Aurelia Butler

ChargePoint has a new one-size-fits-all solution to public charging with the introduction of the “Omni Port.”The Omni Port combines the Level 2 SAE J1772 plug with the Combined Charging System (CCS1) and Tesla’s NACS plugs. According to ChargePoint, users on the network enter their vehicle’s make and model, and then the charger deploys the correct port as needed. The electric-vehicle charging landscape is a confusing one. Don’t believe us? Ask any friend with an EV what they think about Chevy Bolt owners using their local fast-charger. ChargePoint, an EV charging company, aims to simplify the process for EV owners throughout North America with its new “Omni Port.”The Omni Port combines the Level 2 SAE J1772 plug with the Combined Charging System (CCS1) plug and Tesla’s proprietary North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug. The new single port lets both Tesla and non-Tesla EV drivers pull up and charge at the same station without having to choose between plugs. Because electric vehicles from various automakers currently have different charging ports, not all EVs can replenish their battery at every charger. To simplify the process for consumers, automakers have been signing up, one at a time, to adopt Tesla’s NACS plug, though none have actually made the shift yet. You can find the full list of automakers who have agreed to join the NACS network here. According to ChargePoint, people who use the ChargePoint network will simply enter their vehicle’s make and model into the app and then initiate a charge. Omni Port-equipped charging stations will then automatically deploy the correct plug for your vehicle. Customers who aren’t on the ChargePoint network can still make use of the technology by manually selecting the correct plug at the station. ChargePoint’s Omni Port will begin rolling out later this year at new locations as well as existing AC and DC stations. The Omni Port can also be added to existing ChargePoint CP6000 and Express Plus Power Link 2000 models at a nominal cost, according to the company.The company is touting the new system as the “only publicly available solution to solve North America’s EV connector confusion across AC and DC charging.” In the words of the brand’s CEO Rick Wilmer, “With Omni port, ChargePoint solved the challenges associated with a multiple connector environment, ensuring Tesla and non-Tesla drivers can continue to expect a world-class driver experience.” We’d also suggest adding a sign scaring Bolt owners away from DC fast-chargers.More on Electric VehiclesJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

The 2025 Ford Police Interceptor Utility just launched with quality-of-life improvements and better driver safety tech. While the hybrid powertrain has been dropped from the production Explorer, it remains standard on the Interceptor.There’s also a new 12.3-inch LCD digital instrument cluster with a certified speedometer.Ford dropped the 3.3-liter V-6 hybrid powertrain from the production Explorer’s lineup following the 2023 model year. We’re happy to report that Ford Pro just launched the 2025 Police Interceptor Utility and the hybrid sticks around. Ford ProIt’s got a 285-hp naturally aspirated V-6 and a 44-hp electric motor that brings the total output to 318 horsepower. Since officers spend most of their time in the field tootling around in traffic or idling while performing routine duties like speed enforcement and traffic control—the hybrid’s battery can take over the brunt of the idle work from the engine. According to Ford, the hybrid system can save up to 838 gallons of fuel per year—resulting in savings of $17,500 over six years, assuming gas prices of $3.50 per gallon. The nonhybrid engine options are back as well, with the 285-hp 3.3-liter V-6 returning, along with the turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that makes 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. The 2025 Interceptor adds some new quality-of-life changes to make officers’ lives easier. There’s a new 12.3-inch LCD digital instrument cluster with a certified speedometer to make information clearer to officers while they’re driving. More Ford Police VehiclesStandard features have also been improved, with the Police Perimeter Alert system now standard. Ford says it can detect moving threats around the vehicle, activate the rear camera, sound a chime, roll up the windows, and lock the doors. Driver safety tech is improved as well, with systems like automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, and reverse brake assist all added. Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

Automotive designer Sasha Selipanov, known for his work on the Bugatti Chiron, the Koenigsegg CC850, and the Lamborghini Huracán, has designed his own hypercar, the V-12 Nilu. The Nilu’s 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12, manual transmission, and few screens reflect the kind of simplified driving experience currently trending among high-end collectors. The Nilu will have a public debut on August 15, during Monterey Car Week 2024.As forced-induction and hybrid horsepower numbers rocket upward at a speed matched only by the complexity of traction-control program modes, and square inches of interior surface covered by touchscreens, the new standout in high-end performance and luxury seems to be manual transmissions and free-breathing, naturally aspirated powerplants. Such is the case with Nilu27’s self-named hypercar, the Nilu. The wide-mouthed two-seater with its NACA ducts, exposed V-12 engine, and seven-speed manual transmission combines classic supercar styling and driving elements with lightweight tube subframes and a composite monocoque. NiluNilu27 is the creation of Sasha and Inna Selipanov. The name is a combination of the Selipanov children’s names, Nica and Lucia, with the racing number of Formula 1 driver Gilles Villeneuve, a photo of whom inspired Sasha as a child to pursue automotive design. His most well-known work in the automotive industry has been with Koenigsegg, Lamborghini, and Bugatti, where he worked on the Gemera, CC850, Huracán, and Chiron, to name just a few of his greatest hits. For the Nilu, he left the security of an established brand to create his own vision of the perfect hypercar. NiluWild LooksThe Nilu sits low to the ground with a wide twin-scoop mouth that looks a bit like Jeremy Clarkson driving the BAC Mono on Top Gear (Season 20, Episode 2). The bodywork rises steeply over 20-inch five-spoke wheels and then drops like a ski jump into a wide rear scoop over a NACA duct before smoothing out over the 21-inch rear wheels and tucking around the exposed engine with its GT40-like “snake pit” of center-mounted exhaust pipes. Beneath the active curves of the exterior is a carbon-fiber monocoque attached to aluminum tubular subframes supporting a forged double-wishbone pushrod suspension, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires (265/35R-20 front and 325/30R-21 rear) on wide Nilu27-designed, AppTech-produced center-lock wheels. Stopping is handled by carbon-ceramic Brembo discs and new-sneaker-white brake calipers, which should have no issue bringing the proposed 2600-pound (dry weight) car to a stop. NiluInside gullwing doors, the Nilu seats two in a fixed side-by-side position. Following a burgeoning trend among supercar startups, you’ll see no big screens or button-bedazzled steering wheel in the Nilu cockpit. Instead the focus is on the open, gated seven-speed manual shifter, billet-machined switches, and a floating bridgework gauge cluster. Free Air V-12There are no electric motor assists, turbochargers, or superchargers involved in the 6.5-liter V-12’s 1070 horsepower and 634 pound-feet of torque. Nilu27 worked with Hartley Engines in New Zealand to develop a big 80-degree hot-V mill with 12 throttle bodies, a redline above 10,000 rpm, and an eye-catching and thunderous 12-into-1 3-D-printed Inconel exhaust system that is the centerpiece of the car’s open rear view. Nilu27 says the car should have a top speed of nearly 250 mph and a time to 60 mph that will be well under three seconds.Planned ProductionNilu27 plans the public debut of the Nilu hypercar for August 15 at Pebble Beach during Car Week. The initial run of production will be limited to 15 cars to be assembled by Aria Group in Irvine, California. Future plans include a 54-car run of street-homologated variants. Pricing and delivery have not been announced, but impatient buyers can look for the Nilu in the CSR Racing 2 mobile simulator app in November. More to ReadLike a sleeper agent activated late in the game, Elana Scherr didn’t know her calling at a young age. Like many girls, she planned to be a vet-astronaut-artist, and came closest to that last one by attending UCLA art school. She painted images of cars, but did not own one. Elana reluctantly got a driver’s license at age 21 and discovered that she not only loved cars and wanted to drive them, but that other people loved cars and wanted to read about them, which meant somebody had to write about them. Since receiving activation codes, Elana has written for numerous car magazines and websites, covering classics, car culture, technology, motorsports, and new-car reviews. In 2020, she received a Best Feature award from the Motor Press Guild for the C/D story “A Drive through Classic Americana in a Polestar 2.”  In 2023, her Car and Driver feature story More