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    Remember the Toyota Prius C? Here's the New One

    Toyota has released a new version of the Aqua hybrid hatchback, previously called the Prius C in the U.S.The Prius C was discontinued in America a few years ago and is unlikely to return.The new Japan-market Aqua offers all-wheel drive and a single-pedal function that uses the regenerative brakes to slow the car to a stop like many EVs do.Toyota’s Prius lineup in the U.S. used to include several distinct models but has now shrunk to include just the standard Prius and the Prius Prime plug-in-hybrid. But while the larger Prius V and the smaller Prius C disappeared from our shores years ago, the Prius C has continued on elsewhere in the world. It’s especially popular in Japan, where it’s known as the Aqua, and a redesigned version is set to go on sale in Toyota’s home market soon.

    Toyota

    The new Aqua looks far more modern than before both inside and out and rides on a new platform with a 2.0-inch longer wheelbase. Its gas-electric powertrain uses a 1.5-liter inline-four gasoline engine combined with electric motor-generators, and it’s available with either front- or all-wheel drive. A new system called Comfort Pedal is able to use the regenerative braking system to similar effect as found in many EVs; lifting off the gas pedal activates the regen to slow the car, meaning drivers won’t need to use the brake pedal as often.

    Toyota

    Toyota

    We don’t expect to see the Prius C nameplate return to the U.S. market anytime soon, meaning the Aqua will remain a JDM-only oddity for the time being. But we may see the Comfort Pedal system or some of its styling elements on future U.S. models.
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    Semi-Autonomous Ford Escapes Available for Rides with Lyft by Late 2021

    Ford, in partnership with Argo AI and Lyft, will add semi-autonomous Escape SUVs as a choice for users of Lyft’s ride-sharing service. The service will launch in Miami later this year and Austin, Texas, in 2022. Ford says it wants over 1000 cars in the fleet in the next five years. There will be safety drivers behind the wheel, and customers have the choice when using the Lyft app whether to select an autonomous ride from Ford. Lyft will soon offer semi-autonomous rides in select cities through a partnership with Ford and autonomous vehicle tech company Argo AI. The rides will be available first in Miami, Florida, starting later in 2021. Lyft users can choose whether or not they want a semi-autonomous ride when they use the ride-sharing service’s app. The point of this exercise is to begin commercially deploying autonomous vehicles on what will eventually be a large scale.

    Ford

    These still aren’t self-driving cars, though, as Ford says there will be safety drivers behind the wheel of these Escape crossovers equipped with Argo AI’s Self-Driving System (SDS) 360-degree lidar. The semi-autonomous rides will be offered in Austin, Texas, starting next year, and Ford says it hopes to have more than 1000 of these cars in the Lyft fleet over the next five years.

    Ford and Volkswagen jointly invested billions of dollars in Argo AI in 2019 to develop autonomous driving systems for their vehicles. Volkswagen plans to have Level 4 autonomy on its electric ID.Buzz van for commercial use by 2025. In addition, Toyota recently invested $400 million into Chinese autonomous vehicle tech company Pony.ai.

    Ford

    Ford retains ownership of the vehicles, while Argo AI supplies the technology and the safety drivers. As part of the deal, Argo AI will use data from Lyft to further develop its technologies, and Lyft will receive 2.5 percent of the common equity of Argo AI. Lyft recently sold its autonomous driving division to a subsidiary of Toyota. The company also has a partnership with autonomous company Motional and Hyundai to have fully autonomous cars on the Lyft network by 2023.
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    Scooter, Motorcycle Owners Will Lose Warranty – If Rear View Mirrors Removed

    Image for reference. Credit- Vishal AhinaveThe Madras High Court passed this favourable ruling on a PIL initiated by Advocate B Ramkumar Adityen
    It is often seen that some two wheeler riders prefer to remove rear-view / side-view mirrors of their vehicles soon after purchase. When asked why they remove, most of them say that by removing mirrors their vehicle looks more stylish. They feel that this adds to vehicle aesthetics. They maybe right, but this throws caution to the wind in terms of safety.
    However, following the new court order, scooter and motorcycle owners who remove the rear view / side view mirrors would have to think twice as it could result in loss of warranty. When assessing statistics of two wheeler accidents, it is seen that a large number of accidents occur due to this factor as riders fail to get a clear view of the approaching traffic from behind them.
    Importance Of Rear View Mirrors
    These mirrors play an important role in allowing the rider to make a calculated judgment when riding a vehicle on a public road. Removal of these put both the rider and other road users at high risk. It was for this purpose that a PIL was moved by advocate B Ramkumar Adityan. He stated that since these mirrors positioned on both sides of the handle, play such a significant role in road safety, that the removal of these should result in cancellation of two wheeler warranty.
    In the affidavit, the Petition stated that the number of two wheelers in the state had increased from 32.14 lakh (8.35 lakh motorcycles, 5.46 lakh scooters and 18.32 lakh mopeds) in 1999 to 2.49 crore (1.57 crore motorcycles, 36.59 lakh scooters and 54.74 lakh mopeds) in 2020.
    Ola Electric Scooter. Image for reference.
    As per the Madras High Court order, headed by Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, the warranty would stand cancelled for any two wheeler minus the rear view / side view mirrors which have been removed purely for aesthetic reasons. The court has also issued directions to the Tamil Nadu Transport Commissioner to pass orders to all two wheeler dealerships. They should caution buyers in terms of warranty which would be declared null and void if they remove the mirrors after purchase.
    Vehicle manufacturers should also include a clause to such effect, the Bench stated. Along with the cancellation of warranty, the petitioner also sought a direction to impose a fine of Rs 500 on those who ride two-wheelers without rear-view mirrors and Rs 1,500 on repeat offenders.
    The order also stated that it was on 9th November 2017 that the Madurai Bench had passed a similar order. Despite this, two wheeler riders were being allowed to ride their vehicles after removing the side / rear view mirrors. Strict compliance to the order should be adhered to which is in accordance with Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
    Related News on TN Road Accidents
    Activists urge caution as accidents in the state of Tamil Nadu have seen a significant rise since the easing of the lockdown. The state road safety counsel has invited stake holders to discuss ways to reduce such road accidents. Taking the first 5 months of 2021 into account, there were around 7,200 road accidents on highways in the state with 55 percent involving two wheelers. The State Government has identified 317 accident spots on the road and directed local authorities to keep a vigilant eye on rash and negligent driving. More

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    Ola Electric Scooter Buyers Across India Will Get Home Delivery

    Ola Electric ScooterOla Electric scooter is open for bookings – In just 24 hours, it has recorded more than 1 lakh orders
    Ola electric scooter is based on the Etergo Appscooter – a Dutch start-up company that Ola acquired. It will compete with the Ather 450X, TVS iQube, and Bajaj Chetak in the segment. Segment best features is what is being promised by the company with best in class boot space and an app based key for a complete keyless experience.
    Teaser videos released by the company also claim efficient cornering ability and class leading acceleration. The scooters will all LED lighting, a digital instrument cluster and charging facilities will be via a normal home charger that will require no installation. This means that users can charge their e-scooter at home by plugging into regular wall socket.
    Home Delivery Experience
    Apart from offering new age, first in class features – the new Ola Electric scooter will also offer its buyers a new kind of delivery experience. As per a new report by First Post, Ola Electric scooters will be home delivered to buyers across India – without the traditional dealership network.
    This will make delivery faster. It is likely that Ola will be making storage hubs across India to make delivery faster and hassle free. Ola Electric has created a logistics department. This department will be tasked with the delivery process. Right from the booking stage to deliver, this department will help customers.
    Ola Electric Scooter
    All will be done online. From booking to loan application, etc. The Ola team will be there to help buyers at every step. It remains to be seen how the service / spares replacement, etc will be taken care of without the traditional dealers. As per the report, Ola could provide door-step service to customers, and thus completely avoid the task of setting up dealership network. Tesla has this method in place already.
    New Age Scooter For New India
    The Ola electric scooter is likely to be called the Series S, as per recent trademarks filed by the company. Earlier this week, Ola Electric has trademarked 3 names for the upcoming e-scooter that include S1, S1 Pro and Series S. It appears to be that the S1 and S1 Pro could be two variants of the Ola e-scooter with the S1 being the base variant and the S1 Pro a more premium offering. As for the Series S, this can be the name of the entry level Standard version.
    Booking has opened at a down payment of Rs 499 and buyers placing their orders on the olaelectric portal. The booking amount is fully refundable. The company Chief Bhavish Aggarwal had made the announcement via his official Twitter handle that due to heavy demand, the website was facing issues in accepting bookings but that has now been resolved and the booking process has commenced.
    The Ola Electric scooter will be produced from the brand’s new manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu which will have initial capacity of 20 lakh units per annum. It is into this plant that the company has invested Rs 2,400 crores. The facility is spread over 500 acres and is said to be the largest two wheeler plant in the world and the most advanced Green factory once operations commence. The plant will generate employment for over 2,000 persons initially to go up to 10,000 once it is fully in operation.
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    Royal Enfield Sales, Exports Breakup June 2021 – Classic, 650 Twins, Himalayan

    Image – Throttle98Royal Enfield reported domestic sales of 35,815 units in the 350cc segment in June 2021 with exports of 7,233 units
    Royal Enfield sales has noted a YoY de-growth in terms of domestic sales while exports increased substantially. Taking solely about domestic sales in this segment, Royal Enfield sold a total of 35,815 units in June 2021, down 1.90 percent over sales of 36,510 units in June 2020.
    Despite lower sales across each of the models, Classic, Bullet and Meteor 350cc models continued to contribute heavily to this segment with Classic sales at 17,377 units in June 2021, down from 22,699 units sold in June 2020. RE Classic 350cc commands a 48.52 percent share.
    Of Bullet 350, sales in the past month were at 5,317 units, down 34.42 percent over sales of 8,108 units sold in June 2021. Meteor sales were at 8,770 units while Electra 350 sales dipped YoY by 22.70 percent to 3,137 units. Royal Enfield also has the Himalayan and 650 Twins in this segment with each posting YoY de-growth of 18.08 percent and 34.57 percent to 684 units and 530 units respectively.
    There were more promising MoM sales of each of the bikes in this segment. Total sales which had stood at 20,073 units in May 2021 increased 78.42 percent to 35,815 units in June 2021.
    Royal Enfield Domestic Sales Breakup June 2021
    Here it was the Classic and Meteor 350 that noted the most growth at 88.08 percent and 159.85 percent respectively. Bullet 350 sales increased 16.68 percent from 4,557 to 5,317 MoM, while Electra was another leading contributor with 48.53 percent MoM growth from 2,112 units sold in May 2021. Himalayan sales increased 47.73 percent while 650 Twin sales increased by 62.08 percent MoM.
    Royal Enfield Exports
    A significant growth in terms of YoY exports were noted. Royal Enfield shipped 7,233 units in June 2021, up from 1,541 units exported in June 2020, relating to a 369.37 percent growth. MoM exports however increased marginally from 7,218 units in May 2021.
    Meteor 350, 650 Twins and the Himalayan were most in demand in global markets. Meteor exports stood at 2,373 units while 650 Twins (2,414 units) and Himalayan (2,072 units) each noted significant YoY growth.
    Royal Enfield Exports Breakup June 2021
    Classic 350 exports also increased from 11 units in June 2020 to 269 units in June 2021, relating to a 345.45 YoY growth. Classic 500 exports dipped 11.22 percent to 87 units and was the only model in the company lineup to post YoY de-growth while Bullet 500 and 350 noted exports of 3 and 15 units respectively. Exports on a MoM basis remained more or less stable with just a 0.21 percent growth with only the 650 Twins posting increased exports while other models saw lower exports
    Upcoming Launches
    Starting with a next-gen Classic 350, Royal Enfield will be launching new bikes back to back in over the next couple of months. Test mules of the upcoming Royal Enfield have been spied multiple time. Royal Enfield had recently filed the trademark for ‘Scram’, which as the name suggests, would be a scrambler and the new Royal Enfield flagship 650cc cruiser is expected to be called the Shotgun 650 as the trademarked name suggests. More

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    Sunra Miku Max Electric Motorcycle Debuts – Range 60 Kms

    Sunra Miku Max Electric Two WheelerSunra Miku Max aspires to be a scrambler-like motorcycle with retro-style elements
    Every now and then we come across designs that are unique. Miku Max from Chinese startup Sunra is one of them. For a while, it was hard to fathom its actual body style. Is it a scooter or a motorcycle? For now we have settled with it being a motorcycle.
    Miku Max is fully powered by an electric source hence the void engine bay makes sense. The miniature-sized e-moped is a lightweight two-wheeler carrying a funky design which is surely a head-turner among crowds.
    Quirky Design
    The most noticeable highlight of the electric motorcycle is its floating seat which gives it a futuristic appeal. Further, its petite dimensions make it an urban-friendly commuter, especially in a densely populated environment.
    Miku Max is almost as small as Honda Grom or the recently unveiled Kawasaki Z125. The design clearly aspires to become a motorcycle which is what makes this mini-moto desirable.
    Sunra Miku Max Electric Two Wheeler
    Features on offer
    The electric motorcycle also attracts attention due to retro cues adopted in its stylings such as round headlamps with circular LED DRLs, round rearview mirrors and a tan-coloured seat. In terms of features, it features modern equipment with all basic functionalities such as full LED lighting.
    Sunra Miku Max Electric Two Wheeler
    It also gets a sleek LCD instrument panel on its dash which displays information from speedometer, odometer, trip meter and battery percentage meter. Despite the huge vacant space below in the empty engine bay, the electric motorcycle only offers a payload capacity of only 100kg.
    Specifications
    It, however, offers a tiny storage compartment in its faux fuel tank. In addition, Miku Max comes standard with a USB port and a Bluetooth connectivity system. However, there is no provision for an in-built GPS turn-by-turn navigation.
    Sunra Miku Max Electric Two Wheeler
    Speaking of its hardware configurations, the frame is sprung on telescopic forks at front and a double wishbone-like suspension at rear. The motorcycle rides on 10-inch wheels on both ends. Disc brakes on both sides are offered as standard.
    Miku Max is propelled by a small 800W hub motor sourced from Bosch which derives its energy from a 60V, 20Ah removable lithium-ion battery. This powertrain is strong enough to offer a top speed of 45 kmph and a maximum range of 60 kilometers on a single charge. These figures are best described as modest. The battery pack weighs nine kilos and could be fully charged within four hours.
    Sunra Miku Max Electric Two Wheeler
    The electric motorcycle is offered in four colour options- white, green, red, white and blue. Miku Max is not likely to make its debut in India anytime soon. More

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    Volkswagen Boss Confirms ID.8 Electric SUV Is Coming

    Volkswagen’s Herbert Diess has confirmed that VW will roll out an ID.8 electric SUV.The VW ID.8 will be comparable to the mid-size VW Atlas. Details are minimal, but it’s expected to ride on the scalable MEB platform that underpins the rest of the Volkswagen EV lineup.During a presentation on future plans, Volkswagen boss Herbert Diess confirmed that Volkswagen will introduce an Atlas-sized electric crossover under the ID banner. It was expected that Volkswagen would eventually release a mid-size crossover with a battery-electric powertrain, a move that will help further flesh out the Volkswagen battery-electric portfolio.

    The Atlas made its debut only a few short years ago, in 2017, in an effort to capitalize on the growing demand for crossovers in the United States and abroad. That formula has easily translated to the growing battery-electric market, as buyers are gravitating toward crossovers even in the EV space. Volkswagen has been aggressively expanding its EV representation with new products across segments.

    Right now, there’s nothing concrete released about the ID.8. It will more than likely ride on the Volkswagen MEB platform that underpins other electric VW products. And though nothing is known yet about expected range or output, a look at the production-ready ID.4 gives a sense of what Volkswagen is trying to do with its EV models. While considerably smaller, the ID.4 sports 250 miles of range and 201 horsepower.VW also has yet to reveal a timeline for the ID.8’s debut—or confirm that the ID.8 will even be available in North America. With the continued demand for three-row crossovers in the U.S., it seems like an obvious move, though.

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    GMC Confirms Second Electric Pickup to Accompany Hummer EV

    GMC confirmed it will build a second full-size electric pickup truck.We think it will be closely related to the upcoming Chevy Silverado EV.It will likely be cheaper and less powerful than the GMC Hummer EV.Chevy recently announced an electric version of the Silverado pickup truck, so we should’ve known that a GMC version wasn’t too far behind. GMC vice president Duncan Aldred confirmed yesterday on a conference call that this is indeed the case, sharing that GMC will launch a second full-size electric pickup truck as a follow-up to the Hummer EV.

    While the Hummer is an expensive, powerful, off-road-capable halo model, we get the impression that the second GMC electric truck will be closer in scope to the more mainstream Sierra 1500 gas trucks. It’s likely to share many components with the Silverado EV, with styling being the major differentiator between the two trucks.GM’s Ultium battery packs will be found underneath, with powertrain configurations possibly including one-, two-, or three-motor options. Chevy has claimed a driving range of up to 400 miles for the electric Silverado, and we can expect similar claims for the GMC truck.GMC didn’t share any information on pricing, but we have to assume that this unnamed pickup will be significantly less expensive than the Hummer, which starts at $79,995 for the least expensive version set to arrive in 2024. The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning is set to offer multiple variants starting under $60,000 and we can assume that GM will follow that lead with the Silverado EV and the GMC pickup in order to be competitive.Timing for this GMC electric truck is unclear at this point, but we think it will arrive in either 2023 or 2024, around the same time as the Silverado EV. We should learn more in the near-term before the full truck is revealed, including the GMC model’s nameplate.
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