Aurelia Butler

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    in Motor News

    Nearly 700,000 Nissan Rogue SUVs Recalled for Dashboard Fire Risk

    Nissan will recall 688,946 of its 2014–2016 Rogue SUVs to fix a problem with the electrical connector for the under-dashboard harness.Corrosion from water and salt coming in through the driver’s footwell could cause the harness to corrode, causing issues up to and including a risk of fire.Owners will be notified starting March 2, and Nissan said its fix for the issue is “under development.”Nissan announced it will recall nearly 700,000 of its 2014–2016 Rogue SUVs to fix a problem with the dashboard harness connector. Over time, salt and water getting in through the driver’s-side footwell could “wick up the dash-side harness tape and enter the connector,” Nissan said. This could lead to a number of problems, according to a report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Among them could be failure of the driver’s-side power window or power seat controls, illumination of the all-wheel-drive system warning light, battery discharge, “a burning odor,” smoke under the dash on the driver’s side, and, potentially, fire.

    Interior of 2015 Nissan Rogue.
    Nissan

    According to the chronology of the issue that Nissan has filed with NHTSA, there have been three “unconfirmed incidents” in U.S. vehicles and no injuries, as well as two “thermal incidents” and two “incidents with localized thermal damage” in Rogue vehicles in Canada.Nissan said the problem is likely to occur in only about 1 percent of the recalled vehicles. They include 305,220 Rogues built at the Renault Samsung Motors plant in South Korea and 383,726 built at Smyrna, Tennessee, for a total of 688,946 2014 through 2016 models. Nissan said it changed the manufacturing process at the end of the 2016 model year, so newer Rogues will not experience the issue, and the NHTSA report said no other Nissan or Infiniti vehicles used the same harness layout and tape as on these earlier Rogues.Owners will be notified beginning March 2. Nissan is still figuring out a remedy for the issue but said it expects a repair to be available in the spring. The automaker also said it will contact owners about reimbursement for fixes that happened before the recall notification, since the vehicles in the recall are no longer under warranty.In the meantime, Rogue owners who want to find out if their vehicle is affected can check the NHTSA recalls site.

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    in Bike

    Horwin SK3 Electric Scooter Debuts – Range 80 Kms, Top Speed 90 Kmph

    Horwin SK3 Electric ScooterHorwin has unveiled a new electric scooter named SK3 in Europe – It is not expected to be launched in IndiaElectric mobility has truly grown by leaps and bounds over the last few months, especially in the two-wheeler space. New vehicles featuring battery-powered powertrains have made their debuts not only in India but overseas as well. Another new offering in this space has hit markets in Europe.Most electric scooters are more driven towards practicality rather than looks, however, the latest e-scooter from Horwin named SK3 is one handsome scooter. An Austria-based EV brand, the company has been able to create the right balance for the new SK3.Horwin SK3 Electric Scooter – StylingUnlike contemporary EVs, Horwin SK3 gets a sleek and sharp design that adopts Maxi scooter stylings. However, the spine running through the floorboard is now as tall and prominent as modern maxi-style scooters.Upfront, the scooter gets a twin LED headlamp cluster mounted on the apron which gives it the impression of a BMW C400 GT. The apron also houses a small and adjustable flyscreen. The scooter features many cuts and creases along its front and side panels which gives it a modern yet utilitarian appearance.Horwin SK3 Electric ScooterThe relatively flat seat comes with a chunky single-piece grab rail which can be replaced with a luggage mounting rack or a pannier box with a pillion backrest as an accessory. Basically, it has been designed for daily commutes as well as long-distance touring.Powertrain, Hardware SpecsSK3 is powered by a 6.2kW electric motor which derives its energy from a 2.52kWh Lithium-ion battery. The claimed top speed has been restricted at 90 kmph while it boasts a range of 80 km on a single charge. By availing an additional battery pack as an option, the range could be extended up to 160 km. However, inclusion of the second battery will reduce the under-seat storage significantly.Horwin will be providing its customers with an 8A charger as standard. In terms of features, SK3 comes equipped with full LED lighting, a digital LCD instrument panel, keyless operation and cruise control. Hardware configurations of the scooter are fairly simple with a suspension setup comprising conventional telescopic forks at front and dual rear springs. The scooter rides on black 14-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels.Horwin SK3 Electric ScooterElectric Scooter PriceBraking setup consisted of a front disc and rear drum unit aided by a Combi Braking System (CBS). The electric scooter is being offered in three colour options namely metallic blue, black and metallic grey. Priced at EUR 3990 (approx. INR 3.42 lakh), SK3 goes on sale in markets across Europe this month. At this price tag, it doesn’t seem a viable option for the Indian market. More

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    in Electric Cars

    Mahindra Electric Three Wheeler Cargo e Alfa Launch Price Rs 1.44 Lakh

    New Mahindra Cargo Three Wheeler e AlfaMahindra e Alfa Cargo goes up against other commercial electric three-wheelers like Euler HiLoad EV and Piaggio Ape E-Xtra FXMahindra Electric Mobility Ltd, the electric vehicle manufacturing subsidiary of the Indian automaker- Mahindra Group has announced the launch of its new three-wheeler called e-Alfa Cargo. This battery-powered cargo vehicle has been pegged at a price of Rs 1.44 lakh (ex-showroom).Launch of the e-Alfa Cargo marks Mahindra’s entry into the rapidly growing e-cart segment. Mahindra claims that an owner of e-Alfa Cargo can save up to Rs 60 000.00 per year in fuel costs when compared with a diesel cargo 3-wheeler. The homegrown automaker already retails Treo Zor in the last mile segment.Mahindra Electric Three Wheeler – e Alfa Cargo DetailsMahindra says that e-Alfa Cargo aims to provide a sustainable and pollution-free solution in the cargo segment. E Alfa Cargo is powered by an electric motor with a peak power output of 1.5 kW while using the unique additional High Torque gear.It gets a dual-speed manual transmission with an integrated differential that ensures a good grade ability of 7 degrees. This powertrain returns a range of 80km on a single charge and a top speed of only 25kmph. Mahindra is offering an off-board 48 V/15 A charger which makes charging e Alfa Cargo as easy as charging a mobile phone.New Mahindra Cargo Three Wheeler e AlfaE Alfa Cargo has a very low running cost, just 59 Paise per kilometre (considering electricity charges at Rs 8/unit). This should ensure more profitability for owners.In terms of features, e Alfa comes with a fully digital instrument cluster that displays state of charge (SoC), range, speed and other useful and vital read-outs at a glance. It also gets a large and wide cargo tray with a payload of 310kg that should meet the demands of customers in this segment. E Alfa comes with a 1 year/unlimited-kilometer warranty.Mahindra ElectricMahindra boasts the largest service network for electric 3-wheelers in India with approximately 300 outlets across the country. The company will soon aim to replace all its diesel cargo vehicles with the ones running on an electric motor and battery. Apart from three-wheelers, Mahindra Electric is also responsible for developing future EVs for the company in the passenger vehicle segment.Speaking on the launch of e Alfa Cargo, Suman Mishra, CEO of Mahindra Electric Mobility Limited, said, “The last-mile delivery segment is seeing excellent adoption of electric 3-wheelers due to significant operating cost advantages versus fossil fuel-powered 3-wheelers. We are now launching the e Alfa Cargo e-cart in response to the customer requirements in this segment.” More

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    in Bike

    New Kinetic Green Electric Scooters Launch Planned – Partners With Chinese EV Maker

    New Kinetic Electric Scooters Planned. Image – Aima TechThe partnership will see a buildup in E2W business and increase production capacities to 5 lakh units a year over next two yearsKinetic Green Energy & Power Solutions have entered into a partnership with China-based electric vehicle giant, Aima Technology Group. This association will see co-design and development of electric two-wheelers for the Indian market.The two companies together plan launch of at least 3 new models by 2023 which will also include models from Aima based on an advanced high speed scooter platform. Aima Tech is one of the leading EV makers in China. As per their website, they export a range of electric scooters in bulk. Most of these electric scooters are priced in the range of $400 to $650 – approx Rs 30k to Rs 45k.Made In India Electric ScootersThese new scooters which will be launched by Kinetic Green, will be made in India. Aima will assist Kinetic in design while it will also support the latter in terms of modification and localization so as to cater to the demands of India buyers. A target is to build up production capacities to 5 lakh units a year over the next two years.Pune based Kinetic Green Energy & Power Solutions, after launching a range of electric three-wheelers in the country about four years ago, entered the E2W market in 2021. Kinetic Green launched two electric scooters – Kinetic Zing and Kinetic Zoom last year.Aima Tech Electric ScooterIt has since built up its presence in this segment and is today among one of India’s top E2W players. The impetus into this segment is due to the ever increasing prices of petrol. Favorable Government of India policies have also made buyers show more interest in this segment while the fast evolving EV ecosystem also plays a very important role in its success even as the electric segment is poised for even more rapid growth in the years ahead.Aima has also been witness to the growth of green mobility in India, initiated by the FAME II subsidies offered by the Government of India and added incentives released by various state governments in terms of purchase of electric vehicles. Growth in this segment, specifically over the past year, which resulted in a YoY E2W growth of 631 percent is particularly noteworthy.Aima TechAima has a portfolio of over 1000 models that include E2W, E3W and E4. AIMA has gained increasing recognition in the EV market with its flagship models that include Tiger X613, the N600 and A500. The company has a global presence and operates in 87 countries with sales of over 50,000,000 E2W units till date.Aima Tech WebsiteIt is among the best in the industry in terms of technology development and R&D. The company also has heavy investments in technology R&D specifically in terms of design besides 3D digital modelling, IoT and smart technology.Together with Kinetic Green Energy, Aima will also strive to build up a strong electric vehicle system with state of the art supply chains and fast charging system. It will also pay close attention to battery swapping and long range electric vehicles. More

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    in Bike

    Hero Sales, Exports Breakup Dec 2021 – Splendor, Passion, Deluxe, Maestro

    Image – Verma Art ModificationsHero MotoCorp suffered a YoY de-growth both in terms of domestic sales and exports in December 2021Hero MotoCorp was once again at the top of two wheeler sales in December 2021. The two wheeler major beat Bajaj, TVS, Honda by a significant margin despite recording de-growth both in terms of domestic sales and exports. This de-growth is what is being faced by a majority of two wheeler makers in the country while sales of electric vehicles in this segment is on the rise.Hero Sales Breakup Dec 2021In domestic markets, sales stood at 3,74,415 units, down 11.91 percent over 4,25,033 units sold in December 2020. MoM sales performed better with a 13.87 percent growth over 3,28,817 units sold in November 2021. Leading the domestic sales charts was the Splendor with a 16.33 percent YoY growth to 2,26,759 units up from 1,94,930 units sold in December 2020. Hero Splendor commands a 60.56 percent share in the company lineup.It was not only the best-selling bike in the country in the past month but the only bike to score sales above the 1 lakh unit mark. MoM sales of the Splendor also increased 17.80 percent from 1,92,490 units sold in November 2021. Hero HF Deluxe was at No. 2 with a YoY de-growth of 41.15 percent to 83,080 units in the past month, down from 1,41,168 units sold in December 2020. MoM sales increased 9.10 percent from 76,149 sold in November 2021.Hero Glamour sales increased both in terms of YoY and MoM by 64.23 percent and 44.26 percent respectively to 31,595 units in the past month. Hero Glamour also finished in a 7th position on the list of top 10 best-selling motorcycles in December 2021 ahead of TVS Apache, Yamaha FZ and Honda Unicorn.Hero Sales and Exports Breakup Dec 2021 vs Dec 2020 (YoY)Hero Passion and Pleasure sales dipped in YoY by 69.57 percent and 51.78 percent to 11,146 units and 9,205 units. MoM sales also fell 13.82 percent and 17.34 percent respectively over 12,933 units and 11,136 units sold in November 2021. At No.6, Hero Maestro has been noting increased demand in domestic markets. Sales increased 38.71 percent YoY to 5,425 units in December 2021 while sales in November 2021 had been at 5,290 units relating to a 0.65 percent MoM increase.While sales of Hero Destini 125 dipped 51.49 percent YoY and 13.97 percent MoM to 2,808 units, that of Xpulse 200 surged 149.02 percent in December 2021 to 2,535 units from 1,018 units sold in December 2020. MoM sales also increased by 10.07 percent from 2,303 units sold in November 2021. Trailing the sales list was Hero Xtreme 160R with 1,862 units sold, down 42.97 percent YoY decline and a4 2.73 percent MoM de-growth from 3,251 units sold in November 2021.Hero Exports Breakup Dec 2021Hero MotoCorp’s export markets are spread over Asia, Africa, South and Central America and the Caribbean. The company has noted a YoY and MoM de-growth in terms of exports in the past month. Total exports for December 2021 stood at 20,287 units, down from 22,302 units shipped in December 2020. MoM exports fell marginally by 1.19 percent from 20,531 units sold in November 2021.Hero Sales and Exports Breakup Dec 2021 vs Nov 2021 (MoM)Most models in the company lineup have seen YoY de-growth except for the Hunk, HF Deluxe and Glamour. Hero Hunk found the most buyer in global markets with 8,873 units shipped last month, up 230.10 percent over 2,688 units sold in December 2020. MoM shipments, however, decreased 2.17 percent from 9,070 units shipped in November 2021.HF Deluxe sales also increased 83.63 percent to 5,799 units in the past month, from 3,124 units shipped in December 2021 while MoM shipments increased 15.84 percent from 5,006 units shipped in November 2021. At No.3, Hero Glamour noted an 84.88 percent YoY growth to 2,568 units from 1,389 units shipped in December 2020 and it was also a MoM growth of 54.51 percent over 1,662 units exported in November 2021.Thereafter, models such as the Splendor, Xpulse 200 and Maestro noted a deep YoY and MoM de-growth in terms of exports. Hero Pleasure added 192 units to sales while exports of Destini 125, Achiever, Duet, Xtrteme 150 and 160 and Passion failed to take off. More

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    in Bike

    2022 Yamaha XSR155 Debuts With Two New Colour Options

    2022 Yamaha XSR155Yamaha XSR155 can work in Indian market, but it’s unlikely to be launched here anytime soonAs part of its 60th anniversary celebrations, Yamaha has launched 2022 XSR155 model in Indonesia. The bike is essentially a retro-styled makeover of MT-15. With the right accessories kit, the bike can be personalized into various formats including cafe racer, tracker and sport heritage.2022 Yamaha XSR155 – new coloursAs part of the update, Yamaha XSR155 2022 gets two new colour options. One of these is a dark shade of Blue, which utilizes a combo of blue and black. The paint scheme comes in matte finish, which complements the bike’s retro character.While much of the bike including engine, exhaust, alloy wheels, seat, engine guard and side panels are wrapped in black, the blue shade can be seen on the fuel tank and front fender. This colour theme is all about intrigue, power and understated elegance.Second colour option is just the opposite, as it’s a lot peppy, exuberant and vibrant. It’s for folks who want their rides to be noticed on the streets. The 60th anniversary colour theme has a glossy finish and utilizes an exciting mix of red and white against blacked-out bits.2022 Yamaha XSR155The bike’s sporty profile is enhanced further with golden-coloured USD front forks and alloy wheels. Both new colour options have significantly improved the bike’s overall look and feel. Earlier colour options of grey and black have been retained as is.Apart from the new colours, 2022 Yamaha XSR155 remains largely the same as current model. Some key features include round LED headlamp, spear-shaped turn signals, a single full LCD digital instrument pod, tear-drop shaped fuel tank, single piece flat seat with quilted top, perforated exhaust canister, rugged engine guard and classic round LED tail light.Yamaha XSR155 2022 engine and specsYamaha XSR155 borrows much of its hardware from MT-15. It is powered by a 155cc, liquid cooled, SOHC, 4 valve motor that generates 19 hp of max power at 10,000 rpm and 14.7 Nm of peak torque at 8,500 rpm. It is mated to a 6-speed gearbox. The bike is equipped with advanced features such as variable valve actuation (VVA) and assist & slipper clutch. These work to enhance ride dynamics.2022 Yamaha XSR155Chassis comprises a deltabox frame with USD front forks and link monoshock suspension at rear. The bike has 17-inch wheels at both ends, shod with dual-purpose tubeless tyres. Yamaha XSR155 weighs 134 kg and can carry 10.4 litres of fuel.It is not certain if Yamaha will introduce XSR155 in India. Retro-styled bikes are quite popular here, but pricing could be a constraint. What can work is a stripped-down version that could be launched at around Rs 1.50 lakh. In Indonesia, XSR155 is available at a starting price of IDR 36,905,000. This is approximately INR 1.92 lakh. XSR155 60th anniversary edition is priced higher at IDR 37,505,000 (~ INR 1.95 lakh). More

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    in Motor News

    Tesla Won't Bring Cybertruck, Roadster, Semi to Market in 2022

    During an earnings call tonight, Elon Musk said Tesla will not introduce any new models in 2022, meaning the Cybertruck, Semi, and Roadster are yet again delayed.CEO Musk also revealed that the company is not currently working on the $25,000 EV he announced in 2020.Musk emphasized that the company’s focus is on its Full Self-Driving package and said he expects to “achieve Full Self-Driving safer than a human this year.”Tesla churned out nearly a million electric vehicles worldwide last year, but don’t hold your breath waiting for new models from the pioneering EV company. In an investor relations webcast today, Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed that reservation holders for the Cybertruck, Roadster, and Semi—all of which have missed their scheduled production dates—will have to wait even longer before they can get their hands on the long-awaited vehicles.

    “We’re not introducing any new models this year,” said Musk in the earnings call. “We will, however, do a lot of engineering and tooling to create those vehicles: Cybertruck, Semi, Roadster, Optimus [which is actually a robot], and be ready to bring those to production hopefully next year.”

    Tesla Semi won’t come out in 2022, but this image was part of the investor presentation on Jan. 26 anyway.
    Tesla

    It appears there is still a lot of work to be done on the Cybertruck, despite Musk tweeting yesterday that he has been driving a prototype around the Gigafactory site in Texas. “There’s a lot of new technology in the Cybertruck that will take some time to work through,” Musk explained. “There’s a question of what’s the average cost of a Cybertruck and to what degree is that affordable.”Speaking of affordability, Musk also shed light on the $25,000 car, rumored to be called Model 2, that was announced on Tesla’s Battery Day in 2020. “We are not currently working on the $25,000 car,” Musk revealed. “We have too much on our plate now, frankly, but at some point there will be [time].”It’s sort of the wrong question,” he continued. “The thing that overwhelmingly matters is, when is the car autonomous.” Throughout the call, Musk reinforced the idea that Tesla’s priorities lie in introducing self-driving technology rather than expanding the model lineup, and that Full Self-Driving will be the major profit driver for the company.”Everything pales in comparison to the value of robotaxi or full self-driving,” he summed up. “I would be shocked if we do not achieve full self-driving safer than a human this year.”
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    in Motor News

    Subaru Revives the WRX Wagon, but Not the One We Want

    Subaru will launch a WRX wagon in Australia soon with the same 271-hp engine as the sedan.Unfortunately it’s available only with a CVT automatic and not with a manual transmission.We don’t expect to see a WRX wagon like this in the U.S. anytime soon.Subaru hasn’t sold the WRX in wagon form on our shores for quite some time, but the bodystyle is making its return—at least in Australia. The new 2022 WRX will offer a Sportswagon model and is set to go on sale down under within the next few months. It’s based on the Levorg wagon sold elsewhere but swaps out that model’s less powerful turbo 1.8-liter flat-four for the same 271-hp 2.4-liter engine found in the WRX sedan, meaning it’s a true WRX. Interestingly, the wagon version also does without much the sedan’s black plastic cladding, making for a cleaner look.But there’s a catch.While the sedan offers a six-speed manual transmission as standard equipment, the Sportswagon will only be offered with a continuously variable automatic transmission. Subaru does say it has improved the CVT’s responsiveness with this new generation, but it definitely wouldn’t be our first transmission choice for this all-wheel-drive performance machine.

    Subaru

    We won’t pine after the Australia-market WRX too much for now, but we can still look back fondly on previous versions of the WRX wagon that did offer manual transmissions. There was even a wagon version of the higher-performance WRX STI at one point. But sadly we don’t expect Subaru to change its ways and offer a WRX wagon in the States anytime soon. Maybe if we ask nicely enough?
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