+++ BYD has launched the updated Seal sedan, featuring cutting-edge SiC ((Silicon Carbide) technology and an 800 Volt platform. The electric sedan now includes a Lidar sensor mounted on the roof, a first for BYD, which enhances its Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) functions. It is built on the e-Platform 3.0 Evo, the same platform used for the Sealion 07. The vehicle features a 1.200 Volt SiC control system and a high-performance 23.000 rpm motor with a maximum speed of 240 km/h and a 0-100 km/h acceleration in 3.8 seconds. It uses CTB (Cell-to-Body) battery integration technology, an advanced wide-temperature heat pump system, enabling a 10%-80% charge in just 25 minutes. The updated Seal offers 2 battery options: 61.4 kWh and 80.6 kWh, providing a WLTP range of 400 km to 480 km. The base model features a 228 hp rear-motor variant, while more powerful versions include a 308 hp option. The top trim offers 523 hp with all-wheel drive. The 2025 Seal benefits from an upgraded chassis that features BYD’s Disus-C system. This enhances the suspension’s overall adaptability, stability, comfort, and handling. The 4-wheeldrive variant also includes this advanced damping control system. The new model retains the current dimensions (4.800 mm in length, 1.875 mm in width, 1.460 mm in height and a 2.920 mm wheelbase) ensuring its design and size continuity. Design updates are subtle. The Seal now features a redesigned interior. It has a distinctive 4-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel and BYD’s large central floating control screen, which can conveniently rotate. The interior includes a minimalist center console with physical buttons, hidden airconditioning outlets, and wireless charging pads. All models come standard with 13 airbags and a head-up display. The sedan now includes a Lidar sensor that enhances its ADAS functions. This addition significantly improves the vehicle’s autonomous driving capabilities, integrating with the L2+ level DiPilot 300 system. This system includes high-speed and urban Navigation on Autopilot (NOA) and Automated Valet Parking (AVP) features. Since its launch domestically in China, the original Seal has been unable to crack the top-10 bestsellers list. It remains to be seen that this refreshed model can break this trend. +++
+++ Auto sales in CHINA faltered in July, slipping 5% from a year earlier, the China Passenger Car Association said Friday, although exports jumped about 20% as makers of electric vehicles expanded into global markets. Sales of passenger cars totalled 2 million units, with about 1.6 million sold inside China, a year-on-year decline of 10%. Total exports of passenger vehicles jumped more than 20% to 399.000 units. More than half of all vehicles sold were so-called “new energy vehicles”, or electrics and plug-in hybrids. To try to boost demand, the government has expanded incentives to encourage drivers to trade in their older, gas and diesel-fuelled cars and buy EVs. While overall car sales have remained lackluster, sales of EVs rose nearly 30% in July from the year before to about 991.000. Of that total, 887.000 were sold in China and 103.000 were exported. Sales of foreign automakers have stalled or fallen this year, attesting to intense price competition in an oversaturated market. The share of auto sales held by Chinese automakers has been growing quickly and stood at two-thirds of all vehicle sales in July, as sales of their vehicles rose 10%, the report said. Most vehicles sold in China in January-July were priced between 100.000 yuan to 150.000 yuan (about $14.000-$20.500), the industry association said. The largest share of EVs sold were priced between 150.000 yuan to 200.000 yuan ($20.500-$28.000). Chery Automobile, SAIC and Geely still export more vehicles, and most of them conventional fuel engine models, than EV makers like BYD and Tesla. But the latter are quickly gaining in the market. BYD exported 31.000 EVs and hybrids in July, while Tesla’s exports totalled 28.000, the report said. In the first 7 months of the year, BYD exported 2.38 million EVs, to Tesla’s 1.76 million, it said. The lion’s share of China’s auto exports this year went to Russia, the report said, citing customs figures. Russia imported 478.000 Chinese-made vehicles in the first half of the year, nearly all of them with conventional internal combustion engines. Mexico imported the second most, at 226.000, followed by Brazil, with 171.000. +++
+++ HYUNDAI showcased an array of distinguished features of the automaker’s newest battery-electric vehicle the Casper Electric (to be sold as Inster in Europe), including the automaker’s latest technology that can prevent sudden acceleration incidents. Named Pedal Misapplication Safety Assist, or PMSA, the new technology automatically controls the vehicle’s speed when the driver floors the acceleration pedal suddenly from a standstill if there is an obstacle within one meter away from either the front or rear side of the car. According to Hyundai, PMSA becomes activated if the acceleration pedal is pressed fully in less than 0.25 seconds. It only works when the steering angle is 430 degrees or less and the car is on the ground inclination of 25 degrees or less. Once PMSA takes over the control of the vehicle, the EV’s actuating force gets close to zero. If the car’s distance from the obstacle reaches 60 centimeters or less despite the PMSA’s initial efforts to slow down the car, a second measure kicks in to activate the hydraulic braking system to prevent a collision. While PMSA controls the EV, a warning message would appear on the cluster along with warning sound alerts to advise the driver to press the brake pedal. After the driver puts a foot on the brake pedal, PMSA deactivates. “Hyundai will continue to develop advanced safety technology for pedal mishandling to pre-empt safety issues”. a spokesman said. “Furthermore, we plan to create an environment where older drivers and novice drivers can feel safe when driving”. Noting that the European New Car Assessment Program’s Acceleration Control for Pedal Error will take effect in June next year, the automaker said it will craft upgraded PMSA 2.0 in accordance with the new regulation. To secure the maximum driving distance per charge of 315 kilometers, Hyundai extended the Casper Electric’s wheelbase by 180 millimeters compared to the internal combustion engine model. Of the added 180 mm, 80 mm was used to create more legroom for the rear seats while the remaining 100 mm expanded the luggage space by 47 liters to 280 liters in the trunk. The EV is measured at 3.825 mm in length, 1.610 mm in width and 1.575 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2.580 mm. The Casper Electric’s 49 kWh nickel, cobalt and manganese (or NCM) battery can be charged from 10 percent to 80 percent in 30 minutes using a 120 kW class charger. The automaker also applied its latest technologies and used enhanced materials to manage the car’s noise, vibration and harshness, better known as NVH in the automotive industry, a measure of how much unpleasant aural and tactile feedback the car gives to the driver when driving. “While developing the Casper Electric, an entry-level EV, Hyundai Motor did not stop agonizing over research and development in order to achieve marketability and completeness beyond the competition”, the spokesman said. “Hyundai plans to add momentum to its electric transformation strategy through the Casper Electric, which will be introduced in the global EV market”. +++
+++ KIA will start mass-producing its next key strategic electric vehicle, the EV4, next March, aiming to drive early popularization of EVs with the affordable addition, according to the company. The carmaker initially planned to start production of the vehicle in 2024 but has adjusted the timeline due to falling EV sentiment triggered by a temporary demand stagnation before widespread adoption. The EV4 will stand at the forefront in driving the carmaker’s EV sales along with the EV3 compact SUV. The EV3, launched in May this year, received a strong initial market response. According to data from the carmaker, sales for the EV3 came in at 1.975 in July, the highest among any other EVs manufactured by domestic carmakers. The EV4 will compete with Tesla’s Model 3 in a similar segment. Kia set an annual production target of 70.000 EV4 vehicles. The carmaker also aims to produce more than 150.000 EVs (both the EV3 and EV4) annually at its production line in Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province. “Kia will take the lead in popularization of EVs with the two key EV models”, Kia CEO Song Ho-sung told reporters earlier this year. The EV4 will be the carmaker’s first EV sedan powered by its much-touted electric global modular platform, or E-GMP. The vehicle will share the same platform used in the EV3. Kia has so far focused on launching electric SUVs on customers’ growing demand for SUVs rather than sedans. But the company aims to add the sedan model to build a complete EV family line-up. The EV6 is one of the carmaker’s major EVs, and the company also launched its largest electric SUV, the EV9. The company has yet to disclose any specifications for the upcoming EV model, but it is widely expected to generate a similar performance to the EV3. The EV3 long-range model can drive up to 105 kilometers on a single charge. The vehicle also boasts a rapid charging time. It takes only about 30 minutes for the EV3 to be charged from 10 percent to 80 percent with a quick charger. Kia is also set to launch its EV5 all-electric mid-sized SUV next year. +++
+++ A lot has been said about the MERCEDES-AMG C 63 S and GLC 63 S shifting from 8-cylinders to 4-cylinders, and not much of it has been positive. However, according to the Australian boss of Mercedes-Benz, consumers will eventually come around to the idea and embrace AMG’s small-capacity, electrified age. Both the new C 63 S and GLC 63 S share the same powertrain. It consists of a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder churning out 476 hp and supplemented by a 204 hp electric motor. All up, the duo delivers 680 hp and 1.020 Nm of torque, remarkable gains over their respective predecessors. This means they’re much quicker, but many have been quick to criticize the lack of soul and character the plug-in hybrid has compared to the old V8 models. During a recent interview, Mercedes-Benz Australia boss Jaime Cohen said he doesn’t have any qualms about the switch to a 4-cylinder. “Slowly that will develop and I don’t feel at all any reservations”, he said. “I think it will still be a successful vehicle. I don’t think there is an issue, it’s a transition, and transitions always take time and always take some convincing and experience. It’s about performance. It would be a problem if we could not deliver the same performance with the plug-in hybrid powertrain, but once you drive it you see the performance is there”. Cohen used the example of Mercedes ditching manual transmissions and the eventual acceptance of its automatic boxes as evidence that buyers will eventually come around to the idea of 2.0-liter AMG models. “I still love manual transmissions, if you ask me I would buy one. But the market developed and the market changed”, he noted. “When we first moved not everyone was convinced about our automatic transmissions. But eventually now… everyone has one”. While the new plug-in hybrid powertrain is significantly more powerful, and vastly more fuel efficient than AMG’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, we remain unconvinced Mercedes made the right decision. We’re living in the final era of the combustion engine and select carmakers have proven it’s still possible to build big gas-guzzling ICEs chock full of character which are supplemented by electric motors. AMG should have done the same. +++
+++ Public anxiety about electric vehicles (EVs) has reached a peak after a MERCEDES-BENZ EQE , fitted with a battery made by a lesser-known Chinese manufacturer that customers have labelled as unreliable, unexpectedly exploded last week, even though the vehicle was not being charged. The German automaker is quickly losing customer trust following the recent incident. Concerns are mounting over the credibility of the problematic nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) battery produced by Farasis Energy, which has been identified as a key issue. The NCM battery produced by the Chinese company has been associated with several safety issues. In April 2021, China’s BAIC recalled some of their EVs equipped with Farasis Energy’s NCM batteries due to potential fire risks. Battery firms such as LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI use NCM batteries, whereas Chinese companies are primarily concentrating on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. Premium EVs manufactured by luxury carmakers are typically equipped with NCM batteries, which offer the advantage of longer mileage compared to LFP batteries. However, LFP batteries are more affordable and are therefore more commonly used in less expensive EVs. Some have speculated that Mercedes-Benz might have sourced batteries from the Chinese firm, especially since the German carmaker’s largest and second-largest shareholders are Chinese companies. BAIC, for instance, holds the largest stake, with a 9.97 percent share in the German automaker. However, industry officials argued that it is unlikely Mercedes-Benz engaged in such practices due to its governance structure. “For carmakers, the top priority is to receive stable supplies from multiple partners”, an official at a rival carmaker said. “Automakers design the details of the batteries used in their EVs and inform the battery manufacturing partners accordingly. There is typically a defect rate associated with any product. So it is premature to conclude that all batteries from the Chinese firm are defective”. The official also said Mercedes-Benz should have responded more swiftly after the EQE fire incident. +++
+++ Last month’s MG took us by surprise with the S5. The car was previously unknown and shows a new compact all-electric SUV from the brand, which is likely to launch in the Chinese market soon. The car is likely destined for the European market too. The S5 is likely the successor to the ZS, which has been in production since 2017. The car has dimensions of 4.476, 1.849, and 1.621 mm (length x width x height) and the wheelbase is 2.730 mm. It should be noted that the MG ZS has a length of 4.323 mm. The S5 is powered by a rear axle-mounted 125 kW electric motor sourced from United Automotive Electronics. This is the same motor used in the single-motor version of the MG 4 and there is almost certainly quite a strong relationship between the 2 models. The MG S5 is likely based on the same platform and may well even have the same sized battery packs as the MG 4, which currently offers a choice from 51 and 64 kWh. The car will use lithium iron phosphate battery packs assembled by SAIC’s venture with CATL. The lower spec version of the S5 weighs 1.615 kg and the heavier higher spec version 1.685 or 1.740 kg, depending on equipment level. Top speed is 170 km/h. The MG S5 is available with 17- and 18-inch wheels. Options include a panoramic roof and various wheel and mirror options. The MG S5 has a similar layout of its dashboarc as the MG 4. There is a small LCD instrument panel, a dashboard-mounted infotainment unit, and a squared steering wheel. At the front, the MG S5 has a classic X shape with slender headlights and a lower air intake. The bottom has a split grille design similar to that of the MG Cyberster. A wave-like line starts on the front wing and makes its way to the rear of the car. At the rear, there is a through-type tail light and a generally clean look. Chinese sales should begin before the end of the year. It is likely that the car will need to have a different name for sales in Europe, where the S5 badge would probably cause problems with Audi. In Europe, the car might well inherit the ZS name if the car is indeed an EV replacement for the first-generation SUV. +++
+++ STELLANTIS is warning union workers that it could lay off as many as 2.450 of the 3.700 people employed at a truck plant just outside of Detroit. The job cuts would be at the Warren Truck Plant, which builds an older version of the Ram 1500 pickup called the Tradesman, sold mainly to commercial businesses. The company came out with a new version of the truck in 2018, and for the 2025 model year there’s a new Tradesman. It’s likely that job cuts will be lower than the that because of early retirement offers that are under way already, and due to seniority bumping rights, said Stellantis spokeswoman Jodi Tinson. Stellantis is shifting production of the new Tradesman to the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in Sterling Heights. So the company will lay off 1 shift of workers at the Warren facility. Tinson says the layoffs could begin as soon as October 8. +++