+++ A new joint venture established by BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis will build a new North American ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING NETWORK on a scale designed to compete with Tesla’s industry-benchmark Supercharger network. The 30.000-plus planned new chargers will accommodate both Tesla’s almost-standard North American Charging System (NACS) and existing automakers’ Combined Charging System (CCS) options, effectively guaranteeing compatibility with the vast majority of current and upcoming electric models, whether they’re from one of the involved automakers or not. “With the generational investments in public charging being implemented on the Federal and State level, the joint venture will leverage public and private funds to accelerate the installation of high-powered charging for customers. The new charging stations will be accessible to all battery-powered electric vehicles from any automaker using Combined Charging System (CCS) or North American Charging Standard (NACS) and are expected to meet or exceed the spirit and requirements of the U.S. National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program”. Critically, the automakers involved will have a say in how the charging tech is implemented, guaranteeing that the hardware will play nicely with each automaker’s in-house charging systems. Hyundai and Kia, for example, were hesitant to jump on board the Tesla NACS bandwagon earlier this year over concerns that the Supercharger network is insufficient for powering the 2 automakers’ 800 volt charging systems; similar tech is used by Volkswagen and Porsche. In addition to providing much-needed capacity and high-output charging for America’s growing fleet of electric cars and trucks, the new network will integrate seamlessly with each automaker’s in-app and in-vehicle features, rather than forcing customers to use third-party tools and payment systems, as is the case with some existing public charging infrastructure. “The functions and services of the network will allow for seamless integration with participating automakers’ in-vehicle and in-app experiences, including reservations, intelligent route planning and navigation, payment applications, transparent energy management and more. In addition, the network will leverage Plug & Charge technology to further enhance the customer experience”, the announcement said. Stations will be built first near major metro areas and transit hubs, then along highly trafficked commuter and vacation routes. They will be “focused on customer comfort and charging ease, the stations will be in convenient locations offering canopies wherever possible and amenities such as restrooms, food service and retail operations either nearby or within the same complex. A select number of flagship stations will be equipped with additional amenities, delivering a premier experience designed to showcase the future of charging”. The JV partners say that they intend for the energy sourced for the new chargers to be 100% renewable. Tesla currently operates 40.000 Supercharger charging stalls worldwide. The first joint-venture chargers are expected to open in the U.S. in the summer of 2024; more will follow in both the U.S. and Canada. +++
+++ I’ve heard at least a few different theories about the potential revival of the HONDA S2000 . Unveiled in its final production form in April 1999 to celebrate the Japanese firm’s 50th anniversary, the front-mid engine open-top sports car was a great sales success for Honda with more than 110.000 units delivered to customers during its 10-year production run. According to a new report, the automaker now wants to replicate this formula and has plans to celebrate its 75th anniversary with an ideological successor to the S2000 for the new era in the automotive industry. The magazine says it has information from “industry insiders at the company”, according to which Honda is preparing a small electric sports car. Take this hint with a grain of salt, but the publication claims the company will use its new e:n electric vehicle architecture as a base for its new product, which will be one of about 30 new EVs Honda is set to launch by the end of the decade. The battery-powered S2000 successor could also wear Type R badges and Honda’s technical consultant explains why. “Type R stands for racing. It’s pleasure transported. An electric car can deliver this, and a Type R is not obliged to use a combustion engine. Even in a fully electric society, there will still be Type Rs delivering ultimate driving pleasure”, Kotaro Yamamoto told the publication. The report doesn’t provide more details about the new electric sports car, though. The S2000 was offered with a 2.0- or a 2.2-litre petrol naturally aspirated engine with different outputs depending on the model year and the market. The most powerful version was the JDM 2.0-litre model with a peak power of 252 hp. However, a naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder engine seems very outdated by today’s standards in the industry and the model’s successor will reportedly rely on a fully electric powertrain. During its first year on the market in 1999, the S2000 had a stiff price and a very limited options list. The automotive market is very different now and we expect its modern-day successor to cost at least twice more in its base form. Car speculates that the model will likely be more expensive than the MG Cyberster, which is expected to start at around €70.000 in the Netherlands at launch. Of course, this is just an assumption the publication makes based on a statement made by Rebecca Adamson, Head of Automobiles for Honda UK: “While we cannot compete with Chinese manufacturers on price, we have 75 years of engineering experience”. +++
+++ Land Rover is on a roll, but it’s been awhile since we’ve heard from sister company JAGUAR . The company is concocting yet another turn-around plan, and recently-appointed CEO Adrian Mardell provided several details about what’s in it. The chief executive conceded that mistakes have been made. “Jaguar was incredibly successful 25 years ago, before we took the compromises and the decisions we made”, he explained. He stopped short of providing specific details but pointed out that Jaguar’s best days have been “lost within Ford Motor Company data”. If you need a crash course in Jaguar history, Ford bought the brand from British-Leyland in 1990 and sold it to India-based Tata in 2008. Mardell, who joined Jaguar Land Rover in 1990 and watched the group embark on a roller-coaster ride, sees big potential for growth on Ford’s home turf. “There are 20 million millionaires in the United States alone. So, a lower volume and a higher price positioning is absolutely the right position for Jaguar today”, he opined. In contrast, Jaguar has largely aimed for mainstream segments in recent years. Jaguar’s master plan calls for moving upmarket to fight in the same arena as Bentley and Porsche. As of writing, most buyers and journalists consider Jaguar an alternative to brands like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, and its current portfolio reflects this positioning: The XF competes in the same segment as the 5 Series, for example, while the F-Pace goes head-to-head against the GLC. Moving upmarket is easier said than done, and there’s no word yet on precisely how Jaguar will pull it off. We know that it’s starting from scratch; it canceled the new XJ months before the big sedan’s unveiling. One of the models being designed to jump-start the brand is an electric 4-door GT that will cost about €120.000 in the Netherlands when it goes on sale in 2024. Looking further ahead, the brand will continue to expand by launching 2 additional electric models. Their design will “split opinion”. “What we will not worry about is being loved by everybody, because that is the kiss of death. That is what put Jaguar in the situation it is in today, which is with no equity whatsoever”, outspoken JLR chief creative officer Gerry McGovern recently told a group of investors. How the brand distributes its cars will change as well. JLR is in the process of splitting up into a big group; Jaguar will remain on its own, while Land Rover will get broken down into 3 brands called Range Rover, Discovery and Defender respectively. Lennard Hoornik, the group’s chief commercial officer, told that Jaguar will adopt a different business model to sell its cars, though he stopped there. He also added that Jaguar plans to open brand-specific “boutiques” in key locations. +++
+++ LAMBORGHINI has already announced the Urus will gain a charging port at some point in 2024. Until then, the company is keeping busy with the pure ICE version you can’t actually order anymore since the entire production run has already been sold ahead of schedule. There’s still a lot of testing that needs to be done for the electrified version, and our spies have now stumbled upon a prototype at work. It had quite a few changes, inside and out. Compared to the current Urus S and Urus Performante, the PHEV has a mildly updated centre console with a new look for the air vents and different shortcut buttons between the 2 screens. We’re being told the lower display is slightly bigger and there are likely changes to the driver’s display to show the PHEV-related information. The trim on the door cards and dashboard is being freshened up from what we can tell. Stepping outside the prototype, there are more significant changes since the headlights have a new shape and different graphics. Despite the camouflage, it’s obvious the Urus PHEV will have a redesigned front bumper, a prominent rear spoiler and possibly updated taillights. The high-performance SUV will retain the quad exhaust system and will get neon green brake calipers by the looks of it. As to what will power it, the twin-turbo V8 is likely to stay, joined by an electric motor. For what it’s worth, Porsche is working on a PHEV V8 Cayenne with over 700 hp and 900 Nm of torque. The 2 high-end SUVs are not only mechanically related by riding on the MLB Evo platform, but they’re also built in the same place at the VW Group’s Bratislava plant in Slovakia. Logic tells us the Lamborghini will have the edge given its positioning in the hierarchy and the significant premium a Urus commands over the Cayenne. Further down the line, the folks from Sant’Agata Bolognese have already announced the second-generation Urus will be out around 2029 as a pure EV. +++
+++ More information has been revealed about the new MINI COOPER EV , this time outlining the car’s all-new infotainment system following the reveal of the car’s cabin design. Mini says the new 3-door-only Cooper Hatch boasts a new Operating System 9 software set-up that handles infotainment and other elements of the driving experience through the ultra-slim 9.4-inch round OLED display that dominates the car’s dashboard. The new tech has been developed in-house by the brand, with the system based on Android software, opening up a new world of personalisation potential and feature availability to owners. First up is Mini’s Experience Modes set-up, which the brand says delivers an “immersive driving experience”. Basically, these driving modes tune the use of LED light throughout the cabin (including projections on the fabric dash top if the light projector is specified) to alter the feel of the cabin based on the mode selected. This is teamed with new sound signatures that enhance the experience, according to Mini. Core is the default mode and is linked to new driving sounds that can be heard both inside and outside the new car, the latter helping to warn pedestrians. Think of Go-Kart mode like Sport in some of Mini’s competitors. This not only tweaks the car’s dynamic response, but also changes the interior LED lighting to anthracite and red, giving a sportier feel. The central display (called the Mini Interaction Unit) shows a racier-looking speedo readout, while there’s a different projection on the dash top. The sound signature for this setting is marked by a “pronounced pitch and fall”, Mini says, to mark the more agile and dynamic behaviour of the car. Next up is Green, which focuses on efficiency, dulling the car’s accelerator response, changing the ambient LED lighting to the colour you’d expect and showing animal animations on the screen to highlight the level of driving efficiency achieved. Mini says the Balanced mode and soundscape “is based on the noises heard in a forest at different times of the day and night, from the rippling of a stream and the chirping of crickets to the rustling of the wind in the treetops”. Yes, really. Timeless mode gives a depiction of a classic Mini speedo on the screen and serves up a sound that blends the aural signature of the original car’s A-Series engine and the exhaust note of cars such as the Mini GP with the basic sound of the Core mode. Mini says Vivid mode focuses on the presentation of media content, such as the cover artwork of music being played, while there’s also a Personal setting where users can upload a background photo of their choice; the system will then detect the main colour from the picture and extend this across the screen to better integrate the image. There’s also a new intelligent personal assistant, which can be activated by saying “Hey Mini”, either taking the form of a stylised version of a Mini, or Spike, a dog-like character. Occupants can ask the car what the weather is like at a certain destination or tell the car they’re hungry or want a coffee. The new OS9 tech will then call up recommendations for food and drink the area. More importantly maybe, the system can also show charging stations along a given route if asked. The sat-nav system will also focus on charge-optimised routing in electric Mini’s, drawing on live data of charging stations along the chosen route to help maximise energy and time efficiency. The sat-nav map can also be displayed in the centre of the screen, while the edges of the Apple CarPlay projection are sampled to extend the view across the entire area of the round screen for iOS users. Android Auto capability is also included, but due to technical factors, this only displays in a rectangular box on the circular screen. Mini tells us that there will also be some ‘Easter eggs’ dotted around the infotainment system, with these surprise and delight features being key to the way every Mini feels. There’s a 3D head-up display mounted in front of the driver, as well as a new multi-function steering wheel, which is similar to that used in some BMWs when it comes to the shape and button layout, while drawing on other tech from its sibling brand the new Cooper will also offer digital key capability on compatible Apple, Google or Samsung smartphones. Returning to the new car’s steering wheel, it’s ostensibly a 2-spoke wheel that features a third spoke made a tensioned fabric, adding a little more design flair. One of the buttons mounted on the wheel is for Mini’s new voice control system, although this can also be activated with a voice prompt and used to control many of the car’s new features. I sat in the new car at a preview event in Germany. The driving position is sporty, as you’d expect from a Mini and despite the battery mounted in the electric version’s floor. The trademark ‘panoramic’ view forwards framed by the upright windscreen’s A-pillars remains and visibility is good. With the Mini Cooper moving to a 3-door-only line-up, access to the rear is not the easiest and once you’re sitting back there legroom is compact, but headroom is fine. Given that the Mini EV has been designed with one eye on use in urban areas, at least it helps keep the footprint small. +++
+++ PORSCHE has a plan to gradually electrify its car lineup so that electric vehicles make up 80% of sales by 2030, and it aims to make its iconic 911 the only internal-combustion engine model left standing, a top executive said. The German luxury automaker’s plans have been closely watched, including by environmentalists, because of its investment in e-fuels and push for the EU to allow sales of such vehicles after 2035. Porsche, which had not previously outlined plans to ultimately have only one combustion-engine model, is seen as closely associated with e-fuels because of an investment in Chilean energy company HIF Global. The automaker will electrify its Macan, followed by the 718 and then the Cayenne, Porsche e-fuels team leader Karl Dums said. The 911, accounting for 13% of sales in 2022, is the exception. “Our strategy in the first place is switching to electric mobility and we will produce the 911 as long as possible with a combustion engine”, Dums said. Porsche’s EV plans and e-fuels investment are separate, he said. E-fuel is made from captured carbon dioxide and renewably produced hydrogen: when it burns it re-emits CO2, which proponents say makes it carbon-neutral. HIF Global’s e-fuel is more aimed at the aviation industry and heavy vehicles, as passenger cars will almost all go electric, Dums added. Automotive and business experts said e-fuels will be used only in niche, high-end models. Major automakers will likely avoid new e-fuel models after 2035, having already committed $1.2 trillion to electrification. By comparison, e-fuel startups (focused mostly on aviation fuel) have attracted less than $1 billion in investment, according to Pitchbook. Like Porsche, Ferrari pushed for an EU e-fuels exemption (which has yet to be finalized) but still says 80% of its models will be electric or hybrid by 2030. A host of smaller carmakers also want to sell luxury, high-performance e-fuel models to customers rich enough to afford the expensive fuel, which today can cost up to 12 euro per liter. +++
+++ The all-new PORSCHE PANAMERA has been in development for a while, with our first sightings taking place early in 2022, but now fresh images have revealed more about the sporty four-door from Porsche, suggesting a full unveiling is in the offing. We’ve seen several variants testing and the latest prototype looks to be the sporty Turbo model with a few performance-oriented tweaks. I expect the new, third-generation Panamera to go on sale in 2024, given the current model having launched in 2016 and been facelifted in 2020. At the front there’s Porsche’s signature quad daytime running lights within a rounded unit and a revised bumper design with larger air curtains (the less sporty model we’ve previously seen has smaller intakes). The headlight cluster will be thinner for a more similar face to the Taycan. Another Taycan-inspired tweak will come in the form of the air vent behind the front wheels. Instead of the dual-vent design of the current car (which is stickered on this test car), it’s actually just one large vertical opening, just like the Taycan’s. Previous prototypes have featured centre-locking wheels, items usually reserved for Porsche’s sports cars, although this one has more conventional lugs. Behind the wheels sit huge drilled brake discs and six-piston calipers up front. At the back is a quad exhaust system, similar to those of current Panamera Turbo models. The car has shed some of the camouflage used on previous test cars, showing vertical creases to the side, a new diffuser section and full-width rear light bar. The interior of this development car is covered too, indicating that a cabin update could be on the cards. Porsche won’t change the general layout too much, but it could take on a similar look inside to the Taycan, employing a revised infotainment and switchgear setup mimicking that of its all-electric sibling. Porsche updated its sixth-generation Porsche Communications Management in 2022 but by 2024 we could see an all-new infotainment system on a fully digital instrument panel. At present, the Panamera uses a partly digital layout, with an analogue rev-counter. The new Panamera will be a new car, but evolutionary against the second-generation model, given the sales success of the all-electric Taycan, now convincingly outselling the combustion and hybrid-powered Panamera. It’s still unclear as to whether the new car will retain the same 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V6 and 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 powertrain options, but we should see the Turbo S E-Hybrid continuing to top the range. +++
+++ The recovery of the car industry in the UNITED KINGDOM continues apace, as local production surged 11.7% over the first half of 2023, with June confirmed as the fifth consecutive month of growth. Some 450.168 cars left British factory gates from January to June, up from 403.131 in the same period last year. June alone accounted for 84.767 units, an increase of nearly 12.000 cars. It was the best first half for British car production since 2021 and demonstrates (according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) that “manufacturers were increasingly able to manage global supply chain challenges, notably the shortage of semi conductors, that had constrained production since the pandemic”. The increase has mainly been driven by a 13.6% increase in cars built for export, which account for 80% of the industry’s output, but production for the domestic market was up 4.5%, too. The SMMT emphasises the importance of “safeguarding” the bilateral trading relationship between the UK and the EU, given the latter is both the primary source of imported vehicles and the UK’s largest export market, with 59.5% of all Brit-built cars heading across the Channel. That figure is a reminder of “the need for a quick and positive outcome to discussions on forthcoming changes to the rules of origin requirements for electrified vehicles and components”, the SMMT said. Chief executive Mike Hawes told reporters “the relationship between the UK and EU is paramount, especially as you get towards the import and export of electric cars”; a subject of much consideration as the industry grapples with the onset of potentially punitive ‘rules of origin’ from 1 January 2024. Meanwhile, production of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery-EVs increased 71.6% to 170.231 units, meaning more than a third of all cars built in the United Kingdom so far this year have been electrified. While car production is on the increase, output still languishes far below pre-pandemic levels; in the first half of 2019, the most recent full year of ‘normal’ production unimpeded by lockdowns and supply chain shortages, the United Kingdom produced more than 666.000 cars, and even that was down 20.1% on the year before. That decline takes into account the closure of Honda’s factory in Swindon in mid-2021 and the end of Opel / Vauxhall Astra production at Ellesmere Port last year, but the SMMT says it also points to the “opportunity for UK car makers to recover if a globally competitive business investment environment can be assured”. The SMMT hopes that yearly output can come close to the 1 million-unit mark in 2028, projecting a final tally of 860.000 units by the end of this year. The news comes just a week after JLR parent company Tata made the landmark announcement that it would build an EV battery factory in the United Kingdom; a lifeline for the domestic car industry, which previously faced an uncertain future without a local power supply for the electric cars it must produce. Hawes acknowledged “all the positivity” around the latest production figures and Tata’s investment in the United Kingdom, but cautioned against complacency: “The key thing for us is: how competitive are we to grow the industry here, attract new entrants and so forth? The biggest obstacle is energy costs, which people will cite. We’re still having to pay up to twice as much for energy as in many competitive investment locations. In a recent survey, 9 out of 10 firms said that was our number one issue. Obviously, it’s receded a bit in the past few months, but as you get in towards winter, there is concern about the impact, and that is an issue that is outside our control. Clearly, what we need is a level playing field”, Hawes summarised. Hawes also cited impending changes to the British trading mechanisms as a significant potential issue facing the sector. “Brexit isn’t done”, he reminded reporters. “We still have a range of regulatory uncertainty, but also the trading uncertainty, and probably the most important issue is the rules of origin, which have the potential to levy a 10% tariff, not on petrol cars, nor on diesel cars or vans, but only on pure-electric vehicles, which would be doing exactly what you don’t want when trying to transition the market”. The SMMT is in talks with its European equivalent, the ACEA, on the subject of pushing the roll-out of these new rules back to 2027, but, said Hawes, the European Commission remains “unpersuaded”. +++
