LEC Team, Author at Learn Electric Cars

Hyundai Ioniq 7 Electric SUV Spied Testing Ahead of June 27 Debut

The Hyundai counterpart to the already successful Kia EV9 is prepping for its official unveiling at the Busan Auto Show next month. Hyundai Ioniq 7 electric SUV will be the first 3-row BEV from the Korean auto giant. It is the production version of the Hyundai Concept SEVEN showcased back in 2021. Utilizing Hyundai’s recognized E-GMP architecture, the large SUV was seen testing on roads in its domestic market wearing a thick camouflage. The debut is slated for June 27 at the 2024 Busan Motor Show. The production will commence at Hyundai’s Asan plant in South Korea. I was able to squeeze out some design details from the latest spotting. You might also like: Hyundai To Launch New EV Brand In China; Plans 5 EVs In 3 Years Hyundai Ioniq 7 Electric SUV – Design I encountered the spy media on the Autospy portal. While the camouflage covers the body of the 7-seat EV, the front fascia reveals a split-LED headlamp setup. It includes LED DRLs on the bonnet bifurcating the headlamp cluster into two halves and another vertically-oriented LED headlamp unit on the bumper below. This layout bears a resemblance to the Concept SEVEN. On the sides, I find this alloy wheel design rather similar to what regular ICE Hyundai cars wear. I don’t believe this pattern will be carried forward to the production-spec version. That will likely have a design which will aid the aerodynamics of the electric SUV. In fact, we have seen such alloy wheels on the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6. The side profile even showcases large windows, flush-fitting door handles, black side pillars and a slightly sloping roofline toward the rear. Coming to the tail section, we experience a unique appearance with a boxy silhouette, and interesting LED taillamps which appear to cover the edges of the entire bootlid including the vertical section on the sides and a horizontal section on the top. Overall, the Hyundai Ioniq 7 will offer its distinct identity with a road presence unlike anything else. Hyundai Ioniq 7 Electric SUV – Specs While there have been no official announcements just yet, I expect it to share the powertrain options with the Kia EV9. The latter gets either a 76.1 kWh or a 99.8 kWh battery pack. In the most powerful dual-motor AWD settings, the EV9 makes a healthy 378 hp and 700 Nm of maximum power and torque. The official driving range is a decent 349 miles (562 km) as per WLTP. The 350 kW DC fast charging and 800-volt system allow recuperation of 154 miles (248 km) of range in just 15 minutes. In the regular single-motor RWD version, the peak power and torque are usable 200 hp and 350 Nm. Just like the EV9 GT, the Hyundai counterpart could see an N version down the line. More details will be revealed closer to the launch. Specs (exp.) Hyundai Ioniq 7 Battery 76.1 kWh or 99.8 kWh Drivetrain RWD / AWD Power 200 hp (RWD) / 378 hp (AWD) Torque 350 Nm (RWD) / 700 Nm (AWD) Range 349 miles (562 km) [WLTP] Platform E-GMP Charging 350 kW DC, 800-volt – 24 minutes (10-80%) Expected Specs You might also like: Kia Electric Pickup Truck Spied Testing, Looks Inspired By EV9 Learn Electric Cars Says I believe the Hyundai Motor Group is smartly crawling toward the top of the EV industry with its current products. I don’t need to tell you that electric cars from Hyundai and Kia have been immensely popular across the globe in the last couple of years. In fact, this is validated by the fact that they have bagged some prestigious awards from critics. In addition to that, the monthly sales of these EVs are a testament to how well the customers have embraced them. EVs like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Kia EV6 and Kia EV9 and becoming popular among the masses. Going forward, the Hyundai Ioniq 7 is about to join this list. Since it will largely share components, powertrains and features with the EV9, the chances of its success are high. I shall keep an eye out for more information about the Ioniq 7 as and when it appears. However, I must admit that things look positive for Hyundai’s iteration of the EV9.

Kia Electric Pickup Truck Spied Testing, Looks Inspired By EV9

5 Comments / EV News / By LEC Team

After the resounding success of the Kia EV9 7-seat electric SUV, the Korean auto giant is planning to give a shot to the electric mid-size pickup truck segment. The upcoming Kia electric pickup truck is finally on the road, albeit wearing a thick camouflage. Videos of the EV have surfaced online. This comes after Kia gets closer to launching its first pickup truck, the Tasman. But the electric pickup truck, which looks inspired by the design philosophy of other Kia EVs, will become the second pickup from the Korean car marque. I don’t think it will aim at competing against the likes of the Tesla Cybertruck and Rivian R1T in terms of performance. Therefore, it could lock horns with legacy pickups like the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet Silverado EV and Ram 1500 REV. You might also like: 2025 Kia EV6 Gets A Bigger Battery And More Range Kia Electric Pickup Truck – Design This video has been uploaded by KindelAuto on YouTube. The 2-minute-35-second-long video captures the mid-size electric pickup truck on the highways in the U.S. Interestingly, the video takes notice of the EV from every angle thoroughly. Look closely and you will even be able to spot the trademark matte blue colour of the EV9. At the front, the camouflage lets you peep inside at the LED DRLs and LED headlamp setup which remind us of the EV9. Furthermore, the taillamps seem to be borrowed from the Hyundai Santa Cruz. Still, I expect these elements to change slightly in the production-spec model. There are not enough details about the specifications of this electric truck just yet. But what could be intriguing to experience is the next-gen EV platform from Hyundai. This platform will likely offer more range at a more affordable price. For reference, the existing EV9 has an EPA-estimated range of 304 miles (489 km). Also, the price tag is an attractive $54,900. You might also like: Kia EV3 Teased Ahead of May 23 World Premiere Learn Electric Cars Says Hyundai Motor Company is aggressively focusing on expanding its global footprint. This strategy is also applicable to its sub-brands – Kia and Genesis. Apart from preparing global models, they are ensuring that they cater to all major market segments too. In fact, Kia has announced plans to launch 2 EVs every year and complete the lineup by 2027. Going by this logic, we can expect up to 8 new EVs by the end of 2027 if we start counting from 2024. Also, since SUVs have been the flavour of the season for most international markets in the last few years, Kia is focusing on this segment along with its derivatives like pickup truck space. Pickup trucks are excessively popular in markets like the U.S., Australia, the Middle East, Canada, etc. Going forward, we are bound to see more electric pickup trucks. This trend is already taking shape in the U.S. Therefore, Hyundai’s commitment to cater to the evolving trends could be the key to the conglomerate’s success in times to come.

Ford F-150 Lightning Outsells Tesla Cybertruck and Rivian R1T Combined

Ford F-150 Lightning Outsells The Next 3 Electric Pickup Trucks Combined in Q1 2024

6 Comments / Featured / By LEC Team

The Q1 of 2024 showed some pretty interesting sales statistics with one electric pickup truck dominating the field. The Ford F-150 Lightning managed to outsell the next three electric pickup trucks combined for the first quarter of 2024. The F-150 has unequivocally been the highest-selling pickup truck in the U.S. for over 4 decades. These are some staggering facts. It sure seems like its electric counterpart is replicating that popularity in the eco-friendly mobility realm. It was able to decimate the competition which included the likes of Tesla Cybertruck, Rivian R1T, Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Hummer EV. You might also like: Tesla and BYD Have 34% Share of Global Q1 2024 EV Sales Ford F-150 Lightning Electric Pickup Dominates Sales Charts As per S&P Global Mobility data, Ford managed to register 8,589 units of the F-150 Lightning in Q1 of 2024. This marks a significant 51% growth in comparison to the same time last year. In total, Ford sold 20,223 EVs in Q1 of 2024 including 9,589 units of the Mustang Mach-E. Staying with electric pickup trucks, Tesla dispatched 1,791 units of its futuristic Cybertruck in this same time period. It is intriguing to witness how customers responded to the Cybertruck in the first few months of the launch. Social media has been full of reviews and incidents of people with the Cybertruck since its launch back in December. The other prominent player in this space is Rivian with its R1T pickup truck. In Q1 of 2024, the American startup sold 1,786 units of the R1T. Unfortunately, this marks a decline of 56% in sales in comparison to Q1 of 2023. Finally, the Chevrolet Silverado EV, despite its established success and popularity in the ICE guise, was only able to secure a rather disappointing 803 units in Q1 of 2024. Out of these, 319 came in March itself. Furthermore, the GMC Hummer EV sold only 192 units in March 2024. These statistics confirm the sheer dominance of the Ford F-150 Lightning despite the buzz created by the Cybertruck and others. Apparently, the familiar silhouette and legacy of the iconic truck still have its charm. Model Sales in Q1 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning 8,589 Tesla Cybertruck 1,791 Rivian R1T 1,786 Chevrolet Silverado EV 803 Sales of Electric Pickup Truck in Q1 of 2024 You might also like: Ford Will Have Hybrids In Every Segment – Ford CEO Jim Farley Learn Electric Cars Says This sales data reveals some pretty interesting trends in the EV industry in the U.S. While a lot of people, particularly outside the U.S., might think that Cybertruck has been insanely popular due to its social media presence, the sales charts show a different picture. The veteran F-150 moniker is reigning supreme even in this electric age. Going forward, there seem to be no reasons for a significant shift in this trend, at least in the near term. F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E continue to rake in the numbers on the EV sales charts. It would be interesting to see how other international markets shape up once EVs face mass adoption. In any case, we shall keep an eye out for more such details in this regard.

2025 Kia EV6 Gets A Bigger Battery And More Range

14 Comments / EV News / By LEC Team

The wildly successful Kia EV6 has been updated for the model year 2025 with aesthetic, as well as performance enhancements. The 2025 Kia EV6 has been updated in the domestic market with a bigger battery pack and improved range. As is the case with every mid-life facelift, there are visual enhancements to set it slightly apart from the current model. Additionally, there are some new features on offer to make the already compelling EV even more enticing. Note that the current update is applicable to the Korean and Australian models. But the EV6 will get refreshed in other parts of the world, most likely, by the end of this year. You might also like: Kia EV9 GT Will Boast 0-62 mph Time of 4 Secs, Debut in January 2025 2025 Kia EV6 Gets Bigger Battery and More Range The 2025 Kia EV6 now gets an 84 kWh battery pack, replacing the familiar 77.4 kWh unit found in other EVs under the Hyundai Motor Group umbrella. While the EPA or WLTP range figures elude us at the moment, the 2025 Kia EV6 now offers a range of 494 km (307 mi.) up from 475 km (295 mi.) on the Korean test cycle. For the record, the Korean test cycle is more stringent than the WLTP cycle. Charging this new battery will continue to cost 18 minutes for 10% to 80% using a 350 kW DC ultra-fast charger. Furthermore, the EV6’s frequency-selective dampers now offer better ride comfort after improvement. The motors are now quieter and the body is stronger for more safety. I don’t expect any changes to the specifications. The RWD version will continue to offer 225 hp (168 kW) and 350 Nm (258 lb-ft), while the AWD variant will offer 320 hp (239 kW) and 605 Nm (446 lb-ft) of maximum power and torque, respectively. Specs 2025 Kia EV6 Battery 84 kWh Drivetrain RWD / AWD Range (Korean Cycle) 494 km (307 mi.) Power (RWD / AWD) 225 hp (168 kW) / 320 hp (239 kW) Torque 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) / 605 Nm (446 lb-ft) 350 kW DC Fast Charging 18 minutes (10% to 80%) Specs Interior and Features The cabin of the 2025 Kia EV6 also bears some improvements over the outgoing model. There is now: 2025 Kia EV6 Price The official launch will take place in Korea next month but the prices are out. The starting price for the Light variant is 55.4 million Korean won (approx. USD 40,500), while the range-topping GT-Line will retail for 63.15 million Korean won (approx. USD 46,100). The variant-wise pricing is as follows: Variant-Wise Price Korean Won USD (approx.) Light 55.4 million $40,500 Air 58.24 million $42,500 Earth 62.52 million $45,700 GT-Line 63.15 million $46,100 Variant-Wise Price You might also like: Kia EV3 Teased Ahead of May 23 World Premiere Learn Electric Cars Says The Kia EV6 is a prominent electric car which has already gained a lot of applause from critics and owners alike. The Hyundai Motor Group is taking giant strides toward accumulating mass customers from all across the globe. In fact, the EV6 and EV9 are doing a great job at the moment. The upcoming EV2, EV3, EV4 and EV5 in the next few months promise to attract mass market. Exciting times lie ahead for EV enthusiasts in general and Kia loyalists in particular.

EV Battery Production in Europe Could Lower Carbon Emissions

EV Batteries Made in Europe To Be 60% Less Carbon Intensive Than Chinese – Study

5 Comments / Featured / By LEC Team

This staggering number becomes valid when renewable electricity is used. Even without that, the Europe-made EV batteries will emit 37% less carbon emissions than the Chinese. A detailed study by Transport & Environment (T&E) concludes that Europe-made EV batteries will be significantly more carbon scarce than China-controlled supply chain. That is a bold claim amidst concerns regarding over-dependency on China for the EV supply chain. We know that China controls a vast majority of production of battery components. This also includes manufacturing raw materials and minerals needed to create a Lithium-ion battery. You might also like: U.S. Could Ban or Restrict Chinese Connected Vehicles Europe-Made EV Batteries 60% Less Carbon-Intensive Than China The study mentions that even using the current European grid, the carbon emissions could be reduced by 37%. This is equivalent to 133 Mt CO2 by 2030 in comparison to China. This number shoots up to 62% if we consider using renewable energy sources. Furthermore, Europe can become self-sufficient in battery cells by 2026, and manufacture most of its demand for key components (cathodes) and materials such as lithium by 2030. Unfortunately, over half of gigafactory plans in Europe are at risk of either facing delays or cancellations. Thankfully, this number was over 66% last year. Hence, progress has been made in this direction. Still, a lot of government intervention is needed. The industrial policy blueprint should include maintaining the investment certainty (via the 2035 clean car goal). With regard to securing gigafactory capacity since last year, France, Germany and Hungary have made the most progress. In France, ACC started production in Pas-de-Calais last year while plants by Verkor in Dunkirk and Northvolt in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, are going ahead thanks to generous government subsidies. Finland, the UK, Norway and Spain have the most production capacity at medium or high risk due to question marks over projects by the Finnish Minerals Group, West Midlands Gigafactory, Freyr and InoBat. This report also mentions that securing other key EV battery components is an even bigger challenge due to China’s influence and the EU’s nascent expertise. Europe could potentially produce 56% of its total cathode demand which is a critical component of a battery by 2030. By the same time, the EU could also fulfil its demand for processed lithium and secure between 8% and 27% of battery minerals from recycling within the region. You might also like: Tesla and BYD Have 34% Share of Global Q1 2024 EV Sales Learn Electric Cars Says With the number of EVs growing across the globe, issues pertaining to sourcing battery components have become crucial. We have seen the U.S. tax credits depending on where an EV is manufactured in addition to where the battery and its components come from. Going forward, more nations strive to establish their own EV battery manufacturing industries. This will reduce dependence on a single country like China. Apart from that, utilizing renewable sources of energy for production is also a key factor toward going carbon neutral in the coming years. The ambitious goals of carbon neutrality need addressal from all directions. We shall be on the watch out for further developments in this case.

Tesla and BYD Have 55% of Global EV Sales for Q1 2024

Tesla and BYD Have 34% Share of Global Q1 2024 EV Sales

7 Comments / EV News / By LEC Team

The situation is almost similar in terms of global plug-in (BEVs and PHEVs) car sales with these two accounting for over 31%. The global EV sales data for the first quarter of 2024 reveals some intriguing trends. The stats I am about to share with you have been sourced from EV Volumes. It is a reputed organization and is a part of J.D. Power. This portal has gathered data pertaining to the total global sales of pure electric cars, as well as plug-in cars which include BEVs and PHEVs. The two giants, in the form of Tesla and BYD, dominate the sales charts. Interestingly, 5 car marques comprise of over 55% of global EV sales out of the total 2.03 million. You might also like: U.S. Could Ban or Restrict Chinese Connected Vehicles Global Q1 2024 EV Sales The report mentions that the top five car conglomerates/OEMs for pure EV sales for Q1 2024 are – Tesla, BYD, Geely-Volvo, SAIC (incl. SAIC-GM-Wuling) and Volkswagen Group. Together, they own 55% of total EV sales while the rest of the carmakers own the other 45%. The details of each of these groups/OEMs as per car registration data are as follows: Carmaker Sales Market Share (Q1 2024) Market Share (Q1 2023) Tesla 386,825 19% 23.6% BYD 300,124 14.8% 14.7% Geely-Volvo 149,647 7.4% 5.7% SAIC (incl. SAIC-GM-Wuling) 149,290 7.3% 7.4% Volkswagen Group 136,949 6.7% 7.5% Global Sales Data for EVs in Q1 2024 Hawk-eyed among you would instantly notice that there is a significant decline in Tesla sales this year in comparison to the same time period last year. The number of EV sales for BYD and SAIC has remained roughly the same. Only Geely-Volvo has demonstrated healthy growth while the VW Group has also shown some depleting sales. Global Plug-in (BEVs + PHEVs) Car Sales in 2024 Interestingly, the list of top global plug-in car companies/conglomerates also consists of these 5 players only. However, the order is slightly different when we include plug-in hybrid cars. Still, the total number of plug-in cars sold globally in Q1 2024 is just over 3.21 million. Out of these, the top 5 hold over 51% market share. The breakdown of this data incorporates: Carmaker Sales Market Share (Q1 2024) Market Share (Q1 2023) BYD 624,398 19.4% 21.3% Tesla 386,825 12% 16.5% Geely-Volvo 251,106 7.8% 6.1% Volkswagen Group 205,652 6.4% 7.4% SAIC (incl. SAIC-GM-Wuling) 190,409 5.9% 5.5% Global Sales Data for Plug-in Cars in Q1 2024 This time around, BYD is at the top of the list because it sells tons of PHEVs in the domestic market. On the other hand, Tesla doesn’t sell a single PHEV which is why it slides down to the second spot. Still, it is quite impressive to post such numbers solely from pure EVs. Geely-Volvo maintains its third spot. Volkswagen Group overtakes SAIC this time around to clinch the 4th spot. You might also like: VW CEO Says PHEVs Are Necessary Transitional Technology Learn Electric Cars Says These stats unequivocally show that the initial surge of the electric mobility revolution which was resting on the shoulders of a select few car companies is slowly getting distributed evenly. Sure there is still a long way to go. But the market share of the top 5 players has reduced drastically in Q1 2024 in comparison to the same time period last year. That is also evident when we look at new players and more legacy carmakers emerging on the scene. Still, numerous established names in the automobile world are yet to enter the EV race completely including the likes of Toyota and Honda. Apart from that, many new emerging markets will also participate and contribute to global EV sales going forward. The EV industry is still in its infancy in many emerging global markets. Once they start chipping in with sales, the market share will be distributed much more evenly.

39-km-Old Xiaomi SU7 Breaks Down, Repair Impossible

5 Comments / EV News / By LEC Team

The incident happened shortly after the owner took the delivery and commenced driving it on the highway. In a rather shocking turn of events, a brand new Xiaomi SU7 breaks down just after 24 miles (39 km) of driving. The Chinese electronics giant took the world by storm when it launched the supercar a couple of months ago at a fraction of Tesla and Porsche cars’ prices. In fact, Xiaomi bagged a whopping 50,000 orders within 27 minutes of the launch for SU7. Consequently, the waiting times for the deliveries are excruciatingly high. However, a lot of owners who have received the electric car are reporting weird issues with the vehicle. This ranges from suspension failures to electronic glitches. In the most recent incident, the vehicle reported a complete malfunction which is beyond repair. Let us delve deep into the details of this case. You might also like: U.S. Could Ban or Restrict Chinese Connected Vehicles 39-km-Old Xiaomi SU7 Breaks Down According to the detailed report by CarNewsChina, a certain Mr. Wen purchased the EV from Xiaomi Auto Xiamen Xing’an Delivery Center in Fujian Province on May 4. Local Chinese social media was filled with the video of his electric car parked on the side of the road after driving just 39 km. The error on the digital instrument cluster read, “The car is about to stop, please safely pull over and contact the online service center” and “the drive system is faulty and cannot be shifted”. The car couldn’t shift between drive and reverse. After contacting the dealership, the mechanics arrived on the spot but was unable to repair it. Further news reports confirmed that the vehicle had to be sent back to the factory. Mr. Wen asked the dealer for a brand-new car. However, since the already produced SU7s have been allotted to the owners, it would take a long time for the new car to arrive. Therefore, Xiaomi customer service is reportedly negotiating a total refund along with compensation for the expenses he has incurred. Not The First Issue As mentioned previously, this is not the first issue that has cropped up in a Xiaomi SU7. Another recent one highlighted that the Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) was non-operational up to 135 km/h. In fact, Xiaomi acknowledged this problem and announced that it will be fixed after an OTA (Over-the-Air) update. Other issues include inconsistencies in the thickness of the paint, a crash due to a faulty traction control system, etc. You might also like: CATL Unveils World’s First LFP Battery With a 1,000-km Range Learn Electric Cars Says To encounter so many incidents in a new car just a few weeks after the launch is not an ideal scenario for any carmaker. Much worse, these issues have emerged on a car which claims to rival the EVs from Tesla and Porsche. Build quality and usage of top-notch materials are at the core of these companies. If Xiaomi’s first car keeps struggling to convince buyers about its reliability, things could get pretty ugly really quickly. The EV industry is anyway going through a slowdown in China and the USA. With more cases of issues with new electric cars, it will be hard to gain the trust of potential buyers going forward. While we await more details of this case, we can only hope that the Chinese electronics giant takes cognizance of these issues and expedites the matter as swiftly as possible.

U.S. Could Ban or Restrict Chinese Connected Vehicles

11 Comments / EV News / By LEC Team

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo says that the Biden government is ready to take “extreme action” if the probe proves a threat to national security. In a rather surprising turn of events, the U.S. government could consider imposing a ban or restricting the sales of Chinese connected vehicles. The statement by the U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo comes with regard to the probe initiated by the Biden government in February which is investigating any risk to the national security by Chinese cars. The details of this case come from a Reuters report. The White House said in February that Chinese vehicles “collect large amounts of sensitive data on their drivers and passengers (and) regularly use their cameras and sensors to record detailed information on U.S. infrastructure”. Back in November last year, a group of U.S. lawmakers had raised concerns about Chinese companies collecting and handling sensitive data while testing autonomous vehicles in the U.S. You might also like: Canada And Australia Join Hands To Tackle China In EV Battery Tech U.S. Could Ban Chinese Connected Vehicles The issue revolves around the high-tech components modern vehicles come with. These include cameras, sensors, radars, LiDARs, connected car features which possess a huge amount of data of the car owners, etc. Highlighting this, Raimondo said at a U.S. House of Representatives that, “Chinese connected vehicles could be collecting massive amounts of data on Americans, who they are, what they say in their car, where they go to, their patterns of driving.” She adds that the U.S. needs “to take the threat much more seriously” of Chinese connected vehicles and other tech issues. Commenting about the possible measures the U.S. government could take, Raimondo said, “We have to digest all the data and then figure out what action that we want to take. We could take extreme action, which is to say no Chinese connected vehicles in the United States or look for mitigation” including safeguards, guardrails or other requirements. Additionally, the Biden government is separately considering imposing new tariffs on Chinese-made vehicles and officials face new pressure to restrict Chinese EV imports from Mexico. Chinese Foreign Ministry Reacts The discussion around banning Chinese EVs in the United States of America has been going on for a few months now. The U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, during her 4-day visit to Beijing last month, warned the Chinese car companies not to flood its auto market. In response, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Chinese cars were popular globally not because of “so-called unfair practices” but because they had emerged out of fierce market competition and were technologically innovative. You might also like: Hyundai To Launch New EV Brand In China; Plans 5 EVs In 3 Years Learn Electric Cars Says This is quite a complicated global issue. The U.S. is being blamed by the Chinese authorities for excessively politicizing the entire affair. On one hand, Chinese carmakers are struggling to sell cars in the U.S. On the other hand, the companies are flooding other emerging markets with their cost-effective EVs. Going forward, many emerging markets will play a vital role in this electric mobility transition. One could even argue that the Chinese EVs are simply better than anyone else at the price they command. In any case, we will have to wait for the official findings of the probe. Depending on that, the future course of action will be determined. Therefore, we shall see how things pan out thereafter.

VW CEO Thomas Schäfer Says PHEVs Transitional Technology

VW CEO Says PHEVs Are Necessary Transitional Technology

14 Comments / EV News / By LEC Team

It looks like increasingly more carmakers are having to delay their complete electrification plans to incorporate a transitional step in the journey of future mobility. VW CEO, Thomas Schäfer, spoke at the Financial Times Future of the Car conference about PHEVs being the necessary transitional technology to reach the ultimate goal of electric mobility. With this, VW joins the expanding group of legacy car marques who are backtracking on their decision to skip hybrid cars to reach fully electric vehicles. At this conference, Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida and Hyundai President José Muñoz echoed the same strategy. You might also like: CATL Unveils World’s First LFP Battery With a 1,000-km Range PHEVs Are Transitional Technology Volkswagen currently sells hybrid iterations of its popular Golf, Passat and Tiguan cars. Schäfer feels that PHEVs could continue to play a critical role in this transition phase from ICE cars to electric cars for a bit longer than previously anticipated. He also resonates with the latest reports of EV demand “plateauing”. He mentions that when VW was offering the aforementioned models in hybrid avatars, it was frowned upon. But he says, “Now I’m very glad we did. We have an offer and we will probably have to even extend it. It’s a bridge technology. While battery-electric drive is plateauing out a bit at the moment, we still need this transitional technology.” I must mention here that the VW CEO is not backing out of the EV plans as he is “absolutely sure the future is electric”. Furthermore, he confirms that VW will carry on with what it has and will not build a completely new powertrain. Finally, he also elucidates that VW won’t necessarily have a hybrid variant of every model it sells in every part of the world. Instead, the German auto giant will focus on reducing the costs of hybrids while boosting the pure electric range to offer something meaningful to the customers. These two are the top concerns among potential buyers at the moment. Remember, VW hybrid cars are already ahead of most carmakers with a pure electric driving range in the vicinity of 62 miles (100 km). Boosting this range further could be exactly what the buyers are looking for. You might also like: Ford Will Have Hybrids In Every Segment – Ford CEO Jim Farley Learn Electric Cars Says The debate of whether or not hybrids still have a significant future has been brewing for a while now. While many wrote off hybrids as the technology of the past, the recent slowdown in EV sales across major global markets has reignited interest in hybrid cars today. While I am almost fully convinced that the future of mobility is electric, I don’t think that it will arrive as soon as people are anticipating. There are still numerous challenges prevailing around mass EV adoption including range anxiety, charging times, charging infrastructure, material sourcing for batteries, battery recycling, etc. Not to mention, even the governments are slowly reducing incentives to buy electric cars. Hence, it won’t be an easy, brisk or smooth transition. I am of the opinion that hybrid cars are here to stay for the foreseeable future to reduce friction while transitioning from ICE cars to EVs.

Elon Musk Says There’s A Way To Unlock More Range In Tesla Model Y

8 Comments / EV News / By LEC Team

The Tesla CEO announced via X that the higher range can be unlocked by paying an amount of $1,500 to $2,000. Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to his other company, X, to announce that Tesla Model Y owners can unlock more range by paying $1,500 to $2,000. However, he also clarifies that it will depend on the battery cells your EV has. This means that this unlocking of more range is not across the board. Furthermore, he states the owners can experience a bump in range in the vicinity of 40 to 60 miles (64 to 96 km). Tesla is working through regulatory approvals to enable this. You might also like: 2 in Top 5 Used EVs Come From Tesla as Used Car Industry Grows More Range in Tesla Model Y This announcement came in response to a tweet by Sawyer Merritt which mentions that Tesla has launched a brand new Long Range RWD Model Y variant in the U.S. It has a price tag of $44,990 which can go as low as $37,490 after the Federal EV credit. It offers a range of 320 miles (515 km). For comparison, the outgoing Model Y RWD had 260 miles (418 km) of range. But it has now been discontinued. It looks like Tesla wants to earn some extra bucks by unlocking extra range in the discontinued EVs. A certain Ethan commented on this announcement by saying, “Why not just give it for free?”. To this, Musk replied, “We have to pay the bills tomorrow”. This is in line with what has been happening at Tesla lately. We know that Elon had to fire the entire Supercharger team to cut costs. Charging $1,500 to $2,000 to unlock a feature which is already there in a car is also a step in that very direction. You might also like: Tesla Cars Cheapest To Maintain, Land Rover Most Expensive Learn Electric Cars Says It fascinates me to see how well-equipped Tesla cars already are. The technology is so advanced that even the owners don’t know what their EVs are capable of. Moreover, we already know that Tesla offers a myriad of hardware components which support autonomous driving (called the Autopilot in Tesla’s parlance) well before the technology is available. Being the visionary that Elon is, he has kept the provision for the future in the current cars. Hence, knowing that the existing batteries can offer a surge in range is not that alien afte all.

LEC Team

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