Electric Vehicles & Cars - Page 10

Researchers from the Eindhoven University of Technology have created a zero-emissions car that captures CO2 from the air while driving down the road. The Zero Emission Mobility (ZEM) car prototype from the TU/ecomotive student team uses carbon capture devices to collect CO2 through a filter.

ZEM was first introduced this year, with the research team saying it's a proof-of-concept car, but there is potential the filter capacity could one day increase. Over 20,000 travel miles in a year, ZEM can capture 2 kilograms of CO2. Although it might seem trivial, if the filter has a modular design, it could be more widely implemented.

As CNET learned: "When these filters can be made modularly, they can be implemented into every type of vehicle, every type of transportation."

The 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R is the most powerful version of the Raptor, and the US automaker designed it for high-performance off-roading. Now in its third generation, each Raptor model has been designed to be able to hit the trails or desert straight out of the dealership showroom.

The F-150 Raptor R has 700 hp and can generate 640 lb-ft of torque, which provides a significant 250 hp and 120 lb-ft improvements on the standard model.

The 5.2-liter supercharged V8 engine also has a long-travel suspension designed to help drivers successfully navigate trails and other off-road environments. The powerful engine was first introduced in the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 - but some modifications were made to ensure off-road performance.

Benteler recently announced it has established the Holon brand, as the company pushes forward to embrace an increasingly electric future. These types of vehicles have potential at airports, office campuses, schools, and other locations with high levels of foot traffic.

Holon uses its autonomous experience and aims to transition that into efficient mobility solutions. One example is the electric autonomous people mover concept shown off in 2021. The people mover is built on the Benteler electric drive system that provides autonomous driving and battery pack modules designed for fast charging and extended life.

Intel's Mobileye will develop self-driving software for the mover, with mobility provider Beep developing mobility service OS solutions.

The 2023 BMW i7 xDrive60 is an all-electric luxury sedan from the German automaker, showing it can transition luxury cars from traditional gas engines. The i7 stands out because it's the first electric BMW 7 Series car model - and BMW was sure to pack the car full of features.

The i7 has 536 horsepower with 549 lb-ft of torque and can accelerate 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds. The battery range reaches up to 318 miles, with up to 80 miles of range time after just 10 minutes of charging. The top speed is 130 to 149 mph and can accelerate from 0-100 mph in 9 seconds.

The i7 battery pack can use 101.7 kWh from the total 105.7 kWh total capacity output.

GMC said its Hummer EV pickup and SUV models are sold out for at least a couple of years, with a full reservation list. Once known for its gas-guzzling nature, the new Hummer EV line has brought great attention to a new generation of electric-powered driving.

There are currently 90,000 reservations for both the Hummer EV Pickup and Hummer EV SUV models - and is no longer accepting additional reservations. Even people on the reservation list might wait past 2024 before they receive a delivery. The Hummer EV production is on hold at the moment, with GM preparing the plant to prepare to hopefully ramp up production.

GMC brand chief Duncan Aldred said the automaker had 65,000 reservations in March - and admitted back then that some of the customers wouldn't be delivered until 2024 - and then the reservations kept on arriving.

Automaker Mini has unveiled the Untamed Edition of its Mini Cooper SE Countryman ALL4, which features a sleek Nanuq White paint finish and underlines.

The all-wheel-drive vehicle supports just over 31 miles in the electric range - with MINI hoping the Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 provides a sporty driving style in urban environments.

The Cooper SE ALL4 can fit 5 adults in the twin-power turbo 1.5-liter, 3-cylinder direct-injection engine. It features 221 horsepower - 134 hp from the direct-injected engine and 87 hp from the electric motor - with 284 lb-ft of torque.

Japanese automaker Mitsubishi has started sales for the 2023 Outlander plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), a crossover SUV available in North America. The car starts with a $39,845 price tag for US and Canadian auto buyers can purchase now - and sales open up in Puerto Rico next month.

The car was designed on the authentic and majestic "I-Fu-Do-Do" product concept, with chassis, body, and powertrain changes.

The 2023 Outlander PHEV is a seven-passenger vehicle that can drive 38 miles in all-electric range, with upwards of 420 miles total range. Drivers can recharge 80% of their battery via a fast charger in just 38 minutes.

German automaker Volkswagen unveiled the Jetta GLI Performance concept vehicle during the SEMA Show trade show in Las Vegas. The widebody kit is a little bit larger than stock and helps the racecar more effectively help hot air escape while on the racetrack. Other customizations make the concept stand out compared to stock models, though wouldn't be very practical as an everyday driver.

The GLI Performance concept has 350 horsepower and 372 lb-ft of torque, which is significantly higher than the stock 228 hp and 258 lb-ft specs. Drivers have a six-speed manual transmission to control the heavily modified car with a custom tuning package.

Tuner specialists RacingLine made the engine modifications, and the concept was developed at the Volkswagen Innovation and Engineering Center California location. RacingLine added a six-piston forged caliper big brake kit that runs 15-inch diameter carbon-ceramic disc brakes.

BMW demonstrated its M2 Coupe paired with its M Mixed Reality technology platform during the Web Summit 2022 event in Lisbon, Portugal. Virtual reality and mixed reality technologies help power the platform, with the virtual and physical worlds meeting together.

Using the MR platform let participants wear a Varjo XR-3 VR headset to control the M2 on a virtual racetrack - while physically in an empty lot. The immersive in-car experience allows drivers to see their hands, the steering wheel, and the car's dashboard directly in front. The coupe essentially becomes the controller, with BMW thanking gaming partners like Epic.

Driver head movement is tracked by a dashboard-mounted camera facing inside the car. People that tested the system said it was able to track with very little lag, as the headset is connected to a computer located in the trunk.

German automaker Mercedes-Benz is working on the Concept EQT Marco Polo, an electric micro-camper design. The EQT Marco Polo has a "flexible" bed and kitchen and provides a comprehensive vehicle catering to campers and people on the move. Owners can remove the module and the EQT is right back to normal as an EV van.

Information such as electric powertrain details wasn't released and should be announced during the December 2 event. However, it'll include a slide-out bed, a modular kitchen with a single-burner stove, and a central fridge. A 15-liter fridge box is included to keep a small number of perishables cool. There is built-in storage space to hold kitchen items and utensils with a rear bench that can be used as a table for indoor dining.

Mercedes introduced its first pop-top camper van in the U.S. market in early 2020 and remains committed to catering to a niche market of consumers. Camper vans aren't very fuel efficient, but Mercedes hopes an electric concept might be more appealing.

The upcoming electric Dodge Charger generation will be able to support an internal combustion engine, though it's unknown what that means today. Understanding it's time to carve out its niche in the electric market, Dodge hopes vehicles such as the Charger Daytona SRT will make muscle car drivers think about battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) with a new appreciation.

The STLA Large electric platform is designed to provide up to 500 miles of range with models supporting front-, rear-, and all-wheel drive propulsion support. The charging is marketed with 20 miles per minute fast charging. Interestingly, STLA Large is a multi-energy platform able to support, electric, hybrid, or gasoline drivetrains - so that could mean an easier swap to a gas Charger one day.

Just because it could fit doesn't mean Dodge is going to switch back and forth, as Dodge CEO Timothy Kuniskis said during a recent media call:

During the 2022 SEMA Show, the Nissan Z GT4 racecar was unveiled, designed for both amateur and professional racecar drivers.

The car weighs just over 3,000 pounds and measures 172 inches in length and 73 inches in width - with an engine able to generate 450 horsepower and 443 ft-lb of engine torque. The street-legal car also shares the same twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 but has scaled back output by 50 horsepower compared to the race version.

The front grill has a mesh design, and two cooling vents are spotted on the front of the Z GT4 car. Nissan stripped down the interior to reduce weight and included a different body kit to improve aerodynamics.

French automaker Citroen updated its plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) series, announcing a new 180-horsepower PHEV engine for the C5 Aircross. The new version of the Citroen C5 Aircross is a plug-in hybrid that combines 150 horsepower from the gas engine with an 81 KW electric to offer 180 horsepower combined.

Citroen hopes drivers will use 100% electric mobility for short rides, and then switch to the combustion engine for longer trips.

The 180 e-EAT8 Plug-in Hybrid replaces the 180 gas version so there is no choice but to go hybrid. The automaker wants to welcome potential first-time EV buyers to the market with a more affordable car than many current choices. The 84-cell, 12.4 kWh battery supports the hybrid traveling up to 36 miles in 100% electric mode.

If you were waiting to hear when mass production of the Tesla Cybertruck would start, expect that milestone to be reached sometime by the end of 2023, according to Reuters. That means most of the reservation list will have to wait until 2024, at the very earliest.

The Cybertruck was first unveiled by Musk in 2019 to a mix of ardent fanfare mixed with a heavy dose of the initial skepticism. Tesla initially wanted to release the truck for less than $40,000, but the cost of vehicles has gone up since then - and Tesla has also increased pricing across all of its models.

A dual, tri-motor, and quad-motor trims are expected, with the single motor trim reportedly canceled due to low demand - but pricing and additional details still haven't been confirmed yet. Unfortunately, the semiconductor shortage and other logistical issues have made it difficult for Tesla and other automakers to keep their deadlines.

US electric automaker Lucid will launch the Lucid Air Pure and Air Touring on Tuesday, November 15, with the first Air Touring to be delivered to the company's Beverly Hills Studio. During the event, Lucid will also offer updates on the Project Gravity SUV as the automaker looks ahead to a busy 2023.

The Air Pure will launch with a starting price of $87,400, and feature a dual-motor, all-wheel drive configuration - battery range and other specifications will be announced during the Lucid event.

Lucid Air Touring has a starting price of $107,400 and interested drivers can select a unique glass canopy - a piece of glass that starts at the base of the windshield over the heads of the front passengers, so there is no unobstructed view for the driver. In addition, the DreamDrive Pro, Lucid's advanced driver assistance system, features 32 on-vehicle sensors and can continually update through over-the-air capability.

Ford was recently found guilty by a federal jury in Michigan of violating a licensing contract and misappropriating trade secrets. The automaker will have to pay Versata Software $104.65 million following the 15-day trial.

Ford licensed Versata automotive software from 1998 until 2015 but started copying the software instead of paying millions for annual licensing fees.

Both companies entered a 15-year contract agreement in 2004, but Ford claimed it developed its own software so Versata would no longer be needed. The deal officially fell apart in 2014 when Ford refused to pay $17 million licensing per year, then the courtroom fight started in 2015.

Two experimental Porsche 911 cars were modified and tested on the slopes of Ojos del Salado, the highest volcano on Earth. In the Andes Mountain range along the Argentina-Chile border, the German automaker saw the car reach 19,708 feet - where the air is extremely thin, and temperatures hovered around -22F.

The Type 992 Carrera 4S models still ran the factory turbocharged flat-six engine with 443 horsepower powered by a seven-speed manual transmission. Beyond those factory specifications, Porsche heavily modified the rest of the car, including the addition of roll cages, carbon fiber seats, and harnesses. To increase ground clearance, portal axles were added, then lower gear ratios were configured for more precise throttle inputs.

Designed specifically for motorsport driving, the Porsche Warp-Connecter was added to the 911 models tackling the volcano - the connecter makes it possible so all four wheels share constant wheel load under heavy chassis articulation. Porsche didn't disclose what kind of suspension system was used, but there is no shot the factory suspension was left in either 911.

Ford has unveiled the 2023 Ford Transit Trail Van, a vehicle ready to help owners travel and experience van life off the grid in a bit of luxury. Taking a van on a cross-country adventure is one thing, but getting off paved roads can be a difficult task - but the US automaker wants people to get out and about easier than what's currently possible.

The Transit Trail Van has a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine cranking out 310 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Ford included five different drive modes - Normal, Eco, Mud/Ruts, Tow/Haul, and Slippery - and is an all-wheel drive van.

Three different cargo van configurations will be available, medium-roof, high-roof and a high-roof extended-length van variant - with Ford adding features so it's ready for off-highway driving without heavy modification.

Electric vehicles tend to be exclusively automatic, as they don't need a clutch or gearbox to switch through gears like a traditional gas or diesel vehicle. Some automakers, however, like the idea of a gimmicky manual EV, though it definitely isn't something that is required - and it's uncertain how many EV drivers would even care about this feature.

Japanese automaker Honda understands the transition to EVs will inevitably end manual transmissions and doesn't seem interested in simulated or artificial manuals for its EV models. Electric sports cars also probably won't see a manual for drivers to shift gears, and drivers will just need to adapt to modern vehicle designs.

Here is what Shinji Aoyama, leader of global electrification business at Honda, said during a recent media roundtable: "Artificially, we can do it. Mechanically, it is not easy," when pondering the thought of a simulated manual "like an extension of active sound control." Honda wants it is EVs to be "edgy" and stand out from competing EVs, though confirmed: "I'm not sure if we can replace the manual transmission."

Automaker startup Fisker may have reported a loss of $149 million during Q3 this year but is looking to close out the year well - and continue that momentum throughout 2023. The Ocean SUV will be manufactured in Austria, though production could end up in the United States one day, though that isn't a major priority now.

Before the end of the year, Fisker hopes to manufacture 42,400 Ocean units by the end of 2023 - which will help the automaker take a dent out of the 62,000 reservations already placed for the vehicle. If done properly, the automaker hopes upwards of 50,000 models can be manufactured if it ramps up production properly.

More than 300 Ocean units will be manufactured during Q2, 8,000 during Q2, 15,000 in Q3, and whatever it can during Q4.