Philippa Kaur

About that steering wheel…
Tesla
As part of its fourth-quarter earnings announcement on Wednesday, Tesla unveiled the long-rumored refresh for its Model S sedan. (The Model X SUV received major updates as well.) On the outside, the Model S has a new front bumper with slightly different intakes, a tweaked rear diffuser and new 19- and 21-inch wheel designs. All of the exterior trim is now finished in black to match the Model Y, but the paint color palette remains the same, with white being the only no-cost option.The interior is the star of the show, though. It’s been completely redesigned, marking the Model S’ first major update since its debut in 2012. There’s a large 17-inch central screen much like that of the Model 3 and Model Y, but the S retains a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster in front of the driver, as well. Tesla says the new center screen is basically a gaming computer with 10 teraflops of processing power, and the released images show it running the popular fantasy RPG game Witcher 3.Exterior updates were kept to a minimum.
Tesla

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Most radical is the new steering wheel. It isn’t exactly a wheel anymore, instead looking like a yoke right out of Star Wars or Knight Rider. There are no stalks, either, meaning the turn signals, lights and other typical features are now controlled by touch buttons on the “wheel.”There’s more carbon fiber or wood trim covering parts of the dashboard and door panels, and the door cards have been redesigned. The new center console has more storage space and looks a lot nicer, and it has wireless charging for multiple devices. The rear seats look more sculpted and have a new fold-down armrest with cupholders. Rear-seat passengers get an 8-inch screen that offers the same infotainment and gaming functions as the main screen, and it even works with wireless gaming controllers. The Model S has three-zone climate control, a 22-speaker audio system, heated seats all around (and ventilated front seats), ambient lighting and a glass roof as standard. White, black and beige remain the only interior color options.Rear-seat passengers get a screen for gaming, too.
Tesla
The Model S is now available in three different specs. The $79,990 Long Range version has two motors and all-wheel drive, with Tesla quoting a 3.1-second 0-to-60-mph time, a 155-mph top speed and a range of 412 miles. The $119,990 Plaid gains a third motor, “carbon-sleeved rotors” and torque vectoring. The Plaid has 1,020 horsepower boasts a 2.0-second 0-to-60 time (Tesla technically says 1.99 seconds), a 200-mph top speed and a 390-mile range.Then there’s the $139,990 Plaid Plus, which is the real big deal. Tesla says it has over 1,100 hp and will hit 60 mph in under 2 seconds. It also boats a sub-9-second quarter-mile time, a top speed of 200 mph and a range of over 520 miles. Tesla also says the Model S is now the most aerodynamic production car in the world, a claim likely achieved by the Plaid Plus modelThe only option besides color, trim and wheels is Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite of driver-assist systems, which costs $10,000. (Tesla’s basic Autopilot setup is standard.) The updated Model S is available to order now, with Tesla saying that estimated deliveries for the Long Range and Plaid models will begin in March. If you want the Plaid Plus model, you’ll be waiting until late 2021.
Refreshed Tesla Model S has a Knight Rider steering wheel
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OneH2’s mobile fueling solutions should help as the industry continues to build out proper hydrogen infrastructure.
Navistar
When it comes to electrifying the logistics industry that underpins modern society, building the trucks themselves is only part of the equation. There’s a whole support system that needs to be in place as well, which is why going it alone isn’t possible to make the sort of impact needed in this situation. To that end, General Motors is teaming up with multiple companies to create a soup-to-nuts solution for electrifying long-haul trucks.Navistar, the company formerly known as International Harvester, announced on Wednesday that it’s partnering with GM and OneH2 for a “complete solution for customer implementation of a zero-emission long-haul system,” which is a fancy way of saying an entire ecosystem devoted to electric trucking. The group will work together on the trucks themselves, in addition to the ancillary stuff required to keep them operating.It starts with the trucks, which in this case will be International RH Series hydrogen fuel-cell electric trucks. Each RH Series semi will get two GM Hydrotec fuel cell power cubes, each of which contains more than 300 hydrogen fuel cells in addition to the management systems that run the whole show. Navistar plans to have these trucks ready for commercial purchase in the 2024 model year, with test models operating in a pilot phase by the end of 2022. The hope is that these trucks will pack a range of 500 miles or more with a fueling time of less than 15 minutes and Navistar hopes that its propulsion system will sport a per-mile cost similar to diesel. Here’s a peek at GM’s Hydrotec fuel cell cube, which is, clearly, not actually a true cube. Calm down, pedants.
Navistar
When it comes to the fuel itself, that’s where OneH2 comes into play. Navistar will rely on the company for the production, storage and safe delivery of the compressed hydrogen required to power the trucks. To deepen the partnership, Navistar announced that it will purchase a minority stake in OneH2, as well. OneH2 doesn’t just deal in gas-station-style fill up locations; the company has a mobile fueling solution, too, which should help in the early stages as the US’ hydrogen fuel infrastructure is still very much in its infancy. “Hydrogen fuel cells offer great promise for heavy duty trucks in applications requiring a higher density of energy, fast refueling and additional range,” said Persio Lisboa, Navistar president and CEO, in a statement. “We are excited to provide customers with added flexibility through a new hydrogen truck ecosystem that combines our vehicles with the hydrogen fuel cell technology of General Motors and the modular, mobile and scalable hydrogen production and fueling capabilities of OneH2.”Navistar has chosen J.B. Hunt Transport to be in charge of its vehicles during the pilot program. J.B. Hunt, a name you’ve likely seen on the highway, will put Navistar’s GM-powered International models on dedicated routes to see how these vehicles perform in place of traditional diesel-powered semi trucks. 

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The Taycan is closing the range gap a little at a time, a new report says.
Porsche
Porsche’s Taycan EV is a towering achievement, particularly when you consider it’s the company’s first effort at a ground-up EV design. It’s got a lot of excellent qualities, but one area of criticism that many potential customers can’t seem to let go of is its relatively low EPA-certified range.Well, now, according to a report published Thursday by InsideEVs, things are looking a little rosier on the range front. By that, I mean that the EPA-certified range estimate for the 2021 Porsche Taycan 4S is up around 12% over the 2020 model. That means that it’s good for either 199 or 227 miles, depending on which battery you opt for.

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Now, to those used to seeing Tesla range estimates, that’s probably not all that impressive, but according to real-world test results published by the likes of Car & Driver and Edmunds, there isn’t as much difference as you might think. This slight range boost should further close that gap, making the Taycan an even more appealing prospect to luxury EV buyers.It’s hard to say what exactly changed to make the Taycan’s range estimate improve. The EPA test is the same, and to our knowledge, the vehicle’s hardware is unchanged as well. This leaves software efficiencies, but Porsche didn’t immediately respond to our request for clarification.

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What’s under the sheet?
Volkswagen
Although Volkswagen is laser-focused on bringing affordable electric cars to buyers, the German brand also wants to flex its EV authority in the near future with what it calls Project Trinity. On Wednesday, Volkswagen’s CEO Ralf Brandstaetter said in a LinkedIn post Project Trinity will arrive with three main elements, as its name implies.One, the VW brand will usher in a new EV platform with Trinity. Secondly, the brand promised Level 2 partially automated driving assistance, like something similar to General Motors’ Super Cruise technology. Thirdly, VW promises to build the EV with a “radically new production approach.” These three pillars will headline the brand’s technological innovation and “democratize” autonomous driving. Although the vehicle will launch with Level 2 assist systems, VW said it will have everything it needs for true Level 4 autonomous driving. We’ve heard that promise before from other automakers, and it hasn’t exactly panned out yet, keep in mind.

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Volkswagen didn’t immediately return Roadshow’s request for comment on Trinity, but signs point to this vehicle as the brand’s own version of the previously announced Landjet project. Volkswagen Group, which oversees the VW brand and many more, plans for an ultra-luxurious and cutting-edge EV for Audi, Bentley and Porsche under the Landjet codename. According to past reports, Landjet will arrive at Audi first, with Bentley and Porsche versions to follow. It’s not clear how much Trinity will share with Landjet, if they do hold connections, or when we’ll see VW’s new brainchild. We honestly don’t even know what kind of vehicle we’ll eventually see; the jury’s out on whether VW Group has a big ol’ SUV planned, or some sort of low-slung flagship sedan.In the meantime, VW will continue to support the ID 3 in Europe and prepare for ID 4 production to begin in multiple parts of the world, including here in the US.
2021 Volkswagen ID 4 aims to electrify America later this year
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Discuss: 2021 Porsche Taycan looks rad in Frozen Berry Metallic

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Frozen Berry Metallic is good, you guys.
Porsche
Porsche’s newest Taycan is also its least expensive. Officially joining Porsche’s US lineup on Tuesday, the entry-level EV — simply called Taycan — slots below the 4S, Turbo and Turbo S models, priced from $81,250 (including $1,350 for destination and excluding federal and local tax credits).The big thing that separates this Taycan from its siblings is its rear-wheel-drive architecture. While the 4S, Turbo and Turbo S models have a dual-motor setup allowing for through-the-road all-wheel drive, the base Taycan has just one electric motor mounted at the rear axle. Powered by a 79.2-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, this motor produces 321 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque in its standard tune. With launch control activated — part of the optional Sport Chrono pack — those numbers increase to 402 hp and 254 lb-ft while running overboost.For an additional $5,780, buyers can opt for the Performance Battery Plus specification, which upgrades the battery to a 93.4-kWh unit. This means there’s 375 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque available at all times, and as much as 469 hp and 263 lb-ft while running launch control.

Interestingly, regardless of battery size and motor output, Porsche quotes a 5.1-second 0-to-60-mph time for the base Taycan. For comparison, the Taycan 4S will do the same run in 3.8 seconds, while the Turbo and Turbo S cut that time down to 3.0 and 2.6 seconds, respectively. Top speed for the Taycan is 143 mph, compared to 155 mph for the 4S and 161 mph for the Turbo and Turbo S.One big advantage of the Taycan’s single-motor setup is its lower curb weight. At its lightest, the standard Taycan tips the scales at 4,566 pounds — a 205-pound reduction from the 4S. Adding the larger battery pack brings that base weight up to 4,742 pounds.No matter the battery size, Porsche says the Taycan can go from a 5% state of charge to 80% in just over 20 minutes when connected to a high-speed DC fast-charger. EPA-estimated range figures aren’t yet available, but don’t expect any Tesla-beating specs. The Taycan 4S with the larger battery is only rated at 203 miles, though we’ve found it very easy to exceed the EPA numbers. For the 2021 model year, Porsche expanded its partnership with Electrify America to streamline the charging process.The base Taycan comes standard with 19-inch wheels, but you can option 20s or 21s if you wish.
Porsche
Pretty much all of the standard Taycan’s chassis hardware is shared with the 4S. Both cars have 14.2-inch front and 14.1-inch rear brakes, though the 4S’ are painted red, compared to black on the base car. Those brakes are set behind standard 19-inch wheels, wrapped in 225/55-series front and 275/45-series rear summer tires. As with other Taycan variants, Porsche’s surface-coated and carbon-ceramic brakes are optional, as are 20- and 21-inch wheels.Everything else carries over from the other Taycan models, including Porsche’s latest and greatest infotainment tech with over-the-air updates, Apple CarPlay compatibility and in-car subscriptions. Niceties like a 19.2-kW onboard charger, head-up display and upgraded audio systems are available, as are a whole bunch of interior and exterior color options, including the fantastic Frozen Berry Metallic you see here. More pink Porsches, please.The rear-drive Taycan went on sale in China a while ago, and Porsche recently used one to set a Guinness World Record for longest drift with an electric vehicle. If you feel like trying to break that record yourself (don’t), base Taycans are available to order at US dealers now.
2020 Porsche Taycan 4S does the electric slide in Finland
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