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      Ford F-150 Lightning Electric Pickup Debuts – Range Up To 482 Kms

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      Ford F-150 Lightning ElectricUpon its launch by mid-2022, Ford F-150 Lightning will be directly pitted against GMC Hummer EV Pickup and Tesla Cyber Truck
      Ford has officially revealed its upcoming F-series electric pickup truck called F-150 Lightning ahead of its launch next year. Before this, the upcoming electric pickup was also spotted in its full production-spec model in a separate event attended by the US President, Joe Biden when he visited the automaker’s Rouge-based facility in Dearborn.
      US President Takes It For A Spin
      While giving a speech at the manufacturing plant, a brand new Ford F-150 Lightning prototype wrapped in silver paint sans any camouflage was spotted in the background. In all likelihood, this prototype was placed purposefully so that the carmaker is able to generate enough excitement ahead of its official unveiling.’
      Ford F-150 Lightning Electric
      If that wasn’t enough to create a buzz, the President took a spin on one of the prototypes at the end of the event, this one though was wrapped under covers. Biden is well known for his love for automobiles and he couldn’t help but get his hands on the steering wheel of the upcoming electric F-150.
      Exterior Design
      Coming to its exterior design, F-150 Lightning appears to have the same body as the standard F-150. However, it sports notable differences to distinguish itself from its IC engine-powered sibling.
      Ford F-150 Lightning Electric
      For starters, the electric pickup truck gets a completely redesigned front end with distinctive LED headlights and an LED light bar stretching across the width of the fascia. The face is dominated by a faux grille wrapped in gloss black with a prominent Blue Oval badge carved in the centre.
      Ford F-150 Lightning Electric
      Other notable highlights such as the front bumper, raked windshield and squarish ORVMs wear a familiar look to the standard F-150. The freshly designed six-spoke alloy wheels are another attractive highlight. The images going around in social media appear to be of a crew cab version with a twin layout cabin which means it is expected to get a luggage bed measuring less than 1,676mm in length.
      Specs and Range
      New Ford F-150 Lightning Electric Pickup will be available in two battery options – both powered by lithium ion. The entry level gets a range of 230 miles / 370 kms while the other one gets 300 miles / 482 kms range. Depending on the variant, the charger will be different. The entry level will get 11.3 kW single charger while top variants with larger batter get 19.2 kW dual charger.
      Ford F-150 Lightning Electric
      Thanks to the dual charger, via fast charging, owners will be able to charge the F-150 Lightning from 15% to 80% in under 45 minutes. Via home charger, full charging of the battery is achieved in upto 19 hours. Ford has also equipped the F-150 Lightning with a system that in case of a power outage, you can use the car’s battery to power your house.
      Price of the new F-150 Lightning starts from $39,974 MSRP (Rs 29.25 lakh) and goes all the way to $90,000 (Rs 65.87 lakh). Bookings are now open. You can register your interest via Ford website with a deposit of $100. Deliveries expected to start by mid 2022. More

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      Suzuki Misano Concept Electric Car Inspired From Track Motorcycles

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      Suzuki Misano Concept
      Suzuki Misano Concept is a futuristic electric two-seat roadster with superbike inspired design language built only for design study purpose
      Not always do we come across a design that is meant purely to showcase one’s talents. The latest Suzuki Misano Concept is one such design that is a culmination of the Japanese automaker’s two souls- car making and bike making. The design concept is a result of hard work of 24 master’s students at Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) in Turin, Italy in collaboration with Suzuki.
      Superbike Inspired Design
      The name ‘Misano’ has been derived from a motorcycle racing track called Misano World Circuit in Italy. The electric sports car takes plenty of inspiration from a track-focussed motorcycle for instance its aerodynamic design and its two-seat layout in tandem format on the left-hand side of the car.
      Suzuki Misano Concept
      Misano Concept sports a classic barchetta (boat-like) silhouette that embodies the contrasting essence of driving and riding an automobile with a futuristic twist. The IED students have managed to keep the dimensions of the car fairly compact. The car measures around 4 metres in length and only a metre tall while the design comprises a mix of curves and hard edges.
      Design highlights
      Upfront, it flaunts S-shaped headlights integrated on the front grille which resemble the Suzuki emblem. Copper accents have been added to the roll hoop behind the rear passenger and alloy wheels in order to give a contrasting touch to an all-black theme of the car.
      Suzuki Misano Concept
      While the left side has been occupied by front and rear seats, the right-hand side has been utilised for carving out a luggage space as well as space for keeping the battery pack. It comes with a single door on the left side of the car featuring a glass panel that makes the driver feel closer to the road.
      Suzuki Misano Concept
      The rear of Misano Concept has been designed with emphasis laid on enhancing aerodynamic qualities. The motorcycle – car connection goes further deeper as it employs a control stick instead of a traditional steering wheel and pedals.
      A small windscreen up front is another element taking inspiration from a motorbike. The designing team from IED comprises students from various countries including India.
      Misano Concept has been created simply as a design study and is highly doubtful to reach the production stage as there are no powertrain details attached to this prototype. It will, however, be displayed to the public at Mauto, the Italian national automotive museum in Turin, on 15 and 16 June this year. More

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      Huawei SERES Electric Hybrid Car Launched In China At CNY 217k (Rs 25 L)

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      Huawei Electric Hybrid CarIf required, SF5 can also act as a battery that could be used to power or recharge other devices like television, etc.
      The latest edition of the ongoing Shanghai Auto Show has been an exhibition of many exciting new vehicles that have been trending online. One of them is Huawei SF5 electric SUV which has been revealed in its final production-spec model. This officially marks the Chinese technology giant’s debut in the automotive world.
      SF5 is a mid-size electric crossover with a unique plug-in hybrid powertrain that has been co-developed in partnership with California-based company Cyrus and will be retailed under the joint venture SERES brand. The entry of Huawei into the automotive sector is seen as the Chinese firm’s expansion policy of 1+8+N.
      Huawei Electric Hybrid Car
      The SUV has been launched at a starting price of CNY 216,800 that roughly translates to INR 25.20 lakh. Interested consumers can visit the website or Huawei’s Vmall e-commerce platform and book the electric crossover at a token amount of CNY 1000 (equivalent to INR 11,600). The car measures 4,700 mm long, 1,930 mm wide and 1,625 mm tall while it offers a wheelbase of 2,875 mm.
      Exterior Design
      In terms of its design, SF5 looks almost identical to its pre-production concept which made its maiden appearance in 2019. Although there are subtle differences in the production-spec model like additional ventilation holes on front bumper.
      Huawei Electric Hybrid Car
      The front end flaunts a mesh grille which is flanked by swept back and sleek LED headlamps along with L-shaped LED DRLs. At rear, it sports wraparound taillights connected by an LED light bar across the width. Other distinctive highlights include a wing-shaped window line, flush-mounted door handles and a sloping roofline.
      Huawei Electric Hybrid Car
      Interior Layout & Features on offer
      Inside the cabin too, the layout is similar to the pre-production concept which flaunts a minimalistic dashboard featuring a wide-width air vent. The dash gets two large screens- one is a central touchscreen infotainment display in a portrait format providing access to all vehicle-related information. The other is a digital instrument cluster. Centre console is devoid of any fancy tech wizardry and only features a storage compartment and a gear selector knob ahead of the centre armrest.
      Coming from Huawei, it is bound to be equipped with plenty of creature comforts such as Huawei’s Harmony OS-based HiCar system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Huawei Sound system with 11 speakers, an inductive charging station for smartphones, voice control services and much more. SF5 is laced with radar-based sensors to enable Level 2 autonomous features such as adaptive cruise control, traffic jam assist, automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping assist to name a few.
      Huawei Electric Hybrid Car
      Powertrain Specs
      The most interesting highlight is its unique plug-in hybrid powertrain somewhat similar to the recently revealed 2022 Nissan X-Trail, the only difference the latter doesn’t offer a plug-in recharge. Under the hood of SF5, it features a 1.5 litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol motor that acts as a range extender to recharge the battery. The battery pack feeds power to SEP200 asynchronous electric motors that return a cumulative output of 543 bhp and 820 Nm of peak torque. There is no shortage of performance as it sprints zero to 100 kmph in just 4.7 seconds.
      Huawei has revealed an all-electric range of 180km while a cumulative range of 1000km using the range extender as per NEDC (New European Driving Cycle). Customers get the option of choosing from two variants of SF5- a single motor and a dual-motor setup. The latter is offered at a price of CNY 246,800 (equivalent to INR 28.67 lakh) More

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      Mahindra e2o Electric Range Extended To 350 Kms By Northway Motorsport

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      Mahindra e2o Plus Electric
      Mahindra retailed e20 Plus electric hatch in three trims- P2, P4 and P6
      Mahindra was one of the first auto manufacturers in the private vehicle segment in India to venture into the electric mobility space. It developed two electric vehicle (EV) models namely eVerito and e20 Plus in sedan and hatchback body styles respectively.
      However, they were unable to gain any popularity among masses due to limited availability and lack of charging infrastructure and hence were discontinued. Range anxiety was another issue that led to the downfall of these vehicles, especially e20 that offered below par single-charge range.
      Additional battery backup results in 350km range
      The electric hatch was offered with two battery options- an 11kWh battery pack and a 15kWH battery pack. The former claimed a maximum range of 110km whereas the latter claimed a range of 140km on a single charge.
      In real-world situations, the range declined even further with the use of the air conditioner in a stop and go traffic. Northway Motorsport, based out of Pune, has managed to increase the single-charge range of the electric hatch.
      Mahindra e2o Plus Electric with range extender
      A video, courtesy of Hemank Dabhade, uploaded on YouTube shows a stock e20 Plus being installed with a 17kWh battery pack. This is in addition to the pre-existing 11kWH Lithion-ion battery which results in a total capacity of 28kWh.
      The additional 17kWh range extender pack has been placed in the car’s boot space. The purpose of making the video is to find out how much can the car travel on a full charge with additional battery backup.
      The drive was conducted in a real-world scenario, in a very cautious manner with the air conditioner being turned off during the entire journey. The car was driven with extreme care below 25 percent SOC to reduce power consumption even further. At the end of the drive, the upgraded e20 Plus resulted in a distance traveled around 350km before the battery was completely drained out.
      [embedded content]
      e20 Plus Features & Specs
      This is a remarkable figure considering the limited capacity of the power source. It was further aided by regenerative braking and additionally, 15-18 km of journey was covered in moderate downslopes. This helped e20 Plus attain a very impressive range which is hard to achieve by any EV on sale currently in the real world.
      The electric car was driven by a three-phase AC Induction Motor which returns a very modest output of 26 bhp at 3500rpm and 70 Nm at 1050rpm. It could clock a top speed of 80kmph while it could sprint 0-60 kmph in a yawning 14.1 seconds. It was offered with a standard 3kW single Phase 16 Amp charger which took 7hrs and 20 mins for the larger 15kWh battery pack to get charged while the smaller 12 kWh unit took 6 hours to juice up. More

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      2022 Nissan X-Trail Debuts With New Hybrid Electric Powertrain

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      2022 Nissan X-TrailLike its American counterpart, the new Nissan-Trail will be offered in multiple seating configurations
      The latest edition of the Shanghai Auto Show in China has been a showcase to many highly anticipated international models. One of them is the fifth generation Nissan X-Trail which was recently unveiled at the biennial motor show. From the first look, it can be witnessed that the upcoming SUV has undergone quite a few changes both above and underneath its skin.
      Nissan’s flagship SUV in its latest form is based on the CMF-C crossover platform that has been co-developed by the Japanese manufacturer along with its alliance partners Renault and Mitsubishi. The upcoming SUV already went on sale in the US market as ‘Rogue’ a few months back.
      Exterior Design
      The new-gen X-Trail is based on Nissan’s 3.0 design philosophy which results in a plethora of exterior updates. This includes a more butch appearance at front with a new split lighting setup, oversize trapezoidal front grille and aggressive front bumper.
      Blacked-out roof, ORVMs, pillars and side body claddings provide the necessary sporty appeal to the premium SUV. At rear, it features a pair of wraparound LED taillights and a muscular bash plate along with striking design lines.
      2022 Nissan X-Trail
      Interior Layout & Features
      Although dimensions are yet to be revealed officially, if it follows its American sibling then the new X-Trail is likely to be 38mm shorter and 5mm lower than its predecessor. Inside the cabin, things don’t change much as the upcoming model continues to offer a three-row configuration with folding seats in the third row.
      As far as features are concerned, it will be offered with a larger touchscreen infotainment system that houses various connectivity features, wireless charging, ventilated front seats and a bunch of driver-assist functions.
      New powertrain on offer
      The most notable highlight lies under the SUV’s hood. The new-gen X-Trail gets an e-POWER technology featuring a VC Turbo 300 petrol motor that is solely used to charge a battery powering a DC electric motor mounted on the front axle.
      This hybrid powertrain results in an output of 201 bhp and 300 Nm of peak torque. Like the fully electric Nissan Leaf, 2021 X-Trail also features a one-pedal operational ability called ‘e-Pedal’. This system offers enhanced fuel efficiency and lower emissions in comparison to its conventional IC engine-powered counterparts.
      The upcoming SUV will also be available with Nissan’s 4×4 Intelligent AWD system that sends power to all four wheels. This new iteration of X-Trail is expected to go on sale in international markets later this year. While the current third-gen X-Trail never made it to India, we hope Nissan gives it some consideration this time around. More

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      in Electric Cars

      Toyota bZ4X Electric Concept Debuts – Name Trademarked In India

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      Toyota bZ4X Electric ConceptToyota has already filed trademarks for other bZ models such as bZ1X up to bZ5X in India
      Slowdown in the global automotive industry hasn’t impacted the process of automakers transitioning to electrified powertrains. Toyota has announced that it will be adding as many fifteen fully electric vehicles (EVs) in its global lineup out of which seven will wear the branding of bZ which stands for ‘Beyond Zero’.
      The first of the bZ lineup has now been revealed in a pre-production concept form called bZ4X which is loosely based on Toyota’s mid-size SUV RAV4. Given RAV4’s popularity in international markets, it was a no-brainer for the Japanese carmaker. The crossover has been built on e-TNGA platform in partnership with Subaru.
      Toyota bZ4X Electric Concept
      Exterior Design
      As expected, the bZ4X Concept takes a number of styling inspirations from its IC engine-powered cousin. It is similar in shape and size to RAV4 but sits a little lower and is slightly longer than the latter.
      At front, it gets a small hexagonal grille in the lower section of the face with small vertical inlets in the corners. Otherwise, the front end has no openings with a trapezoidal nose. The headlight clusters have four projector LED beams and a strip of LED DRLs at top of each.
      Toyota bZ4X Electric Concept
      Moving to its side profile, it gets swift character lines flowing backward giving it the impression of a scooped-out section. Lower part of the door kinks upward at the rear fenders while a rear spoiler and high beltline add a sporty element to its design. Like RAV4, the C-pillar has a steep coupe-like rake while glossy black wheel arches and multi-spoke tubeless alloy wheels accentuate the crossover’s sporty appeal.
      Toyota bZ4X Electric Concept
      At rear, LED illumination comprising boomerang-shaped taillights and a full-width strip across the tailgate gives it a premium appeal. Overall, the bZX4 concept grabs the attention by its bold and futuristic looks. Its interior, though premium and modern, fails to complement the exterior.
      Interior Layout & Features
      The cabin features a bulky steering column with a digital instrument cluster almost stuck to the windscreen glass. The dashboard flaunts a wide touchscreen infotainment unit extending up to the centre console finished in piano with rotary dials for toggling assistance systems and drive modes.
      Toyota bZ4X Electric Concept
      It also receives a touchpad with a blue glow that can be used to operate the infotainment screen. Other highlights include multi-zone climate control, USB charging ports and a dual-tone interior theme.
      The rear seat seems fairly spacious thanks to the lack of a drivetrain hump and a wide cabin which should accommodate three adults abreast. Toyota hasn’t yet revealed the exact powertrain specs. The e-TNGA platform is suited for both single motor and dual motor setups.
      Toyota bZ4X Electric Concept
      The former can be opted in either front-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive layouts while the latter comes with all-wheel-drive capabilities. A single-motor variant called bZ4 should also be included in the lineup. Basically, the ‘X’ in the model name refers to all-wheel-drive vehicles.
      Toyota has trademarked BZ, BZ1, BZ2, BZ3, BZ4 and BZ5 in India
      A rebadged crossover under Subaru branding shall also be developed. Expect production version of bZ4X to start reaching markets by mid-2022. Toyota intends to launch all seven bZ models by 2025 which will also include an electric pickup truck. Production of the electric crossover is expected to be carried out in Japan and China. More

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      Ford Evos Electric Debuts With 27 Inch 4k Infotainment Screen

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      Ford EVOS
      Upcoming Ford Evos will replace Mondeo in European and Fusion in North American markets
      Ford Evos Concept made its maiden appearance a decade ago back in 2011 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Now, the American carmaker has revealed Evos in its final production-spec model at the Auto Shanghai event of 2021. The crossover is the first product of a joint venture between the Blue Oval brand and Chinese automaker Changan.
      Evos is essentially a crossover between an SUV and Coupe, and is believed to succeed the outgoing Ford Mondeo/Fusion. It has been largely developed by a team of Changan and will initially be manufactured at the joint venture’s facility in China. The SUV is most likely to go on sale in China later this year followed by other international markets.
      Exterior Styling
      The front face of Evos is reminiscent of another China-specific model which recently went on sale- Equator. It features a low-set bonnet along with super-thin LED headlamps that are connected to each other by a thin LED strip. The light strip extends into daytime running lights and the headlight clusters merge with a wide, octagonal and blacked-out radiator grille.
      Move to its side, its coupe-like silhouette, pop-out door handles and flat-sloping D-pillars remind us of Mustang Mach-E. Other highlights from the side profile include black body claddings, sleek window area and sharp crease lines in the upper portion.
      Ford Evos
      At rear, the most attractive piece of highlight are C-shaped LED taillights connected via a full-width LED light strip. Exhaust pipe has been kept discreet which suggests that this car might be available in an electric powertrain as well. Other styling elements include 19-inch blacked-out alloy wheels, ‘EVOS’ written in bold lettering at rear and two-tone paint schemes with a black roof.
      Interior Styling & Features
      Coming to interiors, the cabin of Evos is simple and minimalist yet highly digital and very futuristic. Interior of the upcoming SUV gets a sporty black treatment enhanced by orange accents on the dash, centre console and steering wheel.
      Almost the entire dashboard is divided into two display screens- one for the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and the other a 27-inch 4K ultra-wide infotainment screen. The infotainment Operating system (OS) runs on Ford’s localized SYNC+ 2.0 with Baidu’s AI tech which it refers to as a virtual personal assistant.
      Ford EVOS
      Ford hasn’t let out any specifications of its powertrain or dimensions as of now but it is expected to feature a hybrid as well as a fully electric power source. More details regarding the crossover will be revealed in months to come. More

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      New Honda HRV Inspired Electric SUV Prototype Debuts

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      Honda HRV inspired electric SUV – e:prototype
      The production model based on Honda SUV e: prototype is expected to go on sale by spring of 2022
      Auto Shanghai 2021 being held from April 21-28, 2021 has the all new Honda SUV e-prototype on display. It is being showcased at the upcoming all electric model from the brand that will go on sale from Spring 2022.
      The new SUV, which currently goes by the codename e-prototype, is the first of 10 such electric vehicles being planned by Honda for launch over the next 5 years. It bears a striking resemblance to the e:concept which was shown off at the 2020 Beijing Motor Show but in a more production ready format.
      Exterior Inspired by new HR-V
      Where its exterior styling is concerned, the new Honda e:prototype borrows design inspiration from the new HR-V. It gets a thin LED strip in the front, LED eye shaped headlamps, thin LED strips at the top and slim side mirrors. The LED logo in the front hides the panel which is its charging port.
      On the sides are black body cladding, retractable front door handles and at the rear there are tail lamps linked by a light bar and the Honda logo in the center. Twin light strips are also seen on the rear bumper and it gets a prominent tailgate spoiler and contrasting black roofline to offer a floating roof effect.
      New Honda HRV is being planned for India launch
      Third Gen Honda Connect
      Honda E:Prototype comes in with third generation Honda Connect. It will also receive Honda’s ADAS next gen advanced safety and driver assist system. ADAS allows driver to experience new technologies with better safety and comforts of mobility.
      Honda Connect offers advanced functions like connectivity, smartphone link and OTA – Over-the-Air updates based on voice recognition interface. Besides being offered with the e:Prototype, Honda Connect will also make its way onto other Honda models in the second half of this year.
      The AI powered system also offers users connectivity to smart home appliances and online shopping and also supports digital key via the smartphone. No details of powertrain or any other technical spec were revealed and will be announced once the model enters production.
      Honda HRV inspired electric SUV – e:prototype
      At Auto Shanghai 2021, Honda also unveiled the Breeze PHEV which is based on the Honda CR-V. This is the company’s first plug in hybrid model and is based on Honda’s Sport Hybrid i-MMD hybrid system. It offers an impressive electric range and promises to go on sale by later this year. Breeze PHEV is being introduced by GAC Honda (Guangqi Honda or Guangzhou Honda), a JV between GAC Group and Honda Motor Company. More