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    Ford Bronco Sport Is First Vehicle to Use Components from 100% Recycled Ocean Plastic

    Some 13 metric tons of plastic enter our oceans every year, so by weight, the new 5-gram wiring harness clips that Ford is using in the new Bronco Sport won’t make a lick of difference.But this is just the next step in a long march to Ford’s goal to build its vehicles using 100 percent sustainable materials in the future.Ford has been using recycled plastics for years, and Volvo showed a concept XC60 back in 2018 that featured a tunnel console made from discarded fishing nets. It’s a small part, but an important one. Ford announced today its claim that the new Bronco Sport will be the first production vehicle to include components made from 100 percent recycled ocean plastic. The recycled parts are tiny—little wiring harness clips that weigh around five grams, Ford said—but they remind us that Ford has said one of its environmental targets is to someday use 100 percent sustainable materials in its vehicles.

    Ford’s recycled wiring clip.
    Ford

    But that’s all in the future. Today, Ford is talking about little clips that connect to wires on the sides of the second-row seats as well as near the side-curtain airbags in the new Bronco Sport. Ford said that this “ghost gear,” so named because it comes from discarded nylon fishing equipment that is collected, in this case, from the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea, is as strong and reliable as new petroleum plastic harness clips. The recycled plastics also represent a 10 percent cost savings compared to petroleum clips, and they require less energy to make, Ford said. Ford vice president of research Jim Buczkowski said in a statement that the clips are “a strong example of circular economy.”While Ford can lay claim to putting recycled ocean plastic waste into a production vehicle, Volvo displayed a recycled-plastics demonstration vehicle made from an XC60 T8 plug-in hybrid in 2018. This concept SUV used a tunnel console that was made using “renewable fibers and plastics from discarded fishing nets and maritime ropes.” The XC60 also used other recycled plastics from non-ocean sources, including carpet and seats made from PET plastic bottles.

    Ford

    Ford has been using various recycled plastics in its vehicles for years. In 2019, Ford announced it was using the equivalent of 250 bottles’ worth of recycled plastic in each new vehicle, on average. Those 1.2 billion bottles were thus kept out of what Ford called “dangerous situations, such as the Pacific gyre, for example—a floating mass of plastic bigger than the size of Mexico in the Pacific Ocean.” Ford said up to 13 million metric tons of plastic are thrown into the ocean every year, which means each clip represents 0.0000049 percent of the solution to cleaning it all up. Around 10 percent of the ocean’s plastic waste is made up of ghost gear, Ford said, and the amount of waste entering the oceans is on the rise. The Smithsonian said eight million metric tons of plastic entered the ocean in 2010. Good thing Ford said these clips in the Bronco Sport represent just first of many that the company plans to produce using the discarded plastic fishing nets.Plenty of non-automotive products are made from recycled ocean plastics, such as food packaging, computer mice, and backpacks. Ford’s partner in collecting the ocean plastic is DSM Engineering Materials, which also turns recycled fishing nets into a high-performance polyamide called Akulon RePurposed. Supplier HellermannTyton then takes the pellets made by DSM and turns them into the clips. Ford said it hopes to use other components out of recycled ocean plastic, like transmission brackets, wire shields, and floor side rails.
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    2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 EPA Range Figures Announced

    The Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, which ride on the same platform and are set to hit dealerships in the coming months, have received official EPA range and efficiency ratings.The rear-wheel-drive, Long Range models go the furthest, with the EV6 rated at 310 miles of range and the Ioniq 5 at 303 miles.The EV6 will also be available with a cheaper Standard Range configuration, with the 58.0-kWh battery providing enough juice for 232 miles of range.Hyundai and Kia’s newest electric models, the Ioniq 5 and EV6, share the same Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) and are due to go on sale this winter. Now the EPA has released official estimates for the range and efficiency of the Ioniq 5 and EV6, and both models can go over 300 miles on a charge in their rear-wheel-drive, Long Range configurations. The sleeker Kia EV6 is more efficient and can travel farther than the boxy Ioniq 5. The RWD, Standard Range EV6—using a 58.0-kWh battery—has a range of 232 miles, besting the equivalent Ioniq 5 by 12 miles. The base EV6 also returns 117 MPGe combined, compared to the Ioniq 5’s 110 MPGe combined figure. The Standard Range EV6 is destined for the American market, but the Standard Range Ioniq 5’s fate is murkier—while it is listed on the EPA’s website, it is absent from Hyundai’s website and the company wouldn’t comment on its availability.

    Upgrading to the Long Range models nets a 77.4-kWh battery, which offers 310 and 303 miles of range on the RWD EV6 and Ioniq 5, respectively. Efficiency is slightly worse on the Long Range models, with the RWD EV6 earning 117 MPGe combined and the RWD Ioniq 5 receiving a 114 MPGe rating.Opting for more powerful all-wheel-drive Long Range versions drops range significantly, with the AWD Long Range EV6 rated at 274 miles and the equivalent Ioniq 5 rated to travel 256 miles on a charge. Efficiency declines as well, with the EV6 rated at 105 MPGe combined and the Ioniq 5 at 98 MPGe combined.Pricing has not yet been announced, but we expect the Kia EV6 to start around $45,000 for the RWD Standard Range model. The Ioniq 5’s starting price will likely be similar. Kia lists EX+ and GT-Line trim levels for the EV6, with a more powerful GT variant coming later. Hyundai says the Ioniq 5 will be available in SE, SEL, and Limited trim levels.
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    Chrysler Airflow EV Concept Previews Stellantis's Mach-E Rival

    Chrysler showed an EV concept car called the Airflow that it says will come to market in the near future.It appears to be an electric crossover model similar in size and shape to the Ford Mustang Mach-E.We expect it to ride on the company’s STLA Medium platform, and it could arrive as soon as 2024.Chrysler’s first new model in several years looks to be an electric crossover that could wear the historic Airflow nameplate. First shown during Stellantis’s EV Day event earlier this year, we now have more information on this concept car that’s meant to showcase new technologies including electric platforms, driver-assistance features, and infotainment software. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said during the company’s Software Day presentation that it’s “more than a pure concept” and hinted that this vehicle could make its way to production by 2024, which is backed up by U.S. trademarks for the Airflow name filed in 2019 and 2021.

    Stellantis

    Stellantis

    It’s no coincidence that this Chrysler has a similar shape and similar proportions to the Ford Mustang Mach-E, our EV of the Year winner that’s already achieving sales success in the marketplace. While we don’t know the exact size of the Airflow, it appears to be a potential competitor for the Mach-E and other compact-crossover EV models such as the Tesla Model Y and Volkswagen ID.4.

    Stellantis has announced plans for four new EV platforms including STLA Small, STLA Medium, STLA Large, and STLA Frame. We think that the Airflow would fit on STLA Medium. Based on previous claims Stellantis has made about its new EV models, this means it could achieve a driving range of up to 440 miles and use electric motors making between 167 and 241 horsepower. A dual-motor all-wheel-drive option is likely.

    Stellantis

    Inside, the Airflow features an onslaught of screens, with a giant central infotainment display that’s flanked by separate screens for the driver and passenger. There are also rear-seat entertainment screens. Connectivity features will likely include over-the-air updates and vehicle-to-vehicle communication.There’s no concrete timeline on the Chrysler Airflow’s arrival as a production model, but given that the concept has side market lights and exterior mirrors, we think it will reach showrooms sooner rather than later. Stellantis is targeting 2024 for its new platforms, so we could possibly see this Chrysler as a 2025 model in the U.S.
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    2022 Hyundai Tucson XRT Is a Cosmetic Off-Road Styling Package

    The 2022 Hyundai Tucson is adding an XRT model, a new trim level first introduced on the Santa Fe earlier this year.The XRT is meant to look more off-road-oriented, but really just adds more plastic cladding and exclusive wheels.The front-wheel-drive Tucson XRT starts at $32,625, with all-wheel drive available for $1500 extra.Hyundai’s new XRT trim is expanding across its crossover lineup. After debuting it on the mid-size Santa Fe back in August, Hyundai has now revealed the first images of the 2022 Tucson XRT. The XRT model brings off-road-oriented design changes for a tougher look, but there are no upgrades under the sheetmetal. Like the Santa Fe, the Tucson XRT doesn’t even come with all-wheel drive as standard, starting at $32,625 for the front-wheel-drive model. Upgrading to all-wheel drive costs an additional $1500.

    Hyundai

    Despite Hyundai billing it as “rugged” and claiming that the new design is “for enthusiasts,” the XRT model effectively amounts to an appearance package. There are minor changes to the front and rear bumpers—exchanging chrome trim for additional black plastic—and beefier cladding around the wheel wells and on the side sills. The mirrors are finished in gloss black and the window trim is darkened. The XRT also rides on exclusive, black 19-inch wheels.

    The XRT features approach lighting and side steps for easy entry into the Tucson’s handsome interior. The XRT model will only come with black cloth seats and a black headliner, echoing the exterior modifications. All Tucson XRTs will also feature roof cross rails and a tow hitch. The XRT is based on the Tucson SEL with the Convenience package, and is only available with the non-hybrid 187-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder powertrain. Hyundai says the 2022 Tucson XRT is arriving at dealerships now.
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    Every Michigan Driver Is Getting a $400 Check in the Spring

    Everyone in Michigan with a car-insurance policy is getting a $400 refund check next spring, the state’s governor announced today.The money comes from the surplus in the state’s Catastrophic Claims Association fund, which built up because all drivers were previously required to pay for unlimited personal injury coverage.The state fund will hand over the surplus to insurance companies in early March, and the insurers will issue the refunds within 60 days after that.The state of Michigan has been infamous for having the highest auto insurance rates in the country. There’s a reason for it: the state has had a mandatory unlimited personal injury protection requirement on auto insurance since the 1970s. But that requirement was overturned under insurance reform after July 1, 2020. Now Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has announced that drivers are getting some of that money back.In early March 2022, the governor’s office announced today, insurance companies will be receiving some of the $5 billion surplus currently sitting in the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) fund. Within 60 days after that, the insurers will be cutting checks to drivers for $400 each. Everyone in Michigan who had a car-insurance policy in force on October 31 is eligible, and drivers do not have to do anything to get this money.The one exception to the $400 refund is for vehicles with “historical vehicle” plates. Their owners will get $80 refunds.Created by Michigan’s state legislature in 1978, the nonprofit MCCA assesses insurance companies a fee that changes each year, intended to cover catastrophic medical claims resulting from Michigan auto accidents. In turn, the insurance companies pass the cost to drivers. Although the law was changed in 2019 so that drivers no longer must pay for unlimited coverage, the Detroit News reported today that about 80 percent of Michigan drivers have elected to keep the higher level of coverage anyway.The MCCA said there were other reasons besides the change in the law for its massive surplus, including higher-than-estimated returns on investments as well as fewer catastrophic claims because people have driven less during the COVID-19 pandemic.Since the insurance-reform law that went into effect in July 2020 was intended to make car insurance more affordable, it came with an amnesty program for uninsured drivers. The 18-month amnesty period expires on New Year’s Day 2022. Under it, uninsured drivers are allowed to get new insurance policies without penalties. Detroit mayor Mike Duggan told the Detroit News last month that more than 100,000 previously uninsured drivers have become insured in Michigan since the reform law went into effect.
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    Uber Brings Safety-Inspired Audio Recording to Three U.S. Cities

    In a new Uber pilot program, drivers and riders can both start a recording from within the Uber app if they feel it’s warranted for safety reasons, and the other party will not be notified. Uber says neither the person who made the recording nor Uber has access to the encrypted recording unless and until a safety report is filed.Uber introduced the audio monitoring program in Latin America almost two years ago and will now offer it in Kansas City, Louisville, and Raleigh-Durham.Uber has tried various methods to improve safety for both riders and drivers. It shares data with Lyft on drivers who have been “deactivated for serious safety incidents with peers,” intending to prevent them from working for another ride-sharing company.Uber’s safety record has never been spotless, but the company keeps trying new ways to make sure its drivers and riders stay safe. Almost two years ago, Uber introduced a feature called Audio Recording in Latin America as a way to make people using Uber there feel more safe. The feature is now available in more than a dozen countries throughout Latin America, including Brazil and Mexico.Uber announced this week that it will soon start offering Audio Recording as a pilot program in Kansas City, Louisville, and Raleigh-Durham. Sachin Kansal, Uber’s vice president of product management, gave three reasons for offering this feature in the U.S. now: “to help encourage safe and comfortable interactions while on a trip, determine what happened, and identify the best response after a safety-related incident,” he wrote on the company blog.Even without Audio Recording in the Uber app, anyone with a smartphone can simply record their Uber ride using the phone’s built-in tools, ofcourse. But there are some benefits to using the app’s integrated system. Uber says the recording gets encrypted using AES encryption Galois/Counter Mode and that the file gets stored on your phone in such a way that no one can access it (not even you, or Uber) unless you file a safety report with the company. At that point, Uber’s Safety Support team gets involved and will be able to listen to the recording and, if necessary, share it with law enforcement. If a user somehow deletes the recording, Uber can’t recover it since it resides on the phone.

    Other technical details to know include the fact that the app can’t record audio if you are talking to someone on the phone and that only the person making the recording will know that audio in the car is being recorded (in other words, the driver is not notified if a rider starts feeling uncomfortable and hits Record). Also, the recording automatically ends not long after the trip ends, for riders, while drivers can have their entire shift recorded if they want, as the recording only stops when they go offline or they choose to end it.Uber also already has an in-app emergency button. If a user presses it, it can relay information including license plate number, vehicle information, and live location to a 911 operator. There’s no word yet on whether this recording feature will expand to other cities beyond the three in the pilot program.
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    Alcantara Wins vs. Dinamica in Legal Squabble of the Luxury Car-Fabric Makers

    In a dispute between two manufacturers of luxurious, suedelike auto trim materials, the maker of Alcantara (the fabric seen inside a Maserati MC20, above) has claimed victory in an Italian court against the maker of Dinamica.Both companies market their products as targeting environmental sustainability, but Alcantara said Dinamica’s claims were misleading, and the court agreed.With this victory, Dinamica can no longer be marketed as the one that’s most environmentally friendly—an important selling point for a product often used to replace leather.The world of automotive color, trim, and materials is a world of beauty and elegance; it is rarely associated with corporate drama. But don’t be fooled. Behind the scenes, the competition can be just as ruthless as in any other business. Case in point: one of the top players in automotive interior materials, Alcantara, has taken Miko, the maker of Dinamica, to court in Italy over what it said were misleading advertising claims. Both companies make a suedelike fabric that’s found as interior trim in many higher-end vehicles, often as an alternative to leather. Now Alcantara has won a resounding victory in court that means Miko can no longer claim “green” superiority in its advertising.The drama pertains to the environmental friendliness of both materials, perhaps the key topic for automakers as these artificial materials are increasingly touted as a more sustainable alternative to traditional leather. Miko has claimed that Dinamica is “friendly to the environment” and “the natural choice.” Perhaps most offensive to Alcantara, Miko also advertises its product as “the first and only microfibre that guarantees eco-sustainability throughout the production cycle,” the court said. This led Alcantara to file suit, and now the court of Gorizia, Italy, has ruled in the company’s favor.

    SAIC ER6’s Alcantara interior at Auto Shanghai 2021.
    Alcantara

    Alcantara, one of the most luxurious materials you can get in an automotive interior, was developed in the early 1970s. Resembling the properties of suede leather, it was a hallmark of premium and luxury cars from such makers as Lancia and Maserati before it trickled down to many other brands such as Alfa Romeo and Porsche. It is especially well suited to sporty cars because it makes the surface of seats and steering wheels grippy. Porsche’s Andreas Preuninger told Car and Driver in 2017 that he loves the stuff; so do a lot of other people. Over the years, the success of the brand has attracted competitors including Miko, which started making its Dinamica material in 1997 and currently supplies interiors for the Land Rover Defender V8 and the Volkswagen ID.4 (below), among others.Both are synthetic. The website for Miko’s product, Dinamica, describes the material as “a microfiber which resembles suede and is obtained through an innovative process for recycling polyester.” It’s manufactured by immersing fabrics in a “water-based polyurethane bath without the use of organic solvents.” Alcantara, too, is concerned with its environmental friendliness and even publishes an annual Sustainability Report. The Italian court’s ruling says Miko inaccurately advertised its product as the “green” choice and claimed it was 100 percent recyclable, something that the company has not yet achieved.

    Dinamica interior in a VW ID.4.
    Miko

    The court found that Miko’s advertising could adversely affect the older company’s sales, stating in the ruling: “It is likely that it will not affect the consumer’s choice as to the car he or she will purchase, but it could certainly guide the choice of material used for the interior trim and thus benefit Miko.” The Italian court’s verdict is a huge blow for Dinamica: Not only will the company have to stop the “green” claims immediately, it is also required to correct them on a number of Italian and international media outlets and to put the court’s verdict on the homepage of its website, where you can admire it right now.
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    2022 Honda Passport Base Price Rises by $5080

    Honda has announced pricing for the updated 2022 Passport mid-size SUV.There are fewer trim levels than before, with the lineup now including EX-L, TrailSport, and Elite.The EX-L comes with either front- or all-wheel drive, while the other two models come standard with AWD.Honda has reworked the 2022 Passport lineup, pushing it towards the higher end of the price spectrum in the mid-size SUV class. The previous base Sport trim level is gone, meaning the EX-L with front-wheel drive now serves as the starting point and starts at $39,095. That base price is $5080 more than the 2021 Passport Sport’s and is several thousand dollars more expensive than the base prices of competitors such as the Hyundai Santa Fe, Ford Edge, and VW Atlas Cross Sport.The TrailSport model is new to the lineup for 2022 and starts at $43,695. It and the top Elite trim, starting at $46,665, both come standard with all-wheel drive, while AWD is a $2100 option on the EX-L. A 3.5-liter V-6 engine with 280 horsepower is standard across the board.

    The EX-L comes with a fair amount of standard equipment for the money, including leather seats that are heated in front, 20-inch wheels, a sunroof, a power tailgate, and blind-spot monitoring. The TrailSport adds visual tweaks meant to make it look more rugged, along with 18-inch wheels and different tires, an 0.4-inch wider track, a navigation system, and a roof rack. The Elite adds cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats.

    Passport TrailSport
    Honda

    Honda says that the 2022 models will start arriving at dealerships this winter, but some inventory of 2021 models is likely to remain if you want to try to get a deal on the less expensive Sport trim level on its way out.
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