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      in Motor News

      Politicians Mad USPS Won't Have More EVs in Its New Postal Truck Fleet

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      While the contract that was recently awarded to Oshkosh Defense came at the end of a five-year search, it still might not be the end of the road.
      Two Democrats from Ohio and one from California want to investigate how Oshkosh was chosen and why only 10 percent of the new mail trucks might be electric.
      The USPS said it would like to increase that 10 percent number, but it needs more money from Congress to make that happen.
      The five-year search for a new, electric U.S. Postal Service van might not be completely over just yet. While the USPS made a decision last month to award a $482 million contract to Oshkosh Defense for the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV), questions about the way the company was selected as well as about how the new vehicles will fit into the federal government’s push for all-electric vehicles in its fleet leave a few questions unanswered.

      So Much for Looking Cool While Delivering the Mail

      USPS Chooses Oshkosh to Replace Grumman LLVs

      The two items are connected, but let’s start with the Oshkosh question. The $482 million is just the next crucial step towards designing a NGDV in what could end up being a $6 billion contract over 10 years as Oshkosh delivers somewhere between 50,000 and 165,000 vehicles. That’s a fair amount of money, but Postmaster General Louis DeJoy recently told Congress that the USPS might only ask for 10 percent of the NGDVs to be all-electric models. The remaining NGDVs would be gas-powered, like the majority of today’s postal vehicles, but the new models would have low-emission powertrains.
      The 10 percent number EV was enough for two Congressional representatives from Ohio, Marcy Kaptur and Tim Ryan, and Jared Huffman from California (all Democrats) to put forward a resolution that calls on Congress to investigate how the Oshkosh contract was awarded. In part, it “urges the United States Postal Service to freeze the recently awarded contract to purchase 165,000 new vehicles until an expedited review is conducted to determine there was no inappropriate political influence” and to ensure the contract is in line with the Paris Climate Accord and President Biden’s climate-crisis executive order.

      USPS

      The resolution notes that the USPS currently uses a civilian fleet of more than 200,000 delivery vehicles and that almost 140,000 of them are the classic Grumman Long Life Vehicles (LLVs) that were put into service between 1987 and 1994. People might like the look of these LLVs, but the resolution makes clear they are “aging, fuel inefficient, and carbon emitting.” They were designed to last just 24 years and all are over their limit by now, causing some to catch fire along with other mechanical issues. Since they all need to be replaced, making just 10 percent of the NGDVs electric is not in line with President Biden’s push to electrify the federal vehicle fleet, the representatives said. Workhorse, an electric vehicle startup that was also in the running for the USPS contract, is located in Ohio and could benefit if there’s a shift to more EVs.
      The USPS said that it would like to procure more EV delivery trucks, but that it needs more money from Congress to make that happen.
      “The challenge remains the Postal Service’s billions in annual operating losses, which is why we welcome and are interested in any support from Congress that advances the goal of a Postal Service vehicle fleet with zero emissions, and the necessary infrastructure required to operate it,” the USPS told Trucks.com. “With the right level of support, the majority of the Postal Service’s fleet can be electric by the end of the decade.”
      Whatever their powertrains, Oshkosh’s first NGDVs could start delivering mail in 2023.
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      in Motor News

      VW Expands EV Offensive with Plans for Six Battery Factories

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      Volkswagen announced its plan to build six battery factories in Europe, each with a capacity of 40 gigawatt-hours, at its livestreamed “Power Day” event.
      All of the factories will be in operation by 2030, with the first one up and running by 2023. They’re part of Volkswagen’s plan to gain more control of its EV supply chain.
      VW also outlined plans to make batteries cheaper, reducing EVs’ costs by 30 percent or more, and to recycle 95 percent of components in its batteries.
      Volkswagen has been clear about its goal of leading in electrification, and at a livestreamed Power Day event earlier today, the automaker revealed the latest part of its plan to do so: building six new battery factories across Europe. The plants, VW says, will all be in operation by 2030 and will each have a capacity of 40 gigawatt-hours. For comparison, Tesla claims that its Nevada Gigafactory 1 has an annualized 35-GWh rate. VW also said it is developing a way to recycle nearly all of its battery components and to cut the price of electric vehicles by 30 to 50 percent.

      VW to Build a ‘High Range’ EV for 2026

      Honda, VW Making Wildly Different Bets on EVs

      Volkswagen Wants to Sell Three Million EVs a Year

      At the event, VW also said that it plans to invest in its charging networks around the world, including building another 3500 Electrify America fast chargers in North America in 2021 along with increasing the number of charging stations from 560 to 800. In Europe, VW said, it is going to increase the number of chargers in operates by five times, to 18,000 total chargers. It also plans a major expansion in China.
      The building of battery factories is part of VW’s plan to gain more control over its supply chain. The first VW gigafactory to reach the 40-GWh capacity is in Sweden and will be operated alongside Northvolt, a battery developer. The second will be in Germany and operated by Volkswagen itself; the automaker is looking for partners for the other four factories, including one to be located in Eastern Europe and one in France or Spain.
      The factories will help VW achieve its goal of producing one million electric vehicles a year by 2023 and 1.5 million a year by 2025. By 2030, the German automaker aims for fully electric vehicles to reach 50 percent of its sales in North America.
      Tesla currently operates a battery factory in Nevada with its partner Panasonic, and General Motors is building a battery factory in Ohio alongside LG Chem. Tesla’s Nevada plant has a capacity of 35 gigawatt-hours, and GM’s plant is slated to have a capacity of 30 gigawatt-hours.

      GM, LG Announce EV Battery Factory Plans in Ohio

      Tesla Gigafactory 4 Will Be In Berlin

      At the Power Day event, Volkswagen laid out plans for a new battery cell it calls a unified cell. The new design, VW says, will allow it to reduce costs for entry-level electric vehicles by 50 percent and for its mainstream vehicles up to 30 percent. Thomas Schmall, CEO of Volkswagen Group Components, said in a statement that the cost of the batteries will be brought down below about $119 per kilowatt-hour.
      VW also outlined plans beyond the battery production during the event, showing off its method of recycling batteries—in a process that VW claims reuses 95 percent of the battery—as well as its bidirectional charging capabilities. VW said that its vehicles will be ready for bidirectional charging, or using your car’s battery to power electronics in your home, by 2022 using a bidirectional wall box. VW outlined such plans in 2020, but the timeline for the rollout wasn’t clear.
      The automaker did not announce any new vehicles at the event.
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      in Bike

      2021 Bajaj Pulsar 150 New White Colour At Dealer Showroom – Launch Soon

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      2021 Bajaj Pulsar White Colour
      Apart from revised cosmetics, the Moon White Edition of Bajaj Pulsar 150 is identical to the regular model in terms of specs and features

      Bajaj Pulsar is arguably one of the most popular sporty commuter range of motorcycles in India along with its arch nemesis TVS Apache. Out of all different iterations Pulsar 150, is the most sold model wearing the ‘Pulsar’ branding. The Chakan-based two wheeler manufacturer is all set to introduce a new colour scheme in India soon.
      A video uploaded by Jet wheels on YouTube takes a walk around this upcoming new variant of Pulsar 150 which sports this bright new colour scheme. This edition of the entry-level sports commuter bike is called Moon White Edition and comes with a lovely dual-tone paint scheme with shades of white and black which are complemented by red accents.
      2021 Bajaj Pulsar White Colour
      Updated Aesthetics
      The red highlights on the motorcycle accentuate the motorcycle’s sporty appeal. Along with the unique paint option, this variant of Pulsar 150 will also receive attractive body graphics. Apart from this, the front mudguard receives carbon fibre stickering with a gloss black treatment given to it.
      It stands on blacked-out alloy wheels which also get red stripes on its rims. Mechanical components such as the engine-gearbox assembly, central body panel, exhaust pipe and engine guard are painted in black.
      [embedded content]
      More carbon fibre treatments are seen on the rear fender and toolbox cover. In addition, design of the ‘150’ branding has also been altered slightly. While the entire body receives matte finish components such as its clip-on handlebar, exhaust cover and pillion grab rail are finished in gloss black. It receives the same part-digital and part-analogue instrument cluster.
      Faux carbon fiber sticker
      Specifications
      In terms of specifications, this upcoming Moon White Edition will be identical to the regular Pulsar 150. It features the same 149.5cc air-cooled single-cylinder fuel-injected motor which produces 13.8 bhp and 13.4 Nm of peak torque and is paired with a 5-speed gearbox.
      The new variant also uses the same hardware setup which consists of telescopic forks at front and dual springs with adjustable preload at rear. The braking setup comprises a standard disc brake at front with the option of either a drum brake or disc brake at rear. Safety net is provided by a single-channel ABS as standard.
      2021 Bajaj Pulsar White Colour
      Apart from the new colour option, Bajaj offers six colour schemes on Pulsar 150 range. In addition, the company offers three neon colour options- neon red, neon yellow and neon silver for the updated Neon series. This new Moon White Edition is expected to be priced at a premium of Rs 2000-3000 the existing Pulsar 150 range. Pulsar 150 competes against the likes of TVS Apache RTR 160, Yamaha FZ-S Fi and Honda Unicorn. More

    • 150 Shares169 Views

      in Bike

      Okinawa Electric Scooter Sales Increase By 30% – Petrol Price Hike Effect

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      Okinawa Electric Scooter Sales Growth
      Okinawa electric scooter sales and enquiries increase on account of rising petrol prices

      Having been an early mover in the electric scooter market, Okinawa finds itself in an advantageous position. Though electric scooter sales volumes are on the rise, total volumes are still small in these early days. For starters, in that equation, Okinawa sales is on the rise. It also manages to report sales, second only to Hero Electric.
      Recent months have seen petrol price stabilise in most cities at juts below 100 bucks for a litre. While that’s a spot of bother for all two wheeler users, electric variants are benefiting. Okinawa reported 30 percent increase in sale of electric scooters over the last quarter.
      The company attributes this to rising fuel prices. Not just sales, Okinawa has increasingly addressed a growing number of enquiries, close to a 3-fold increase from prospective customers.
      EV sector rapid growth
      Jeetender Sharma, MD & Founder, Okinawa Autotech, states “The EV sector in India is rapidly growing since the last three years as both the central and state governments have been taking many initiatives to promote the adoption of Electric vehicles.
      Image for reference
      The recent hike in fuel prices has further pushed consumers to look for alternate options such as electric vehicles. We as a company have witnessed the hike and aim to provide the electric vehicles that are at par with the ICE engine.”
      As petrol prices continue to move closer to Rs 100 per litre, demand for electric two-wheelers sees positive uptick. Over time, awareness around e-scooters continues to improve. Currently, Okinawa Autotech scooter sales are on the increase at a pace of 35 percent to 40 percent this year. Current market dynamics has helped the manufacturer emerge as one of the leading electric two-wheeler sellers. The company ended 2020 having sold the second highest no. of high-speed electric scooters.
      Okinawa electric scooters
      Product portfolio has now been expanded to six electric scooters available in a price range of Rs 50,000 to Rs 1.14 lakh. In 2021, Okinawa plans to launch 2 more new high speed two-wheelers.
      As the electric scooter segment establishes groundwork for the times to come, government subsidy policies are influencing product development. Considering government subsidies are not a blanket offer for electric scooters, manufacturers are inclined to opt for products that qualify for such subsidies.
      Considering these are still early days, in time, mainstream manufacturers will enter the electric two-wheeler space in a more involved manner. Until then, the road is clear for new manufacturers to stamp their roadmap strongly. More

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      in Bike

      Honda CB500X India Launch Price Rs 6.87 L – As A CKD

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      2021 Honda CB500X launched in India via CKD route
      India-spec Honda CB500X is similar to its international counterpart and gets the same 471cc parallel-twin motor

      With the recent expansion of the BigWing network in India, Honda is looking to expand its footprint in the premium segment of motorcycles in the country. It launched a classic retro-style motorcycle in the form of H’Ness CB350 which has been a huge success considering its limited availability.
      This was followed by a scrambler version of H’Ness called CB350 RS which recently made its debut in the market. Now, the Japanese automaker has launched its first mid-displacement adventure tourer in the form of CB500X which will also be retailed exclusively through BigWing chain of dealerships.
      The adventure motorcycle segment has surely gathered pace in recent months with attractive new offerings from several brands. Currently, this segment boasts of entry-level ADV motorcycles like Hero Xpulse 200, Royal Enfield Himalayan, BMW G 310 GS, KTM 250 Adventure and 390 Adventure.
      Design
      In terms of design, it looks like a proper contemporary adventure tourer with a tall adjustable windscreen, a big fuel tank, a stepped-up seat, an upswept exhaust and staggered spoke alloy wheel shod by all-terrain tyres. As far as features are concerned, it will boast full LED lighting, a fully digital LCD instrument cluster and dual-channel ABS.
      Honda CB500X – India Spec
      Mechanical Specs
      In terms of mechanicals, it is powered by a 471cc parallel-twin, liquid-cooled DOHC motor that pushes out 47 PS of maximum power at 8,500rpm and 43.2 Nm of peak torque at 6500rpm. This unit is linked to a six-speed gearbox with a slipper and assist clutch for quick gear shifts. The frame is suspended on 41mm telescopic forks at front with 150mm of travel and a nine-position preload adjustable mono-shock at rear with a travel of 135mm.
      It rides on 19-inch front and 17-inch rear alloy wheels with 110/80 and 160/60 section of tyres respectively. Braking duties are handled by 320mm front and 230mm rear disc brakes. Going by these numbers, it looks as if it is more of a road-biased adventure tourer. Globally it is considered one of the best adventure motorcycles in its segment.
      India Price
      In India, CB500X will rival Benelli TRK 502. It is brought to the country as a Completely Knocked Down (CKD) unit and is priced from Rs 6.87 lakh (ex-sh, Gurgaon). This makes it an affordable option for those who do not want to the more powerful Kawasaki Versys 650. Bookings of Honda CB500X are open from today at Honda’s premium big bike dealerships – BigWing Topline & BigWing across India.
      Mr. Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Director – Sales & Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd., said, “Driven by the passion of fun riders in India and further strengthening our offerings in the mid-size premium motorcycle segment, CB500X will entice adventure enthusiasts who believe in exploring unconventional trails. This machine serves as a companion for city rides and is beast on unraveled paths. The parallel twin-cylinder engine offers easy-to-access power and plenty of torque. Together with tough adventure styling, long-travel suspension, a tall windscreen and more, CB500X invites you to Live Unlike the Others.” More

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      in Bike

      Royal Enfield Tops Clean Manufacturing Test With BMW, Honda, KTM, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Ducati

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      Royal Enfield motorcycles are manufactured at company plant in Chennai, India.
      Japanese motorcycle manufacturers along with their European counterparts are considered clean enough barring those from Italian manufacturers

      Ever wondered which bike manufacturer has the cleanest running motors. No, we are not exactly talking about emission standards of a motorcycle which are very much equal thanks to emission standards. We are talking about the preciseness of the company’s manufacturing process which results in minimum quantities of impurities getting through an engine from an assembly line.
      Test by FortNine
      FortNine recently collaborated with a laboratory that evaluated similar criteria for various car makers across the world. The lab tests the first service oil from various manufacturers and checks the presence of impurities of different magnitudes and sizes which are a result of less than a perfect manufacturing process.
      A similar evaluation was conducted for several motorcycle manufacturers. FortNine collected first service engine oil from twelve random brands of motorcycles and sent them to the labs for testing. These brands are Royal Enfield, BMW, KTM, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda, Triumph, Suzuki, Harley Davidson, Aprilia, Ducati and Yin Xiang.
      The results which arrived recently, around seven months later, might be a little surprising to motorcycle enthusiasts, especially those from India. Royal Enfield has beaten the rest, and managed to top the list in the clean manufacturing process test.
      Clean Manufacturing Test Result – Credit FortNine
      Quantity & Nature of Impurities
      The impurity measured were of various sizes with particles ranging from less than 5 micrometres to 100 micrometres. The laboratory even tried evaluating larger particles but some of the samples were so messed up that they formed alliances with smaller sized impurities which made it hard for scientists to make an accurate reading. However, readings taken were pretty consistent for impurity particles of all sizes. Take a look at the detailed test video below.
      [embedded content]
      While impurities such as carbon and metal shavings are expected to be part of any automobile assembly line and likely to trickle into an engine, the findings suggested presence of other uncommon impurity materials such as cloth fibre, sand, plastic, chips of wood and others. 100ml of each sample was tested for the quality of engine oil, the presence of carbon content in it and the magnitude of impurities.
      Yin Xiang Performs Worst
      However, impurities in the Chinese manufacturer Yin Xiang’s sample were so large and frequent that scientists could only test 25ml of the sample and multiplied the result into four. No wonder that the manufacturer recorded over an astounding 11.88 million impurity particles in its sample which measured less than 5 micrometres. Two Italian manufacturers Aprilia and Ducati were the next with impurities worth 2.3 and 1.8 million respectively.
      Clean Manufacturing Test Result – Credit FortNine
      Iconic American motorcycle brand Harley Davidson also did not have a favourable result as it fared just a little better than its Italian counterparts. Rest of the makers were considered as clean enough at least for now. While most motors will not have a problem complying with stricter emission norms in future, the Italians and the Chinese manufacturers will have their task cut out.
      Royal Enfield-Cleanest of All
      The surprising part was that the list was topped by none other than India’s Royal Enfield which had the least number of impurity particulates in its sample. Therefore, it is considered to be one of the cleanest motors, if not the cleanest, in the world.
      Currently, lead is used to manufacture spinning parts of motorcycles which is soft enough to absorb impurities rather than grinding them. However, stricter emission norms will ban use of heavy metals which means no more lead. This will pose further challenges to manufacturers in coming days More

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      in Electric Cars

      Kia EV6 Electric Car Makes Global Debut – Interiors, Exteriors Detailed

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      Kia EV6 Electric CarKia EV6 will be positioned on the Electric-Global Modular Platform that also spawns the Hyundai Ioniq 5
      As first photos of Kia’s upcoming EV6 electric car get released officially, it can be seen that this will be the first example of the company’s new Opposites United design philosophy. This is a philosophy that is based on the 5 pillars of Bold for Nature, Joy for Reason, Power to Progress, Technology for Life and Tension for Serenity.
      New Kia EV6 is also the company’s first all-electric model and the first vehicle built on the new Electric-Global Modular Platform that also underpins the new Hyundai Ioniq 5. As of now there are no plans for the car to be launched in India.
      Kia EV6 Electric Car
      Exterior Details
      The new Kia EV6 is designed at Kia’s global design network in Namyang (S.Korea), Frankfurt (Germany), and Irvine (California, US). Being positioned on Kia’s dedicated EV platform – E-GMP, the EV6 crossover will made its world premiere later this month in a special online event.
      It will boast of spacious interiors and as first images of its exteriors get revealed, it may be seen that it gets a new Kia logo, a large set of headlamps connected via a narrow upper Kia’s ‘Tiger Nose Grille’, angular DRLs and a larger lower opening that also related to better aerodynamics.
      Kia EV6 Electric Car
      The rear window slopes towards the spoiler with a light bar spanning the entire rear of the vehicle which could relate to less cargo space. Rear haunches and wheel arches along with a swept back windshield are also a part of its exterior features. Aerodynamics are enhanced with a sloping rear C Pillar and a prominent roof spoiler that channels air downwards towards its lower spoiler.
      Interiors sport a more traditional design with ample space, bold lines, a large central console while in keeping with its Technology for Life philosophy, the EV6 gets the latest in on board technologies and in car connectivity.
      It gets a high definition curved screen, a slim dashboard and instrument cluster which is positioned in front of the driver. The infotainment system and navigation are placed above the central console while the width of the screen offers the driver a better experience with minimal buttons and a more uncluttered look.
      Kia EV6 Electric Car
      Below the AVN screen is the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) settings below which the dashboard slopes away towards the front offering more space to passengers in the front.
      Kia EV6 Performance
      While no electric powertrain specs are revealed, the Kia EV6, being positioned on the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, could offer a long range of 500kms, fast charging facilities and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 3 seconds. More details will be revealed when the electric crossover makes its public debut later this month.
      Kia Motors in India currently sells the Seltos and Sonet SUVs along Carnival MPV, while the company is also readying a new mid-size MPV for India. More

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      in Bike

      Royal Enfield Himalayan Modified Into A 4 Wheel ATV – Cost Rs 3.5 L

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      Royal Enfield Himalayan Modified Into a 4 Wheel ATV
      Royal Enfield made its first appearance in 2016 and was recently updated earlier this year with a starting price of Rs 2.01 lakh (ex-showroom)

      Royal Enfield and aftermarket customisation go hand in hand. There is not a single Royal Enfield model which hasn’t gone under the knife at an aftermarket workshop and then come out in a whole new avatar. A versatile chassis is the primary reason for the brand being a fan favourite among bikers who love a few mod jobs on their bikes.
      The latest example is way out of the leagues of all modifications witnessed until now. A Royal Enfield Himalayan has been modified into a quad-bike or in elaborate words- a four-wheeled All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) a local customisation workshop- Kunwar Customs based out of Jaipur.
      Completely Overhauled Styling
      A video of the same has been uploaded on YouTube by Vampvideo explaining details of the customisation carried out on the ATV. Not from any angle, can this bike be identified as a Himalayan as it wears a completely different top hat. For starters, only a few components such as the engine, lower section of the frame, chainset, etc. have been carried forward from a 2019 model of Himalayan.
      On the other hand, instrument cluster and handlebar have been taken from an old Thunderbird 350. Almost all body panels are made of fibre plastic and have been borrowed from a donor ATV although it gets a brand new custom-made metallic fuel tank since the Himalayan’s fuel tank did not synchronise with the body of the ATV.
      [embedded content]
      The four-wheeler rides on beautiful machine-cut alloy wheels shod by knobby all-terrain tyres. It gets a dual-disc brake setup at front wheels and single discs at rear wheels. Some of the components such as the shock absorbers, Zhongya ATV tyres and disc brakes have been separately imported.
      It gets a pair of primary as well as auxiliary LED headlights with LED rings around. The luggage rack at front is custom-made as well. A similar luggage rack has also been added at rear as well which could seat up to three people on the removable seats. It is a very practical inclusion since the primary seat is good enough to hold the rider only.
      Updated Hardware
      Additionally, to convey that the ATV has Royal Enfield DNA, the workshop has added custom Royal Enfield branding and body decals similar to the ones seen in the adventure tourer on the ATV’s fuel tank and centre panels. The chassis has been customised as well while a completely new custom-made suspension setup has been employed. The video shows that the frame is suspended on an independent double-wishbone setup at front with gas-charged shock absorbers and a mono-shock at rear.
      Powertrain Specs
      Royal Enfield Himalayan ATV is powered by the same 411cc, single-cylinder engine that produces 24.3 bhp of power at 6,500rpm and 32 Nm of peak torque at 4,500rpm. However, the workshop has tinkered with the sprockets in order to extract more torque from the motor at the rear wheels. This unit is paired with a 5-speed gearbox. The customiser added that it would cost around Rs 3.5 lakh and would take around three months of time to build a similar custom ATV. More