s website, the vehicle will feature the iconic gull-wing doors of the DMC-12.
— DeLorean Motor Company (@deloreanmotorco) April 4, 2022
To be clear, the company making the DeLorean EV isn’t the same one that produced the DMC-12. The DeLorean Motor Company of Texas is known for restoring vintage DeLorean vehicles, billing itself as the largest source of parts for the defunct brand that made the original. We’ll also note it’s been talking about electrification since 2011 when it said it was working on making an all-electric DeLorean with a 100-mile range.
Tesla delivered 310,048 vehicles over the first three months of 2022, the automaker announced on Saturday. “This was an exceptionally difficult quarter due to supply chain interruptions and China Zero-Covid policy,” Musk said on Twitter shortly after T…
BMW has developed the first fully electric 3 series vehicle — but it will only be available in China. In May 2022, the BMW i3 eDrive35L model that’s based on the automaker’s line of compact cars, will enter the Chinese market. It uses BMW’s 5th-gen eDrive powertrain that’s also found in the BMW iX3, BMW i4 and BMW iX. The four-door sedan will also be the first 3 Series car with the company’s OS8 operating system and its features, including Digital Key, which turns the owner’s smartphone into a key for their vehicle.
In its announcement, BMW also shared some key data about the EV, including its 281 horsepower max output and 295 pound-feet of maximum torque. It can apparently go from zero to 62 mph in 6.2 seconds, and it can reach a charge of 80 percent within 35 minutes of being plugged in. Fully charged, it has an estimated range of 327 miles, which is longer than that of the basic BMW i4’s.
The automaker says the 3 Series line led the premium-compact segment in China in 2021, so releasing an electrified version in the region makes sense for the company. BMW even even fine-tuned and customized the EV’s suspension system for Chinese road conditions and will assemble the vehicle at a plant in Lydia, Shenyang.
The i3 eDrive35L EV is BMW’s sixth all—electric model. Similar to rival automakers that are aiming to make a complete shift towards electric vehicles over the coming 10 to 20 years, BMW also ramped up its electrification goals last year. It announced that the last Mini with a combustion engine will be released in 2025 and that it expects its all-electric vehicles to account for 50 percent of its global sales by 2030.
VinFast Automotive— the Vietnamese car startup — is set to build its first North American assembly plant in North Carolina’s Triangle Innovation Point, right outside of Raleigh. The company will invest a total of $5 billion in the facility which will eventually employ 13,000 workers, according to the Raleigh News and Observer. The Vinfast plant won’t just be North Carolina’s first EV facility, it’ll also be the state’s first car manufacturing plant. Toyota also announced plans last year to build a $1.29 billion battery manufacturing plant in Randolph County, further cementing North Carolina’s status as the next potential EV hub.
We’ve already heard about VinFast’s two new electric crossover cars — the VF32 and the VF33 — that it plans to debut in the US this summer. But the North Carolina plant will focus on building two other cars: the VinFast VF 9, a 7-passenger all-electric SUV and the VinFast VF 8, a 5-passenger, all-electric mid-size SUV. The company is aiming to make both lines available for delivery in the US later this year.
As far as SUVs go, both VinFast models will be reasonably priced. The smaller car, the two-row VF 8, will retail for $39,400. The three-row VF 9 will retail for $53,700. Drivers have the option of selecting different battery sizes for each model. The VF 8 with a smaller battery has a range of 285 miles, with a bigger battery the range increases to 313 miles. Meanwhile, the VF 9 is likely to come with a larger battery pack that could give it a range of up to 423 miles, InsideEVs reported. If this actually happens, this would put the VF 9 at a higher maximum range than many of its competitors in the electric SUV space. For the sake of comparison, the 2021 Tesla Model X has a range of 360 miles and the Kia EV9 SUV has a range of 300 miles.
Even as far as EV startups go, VinFast is relatively new to the game. The company is a subsidiary of a Vietnamese conglomerate called VinGroup, and only started making cars in 2017. Both its cars and scooters are popular in Vietnam, but it has yet to sell any cars abroad, reported the Raleigh News and Observer. But with its first US manufacturing facility in the works, the Vietnamese startup is likely to gain more credibility stateside.
Canada is joining the ranks of countries and states planning to ban sales of combustion engine cars. Canada has outlined an Emissions Reduction Plan that will require all new passenger car sales to be zero-emissions models by 2035. The government will gradually ramp up pressure on automakers, requiring “at least” 20 percent zero-emissions sales by 2026 and 60 percent by 2030.
Officials didn’t say whether this applied to a make’s product mix or simply the volume of cars sold. The strategy is more forgiving for the workplace — the Canadian government wanted 35 percent of total medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales to be zero-emissions by 2035, and 100 percent of a “subset” of those machines by 2040.
The country is also offering $1.7 billion CAD (about $1.36 billion US) to extend incentives for buying electric cars and other zero-emissions vehicles. The current federal program offers up to a $5,000 CAD ($4,010 US) rebate for EVs, plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell cars that meet varying price, seat and battery requirements. Some provinces, such as British Columbia and Nova Scotia, offer their own incentives.
The broader plan is meant to reduce emissions to 40 to 45 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, and reach net zero by 2050. This includes funds to support renewable energy projects, shrink oil industry emissions and develop “nature-based climate solutions.”
Canada’s car market is small compared to the US. Passenger vehicle sales in Canada reached 1.64 million in 2021, according to estimates, versus an estimated 15 million for the country’s southern neighbor. However, the de facto ban on combustion engine cars could further motivate car brands already transitioning to EVs — that’s still a lot of potentially lost sales, particularly for a country known for its auto manufacturing plants.
It’s a terrible time to buy a car. The global chip shortage and a pandemic-driven demand for safe transportation has pushed prices to obscene levels. It’s not unusual to see dealers adding on $10,000 or more in “market adjustment fees.” For most people, the smartest decision right now is to hold onto your current car for as long as possible. But as my wife and I began preparing for our second child, we realized we needed a larger vehicle for carrying twice as much baby gear, as well as to take the occasional road trip.
As much as I loved my 2017 RAV4 Hybrid, it would have been too tight with two car seats in the backseat along with two kids worth of gear in the trunk. It also didn’t have CarPlay integration, which meant I had to rely on Bluetooth audio and Toyota’s abysmal infotainment apps. (I was particularly annoyed that I couldn’t even play the radio while using Google Maps navigation.) There weren’t any rear vents for heating and cooling, either, which inevitably turned the back seat into a furnace during Georgia’s obscenely humid summers. That’s a surefire way to make a toddler cranky, and it would be even worse with an infant onboard.
Thankfully, I’ve spent the last few years obsessively researching the perfect family car. (You can thank the pandemic and my desire to tinker with new hardware for that.) Toyota’s hybrid 2021 Sienna taught me that minivans can actually look cool these days and get decent mileage. I’ve also tested out Toyota’s RAV4 Prime, Prius Prime and the Kia Sorento, all of which were plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) with a bit of electric driving range.
At first, I leaned towards the updated Sienna: I genuinely loved our review unit, and Toyota’s reliability is legendary. But it turns out tons of other people had the same idea earlier this year. New Siennas were selling for $8,000 over their list price, based on what I saw at several local dealers. (Who, of course, didn’t tell me about those extra fees until I stepped foot in their godforsaken offices.) And used 2021 models were actually going for more than their original list price. I wasn’t about to spend over $50,000 on a used Sienna.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Then I remembered the other popular minivan, the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. It’s the only PHEV minivan on the market, delivering 33 miles of electric range and 32 MPG of gas driving. We gave it a glowing review in 2018, and, well, my options were pretty limited earlier this year. My dream car would have been a large family-sized EV, but with the Tesla Model X still far out of reach and no alternatives available, a PHEV simply made more sense.
After being burned by several useless car dealers, I spent weeks hunting through Carvana listings. I appreciated that they were up front about extra fees, they don’t gouge you as much as dealers and I had a great experience buying my RAV4 from them in 2020. Eventually, I found my ideal Pacifica: a Limited 2018 model with low mileage, CarPlay, a tri-plane sunroof, advanced safety features and a 20-speaker sound system. There was no way I was going to look like a cool dad in a minivan, but at least I could have a bit of fun driving it.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
A week later, Carvana took away my RAV4 as a trade-in and delivered the Pacifica to my driveway. It was love at first sight. Even though it’s not as sporty as the Sienna or RAV4 Prime, I love the Pacifica’s cute and quirky aesthetic. It’s as if Chrysler took the idea of a family van and processed it through a ’90s anime filter. Its arched LED daytime running lights seem like they’re winking at you, while the elegant body lines give it a sense of motion while it’s standing still.
The sheer practicality of the Pacifica also won me over quickly. The Pacifica’s sliding doors made it a cinch to install my daughter’s 30-pound car seat, and I appreciated having much more room for child loading/unloading. Being a minivan, its trunk area was massive, even if I decided to have the third-row seats opened up. Those rear seats are a serious upgrade over mid-size SUVs, where they’re only meant for children.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
My wife and I also loved having more interior space in general, since we inevitably found ourselves buried in toddler toys and gear in the RAV4. There’s even enough room for my daughter to use her portable potty between the seats! Another bonus: The rear seats also have two separate video screens, which will be perfect for keeping the kids entertained during long trips.
Things got even better in the driver’s seat, where the Pacifica’s UConnect infotainment system finally made me feel like I was driving a modern car. The 8.4-inch screen was bright enough to be clearly visible in direct sunlight (something my RAV4 struggled to do), and it had a surprisingly responsive touchscreen. While I was most excited to have CarPlay integration, it was nice to see that UConnect’s entire interface could be customized as easily as an iOS device.
Unfortunately, Carvana didn’t ship the Pacifica with a Level 1 charging cable, but I received a voucher to receive one from a local mechanic. That process would take a few weeks though, so I bought another charger myself to get juice up sooner. After 12 hours of charging from a standard wall socket in my garage, the Pacifica truly became the PHEV of my dreams. It handled quietly and smoothly around my neighborhood, giving us enough EV driving to deal with daycare drop-off and pickup, as well as our typical neighborhood errands.
While I’m sure nobody would ever mistake the Pacifica for a Tesla, I definitely surprised some local drivers when I zoomed ahead of them at stop lights. That’s the power of EV torque in action: It was so smooth, it never felt like I was driving a large minivan.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
My family and I had a blissful first few weeks with the Pacifica. We rarely exceeded the 30 miles of EV range we typically saw every day (a bit less than EPA estimates), which meant the gas gauge pretty much stayed put. Sadly, our honeymoon period ended shortly after Valentine’s Day, when Chrysler announced it was recalling 16,741 2017-2018 Pacifica hybrid models. The company said it was aware of 10 vehicles that caught fire while the ignition was off, many of which were also charging at the same time. Chrysler’s advice: Park outside and don’t charge your Pacifica until the problem is fixed.
Sadly, our car was among the recalled models, so now we’re stuck using it like a standard hybrid. The Pacifica is still a very nice family minivan, but without EV driving it just felt less special to me. Occasionally, its regenerative brakes will gather enough juice for a bit of electric fun, but it’s never too long before the V6 engine kicks in and it starts guzzling gas again. We’re also not getting anywhere near the 32MPG estimated mileage. Instead, it’s hovering around 21MPG, which is more in line with the standard gas Pacifica.
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
After all that research and anticipation, it’s heartbreaking to see our dream PHEV turned into a hybrid with so-so mileage, especially with skyrocketing gas prices. I’m also kicking myself for taking a risk on a Chrysler car, a brand that hasn’t been known for reliability nearly as much as Toyota. All I can do now is hope Chrysler comes up with a fix soon and pray that we don’t have to deal with a car fire with kids onboard. (Or just throw caution to the wind and swap to the Volvo XC90 PHEV.)
FedEx plans to test a different method of moving goods between depots starting next year, which could speed up the delivery process. The company has teamed up with Elroy Air, which is developing a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) cargo drone, to transport packages between sorting centers via autonomous flights.
Elroy Air unveiled the Chaparral C1 drone in January. The company claims the hybrid-electric system has a range of up to 300 miles and can carry a load of up to 500 pounds in its cargo pod (so FedEx would need a lot of them if it wants to eventually replace planes). The drone has 12 electric motors and 12 propellers.
FedEx noted in a press release that the Chaparral C1 doesn’t need specific infrastructure like an airport or dedicated charging station. It added that adopting the aircraft lines up with its goal of making operations carbon neutral by 2040.
Elroy Air
The companies have been collaborating for over two years and they’re working on securing certifications to use the Chaparral C1 commercially. All going well, the plan is to start test flights in 2023 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Autonomous cargo flights could enable FedEx to move packages between sorting centers more efficiently than by on-the-ground transportation. The Chaparral C1 is in a pre-production phase (the cruise speed is unknown as yet). If it works as promised, FedEx would be able to fly cargo by drone from Fort Worth to Oklahoma City.
The electric revolution is no longer limited to daily drivers and eco-commuters. Luxury brands such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche have already begun augmenting their lineups with EV variants, while hypercar makers like Lamborghini and Ferrari expect their first electrics to arrive in the next few years. On Tuesday, British automaker Lotus announced that it too has an EV, the 600HP Eletre, with deliveries beginning next year in China, Europe and the UK.
Lotus
Developed under the codename Type 132, the Eletre “takes the heart and soul of the latest Lotus sports car – the Emira – and the revolutionary aero performance of the all-electric Evija hypercar, and reinterprets them as a Hyper-SUV,” according to the company’s press release. It also accomplishes a number of firsts, the release continued: “first five-door production car, the first model outside sports car segments, the first lifestyle EV, the most ‘connected’ Lotus ever.”
The Eletre was developed atop Lotus’ 800V Electric Premium Architecture (EPA) platform. That voltage puts it on par with the Audi e-Tron and Hyundai Ioniq 5, meaning that on a 350 kW DC fast charger, drivers will be able to add around 248 miles of range in a 20 minute charge, according to the company. Lotus hasn’t specified how big the battery will be beyond that it “has a battery capacity that’s over 100 kWh” but the company is estimating a total range of 373 miles, equivalent to that of the Tesla Model X Long Range Plus. Its dual front and rear motors will reportedly output 600 horsepower producing a top speed of 161 MPH and a sub-3 second 0-60.
Lotus
Ben Payne led development of the Eletre’s exterior design, which features “porous” aerodynamics, a low stance atop the platform’s long wheelbase with short overhangs at either end. “The Eletre is a progressive all-electric performance vehicle embodying emotion, intelligence and prestige and, as the first of the brand’s lifestyle cars, it sets the standard for what will follow,” he said. “We have taken the iconic design language of the Lotus sports car and successfully evolved it into an elegant and exotic Hyper-SUV.”
The interior will offer either the traditional two-buckets-and-a-bench layout or an optional four individual seats, front and rear, beneath a fixed panoramic sunroof. The material choices for the cabin reflect Lotus’ net-zero goals, with “durable man-made microfibres on the primary touchpoints, and an advanced wool-blend fabric on the seats,” while the hard parts are constructed from little bits of carbon fiber recycled from the edge of weaves rather than being made specially.
Lotus
The infotainment system is a whole production. “Below the instrument panel a blade of light runs across the cabin, sitting in a ribbed channel that widens at each end to create the air vents,” Tuesday’s announcement read. This light blade serves as part of the vehicle’s HMI and changes color to alert occupants of important events like incoming calls.
Below that is a 30mm tall “ribbon of technology.” On the driverside, that ribbon serves as the instrument cluster, displaying vehicle and trip information, which can also be displayed via the AR system, which comes standard. On the passenger side, a second ribbon shows relevant contextual information like the nearby points of interest or the current music selection which plays through a KEF Premium 1,380-watt 15-speaker surround sound set-up with Uni-QTM.
Lotus
Between these two ribbons sits a 15.1-inch OLED touchscreen infotainment system that folds away when not in use. While most of the cabin controls are digital and can be used either through the touchscreen or voice interfaces, Lotus deemed some functions vital enough to warrant being mirrored to physical knobs and switches so drivers won’t have to dig through submenus to turn on the windshield wipers. Even those digital controls, Lotus boasts that “with three touches of the main screen users can access 95 percent of the car’s functionality.”
Lotus
The Eletre is also the first vehicle on the market with a deployable LIDAR array. Used to supplement the driver assist system the unit pops up from the top of the windscreen, top of the rear glass and the front wheel arches — like the headlights from a 1990 MX-5 — when in use and then retracts when finished to maintain aerodynamics.
“ADAS technologies such as LIDAR sensors and cameras will become increasingly common on new cars as we move into a more autonomous era, and to have the world’s first deployable LIDAR system on the Eletre is a signal of the technology vision we have for Lotus,” said Maximilian Szwaj, Vice President of Lotus Technology and Managing Director, LTIC. “This car has tech for today, and also for tomorrow, as it’s been developed to accept OTA updates as standard.”
Lotus
Manufacturing begins later this year at Lotus’ new production plant in Wuhan, China with deliveries beginning in 2023. The model will be available first in China, Europe and the UK. The company hasn’t disclosed pricing details yet.
