Volkswagen has begun pre-production in its plant in Anting, Shanghai, which will be singularly focused on manufacturing the automaker’s all-electric Modular Electric Drive Matrix (MEB) models for the Chinese market. The first vehicle produced will be the China-specific Volkswagen ID. model. Full-scale production at the Anting plant is scheduled for October 2020, at which point… Read more »
Ford and parts supplier Webasto have revealed the Mustang Lithium, a one-off high-performance electric Mustang fastback prototype that boasts more than 1,000 ft-lbs of torque and more than 900 hp. With the unveiling, Ford says it hopes to gauge customer interest in electric sports cars. It is also using the vehicle as a test bed… Read more »
Red-blooded Americans were disappointed at Honda’s announcement that its new Honda E city car will not be coming to the US, but we have to compliment the company on its electrifying plans for the European market. The E is scheduled to go on sale on the Continent in summer 2020 with a $33,000 price tag,… Read more »
Earlier this year, Tesla revealed the Full Self-Driving (FSD) computer, with a proprietary Tesla chip. The company says the new board outperforms the older Nvidia-based hardware by a factor of 21. Since April, the new computer has been installed in every new Tesla. Owners of older vehicles who have paid for the Full Self-Driving package… Read more »
Michigan-based parts supplier BorgWarner has announced a partnership with an unnamed Chinese EV maker to supply its fully-integrated e-axle, the iDM, for an upcoming EV. This partnership is BorgWarner’s first iDM project in China. The automaker expects the EV to go into mass production in 2021. BorgWarner’s e-axle system integrates the power electronics, transmission, and… Read more »
Atieva, the technology wing of Silicon Valley-based Lucid Motors, has earned an impressive vote of confidence. The Formula E electric racing series has chosen Atieva’s battery pack for a second consecutive season. The Atieva pack will power the entire 24-car Formula E field for the upcoming 2019/20 season, which will consist of 14 races. Atieva’s… Read more »
In show business, when you don’t like an act, but you don’t want to say anything negative, you say it’s “interesting.” Well, the word “interesting” is getting a lot of use today, after Tesla unveiled what is definitely its most radical-looking vehicle, and perhaps the most radical-looking production vehicle in automotive history. I think the… Read more »
Cree, a US maker of silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors, has partnered with German parts supplier ZF Friedrichshafen to supply SiC semiconductors for electric drives. ZF will initially use Cree’s technology to fulfill pre-existing orders from several auto manufacturers for silicon carbide-based electric drives, but ZF hopes to make silicon carbide electric drivelines available to the… Read more »
Volvo has received what it says is the largest single order to date for electric buses in Europe. Starting in 2020, Volvo Buses will deliver 157 electric articulated buses to French public transit operator Transdev. The buses will operate on a number of routes in Gothenburg, Sweden. As they produce less noise and emissions than… Read more »
Brits of a certain age may wax nostalgic for the Morris J-Type delivery van, which was produced from 1949 to 1960. Now Morris Commercial has announced that it will produce a new electric edition of the iconic van. The Morris JE features a carbon fiber chassis, a 60 kWh battery pack, a 200-mile range, a… Read more »
