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    Honda Benly e Electric Scooter Swappable Battery To Be Made In India

    Honda Benle e Electric Scooter with battery swappable techHonda Motor Japan have setup a new subsidiary in India which will manufacture battery packs for Electric scooters, EVs
    Honda has established a new subsidiary in India which will provide battery packs for small mobility in the country. Officially named Honda Power Pack Energy India Private Limited, this firm will also be responsible for battery swapping technologies in upcoming two-wheelers from the Japanese brand.
    The registered office is located in Bengaluru. MD of this new company is Kiyoshi Ito. It has been setup with a capital of Rs 135 crores. Honda Motor Japan owns 100% stake in the subsidiary. The company aims to accelerate the penetration of electric vehicles (EVs) by solving three issues of electric vehicles: limited range, long charging time and high cost of batteries. However, services of the subsidiary won’t be limited to the electric two-wheeler space only.
    Honda Battery Made In India – Mobile Power Pack e:
    The firm plans to start battery sharing service for electric auto rickshaws (E-auto) from the first half of 2022 in Bengaluru, Karnataka and expand its operations in other Indian cities in a phased manner. Subscribers can avail services from the nearest battery-swapping station located in the city to exchange used batteries with fully charged ones.
    The Japanese auto giant has branded the all-new portable and swappable batteries as ‘Honda Mobile Power Pack (MPP) e:’. By using this service, owners need not wait for charging and can get back on the road. These batteries will be made in India by Honda.
    Honda Benle e Electric Scooter with battery swappable tech
    Interestingly, this is the same battery pack which also powers the Benly e electric scooter. The same scooter that has already spied on test near Pune earlier this year in June. This electric scooter has been specifically developed to cater to everyday pickup and delivery services. It is expected to be launched in India next year.
    Benly e- Specs
    Test mules of Benly e e-scooter have already been spotted on a couple of occasions previously. It made its maiden appearance at the 46th Tokyo Motor Show back in 2019. The scooter is powered by an electric motor that derives its energy from Honda’s MPP comprising two 48V, 20.8Ah lithium-ion batteries.
    Benly e is offered in four trims namely Benly e I, Benly e I Pro, Benly e II and Benly e II Pro. These trims are offered with different motor specifications. Benly e I and I Pro feature a 2.8 kW (3.8 bhp) electric motor which returns a torque output of 13 Nm. On the other hand, Benly e II and II Pro are propelled by a 4.2 kW (5.7 bhp) electric motor that makes 15 Nm of peak torque.
    Honda Battery Pack To Be Made In India
    As for performance, Honda claims a top speed of 30kmph on a flat road for Benly e I and I Pro whereas both these trims offer a range of 87km on a single charge. The more premium Benly e II and II Pro, receive a stronger top speed of 60kmph on a flat road while range drops to 43km on a single charge.
    A hill climb of up to 12 degrees incline is possible with a maximum cargo of 30kg for Benly e I and I Pro. For Benly e II and II Pro, the same incline can be overcome with a peak cargo load of 60kg. The higher variants are even offered with a reverse assist feature. More

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    Nissan Ariya Single Seater Is a Wild EV Racing Concept

    Nissan has revealed the Ariya Single Seater concept, a vision for a future electric race car.The concept looks similar to the current Formula E race cars, including the “halo” safety device protecting the driver’s head.The Ariya Single Seater also includes Nissan’s V-Motion grille and a similar copper and black look as seen on the Ariya crossover.After releasing a slew of EV concept cars earlier this week, Nissan is back with a new vision for its electric future, the Ariya Single Seater concept. While this dramatically styled concept looks nothing like the upcoming Ariya electric crossover, Nissan says the concept uses the same powertrain as the roadgoing crossover, showing the possibilities for a sporty Nissan EV in the coming years.

    Nissan

    Considering its name, the Ariya Single Seater unsurprisingly takes the form of a one-seat race car. It bears a strong resemblance to the second-generation Formula E cars—a series in which Nissan has competed since 2018—with its covered wheels and exposed suspension elements. There is even a “halo,” a safety device introduced by the FIA in open-cockpit race cars to protect drivers’ heads, protruding from the bodywork.

    Nissan worked in design cues from the street-legal crossover, such as the copper and black color combination from the Ariya launch car. Up front, Nissan incorporated the V grille shape seen on its road cars through illuminated strips running down the nose to the front splitter. The bodywork is smooth, with few aerodynamic doodads and a low, simplistic rear wing. Nissan didn’t provide any specifications for the Single Seater concept, but we would assume it has the Ariya crossover’s dual-motor setup, good for 389 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque. The Ariya Single Seater will presumably never reach production, but along with the Max-Out concept shown Monday, it suggests that Nissan is seriously contemplating how to create exciting sports cars as the automotive landscape transitions to electric power.
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    2022 Mazda 3 Adds Carbon Edition Appearance Package

    The Mazda 3 sedan and hatchback gain the same Carbon Edition trim previously offered on the CX-5 and CX-9.It features Polymetal Grey exterior paint and a red leather interior, along with a few other features.The Carbon Edition costs $27,415 for the sedan and $28,415 for the hatchback.

    Mazda is expanding the Carbon Edition appearance package to include the 2022 Mazda 3 sedan and hatchback. It was previously available on the CX-5 and CX-9, along with the Mazda 6 sedan that has since been discontinued. It features the same color combo as those other models—a Polymetal Grey exterior with a red leather interior—and is available on front-wheel-drive versions of the 3 with the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-four and a six-speed automatic transmission.

    Mazda

    Mazda

    The Carbon Edition has the same equipment as the 3’s Preferred package and also adds a 12-speaker Bose audio system, black 18-inch wheels, and heated side mirrors that are painted black. You’ll pay $1650 extra for the appearance tweaks, as the Carbon Edition starts at $27,415 for the sedan and $28,415 for the hatchback.There aren’t any other changes for the 2022 Mazda 3 lineup except for the addition of a new color called Platinum Quartz Metallic. The sedan starts at $21,815 for the sedan 2.0 with its base 2.0-liter engine and ranges up to $35,415 for the loaded 3 hatchback 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus with all-wheel drive and the more powerful turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four engine. Mazda says the 2022 cars will begin arriving at dealerships this winter.
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    2022 Hyundai Elantra N Costs $32,295, Undercuts Veloster N by $600

    Hyundai’s 276-hp Elantra N wears a base price of $32,295.A six-speed manual transmission comes standard.Opting for the dual-clutch automatic transmission adds $1500 to the sticker.Move over Hyundai Veloster N, because there’s a new entry-level N-badged Hyundai in town: the 2022 Elantra N. With a starting sum of $32,295, the Elantra N undercuts the base price of its smaller stablemate by $600. Add another $1500 to the high-performance sedan’s sticker if you want to swap out the standard six-speed manual transmission for the brand’s eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

    Hyundai

    Regardless of transmission, all Elantra Ns rely on a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four that produces 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque. Both figures top those of the Veloster N, which makes do with 275 horses and 260 pound-feet of torque. If you opt for the Elantra N’s two-pedal gearbox, Hyundai includes its so-called N Grin Shift feature that—when activated—allows the compact sedan’s four-pot to produce 286 hp for up to 20 seconds.

    Predictably, the Elantra N’s larger shadow—at 184.1 inches long, it’s 16.2 inches bigger than the Veloster N—nets it a slightly heavier curb weight. At 3106 pounds, the stick shift Elantra N carries 80 extra pounds of mass relative to the three-pedal Veloster N (the difference is only 49 pounds with the dual-clutch transmission).Even with its slight weight penalty, we predict the Elantra N will nearly match the acceleration figures of the Veloster N. The most recent Veloster we tested was a dual-clutch model that hit 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and crossed the quarter-mile in 13.4 seconds with a trap speed of 105 mph. The Veloster, of course, will always have its fans for its lighter weight and more shapely styling.Look for the Elantra N to hit Hyundai dealers by the end of the year.
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    Polestar Shows First Look at New 3 EV Crossover

    Polestar shared the first image of the new 3 luxury electric crossover. Both single- and dual-motor configurations will be available. It will be built at Volvo’s plant in South Carolina and go on sale late next year. Polestar, Volvo’s electric-vehicle subbrand, will soon have additional EV offerings to join the 2 that’s on sale now, as it’s aiming to introduce a new model each year. The Polestar 3 will be the next to arrive, and the Swedish automaker has just shared the first photo of the new luxury electric crossover that will compete with the BMW iX and Jaguar I-Pace.

    Polestar

    Previously, all we had seen was a covered image (pictured above) of the new two-row EV crossover, which will be built in the brand’s Charleston, South Carolina plant where the Volvo S60 sedan is currently produced. The new 3 will have handsome styling typical of the other two existing Polestar models, and its chunky D pillar gives it a coupe-like appearance.

    Powertrain details are scarce, but it will ride on Volvo’s new electric vehicle platform, and Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath confirmed that it will offer single- and dual-motor configurations, like the 2. The Polestar 2 offers up to 265 miles of electric driving range in the single-motor version. Polestar also announced that the 3 will eventually offer autonomous highway driving using lidar technology. We’ll know more about the 3’s features and specs when it makes its official debut sometime next year. The Polestar 3 will go on sale toward the end of 2022, and pricing is expected to start at around $75,000. The brand’s flagship luxury sedan, the Polestar 5, will enter production in 2024, and the Polestar 4, described as an SUV coupe, is due to arrive in 2023.
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    2023 Lexus RZ, the Brand's First EV for the U.S., Starts to Take Shape

    Lexus has shared the first images of the new RZ, an electric crossover.The RZ’s body shape makes us think that it’s related to the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra.It will likely use a more powerful drivetrain than those models, which only make 215 horsepower in their dual-motor forms.Lexus is closely following Toyota into the EV fray with a new model that we now know will officially be called the RZ. Based on these teaser images, it appears to be related to the Toyota bZ4X but looks to have distinctly styled front and rear ends that fit in with the current Lexus design canon. This production model was previewed by the Lexus LF-Z Electrified concept shown earlier this year. It will be the first Lexus EV to the sold in the U.S., following the China-only UX300e.

    Lexus

    We’re expecting the RZ to wear the RZ450e designation, given that Lexus has already trademarked that moniker. The number 450 suggests more power than the 215 horsepower than the bZ4X offers in two-motor form, so we think the Lexus will use a more potent all-wheel-drive two-motor setup. The company previously shared details on a powertrain called Direct4 that used a 201-horsepower electric motor on both the front and rear axle, so the RZ450e could make around 350 or 400 horsepower in total.To go along with its luxury purview, the RZ is also likely to have a more sumptuous interior than its Toyota sibling. We don’t know if the bZ4X’s yoke-style steering wheel will make its way into the Lexus, but the materials inside the cabin should be plusher and more upscale. We’d expect the Lexus to start around $50,000, and an F Sport version will probably be part of the lineup.Look for more details to come on the Lexus RZ sometime in 2022.
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    How We'd Spec It: 2022 Toyota Tundra from Base to Nearly $60,000

    The new 2022 Toyota Tundra has the truck world buzzing, as it’s redesigned so infrequently that every new generation feels like a significant step forward. While there are still plenty of models still to come for the new third-generation truck such as the hybrid and the TRD Pro, Toyota has released the configurator tool for trucks powered by the standard twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 engine. Our editors chose from the various options for colors, bed sizes, cab configurations, and trims, and you’ll notice that many of them centered on similar combinations of trim levels and packages.

    Connor Hoffman’s $58,862 Tundra Limited TRD Off-Road

    Toyota

    Toyota

    If I bought a 2022 Tundra, I’d get a TRD Pro, but it’s not arriving until the spring, along with the other iForce MAX hybrid powertrains. I’m impatient, so I’d go for the next best thing: a Limited model with the TRD Off-Road package because this truck is hopefully going to live most of its life on the trails. I’d get it in the crew-cab configuration with a 5.5-foot bed and four-wheel drive. I love that you can now get my favorite Toyota color, Lunar Rock, previously a TRD Pro–specific color, on non–TRD Pro trucks. The TRD Off-Road package costs an extra $3085 and it adds things including 20-inch TRD wheels on all-terrain tires and Bilstein dampers—things I’d add anyway. Some other options I’d add are the all-weather floor liners ($169), console safe ($359), hard tonneau cover ($1295), rock rails ($270), and a black tailgate badge ($89) for a total of $58,862.Austin Irwin’s $41,075 Tundra SR

    Toyota

    Toyota

    I wanted to see how weird the cheapest new Tundra with four-wheel drive would look. The base SR trim starts at $38,075 with destination, but keeping the final cost close to $40,000 requires sticking with the smaller DoubleCab and a 6.5-foot bed. The larger, more desirable CrewMax cab with a shorter 5.5-foot bed costs an extra $2050; although the DoubleCab with the longer 8.1-foot bed is only $330 extra, it makes the Tundra’s proportions look like a cabin with an attached bowling alley. I was willing to pay an extra $3000 for four-wheel drive, an obvious must-have in Michigan, even if it drops the max towing capacity by almost a half-ton to 11,200 pounds. For no extra cost, I chose Midnight Black Metallic because it’s the only color offered at that trim level to separate you from the delivery truck at O’Reilly Auto Parts. I also found that the $430 SR Tow package that’s not included in the base price isn’t optional in the configurator, but seems necessary as it includes a hitch and trailer harness. At $41,075, my truck is better than the previous-generation Tundra: It can tow more, has standard LED headlights and a larger 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, while retaining keyless entry and push-button start. Even if the DoubleCab looks a little goofy, the non-hybrid 348-hp twin-turbo V-6 for base models makes more torque sooner than the old truck’s beloved 5.7-liter V-8. I think there’s some beauty in that.Greg Fink’s $59,525 Tundra Limited TRD Off-Road

    Toyota

    Toyota

    Want the most off-road-ready 2022 Toyota Tundra sans the gasoline-electric hybrid i-Force MAX powertrain? Then pick up a Tundra SR5 or Limited with four-wheel-drive and add on the TRD Off-Road package. (The package is also available on rear-drive Tundra SR5 and Limited trucks, but what sort of jabroni adds an “off-road” pack to a two-wheel-drive truck?) But I’m not stopping there. I’m adding a variety of additional options to my brown (or Smoked Mesquite in Toyota parlance) Tundra crew cab—err. . .CrewMax—with the shorter 5.5-foot box. Heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel? Check. Panoramic sunroof? You know it. While I’m at it, I’ll also tick the boxes for the Limited Premium package (premium LED headlights and additional trailering tech to make the most of this specific truck’s 11,120-pound max towing capacity) and Limited Power package (wireless charging, an AC power socket for rear-seat riders, as well as a second AC power socket mounted in the LED-lit bed. All in, my Tundra Limited rings in at $59,525. It’s certainly not cheap, but it’s arguably the best way to snag a luxury-lined and off-road-ready variant of the strictly gas-powered Tundra.Eric Stafford’s $58,360 Tundra Limited TRD Off-Road

    Toyota

    Toyota

    It felt like the Tundra’s outgoing generation predated the internet, which makes mixing and matching the all-new 2022 model’s trims and options on Toyota’s online configurator so refreshing. Since the TRD Pro with its lifted suspension and desirable Fox dampers isn’t available yet, I settled for the TRD Off-Road package like several of my colleagues. It’s only offered on the SR5 and Limited, and I’d pick the latter because it brings standard features including a 14.0-inch touchscreen as well as leather seats with heating and cooling. While SR5 models offer some of those upgrades, they can’t be paired with the TRD Off-Road kit. My Limited would have four-wheel drive, the larger CrewMax cab, and the longer 6.5-foot box. This configuration starts at $53,925. I really dig this truck with Army Green paint, and the $4435 TRD Off-Road package brings light-colored interior upholstery and a panoramic sunroof. The 2022 Tundra Limited’s 389-hp twin-turbo V-6 lacks the sound of its predecessor’s V-8, but at least Toyota’s full-size pickup now—finally—feels up to date.

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    Bounce Electric Scooter Infinity E1 Launch Price Rs 69k – New TVC

    New Bounce Infinity E1 Electric ScooterThe new Bounce Infinity e-scooter has been launched in India – Deliveries will start from March 2022
    Bounce Infinity E1 electric scooter has finally launched in India today. Priced at Rs 68,999 (ex-showroom) for the battery equipped version and at Rs 45,099 without battery. The latter option comes with a ‘Battery as a service’ option – the first of its kind in the Indian market.
    Under this new option, swapping stations would work on similar principles as a fuel station. Bounce battery swapping stations will have a ready stock of charged and ready-to-go batteries, allowing customers to swap their near empty batteries for a fully charged battery pack and move on.
    Bounce Infinity E1 Electric Scooter – Battery as a service
    This would ensure no waste of time for the customer to recharge their batteries or worry about range, etc. Cost of replacing a battery at these stations will be about Rs 35 per swap. Such customers will also have to avail monthly subscription, where charges are in the range of Rs 850 to Rs 1,250. Bounce electric scooter is open for bookings at a token amount of Rs 499. Deliveries will start from March 2022.
    Bounce has been setting up a wide battery-swapping network through prominent partnerships, which will serve both its retail customers and its successful ride-sharing business. The ambition is to build the world’s largest and densest battery swapping platform to support India’s transition to clean mobility, and offer a swapping facility within one kilometre distance for its customers. Take a look at the new TVC below.
    [embedded content]
    Bounce Electric Scooter Details
    The E1 receives a sporty design and bright new colour options. It gets an LED headlamp and digital speedometer. It get round rear view mirrors, a flat foot board, single piece seat and pillion grab handle. It gets blacked out wheels.
    Bounce Infinity E1 gets disc brake while suspension is handled by telescopic forks on the front and single-sided shock absorber at the rear. The shocks have been optimized for Indian road conditions. It has a boot space of 12 liters. Speaking about specs of Bounce E1 – Torque of 83 Nm, Top Speed of 65 kmph, 0 to 40 kmph in 8 seconds. Battery charging time is 4-5 hours.
    Mr. Vivekananda Hallekere, CEO & Co-Founder, Bounce said, “I strongly believe in the potential of electric vehicles in India – it is with this vision that we launched our in-house EV mobility solutions in June 2019. Today, we are building on our success, and to facilitate faster adoption of EVs, Bounce has taken a step ahead to develop the Infinity E1. We are committed to taking on all challenges to make India a leading EV adopter globally.”
    Bounce Infinity E1 Electric Scooter battery swapping station
    Bounce Electric Scooter Intelligent Features
    The new Bounce E1 electric scooter is loaded with modern features like geo-fencing, anti-theft, tow alert, reverse mode, drag mode (scooter moves at walking speed, in case of a puncture), remote tracking, remote battery update, etc.
    Bounce Infinity E1 that was launched today, was showcased as a 22Motors scooter at the 2018 Auto Expo. Bounce purchased 22Motors and their plant earlier this year for US$7 million. Bounce will manufacture the new Infinity E1 e-scooter at its facility in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan. This facility has manufacturing capacity of 1,80,000 scooters per annum.
    Bounce Infinity E1 Electric Scooter battery swapping station
    Bounce Battery Swapping Stations
    For its battery swapping networks, Bounce has partnered with Readassist, Helloworld, Kitchens. The company plans to expand this infrastructure to 900 new locations across 10 cities. The company has also joined hands with Park+ to set up over 3,500 battery swapping stations.
    Bounce plans to have a battery swapping station within 1 km from its customers with this facility offered in locations such as residential societies, key parking lots, malls and offices. Customers can have access to the nearest swapping station via the Bounce App or Park+ app. More