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      Hyundai Kona Electric Rally Spec To Produce An Insane 800 bhp

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      Paddon Rallysport’s champion rally driver Hayden Paddon has said that the Hyundai Kona Electric for the race track should be ready in the coming months
      The company plans to develop one prototype for the race-specific model and make it operational by next month. If everything goes as per plan, it will undergo complete public evaluation and development by December this year. The ultimate goal of the company is to make use of this high-performance fully electrified Kona for the New Zealand rally Championship next year and other races henceforth.
      Details of the Project

      The project was announced last year by Paddon in order to give New Zealand’s motorsport community a global reach. The Kona Electric Rally spec is being developed jointly by Hyundai New Zealand and Paddon Rallysport with assistance from Yes Power, University of Canterbury and STARD, which is an Austrian motorsport team working on electric rallycross vehicles and part of the Stohl Group.
      Paddon Rallysport recently unveiled the aftermarket suspension setup to be used in this Kona Electric rally version. The company had partnered with Italian aftermarket automotive manufacturer- Extreme Racing Shox in developing the custom made suspension setup. Thanks to this new suspension, the rally-spec Kona Electric sits very low as compared to the standard road-specific model. It also is heavier than the regular model.

      At the start of manufacturing the rally-spec Kona Electric, the car was dismantled to its last bit and later reassembled to form an electric car. The process saw a big delay in April and May this year when the Covid-19 pandemic hit hard and was at its peak in New Zealand.
      This made them cut their budget so that no member had to be dropped from their team due to this crisis. The team is back on track and is confident of completing the prototype ahead of next year’s New Zealand Rally Championship although they are likely to miss the first few rounds.
      Mechanical Details
      By June this year, the cage and chassis were almost ready with the transmission and motors to be incorporated next. The battery arrived at its expected time in July when most of the car was ready. As for the body-kit, Haydon had revealed that they will be using carbon to manufacture it. By early 2021, the team expects the custom Kona Electric to be doing hill ascents and short sprints.
      A total of four motors can be packed on the rally car, each of them capable of generating around 300 PS of power. In the rally though, a twin motor setup will be employed which would be generating nearly 600 bhp of power. However, for the short runs and hill ascents, all four battery packs could be used to give a power of around 800 bhp. Paddon is also expected to get behind the wheels of the Kona Electric during the rallies. More

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      Tata Nexon Electric Subscription Plan Prices Cut by Rs 7k – Now At Rs 35k PM

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      Whether or not subscription plans take off in India is yet to be seen but for now more and more manufacturers are ensuring that such an option is being offered to consumers
      Tata Motors had also announced subscription plans for Nexon Electric. This was first announced last month. Prices revealed that time, started from Rs 41,900 per month. Now, about a month later, Tata has revealed prices of subscription plan has been slashed by Rs 7,000.

      Today, Tata has revealed a subscription offer on Nexon EV, at an all-inclusive fixed rental starting at only Rs. 34,900/- per month. This is a limited period offer, and is only valid till till 30th November 2020. The offer duration coincides with the ongoing festive season, and is quite limited in availability.
      This isn’t unexpected since EV sales are right now low compared the the vehicle market size in India. The subscription offer can be availed by the first 100 subscribers only, and does away with commitments that are tied to traditional vehicle ownership, including road tax and registration, insurance renewals, servicing and maintenance.

      Pankaj Jhunja, Head- Mobility Services, Tata Motors said, “It is ideal for customers preferring ‘usership’ over ownership amidst the rapidly growing phenomenon of shared economy.” Tata Nexon limited-period subscription offer is available for a tenure of a minimum period of 12 months, to 24, and 36 months. The service is on offer in Delhi/NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.
      What is included
      Available as part of a partnership with Orix Auto, the subscription package includes comprehensive insurance coverage, on-call 24×7 roadside assistance plus free maintenance with periodic servicing, and doorstep delivery. A complimentary personal EV charger will be offered for home or office installation.
      Once subscription tenure concludes, customers can either extend subscription, or return the vehicle. The offer is customised, and suited for corporates inclined to lease, those with frequent inter-city job transfers, and expatriates in the country, who are here on fixed tenure, among others. A number of such jobs entail a company car, which would mean companies themselves would need to make a shift to EV procurement for their top employees for such offers to be successful.
      Also Read – Tata Nexon EV Owner Does 250+ kms
      Designed to offer flexibility to customers who already know they would require a vehicle for a fixed period, it’s difficult to imagine other customers making a beeline for subscription offers. For the current financial year, Nexon EV sales has already reached the thousand mark. This includes an order of 150 units from EESL.
      No doubt Tata Nexon EV is on top, but sales volume is noticeably small. A further boost in EV sales can be expected as and when state governments step in to build EV infrastructure and offer benefits for those who adapt. For now, the onus lies on those who are considered to be more environmentally conscious. The current subscription plan is designed to be smarter, affordable and convenient, and to make EVs even more accessible. More

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      Tata Nexon Electric Joins Kerala Motor Vehicle Department

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      Tata Motors also bagged order of 150 Nexon EVs from EESL earlier this month
      The Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) of Kerala had placed an order of 65 units of the Nexon EV earlier this year. Now we can confirm that the deliveries of the Nexon EVs have commenced from Tata Motors’ end.

      The photos show Nexon Electric SUVs in white colour, in the top end XZ+ trim.These EVs will be part of the ‘Safe Kerala’ project (launched in order to ensure better enforcement of the Motor Vehicle Act) and will be used for law enforcement duties in the coastal state.
      The electric SUVs in the photo come along with heavy MVD branding. The MVD logo can be seen on the side and even on the bonnet. Additionally, some more livery can be seen on the side of the car.

      It isn’t clear if these EVs got any additional equipment over the standard Nexon EV. Most MVD vehicles get a dedicated radio, strobes, cameras and radar speed sensors and it is highly likely that these units would have also got the same. However, it is difficult to figure out any additional details on the equipment list from the photos alone.
      Tata Nexon EV EESL Order
      The procurement of EVs for various government offices is being led by the ESSL (Energy Efficiency Services Ltd) which is a department under the Ministry of Power. In the early days, Tata and Mahindra were leading the EV bids and almost had a duopoly.
      However, with more electric vehicles coming in, even vehicles like Hyundai Kona EV are getting additional orders from the ESSL. The procured vehicles for the MVD will be maintained by the ESSL which will also be installing electric charging stations at all offices where these Nexon EVs will be stationed.

      The Nexon EV is one of the most cost effective full-sized electric vehicle on sale in India. It is sold in 3 different trim levels and has its pricing starting at INR 13.99 lakhs. All variants draw power from a 30.2 kWh lithium ion battery pack.
      Total power output of the EV stands at 129 bhp and 245 Nm of peak torque, which it extracts out of its electric motor. ARAI claimed drive range stands at 312 km on a single charge and if driven judiciously, real-life customers also have managed to get a drive of 250+ kms on single charge.
      Competition of the Nexon EV are currently limited, which just include the ZS EV from MG Motors and Kona EV from Hyundai. However, going ahead in the future, Nexon EV might face considerable challenge from upcoming competitors. Speaking of sales, Nexon EV is the best selling EV currently, with over 60% market share this fiscal year. More

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      Hummer Electric Massive Tyres, Alloys Revealed in New Teaser Video

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      The fully electrified Hummer was earlier slated to be unveiled in May but GMC had to defer the plans due to the Covid-19 pandemic
      General Motors Company (GMC) had earlier this year shared the first teaser of electric Hummer. At the announcement of this project, GMC managed to make everyone take notice of this beast. To enter production next year, it will be offered in the form of an SUV as well as a pick-up truck.

      Now, the American auto giant has teased us with the electric pick-up truck once again with a rather peculiar functionality. The upcoming Hummer EV pick-up will be revealed in its full-form on October 20 with a special ‘Crab Mode’ function, something unheard till now.
      What’s this ‘Crab Mode’?
      This new Crab mode lets the vehicle move in a diagonal direction with the help of rear-wheel steering. This exclusive feature helps to turn all four wheels in the same direction so that the vehicle can move sideways. Apparently, this functionality enhances its already impressive off-roading credentials.
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      GMC says that this particular function will increase the manoeuvrability of the vehicle. It will be interesting to see whether this one of a kind feature could come to use in parallel parking, given Hummer’s huge size. Also, as a bonus, the video also reveals the massive tyres and alloys design that will be on offer with production spec Hummer EV.
      Design
      The Hummer moniker has always been loved for its robust demeanor and enormous size. Many design elements of the IC engine Hummer will be carried forward to the Hummer EV. For instance the six slat vertical grille which gives an imposing figure to the Hummer EV. In the video, you can also see the EV with a removable roof. The interiors of the cabin haven’t been revealed yet but are expected to go a few notches higher in terms of quality of materials and features on offer.
      Performance
      Coming to its performance, the Hummer EV will be powered by the next generation 200kWh Ultium battery setup. This battery pack is expected to generate a humongous power of 1000 bhp and a mind-boggling torque of 15,592 Nm. Those are insane output figures. This heavy SUV/pick-up truck would take only 3 seconds for its 0-96 kmph sprint which easily puts it into the supercar vicinity.
      The Hummer EV pick-up truck will be revealed next month, almost a year ahead of its official launch. The SUV configuration of Hummer EV is also expected to be unveiled sometime soon. Upon its launch, Hummer EV pick-up will lock its horn against the Tesla Cybertruck which is also scheduled to be launched sometime next year. More

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      Kia to Launch 7 New Electric Cars, SUVs by 2027 – Lineup teased

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      The first dedicated Kia electric vehicle codenamed CV will be launched next year in several international markets
      Kia Motors has just announced a battery electric vehicle blitzkrieg that will see the company introduce 7 new products globally by 2027. The South Korean automaker has teased its future BEV range via an image and from the looks of it, majority of them are going to be crossovers.
      Kia’s EV strategy

      The future Kia electric vehicle range will consist of products of different size and configuration to cater to a varied customer base. The company has also revealed that it will partner with several charging companies across the world.
      Since the introduction of its first electric vehicle in 2011, the Kia Ray EV, the company has sold over 100,000 EVs worldwide. With increased push for electrification, Kia is predicting that 25% of its total sales by 2029 will be accounted for by electric vehicles. In advanced markets like Korea, North America and Europe, the automaker is expecting EVs to contribute to 20% of total sales by 2025.
      Kia teases 7 new Electric Cars
      Seven new BEVs
      Of the seven new Battery Electric Vehicles teased, the first is set to be unveiled in 2021. Codenamed Kia CV, it will be the brand’s first dedicated BEV and it will be sold in several international markets. The new range of vehicles will be based on Kia’s new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) which is claimed to offer best-in-class interior space.
      When it comes to body style, the new Kia electric vehicle range seems to comprise of at least 4 crossover SUVs of various sizes, a sportcars of sorts and a pair of compact hatchbacks/fastbacks. No further details have been furnished at this stage.
      Retail model
      In addition to launching new BEVs, Kia is also preparing to introduce new sales practices aimed at offering its EV customers diversified options. A new subscription model will be introduced apart from EV battery leasing and rental schemes. The company is also looking into ‘second-life’ battery related businesses to promote circular economy.
      Kia teases 7 new Electric Cars
      A marketing push for EVs of this magnitude will also warrant strengthening of after sales service operations to suit the new-age powertrains. To this end, Kia has announced that it will significantly increase the EV service bays at its dealerships across the world in the coming years in addition to developing its own service training programs.
      Will Kia BEVs come to India?
      With electric vehicle market slowly picking up in India, Kia would certainly be interested in bringing its future BEVs to our market. The key to success will be a rapid growth in the nation’s EV charging infrastructure. Meanwhile, the Kia Seltos and Sonet are expected to build a solid base for the brand in India. More

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      Maruti Solido, Espaco, Libertas Car Names For New SUV, MPV, Electric ?

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      Maruti Suzuki has planned slew of new car launches in India by 2022-23
      Providing a glimpse of what Maruti Suzuki’s portfolio might look like in the near future, trademark names of some of the company’s upcoming cars have been leaked online. The names revealed in the trademarks journal are Espaco, Libertas and Solido.

      All the names were filed by Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) on August 13 and approved on September 14. The trademarks are applicable for Class 12 products and the description reveals that the names are to be used for “vehicle; apparatus for locomotion by land, air or water”.
      Next-gen products or all-electric variants?
      It is possible that these new names could be used for all new cars and SUVs the company is planning to launch in the near future. There is a higher probability that these new names could be used for all-electric variants of Alto, Celerio and WagonR. The names come across as youthful and trendy and will go well with all-electric cars. Something like that will be really surprising, as bestselling products usually don’t go for a name change.
      Maruti Libertas
      At this stage, it would be too early to predict which new name will be used for which car. However, there’s no harm in a little guesswork. While Espaco and Libertas are entirely new names, Solido sounds similar to Solio, which is a mini MPV produced by Suzuki since 1997.
      Maruti Solido
      As Solio looks like a larger and more premium version of WagonR. It is possible that the new name Solido could be applied to the all-electric variant of WagonR. The name could also be given to the 7-seater WagonR MPV that Maruti is expected to launch in the coming months.
      Maruti Solido
      Other line of thought says that Solid could be an SUV. Considering that it has the word Solid in the name, which probably suits more to an SUV, than a hathback. Solido could be used for the Toyota-Maruti SUV, which will rival the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. This is expected to be launched by 2022.
      Maruti ESPACO
      Similarly, Espaco could be the name of Toyota-Maruti MPVs electric version. As the name somewhat implies that the car has to do something with ‘space’ – it more suits an MPV. We all know that Toyota and Maruti are planning to launch an MPV in 2023, which will sit above the Ertiga in company line-up. This new next gen Maruti Toyota MPV could come in electric as well, and thus the name eSpaco.
      Maruti ESPACO
      Maruti continues to dominate the Indian auto industry with close to 50% market share in passenger vehicle (PV) segment. However, it cannot stay immune to the new challenges that are coming its way. Things can change pretty fast in the auto industry, as we have seen with new products such as MG Hector, Kia Seltos, Hyundai Venue, and Kia Sonet. We have already seen Maruti Brezza’s dominance in compact SUV space cut short with new rival products. Something similar can happen in other segments as well.
      The battle to dominate EV space
      If it wants, Maruti can emerge as a major player in the all-electric segment over the next 5-10 years. The company is yet to launch a product in this space, but considering its capabilities and wide dealer network, it could easily catch up with rivals. As of now, there are primarily three fully-electric cars in the Indian market – Hyundai Kona, MG ZS and Tata Nexon EV.
      All-electric WagonR could be launched as an affordable EV with decent range for city needs. The same applies to electric versions of Alto and Celerio. With cool sounding names such as Espaco, Libertas and Solido, Maruti could be on its way to create a new breed of bestsellers in the Indian automotive space. More

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      Tata Nexon Electric XM Base Variant With Steel Wheels – First Look

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      Nexon EV’s base variant- XM is well equipped and features distinguishing elements from its ICE counterpart
      Tata Nexon is currently the most affordable electric car in India for general consumers and therefore forms 60 percent of market share in the electric vehicle (EV) segment in India. Even though the EV segment is still at a nascent stage in our market, Nexon EV has managed to garner attention as a fruitful offering with zero emissions.

      Nexon EV is offered in three variants- XM, XZ Plus and XZ Plus Luxury. Most of the videos we have seen till now, were of the top variants only. But now, thanks to a video uploaded by Narru’s Auto vlog’s, a walkaround video of the base XM trim highlights each and every detail of the base Nexon EV.
      Exterior Highlights
      Nexon EV is available in three different colours- Signature Teal Blue, Moonlight Silver and Glacier White. The car shown in the video sports the white paint scheme. The XZ Plus and top-end XZ Plus Lux trims are only provided in dual-tone colour options. Apart from single tone colours, instead of body-coloured door handles, this variant receives black door handles. It gets 16-inch steel rims with wheel covers with blue inserts as opposed to the 16-inch alloys in the higher-spec trims.
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      The ORVMs too are blacked out instead of receiving body-coloured ORVMs, so are the A and B pillars. The ORVMs do come with integrated turn indicators. Black body cladding on either side is another standard visual on all trims. The base XM gets a pole-type antenna instead of a shark-fin antenna. Fog-lights are also missing from this variant. It gets a blue-coloured strip underneath the piano black grille which adds a nice contrast so that people get to know that this is an EV.
      The tri-arrow shape detailing can be seen at a lot of places including the blue-inserts on the front and rear bumpers, tail lamps and DRLs. ‘EV’ badging has been sprayed generously all over the car. The tailgate gets a piano black finish between the tail lights which also sports the ZIPTRON badging. There are no more visual differences when compared to the higher-spec trims.
      Features on offer

      In terms of equipment, it gets projector headlamps with integrated DRLs, electrically adjustable ORVMs, LED taillights, automatic climate control, start-stop button, passive keyless entry and much more. It gets a standard 2-DIN stereo system with a 4-speaker setup from HARMAN with Bluetooth connectivity and steering mounted audio controls. The base variant has been well-kitted since it targets general audiences, not fleet operators, who aspire to make a transition from an IC engine car to an EV.
      Powertrain
      Nexon EV is built on Tata Motors’ latest ZIPTRON powertrain which uses a 3-phase Permanent Magnet synchronous motor which draws its power from a 30.2KWH Lithium-ion battery pack. This setup produces a maximum of 129 PS power and 245 Nm of torque.
      The company claims a range of 312 km (ARAI) with an approximate charging time of 8.5 hours from 10 percent to 90 percent. Real world mileage claimed by owners is in the range of 170 – 250 kms. A DC fast charger takes 60 minutes to charge from 0-80 percent. The base XM variant is retailed at a price of Rs 13.99 lakh (ex-showroom). More

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      Renault Kwid 800cc modified into an Electric Hybrid in Kerala

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      A group of 5 mechanical engineering graduates from Kerala have been working upon modifying a Renault Kwid into a hybrid vehicle
      The group had graduated from Rajagiri School of Engineering back in 2018 and had worked upon converting a Maruti 800 into an electric vehicle (with a range of around 50km). They had displayed the modified vehicle at multiple expos and got appreciation for the same.

      Iype Koshy, a businessman from Trivandrum also came across their previous project and decided to set up a company with the group which now specializes in converting cars into hybrid vehicles and has aspirations to get into Hydrogen and Electric powered cars. The company is known as HyMotiv and their latest project involves the Renault Kwid Hybrid, which is the focus of our story.
      Powertrain
      The highlight of the project happens to be its Hybrid powertrain. The team has retained Kwid’s petrol engine but additionally added electric motors in the rear wheels to make the vehicle an hybrid. So now, the vehicle can run on petrol alone, electric power alone or a combination of both the two.

      The engine produces power like in a conventional Kwid, however the 34 hp motors in the rear wheels help with additional power output for the Kwid. All 4 wheels have been fitted with disc brakes, which help with sufficient braking power to safely maneuver the vehicle.
      The total range of the electric-only powertrain is 150 km. The battery of the project has been sourced from China but the team intends to replace it with an Indian-made battery soon. The motors and controllers have been imported from USA. Overall for the drive, the major traction comes from the electric motors which contributes to around 65% of the power output.
      A synchronizer further helps to balance the speeds between the front and rear wheels of the vehicle. Combined mileage of the powertrain stands at 48 km/l. The team also states that they have installed a pollution reduction mechanism through which they can reduce the emissions by 60% and improve the mileage by 20%. Team claims that they have already filed a patent for the same.

      The battery takes 5 hours for a complete charge via a standard wall mounted charger. On the inside, the car includes an electric motor drive selector on the dashboard. Upon start, the car automatically starts in the ICE mode and then manually needs to shifted to EV-only mode or Hybird mode, as per requirement.
      Additional Tech
      The team has also worked upon a fatigue detection system which includes smart spectacles which can detect closing of driver’s eye lids. The first level alarm includes a vibration in the spectacles while the second level alarm includes a pronounced warning from the speakers. They are also working upon monitoring brain waves to further improve the accuracy of their fatigue detection system.
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      Taking a cue from Global OEMs which have worked upon autonomous driving technology, the team has plans to introduce auto park function which will allow the car to park in a designated spot while taking directions from the mind of the driver remotely. This technology too is under preliminary development stage and it will be interesting to see the final result sometime in the future.
      Overall, the Renault Kwid Hybrid Electric is an impressive attempt at localized modifications, however it is still far away from being commercially viable. However, we are hopeful that in the coming years, similar entrepreneurs can possibly help to change the auto-landscape of the country. More