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    Hummer Electric Global Debut – Launch In 2021 At $ 112k (Approx Rs 83 L)

    Hummer Electric
    After teasing for months, GMC has finally taken wraps off its all new Hummer electric pickup truck today

    After a long wait, GM has finally launched the much awaited Hummer electric Pick-up. This happens to be one of its kind beast which will have some unparalleled offroading capability along with the benefits of being an EV. Here is the first look TVC.
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    Some Facts & Figures
    The new Hummer EV comes along with performance figures, which clearly showcase that it is a next generation vehicle. Under the hood, well there is no engine for obvious reasons, but there are 3 electric motors which help to dish out 1,000 hp and 11,500 lb ft (15,600 Nm) of max torque.
    GMC Hummer Electric
    The power developed is enough for the pick-up to do a 0-60 mph in less than 3 seconds (equivalent of 0-100 kmph). The battery pack supports 800 volt fast charging and can add a range of 100 miles (160 kms) in just 10 minutes. As per GM, the overall range of the Hummer EV happens to be 350 miles+, which roughly translates into more than 560 kms!
    Design Highlights
    The Hummer EV looks like an all new futuristic vehicle which you would expect to come across in a Sci-Fi flick. However, the 6-slat grille from the fossil-fuel powered model adds a bit of nostalgic touch.

    Overall, the Hummer looks bold, massive, intimidating and most importantly, unlike anything we have come across in the recent past. The grille which we talked about too has been done innovatively as it is now basically Hummer badging embedded in an LED strip.
    GMC Hummer Electric
    Other highlight in the design happens to be its infinity roof, which can basically provide a complete open-air experience. The Hummer EV rides on massive 35-inch tyres, which can further be upgraded to upto 37-inch units (after-market). It also gets a 4-wheel steering system, which helps with manoeuvrability and a reduced turning radius.
    Additionally, GM has added an adaptive air suspension which helps the Hummer to raise its height by 6-inches and make it even more off-road friendly than it already is. GM calls this function as ‘Extract Mode’. Talking about modes, GM has also included a Crab Mode, which as the name suggests, will be good to crawl across difficult off-roading terrain.

    The Hummer EV is a fully loaded product in terms of tech updates as well. It gets 18-camera views for improved understanding of its surroundings, including feeds from under the belly. The Super Cruise functionality helps with autonomous changing of lanes on compatible roads.
    Price and Variants
    Production of the Hummer EV will start later in 2021. Prices of the Hummer will commence at the $112,595 mark (around Rs 83 lakh, excluding taxes). This is the top of the line variant. Bookings are now open at $100.
    Lower priced variants are planned for launch in 2022, 2023 and 2024. In 2022, Hummer EV 3X will be launched with 800 hp / 12,880 Nm motor at price of $99,995. Range will be down to 300+ miles (483+ km). In 2023, Hummer EV 2X will be launched for $89,995. This is rated to deliver 625 hp / 10,033 Nm. Range will be same as Hummer 3x. And finally, in 2024, base model, Hummer EV will launch at $79,995. It will have same motors as the Hummer 2x, but range will be lower at 250+ miles (402+ km). More

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    Tesla to roll out beta of Full Self-Driving on Tuesday, according to Elon Musk – Roadshow

    Move over, Autopilot, the beta version of Tesla’s long-awaited Full Self-Driving system is here.
    Tesla
    Tesla’s Full Self-Driving beta is rolling out to select customers Tuesday night, according to a tweet published Tuesday afternoon by Tesla CEO Elon Musk.In the tweet, Musk says the rollout will be “extremely slow and cautious.” Still, he didn’t say where these vehicles getting the beta will be located, so it’s not clear whether the company has the appropriate permitting in these areas to do this kind of self-driving vehicle testing.
    FSD beta rollout happening tonight. Will be extremely slow & cautious, as it should.— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 20, 2020

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    Previously, during Tesla’s Battery Day presentation, Musk offered some insight into the work being done to get FSD ready for public consumption: “We had to do a fundamental rewrite of the entire Autopilot software stack… We’re now labeling 3D video, which is hugely different from when we were previously labeling single 2D images,” Musk explained, referring to the way the Autopilot software understands what the objects it sees with its eight cameras are and how it should react to them. “We’re now labeling entire video segments, taking all cameras simultaneously and labeling that. The sophistication of the neural net of the car and the overall logic of the car is improved dramatically.”We reached out to Tesla for more information, but we’re not expecting much because Tesla is now without a PR department.
    Tesla Cybertruck is like nothing else, and it’ll be built in Austin
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    Etrio Touro Max Mini Electric Three Wheelers Launched In Cargo Segment

    Etrio Electric Three Wheeler
    Etrio Touro Max and Mini electric three-wheelers in cargo segment cater to intracity logistics

    Electric vehicle start-up Etrio is keen on intracity logistics, and has expanded its portfolio with the launch of Touro for cargo segment. Both Touro variants are designed for intra-city logistics, especially in last-mile delivery applications. Touro three-wheeler passenger variants will be launched soon.
    Having raised funding of $3 million last month helped facilitate the new product launches. Touro derives its name from the Portuguese word Toro, which means ‘a bull’. This is because the product builds on strong stability, power, and load carrying capacity. The inspiration doesn’t end there, and Touro features bull inspired signature front grille, and Etrio manufactured brake drums.
    Etrio Electric Three Wheeler
    Etrio Touro range is completely localized, which means the products are eligible for central and state government subsidy. Deepak MV, Co-founder & CEO, Etrio said, “With the launch of Touro, we now have added new electric vehicles to our portfolio of retrofitted products. We are on a mission to electrify Intra-City logistics and bring the widest range of electric vehicles tailor-made for this segment.”
    Etrio Touro value proposition
    For customers, Touro’s value proposition builds on operational cost savings of about 70 percent, and driver comfort owing to a gearless, smokeless and noiseless ride. Top range performance, and volumetric capacity comes with safety and stability standards. Battery and power train warranty guarantee makes for a hassle-free ownership experience.

    Etrio Touro features hydraulic brakes with regenerative braking, independent suspension, and cloud-based vehicle tracking through a driver mobile app. The vehicle’s success relies on its Lithium-Ion battery tech. Etrio also offers a certified product range with lead-acid for end-users.
    With electrification being a focus area for e-commerce company logistics, and the need for valuable Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) over diesel rickshaws, Tuoro has it’s sight set on modern day requirements and mandates. The company also has a comprehensive driver training and certification programme.
    It’s tech prowess means logistics and e-commerce operators can access the nitty gritty on vehicle usage, and monitor real-time status of each vehicle in a fleet. Notifications for vehicle charging level, fleet management and maintenance can be optimised for optimised performance.
    Preventive maintenance lets fleet operators stay on top of things, and situation in a line work that’s demanding on a daily basis. Monitoring can help fleet owners deal with any instance of rash driving patterns, and corrective countermeasures can be implemented to ensure top notch fleet management at all times.
    Etrio Touro Max and Mini
    A fixed price isn’t announced for Touro Max, and Mini as all products are customised to meet specific e-commerce requirements. This ranges based on battery chemistry, payload required, cubic capacity, and number daily kilometres. Touro Max and Mini are available for outright sale, and lease. Touro lease options are available to leading e-commerce companies that place an order for over 50 vehicles on a 3-year contract period.
    Current production capacity stands at 500 units per month. Pilot runs are being held in Hyderabad, Delhi, and Bangalore. Opportunity is rife as an industry estimate puts the electrified three-wheeler segment at 50 percent by 2024. More

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    Tata Nexon Electric Subscription Plan Related Top 5 Questions – Answered

    Subscription plan allows you to enjoy the benefits of owning a new car, with comparatively lesser hassles
    Image – Car Director

    In global markets, leasing of cars is quite a common phenomenon and this concept has also entered the Indian automobile markets in recent times. In India, the car renting and leasing system was at around 4 percent in 2019. However, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and commuters hesitant to take cabs, car pooling and other forms of shared mobility, the concept of car leasing is taking on a new meaning.
    Recently Maruti Suzuki initiated the car subscription and leasing service in Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Pune and Hyderabad offering on all its vehicles sold via Arena and Nexa outlets. Currently, similar subscription schemes are also being offered by Toyota, Volkswagen, Skoda, Hyundai and Jeep in India.
    Tata Motors has also introduced the Tata Nexon EV subscription plans, starting at Rs.34,900 per month and is for a period of 12, 24 and 36 months. To offer more insight into this Tata Nexon EV subscription plan, we bring your five of the most asked questions regarding the Tata Nexon Electric Subscription scheme; and their answers for a better understanding.
    1 – Subscription plan details
    The Tata Nexon EV XZ+ variant via the subscription can be used for upto 1,500 kms per month and 18,000 kms per year. It comes with an 80 km/h speed limit. The company offers this model with an EV charger box and installation at the users home or office premises with 15 meters of wiring.
    Tata Nexon EV Fast Charging
    All registration, road tax, road side assistance, insurance and maintenance / service charges are included in the monthly rentals. However, this does not include any expenses which could occur due to driver’s negligence. The company arranges for door-step pick up and drop facility and the user is entitled to access to petrol/diesel cars and discount coupons. All expenses with regard to road tax and registration, insurance renewals, servicing, maintenance, etc, will be undertaken by Tata Motors for which it has partnered with Orix Auto.
    2 – Subscription plan tenure and costs
    There are three tenures for this subscription plan. The Standard monthly subscription rates stand at Rs.41,900, Rs.44,900 and Rs.47,900 for the 12, 24 and 36 month plans respectively. These have been recently revised to 34,900, 37,500 and 41,500 respectively. These prices are inclusive of taxes. Revised rates are valid only till 30th November.
    Tata Nexon Subscription Plan Rates and Tenure
    It is to be noted that Tata Motors is offering special revised rates only to the first 100 subscriptions, valid till 30th November 2020. Under this special scheme, the 18 month tenure can be selected at a monthly subscription rate of Rs.41,500 while the 24 month scheme can be had at Rs.37,500 and the 36 month plan is for Rs.34,900. These also include a 5 percent GST charge.
    3 – Refundable deposit
    Those opting for the Tata Nexon EV subscription plan will have to pay a refundable security deposit of Rs.50,000 and a token amount of Rs.5,000 for the subscription application. This token amount will be adjusted against the refundable security deposit while the monthly charges have to be paid a day prior to delivery of the vehicle.
    4 – Buy-Back option
    While other automakers offer the user a buy back option at the end of the lease tenure, Tata Motors does not offer this benefit to its customers. The company, however, allows the customer to extend the subscription period.
    5 – Target Customers For Nexon EV Subscription Plan
    Tata Nexon EV subscription plan will benefit corporate users who lease company vehicles. It is also designed for people who undergo frequent intercity job transfers while expatriates who visit the country for a particular tenure could also find benefit in this scheme. These users will be offered a brand new Tata Nexon EV on a monthly rental basis and will also not have to bother about expenses such as road tax, registration, insurance and service etc.
    Buyers who prefer the outright ownership route can get the Tata Nexon EV XM variant at 13.99 lakhs, the XZ+ at Rs 15.25 lakhs and XZ+ Lux at Rs 16.25 lakhs. Prices were increased earlier this week by Rs 26k for the top 2 variants. Base variant price remain unchanged. More

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    2021 Renault Kwid Electric Debuts As Dacia Spring EV – 295 kms Drive Range

    What will be launched in India as the Renault Kwid electric car, has been globally unveiled as the new Dacia Spring EV today
    2021 Renault Kwid Electric

    The Dacia Spring Electric small car will be launched in Europe through car sharing service first, and retail sales for private customers will begin later in 2021.
    The Dacia Spring, essentially the fully electric European-spec Renault Kwid, has been unveiled at Renault EWays event. The French automaker describes it as the most affordable electric vehicle in the old continent. The micro-crossover is expected to become the best selling Dacia in due course.

    Dacia Spring EV / 2021 Renault Kwid Electric
    The Dacia Spring carries forward the Renault Kwid’s basic design but incorporates sportier elements. The Dacia badge sits on a revised front grille which also houses sleek LED DRls. Faux skid plates, low-mounted headlamps, high ground clearance gives the compact car a crossover appeal.
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    The Dacia Spring EV is presented in the car sharing version at the Renault EWays event. Series production model will be ready for Europe next year. The profile is identical to the India-spec Renault Kwid while the rear fascia receives revised LED taillights and a new bumper with prominent silver skid plates.

    Powertrain
    The Dacia Spring EV is powered by an electric motor which is rated at 33 kW and 125 Nm of torque. The 28.6 kWh battery is claimed to offer 225 km of range as per WLTP driving cycle. As per WLTP City cycle, the vehicle has a claimed range of 295 km.
    Using the Wallbox charger, the battery can be fully charged in 4 hours and 27 minutes. The optional DC fast charging cable will allow you to charge 80% of the battery in 50 minutes using a fast charging column. The car can also be charged using domestic socket.

    Features
    The Dacia Spring EV receives a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 3.5-inch color MID, assisted and camera parking, power windows and remote lock. It also gets LED headlights and 14-inch alloy wheels.

    Launch Timeline
    The Dacia Spring will be available first through car sharing services across Europe from early 2021 with Zity being one of the launch partners. The private customers will be able to book their cars in summer 2021 with deliveries starting in spring 2021. There will also be a cargo version with 800 liters (with a payload capacity of 365 kg) of storage volume for zero emission last mile delivery.

    Coming to India?
    With the popularity of electric vehicles steadily increasing in India, the Renault Kwid EV is likely to be introduced in our market a few months after its European debut. The car will compete with the likes of Mahindra eKUV100, Maruti WagonR EV, new Citroen EV, Tata HBX EV in the domestic market. Expect price to be in the Rs 8-10 lakh range. More

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    Tata Nexon Electric Gets Its First Price Hike – New Prices Oct 2020

    Nexon EV, even after the price hike, is the most affordable EV in the passenger vehicle segment

    Tata Motors has increased the prices of its Nexon EV. The sole electric car on Tata Motor’s portfolio for normal consumers now costs Rs 26,000 more. It is to be noted that Tata Motors also retails the Tigor EV for fleet and cab operators in select cities.
    Updated Prices
    The electric SUV is offered in three variants- XM, XZ+ and XZ+ Lux. However, prices have been increased for the top two trim levels only as the base XM trim’s remains untouched. After the price hike, the Nexon EV is offered at Rs 13.99 lakh, 15.25 lakh and Rs 16.25 lakh for XM, XZ+ and XZ+ Lux respectively. All prices are ex-showroom.
    Tata Nexon EV New Prices Oct 2020
    Powertrain & Performance
    Tata Nexon EV is powered by the manufacturer’s Ziptron EV powertrain which consists of a 30.2kWh lithium-ion battery which sends power to an electric motor that has a rated output of 127 bhp and 245 Nm of peak torque. The battery pack comes with a standard 8-year warranty and IP67 waterproof protection. The company claims that the electric SUV can breach the 100 kmph from a standstill in just 9.9 seconds.
    Nexon EV has a claimed range of 312 km but in real world, it translates to roughly to 170-180 km on a single charge. On using a DC fast charger, it can be charged up to 80 percent within an hour or so. Using a conventional wall charger, it takes 8-9 hours to rejuvenate the battery to 100 percent. The car is also equipped with an energy regeneration function.
    Electric Car Sales India – April to Sep 2020
    Features on offer
    In terms of features, it gets a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto, Apple Carplay and in-car connectivity technology iRA. Other features include 7-inch fully digital multi-information display, automatic climate control, Voice Activated Commands, sunroof, rain sensing wipers, electrically adjustable ORVMs with integrated turn indicators, LED projector headlights, LED taillamps and lots more. It also gets two driving modes- Drive and Sport. When it comes to safety, it offers features such as dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, Vehicle Stability Control System, rear parking camera and ISOFIX Child Seat Mounts.
    Market Rivals
    As of now, it has only two rivals- Hyundai Kona Electric and MG ZS EV. However, both of these electric crossovers are a segment above Nexon EV. Its direct rival in the market will be Mahindra eXUV300, the concept of which was showcased at this year’s AutoExpo held in Greater Noida. The electric version of Mahindra XUV300 is expected to make its way to showrooms sometime next year. More

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    Mercedes EQC 4×4 Squared Concept – Electric SUV For Off Roading

    Mercedes Benz EQC 4×4 Squared is a more rugged utilitarian version of the standard EQC 400 Electric

    Future mobility is gonna take shape with the development of electric vehicles (EVs). It is being developed keeping sustainability, lower emission levels, convenience and affordability in mind. Strictly catering to these needs might not veer purists towards this direction.
    Automotive enthusiasts always want to have a bit of fun with their vehicles which don’t necessarily comply with electric cars on offer. While most of the modern electric cars have power on both axles thanks to a dual-motor setup, they can’t be termed as off-roaders.
    Keeping the interests of off-roading enthusiasts in mind, Mercedes Benz has developed a concept that might lay the foundation stone to future off-roading machines based on an electric powertrain. The German automaker has developed a concept based on the recently launched electric SUV- ECQ 400 which is meant to explore the unexplored terrains.

    Differences between EQC 400 and EQC 4×4² Squared
    The ECQ 4×4² Squared rides on higher grounds with better approach and departure angles. It is the third member of Mercedes’ 4×4² family. It still runs on the battery setup provided in the standard EQC. An 80-kilowatt-hour battery powers dual asynchronous electric motors, one on each axle, to generate a combined output of 402 bhp and 760 Nm of torque.
    To make it look like a proper off-roader, Mercedes has added a roof rack, fender flares, and a tow hitch. At 293mm of ground clearance, it stands way higher than the standard EQC 400 which stands at just 140mm. It gets 20-inch alloys wheels which are wrapped with 285/50 section of tyres. The revised approach, departure and break-over angles also come in handy at 31.8 degree, 33 degree and 24.2 degree respectively. Its water wading capacity stands at 400mm which quite considering it is carrying a battery pack.

    Improved off-road capabilities
    These improved numbers are thanks to the revised suspension setup. Instead of conventional suspension units, the EQC 4×4² Squared utilises a set of portal axles that allows the wheels to sit at a height much lower than the centre of axle owing to portal gears. The consequence of this that the wheel track is increased significantly therefore the need for makeshift wheel arch flares.
    This offset lends the vehicle way more ground clearance thus improving its off-road capability. Similar suspension setup is also seen in the G-Wagon, which is arguably one of the best off-roading machines currently around the globe. A new off-road mode has also been added which has been borrowed from GLC. While taking off on loose grounds, this off-road mode enables an improved torque curve with the help of targeted brake interventions.

    Future Electric Off-Road Vehicles
    Prior to the EQC 4×4² Squared, Mercedes had two products in this range- G500 4×4 Squared and a Squared version of the Mercedes E-Class All Terrain station wagon. The former even went into limited production. The German marque hasn’t yet confirmed whether this concept will enter into production or not. If not, then it could very well pave the path for the upcoming electric G-Wagon- the new generation G-Class 4×4 Squared which will be based on V-8-powered G550. More

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    Tesla cuts Model S prices by $3,000 in the US – Roadshow

    Lower prices? I don’t think you’ll hear a single buyer complain about that.
    Tim Stevens/Roadshow
    Much of the attention paid to Tesla these days comes from its smaller, more affordable electric vehicles, the Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover. Its larger vehicles, however, have seen deliveries dip year over year this past quarter, so it’s no surprise that one of those cars is getting a price cut.Tesla quietly updated the pricing on its website overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday. The two currently available variants of the Model S have been given $3,000 price cuts each. The Long Range Plus’ price drops from $74,990 to $71,990, while the Performance variant goes from $94,990 and $91,990. The automaker’s website also lists the Plaid model at $139,900, but it has not been given a price reduction; it’ll be made available to consumers until next year. Heck, even the newest models aren’t immune to price adjustments. In July, Tesla reduced the price of the Model Y by $3,000 to nudge its newest EV under the $50,000 mark.

    This isn’t the first time Tesla has reduced its prices in 2020. In May, Tesla lowered the Model 3’s starting price by $2,000, while simultaneously reducing the window stickers on both the Model S and Model X by $5,000. The move was likely in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, which hasn’t been kind to any facet of the automotive industry. It’s unclear why Tesla has again reduced its prices. Tesla does not operate a public relations department to field requests for comment.Despite looking the same since its refresh in 2016, Tesla has slowly updated its oldest vehicle with some new tricks. Thanks to advancements in technology, the Model S Long Range Plus now sports an EPA-estimated 402 miles of range, a far cry from its earliest iterations. Even the Performance model packs an impressive 348 miles of estimated EV range.

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