Author: Autocar Magazine UK

Geely and Nio partner on battery-swapping tech

Chinese car giants Geely and Nio have announced a partnership that will enable the pair to co-operate on battery-swapping technology. The end goal is to develop battery-swappable electric cars that are compatible with each other’s systems, so drivers of Geely and Nio vehicles could use the same batteries and battery-swapping stations. Nio’s latest Power Swap Stations are… Continue reading Geely and Nio partner on battery-swapping tech

BMW iM3 trademark hints at name for ‘crazy’ electric M3

BMW has filed to trademark ‘iM3’ with the European Union Intellectual Property Office, hinting at the name for the long-mooted electric BMW M3. The super-saloon, arriving in 2027, will use “crazy” chassis control software in a bid to deliver dynamic performance “far above” that of today’s hot BMWs. BMW development boss Frank Weber recently confirmed that the electric… Continue reading BMW iM3 trademark hints at name for ‘crazy’ electric M3

A decade behind EVs and twice the price – but hydrogen isn’t dead

Two recently shared facts from senior car maker executives have revealed the size of the mountain that hydrogen fuel cell EVs have to climb before they can fall in alongside battery EVs.  Both are eye-opening but also from vehicle makers determined to make a go of the technology, not pure battery advocates putting the mockers on a potentially rivalling… Continue reading A decade behind EVs and twice the price – but hydrogen isn’t dead

Autocar magazine 29 November: on sale now

This week in Autocar, we’ve got the lowdown on the replacement for Ferrari’S 812, drive the new Rolls-Royce Spectre on the trail of Henry Royce, ask what the future of petrol stations might look like, and much more. News Ferrari is in the final stages of developing its long-awaited successor to the 812 Superfast, and… Continue reading Autocar magazine 29 November: on sale now

Lotus unveils 500kW electric car charger

Lotus has unveiled an electric car charger that it claims supports charging at rates of up to 500kW. The station has been displayed on the Shanghai motor show floor connecting to a Lotus Eletre electric SUV using a robotic arm, which emerges from an exterior cover and automatically locates the car’s connector. Lotus is yet to confirm whether its… Continue reading Lotus unveils 500kW electric car charger

Mazda-backed AI firm can slash car development time “to months”

Sixteen million pounds of funding has been raised for British artificial intelligence (AI) firm Secondmind, whose tech is claimed to cut a car’s development time from years to months and “create better cars faster”. Using machine learning (AI that teaches itself), the tech can both reduce the amount of errors in design and testing ten-fold. This leads to… Continue reading Mazda-backed AI firm can slash car development time “to months”

Renault Scenic E-Tech

So is the Renault Scenic E-Tech really MPV-like inside? Its 545-litre boot capacity is certainly promising. You open the tailgate to a really deep, squared-off load space that’s complete with a few bag hooks, a 12V charger and cable storage under the floor. The problem is that the floor is a long way down from the… Continue reading Renault Scenic E-Tech

Future cars that will define an era: 2025-2030

Porsche Boxster and Cayman Porsche’s first electric sports car will be the next-generation Boxster and Cayman twins. Testing is currently underway, and Porsche recently confirmed that each model will be built at its Zuffenhausen, Germany, factory on a new ‘flexiline’. This will allow two different generations of the sports car, using two different powertrains, to… Continue reading Future cars that will define an era: 2025-2030