Car News

Subterms

    More stories

    • 188 Shares169 Views

      in Electric Cars

      2022 Volvo XC40 Electric SUV India Launch Price Rs 55.9 L – 418 Kms Range

      by

      Volvo India announced the launch of their much awaited XC40 electric SUV – It is priced from Rs 55.90 lakh, ex-shVolvo XC40 Electric SUV India Launch PriceMost premium OEMs have revealed their plans to go all-electric around the end of this decade. Swedish luxury car maker, Volvo too has aggressive plans to incorporate electric powertrains in its portfolio. For International markets, it had revealed the XC40 Recharge, which was its first pure electric SUV.Priced from Rs 55.90 lakh ex-sh, the new Volvo XC40 Electric was launched on metaverse which the company named as ‘VolvoVerse’. Mr. Jyoti Malhotra, Managing Director, Volvo Car India said, “The launch of the XC40 Recharge and its assembly at our Bangalore plant further reinforces Volvo Car’s long term vision and commitment to India and the Indian consumer. We are happy that the wait is over for our loyal consumers who have long wanted an EV with the hallmark quality and safety that Volvo is globally known for.”2022 Volvo XC40 Electric SUV – Key HighlightsNow, moving on to details of the product, visually, XC40 Recharge clearly looks like a cousin of the standard XC40. Like most electric cars, it gets a closed-off grille at front, which differentiates it from its IC powered version. Overall profile and silhouette of the XC40 Recharge is similar to that of the standard IC car.Some of its prominent visual highlights include vertical LED tail-lamps, LED front-headlamps, T-shaped LED DRLs (Daytime Running Lamps) and 19-inch 5-spoke Black Diamond cut alloys, all of which make it look sharp. Volvo is also offering dual tone colour options, which further make the SUV look sporty and dynamic.Volvo XC40 electricTalking about exterior colour options, there are 5 offerings from Volvo, which include Glacier Silver, Crystal White, Fusion Red, Denim Blue and Black Stone. Except the Black colour option, all other colour choices are offered with a dual tone exterior theme, with black highlights on the roof and body cladding. On the inside, Volvo will be offering multiple upholstery options, including standard Leather, Nubuck textile and Nappa leather.What You Get With The 2022 XC40 Electric– 3 years comprehensive car warranty– 3 years Volvo Service Package– 3 years Roadside Assistance– 8 years battery warranty– 4 years subscription to digital services– 1 wall box charger (11 kW) through third partyInterior colour theme will however remain dark, primarily with shades of charcoal and black, across the upholstery options. Creature comfort features will include features like Built-in Google Assist, parking assistance, 360-degree camera, keyless entry, powered tail-gate and much more! Additional Accessory packages include options like Car Protection and Exterior Styling. The Exterior Styling pack will pack some sporty elements, like a roof spoiler.Volvo XC40 Electric – Interior OptionsPowertrainUnder the hood, the 2022 XC40 Recharge packs a twin electric motor set-up, which helps it to do a 0-100 kmph run in just 4.9 seconds. It draws power from a 78 kWh battery unit, which powers its dual-motor setup. The system has the capacity to dish out 408 hp and 660 Nm of peak torque. For safety related purposes, Volvo has electronically limited its top-speed to 180 km/h.Confirmed WLTP range of the model happens to be 418 km on a single charge. A standard 11 kW AC fast charger takes around 8-10 hours for a full recharge of its battery, whereas a 150 kW DC fast charger has the capacity to do a 0-80% charge in just around 40 minutes. Bookings open from tomorrow, 27th July 2022 via Volvo India website. Delivery starts in October 2022. More

    • 125 Shares179 Views

      in Electric Cars

      Hummer Electric SUV Purchased By US Military – For Testing

      by

      Hummer EV is powered by three motors making 1,000 bhp of power and 15,500 Nm of torque (Not a typo)Hummer EV based Electric Vehicle Prototype for US militaryWhat comes to your mind when you think about the American Military? I bet you’re thinking about a Humvee, aren’t you? Humvee has become synonymous with the US military and for a good reason. Among the slew of military vehicles, Humvee is their most iconic  Lightly armoured Humvee could seat 4 personnel and was designed to trail behind heavily armoured tanks in combat. Humvee was the first vehicle to get portal axles as its differentials were hindering maneuverability by getting stuck on the centre bump in the track that heavy tanks left behind. It also had a circular cut-out in the roof for mounting Turret guns and grenade launchers.But there was one guy that was so impressed by the Humvee that he convinced General Motors to make a civilian version of it. Hence, Hummer H1 was born and all credit goes to Arnold Schwarzenegger (Not Arnold Shivajinagar, No). GM also launched H2 and H3 in Hummer series and all of them had a reputation of being terrible products in terms of engineering and quality. So, GM had axed the Hummer brand completely, until recently.Hummer EVGeneral Motors has resurrected the Hummer name, but in pure EV guise. Hummer EV comes in two form factors, a 5.5m long pickup and a 5m long SUV. Both get either a dual-motor configuration or a triple-motor configuration. The latter makes 1,000 bhp of power and 15,500 Nm of torque. No, no. I’m not crazy. That’s a true figure from General Motors.Hummer ElectricWhile the original Humvee has either a 6.2L V8 diesel, 6.5L V8 turbo-diesel or a 5.7L V8 petrol, the Hummer EV is pure electric. Hummer EV is now chosen by the US Army for demo and testing purposes owing to its long-standing association with the US Military. This step is to see if EVs are a viable option for future military use and Hummer EV is the first choice for this testing. Hummer EV gets a stupidly large 210 kWh battery and has a chunky 4,103 kg kerb weight. Everything about the Hummer EV is grotesque.Should Indian Military Consider EVs Too?Long story short, yes. But not for every single purpose. When it comes to powering heavily armoured combat vehicles, diesel is still undisputed. But where EVs might shine in the military is urban maneuverability and high-altitude patrolling that currently is hugely taken up by Maruti Suzuki Gypsy.We say high-altitude patrolling because the air gets thinner and thinner as we climb up the altitude. An ICE-powered vehicle burns significantly more oxygen than fuel. At high altitudes, oxygen levels go down drastically. EVs don’t need oxygen at all. In high-altitude places where the Indian Army currently patrols like Kashmir, Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, etc, EVs make a lot of sense.File photo.Right now, Indian Military use Mahindra ASLV, Kalyani M4, Mahindra MPV-I 6X6, Renault Sherpa, Mahindra Marksman, Tata Merlin, Mahindra Meva Straton Plus APC, Tata WhAP, Tata Safari, soon-to-be-replaced Maruti Suzuki Gypsy, and a lot more LSVs and MPVs (Mine Protected Vehicles and not Multi-Purpose Vans).In India, Tata Motors is the current EV champ and Mahindra is soon covering grounds with 5 new electric SUVs under Born Electric range. Also, both these companies have a long-standing relationship with the Indian Military. Maybe the Indian Government and Armed Forces would also commission EV manufacturers for testing the feasibility of EVs in the Army.  More

    • 150 Shares189 Views

      in Electric Cars

      Mahindra Teases 5 New Electric SUVs – Debut On 15th Aug 2022

      by

      Mahindra Born Electric range of SUVs will be sold both here and abroad – Global debut on 15th Aug 2022New Mahindra Electric SUVs Teased – OfficialMahindra has been teasing us with their Born Electric range of SUVs time and time again. Last known teaser is of what we believe is the company’s upcoming XUV900 Electric coupe SUV. It demonstrates how the product will be a departure from what they have been doing with EVs till now.Till now, Mahindra has introduced drab-looking EVs that didn’t play with customers’ heart strings. If you’re wondering why, you can take a look at e2O, e2O Plus and eVerito. But from there Mahindra, as a conglomerate, has gone on to develop the 1900 bhp electric supercar, Battista under their subsidiary Pirinfarina. Mahindra went from 0 to 100, real quick (both figuratively and literally). Born Electric SUVs, as the name suggests, are designed as electric vehicles from the ground up.Mahindra Born Electric SUVsUntil now, the teaser shared by Mahindra showed that they were going to introduce 3 electric SUVs under Born Electric range. But the latest teaser, shared by Mahindra today, confirms there are going to be 5 electric SUVs. All will be making their global debut on the same date – 15th Aug 2022.These 5 electric SUVs are among the 7, that Mahindra has planned for their Born Electric series. All these vehicles are expected to be designed at Mahindra Advanced Design Europe (MADE) headed by Pratap Bose. One of them could be the upcoming XUV900 Electric SUV coupe that is expected to be the sportiest of the bunch. This can be the unveiling of upcoming XUV900 coupe concept or XUV400 Electric that tackles Nexon EV Max.[embedded content][embedded content]We can’t say anything for sure now. But going with Mahindra’s way of things, we can expect more teasers regarding the upcoming launch. Earlier teaser showed that all Born Electric SUVs get ‘C’ shaped LED DRLs in the front, that give them a distinct look. From the rear, they get LED light bars across the width of the SUVs that look attractive. The latest teaser reveals their body style from the side.Mahindra’s New EV subsidiary companyMahindra made their electric vehicles like e2O and e2O Plus under the subsidiary Mahindra Electric. But Mahindra has created a new EV subsidiary company so that they can have undivided attention on both their ICE vehicles and EV portfolio. For starters, this new company will make 4 new EVs for global markets.The Indian conglomerate has received Rs. 1925 crore investment from British International Investment (BII). This new company will strictly focus on four-wheeled passenger EVs. All these developments hint toward Mahindra wanting to lead the Indian four-wheeled passenger EV segment. This segment is currently dominated by Tata Motors with their Tigor EV, Nexon EV and Nexon EV Max.Tata Motors currently has over 83% of four-wheeled EV passenger market with MG trailing behind. We have seen Mahindra XUV400 Electric under testing and is expected to launch in September 2022. Even though EV tech is still young in India, electric four-wheeler is more than 2000 units a month segment as seen in our EV sales chart. For manufacturers foraying into the EV space, it is a good opportunity that is expected to increase rapidly. More

    • 150 Shares199 Views

      in Electric Cars

      Hyundai Kona Electric Vs Creta Petrol, Diesel – Cost After 80k Kms

      by

      Hyundai Kona Electric owner has spent a total of Rs 2.07 lakh on charging and maintenance of his carHyundai Kona ElectricWhile electric vehicles (EVs) are the future of mobility, their high purchase cost prevents them from penetrating into the mass market. However, EVs ace their IC engine counterparts when it comes to running costs. It is no hidden fact that fuel prices have seen an exorbitant rise in the past few months.Many people have already started to make the transition from petrol and diesel-powered vehicles to emission-free battery-powered vehicles. In the passenger vehicle space, Hyundai Kona Electric was one of the first electric cars to be introduced in India. Team-BHP member ADI7YAK has shared interesting details on the expenses incurred for charging and maintaining Hyundai Kona Electric vs that of a Creta Petrol or diesel after driving 80,000 kms.Hyundai Kona Electric Charging CostCharging cost of Hyundai Kona Electric – For 80,000 kmsHyundai Kona EV owner has shared that he has owned a Kona EV for twenty months which recently clocked 80 thousand kilometers. He has provided a detailed cost breakup of owning and maintaining the car and a rough calculation of how much money he has saved in comparison to petrol automatic and diesel automatic cars of a similar size and price.Owner of Kona EV mentions that in order to achieve 80,000km on the odometer, a total of 11 megawatts of electricity were used. This includes both public and home charging setup. For this, the owner had to spend a total cost of Rs. 91480. Around 90 percent of the charging was done via home charging while the rest were done from public charging stations.Charging cost of Hyundai Kona Electric – For 80,000 kmsHe further mentions that public chargers are more expensive but also quicker than standard home wall chargers. Getting into more details, the owner reveals that he has spent around Rs 18,500 on maintaining his car which includes regular service and other wear and tear items such as wiper blades, bulbs, etc. By his standards, this amount is very cheap.Charging cost of Hyundai Kona Electric – For 80,000 kmsThe highest cost of maintenance Rs 47,800 was incurred by a change in tyres which were replaced after 50,000km. After taking into account each and every cost attached, the owner reported an average running cost of Rs 1.37 per km. This was compared against the running cost of petrol- and diesel-powered Creta.Cost Comparison With Diesel, Petrol-powered CretaAfter collecting data from Creta owners, the Kona EV user came to realise that Creta petrol automatic owners would have to spend almost around Rs 7.00 lakh for the car to clock 80,000 km on its odometer. In case of a Creta diesel automatic, it would be around Rs 5.41 lakh. Both these figures are much greater than Rs 91,480 spent by the Kona EV user on electricity.Maintenance cost of Hyundai Kona Electric – For 80,000 kmsTherefore, savings in case of Kona EV stands at Rs 6,08 lakh and Rs 4.50 lakh when compared with petrol- and diesel-powered Creta. Top-end petrol variant of Creta costs Rs. 21.16 lakh while its diesel-powered counterpart would cost Rs 21.65 lakh. On the other hand, Kona EV costs Rs 25.3 lakhs. Therefore, for a total distance of over 80,000km, the additional cost of an EV is compensated and savings begin.Hyundai Kona Electric Vs Creta Petrol, Diesel and HexaSource More

    • 163 Shares119 Views

      in Electric Cars

      Ola Electric Car Will Be The Sportiest Made In India Car – Render

      by

      Upcoming Ola Electric Car is expected to be mostly designed and developed in-houseOla Electric Car Launch Soon – Render *Ola Electric has been hitting homeruns after homeruns. Since their acquisition of Amsterdam-based Etergo scooter company, they have been in news pretty much like clockwork. Ola FutureFactory was set up in Tamil Nadu in December 2020. In just one and a half years, they have redefined what an electric scooter should be.Sure, one of the S1 Pro has been subjected to fire hazards and many S1 Pro owners have reported a lot of niggles. But Ola has pushed on like a pawn in a Chess game, never taking a step back. Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal is ambitious and has delivered on most promises he made with S1 Pro. Biggest battery? Check. Longest range? Check. Gimmicks? Check. Cruise Control? Umm, not yet. But let’s cut some slack for now.Recently, Bhavish teased three Ola Electric Cars, one of which is a low-slung sedan and the other two may be an SUV and a hatchback. Amidst all the production hassles of the S1 Pro electric scooter, four-wheeled PVs have been Ola’s ambition since day one and Ola’s mother factory is said to be designed keeping this in mind. Ola is expected to reveal more on August 15 and electric car production is expected to start in two years’ time.Ola Electric Car Will Be SportiestTwo years to design and develop an electric car is a challenge, to say the least. Even Tesla didn’t go full regalia and make Model S to dominate the market. No. Tesla actually started off with the Roadster (1st gen) which was produced in limited numbers for a very high price. To make a Roadster, Tesla licensed Elise from British sports car manufacturer Lotus. Then swapped out the engine with a battery and motor.Ola CEO shares new teaser of upcoming electric carTo research, design, develop and manufacture a full-fledged car, will take years. Bhavish knows this. Ola bought Etergo and manufactured the same thing in India. All the research, design, and development were already done. To build an electric car from scratch and get to production in just a two-year timeline is next to impossible.But Ola has a trend of keeping up promises. They don’t bite more than they can chew. Is it possible that Ola will buy an electric car startup that has done most of the work already? Or at least license an already developed product that they will base their EV on or manufacture in India? Only time will tell. For now, Bhavish has hit us with a new teaser stating that they’re going to build the sportiest car ever built in India.What To Expect?It might seem like tall claims. But let us take a look at what we can expect from Ola’s stables in two years. In March 2022, Ola Electric made a multi-million USD investment in StoreDot, an Israel-based company specializing in battery technologies. It is said that both companies are jointly developing XFC (Xtreme Fast Charging) battery technology and the recently teased indigenous battery by Bhavish might be the brainchild of this venture.We have also heard that Ex-Mahindra designer Ramkripa Ananthan, who designed XUV700, Thar and XUV300, has joined Ola team. We can expect a minimalist, yet techy vehicle from Ola. It can be underpromised but over-deliver like we’ve seen with S1 Pro. It will have a big battery and long range to back it up. Batteries will be indigenously designed and developed in-house. It promises to be the sportiest car ever made in India. If you think about it, India doesn’t make sporty cars at all. So, yeah. Claims might be true.* Disclaimer – Render of Ola Electric Car above has been created by Pratyush Rout based on a teaser shared by Ola. The render is not commissioned or endorsed by Ola Electric. More

    • 138 Shares99 Views

      in Electric Cars

      Mahindra Electric Pickup Truck To Debut On 15th Aug – Scoop

      by

      An electric pickup truck could finally be the right product for Mahindra to crack the elusive North American marketNew Mahindra Electric Pickup Truck – RenderEarlier this year, Mahindra teased three electric SUVs of varying sizes. The automaker is preparing for their global premiere in the UK on 15th of August, our Independence Day. The venue makes sense as majority of the design process of these vehicles has been handled by the UK-based Mahindra Advanced Design Europe (MADE).We have learnt that one of the three upcoming EVs is a lifestyle pickup truck which will primarily be catering to the North American market. This array of zero emission products will usher in a new design era for Mahindra and Mahindra under the leadership of Pratap Bose. Mahindra North American Technical Center is said to be leading the engineering part.Mahindra Electric Pickup ConceptNothing much is known about the new Mahindra electric pickup or its siblings but we expect them to be based on a modular platform which is likely to take advantage of the recent component sharing tie-up with Volkswagen Group. As per the partnership, Mahindra gets to use critical EV components from the German giant’s MEB electric platform.Both single and dual-motor configurations are expected to be on offer but it’s too early to speculate about output figures or battery capacity. However, it is being rumoured that the battery packs will be sourced by LG and a Chinese supplier. All the three cars are estimated to have a range in excess of 400 km.Mahindra Born Electric SUVs – Teaser. Of these three, one is an electric pickup.The Indian SUV specialist has been having a strong aspiration to take the brand global for years now, but things haven’t panned out yet. However, a design center in the UK and a technical center in North America highlights that Mahindra has not given up on its global ambitions.Mahindra Electric International PlansThe acquisition of SsangYong failed to yield expected results and previous attempts to enter the North American market did not take off either. The Roxor has been marred by a lengthy legal battle with Jeep which eventually led Mahindra to significantly redesign its product. The company will be hoping that the new electric pickup truck and its SUV siblings could give it the much needed break in North America and other key overseas markets.In what comes as a significant boost to Mahindra’s global EV plans, British International Investment has announced an investment of up to INR 1,925 crore into a new electric 4 wheeler entity which will be wholly owned by M&M.To be incorporated under the banner Electric Vehicle Co., the new entity will have a capital infusion of around INR 8,000 cr (USD 1 billion) between FY24 and FY27 with both BII and M&M bringing in like-minded private investors. Further details about the EV Co. are expected to be revealed during the world premiere of the 3 new EVs next month. More

    • 125 Shares99 Views

      in Electric Cars

      Mahindra Plans To Overtake Tata Motors In Electric SUV Race

      by

      By 2027, Mahindra aims to have its electric SUVs contribute around 20-30% of the company’s overall SUV salesMahindra XUV400 Electric SUV Render By GenX DesignsMahindra is among the first established players to enter the EV space. It started with acquisition of Reva in 2010, followed by launch of e2o in 2013 and e2o Plus in 2016. Over the years, Mahindra’s EV portfolio was expanded to include eVerito, eSupro passenger and cargo van and electric three wheelers Treo and eAlfa Mini.However, in electric passenger car segment, it’s Tata Motors that currently leads with Nexon EV. This could change soon, as Mahindra has chalked out a detailed EV roadmap. If things go as per plans, Mahindra might overtake Tata Motors in EV sales. Mahindra chairman Anand Mahindra has also hinted that having strong competitors like Tata Motors prompts them to do better.Mahindra upcoming electric SUVsMahindra first electric SUV will be XUV400, which will directly rival Tata Nexon EV. It is scheduled to debut later this year in September. Sales of XUV400 are expected to commence in first quarter of CY2023. XUV400 will utilize XUV300 platform and is not a born-electric car. It is expected to have a range of around 300 km. In comparison, Nexon EV has a certified range of 312 KM. Recently launched Nexon EV Max variant has ARAI certified range of 437 km.After XUV400, Mahindra will be launching four more SUVs by March 2026. Some of these could utilize an entirely new born-electric platform currently being developed by Mahindra. Earlier, the company had stated that it is exploring possibilities of a tie-up with Volkswagen AG for supply of components needed for its electric vehicles. Partnerships with other companies, which can help boost Mahindra’s EV business, can also be considered.Anand Mahindra RespondsFocus on investmentsAs developing new EV platforms from the ground-up requires sizable resources, Mahindra is actively looking for investments. To ensure funds are easily accessible for its EV business, Mahindra has launched a new EV subsidiary. This entity will focus on developing passenger electric cars. The first investor is British International Investment (BII), which will be investing $250 million (approx. INR 1,986 crore) in the new entity. Mahindra will be contributing an equal amount.With the investment by BII, valuation of the new EV entity is at $9.1 billion (approx. INR 70,000 crore). Mahindra said that it will continue looking for more investments with the goal to achieve leadership in passenger EV space. New investments will also help achieve higher valuation of the new EV entity.Even though Mahindra is currently nowhere close to Tata Motors in passenger EV space, it has done better in terms of getting investments. Last year, Tata Motors had secured funding worth $1 billion from TPG’s Rise Climate Fund with valuation at approximately $9.1 billion.Mahindra will also be looking to leverage incentives worth billions of dollars being offered by Government of India. This is aimed at boosting EV production and adaptation and subsequently reducing the nation’s carbon footprint. Mahindra is looking at electric SUV sales at 20-30%  of its total SUV sales by March 2027. At 30%, the company expects volumes to be around 2 lakh electric SUVs per year.Source More

    • 213 Shares169 Views

      in Electric Cars

      Air EV Launch Price IDR 250m (Rs 13.2 L) Range 300 Km – New MG Electric Car

      by

      This will be the first-ever EV from MG stables to target urban commuters only – India launch by June 2023Wuling Air EV LaunchedMG Motor has seen some success in India with Hector, Hector Plus, ZS EV, Gloster and newly launched Astor. But now MG is taking a different direction and testing a product that no one in India makes anymore, the micro EV segment. Manufacturers like Mahindra have tried to capture this segment with two vehicles, e2O and e2O Plus, but have failed.Maybe it was the market back then that wasn’t ready to accept EVs as the next big thing. Mahindra’s products were not very desirable, to begin with. Now that EVs are a thing and mainstream manufacturers are digging it, maybe it is time for micro EVs to return?New MG electric car – Small EVMG has had a strong EV background in India. They had the ZS EV and now the facelifted model. Now, a new MG electric car is getting ready for launch in India. It only has two doors and is smaller in size than an Alto. Since MG has sourced every single car they sell in India from its Chinese parent company SAIC Motor and its subsidiaries, we knew where to look.This micro EV by MG, codenamed E230, is actually a Wuling Air EV manufactured by joint venture SAIC-GM-Wuling based on their GSEV (Global Small Electric Vehicle) platform. It was unveiled in Indonesia in June, and has now been officially launched. MG is toying with the idea of launching it in India too. Interestingly, MG Hector on sale in India is a rebadged Wuling Almaz. It is likely that MG will be using the same tried and tested method to launch this new small electric car in India.Wuling Air EV LaunchedAnother thing to note is that MG will go with as much localization as possible. It will source its EV components from Tata AutoComp and Gotion which use LFP battery cells like we see on Nexon EV. Wuling Air EV has 2 variants, a SWB (Standard Wheel Base) measuring 2599 mm in length and a LWB (Long Wheel Base) measuring 2974 mm in length.Both of them are 1505 mm wide and are 1631 mm tall. The SWB has two seats only and the LWB has 4 seats. The model sold in Indonesia and China gets 12” steel wheels. Wuling Air EV will also get two powertrain options, a 30kW and a 50 kW power motor and two range options varying from 200km to 300km on a single charge. Former is priced at IDR 250 million (Rs 13.2 lakh) and the latter is priced at IDR 300 million (Rs 15.9 lakh).Interior & LaunchMG has a tough job on their hands if they do launch it in India. Product positioning will be key here. If they market it for the mainstream buyers like Mahindra did, it is likely to take the same route of failure. But if somehow they market it as a third or fourth vehicle in one’s garage that is loaded with features to the gills, we can see a product like that sell in India.Wuling Air EV LaunchedIndonesian Wuling Air EV gets a minimal interior with two 10.2″ screens for the infotainment and instrumentation. Whereas, three rotary dials with integrated circular displays will form the climate control panel. It gets a 2-spoke steering wheel with audio controls too. The central console is detached from the dashboard and it gets a rotary knob for gear selection, power window controls and an electronic parking brake. More