Subaru has joined the EV market with a compact SUV called Solterra. The 2023 Solterra was developed in partnership with Toyota’s bZ4X. The Solterra comes with all-wheel drive and “Grip Control,” an off-road cruise control technology.Playing off its reputation for sensible, earth-friendly adventure vehicles, Subaru joins the EV marketplace with a small crossover designed around the outdoorsy activities Subaru owners are known for. The 2023 Solterra—whose name is a combination of the Latin words for “Sun” and “Earth,” is a small, AWD, two-motor electric SUV that’s closely related to Toyota’s bZ4X but is tweaked to appeal to the Subaru customer.

Photos of the Solterra show a long wheelbase with short overhangs at nose and tail. Subaru’s current design language of plastic-cladded sides extends beyond the wheel arches up the front fenders to flank a body-color hexagonal grille whose blocked-out design clearly defines the Solterra as an electric vehicle at first look. In the back are jutting awnings of rear roof spoiler over complicated multi-element taillights. A glass roof lights up the cabin over both front and rear seats. Inside, the seating position is almost van-like, with a low dash and instrument panel set above the steering wheel. The center console is divided into multiple smaller storage areas, including a wireless charging pad. The cabin looks bright and spacious, with textured material on the seats and along the dash. In the center of the dash sits a 12.3-inch screen with wireless smartphone connection.
Subaru’s AWD system in the Solterra is controlled by two electric motors mounted between the front and rear axles that produce a total of 215 horsepower. The Solterra comes with X-mode, which controls each wheel individually to provide better traction on uneven or slippery surfaces, and Subaru’s “Grip Control,” acts as a cruise control even in off-road situations. Three driving modes are available: Eco, Normal, and Power, and regenerative braking can be adjusted with the steering wheel paddles.Range and performance numbers are not yet released, but Subaru says the cruising range was designed with “the distances of daily use” in mind, and that the Solterra will be compatible with DC quick-charging. The battery should be the same size as the bZ4X’s, which provides roughly 64.0 kWh of capacity. We should get more detailed U.S. information on Subaru’s new EV when it debuts next week at the Los Angeles auto show.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

Ford Pro and DHL are bringing more electric delivery vehicles to more places, including a new order for 2000 all-electric Ford E-Transit vans.DHL plans to use mostly zero-emission vans by 2030 and has almost 27,000 electric vans in operation around the world.In the U.S., the commercial E-Transit starts at $55,585 and has a maximum Ford-estimated range of 126 miles.The ever-elusive “last mile” challenge is getting another competitor. Ford Pro, the automaker’s new, separate global vehicle services and distribution business, announced today that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Deutsche Post DHL Group to provide the logistics company with more than 2000 all-electric delivery vans. Ford Pro is initially focused on North America and Europe, but the announcement says the electric vans are part of DHL’s zero-emission logistics efforts that will eventually reduce emissions from delivery vehicles “around the globe.”FordFord will deliver over 2000 electric delivery vans to DHL by the end of 2023. Some of DHL’s new electric delivery vehicles will be the two-ton E-Transit model. These commercial vans will come with Ford Pro’s connected E-Telematics software and charging solutions, designed to make it easier for fleet operators to coordinate charging and other changes required by shifting to zero-emission EVs. Ford said it might also use information gained from the new EVs to co-develop future products with Deutsche Post DHL Group for the delivery company’s specific operations. As a related example, Ford recently designed and delivered vans with customized boxes for DHL vans delivering goods in German cities.Charlie Magee/FordDHL has tested other electric delivery vehicles in its global fleet. In 2017, DHL ordered 2500 electric Ford Transit vans and purchased almost 100 others converted by Lightning eMotors in early 2021. DHL currently operates nearly 27,000 electric vans around the world, including Bulgaria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands and the UK. DHL said it targets 60 percent of its pick-up and delivery vehicles to be carbon neutral by 2030. Other automakers are sending electric delivery vans into service as well. FedEx, for example, was the first customer to test out BrightDrop’s EV600 electric van, and Amazon is using over 1000 Rivian electric delivery vans in the U.S. Ford has previously announced climate targets for its European activities, including “zero emissions for all vehicle sales and carbon neutrality across its European footprint of facilities, logistics and suppliers by 2035, and carbon neutrality globally no later than 2050.”The new Ford E-Transit starts at $55,585 and, with the low cargo roof, has a Ford-estimated range of 126 miles.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Former Porsche race car engineer who worked more recently with the Apple self-driving group, is heading up the VW Group’s Project Artemis.
Alexander Hitzinger and Project Artemis are tasked with taking on Tesla.
The group will reportedly build an electric SUV from the ground up that is set to be produced in 2024.
Alexander Hitzinger helped develop the hybrid Porsche 919 race car that dominated Le Mans in 2015, 2016, and 2017, and then headed to Apple to help it work on its self-driving-car ambitions. Back with the VW Group, he and the Project Artemis team are going to build a new electric vehicle, and Reuters reports that the team’s goal is to take on Tesla.

VW Wants to Turn a Greek Island Into an EV Utopia

Porsche Taycan Sets Record for Longest EV Drift

Audi RS e-tron GT Arrives Next Year with 637 HP

The premium vehicle Hitzinger and the team are working on is set to go into production in 2024 and will take the form of Audi, Bentley, and Porsche EVs based on the group’s PPE (Premium Platform Electric) underpinnings.
Audi, which is tasked with leading research and development, including the PPE EV platform and autonomous-driving technology, will also take the lead in this effort. Those are areas where Tesla leads because of its practice of working in-house. Tesla has a history of developing and fine-tuning its own components from the software that runs the vehicles to the motors and battery pack. This control has allowed it to continue to push its range beyond EV offerings from traditional automakers. It seems that Hitzinger wants to do the same thing at Volkswagen. “At Porsche, I always thought of a vehicle as a comprehensive system. This is a very important point. It is what Tesla does well,” Hitzinger told Reuters.
The Project Artemis name came up in an earlier report by German publication Handelsblatt, which said the high-end electric vehicle Audi and the VW Group is working on is code-named Landjet. It’s unknown if this truly is the internal name of the upcoming vehicle. Besides, it’s very unlikely that the automaker would comment on the report at this early stage.
Of course, it’s not just electrification that sets Tesla apart. Its Autopilot system is an integral part of the vehicles—not to mention a source of additional income, with Tesla owners paying upward of $10,000 for the yet-to-be-released Full Self-Driving feature that CEO Elon Musk says will bring actual autonomous driving to Tesla’s vehicles. That system would also power a fleet of robo taxis that Tesla is expected to put on the roads once it perfects the autonomous-driving setup.
Back in January, Hitzinger announced that VW Autonomy would show off autonomous buses at the World Cup in 2022 as part of a pilot program. It is also aiming for 2025 to have a Level 4 autonomous system (a vehicle with controls for drivers, but able to drive itself in most situations without the need for a human to pay attention or take over). This would be used first for robotaxis and cargo delivery, then likely in the I.D. Buzz Microbus due to its size.
Volkswagen may be investing heavily in electrification with its MEB and PPE platforms, but an EV that also drives itself and is highly efficient thanks to Hitzinger’s experience would help VW take on Tesla not just in this one vehicle but in technology generally.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

A consortium led by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll will invest up to $650 million in Aston Martin. Stroll’s Formula 1 team, Racing Point, will become Aston Martin F1 starting in 2021, and Aston’s long-term collaboration with Red Bull Racing will end. The automaker will suspend EV development until after 2025. Aston Martin has been having […] More

Kia is giving its compact Forte sedan a makeover for 2022 that includes updated exterior styling, new wheel designs, and updated tech.Inside, a larger 10.3-inch infotainment display is now available as an option, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is standard.The 2022 Forte is priced starting just over $20,000 and will be on sale soon, Kia said. Who says small sedans are dead? Not Kia. For 2022, the Korean automaker has freshened its Forte compact car with fresh styling and more tech to keep it in competition with new entrants such as the new 2022 Honda Civic and the updated 2022 Volkswagen Jetta.
Styling updates for the Forte this year include a revised upper grille that’s narrower than before as well as updated exterior lighting elements, reworked front and rear bumpers, new wheel designs, and a newly available trunklid spoiler. On GT and GT-Line trims, new LED fog lamps are recessed into the lower grille; those models also come with unique LED taillights.

Inside, the Forte is upgraded with new center console design that ditches the old manual parking brake for an electronic one, freeing up more space for storage. Faux-leather upholstery is now an option, as is a rear-seat USB port for charging smartphones. An 8.0-inch infotainment system is still standard, but it now includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. A larger 10.3-inch display is now optional and comes with in-dash navigation.
The Forte’s safety cred also sees a bit of a bump for 2022 as several of its available driver-assistance features are upgraded this year. Basics such as automated emergency braking and lane-keeping assist were already standard but a lane following assist feature joins the spec sheet this year too. The car’s automated emergency braking system has been upgraded to watch for both pedestrians and bicyclists and the rear cross-traffic alert system now can apply the brakes if the driver appears to be backing into an obstacle.A new adaptive cruise control system is now available which uses navigation data to predict upcoming curves in the road and automatically slow the Forte’s speed in preparation. That feature is already in use on some Kia and Hyundai models and also monitors posted speed limits. In addition to this new feature, the Forte also can be ordered with a system that can warn the driver if it’s unsafe to exit the vehicle due to approaching traffic or bicyclists.
Powertrain and chassis components are unchanged. Most models are powered by the familiar 147-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder and continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). With this setup, the Forte delivered a lethargic 8.1-second run to 60 mph at our test track. Thankfully, the GT model remains a part of the lineup. It comes with a 201-hp turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder and either a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic or a six-speed manual. With the manual transmission, the Forte GT managed a 6.7-second run to 60 mph in our hands. Pricing for the entry-level FE model starts at $20,085, while the midrange LXS and GT-Line will cost $20,585 and $22,285 respectively. The sporty GT trim is set to start at $24,485. The 2022 Kia Forte should be rolling into U.S. dealer inventory soon.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More