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Discuss: Toyota’s C+ Pod electric car is small and simple
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Hurry, this deal won’t last. For real.
Tesla
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is out here making marketing moves on Twitter as we head into the final few days of 2020. Tuesday evening, Musk tweeted that anyone who purchases a new Tesla will receive three months of the company’s Full Self-Driving mode free of charge. Access to the software, which remains in beta and not complete, typically costs $10,000 extra just to experience it.
All Tesla cars delivered in the final three days of the year will get three months of the Full Self-Driving option for free. Delivery & docs must be fully complete by midnight Dec 31st.— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 29, 2020
All new Teslas come with a form of the firm’s Autopilot system, a Level 2 partially automated technology on the SAE’s scale of autonomy, but Full Self-Driving hopes to one day live up to its name. The company rolled out the technology to limited groups of drivers earlier this year and plans expand the invites to those who paid for the option to take advantage of the features. Even Tesla says the system may do the wrong thing at the wrong time, so it’s definitely not ready for hands-free driving, but many owners found it works well with lots of supervision.
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To take advantage of Musk’s latest flash deal, buyers need to complete all documents and take delivery by Dec. 31 at midnight, so it’s probably best to shop Teslas currently in stock if you really want the Full Self-Driving freebie. We also heard earlier this month Tesla authorized its staff to toss in free Supercharging once again for anyone purchasing a new EV as the automaker pushes for record deliveries in 2020.We won’t know if the tactics worked until early next year, but Musk is sort of the master of spurring fans to purchase when it counts.
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This is Toyota’s newest EV, the itty-bitty C-Plus Pod.
Toyota
Last week, Toyota introduced the C-Plus Pod, a new electric minicar designed to improve per-person energy efficiency. This golf cart-like machine seats just two people and is super small. But despite its diminutive dimensions, it has a big mission: It’s designed to help broaden the appeal of battery-operated vehicles, at least in Japan.Looking vaguely like a Smart Fortwo, this ultra-compact car is intended for short-distance, daily use, not long-distance cruising. The C-Plus Pod is about 98 inches long, 51 inches wide and 61 inches tall. Yeah, I told you it was small. And with a turning radius of less than 13 feet, it should be more maneuverable than a shopping cart. As for weight, it clocks in at about 1,500 pounds.The C-Plus Pod’s styling is definitely more functional than flowery with utilitarian and simple lines. Reducing weight and likely making it easier and cheaper to manufacture, this vehicle’s body panels are made of plastic. For some visual flair, Toyota offers five different two-tone color schemes. Lighting the way are LED headlights and taillights.Inside this cutesy EV are just two seats, and they don’t look particularly comfortable or accommodating. The cabin is also suitably utilitarian — a frill-free zone, if you will. For easy access, the switches and controls are located on the dashboard’s cleanly designed center stack. This car’s interior is simple and honest.
Toyota
Providing the go-power is a single, rear-mounted permanent-magnet electric motor that’s juiced by an under-floor-mounted 9.1 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. This drivetrain layout provides a low, flat floor. The C-Plus Pod’s top speed is just 60 kph, or 37 mph, so a freeway cruiser it is certainly not. Slowing things down are front disc brakes and drums at the rear. With a low top speed and modestly sized battery pack, this Toyota offers an estimated cruising range of up to 150 kilometers (about 93 miles) on the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle test cycle, so it’d probably go a little less further if the EPA got its hands on the car. With an appropriate membership, it can be recharged at Toyota dealers that have G-Station chargers, though you can also juice it at other charging locations across Japan. A handy feature, the C-Plus Pod can also serve as a portable generator for use during power outages or natural disasters, delivering up to 1,500 Watts of power. It can supply electricity for up to 10 hours, which is super convenient.Even though it doesn’t look very robust, the Toyota C-Plus Pod meets safety standard for minivehicles. It’s also equipped with a standard pre-collision system that can detect other vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists. The automaker even fits the car with ever-useful parking sensors, too.Toyota will build the little machine at the automaker’s Motomachi Plant in Japan. Initially, it will be offered to select customers including corporations, local governments and other organizations. Broader availability to individual customers should start by 2022. You’d expect such a tiny car to carry an inexpensive price tag, but that’s not necessarily the case. It starts at roughly $16,000 USD at current exchange rates.
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Tata Nexon EV Mileage Rally
Tata Motors and Dealers Adishakti Cars in Bangalore organized a mileage rally for the Nexon EV from the showroom to Nandi Hills
Nexon EV owners congregated at Adishakti Cars, a Tata Motors Dealership in Bengaluru to put their cars to the test. A total of 12 Nexon electric cars lined up in a straight line and after a full charge, a complete check of each car, battery percentage and remaining range, the cars set off across the open road to test the range and performance of this electric vehicle launched earlier this year.
All the drivers decided on switching off the AC as the weather in Bengaluru was pleasant. The cars, with their green and white number plates, caused some excitement on the roads among general public as it is not everyday that you get to see so many electric cars together.
Nexon EV Mileage Rally
The electric cars headed towards Nandi Hills across the National Highway, stopping at the first toll for all the cars to assemble and set off again together. Despite the fact that the local police had made sufficient parking space for the 12 Nexon EVs at the top of Nandi Hills, they could not proceed to the top due to the road being blocked.
After a 64 km drive, a final stop at Nandi Upachar restaurant for a complimentary breakfast saw the winners being announced. Mr Jaysurya of Nexon EV Dept, Tata Motors announced the winner and runner up. The entire event was documented on video by Youtube channel Auto Town.
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Mr Shriram was announced as the Runner Up. He completed the 64 km drive with a 290 kms range remaining. His Nexon EV had consumed 22 percent of the battery power. The winner of the Tata Nexon EV Rally was Mr Arun Somyaji with the 304 kms range remaining and consuming just 21 percent of battery power.
Tata Nexon EV Specs
The Nexon EV, launched around 11 months back in January 2020 noted sales of 2,200 units as of November. The company claims a growing interest among buyers in the country. Tata Motors claims that the Nexon EV is the best selling electric car in India, leading the segment with as 74 percent market share.
The Nexon EV offers outstanding performance, a connected drive experience, zero emissions and comes in at an attractive price while it also offers lower operating cost. Priced from Rs.13.99-16.25 lakhs, the Nexon EV is presented in three variants of XM, XZ+ and XZ+ LUX.
This electrified vehicle gets its power via an electric motor with output rating at 129 hp and 245 Nm. It receives two driving modes of Drive and Sport and claims a range of 312 kms on a full charge of its 30.2 kWh battery pack. This battery can be charged from 0 to 80 percent in 1 hour via a DC fast charger.
The Nexon EV is also available on a subscription basis in select cities and while it currently competes with the MG ZS EV and Hyundai Kona Electric, it will soon get a third rival in the form of the Mahindra XUV300 electric set to go on sale in early 2021. More
Toyota C+Pod Electric Car
Toyota has launched an all new micro electric vehicle, named C+Pod in Japan
It happens to be an ‘Ultra Compact’ electric vehicle with a seating capacity for 2 adults. To begin with, sales will be restricted to local government bodies, corporate users and other organizations which are planning to include electric vehicles in their fleets. A full-scale launch for the masses is scheduled to take place in 2022.
Specifications
The Toyota C+Pod measures just 2,490 mm in length, 1,550 mm in height and 1,290 mm in width. Thanks to its compact dimensions, it has a turning radius of just 3.9 meters making it a perfect choice for heavily packed cities like Tokyo.
It derives power from a 9.06 kWh lithium ion battery which has been mounted under the floor. The battery powers an electric motor which has been installed on the rear axle and delivers a total output of 12 hp and 56 Nm of peak torque.
As per Toyota’s claims, the C+Pod has a range of 150 km (as per WLTC Class 1 mode testing conditions) and can be charged to its full capacity in 5 hours on a 200V/16A power supply. On the standard 100V/6A power supply, the charging time goes up to 16 hours.
Toyota C+Pod Electric Car
Pricing and Trims
The C+Pod has been launched in 2 variants, X and G. The X trim is priced at 1.65 million Yen (approx INR 11.75 lakhs) while the G trim is priced at 1.71 million Yen (approx INR 12.15 lakhs). The X trim weighs 670 kg while the G trim lands up weighing 690 kgs. The light weight of the vehicle can be attributed to the exterior panels which have been made out of plastic.
Toyota has designed the structure of C+Pod in such a way that it absorbs impact and offers pedestrian protection too. The pre-collision system which has been installed on the C+Pod ensures that the chances of a collision with other cyclists, pedestrians, vehicles are lowered to the maximum extent possible.
C+Pod and Indian Market
Currently in India, Toyota has been selling more rebadged Maruti cars than cars from its very own product portfolio. In the last 1-1.5 years, we have seen the Indian EV market slowly maturing with good practical models like Nexon EV, ZS EV and Kona Electric getting launched in the last 18 months or so.
Brining in the C+Pod or an iteration of it could work well for Toyota as currently there is no such model available in the Indian EV market. A model like the C+Pod could work well for last-mile mobility and even for environmentally conscious regular commuters looking for their second or third car/vehicle which can be used for short trips around the town.
Its size and compactness could help the vehicle to become popular, however, we don’t think Toyota currently has any such plans to bring in an ultra compact EV to India. But, such a product, if priced aptly could help Toyota with some healthy sales numbers in the future. MG Motor India had showcased a similar small sized 2 seater electric car at the 2020 Auto Expo – called the MG e200. More
Pravaig Electric Car
Pravaig claims that this is their first gen concept, which is now 2 years old
Pravaig Extinction electric car, from Bengaluru based Pravaig Dynamics, has been officially unveiled in India. It has been in the news for making some really tall claims, from offering 5 star tank-like safety to fast charging like Tesla, and comfort like Mercedes Benz S Class.
Now, a detailed walkaround review video has been posted by YouTube channel Namaste Car. Thanks to this, new details about the exteriors, interiors, features, etc have now been revealed.
Exterior Design
Pravaig Extinction MK1 gets a two door, coupe styling with a low slung profile, sloping roof, a sleek front end, projector LED head lamps connected by a thin LED strip and an LED bar of lights across its rear end. Prominent at the rear is distinct ‘Pravaig’ lettering while the electric car sits on blacked out multi spoke alloy wheels for a sportier appeal.
Though it has made its debut just a few days back, the CEO says that this is a 2 year old concept. The production variant is due for Nov 2021. That will be offered as a 4 door sedan, production spec Pravaig electric car will measure 4,820mm length, 1,934mm width and 1,448mm height with a 3,038 mm long wheelbase.
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From this video above, it is clear that the car above is really far from production. There are too many things that need to be handled, even before the car can actually go into production. It remains to be seen if the company can reveal the actual production car next year or not. Below are some of the features, that the company claims will be on offer with the production spec-model.
Lounge Like Interiors
The upcoming Pravaig luxury electric car will boast of state of the art interiors for which Pravaig has roped in architects, fashion designers and interior design specialists. It will see a lounge like cabin with extended leg room, reclining seats and ambient lighting.
The left rear passenger seat will recline to around 165 degrees while where its premium audio system is concerned, the company has tied up with France based Devialet audio technology company. Though nothing of this sort is seen in the interiors as of now.
Specs
Pravaig Extinction will be powered by a 96 kWh battery pack that would generate around 201 hp power. This engine will allow for acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds and a top speed of 196 km/h. The car will support fast charging with 0-80 percent charge in 30 minutes. This is a huge claim. The fastest charger available now is about 250 kW, and it can do 250 km at best in 30 mins. Most EV chargers in Europe are about 50 kW.
Pravaig claims a driving range of approximately 504 kms on a single charge. It will also offer autonomous driving system. The company claims that the current battery pack can offer a life span of upto 10 lakh kilometers. The list of claims is endless. But the car is yet to be tested by independent bodies for the claims it has made.
Sales
If the features list above surprised you, sales targets are even more surprising. Pravaig Dynamics plans to produce around 2,500 units of the EV annually. Though, they will not offer you to own one. Pravaig Extinction electric sedan will be offered exclusively as a lease model with the company also set to introduce chauffeur services. Pravaig electric car services will first be offered in Bangalore and Delhi. More
Get ready for Teslas to make some weird new noises as they roll by you on the street.
Nick Miotke/Roadshow
Just in time for Christmas morning, Tesla’s 2020 Holiday Update, Firmware 2020.48.25 has arrived, and in addition to some expected fun new features, Elon Musk and Co. have rolled out a brace of user experience changes, more games and some helpful upgraded visualizations. One particular new feature, however, is likely to be a bit controversial — and not just for Tesla owners.Even if you don’t actually drive a Tesla, you may soon be on the receiving end of features enabled by the update’s new “Boombox” mode, which allows Tesla drivers to customize their Model S, Model X, Model 3 or Model Y’s horn. That’s right, you can now make your Tesla’s horn honk sound like a goat, applause, La Cucaracha or a fart, among a range of other sound effects. You can even add up to five custom sounds of your own using a USB key. Musk himself touted the sound-effect upgrade on his Twitter account Friday afternoon:
Change your horn sound to 🐐, 🐍🎷, 💨 or holiday jingles with latest Tesla software update!— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 25, 2020
Boombox also enables your Tesla to make different EV in-motion driving sounds, whether you’re behind the wheel or your vehicle is being parked or pulled around in Summon mode. In other words, it probably won’t be long until you’re walking on the street and hear an approaching Star Wars TIE fighter or Clydesdale, only to turn around and realize it’s someone rolling by in a Model Y. While we can see this feature being momentarily amusing for Tesla owners and bystanders, it’s also easy to anticipate Boombox quickly becoming annoying or distracting to pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists.In order to take full advantage of Boombox mode, your Tesla will need to be a newer model equipped with an external speaker. It’s also important to note that the Boombox feature comes with a on-screen caveat to “please check local laws before use in public spaces.” If you want to check out the update and hear all the new sound effects for yourself, the Tesla Owners Online YouTube channel has a solid walk-through of the update that you can watch below:
Boombox is located in the infotainment system’s Toybox menu, which also houses the system’s many games. A trio of new games, including The Battle of Polytopia, Cat Quest and Solitaire, the latter of which some Tesla owners are reporting is usable while the car is in motion (presumably for the passenger’s benefit) on Reddit.In more sober but substantive developments, the Holiday Update includes updated driving visualizations that support Tesla’s optional Full-Self Driving technology. (Obligatory Roadshow safety note: Despite the misleading name, Tesla does not yet offer autonomous driving technology.) The new visualizations should give the driver a clearer look at what’s going on around their vehicle when the tech is active, and other features have been moved around on the screen for easier access, including the one-touch access to the backup camera and wipers.
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Improvements have also been made to the system’s Scheduled Departure feature, which can now precondition a vehicle’s cabin and battery even when unplugged, as well as a rationalized menu displaying Supercharger information.Tesla’s Firmware 2020.45.25 Holiday Update is rolling out to owners of the company’s entire family of electric cars and SUVs nationwide via over-the-air update right now. More
New Gen Maruti Omni Electric – Render
Maruti Omni was discontinued last year after being in 35 years in the market due to outdated safety norms
At the last Auto Expo held earlier this year in February, many manufacturers showcased concepts of their older generation models as future electric cars. The most prominent of all was seen in Tata Motors’ pavilion in the form of Sierra EV based on Tata Sierra which was a popular SUV back in the 1990s.
It generated quite a bit of buzz and trended on the internet as well. Similar to that in recent months, more than one case of Maruti 800 has been digitally rendered as an electric vehicle, some of them even nailing the micro hatchback’s design. In a similar instance, a designer has rendered the image of the next-gen Maruti Omni as an EV.
Maruti Omni, although discontinued, continues to be part of many livelihoods, especially those who carry out small businesses. It has also been actively used as a ferrying machine to drop children to and from their homes and schools.
Even though it has been infamously described as a kidnapping machine, thanks to multiple bollywood movies using the car for kidnapping scenes! But truth be told, it was a perfect utility van for people on a strict budget. Although it had its fair share of drawbacks it was surely one piece of a reliable machine.
New Gen Maruti Omni Electric – Render
Exterior Design
Automobile design student, Shashank Shekhar (@shekhar_design01) has reimagined a new generation Omni with an electric powertrain. Like the IC engine-powered model, this rendered Omni also adopts a boxy design. However, here it features a semi-bonnet package, as opposed to the discontinued model’s cab-over format. In real-world, this could lead to slightly better performance due to improved aerodynamic design. Overall, this would lead to enhanced safety as well.
At the front end, it gets similar rectangular headlamps with C-shaped and straight-line LED inserts that are smoked. This makes it look very premium and futuristic. The bonnet and front bumper have a clean contour with uninterrupted surfacing giving a very low profile look.
Further down, it is laced with horizontal LED fog lamps. On sides, it features squarish wheel arches, alloy wheels along chunky wing mirrors. The black underbody claddings and a high ground clearance give it a more rugged look.
Door handles of the conventional front door and sliding rear doors are placed together and form a single unit. It also gets a side turn indicator on its B-pillar which complements the ones integrated on the side ORVMs.
The rear of Omni EV gets familiar combination lamps but with LED light guides and are connected by a full-width LED stripe on its tailgate. From this profile, Omni appears to be wider. It also gets additional goodies such as rear wipers, defoggers and fog lamps. It is also offered in a dual-tone colour scheme.
Dimensions
The designer further elaborates on his design that his version of Omni EV will measure 4,000mm in length; 1,735mm in width and 1,860mm in height. In retrospect, the older Omni measured 3,370 mm in length, 1,410 mm in width and 1,640 mm in height therefore clearly this rendered model is bigger than its predecessor. This rendered Omni EV if at all make it to market will cost between Rs 5-7 lakh (ex-showroom).
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