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Among the many claims Tesla has made for the 1020-hp Model S Plaid is that it is capable of 200 mph. That’s a rarefied velocity for any car, but especially so for an EV, as they tend to be limited by the maximum rotational speed of the electric motors. That’s particularly true of EVs that use a single-speed reduction ratio, as Teslas do. But the company has a fix for getting its motors to spin faster: carbon-sleeved rotors that enable rotational speeds up to a claimed 20,000 rpm, or about 25 percent faster than before.But while our test of the Plaid revealed its tremendous acceleration capability—tying the Bugatti Chiron Sport for the quickest quarter-mile time we’ve ever recorded—and a considerable improvement in its charging rate, it didn’t get anywhere near 200 mph. Instead, it topped out at a governed 162 mph.

Given how unsettling the Plaid is to pilot at that speed, however, you wouldn’t want to do 200 mph even if it could. Because it gets up to speed so quickly, we could simply lift off and coast rather than slam on the brakes. But that gave us a lot of time to ponder the Model S’s high-speed behavior, which, frankly, was terrifying. It wanders in its lane, with lots of slop on center in the steering that doesn’t have anything to do with the yoke. Putting it in the sport steering setting helped a little, but it’s like Tesla neglected to dial in its high-speed steering and handling behavior. This is not what you want when traveling two-thirds the distance of a football field every second. Tick. Tick. Every other car that’s in the same conversation—from the Porsche Taycan to the Bugatti Chiron—is unerring and locked on its lane at 150-plus mph.

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Perhaps the real reason Tesla hasn’t yet unleashed the Plaid’s 200-mph capability is to avoid overtaxing the brakes. Even in our standard braking tests—five consecutive stops from 70 mph, and three from 100 mph with more space between—the Plaid’s brake hardware was already starting to cry uncle. Not only did they smell like they were on the way out, there was a warning message that popped up on the dash notifying us of their imminent demise. And our test regimen isn’t nearly as severe as hot-lapping on a racetrack.Tesla has now said a $20,000 carbon-ceramic brake package is in the works for the Model S Plaid. Promised by mid-2022, this pricey upgrade includes substantially larger (and wider) rotors front and rear. Waiting for a significant brake upgrade would be a prudent step in making the Plaid able to safely approach 200 mph, and it would also certainly be welcome when tracking this heavy four-door. But Tesla also needs to sort out its high-speed wandering.

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The Tesla Model S Plaid traveled 280 miles in our real-world 75-mph highway test. That result is 80 percent of its 348-mile EPA-estimated range, which makes it the Tesla that’s closest to the EPA’s rating in our testing. It’s also tied with the Porsche Taycan as the EV with the second-most range in our 75-mph test, trailing the Model S Long Range Plus, which went 320 miles. The 1020-hp Tesla Model S Plaid impressed with its acceleration performance results in Car and Driver testing, and despite all the extra go-fast hardware and sticky tires, its driving range delivered, too. It reached 80 percent of its EPA-estimated range in our real-world 75-mph highway test, the best of any Tesla we’ve tested. We traveled 280 miles at 75 mph on the highway, which is 68 miles less than the Model S Plaid’s 348-mile EPA-estimated range. It’s also tied with the Porsche Taycan as the EV with the second-longest range result we’ve ever tested, coming in behind the Model S Long Range, which is EPA estimated at 402 miles and traveled 320 miles in our test, the only EV ever to crest 300 miles. It’s difficult for electric cars to match their EPA-estimated range, and that’s especially true for Tesla, which uses the EPA’s adjustment factor (you can read more about that here) in its favor to score big results. Only two EVs have ever exceeded the EPA’s estimates in our range test: the 2020 Audi e-tron Sportback (220 miles), which traveled another two miles, and the base-model 2021 Porsche Taycan (280 miles), an additional 55 miles.

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The Model S Plaid has three electric motors (the Model S Long Range uses two motors) producing 1020 horsepower, and a 99.3-kWh lithium-ion battery pack provides the juice. The Model S Long Range uses a 103.9-kWh pack. An additional factor in the Plaid’s result is that Tesla claims its heat pump uses 50 percent less energy to heat the cabin. And it weighed in at 4828 pounds, which is only four pounds heavier than the Model S Long Range and an impressive 175 pounds lighter than the last Model S Performance we tested, despite having an additional electric motor on the rear axle. We were also impressed that the Plaid was able to achieve such a long-range result even though our test car was equipped with the optional Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, which helped provide a staggering 1.08 g of grip on the skidpad. It was also able to recharge its battery significantly quicker than the previous Model S we tested on Tesla’s 250-kW Superchargers.
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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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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 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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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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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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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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