Category: Green Technology

Mitsubishi has announced a new mid-term plan that will accelerate its decarbonization efforts. Dubbed “Challenge 2025,” it puts an emphasis on hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and purely electric vehicles by ramping up development. Out of a total of 16 new cars coming out in the next five years, nine of them will be electrified, either partially or entirely.

The product roadmap for 2023-2025 shows a new pickup truck coming around 2024 will be joined about a year later by a PPV, which is an abbreviation for Pickup-based Passenger Vehicle. In other words, a ladder-frame SUV that utilizes the underpinnings of a truck. Both will be powered by combustion engines, much like a new three-row SUV and a two-row hybrid SUV also coming by the middle of the decade.

By 2028, Mitsubishi intends to launch several electric vehicles: a pickup truck, a two-row SUV, plus two additional EVs developed in collaboration with Renault and Nissan. The slideshow prepared for the “Challenge 2025” presentation also includes ICE and hybrid minivans, a hybrid variant of the Xpander, and a new kei car for Japan.

By 2030, the Japanese brand hopes to have half of its global sales represented by electrified cars. To get there, it indents to invest $1.5 billion (200 billion yen) to source the necessary batteries. Meanwhile, CO₂ emissions across the range are projected to go down by 40 percent in the next three years.

Fast forward to 2035, Mitsubishi’s lineup will only consist of hybrid and electric models. Achieving the ambitious goal will be done by strengthening ties with alliance partners Renault and Nissan. We are already seeing signs of a closer relationship with the new ASX serving as a rebadged Captur. In addition, the next Colt coming later this year will essentially be a reskinned Clio. 

For North America, Mitsubishi is planning an “enhanced and electrified product lineup” for the next three years during which it aims to collaborate closely with Nissan.

A new pseudo teaser from an official Volkswagen channel on Twitter seemingly suggests we will see the ID.2 as early as next week. “More 2 come 4 you” is the message delivered by the short clip, which announces we’ll get to find out what’s what next Wednesday, March 15, at 6:20 PM CET. At the same time, Autocar has heard from sources close to Wolfsburg the entry-level EV will indeed break cover next week before going on sale in 2025. We do know for a fact the VW Group will hold its annual media conference a day earlier, on March 14.

However, it’s highly unlikely VW will unveil the production version. After all, a test mule using a shortened ID.3 body was spotted less than a month ago. Logic tells us the road-going EV won’t be introduced until later next year, possibly with the “Golf” name. It’ll be the first car from the German automotive conglomerate to use the MEB+ platform tailored to front-wheel-drive EVs but likely with support for a dual-motor AWD setup.

 

It is unclear which styling direction VW’s smallest electric car is going to take but it’s increasingly likely it won’t take after the 2021 ID. Life concept. Hopefully, it’ll be more than just a downsized ID.3, and in typical VW Group fashion, there will be equivalent versions from SEAT/Cupra and Skoda. Expect an EV longer than the Polo but shorter than the Golf while offering the latter’s interior room.

If reports are accurate, both GTI and R hot hatches could arrive later in the life cycle. The ID.2’s arrival won’t spell the end for the Golf’s performance derivatives, at least not right away. VW has already announced all R-badged vehicles will go EV-only by 2030. A decision has allegedly been made already to drop GTX, with the hotter ID.3 and ID. Buzz possibly the last EVs to carry the suffix.

Models riding on the MEB+ platform are slated to utilize lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries with support for a charging power of 200 kW and as much as 435 miles (700 kilometers) of range. The most affordable model based on the new underpinnings will carry a starting price of €25,000. At home in Germany, the cheapest ID.3 retails from €43,995.

Mercedes has been spied in snowy Sweden putting the finishing touches on its first electric Maybach model. The official reveal must be right around the corner since there’s barely any camouflage on the prototype. We can already see the vertical slats shared with the luxed-up S-Class and GLS from where it’ll inherit the three-pointed star hood ornament. Hiding behind duct tape on the rearmost pillar is a double M logo.

While the Maybach S-Class is longer than the Benz-branded model, the posh GLS has the same wheelbase as its lesser sibling. The spy shots indicate it’ll be a similar story with the Maybach EQS SUV since it appears to be just as large as the plebian Benz EQS SUV. Even though the distance between the axles is unlikely to change, passengers sitting in the back are likely to benefit from greater comfort and amenities.

As you may recall, the namesake concept had two individual rear seats separated by a beautiful center console with a white piano lacquer finish and rose gold accents. Expect nothing but the finest materials Mercedes and Maybach have to offer, along with all the technology they can cram inside the electric SUV’s opulent cabin. Think of the differences between the Benz GLS and the Maybach GLS to get an idea of how the fancier EQS SUV will distance itself from the more affordable version.

Chances are it’ll be based on the EQS 580 SUV, so there should be a pair of electric motors good for 536 horsepower and 633 pound-feet (858 Newton-meters) of torque. In the Benz, the dual-motor AWD setup enables a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph (209 km/h).

As a refresher, the Benz EQS SUV in the 580 configuration with its 107.8-kWh battery pack does 285 miles on a single charge on the EPA cycle and 613 kilometers according to the WLTP standard. We’re expecting the equivalent Maybach to boast similar if not identical power, performance, and range figures.

The Zeekr X is an electric crossover from a brand that belongs to China’s Geely Group, which also controls marques like Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, and several others. The EV already debuted in China, but the automaker has been working on launching it in Europe. These spy shots caught one testing on a frozen lake in Sweden.

While this Zeekr X wears a camouflaged body, the visible portions of the design match closely with the version for China. It doesn’t seem like the company is going to make any styling tweaks for the European variant.

The Zeekr X has a distinctive nose with angular running lights on the hood. The primary headlights are beneath them in the area where we’d expect to find grille openings on a combustion-powered vehicle. Air curtains are on the outer sides, and a trapezoidal inlet is in the lower fascia.

In profile, the X has a beltline that rises at the rear. From some angles, you can see a sharp crease that runs diagonally from the lower front doors to the upper portion of the rear.

The tail is rounded, and there are full-width taillights.

These spy shots don’t include a look into the cabin. The gallery of the Chinese-market version also lacks interior photos.

The Chinese-market Zeekr X measures 175.2 inches (4,450 millimeters) long, 72.3 inches (1,836 millimeters) wide, and 61.9 inches (1,572 millimeters) tall. These figures are similar to the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross, which is 175.6 inches (4,460 millimeters) long, 71.9 inches (1,826 millimeters) wide, and 64.8 inches (1,646 millimeters) tall.

The Zeekr X rides on Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture. When the brand debuted the model in China, it only offered vague powertrain information. The model is capable of reaching 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in about 4.0 seconds.

The Zeekr X will launch in China in the second quarter of 2023. Later, the brand will bring it to Europe starting with markets like Norway, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

This may seem like a regular BMW i4 M50 with an M livery but it’s a much more interesting prototype hiding a juicy powertrain. Spotted testing in snowy northern Europe, the EV is a quad-motor monster with the aggressive kidney grille design of the M3 CS and M4 CSL. Gold brake calipers tell us it had carbon-ceramic brakes to match what we can only assume is neck-twisting acceleration delivered by the instant response of the four electric motors.

BMW has already showcased its all-electric M testbed, but without going into any details. However, Frank Weber, Head of Engineering and R&D, told BMWBLOG last year the M division already has the technology for a high-performance EV with as much as one megawatt of power. That works out to 1,341 horsepower or roughly two and a half times more than a standard dual-motor i4 M50.

We can only imagine the amazing acceleration delivered by the prototype considering the regular M Performance version is already plenty quick, hitting 62 mph (100 km/h) in as little as 3.9 seconds. However, it’s unlikely a full-fat M version of the current i4 will be launched since the first electric M car is expected to ride on the Neue Klasse platform rather than on the existing CLAR architecture. That means a zero-emission M is probably scheduled to arrive in the latter half of the decade.

For 2023, BMW M has already announced plans to intensify quad-motor EV tests. As to which car could get the powerful setup, we can only speculate it’ll be the Neue Klasse-based i3 Sedan. The regular model arrives in 2025, so a potential M variant is probably due in 2026 or 2027 at the earliest. Time will tell whether it’ll peacefully coexist with the inline-six M3 for a while before the ICE-powered model will be retired.

In the meantime, the i4 M50 is offered alongside the iX M60, with an i7 M70 due later this year. The fullsize electric luxury sedan will have well over 600 horsepower and 737 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) to perform the sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) in less than four seconds. It won’t be BMW’s most powerful car ever as that role is reserved for the XM Label Red plug-in hybrid SUV with a mighty 748 hp.

BMW’s new architecture called the Neue Klasse platform is coming, which will be the basis for its new range of electric vehicles (EVs) set to launch in 2025. However, despite the platform being primarily designed for EVs, BMW is apparently exploring the possibility of making it compatible with hydrogen power.

Jurgen Guldner, the said program’s general manager, told Autoblog that BMW is working on being able to integrate hydrogen into the Neue Klasse platform. However, he said that it won’t be ready by 2025 and the plan is to make it available for larger cars. After all, it has been confirmed that the first BMW Neue Klasse-based model will be a sedan and will be followed by a compact SUV, so the timeline just makes sense.

Guldner emphasized that BMW is still in the early stages of the project and is looking at a clever packaging solution.

Since BMW is starting on a clean slate with the Neue Klasse, future-proofing the platform is more economical and efficient, especially if hydrogen is already in mind from the get-go. This allows BMW to remain flexible and open to exploring new technologies as they happen.

Guldner elaborated to Autoblog on the packaging solution for the hydrogen tanks, explaining that the plan is to have smaller tanks positioned next to each other that take up the space of an EV’s battery pack. This approach would allow for more flexibility in terms of the number of tanks needed for different car models.

As Guldner pointed out, the rest of the infrastructure, such as the motor, is already in the car, so it’s only a matter of finding the right design and placement for the hydrogen tanks.

The idea of hydrogen-electric Neue Klasse-based models isn’t cemented just yet, but it appears that Guldner is optimistic about the potential of the technology. He called it the most exciting project that he has worked on in his 25 years at BMW and is confident that the company will continue to push the boundaries of innovation in the years to come.

BMW began developing a hydrogen fuel cell crossover four years ago. The project is about to enter its next critical phase with the introduction of the first iX5 Hydrogen crossovers from the company. The automaker will produce less than 100 vehicles and test them with various target groups when the fleet enters service later this year.

BMW Group sources the individual fuel cells from Toyota, producing the fuel cell stacks at its in-house hydrogen center in Munich. The two have been collaborating on fuel cell drive systems since 2013, just one facet of a partnership that has also spawned the new Supra. The automaker integrates the fuel cell system with its fifth-generation eDrive powertrain technology, which includes the electric motor, transmission, and specially developed lithium-ion battery.

The powertrain system produces a combined 401 horsepower (295 kilowatts). According to the company, the iX5 can travel up to 313 miles (504 kilometers) on the WLTP cycle and refuel in about three to four minutes. The vehicle features two carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic tanks that can store almost 6 kilograms of hydrogen. The iX5 sprints to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in less than 6 seconds, reaching a top speed of over 112 mph (180 kph).

BMW will build the iX5 Hydrogen crossover at its Research Innovation Center, where around 900 people are working to ensure the product and the manufacturing process are ready for series production. Last August, BMW revealed that it would begin mass production of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles jointly developed with Toyota as soon as 2025.

Battery-electric vehicles are all the rage, with traditional automakers chasing Tesla’s popularity. However, some are also continuing to explore other alternatives to fossil fuels. Porsche is already producing synthetic gasoline, while BMW, Toyota, and others haven’t given up on the hope of making hydrogen happen. 

“Hydrogen is a versatile energy source that has a key role to play in the energy transition process and, therefore, in climate protection,” said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. According to Zipse, hydrogen is “one of the most efficient ways of storing and transporting renewable energies. We should use this potential to also accelerate the transformation of the mobility sector.”

And another solar car was canceled. Which one?

This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending February 24, 2023.

The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 electric sedan has a price tag for the U.S., and it sets the 361-mile version that outdoes the Tesla Model 3 in range at $46,615. Base versions of the Ioniq 6 start at $42,715 with a 240-mile range. That positions Ioniq 6 prices just below those of the Ioniq 5 crossover.

The 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 electric SUV costs much more than the gasoline GV70, the luxury brand revealed last week. But a likely $3,750 tax credit and ownership cost advantage will help erase some of that difference.

Lexus won’t deliver its yoke interface and steer-by-wire system in U.S.-bound RZ electric crossovers quite yet, the brand emphasized last week. But it remains due for the market at some future date, as previously said.

The Sono Sion solar car project has been terminated, Sono Motors announced Friday. The company will instead focus on solar retrofits for trucks, buses, and more, although it’s leaving the door open to sell the Sion program.

Porsche says that one-pedal driving in EVs isn’t efficient. That’s because the more aggressive regenerative-braking settings in such vehicles lose energy when both accelerating and decelerating, Porsche argues—so encouraging coasting will always be better.

California’s Sakuu has claimed the first 3D-printed battery cells for EVs. The company also claims that 3D printing may enable solid-state chemistries sooner, enable custom form factors, and take less energy and raw materials to make.

Based on recent real-world testing from the European environmental group Transport & Environment and Graz University of Technology, a range of plug-in hybrid models were found to be emitting more CO2 than what manufacturers claim, even when they have a full charge.

Volkswagen revealed earlier this week that it’s planning to optimize more “all-in-one” EV components for efficiency, with expertise kept in-house, rather than looking to suppliers.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has released its annual list of models achieving Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ status. With strengthened requirements, we looked at these safest EV and plug-in models.

Toyota is reportedly considering ramping up EV production in Kentucky at its existing factory there as soon as 2025, according to a report. The move might potentially take advantage of the federal EV tax credit as well as incentivized batteries from a new North Carolina factory.

Lordstown Motors has paused production on the Endurance electric truck due to “performance and quality issues.” Although the company didn’t disclose what those are, it says that it’s filed paperwork to recall 19 of the trucks due to an issue that could lead to loss of propulsion while driving.

For faster DC fast-charging, Rivian is considering having charging stations fan cool air under trucks while they’re plugged in. That might reduce the need for some oversized onboard cooling components that are used only in charging.

California is considering minimum efficiency standards for replacement tires, helping assure that hybrids and EVs originally sold with efficiency-focused rubber get the equivalent as replacements. It could save a lot of money and emissions over the vehicles’ lifetimes, the state says.

A study from Deloitte pointed out that subscriptions may play a surprising role in gasoline-car sales—not necessarily because of interest from younger, more technology-savvy shoppers, but over concerns about gas-vehicle resale value.

And the sounds emitted by the Rivian R1T and R1S electric trucks were created from actual recorded bird calls, recorded at Yellowstone National Park. How’s that for an Easter Egg?

Sono Motors announced that the Sono Sion solar car project has been terminated. The company will instead focus on solar retrofits for trucks and other arenas, although it’s leaving the door open for a sale of the Sion program.

While we often hear about electric vehicles together with by-the-month subscriptions as the future of the vehicle market, a study from Deloitte points out that subscriptions may play a surprising role in gasoline-car sales. Increasing worries over the resale value of gasoline models may drive people to subscribe, not buy, for models that don’t plug in.

And the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has released its annual list of models achieving Top Safety Pick and Top Safety Pick+ status. With strengthened requirements, we looked at these safest EV and plug-in models.

Lordstown Motors has paused production on the Endurance electric truck due to “performance and quality issues.” Although the company didn’t disclose what those are, it says that it’s filed paperwork to recall 19 of the trucks due to an issue that could lead to loss of propulsion while driving.

Rivian is thinking about having some of its DC fast-charger stations funnel cool air under trucks while they’re plugged in, for faster charging. That might reduce the need for some oversized onboard cooling components that are used only in charging; but it sounds like an inefficient use of energy from the grid.

And California is considering minimum efficiency standards for replacement tires, helping assure that hybrids and EVs originally sold with efficiency-focused rubber get the equivalent as replacements. It could save a lot of money and emissions over the vehicles’ lifetimes, the state says.

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