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Showing posts from May, 2023

Volvo shared information about the EX30 before its unveiling

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The Volvo EX30 will be a subcompact-sized electric SUV based on the automaker’s latest dedicated platform. At the same time,  Volvo  unveiled the EX90 last fall in Sweden, it also gave us a taste of yet another electric utility. It had no name at the time, but if you compared it to the  EX90  parked next to it, you could see that it was a very small model. We learn today that it will bear the name  EX30  and that the manufacturer intends to unveil it on June 7th. Until then, Volvo shares some information with us. The big and the small The press release that Volvo sent us on the EX30 does not give much, apart from a few images of its silhouette, its headlights, and its dashboard. Volvo has confirmed, however, that it will be a subcompact electric SUV. The manufacturer, therefore, seems to start with the biggest and the smallest to present its new electric offensive. We can therefore deduce that this small SUV will eventually replace the XC40 within the range. Remember that the Geely

Tesla Model Y became Europe’s best-selling car in Q1 2023

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In April, electric cars and SUVs have been responsible for the ninth month of market growth. Precisely, an electric SUV leads the accumulated sales. Vehicle registrations in Europe grew  by 16% in April , to reach  960,191  units sold, and add up to the ninth consecutive month in which sales have increased in the Old Continent, driven by high  demand for electric vehicles  and a record share  SUV  market. Registrations increased by 16%, being the ninth consecutive month of increase, while the Dacia Sandero was the ‘top’ sales. This is how the data from the consultancy  Jato Dynamics  reveals it, which links the results “directly” with the relaxation of pressures in the supply chain, which has increased the availability of new cars. The consultant highlights the “growing demand” for electric vehicles, which represented  13%  of total sales with some  126,000 registered vehicles . In addition, SUVs added some 492,000 units sold, reaching the highest market share in its history,  51.3%

Porsche is working to extend the range up to 1,300 km

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Porsche is committed to optimizing current batteries to achieve almost impossible range and reduce recharging times to 15 minutes. Electric cars are the future, nobody disputes it. For this reason, the race for the development and improvement of its components is unstoppable. One of the elements that arouse the most interest is undoubtedly the batteries because not only the performance of the vehicle itself but also its useful life and price depend on them to a great extent. To this day, lithium-ion batteries dominate the current market and, although they are becoming more sophisticated, they can still be further optimized. Precisely, Porsche participates directly in projects to improve its load capacity, safety, and useful life, through the Cellforce Group and Group14 Technologies.  “Pure lithium is the ideal active anode material in terms of energy density,” says  Stefanie Edelberg , Battery Cell Specialist Engineer at Porsche Engineering. “However, for safety reasons, graphites ar

Top 10 Compact SUV of 2022

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An SUV is no longer a rarity on our roads, quite the opposite because the relatively new category of compact SUVs is enjoying great popularity. So it’s not surprising that almost every car brand has at least one in its range. We have summarized the top ten compact SUV models for you. What matters to customers when they decide on a compact SUV? It’s all in the mix! It is the combination of compact dimensions, higher seating position, good overview, and space suitable for everyday use that makes the compact SUV the perfect companion – and not just for families. Audi Q4 e-Tron Audi is not satisfied with just one electric model – customers can marvel at eight different fully electric Audis. One of them is the  Audi Q4 e-Tron . As Audi’s first electric compact SUV, the car already has a place in the annals, but of course, the car can still be something more than just the first. Customers can choose between three engines, with a range of at least 338 kilometers. In addition to the high

MG renews its electric cars to offer the cheapest price

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Most Chinese electric car manufacturers have come to Europe to offer  high-end  models to show that their build quality and reliability are not below European ones. In this strategy it is difficult to fit one of the qualities by which they want to distinguish themselves from traditional manufacturers:  price . In this context,  MG is an exception . Its electric range developed very quickly and has found its place in the market with the premise of offering  the best value for money . Its sales have increased by 66% so far this year and forecasts indicate that it will reach 120,000 units throughout Europe by the end of 2023. However, the British brand, now owned by the Chinese group SAIC, does not want to rest on its laurels and it already plans the  complete reorganization of its range by the end of 2024 , three years before going on to become a 100% electric brand in 2027. The last one to arrive receives a new version The MG4 is the most important electric car in the range and it ha

Volvo’s new electric SUV will have 25% less carbon footprint

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Manufacturing an electric car has a higher carbon footprint than an equivalent combustion car, due to the emissions generated to manufacture the battery, although they are later offset during use. However, Volvo is ready to overthrow that premise with its next electric car, the  Volvo EX30 . The Swedish brand wants to set a historic precedent with an electric car that will have a lower carbon footprint than any other Volvo manufactured to date. The Volvo EX30 will be the brand’s smallest and most economical electric model, an SUV designed for cosmopolitan life in the city. That does not mean that Volvo is going to give up the values ​​that it has always boasted about (rightly), since the small EX30 will incorporate all the technological and safety advances of the brand. The other key is that Volvo has aimed for the EX30 to have a  lower lifetime CO2 footprint than any other Volvo vehicle made to date , even accounting for emissions from battery production. The company will reduce the

The replacement for the Nissan LEAF will be on the roads in 2026

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The story of the  Nissan LEAF   began in 2008 when Nissan announced its plan to develop an affordable and practical electric vehicle. It reached the Japanese and American markets in 2010, receiving a very positive response and becoming one of the best-selling electric vehicles worldwide. It can be considered an electric car ahead of its time just over a year ahead of the  Tesla Model  S . However, time does not pass in vain and all this baggage has not served him to remain at the top of the sales lists. Although its second generation improved remarkably in all areas, its commercial life is coming to an end and Nissan is paving the way to  say goodbye:   it has already started working on its spiritual replacement. The Nissan management has not decided on the continuity of the model name. The first information seems to indicate that its successor will not be presented as a third generation of the electric compact, but that it will be  a completely new vehicle,   specially designed “for

This report reveals where Tesla’s next gigafactory will be

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The North American electric car firm continues to look for new regions to establish its gigafactories to build electric cars.  Now, as Reuters  has published, the next target could be India, where Tesla has already suffered some ups and downs with its government. Now it seems that they are beginning to understand each other. Tesla has gone through several setbacks with the Indian government in recent years. The last one was last 2022 when the brand requested the elimination of the car import tax to be able to market them at an even lower price. At that time, the leaders were strongly opposed. The solution they offered was clear: if Tesla wanted to eliminate that tax, it had to build its vehicles within its borders.  Faced with this proposal, Tesla initially argued that, before setting up a production plant in Indian territory, it had to prove how well the local market worked with imports and, for this, it needed the elimination of the aforementioned tax. Negotiations between both pa

KIA wants to be a leader in a different electric vehicle market

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The Korean firm continues to develop its range of “specially designed electric vehicles” (PBVs), anticipating how many it will sell by 2030. KIA wants to continue being one of the best-selling vehicle companies among individuals. Now, their vision for the future also includes new mobility alternatives. To do this, they will seek to position themselves as the world’s leading company in the so-called  “specially designed electric vehicles”  (PBV, for its acronym in English). But what exactly are these types of vehicles? The PBVs are vehicles that the brand offers the client with a minimum level of elements so that it is the user himself who adds specific components to make it better adapt to the work he is going to perform. First of all, KIA hopes to open up a market in the freight delivery and transportation industry, as well as the taxi industry. As we have already mentioned, these will be manufactured exclusively under personal order, which will allow customers to satisfy their needs

Mercedes Shared Its Electrification Road Map

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Mercedes continues with its electric strategy that also applies to the family of industrial vehicles, based on a new platform that has just been presented. It is nothing new when we say that Mercedes has ambitious plans for the total electrification of its fleet. And when we refer to its fleet, we mean all of it,  cars and vans . Although the strategy is going slower than expected, a few days ago the CEO announced the one-year delay and the strategy is moving forward. The industrial section will follow the same steps, although due to its special characteristics, it must offer a personalized structure. Mercedes has just presented the  VAN.EA platform , a versatile and modular base on which all of the company’s industrial models will revolve from 2026. It is already a year since the Germans took a significant step forward in their goal of electrification. The Mercedes E-Class will be the last passenger car to be designed in the old-fashioned way, that is, with a platform for thermal veh

Stellantis halts construction of battery factory in Ontario

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Stellantis and LG Energy Solutions accuse the federal government of not respecting its commitments in the agreement between the two parties. Investments by major manufacturers and governments in the energy transition are huge and transform the entire economic climate of a nation. We can see this with the recent announcements by manufacturers to set up assembly plants in Canada to help build electric vehicles. We remember that Volkswagen recently received the green light from the government for a project in St. Thomas, Ontario. However, unlike Volkswagen, which will only build cells for batteries there, the Stellantis plant, located in Windsor, will build cells and modules, which seems to cause problems. Indeed, we have just learned that the manufacturer is not satisfied with its agreement with the government in this regard. Back to negotiations Stellantis and its partner, LG Energy Solutions, announced on May 12 that they wanted to halt construction of the plant until the government

Maserati announces the end of production of V8 engines

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The transition to electric motor vehicles will have got the better of the V8 engine at Maserati. Production will end during the year. The automotive world is currently in transition, and large displacement engines will go under the knife, in the majority of cases. Several manufacturers have already made announcements to this effect. Today, as part of the  Motor Valley Fest  taking place in Modena, Italy,  Maserati  announced that it will phase out the  V8 engine  from its vehicles after 2024. A new era It was in 1959 that the very first Maserati equipped with a V8 engine was born. However, 64 years later, the manufacturer sounded the death knell for 8-cylinder engines in its vehicles. Indeed, Maserati has just announced that it will cease production of the latter, during the year 2023, but that the manufacturer’s vehicles equipped with this engine will remain on sale during the year 2024. This therefore means that the possibility of having a V8 engine in the  Levante , Ghibli and  Qu

New Tesla Model 3 gave small details for its interior

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Little by little we are learning new details about the renewed Tesla Model 3. Based on the images, its launch seems imminent, although there is still no official presentation date. The arrival of the Model 3 to the Tesla fleet was a true turning point for the American company and electric mobilization around the world. Converted into an internationally successful saloon, its next generation will present much more profound changes than expected.  Its bodywork will change and its interior too . Until now it had not been seen, but now, thanks to an indiscreet video, we can take our first look at a cabin that will have interesting news. Under the internal code of Project Highland, the renovation of the Tesla Model 3 started many months ago. Submerged in the most absolute of secrets, the development has been shown fewer times than usual, but little by little we are discovering new and revealing details. Even though its sales are still very high, Tesla must  update its midsize saloon before

Toyota announces 10 new electric cars for everyone

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It was the last days of 2021 when  Akio Toyoda , former CEO of Toyota, presented a whole wave of electrical products in society. The Japanese brand has been accused of being conservative and excessively slow in its electrification strategy. With impressive growth potential, the coming years are especially lively with a flurry of new products. During a shareholders meeting, Toyota confirmed that its launch schedule will intensify soon. The year 2026 appears especially relevant thanks to the arrival of  several outstanding models . After a change in the leadership of the corporation, now under the command of  Koji Sato , Toyota redirects its efforts to expand the family of electric cars, although that does not mean that the Japanese lose sight of other systems such as hydrogen or hybrids themselves. With several open fronts, Sato has to recover from a path that has not started on the right foot that everyone expected. The  Toyota bZ4X  is the company’s first global electric aimed at the

First look at Ford’s most affordable family electric car

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The electric Ford E-Tourneo Courier shows its front shortly before its presentation. In a few days, all its secrets will be revealed. Ford’s line of electric vehicles is only growing. And it does so beyond the two best-known models in its range, the Ford Mustang Mach-E, an electric SUV that has made a very good impression in all markets, and the   F-150 Lightning , an electric pick-up that triumphs in the United States and will soon travel to Europe. However, the “zero emissions” range extends much further, with commercial vehicles or multipurpose vans for transporting people, professional work, and leisure. A new alternative will soon join this catalog: the   Ford E-Tourneo Courier. The official presentation of the model and all its details is scheduled for  next May 15 . The company’s most affordable European van will present, in addition to its new 100% electric mechanics, a renewed image, although with elements already seen in the Ford E-Transit Courier, its cargo and commercial t

Tesla Scares Toyota With its Electric Vehicles

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Although Toyota dominates the ‘top 10’ of global registrations with an iron fist, Tesla is gaining a strong presence thanks to its electric cars. According to data from Jato Dynamics, Toyota RAV4 was the best-selling car in the world in 2022, with 1.01 million units delivered globally. It was closely followed by the Toyota Corolla Sedan with around 992,000 registered vehicles and the Tesla Model closed the podium with 747,000 copies sold. “It’s a historic moment not only to see a pure electric vehicle so close to the top position but for a relatively new brand to rise so high in the world rankings, particularly given that they are not the most affordable vehicles,” said the global EV analyst. Jato Dynamics  Felipe Muñoz  in reference to Tesla. The fourth place in the table of the best-selling vehicles in the world last year was held by the Honda CRV (733,000 units), followed by the Toyota Camry (673,000 units), the Toyota Hilux (632,000 units), the Nissan Sentra (566,000 units), the

The Toyota bZ4X is renewed and now has more range

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Toyota’s first mass electric car is not meeting expectations. The manufacturer has decided to update it to improve its range. No one has ever said that beginnings are easy, but there are times when things go awry more than they should. After receiving criticism from the four cardinal points, Toyota has been half forced to apply an electric strategy that it had always avoided. The Japanese had argued that their hybrids are a real solution to a real problem and that they  would not make electric cars  until they were viable for everyone. However, in an attempt to speed up the process, the bZ (Beyond Zero) range was launched on the market with the  Toyota bZ4X  as the first unit. And things are not going as expected. Presented in October 2021,  Toyota’s first electric SUV was here to change the landscape . With a strategy of 30 electric launches before the end of the decade, Toyota wanted to bang on the table and discover its enormous potential. Everything depended on the good reception