Motor News

Goodyear’s tire prototype is made 70 percent from sustainable materials, the first step towards the company’s goal of a 100 percent sustainable tire by 2030.New materials were developed for the tire, including polyester from recycled plastic bottles and surplus soybean oil.Goodyear will also start testing an airless tire on delivery robots at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.Concepts including the Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX and Chrysler Airflow headlined the 2022 CES technology show this year, but tire manufacturer Goodyear also made two announcements that could have big implications for the future of driving. Goodyear unveiled a tire that is made 70 percent from sustainable materials and also announced that it will begin testing an airless tire on small delivery robots. In 2020, Goodyear set a goal to create a tire constructed entirely from sustainable materials by 2030, and this new tire prototype is the first major step towards that ambition. The sustainable materials in the tire help reduce Goodyear’s reliance on petroleum-based products. Carbon black—which reinforces and lengthens the life of the tire compound—is traditionally made by burning petroleum, but instead Goodyear created carbon blacks from methane, carbon dioxide, and plant-based oil, resulting in fewer carbon emissions in the production process.

Goodyear also utilized surplus soybean oil from the food and animal feed industries to help keep the tire’s rubber flexible in changing temperatures. Silica, meanwhile, is needed to boost grip and lower fuel consumption, so Goodyear created a new form of silica made from a byproduct of rice processing, called rice husk ash, that often ends up in landfills. Goodyear also crafted tire cords by recycling the polyester found in plastic bottles. The sustainable tire is only a demonstration product for now, but Goodyear’s developments bode well for the future.

Goodyear

Along with the eco-friendly tire prototype, Goodyear announced a test program for a non-pneumatic, or airless, tire. The tire will be tested by Starship Technologies, which builds and operates more than 1000 last-mile autonomous robots that deliver packages and food. The airless tire is meant to extend tire life and decrease maintenance for Starship’s fleet, and the testing will take place at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. This is not the first time we’ve seen airless tires, with Michelin testing its own version on Chevy Bolts back in 2019.
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BMW’s iX Flow concept, shown at CES this week, can change colors, as long as it is a shade of gray. The iX Flow is covered in E Ink, the same material used in e-readers like the Kindle.The tech allows instant personalization and can help the iX Flow be more energy efficient. At the 2022 CES technology show, BMW revealed two new products due to reach customers in the near future: the 2023 iX M60 electric SUV and a 31-inch screen with integrated Amazon Fire TV. But BMW also showed off its wild imagination by unveiling a radical concept called the iX Flow. Based on the iX SUV, the Flow is wrapped in something called E Ink—the material used in the displays of e-readers like the Kindle—which allows it to change color in the blink of an eye.

BMW

At the moment, the iX Flow can only shift through shades of white, grey, and black, but BMW suggested that adding vivid colors isn’t out of the realm of possibility. The E Ink wrap consists of millions of microcapsules containing negatively charged white pigments and positively charged black pigments. This microcapsules—which have a diameter equal to the thickness of a human hair—can be stimulated by an electrical field to bring different amounts of each pigment to the surface of the microcapsule, changing the shade of the car.

BMW

BMW sees a few use cases for the E Ink technology in future BMWs. First off, the color-changing wrap would allow the driver to adjust their vehicle’s appearance based on their aesthetic preferences. E Ink could also make the car more efficient—in hot, sunny settings, the iX Flow could turn white to reduce the amount of heat absorbed by the body of the car and decrease the reliance on the air conditioning. In cold weather, the iX Flow could switch to black to absorb as much heat as possible and lessen the energy required for the heating system. Having the climate control systems using less juice from the batteries would help an EV maintain a longer range in more extreme temperatures. BMW also suggests applying the material to the interior to prevent certain surfaces, like the dashboard, from heating up too much when left in the sun.

The E Ink technology is also very energy efficient itself, only using energy during the quick color-changing phase, since the E Ink does not require a current to maintain the chosen shade. BMW has not elaborated on the production possibilities of the E Ink technology seen on the iX Flow, but suggested that applying the material was not unrealistically expensive and that we could see E Ink eventually making its way onto production vehicles.
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BMW has unveiled the Theatre Screen, an ultrawide screen measuring 31 inches and with up to 8K resolution.Amazon’s Fire TV service is integrated into the Theatre Screen and operates off the vehicle’s 5G connection.BMW didn’t specify when the Theatre Screen will hit the market, but the entertainment system should reach production soon. Although BMW opted out of attending the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show in person, the company still showed off its latest wares via a livestream event. Along with the debut of the BMW iX M60, BMW revealed the Theatre Screen, which it proclaims is the “in-car entertainment of the future.”

The Theatre Screen is a 31-inch panorama display for the rear seats that lowers from the roof. The screen can show content in three formats—16:9, 21:9, and even 32:9—and it has a resolution of 8000 by 2000 pixels. The screen also has 5G connectivity and integrated Amazon Fire TV, and BMW claims it’s the highest-resolution and biggest display for any in-car Fire TV system.The Theatre Screen also brings a new setting, My Mode Theatre. When the car is put in this mode, the screen descends from the roof, accompanied by a sound cue created by iconic composer Hans Zimmer. My Mode Theatre also dims the ambient lighting in the rear and rolls up the blinds in the side and rear windows. The screen works in conjunction with the Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system and everything, including the angles of the screen, can be controlled via touch pads on the rear doors. BMW hasn’t said when we will see the Theatre Screen in cars we can buy but implied that the new entertainment system is headed to production.
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The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV will have an off-road-oriented Trail Boss model like the gas-powered truck. Expect all-terrain tires, locking differentials, and possibly the GMC Hummer EV’s Crab Walk feature. The Silverado EV will arrive in 2023 and the Trail Boss should follow after the RST which arrives in the fall. Chevrolet’s new Silverado EV electric pickup was just revealed, and it has something the Ford F-150 Lightning does not yet offer: an off-road-oriented version. Like the gas-powered Silverado, the Silverado EV will have a Trail Boss off-road model.

Chevrolet won’t spill any additional details on the Silverado EV Trail Boss other than what’s pictured above, which shows that it will have matte black body cladding and red tow hooks on the front end. The Silverado EV is available with 24-inch wheels, but the Trail Boss will have smaller, unique black wheels on all-terrain tires. Expect a lifted suspension, standard air springs, locking differentials (the GMC Hummer EV has two electric motors on the rear axle that can mimic a locking diff and a locker on the front axle), and it could possibly get the Hummer EV’s Crab Walk feature, too.

The Silverado EV doesn’t share underpinnings with the gas model, rather it uses a narrower version of the GMC Hummer EV’s Ultium platform. It has an available 200.0-kWh battery pack and two electric motors, one on each axle, providing up to 664 horsepower and 780 pound-feet of torque in a special launch-control mode. Claimed range is up to 400 miles, but expect the Trail Boss model’s range to be less than that because of its all-terrain rubber.

2020 Chevrolet Silverado Trail Boss.
Chevrolet

Look for more information on the Chevrolet Silverado EV’s upcoming Trail Boss model soon, as the base WT model and RST are slated to arrive in 2023. We expect the Trail Boss will follow those two along with an additional model that’s promised to offer 20,000 pounds of towing capability.
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Chevy showed the first photos of the 2024 Equinox EV crossover.GM’s Ultium battery platform will underpin this new model.It will start at around $30,000 and go on sale in the fall of 2023.The Chevrolet Equinox compact SUV will spawn an electric variant, set to go on sale in the fall of 2023. The first images of this new model show off its sleek exterior and futuristic interior, which are a far cry from the current gas-powered Equinox. Chevy claims that it will have a starting price of around $30,000 and that it will offer LT and RS trim levels.

Chevrolet

The only mechanical detail we have so far is that the Equinox EV will use one of GM’s Ultium batteries. There’s no word on the battery’s capacity or an estimated driving range, but we think it will need to offer around 300 miles of range to be competitive in the current EV crossover segment.

Chevrolet

Chevrolet

The red Equinox EV in these photos appears to be an RS model, while the silver vehicle could be an LT or Premier. Both feature large display screens inside, but the RS appears to have different interior trim including red upholstery and carbon-fiber-look trim.Look for more details on the Equinox EV to come throughout the year as Chevy shares more specs on this upcoming electric addition to its lineup. The company also confirmed that a Blazer EV will arrive in 2023.

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When the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV goes on sale in 2023, the Ford F-150 Lightning will have been on sale for a year already.Both trucks offer 10,000-pound towing capacities, but the Silverado has more range and performance. The Silverado EV starts at $39,900 (plus the mandatory destination charge), and the F-150 Lightning will likely cost around $42,000 to start. Ford’s electric F-150 Lightning will have been on sale for a year before Chevy’s new Silverado EV arrives. Ram says it will tag along a year after that with the electric version of its full-size pickup. These electric pickup’s gas-powered counterparts are their respective brand’s bestsellers, and they hope to continue the success in the growing field of electric pickups.

Range is the all important number when it comes to electric vehicles, and, although the EPA’s estimates of either truck have not yet been announced, both automakers have made claims. The Chevy Silverado is targeting up to 400 miles of range from its available 200-kWh Ultium battery pack, while Ford says the F-150 Lightning will offer up to 300 miles of range with its 131.0-kWh Extended Range battery and 230 miles with the 98.0-kWh Standard Range pack. Both electric trucks can offload energy to power a house and even other EVs. The Silverado will provide 10.2 kilowatts while the F-150 Lightning can provide 9.6 kilowatts.

Ford

Towing is also imperative, and both of these electric trucks can tow up to 10,000 pounds. However, Chevy says that a future Silverado EV variant will be able to tow up to 20,000 pounds, putting it in heavy duty territory (a diesel Silverado 3500HD is max rated at 36,000 pounds). Nonetheless, based on our recent EV towing test, we’d wager that towing anywhere near these trucks’ max towing ratings will likely cut the range numbers stated above more than half. Something the Silverado offers but the Lightning doesn’t is a midgate that can be lowered in a 60/40 split to lengthen the bed. Both electric pickups come standard with dual-motor setups providing all-wheel-drive. Base Silverado WT (work trucks) will offer 510 horsepower and 615 pound-feet of torque, but the top RST model offers a launch control mode called Wide Open Watts that enables 664 horsepower and 780 pound-feet of torque and a claimed sub-4.5-second sprint to 60 mph. Ford says the F-150 Lightning will reach 60 mph in the mid-4.0-second range with the bigger pack, which has 563 horsepower and 775 pound-feet, so stay tuned to see which is quicker when we take them to the test track.

Chevrolet

Where the F-150 Lightning looks similar to the gas-powered truck, the Silverado EV shares nothing with its internal-combustion model. We think it resembles the Avalanche, but Chevy denies any inspiration from the pickup that was discontinued in 2013. It’s available only as a crew-cab configuration, like the F-150 Lightning, with a 5.9-foot bed. The Silverado EV is built on the same architecture as the GMC Hummer EV, and it has independent suspension front and rear just like the Ford.
Screens dominate the interiors of both of these electric trucks. The Silverado EV offers a 17.0-inch touchscreen and an 11.0-inch digital gauge cluster, while the F-150 Lightning has a similar interior to the gas version but with an available 15.5-inch vertically oriented touchscreen and 12.0-inch digital gauges. Both trucks are available with hands-free-driving technology: General Motors’ Super Cruise, which works on more than 200,000 miles of pre-mapped highways, and Ford’s BlueCruise, which has over 100,000 miles of usable highway. Ford F-150 Lightning orders will open this month, and the first trucks will arrive in the spring, starting at $41,669. You can place a reservation for the Silverado EV now, and it’ll arrive in 2023 starting at $39,900 plus a not yet announced destination charge.
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Sony revealed another electric vehicle prototype, the Vision-S 02 SUV, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year. This time, Sony plans to potentially send the car to production, and the company will establish Sony Mobility Inc. this year. The new electric SUV prototype has 536 horsepower from a dual-motor setup, and Sony hasn’t made any claims about range. At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) last year, Sony said it had no plans to sell its Vision-S 01 electric sedan, instead claiming that it was only for testing autonomous driving technology. The tech company’s aspirations seem to have changed this year, as it’s planning to potentially enter the market soon, showing a new Vision-S 02 SUV that can seat up to seven passengers.

Sony

This SUV is similar in size as the Tesla Model Y, one of the best-selling electric vehicles last year. A dual-motor setup provides all-wheel drive and 536 horsepower, but Sony has yet to reveal any details on the battery pack or make any claims about range. If it makes production, though, it’d need to keep up with the Model Y, which offers up to 330 miles of range. This prototype vehicle is equipped with control arms front and rear with air springs and rides on 20-inch wheels.

The Vision-S 02’s interior is similar to that seen on the 01 sedan shown last year, with a large panoramic screen across the dashboard with three individual screens including one for the front passenger. Drivers can customize the car’s acceleration and deceleration sounds. The rear passengers get screens, too, and can play PlayStation games through a remote connection to a gaming console at home. Sony has been testing Level 2 driver-assist systems in Europe using the Vision-S 01 sedan that was debuted last year. In the spring of this year, under the name Sony Mobility Inc., the company plans to start launching the Vision-S 02 into the growing EV market.
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Chrysler has officially shown off the Airflow concept at CES.This electric crossover likely foretells a production model that will compete with the Ford Mustang Mach-E.We expect to see the Airflow arrive in production form by 2025.After giving a glimpse at the mysterious Airflow a few weeks ago, Chrysler has now provided more details on this concept EV that is likely to reach production within the next few years. Making its debut at CES, the Chrysler Airflow is a crossover that promises up to 400 miles of range and claims to have Level 3 autonomous driving capability.

Powered by front and rear electric motors that make 201 horsepower each (Chrysler has not provided a total output figure), the Airflow has all-wheel drive and a large battery pack mounted under the floor. One image in the press kit suggests that the battery has 118.0 kWh of capacity, and Chrysler estimates between 350 and 400 miles of range. We’re not sure if that estimate corresponds with the EPA cycle or not.
The four-seat interior looks airy and spacious and has several large screens: one for the instrument cluster, one for the central infotainment display, one for the front passenger, and two for the rear passengers. Chrysler says these screens use new software and connectivity systems called STLA Brain and STLA cockpit and that the Airflow is capable of over-the-air updates. The Level 3 autonomous driving system is called STLA AutoDrive but Chrysler has not provided many details on how it operates.
With 22-inch wheels, futuristic lighting components, and a black roof, the Airflow’s design looks remarkably close to production. We wouldn’t expect much to change from this concept car if (or when) the Airflow becomes a reality. Chrysler says it will launch its first EV by 2025, which will likely be closely related to this concept, and that the brand’s lineup will be fully electric by 2028.
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