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The  semiconductor industry  has been struggling for months to cope with demand. The automobile sector is being seriously affected by this problem. Global data shows smartphone and PC sales have  slowed  year-over-year, and this  eases  supply. However, manufacturer STMicroelectronics, one of the world’s largest chip firms, has an  update on the crisis.  This is the current situation and  when they estimate that  the problem we are experiencing will be resolved. The  demand for microchips , as we mentioned before, is declining year after year in the smartphone and computer sectors. And yes, this is allowing chipmakers, and other suppliers, to adjust the balance between production and demand. However, in  other sectors  such as  car manufacturing,  the situation is  very different . In the automobile sector, demand is at  record values.  As we already know, this is what is forcing some manufacturers to  reduce their production  and others,  like GM, to make incomplete cars . The micro

The   Skoda Kamiq 2023  will be a slight renewal for the model, a   facelift . It will involve changes at the design level, to catch up with the rest of the Czech brand’s catalog and also that of its competitors. But in addition, it will also bring  other relevant novelties  in the section of mechanical configurations and, of course, in its  equipment . The Czech brand is currently undergoing an important process of  renewing its range . Several of its models are receiving key updates to improve the brand’s position in the European market. Skoda has a solid growth strategy in the Old Continent, and the renewal of the   Skoda Kamiq  will be a   key move  to continue advancing in this objective. The   Skoda Kamiq 2023   is not going to be a big change, but rather an  update , and with this recreation, we advance  what its design will be . Let’s also see what other changes it will bring with it. What’s new in the Skoda Kamiq 2023, what will change, and what will not? The update of the

The Hungaroring appointment represents once again the last commitment for teams and drivers before the summer break. The tortuous Budapest track in recent years has given many spectacular races, also thanks to weather that often reserved surprises. Proof of this is the 2021 edition, won by Esteban Ocon at the end of a Sunday in which everything happened because of the rain. Pole position, in the dry, was achieved by Lewis Hamilton with a time of 1:15.419. RESULTS OF SATURDAY PL3  – Surprisingly, Nicholas Latifi is the fastest in the third free practice session of the Hungarian GP. An hour strongly conditioned by the rain and the asphalt which improved in the final minutes. Charles Leclerc is still second, ahead of Alex Albon’s other Williams. F1 GP HUNGARY 2022, RESULTS PL3 Pos Pilot Team Time Detachment Turns 1 Nicholas Latifi Williams-Mercedes 1: 41.480   17 2 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1: 42.141 0.661 14 3 Alex Albon Williams-Mercedes 1: 42.381 0.901

Rumors have been going around for years that   Apple is preparing an electric car . Specifically, since 2014 there has been some type of information about the popularly known  ‘Apple Car’ . This week it has become known that they have signed a   former Lamborghini engineer , who worked on  chassis and dynamics , but also in recent days we have been able to learn that   Apple has been working on his car since 2000. The Cupertino company owes its current success to the  iPhone , but the truth is that they have been diversifying its product portfolio for years, which previously relied on the iPod. Now, they are not only focused on  products  but are also especially  focused on services . And indeed, since   2014  we have been receiving information, albeit slowly, about  a car in development . And now we know that Apple, formerly headed by Steve Jobs and now Tim Cook, has been  working on it since 2000.   Yes, according to this information, the Cupertino firm has been registering patents

Companies in the oil world are also interested in the deployment of electric vehicles, here is one more example.  Iberdrola and BP  have announced their collaboration on  recharging points  and  green hydrogen  production. We have already seen multiple alliances between petrochemicals and electricity companies, as well as the growing interest of the former in the business area of ​​the latter. Both companies are going to formalize the creation of a joint company or  joint venture , with an investment of  1,000 million euros . One of the company’s functions will be to accelerate the deployment of 11,000 fast and ultra-fast charging points in both Spain and Portugal by 2030. The oil company has 1,300 service stations in Spain and Iberdrola has 2,500 charging points in operation or under development, already powered by renewable energy. Of the projected 11,000 recharging points, 5,000 will be ready in 2025 and will be concentrated mainly in areas of high demand and service stations. Thi

For a few years, one of the metrics that manufacturers use to measure the success of their products is one for the future:  reservations . Every time a customer makes a reservation, they secure a top spot when it comes to taking real orders. The usual thing is that a reservation has a symbolic cost and that it is fully refundable: whoever wants to go back when placing the order, can do so. General Motors has offered reserve figures that, without being spectacular in absolute terms, are very relevant to justify to shareholders the need to increase production capacity for electric cars. Recently, the American giant recounted its supply plans for batteries and raw materials for the medium term. The new generation of GM electric cars -this leaves out the Chevrolet Bolt- are based on the Ultium architecture, and for now, we are talking about large vehicles. Production of the GMC HUMMER EV began in late 2021, and production of the Cadillac Lyriq began in the spring.  The HUMMER EV has 80,0

Traditional manufacturers are presenting their balance sheets for the first half of 2022. A year marked by supply problems, which have weighed down production, the war in Ukraine, and the closures due to Covid in China. Factors that have not been a problem for an  Audi  that has achieved a significant profit and a striking margin per unit sold. And it is that even though there is talk of a contraction in production, the figures show a curious effect. In the first half of 2022,  Audi has sold 20% fewer cars worldwide than in the same period in 2021 , earning 29.9 billion euros, 2% more. But  its net profits have grown by 58%  from 3,100 billion to 4,900 billion euros. The same dynamic is followed by the margin per unit sold, which has jumped from 10.7% to 16.5%, 54.2% more than last year. This is possible thanks according to Audi’s “ good price position, the strong operating performance of the luxury brands Lamborghini and Bentley, and the support of the coverage of raw materials  .”

The union is strong, even between two small manufacturers. This is the case of  Lightyear , a Dutch company that will put the first mass-produced solar electric car on the roads, and  Koenigsegg , with 20 years of experience in the manufacture of hypercars and advanced technology. The Swedes have decided to invest in Lightyear, we do not know how much and on what terms. What we do know is that both companies are going to collaborate, share confidential and proprietary information, and reinforce each other. To tell you something more tangible, Koenigsegg technology will be applied to Lightyear 2, which will go into production in late 2024 or early 2025. The currently only Dutch model, the Lightyear 0, is about to go into series production.  It will arrive before the Sono Sion  (2023) and will be able to recharge up to 70 km per day with its solar panels, its autonomy being practically double. In return, the price of the Lightyear 0 is five to six times higher than that of the Sono Sio

His Linkedin profile says that  at the moment he is in San Francisco , a few tens of kilometers from the Apple headquarters, to ”  learn new things  “.  Luigi Taraborrelli worked for more than twenty years in Lamborghini , where for most of the time he was in charge of the research and development department on the chassis and driving dynamics of the new Sant’Agata Bolognese models. Among the many projects, he has followed there is the  Urus SUV , the Huracan Performante, and the not-yet official Dirt . Initially called  Titan, Apple’s “secret” project  has been around since the end of 2014, and has been a continuous succession of hypotheses, inferences, gossip, denials, and postponements. At one point it seemed that the idea had been abandoned altogether. Last September, Ford hired Doug Field , manager of Apple’s special projects (who also followed Titan). Of him, the house of Apple has not been watching, and just last year  he hired Desi Ujkashevic, Ford’s longtime manager , who ha

Paper supports everything and with this premise, the Bulgarian designer  Alieno  has presented his latest creation. The  Unum an electric hypercar that has some elements worthy of science fiction, and that wants to reach the market as the fastest and most powerful on offer. Interestingly, this is not the first time we have heard of Alieno. In 2018 they were already showing signs of life with the announcement of the  Arcanum. Another was a hypercar that promised  to completely revolutionize the landscape of high-performance thanks to a 5,150 hp propulsion system that would propel it up to 488 km/h. We don’t know if it has reached that speed, but we do know that it never made it to market. Now Alieno tries it again with a new design that changes its exterior appearance, clearly taking inspiration from the works of Lamborghini. The bodywork is full of creases, air intakes, and weird-looking aerodynamic components. Without a doubt, the absence of the A-pillar is striking, which suggest

Currently getting a new electric car usually involves a large outlay and a long wait. And is that the lack of components is impacting the delivery times of many models. Something that is animating  a second-hand market  where  electric cars and hybrids  are flying from dealerships and ad pages, with the Tesla Model Y as the fastest-selling in the American market. According to the latest data for June, a Model Y that reaches the second-hand market needs just  24.9 days to find a new owner . Less than a month. Something that has a lot to do with the 9 months that new orders for the Tesla SUV have to wait. But the list allows us to see that the demand for  electric and hybrid cars  is still high, and among the top 10 classifieds there are 7 electrified models, with 4 representatives of pure electric cars (BEV). In addition,  the electrified occupy the first six positions , since behind the Model Y is the plug-in hybrid version of the Toyota Prius, with 25.1 days before being sold, the

Bentley  currently has a couple of plug-in hybrids, the Flying Spur and the Bentayga. It’s a start. In 2026, Bentley will only give its customers a choice between plug-in hybrids and its first electric model, culminating in an exclusively electric range in 2030. Regarding what we already knew, the first electric model will be delayed a few months, although it will debut anyway in 2025. Adrian Hallmark, head of Bentley, denied rumors that Volkswagen Group  software  problems are behind this delay, although he has not explained why. If we stick to its version, it is a question of development, carried out together with Audi:  «We are in the middle of the process, which is demanding because we have to do pre-development work that we never had to do in other programs . “ The same is going to happen with the first car of the Audi Artemis project, reserved attribution sources confirmed to Automobilwoche that it will be delayed until the end of 2026. The crux of the matter is the  hardware  

After a short summer break for its update, the  Tesla factory in Germany  has returned to activity with two shifts and updated and optimized equipment. Something that, according to rumors, will allow the American brand to accelerate its pace again and achieve short-term objectives. Since this past Monday, Tesla workers have returned to their posts again to carry out  1,500 Model Y units per week . Something before the increase in personnel for the end of this summer will allow us to move on to the next step. One of the problems that were slowing down progress was found in the low production efficiency of the Giga press. A huge machine that produces the rear part of the structure from a single piece. But according to internal information, this process meant a waste of up to 60% of the materials used, which had to return to the foundry or be discarded. Now, the update of the  Giga Press  has allowed, according to the same sources, to  reduce the loss rate to only 10%.  Something that

Tesla  demanded from a customer a payment of   $4500  to return   80 miles of range  to his Tesla Model S. And the most curious thing is that it was Tesla herself who  took away the autonomy  of the customer when passing through his workshop. All this has its origin in the way of proceeding that Tesla had several years ago: they mounted  larger batteries  in their cars, but they were  limited by software  to simplify the production process. Back in the day,   Tesla  had much  simpler  production processes. The Tesla Model S 40, for example, was a Tesla Model S with  a 60 kWh battery  but limited by software to offer just   40 kWh of capacity . They did this because in this way the cars were manufactured in series with the same battery, to have a simpler and faster production. But customers were sold exactly as much capacity as they had purchased. And while that  ended many years ago , that practice continued for  warranty replacements  for batteries that were no longer in production.

The users of thermal vehicles became the  mockery of the users of electric cars  due to the recent  rise in prices  that has affected both  gasoline  and  diesel . However, we all know that the price of electricity, in the context of the energy crisis we are experiencing, has also risen in price. So the  prices of refills  have not been long in coming.  Iberdrola, Zunder, Weena,  and a few others have already set new  higher prices. In recent months, it has been common to find publications on social networks of electric car users  laughing at drivers  of  diesel and gasoline  vehicles. The rise in fuel prices has led to paying more than 2 euros for each liter of fuel, and it seemed funny to some. But yes, indeed, the  energy crisis  is similarly affecting everyone. And while the price of electricity has also risen sharply,   electric car charger operators  have taken action and  raised charging prices . Prices of charging stations Zunder  has already informed its users of a   30% in

A few days after the announcement of the   Project24 supercar  based on the road MC20, Maserati throws a high bomb by publishing on its official web channels a couple of photos of a racing variant of its mid-engined model, intended for participation in  the Fanatec GT2 European Series Championship  from 2023. It is called  MC20 GT2  and is built, again, from the  production MC20 , which proved to be an excellent starting point for designing more exclusive and high-performance models. Specifically, the MC20 GT2 is a car dedicated exclusively to circuit racing and you immediately notice it, starting from the exterior, where much of the bodywork  has been redesigned , focusing on aerodynamics and mechanical cooling. In the front area there is a large carbon fiber  splitter, a bonnet with large air vents, and large slits on the fenders.  The profile features  18-inch aluminum wheels  with a single center nut fitted with slick tires. Then we find racing-style mirrors, with the quirk of  th

The next  Audi A3  will be electric, it is not a novelty, but it is worth remembering. But it will not only be electric, it will also be a propulsion model and not a front-wheel drive, also having all-wheel drive versions by having two motors, one for each axle. It is curious to see how the arrival of electricity to the automobile will make certain things return, such as propulsion, abandoned by a huge number of manufacturers decades ago, in favor of front-wheel drive. But let’s leave aside which wheels will move the car, because now that matters little, and let’s go with other questions. The next generation of the Audi A3, already converted into an electric car, is expected to be ready by 2026 or 2027 and will be based on the Volkswagen Group’s SSP (Scalable Systems Platform) architecture, the same one that will be released with the launch of the next Volkswagen ID.4 sedan, which is currently under development under the internal name “Project Trinity”. It will also support an Audi mo

The new  Porsche 911 GT3 RS , one of this year’s most anticipated super sports cars, will finally make its debut on  August 17th . We saw it in prototype form, we waited for it for months, but now there are only a few weeks left until the  vernissage  and she showed off in her  black livery during a shakedown on the track . With the confirmation of the presentation date, the last doubts about the arrival of the car are cleared, which will be  the most “racetrack” 992 model ever  and which is positioned one step higher than the GT3. The announcement was accompanied by a photo of the car and some images on the official social networks, although prototypes  have been immortalized  in the past during dynamic testing. As can be seen, the bodywork has been revised in numerous components and will include a new splitter,  a new hood with larger air intakes , the unique louvers on the front fenders, roof-mounted fins, and extra deflectors behind the front wheels. and rear that leaves some of

As the production of electric cars increases, the number of  batteries that will be recycled  as the last step in the value chain, and back again, increases in the future. The company of JB Straubel, a former director of Tesla, is going to invest 3,500 billion dollars over 10 years for its recycling gigafactory in Reno (Nevada, USA) very close to Tesla’s Gigafactory 1. Today it is under construction. The production targets for recycled batteries are very ambitious if we take into account that in 2021 they recycled 6 GWh of batteries. By 2025 there will be 100 GWh, 16 times more, or what is the same, batteries for a million electric vehicles if we take into account that each one will carry about 100 kWh in its entrails. Recycled batteries are just as good as those made from “virgin” materials. Even more ambitious are the goals for 2030, 500 GWh, which following the same rule of thumb, leads to a volume of batteries for five million electric vehicles.  That will still fall short of man

The acceleration figures from 0 to 100 km/h of some electric cars are beginning to enter the terrain forbidden to hypercars. With the thermal motors, it was not at all easy to obtain impressive figures from 0 to 100 km/h, 3 seconds or less, but with the delivery of torque from the electric motors, things change. The differences appear more from 0 to 200 km/h, or from 100 to 200 km/h, but they are fewer commercial records. Christian von Koenigsegg, responsible for the brand that bears his surname, spoke about it on the Top Gear Magazine podcast. The manufacturer is working on an electric hypercar that will have heart-stopping performance, but models like the Tesla Model S Plaid or the Porsche Taycan Turbo are there in numbers (at least in a straight line). Traditionally, in the most radical sports cars, just 20 kg can make a big difference. Koenigsegg said that in electric cars 20kg less can help, but doesn’t make much of a difference:  “It’s hard to do, and you should do it if you ca

Today a new electric prototype  MINI Concept Aceman  has seen the light. A proposal that allows us to rethink the design language thanks to electrification that gives new lines that allow us to offer families with great differences between them, but maintaining the differential philosophy of the British brand. At the moment the  Concept Aceman  is a design exercise so there are no official launch dates or technical characteristics. Only a sample of the design and where the main novelty is that we are not talking about a gigantic SUV of five meters and three tons. And is that the Aceman is a compact SUV. It’s just  4.05 meters long  places it slightly above the BMW i3, but about 20 centimeters beyond the Mini Cooper. Therefore, we could say that it is placed halfway between this and the Mini Countryman, which means practically expanding the family without stepping on other proposals. With this proposal, BMW has reinterpreted the classic division into three volumes of bodywork, the wi