A fast-acting carbon ‘ultra-capacitor’ that could take 30% off the weight of a lithium ion EV battery pack is under development in France. The ultra-capacitor, which is built using carbon and graphene nano-technology, is claimed to store and discharge electrical energy much more quickly than a lithium ion cell. “Our advantage is the speed of charge… Continue reading New ultra-capacitor tech could drastically boost battery EV range
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
Audi halts diesel A6 and A7 deliveries due to software ‘irregularities’
Audi has halted deliveries of A6 and A7 models fitted with its V6 diesel engine after discovering “irregularities” in the unit’s management software. The issue relates to the 268bhp V6 variant of the Gen2 evo engine that’s used in the outgoing A6 and A7. The German transport ministry has now summoned Audi for a formal hearing… Continue reading Audi halts diesel A6 and A7 deliveries due to software ‘irregularities’
Autocar confidential: Honda Clarity FCV, Mercedes-Benz A-Class buyers, electric Citroens & more
This week’s snippets of automotive news include news on Isral being a technology hub, the Honda Clarity FCV, Mercedes-Benz A-Class buyers and Citroen electrification. Israel technolgy hub: The car industry views Israel as a technology hub in the making, according to Skoda’s head of corporate development and digitalisation, Andre Wehner. Moreover, the country is viewed as… Continue reading Autocar confidential: Honda Clarity FCV, Mercedes-Benz A-Class buyers, electric Citroens & more
New Lotus Esprit supercar to hit roads in 2020
Lotus boss Jean-Marc Gales has revealed that two new sports cars are in the pipeline as investment begins to materialise from the company’s new owner, Chinese automotive giant Geely. The two cars will include a new star model, due in 2020, that will sit above the Evora — essentially placing it as a modern-day version of the… Continue reading New Lotus Esprit supercar to hit roads in 2020
Lotus could switch to Volvo powertrains
Jean-Marc Gales expects Lotus to still be using Toyota engines in the immediate future, but the Lotus boss is keen to embrace the powertrain options available from other Geely-owned brands. Such co-operation is most likely to make use of resources developed by Volvo, whose technology is also being used by fellow Geely brands Polestar and… Continue reading Lotus could switch to Volvo powertrains
Pininfarina: why the design house is making an electric supercar
At Palazzo Barberini in the heart of Rome earlier this month, a handful of billionaires, multimillionaires and, tagging along some distance behind, representatives of the world’s automotive press had their first look at a new £1.7 million hypercar. In the imposingly grand surroundings of the 17th-century palace, now repurposed as a fine art gallery, those… Continue reading Pininfarina: why the design house is making an electric supercar
Behind the scenes of a luxury car dealership
It’s not about hard selling. Not any more. Spend an hour or two with Ken Choo at London’s Bentley dealership Jack Barclay — flagship of the countrywide HR Owen network of 15 luxury car dealerships — and you’ll soon learn that the process that delivers prestige cars into the hands of new owners no longer involves old-style persuasion.… Continue reading Behind the scenes of a luxury car dealership
Exclusive: 2040 UK ban on sale of new combustion-engined cars set to be confirmed
The Government will ban the sale of new cars that achieve less than 50 miles of electric range from 2040, Autocar can exclusively reveal. The plan, called Road to Zero and set to be unveiled imminently, follows on from last year’s announcement that it would ban all diesel and petrol cars in the UK by that year, as… Continue reading Exclusive: 2040 UK ban on sale of new combustion-engined cars set to be confirmed
Tesla Semi lorry to have range of up to 600 miles, says Musk
The Tesla Semi electric lorry will be capable of travelling up to 600 miles to a single charge, even when fully loaded, company CEO Elon Musk has claimed. According to Electrek, Musk said during Tesla’s quarter one results conference call that he was “optimistic” the Semi would beat the 500-mile range announced at its reveal last year. His claims come after Daimler’s lorry… Continue reading Tesla Semi lorry to have range of up to 600 miles, says Musk
Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid launched with 456 bhp electrified powertrain
Porsche has launched an electrified version of the Cayenne called the E-Hybrid, which inherits technology from the powertrain of the hot-selling Panamera 4 E-Hybrid. The all-wheel-drive SUV variant uses a 3.0-litre V6 instead of the Panamera’s 2.9-litre unit (which is smaller because of a larger crankshaft that shortens the engine’s stroke) with an eight-speed Tiptronic S… Continue reading Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid launched with 456 bhp electrified powertrain