American electric vehicle (EV) start-up Lucid Motors has announced that it will reveal the Air – a luxurious saloon capable of 235mph – in production form at the New York motor show in April. First revealed in prototype form in December 2016, the Air is positioned as a rival to the Tesla Model S as well as conventionally… Continue reading Lucid Air: 235mph EV to be launched at New York motor show
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
New Sono Sion solar car to be built at ex-Saab factory
German EV start-up Sono Motors has raised over €50 million (£42.5m) through crowdfunding, which it will use to produce the Sion, a solar electric vehicle (SEV). The Sion will be built by National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) at its factory in Trollhättan, once home to now-defunct manufaturer Saab, with production set to get underway in late… Continue reading New Sono Sion solar car to be built at ex-Saab factory
Jaguar I-Pace to join nationwide NHS fleet
A new deal between Jaguar Land Rover and the NHS will see 700 I-Pace electric SUVs made available for healthcare staff across the country. The cars will be available on a three-year lease plan via Northumbria Healthcare NHS Fleet Solutions for personal and business use, and paid for by employees via salary sacrifice. The I-Paces… Continue reading Jaguar I-Pace to join nationwide NHS fleet
UK Government doubles funding for EV infrastructure
The Department for Transport (DfT) will double its EV charger funding to £10 million, with a focus on residential chargers, as it seeks to encourage more urban dwellers to go electric. This is the second time the Government has doubled its EV infrastructure funding allowance; last August, £2.5m was allocated to the installation of EV chargers in… Continue reading UK Government doubles funding for EV infrastructure
Volkswagen ID 4 SUV to be revealed at New York motor show
Volkswagen‘s next ID production model, the ID 4 crossover, will be revealed at New York motor show in April. The new EV will retain many of the same exterior themes as the ID Crozz concept car, which was first shown in 2017. The electric crossover-style SUV will be an important part of the VW ID… Continue reading Volkswagen ID 4 SUV to be revealed at New York motor show
Under the skin: The quest for perfection in EV battery tech
Not long ago, big powertrain news involved the launch of new engine plants like JLR’s Engine Manufacturing Centre. Now the attention has switched to battery manufacturing and the best way to produce lithium ion batteries for EVs. Some, like Tesla, keep schtum about the precise details, but lithium ion EV batteries all have the same… Continue reading Under the skin: The quest for perfection in EV battery tech
Next-gen Range Rover Sport to be make-or-break model
For plug-in and hybrid models, power to the rear wheels will be provided by an electric motor. On the road its torque-vectoring capabilities will greatly improve agility, while off road the ability to finely feed torque to the rear wheels also promises another step-change in capability. While the 2021 Range Rover is said to get… Continue reading Next-gen Range Rover Sport to be make-or-break model
Bugatti’s boss on Chiron variants, profitability and autonomous cars
The industry is incredibly fast-paced right now, but does Bugatti operate in a separate bubble? Our day-to-day struggles are completely different to a premium car brand. But the challenges of the future are touching us, such as digitalisation or electrification, if we look into a wider model range. It would be a given for a… Continue reading Bugatti’s boss on Chiron variants, profitability and autonomous cars
Next-gen Toyota GT86/Subaru BRZ on the way with more power
The next-gen sports car will feature some substantial changes from the existing model. While the original was built on a Subaru platform, the firm’s current architectures are not suited to rear-drive cars, so Autocar understands the new model is set to be built on Toyota’s TNGA platform. While Toyota underpinnings will be used, Subaru is… Continue reading Next-gen Toyota GT86/Subaru BRZ on the way with more power
Volkswagen T-Cross gains new range-topping petrol engine
Volkswagen has added a new, range-topping turbo petrol engine to its T-Cross compact SUV. The 1.5 TSI 150 is the most powerful unit yet available in the Nissan Juke rival. Transmitting its power through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, it enables the T-Cross to cover 0-62mph in 8.5sec. This represents a significant 1.7sec gain on the previous… Continue reading Volkswagen T-Cross gains new range-topping petrol engine