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    Where the hell is the new Tesla Model S' PRNDL? – Roadshow

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    Tesla
    The Tesla Model S was updated with a totally new interior on Wednesday, and the most radical change is that new yoke-style steering “wheel,” which looks straight out of Knight Rider. But what might be even more radical is something that I can’t see: It seems like there’s no PRNDL shifter.Up until now, the Model S has shifted into gear via a column-mounted stalk swiped from the Mercedes-Benz parts bin. (The Model 3, Model X and Model Y use the same stalk.) But Tesla has eliminated all stalks from behind the new Model S’ wheel, moving controls for the turn signals, horn and wipers onto the yoke. So how exactly do you shift?There’s no PRNDL here.
    Tesla
    In all of the released images, the center console and dashboard are smooth and devoid of any sort of controls, save for the 17-inch touchscreen and the hazard warning light button that sits under the wireless charging pad below the screen. There’s nothing on the door panels or the headliner, either.The shifting controls could be found in that center screen, but there’s no visible evidence of that. The lower left corner of the screen shows controls for the climate control and the heated windshield, while the lower right corner displays media info. In the top left there’s an icon showing a top-down view of the car, so maybe the PRNDL is found there? But it seems like it would be extremely dangerous to keep such an essential function in a submenu of a digital display that could break.No PRNDL here either.
    Tesla
    Now there’s a chance that these CGI images are all at an angle that obscures the PRNDL shifter, or maybe they were rendered or edited to remove its location. The only mention from Tesla on the topic is this blurb under an image of the steering wheel on its website: “The ultimate focus on driving: no stalks, no shifting. Model S is the best car to drive, and the best car to be driven in.” That seems like an obvious reference to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system, which does nothing of the sort.No matter how advanced you think Tesla’s Full Self-Driving tech is, the driver still needs to be able to put it the car in drive, reverse, neutral or park. In fact there’s even a law on the books that mandated the order of the letters PRND, as our friends at GearPatrol explain, and while I’m not sure if there is an actual law that requires a car have a shifter, it seems like there’s got to be.If this were any other car company, I could just call the public relations team for an explanation, but Tesla dissolved its PR department a few months ago. Guess I’ll just have to tweet at Elon Musk.
    Refreshed Tesla Model S has a Knight Rider steering wheel
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      Tesla says the new Model S is the world's most aerodynamic production car – Roadshow

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      The Model S is one slippery sedan.
      Tesla
      There’s a lot of new stuff to talk about when it comes to the Tesla Model S, which today received its most major update since it was first unveiled in 2012. It’s got a completely new interior with a crazy steering wheel, lots of updated tech and a Plaid Plus model that promises over 520 miles of range. But buried in the deluge of info is a new superlative that Tesla is claiming: The updated Model S is the most aerodynamic production car in the world, with a drag coefficient of just 0.208.Now there are a couple of technicalities here. Tesla doesn’t say which specific Model S achieves that 0.208 figure, whether it’s the Long Range or one of the Plaid models and if it’s with the 19- or 21-inch wheels. Given the Plaid Plus model claims a 520-mile range, it’s likely that one. That number also nicely rounds up to 0.21 — and that matches the Lucid Air’s claimed figure. Lucid hasn’t given a specific drag coefficient that goes beyond the second decimal place, so its 0.21 claim could perhaps have been rounded up. We’re not sure about that, but we are sure the aerodynamic one-upping won’t stop anytime soon. 
      Refreshed Tesla Model S has a Knight Rider steering wheel
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      The Model S also hasn’t technically entered production yet, so it’s not exactly the most aerodynamic car you can currently buy. (That would be the Porsche Taycan Turbo.) Tesla says first deliveries won’t begin until March for the Long Range or the Plaid, while the Plaid Plus won’t get to customers’ hands until late 2021. With Lucid Air deliveries set to commence in the next month or two, it could potentially still take and hang onto the aerodynamics crown, at least for a bit.Tesla also can’t claim that the Model S is the most aerodynamic production car ever, either. The General Motors EV1 and Volkswagen XL1 both boasted 0.19 drag coefficients, and the VW at the very least most definitely is considered a production car. Nevertheless, the Model S being the third most aerodynamic production car ever is still quite an impressive feat.The Model X SUV also received many of the same upgrades as the Model S, but with a 0.25 drag coefficient it already was the most aerodynamic SUV in the world. More

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      Tesla Model S refreshed with a radically redesigned interior and 520-mile range – Roadshow

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      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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      Navistar, GM, OneH2 combine forces for long-haul hydrogen-electric trucks – Roadshow

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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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      Maruti Dzire Electric Modified By Owner – Range 250 Kms, Petrol To EV Conversion

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      Maruti Dzire Electric by – Hemank Dabhade / Northway Motorsport EV
      On a full charge, the modified DZire EV can do 250 kms when driven at moderate speeds

      The electric vehicle culture in India is on the rise as every automaker is making some headway into this segment. Tata Motors Nexon EV has crossed the 2,200 sales mark since launch and the MG ZS EV got 200 bookings just in December 2020 alone. The Hyundai Kona Electric has also seen its share of success in Indian markets.
      Maruti Suzuki is yet to launch any electric vehicle in the country. There was some talk of Maruti WagonR EV some time last year but there have been no further updates even as the company had been actively testing the model in India. In international market, Suzuki already sells the electric WagonR.
      Maruti Suzuki DZire VXI Electric
      Northway Motorsport EV has now modified a brand new Maruti Dzire into an all electric car. The car was purchased last year, only to modied as an electric car. The company has been noted for converting several other petrol and diesel powered vehicles into electric models, but this DZire VXI by far excels them all.
      Developed in-house, the Maruti DZire now receives a 15 kW motor that can peak upto 35 kW. It produces 170 Nm torque that goes up to 842 Nm at the wheels. Even as the team has developed several battery packs, the DZire received 3 options each mounted on the fuel tank, transmission tunnel and extension exhaust area respectively.
      Maruti Dzire Electric
      The pack on the fuel tank is at 13 kWh while that in the tunnel stands at 15 kWh and at 1 kWh in the exhaust area. The Maruti DZire is water sealed at IP67 rating and receives a 5 speed manual transmission. Yes, a manual transmission. This is the first electric car in India to have a manual transmission.
      Modifications made to the vehicle for conversion to electric power sees a reduction in overall weight by 3 kgs from 950 kgs to 947 kgs. This changes see a lighter fly wheel and usable reverse gear. The new DZire also gets VCU compatibility and full integration with all CAN functions.
      Apart from minimal changes, all other features such as instrument cluster, throttle peddle and power steering along with safety equipment of ABS, EBD and airbags remain unchanged. For its air conditioning system, the DZire EV uses a Brushless Direct Current Motor (BLDC).
      [embedded content]
      The radiator fan works to keep battery and other electronics cool and he instrument cluster now gives off all vital EV information. The tachometer indicates motor RPM and the fuel gauge details the battery level. Temperature gauge shows off the temperature of the battery while charging level is also indicated on the instrument cluster when the engine is switched off.
      DZire EV Charging and Top Speed
      The new Maruti Suzuki DZire EV can be charged via a CCS 2 Port. It is positioned in the place of the fuel nozzle behind the fuel filling lid. Charging from 0-100 percent is done via a 15 Amp socket in 8 hours while the team is also devising a fast charging system.
      Top speed is at 160 kmph while the EV can also take on a gradient of 34 percent and can tow a 3 tonne vehicle with free rolling. In full charge, the EV claims a 250 km range when driven at moderate speeds.

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      Nio ET7 Electric Car Launched To Take On Tesla – Claims 1,000 Kms Range

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      Nio ET7 Electric car
      NIO’s ET7 all-electric ET7 sedan to take on Tesla Model S in China

      Tesla faces some serious competition in China as NIO has launched the ET7 electric sedan that promises an every higher range as compared to Tesla’s Model S. The new ET7 electric sedan was unveiled at the Sichuan provincial capital of Chengdu by NIO’s Chief Executive William Li Bin. Bookings are now open.
      The ET7 electric sedan will be ready for delivery from 2022. Pre-orders open in China with the company not yet confirming launch in other markets. ET7 is offered in Standard, Premium and Extended Editions and priced at 448,000 Yuan (approximately $69,160) or at 378,000 Yuan without the battery.
      Driving Range
      The Standard Edition offers a range of 500 kms with a 70 kWh battery pack which is around 7 percent higher than that offered by the Tesla Model S. This goes up to 700 kms on the Premium Edition with a 100 kWh battery while the Extended Edition has a range of 1000 kms with a 150 kWh battery.
      These figures are as per China’s NEDC testing standards while on Europe’s WLTP test it could give a lower figure. The Premium Edition is priced at 536,000 yuan while no price details of the Extended Edition have been revealed as on date.
      Nio ET7 Electric car
      ET7 Design
      The ET7 is a large sedan measuring 200.7 inches in length making it around 5 inches longer than the Tesla Model S. It comes in with a single screen serving as an instrument cluster and one with a portrait orientation serving as an infotainment hub. This can be controlled via a digital assistant known as “Nomi’.
      NIO ET7 gets Nio autonomous driving or NAD with a self-driving system with sensing technology, control software and computing power. The system consists of 33 sensors with radar, lidar and high resolution cameras along with 4 NVIDIA Drive Orin computers and vehicle to infrastructure communication and a capability to process 8 gigabytes per second. Buttons are very few and the steering wheel sports a two-spoke design.
      Battery And Motor Options
      NIO’s ET7 electric sedan will be powered by a single powertrain. This dual motor system offers a combined 644 hp power and 626 lb/ft (850 Nm) torque. Acceleration from 0 to 100 kmph is achieved in 3.9 seconds.
      Nio ET7 Electric car
      As is also seen with other NIO electric vehicles the battery of the ET7 can be swapped via the company’s network or power battery stations. The owner can drive into any of the stations wherein the automated system handles the swap.
      The NIO ET7 is the company’s first electric sedan. They already have ES8 and ES8 models in the SUV segment. The ET7 electric sedan is aimed squarely at the Tesla Model S, and could be launched in global markets to take on the US electric car giant. More