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Sales of the new Maruti Wagon R Electric or XL5 EV might be limited to select cities
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Yes, battery swapping is a thing.
Nio
Automakers desperately want to be treated like tech companies. These days, they’re more eager to tout screen sizes and driver aids than horsepower figures and hardware. Manufacturers are also licking their chops at the prospect of charging monthly fees for certain amenities. Cadillac is doing just this with its Super Cruise driving aid, and BMW is floating the idea of going to a subscription-based model for certain features like heated seats. Now, Chinese electric-vehicle maker Nio is going an even more extreme route, it announced Thursday. In its home market, Nio is offering a new battery-as-a-service program, or BaaS for short. The idea is that customers can purchase a new EV without a battery and then subscribe to one for a separate monthly fee. This can reduce the new-vehicle purchase price by a whopping 70,000 yuan, roughly $10,100. But an electric car without a battery is about as useful as power windows on a submarine or a hairdryer you can use in the shower.Nio has constructed 143 battery-swap stations in China.
Nio
As for the all-important — and entirely necessary — battery, a 70-kWh pack will cost 980 yuan per month, about $140 converted. Other capacities and prices should also be available.Battery swapping seems like a crazy idea, but it does have a few important benefits, including giving EV owners some options. If they want to upgrade to a larger battery in the future, they can without difficulty. They’re also free from worrying about battery deterioration over time, and associated decreases in driving range. Finally, vehicle resale value will likely be improved since, again, battery degradation gets taken out of the equation. Battery subscriptions won’t necessarily work for other automakers, because not all EVs have swappable packs. Nio’s cars, including the EC6, EC6 and ES8 SUVs, were designed with this in mind. The company has more than 1,200 patents related to this technology and has constructed 143 power-swap stations in China. To date, Nio has completed more than 800,000 battery swaps, so clearly this is a viable technology, and one that might catch on in other countries around the world.
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2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV
More features, more tech and, yes, more driving range. Chevy’s electric Bolt charges into 2020 with a number of improvements.
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The Model 3 is mighty popular.
Nick Miotke/Roadshow
In today’s round of pretty unsurprising news, Teslas are mighty popular in the US. In fact, Teslas made up just over 80% of all electric cars sold in the first half of 2020.Data from Buy Shares, a company focused on providing financial and stock market education, shows Americans purchased 87,398 electric cars in the first half of this year. Of that tally, 71,375 of them were Teslas. The Model 3 is by far the automaker’s most popular vehicle with 38,314 sold, but according to this data, the EV maker still managed to move 18,861 Model Y SUVs despite a factory shutdown and the coronavirus pandemic.
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The Model X found 9,500 homes and 4,700 Model S sedans went home with owners in the first half of this year as well. The Model 3, Model Y and Model X make up the top three EVs sold in the first half of 2020, and the only car to break Tesla’s streak is the Chevy Bolt EV. The brand sold 8,370 Bolt EVs, interrupting the Teslas and placing ahead of the Model S.The rest of the chart features some pretty measly numbers compared to Tesla and the Bolt EV from other top selling EVs so far. The closest any other brand gets is Nissan, which sold 3,006 Leafs in the first half of 2020.Tesla’s enjoyed years of rapid growth, and so far, it’s not clear what can stop the company from growing. One thing is certain, though: More automakers have impressive electric cars on the way and they’ll surely help sort out whether Tesla continues to enjoy a competitive advantage.
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Tata Nexon Electric production has crossed the milestone figure of 1,000 units today
Tata Motors has rolled out its 1000th Nexon EV. The company confirms segment dominance with 62 percent market share in Q1 FY21. Nexon Electric SUV is manufactured at the company’s Pune plant. The feat has been achieved in a little over 6-months since commercial launch.
Indian EV segments across the spectrum are still in a nascent stage of production, and competition with most manufacturers not yet participating. This leaves buyers with a small variety to pick from. With only 4 automakers offering EVs for now, and not all of them existing in the same segment, Tata Motors finds itself at an advantageous position in the segment.
Tata’s other EV offering, Electric Tigor sedan is available with a drive range of 140 km and 213 km, and is offered as a fleet only vehicle. Nexon EV is offered as a personal mobility option with a drive range of 312 km on a single charge. With drive range anxiety being one of many reasons potential buyers are sceptical, Nexon EV range puts a stop to such concerns for anyone considering an EV purchase.
Tata Nexon Electric being delivered to respective owners. File photo.
Recently announced Delhi EV Policy outline will help guide EV adaption in Delhi-NCR, and includes a host of benefits for EV buyers. Shailesh Chandra, President – Passenger Vehicle Business, Tata Motors Ltd. said, “Acceptance of EVs is accelerating fast, and we are seeing growing interest in it from all parts of the country. The rollout of the 1000th Nexon EV in a short time span, despite the challenges of Covid-19, reflects the rising interest of personal segment buyers in EVs.
Tata Motors will continue to innovate and develop comprehensive sustainable mobility solutions meeting global standards. EVs are the future and as the industry leader, we are committed to make them desirable and a mainstream choice for the customers.”
Tata Nexon EV Subscription
To expand its scope, Tata EV Subscription model has been introduced. The subscription plan begins at Rs.41,900 for a 3 year fixed plan. Customers can select from a 18, 24 to 36 month tenure. Subscription fee is inclusive of comprehensive insurance cover, road side assistance and end to end maintenance.
For now, the service is available in Delhi/NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru in collab with Orix Auto Infrastructure. Subscription rate is Rs.44,900 for a period of 24 months and Rs.47,900 for an 18 month leasing period.
While a subscription plan is an easy road to car ownership, the finance model is fairly unexplored in the consumer segment. Tata uniEVerse e-mobility ecosystem looks to leverage Group company strengths to develop the EV environment. Customers can access e-mobility solutions, including charging stations, retail experiences and easy finance options. More
The Kona electric was tested at Lausitzring circuit in Germany proving the company’s leadership in electric mobility
Hyundai Motors has tested the range of 3 Kona electric cars at the Lausitzring circuit in Germany. This was done so as to prove its leadership in electrified mobility. These Kona EVs used for the test were factory spec models and unmodified. The three Kona EVs were tested for three days at the circuit and each travelled 1,018.7 km, 1,024.1 km and 1,026 km on a single charge.
The test was conducted by German auto magazine Auto Bild and was monitored by Dekra – an European vehicle inspection company that has operated the Lausitzring racetrack since 2017. The drive teams were one from Auto Bild and two from Hyundai Motor Deutschland.
To claim this record, the air conditioning, and infotainment system were switched off while only the daytime running lights were on so as to comply with regulations prevalent in the country. The three Hyundai Kona EVs were fitted with standard low rolling resistance Nexen N Fera SU1 tyres of size 215/55R17. Watch the video below showing the record attempt run.
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The 3 days of test, which included 36 drivers recording average speed of 30 km/h saw each distance represent a record as per capacity of the 64 kWh battery pack which powers the Kona EV. Power consumption figures of 6.28, 6.25 and 6.24 kWh per 100 km stood below the average of 14.7 kWh per 100 km as is determined by Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP).
Another outstanding feat is that the Kona EVs managed to cover a distance of 20 kms on 3 percent residual capacity and continued to drive over several hundred meters even with zero percent charge. The test has once again proved to Kona electric customers that they can traverse over long distances without any stress of recharge or range.
Hyundai Kona Electric in India
Hyundai Kona electric SUV is also on sale in India. Here too it has managed to impress its owners. Recently, Bangalore based owner of Kona electric gave his car for 1st year service. The cost for service including labour charges, taxes, etc – was just Rs 1,043.
Hyundai Kona getting charged at the PlugNgo electric car charging station in Delhi
Another owner, again from Bangalore, stated that he managed to do 385 kms run from Bangalore to Coimbatore in his Kona, on a single charge. The owner stated that full charge is achieved in about Rs 250, which implies that it cost him about 65 paise per km.
Hyundai’s new Ioniq brand
With Hyundai seeing success in its EV car tech, they have now announced the launch of an all electric sub brand called Ioniq. Under this new brand, Hyundai will launch three new EV models planned for launch over the next 4 years. Extensive plans also see the automaker aim to sell over 1 million units of battery electric vehicles globally. This will help the company to take a market share of 10 percent in EV segment, and go on to become a leader in the global electric vehicle segment by 2025.
The first Ioniq will be the Ioniq 5 midsized crossover SUV set for launch in 2021. It will be followed by the Ioniq 6 sedan in 2022 while in 2024 the Ioniq 7 large SUV will be launched. Each of these vehicles will be built on a global modular platform which Hyundai calls the E-GMP. More
Pune-based Northway Motorsport has major plans to make a factory-fresh Tata Nexon EV “better” in terms of performance and dynamics
At the moment, the Indian automotive market has three ‘proper’ electric four-wheelers: Tata Nexon EV, MG ZS EV and Hyundai Kona. Meanwhile, Mahindra & Mahindra has reached the final developmental stages of its eXUV300 or XUV300 Electric. Showcased at Auto Expo 2020 as a concept, the upcoming Mahindra eXUV300 will be a direct rival to the Tata Nexon EV.
Priced from Rs 13.99 lakh ex-showroom, the Tata Nexon Electric debuted with the Indian automaker’s all-new Ziptron electric architecture. It comes in three trims: XM, XZ+ and XZ+ Lux. As per the newly formed Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy, the all-electric sub-four-metre crossover is eligible for an incentive summing up to Rs 1.5 lakh in the capital city. The government is really pushing towards cleaner and emission-free modes of transportation, especially in densely populated cities.
Powering the Tata Nexon EV is a ~95kW (127bhp) PMSM electric motor coupled to a 30.2kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Peak torque is rated at 245Nm. In ideal conditions, the EV boasts of a range of 312km (ARAI figure) on full juice. It can hit 100km/h from a standstill within 10 seconds. A fast-charger helps the battery attain 80 per cent charge in about an hour’s time. Tata Motors recently introduced a subscription plan for the Nexon EV.
Tata Nexon Electric mod by Northway Motorsport
Pune-based EV specialists Northway Motorsport has acquired a Tata Nexon EV with the aim to “make it better”. Hemank Dabhade, Director of Northway Motorsport, states that he is quite impressed with what the EV has to offer in stock avatar. Still, he believes that there is room for improvement.
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Dubbed ‘The Best Nexon EV Project’, the entire build will be documented on his YouTube channel, Hemank Dabhade. Over the months, we have shared quite a few interesting projects from Northway Motorsport such as Chevrolet Beat diesel-EV conversion, Honda Activa Electric and most recently, Maruti 800 Electric.
Mods & upgrades planned
The very first set of mods include better brakes and bigger wheels since the vehicle has (relatively) high torque characteristics. The stock front ventilated disc brakes (single-piston callipers) were swapped with bigger slotted rotors with six-piston callipers. Of course, this was not a direct fit and hence, a custom-made bracket was required. To house the new pair of discs, bigger rims proved a necessity. Hemank chose a set of 17-inch five-spokes shod with Ultramile UM R5 tyres.
The higher unsprung mass might take a toll on the Tata Nexon Electric’s original performance but Northern Motorsport has several upgrades in the pipeline to make up for it. Furthermore, this could soon be the very first performance-enhanced Tata Nexon EV in the country. More
The electric motorcycle project by Classic Legends is not expected to be ready before 2022
Soon after news about a possible Jawa electric motorcycle broke out, new media reports emerged suggesting that Classic Legends electric motorcycle project will make use of Yezdi brand. Just like Jawa, Yezdi evokes nostalgia among Indian motorcycle enthusiasts. The idea of an Yezdi electric motorcycle with retro-classic design certainly sounds interesting.
Will Jawa introduce an electric motorcycle?
Considering that Classic Legends owns the rights to both Jawa and Yezdi brands, its upcoming electric motorcycle project could spawn two distinct flavours. However this is purely a speculation at this moment and we will have to wait and see how things develop.
Meanwhile, here is a speculative rendering of a Jawa electric motorcycle created by Sreejith Krishnan on behalf of ElectricVehicleWeb. While accommodating the electric powertrain and the massive battery pack requires grounds up approach to chassis engineering, you can see that Jawa’s classic design gels well with the new age powertrain.
The designer has envisioned the Jawa electric motorcycle to feature the charging socket on the pseudo fuel tank and a rear hub-mounted motor. The traditional telescopic front suspension and twin gas-charged rear shock absorbers have been carried forward. The spoke wheels go a long way in giving the motorcycle an old-world charm.
Powertrain
It is too early to talk about the finer details of Classic Legends’ electric powertrain. It is being reported that, unlike the existing Jawa products which were engineered with inputs from parent company Mahindra, the new electric motorcycle will be developed fully in-house. The two wheeler manufacturer is expected to source most of its critical components locally although there could be some percentage of imported content.
It is to be noted that Royal Enfield is also working on an electric motorcycle to target the same segment. Classic Legends’ project is still at early stages and we don’t expect the final product to be ready before 2022. The company’s track record when it comes to keeping up with timelines are not great to begin with, and to make the matters worse, the pandemic is proving to be a significant disruption.
Classic Legends’ current status
Classic Legends managed to sell only 569 units of Jawa motorcycles in July 2020 which is over 60 times lower than what its primary rival Royal Enfield has managed. Suffice it to say, the existing Jawa and the upcoming Yezdi products have their work cut out.
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The upcoming Skoda Enyaq crossover SUV employs Volkswagen Group’s MEB (Modular Electrification Toolkit) architecture
Czech-origin automaker Skoda Auto, under Volkswagen Group, has released a fresh set of sketches or renders of its upcoming all-electric crossover SUV, Enyaq iV. The official debut will happen in Prague on September 1, 2020. Sporting Skoda Auto’s latest design and styling principles, the new Enyaq will be the first product to come out of Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform. Translated to English, MEB expands to Modular Electrification Toolkit.
The company states that the Skoda Enyaq marks a new era in its timeline. According to the design team, the crossover SUV showcases “emotive lines and balanced, dynamic proportions” in addition to a “generous interior”. It is claimed to offer a “sustainable yet fun driving experience”.
Global OEMs are heavily concentrating on all-electric powertrains across a wide price segment. Due to their immense demand, SUV or crossover body styles have become the go-to choices for newer electric products.
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Karl Neuhold, Head of Exterior Design at Skoda Auto, has given a brief overview of the Enyaq’s vision and styling philosophy. The ‘emotive Skoda design language’ is already familiar to the world thanks to the new-gen Scala hatchback, Kamiq subcompact crossover and Octavia compact sedan (as per European standards).
Fresh styling philosophy
The upcoming Skoda Enyaq features sculpted lines, clear surfaces as well as crystalline elements inspired by Bohemian crystal art. Unlike existing Skoda SUVs and crossovers, the Enyaq has a shorted front end alongside an elongated roofline. Karl Neuhold comments that this unique trait gives the EV “a very dynamic look” and transforms it into a “proverbial space shuttle”. Large wheels and high ground clearance further strengthen its ‘SUV presence’.
Being an all-electric product, the Enyaq does not need a large front grille for cooling or induction purposes. However, the signature ‘butterfly grille’ has always been one of the most significant bits on modern-day Skodas and hence, could not be easily omitted. On the new Enyaq, the grille component is set further forward and upright, blending well with the full-LED headlamps flanking it on each side.
Functional design
Compared to a mainstream ICE model under Volkswagen Group (employing MLB architecture), MEB products differ significantly in terms of height and overhangs. The battery pack rests inside the floor panel and demands taller body styles. The relatively long wheelbase of the new Enyaq hides this fact. Shorter overhangs were possible since the electric powertrain and its components take much lesser space than a conventional ICE example. Furthermore, the Skoda Enyaq iV boasts of an impressive drag coefficient of 0.27. More
