Motor News

Plenty of ideas exist to eliminate the trouble of plugging an EV into a heavy charging cable. From wireless pads to robot arms, people have been working on this technology for a while now.Hyundai Motor Group is the latest to investigate human-free EV charging tech and will display its new Automatic Charging Robot at the Seoul Mobility Show that starts next week.Using a built-in laser, cameras, AI wheels, and a movable arm, the ACR can—with the right EV—make charging your Ioniq 6 as easy as pushing a button on the key fob.As simple as it can be to charge an electric vehicle at a known location like home or work, it could always be easier. WiTricity is working on wireless EV charging and has been for a decade. In 2015, Tesla showed a video of a metal “snake” that could plug a charging cable into an EV automatically. Ram is working on an inductive charging robot for its upcoming electric truck. This month in Seoul, Hyundai and Kia will display the latest of these automated charging technologies, this one called ACR. HyundaiThe Automatic Charging Robot is somewhat similar to Tesla’s metal snake, but it is more advanced. The snake had a proprietary Tesla connector built in, while the Hyundai Motor Group’s ACR instead has a hand that can hold different plugs. Granted, most of the time, it will use a J1772 or CCS connector, but it’s good to see this kind of forward-thinking compatibility. In fact, HMG designed the ACR to operate in any environment, “regardless of charger location, weather and potential obstacles,” the company said. It’s a waterproof and dustproof (IP65 rated) robot that uses a stationary safety pole with a built-in laser sensor installed in the ground nearby to warn the robot when it might run into a stationary or moving obstacle.HyundaiHyundaiThis is the “isn’t it fabulous” version of how the ACR is supposed to work. You park your car where it will charge up—or simply nearby, if the EV can then park itself—and tell the system to initialize charging from the key fob. The car that the ACR is attempting to charge up has to have a charging port door that can open without human interaction, and the ACR communicates with the car to open it up. The wheeled ACR then moves closer to the car and uses a 3D-camera-based artificial intelligence algorithm to determine where the charging plug is and extends the cable to the port. When the EV is charged up, the robot arm moves away.This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Newly Developed Automatic Charging Robot (ACR) For Electric Vehicles l Hyundai Motor GroupWatch onYouTube IconYouTube IconHyundai released a video of the ACR in action, and this time it’s the real thing. In July 2022, the automaker released a computer-generated video showing the robot’s potential. The head of HMG’s Robotics Lab, Dong Jin Hyun, said the ACR can be a particular help for “people with mobility barriers, as charging cables become thicker and heavier to enable high-speed charging.”For now, the ACR is just a cool toy on display at the 2023 Seoul Mobility Show. But HMG said that it predicts robots will offer support for EV charging in the “near future.” Whenever the ACR or any of the other charging simplification technologies arrive, it’ll be the next concrete step that makes driving an EV more accessible and convenient.This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.New TricksContributing EditorSebastian Blanco has been writing about electric vehicles, hybrids, and hydrogen cars since 2006. His articles and car reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Automotive News, Reuters, SAE, Autoblog, InsideEVs, Trucks.com, Car Talk, and other outlets. His first green-car media event was the launch of the Tesla Roadster, and since then he has been tracking the shift away from gasoline-powered vehicles and discovering the new technology’s importance not just for the auto industry, but for the world as a whole. Throw in the recent shift to autonomous vehicles, and there are more interesting changes happening now than most people can wrap their heads around. You can find him on Twitter or, on good days, behind the wheel of a new EV.  More

A 2021 Koenigsegg Regera with Candy Liquid Blue paint is up for auction on Bring a Trailer until Tuesday, April 4. The Regera on BaT is one of 80 copies Koenigsegg built from 2016 to 2021, and this example cost $3,277,636 when new—including more than $1 million in options.Its plug-in-hybrid powertrain consists of three electric motors and a twin-turbo 5.0-liter V-8 that combine for 1500 horsepower (or about 1757 hp with E85 gas).Car and DriverLet’s get this straight: I can’t afford to bid on a multimillion-dollar hypercar like the 2021 Koenigsegg Regera that’s currently being auctioned off on Bring a Trailer, which—like Car and Driver—is owned by Hearst Autos. Heck, I can hardly afford to bid on most machines on BaT. With that said, I still log countless hours fantasizing about what I’d buy if I could.Bring a TrailerFor obvious reasons, this brightly colored Swedish exotic caught my eye. Its delightfully ’90s-esque custom paint is called Candy Liquid Blue. It features gold-painted accents that match myriad components hidden beneath the Regera’s skin. Open its scissor-style doors and climb into a next-level cockpit where most surfaces are either made of exposed carbon fiber or covered in rich, quilted leather. The only things that diminish the meticulously crafted cabin are the fully digital gauge cluster and portrait-oriented touchscreen.Bring a TrailerThe Koenigsegg Regera is one of the wildest plug-in hybrids on the planet. At its heart is a 1100-hp twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V-8, and that gas-fed engine pairs with three electric motors that altogether make 700 horsepower. However, since the separate systems reach their peak power at different points, the Regera’s total output is 1500 horsepower. That power is funneled through a single-speed transmission, which was designed to save weight and significantly limit the power lost to the driveline. Back in 2019, Koenigsegg set a record for the quickest zero-to-249-mph-to-zero run. It did that in a claimed 31.49 seconds, and we showed you the obligatory YouTube video.Bring a TrailerThis 2021 Regera on Bring a Trailer includes the original Monroney price sticker, which (for most of us below a certain tax bracket) might be the first and only time we’ll be privy to such specific price breakdowns. Right out of the box, Koenigsegg charged just over $2 million for the Regera. After a boatload of “must-have” options, such as the $250K Environmental Power Upgrade (total output rises from 1500 to about 1757 hp when burning E85 gas) and the $285K Ghost package (various aero addenda that provide 20 percent more downforce), the final MSRP came to $3,277,636. The Regera listing still has 10 days left until the bidding ends, and the latest offer is $2.6 million, so there’s still plenty of time for it to meet or exceed its original asking price. Meanwhile, it’s another reminder that just because I can’t afford such a wild machine doesn’t mean it’s not fun to dream.More Regera ReadingThis content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Senior EditorEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More

Toyota sold around 600,000 Camry sedans last year, but only 6000 of those—1 percent—were delivered in Japan. So it’s not such surprising news that the car is being discontinued there after 43 years.You’ll still be able to buy a Camry in the U.S. Toyota sold almost half of all the Camrys it sold in 2022—295,200—here.Toyota sells the car in over 100 countries and has sold more than 21 million over the decades.Toyota will stop selling the Camry sedan in Japan by the end of the year, marking the end of a 43-year run. It’s simple math: Toyota only sold around 6000 Camrys in its home country in 2022.The Camry will remain available in the U.S. and the other global markets, where Toyota sold a combined 600,000 units last year. More than 295,000 of those were in the U.S., despite the market shifting here just as is happening in Japan. Nikkei Aisa notes that smaller vehicles are becoming less popular in the Japan market as shoppers turn towards SUVs and minivans. In the U.S., the shift is toward SUVs and trucks. Toyota still sells the Century, Corolla, and Mirai sedans in Japan and other smaller vehicles.Get All the Specs and DetailsIn a letter, Toyota told its dealers in Japan that it will close out Camry production for the Japan market by the end of this year. Sales are ending in phases, with most dealers already done taking Camry orders. However, they would like to offer you that new Crown sedan on the lot just over there.Japan-market Camry.ToyotaThe dignified end of Camry sales in Japan is a good fit for what the Nikkei called, along with the Corolla, “Toyota’s global strategic car.” In the decades since Toyota introduced the Camry to Japan in 1980, the automaker sold around 1.3 million of the sedans there. The vehicle has gone through 10 generations and has sold more than 21 million units in over 100 countries.Around 13 million Camrys have been sold in the U.S. The 2023 model starts at $27,315 and delivers the same comfortable and economical mid-size sedan that customers have come to expect. The current model offers plenty of safety technologies as standard features and can be had either as a fuel-efficient hybrid or with a V-6 in the TRD version.From the Testing ArchiveThe U.S. isn’t immune to the disappearance of a Toyota sedan, though, as the Avalon left us in 2022. Toyota introduced a new Crown here this year, as well.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Contributing EditorSebastian Blanco has been writing about electric vehicles, hybrids, and hydrogen cars since 2006. His articles and car reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Automotive News, Reuters, SAE, Autoblog, InsideEVs, Trucks.com, Car Talk, and other outlets. His first green-car media event was the launch of the Tesla Roadster, and since then he has been tracking the shift away from gasoline-powered vehicles and discovering the new technology’s importance not just for the auto industry, but for the world as a whole. Throw in the recent shift to autonomous vehicles, and there are more interesting changes happening now than most people can wrap their heads around. You can find him on Twitter or, on good days, behind the wheel of a new EV.  More

What’s the Powerball lotto up to this week? Any amount we might consider noteworthy, like $100 million? Because there’s something we want to buy, and it’ll probably require a fair old stack of greenbacks. But it’ll be worth it. And when we win, we’ll invite all of you over to check out the fruits of our good fortune: a Michael Schumacher Formula 1 car. Specifically, Ferrari F1-2000 Chassis 198, which he drove to two pole positions and one victory on his way to the 2000 F1 Driver’s Championship. Sotheby’s is auctioning it via sealed bid next month in Hong Kong, and when the bidding ends on April 12, somebody (us!) will have possibly the coolest thing on Earth to park in their garage. Not the coolest car, or the coolest Ferrari—the coolest object ever made by human hands. We will brook no argument on this point.ANDREW TRAHAN PHOTOGRAPHY LLC @2023 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s|Car and DriverBack in 2000—or, as we called it before that, “the year 2000″—Formula 1 cars didn’t have V-6s, or forced induction, or energy recovery systems. They were powered by 3.0-liter naturally aspirated 90-degree V-10s that made maybe 800 horsepower and revved beyond 17,000 rpm. Racing toward an upshift, such an engine made a sound like an alien power drill boring to the center of the earth. Downshifts sounded like the concussive atmospheric aftermath of a nearby lighting strike. You really wondered how it all held together, and often enough, it didn’t. But this car did, plenty of times, after it got called in from the bench at the Brazilian Grand Prix, replacing the primary car that was damaged when Schumacher ran wide on a corner during qualifying. Yes, Chassis 198 was a backup. And one that went on to win that race, very likely inspiring Tom Brady to do the football version of that the very next year. But F1-2000 198 did it first. Why is our Ferrari F1 car not lined up with the door of our garage? Find out who is responsible at once and demote them to stacking our many wooden crates.ANDREW TRAHAN PHOTOGRAPHY LLC @2023 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s|Car and DriverLater in the season, Schumacher drove car 198 to pole position at the Spanish Grand Prix and again at Monaco. In a video from that Monaco qualifying, the tachometer overlay on the screen appears to occasionally show 18,000-rpm upshifts. Imagine: you could be doing that, in that very car on some track that you enjoy, if you outbid us! (Which is unlikely.)You’d probably drive this thing pretty fast too, though.ANDREW TRAHAN PHOTOGRAPHY LLC @2023 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s|Car and DriverThat’s because this car has been restored and is part of Ferrari’s F1 Clienti program, wherein former race cars are brought to the track with full factory support. So you won’t be crawling under Chassis 198 and tightening bolts and whatnot, and not just because it’s far too low to the ground—no, you’ve got people for that! You should go get a massage or some driving tips from F1 drivers on site, two possibilities that are actually part of a normal F1 Clienti track day. Rubbin’ (those knots out of your trapezius muscles) is racin’!But anyway, if you want this car, you’d better set aside something in the eight-digit range, we think. Or, as we like to say, “a pittance.” Because really, is there any car cooler than this? There is not.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Senior EditorEzra Dyer is a Car and Driver senior editor and columnist. He’s now based in North Carolina but still remembers how to turn right. He owns a 2009 GEM e4 and once drove 206 mph. Those facts are mutually exclusive. More

Ram shared with dealers its idea of a concept for a mid-size EV pickup truck. The electric concept reportedly would share a lot of visual features with the 1500 Revolution concept (pictured above) that Ram showed at CES earlier this year. The mid-size concept would fill a Dakota-shaped hole left in the company’s lineup since the Dakota was discontinued in 2011. Ram is getting dealers ready for a possible mid-size EV pickup to enter the lineup in the near future. The company showed dealers at a meeting in Las Vegas its ideas for a mid-size EV pickup concept, according to a report from Automotive News. The new concept evidently shares a lot of its aesthetic with the full-size 1500 Revolution concept that Ram first revealed at the CES technology show in January. Dealer Randy Dye described the concept as “the future” in a statement to Automotive News. “We’re going to be back in that [mid-size] game,” Dye told the publication. “Without a doubt, it looks like a Ram,” he said.More on RamDye, who owns Daytona Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram and Maserati-Alfa Romeo of Daytona in Daytona Beach, Florida, explained to Automotive News that Stellantis officials previewed 30 new products for multiple brands during the meeting. The meeting was apparently the first of its kind in eight years for retailers who were with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles before it was merged with the PSA Group to create Stellantis. Ram debuted the full-size 1500 Revolution concept to a lot of excitement in January. The design was imaginative and innovative, with a highly configurable interior and third-row jump seats. But when the production version was revealed a month later, many of the exciting features shown in the concept were gone. The folding midgate along with its integrated third-row jump seats were seemingly set aside. A new mid-size EV pickup would likely be received well. Small and mid-size trucks from other manufacturers have sold in large numbers in recent years, and Ram could make up for the 11-plus years it has been without one since the Dakota was discontinued.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

The Ford F-150 Lightning will be followed by a new electric pickup truck that will start production in 2025.Codenamed Project T3, Ford says the second-generation truck will and benefit from simplified manufacturing.The follow-up to the Lightning will be built at Ford’s huge Blue Oval City factory in Tennessee.Ford CEO Jim Farley said the company’s next electric pickup truck is going to be “like the Millennium Falcon”—whatever that means.Farley’s comments come with today’s announcement that Ford plans to follow-up the F-150 Lightning with a new EV truck that will go into production in 2025. While details about the second generation are scarce, we’re told it is codenamed Project T3 (as in Trust the Truck).Besides improving on the current Lightning’s driving range and towing capabilities, Ford says the next-gen truck will be “fully updatable” and “constantly improving.” These types of features are expected to be made possible by a new electrical platform and the expanded availability of over-the-air (OTA) updates.More on Ford’s EV PlansFord’s second electric pickup truck will be built at its Blue Oval City factory, a $5.6 billion, 3600-acre campus outside Memphis, Tennessee. The new state-of-the-art campus also includes a battery plant as part of a partnership with energy company SK Innovation. Not only are the benefits of all of this said to include simpler, more efficient, and more cost-effective manufacturing processes, but they’re claimed to allow Ford to build up to 500,000 EV trucks per year at peak production.Today’s announcement about the F-150 Lighting follow-up come on the heels of Ford forecasting a loss of $3 billion on EV sales in 2023. The increased losses are partly due to the company’s big investments in its facilities in Kentucky and Tennessee along with the money its spending on alternate battery chemistries. Of course, Ford understands this is part of the process of expanding its EV division, and it will continue to ramp up production of the Lightning and the Mustang Mach-E.Earlier this month, Ford said it hopes to build 150,000 Lightnings annually by the end of this year. That would triple the truck’s production. The Mach-E will also be built in higher volumes, with the company in January saying production will increase nearly 67 percent, from 78,000 units last year to 130k in 2023.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Senior EditorEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More

Kia and Hyundai are recalling 570,000 vehicles with a potential fire hazard while parked. Affected models include the 2019–23 Santa Fe crossover, 2022–23 Santa Cruz pickup, and 2022–23 Kia Carnival minivan, totaling over 570,000 vehicles.Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire. Hyundai and Kia issued a warning for owners of over 570,000 vehicles across multiple models and years to park away from structures, due to a fire risk. Hyundai Santa Fe models from 2019–2023 are at risk, as are 2022–2023 Hyundai Santa Cruz and Kia Carnival models. The fire risk stems from a defect with tow-hitch harnesses installed either as original equipment or purchased as a dealer accessory. The potential fire risk occurs through water accumulation on the tow hitch harness circuit board, which may cause an electrical short, and ultimately a fire. Hyundai reports a total of 567,912 affected vehicles combined across models, though the estimated percentage of vehicles with the defect is only one percent. NHTSA documents show Kia reporting 3555 vehicles potentially involved, also estimating a one percent defect rate.HyundaiNHTSA documents show that Hyundai has identified six total incidents related to the recall, with one report of a fire and five reports of thermal damage isolated to the trailer harness. NHTSA documents also show that there have been no reported instances of fires with the Kia Carnival. Neither manufacturer has identified injuries related to the recall. Owners of any of the affected vehicles are advised to park their vehicles outside, and away from any structures or other vehicles until a repair has been completed. Documents show that Hyundai plans to inspect affected vehicles and remove the tow hitch harness as necessary while working on a long-term solution. Once the final repair is available, dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit. Documents from Kia show a plan to verify whether the vehicle has a genuine Kia accessory tow hitch, and install a new fuse and wire extension kit where necessary. Owner notification letters will be mailed to those affected in May, 2023. Concerned owners can always check their VIN number on the NHTSA website.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

Ford expects to lose roughly $3 billion from the electric-vehicle arm of the company this year. The increased losses are expected due to money being spent on manufacturing facilities in Tennessee and Kentucky, as well as the addition of alternate battery chemistries. Ford issued the bleak forecast in a Thursday morning call with reporters. Ford is projecting an increase in losses from its EV unit, labeled Model e, up from $2.1 billion last year to total nearly $3 billion in 2023. The increase in losses is expected to come even as sales of the Mustang Mach-E electric crossover and F-150 Lightning full-size electric pickup truck grow and the company invests further in increased production. The forecast came in a Thursday morning call with reporters where Ford outlined a new financial-reporting structure. The company announced a new reporting structure broken into Ford Blue (gas/hybrid vehicles), Ford Model e (breakout EVs), and Ford Pro (commercial vehicles). Ford”We’ve essentially ‘refounded’ Ford, with business segments that provide new degrees of strategic clarity, insight and accountability to the Ford+ plan for growth and value,” CFO John Lawler said. “It’s not only about changing how we report financial results; we’re transforming how we think, make decisions and run the company, and allocate capital for highest returns.”Losses from the EV division will be covered by an expected increase in profits for the other two Ford divisions, with Lawler projecting $7 billion in earnings before interest and taxes this year for Ford Blue, and roughly $6 billion for Ford Pro. Speaking to reporters, Lawler explained the reasoning behind the expected losses for the Model e arm of the business.More Ford Stories”Ford Model e is an EV startup within Ford,” he said. “As everyone knows, EV startups lose money while they invest in capabilities, develop knowledge, build volume, and gain share.”Those mounting losses will come as Ford continues to invest in ramping up EV production numbers. The company is planning the construction of two new battery-cell factories in Kentucky and a third in Tennessee, along with the $3.5 billion lithium-iron-phosphate battery plant it will build in Marshall, Michigan. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More