Electric Vehicles & Cars - Page 11

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.

The Mercedes-Benz fully-electric EQE Sedan will have a starting price tag of $74,900 for the United States auto market. The German automaker featured a "purpose design" that is sporty and still borrows elements of the Mercedes-EQ lineup.

Mercedes unveiled the EQE sedan more than a year ago, an electric car with a 90.6 kWh battery that delivers 305 miles of drive range. Drivers can use the Mercedes me Charge to pay for charging at a nationwide network of charging stations.

The entry trim includes the MBUX EQ navigation services including navigation with electric intelligence. There is a 12.3" driver display and 12.8" OLED multimedia touchscreen portrait display - the driver can access applications on the home screen.

As part of the preparation for season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team continues testing the Porsche 99X Electric Gen3 race car. Professional drivers Pascal Wehrlein and Antonio Felix da Costa have tested the car on multiple race circuits, offering the team feedback on how the all-electric race car handles under pressure.

This is the fourth season Porsche has participated in the FIA Formula E World Championship. Porsche hopes the extensive changes made with the Gen3 car will offer the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team an edge over the competition.

Here is what Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E at Porsche, said in a press statement: "The tests over the past few weeks were demanding and challenging, but they allowed us to make some promising pre-season progress. For the most part, we were able to complete our programmes as planned and gained important insights to continue working on our car."

Luxury automaker Bentley has introduced the Bentayga Odyssean Edition, a very limited car featuring a hybrid powertrain. This specific model will be highly exclusive with just 70 units manufactured worldwide.

The Odyssean Edition has a 3.0-liter V6 hybrid with 546 horsepower and 700 newton-meter, along with an 18 kWh battery. This model is exclusively a plug-in hybrid and can drive at least 28 miles in electric-only settings.

The Bentayga can accelerate 0-62 mph in 5.3 seconds, with a vehicle top speed of 158 mph. Drivers have three different E modes available - EV Drive, Hybrid Mode, and Hold Mode - so close control over battery usage can be utilized. Of course, drivers not interested in switching between modes don't have to, as the car can do it automatically.

Japanese automaker Toyota unveiled the Trailhunter Concept truck during the 2022 SEMA show in Las Vegas. The Trailhunter is a factory-built overland variant of the company's popular Tundra pickup truck.

The truck concept features a specific suspension setup, skid plates, roof rack, bumpers, lighting, refrigerator, rooftop tent and other features - all designed specifically for Trailhunter - providing support for outdoor enthusiasts.

The factory-built overland trim features a dealer-installed lift kit that will provide an additional 2.6 inches ground clearance. The skid plates will help protect the under carriage if the added lift still is not enough to overcome nature's obstacles.

Ferrari hopes to take over the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2023 with its 499P Le Mans Hypercar.

The 268-horsepower electric motor powers the front wheels - and the vehicle overall has 680 horsepower - the maximum allowed by the race regulations. Ferrari's Formula 1 team will offer insight into the Energy Recovery System (ERS) which is able to recover kinetic energy using the 900-volt battery-powered Brembo brake-by-wire system.

Ferrari chose to race LMH because the Italian automaker can build the 499P completely by itself - Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) requires a certain number of spec components and a spec chassis to race.

Dodge continues work on its Charger Daytona SRT Concept, an electric car that is designed to replace traditional gas-powered muscle cars starting in 2024.

There will be nine different possible powertrain outputs available for the muscle car - three different battery-electric power levels are now being shown off during SEMA - along with two levels of Dodge Direct Connection upgrades for each level. Dodge is careful to point out that the Charger Daytona SRT Concept is a truly authentic Dodge that will be able to redefine the muscle car while showing off the future benefits of electric technology.

The 340 base model generates 455 horsepower and the 440 produces 590 horsepower - the top-line SRT Banshee will feature an 800-volt electrical system, double the power of the 400-volt designs of the other models.

The custom Jeep CJ Surge Concept is a mix of restoration and modification, with Jeep refreshing the late model CJ7 and switching the internal combustion engine for a battery-electric propulsion system.

Ideally, the concept should help Mopar better understand the most efficient ways to implement battery-electric solutions for classic Jeep models. It's powered by a 400-volt, 200-kW electric drive module mounted into the frame using custom solid motor mounts - and 24 lithium-ion battery modules providing power to all four wheels. The battery modules are located inside a protective shell located at the rear of the Jeep's cabin.

Behind the driver-side door opening is the BEV charge port - though additional information about range and recharge times weren't revealed just yet.

Professional rally driver Ken Block recently took the Audi S1 Hoonitron for a gripping ride around Las Vegas as part of his ongoing Hoonigan video series. Although the Vegas experience was his 11th installment, it was the first time to highlight what an electric car can do. The one-of-a-kind car was built by Audi exclusively for Block to put through its paces.

Audi stepped it up a notch to design a fully electric car that would meet the needs of Block - and his demanding driving style - with the company saying the S1 Hoonitron "broke entirely new ground" for Audi. The car has been in development since the spring of 2021 in Germany, with Audi taking inspiration from the 80's era Audi Sport quattro S1 E2 Pikes Peak rally car. Of course, the Pikes Peak had to make a cameo appearance in the video, as a sign of appreciation for the past - as Audi ramps up electric for the future.

There were two electric motors installed in the all-wheel drive car rocking a carbon fiber chassis.

In a technology product that isn't necessarily the most practical - or logical, to be honest - Porsche Design has shown off the limited edition 911 Soundbar 2.0 Pro. Soundbars tend to have rather simple designs that allow them to blend in anywhere in your house or apartment, but this is no ordinary audio product.

The 911 Soundbar 2.0 Pro is made from an original Porsche 992 GT3 exhaust system and is a 2.1.2 virtual surround sound system. The 300-watt system features 4K compatible HDMI ports, Bluetooth 5.0, and streaming support for Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast.

Interested buyers can pre-order the highly unique soundbar now, though it's a limited edition with just 500 units expected. Keep in mind that it will set you back a whopping $12,000.

US automaker Ford recently boasted that its 2023 F-Series Super Duty is unrivaled compared to other heavy-duty pickup trucks, saying it has the best towing capacity of every trailer type. To help make this possible, Ford offers drivers four different engine choices, including the all-new 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel V8 or the all-new standard 6.8-liter V8 gas engines recently added to the collection.

The 2023 Ford F-Series Super Duty offers 1,200 lb-ft torque and can tow up to 40,000 pounds, with 8,000 pounds of maximum payload. Ford added features such as 360-Degree Trailer Cameras and onboard scales for the F-250, F-350, F-450, and Tremor package.

Here is what Andrew Kernahan, Super Duty chief program engineer at Ford, said in a press statement: "The all-new 2023 Super Duty is designed and engineered for America's builders. Our job is to help make our customers' work feel easy, and this truck nails that commitment. The combination of purpose-built construction, powerful engines, 10-speed transmissions and new technology means our customers can work, tow and haul with absolute confidence."

Lamborghini owners recently completed the Lamborghini Esperienza Giro China event, covering more than 680 miles during the five-day journey. The trip from Yangshuo to the border town of Chongzuo was themed as a "Journey of Reawakening," and was the longest event the Italian automaker has hosted.

A total of 42 vehicles took part in the trip, with Aventador, Huracan, and Urus models all on full display. This was the eighth consecutive of the event - and the Italian automaker looks forward to the future growth of the exclusive event.

The super sports cars and super SUVs traveled along China's Route 66, able to observe grassplants, deserts and small villages along the way. The Urus was able to utilize its "Sand" mode and showed what it could really do - and the Terra mode relied on its active torque vectoring so drivers were able to overcome slippery mud with little problem.

German automaker Porsche hopes its Taycan can evolve into a direct head-to-head competitor with the Tesla Model S Plaid model. Porsche definitely wants to create high-end luxury models that offer a super fast driving experience paired with next-generation electric technology.

The Taycan Turbo S grade has a maximum 616 horsepower and 774 lb-ft of torque - and can accelerate 0-60 mph in just 2.6 seconds - with a maximum speed of 162 miles per hour. Interested buyers have battery options of 79.2 kWh or 93.4 kWh, based on the grade they select.

A Taycan Turbo GT grade may be available and is rumored to reach closer to 1,000 horsepower, but we will have to wait to hear more from Porsche. Since there have been reports of a grade with significant aerodynamic modifications made, it's quite possible this is a sporty luxury car that will arrive in the future.

South Korean automaker Kia recently announced the 2023 Kia Sorento midsize SUV with improvements across each trim. Kia increased the price $400 of the base Sorento LX trim and it now has a starting price of $31,285.

The base LX trim uses Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) which has added rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, safe exit assist, and blind spot collision-avoidance. Both LX and X have a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine powering 191 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque - the EX and SX have a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine powering 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque.

Every other trim will have added convenience features that were previously offered as optional - a wireless smartphone charger is added to the S, the EX has an 8-way power front passenger seat, and the SX now has power-folding exterior mirrors and a 12.3-inch color digital instrument panel.

The Defense Department's growing interest in electric and hybrid-electric vehicle technology continues to expand on a wider scale. Specifically, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) will work with the US Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Army Reserve to install EV charging solutions on eight military bases located in the United States.

As stated by Benjamin Richardson, the DIU energy portfolio director: "By increasing the number of chargers on military bases, DOD is creating the infrastructure needed to expand EV usage, which will minimize carbon emissions in the long run. Upon successful completion of the pilot, DOD partners intend to roll out chargers to other bases across the United States."

Since many of the EVs are work vehicles, there is the potential of mixing fast chargers along with slower chargers designed to recharge vehicles overnight. The DOD partnered with TechFlow, a California-based company specializing in renewable energy projects - and other vendors are scrambling to show off their wares for government officials.

American automaker Dodge is ready to help send the Challenger and Charger models off into the sunset, announcing six "Last Call" editions for car buyers to choose from. The 2023 models will be the last versions of each car, with Dodge discontinuing them as the automaker continues a transition toward electric vehicles.

The Dodge Last Call models include the following: Dodge Challenger Shakedown, Dodge Charger Super Beer, Dodge Challenger, and Charger Scat Pack Swinger, Dodge Charger King Daytona, and the Dodge Challenger Black Ghost.

Dodge has rolled out almost all the 2023 Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger models to dealerships, including the entry-level SRT Jailbreak automatic and manual transmission editions.

American electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian has all-electric SUV and pickup truck models available, with feedback continuing to cover how each vehicle runs on the street.

The R1S is an all-wheel drive (AWD) vehicle that can accelerate 0-60 mph in just 3 seconds, and tow up to 7,700 pounds. The dual-motor AWD features a single motor located on the front and rear axles, with power integrated towards a single drive unit.

During a trial run, Car and Driver found some of the perks and downsides of the R1S - "blistering acceleration, attractive inside and out, capable off-road," but with "occasionally stiff ride and wonky dynamics, disappointing real-world range, nosebleed PR."

US automaker General Motors hopes to entice traditional truck drivers with its 2024 Sierra EV Denali Edition 1, a more luxurious offering than the GMC Hummer EV. Interestingly, GMC is going to roll out the most expensive Sierra EV version first, then release lower-priced models at a later date.

Although the GMC Hummer EV and Chevrolet Silverado EV share similar technologies, its more familiar pickup shape and other features may make it more enticing.

The Denali Edition 1 has 754 horsepower and 785 lb-ft of torque along with an estimated 400 miles of range on a full charge. In addition, fast charging will make it possible to add 100 miles of drive capacity in just 10 minutes.