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The Honda eGX Racing Kart is a concept for now, but its greatest appeal is that it’s powered by two 1.3-kWh batteries that last for up to 45 minutes of flat-out driving and can be replaced in under 30 seconds.The single electric motor gives the eGX kart plenty of gusto, even if the batteries contribute to a 230-pound weight that makes it a bit heftier than comparable gas karts. The batteries take around five hours to charge, but the simple swapping procedure means that the fun doesn’t have to stop when the charge is depleted.For most people, motorsports is prohibitively expensive. Even karting, the lowest rung on the ladder, is a costly exercise. But Honda’s latest experiment, the eGX Racing Kart, shows a new path that could make karting far more accessible, eliminating costly nonrenewable items and reducing overall maintenance requirements. The eGX Racing Kart is just a concept for now, but the electric vehicle’s swappable batteries hint at a new future for grassroots motorsports.The eGX kart uses Honda’s Mobile Power Pack (MPP) batteries, which are designed to be easily replaceable. Measuring 11.7 inches by 6.2 inches by 7.0 inches, the MPPs are roughly the size of a two-slice toaster and weigh 22.7 pounds. Thanks to sturdily integrated handles, transporting the battery is a breeze. The MPP is already in use in Japan, where electric-moped riders can stop at stations to quickly swap out a depleted battery for a fresh one rather than wait for their bike to charge.Caleb Miller|Car and DriverThe approximately 50-volt batteries can each store 1.3 kWh and take about five hours to recharge. In the eGX, two MPP units are wired to operate in series, resulting in a more efficient system with less energy loss compared to batteries wired in parallel. Honda says the two batteries combine to provide 35 to 45 minutes of driving at a time. If you want to stay on the track while the batteries recharge, swapping in new packs takes less than 30 seconds. Simply lift the plastic container lid, undo the locking mechanism by pulling up on the handle, and slide the battery out. The whole process is idiot-proof, with MPPs only fitting into the container one way and the locking mechanism making a audible click when the battery is correctly inserted.We sampled the eGX Racing Kart during a recent event at Detroit’s M1 Concourse. The kart itself is a pretty standard affair, using a Parolin chassis with minor changes for new mountings. The eGX measures 77.9 inches long, 53.1 inches wide, and 23.2 inches tall, sans driver of course, and weighs 230 pounds, slightly heavier than a gas-powered shifter kart. The wheelbase stretches 41.3 inches long. Power comes from a single motor mounted behind the driver’s seat, and although Honda wouldn’t disclose the output, the kart felt extremely zippy. The eGX tops out at about 45 mph, although the makeshift track we trialed them on didn’t have long enough straights to see that top speed. But the instant torque of the electric motor makes the eGX feel incredibly eager and responsive, and the surge of power doesn’t fall off as you keep the throttle pinned. Caleb Miller|Car and DriverOtherwise, the eGX feels similar to other karts, with vast amounts of grip, tremendously heavy steering, and touchy braking thanks to a single 7.6-inch rear brake rotor, which can be used to rotate the kart through corners without scrubbing too much speed. The real selling point of the eGX is its simplicity. By removing the internal-combustion engine and all of its accompanying fluids, the kart becomes virtually maintenance free. On the eGX, the only real consumable are the tires, as well as switching out the batteries after a 45 minute session. Of course, making the most of the swappable setup would require buying extra batteries. This could become a significant expense for someone who owns their own kart, although it would be a one-time cost. Honda remained tight-lipped about pricing for the battery units. Caleb Miller|Car and DriverThe bigger benefit would be for kart track owners, where the economies of scale could result in massive savings. Many locations already use electric karts that need to be parked each time they are charged, requiring a larger fleet so that there are always karts available to customers. But Honda’s setup would allow those karts to remain on track, bringing more smiles to patrons’ faces while the batteries charge on the side. Since the karts wouldn’t need to be taken out of the rotation for charging, the tracks could maintain smaller fleets. Combined with the minimal maintenance, the whole system could make rental kart businesses far more efficient.Honda isn’t officially selling the eGX just yet, but we were told that the automaker is currently evaluating the business case for putting the kart into production. We envision the simplicity of the eGX’s battery swapping inspiring a new generation of racing drivers, and we hope that Honda can figure out how to make the eGX work financially. As the iconic Field of Dreams line goes, “If you build it, they will come.”Associate News EditorCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

While Ford will happily sell customers a variety of ludicrous F-150s by way of the Raptor lineup, not everyone is in the market for an off-roader. In order to expand its performance portfolio, Ford Performance unveiled on Friday two new supercharger packages known as the FP700 Bronze Edition and Black Edition. With 700 horsepower on offer, these packages move regular F-150s up to near–Raptor R levels of power. Details, Specs, TestingThese two packages from Ford Performance are available for 2021 through 2023 F-150s across the XL, XLT, Lariat, and Platinum trim levels. The only major restriction involved with the package is that the base engine must be the optional 5.0-liter V-8. The package adds a 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger on top of the motor, bringing output to 700 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. For reference, the mighty Raptor R provides 700 hp and 640 pound-feet of torque from its Shelby GT500–sourced V-8. Customers have their own choice of body style and bed configurations. It is worth noting that Pro Power and eight-foot bed options are unavailable. The package is also compatible with both rear and four-wheel-drive configurations, adding a bit more use-case flexibility. Legal in 50 States, with a Three-Year WarrantyThe blower comes with 50-state legal certification from CARB and is backed by a three-year/36,000-mile warranty from Ford Performance. Both packages also include rear lowering springs, fender vents, FPP carpeted mats, black painted grilles, and body-side graphics. Ford PerformanceThe Ford F-150 FP700 Bronze Edition, as its name suggests, brings a suite of bronze accents to the exterior of the pickup. These include the aforementioned body side graphics, tailgate lettering, as well as a unique set of 22-inch Sinister Bronze wheels. The F-150 FP700 Black Edition follows a similar pattern with 22-inch black wheels complete with black lug nuts, black front fascia elements, and dark tailgate and bed side graphics. Ford suggests customers order their trucks with the Sport Appearance Package for the best results. Both FP700 packages are compatible with a number of other Ford Performance parts, including the side-exit sport exhaust and various body accessories. Ford PerformanceThe Ford F-150 FP700 Bronze and Black Edition packages carry an MSRP of $12,350, not including dealer installation charges. Customers can order their packages starting today from Ford Performance, or from a local Ford dealer. Ford PerformanceBorn and raised in Metro Detroit, associate editor Lucas Bell has spent his entire life surrounded by the automotive industry. He may daily drive an aging Mustang, but his Porsche 944 and NB Miata both take up most of his free time.  More

Lincoln is recalling 142,734 of its MKC crossovers from the 2015 through 2019 model years over a problem that could lead to an underhood fire.The problem can occur without warning, even when the vehicle is parked and off, according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).The issue is with a battery monitor sensor, which could experience an electrical short and cause a fire. Lincoln is asking owners to park the vehicle outdoors until it can be fixed.Lincoln will recall more than 142,000 2015–2019 MKC crossovers to fix a problem that could lead to a fire under the hood. The automaker has called for owners to park the vehicles outdoors until a repair can be made. In documents filed with NHTSA, Lincoln said the problem is that the battery monitor sensor could become damaged during battery servicing and cause an electrical short and potentially a fire. To date, owners have reported 19 underhood fires, of which 11 were in the United States, seven in China, and one in Canada. According to the recall report, all fires occurred while the vehicles were parked and off. Dealers have already been notified, and owners will receive letters from Lincoln by the end of June. In the meantime, they are urged not to park the vehicles indoors. Owners can check whether their vehicle is involved in the recall at the NHTSA recalls website.Other Recent RecallsDigital DirectorLaura Sky Brown has been involved in automotive media for a very long time, and she sees it as her calling to guard the legacy and help ensure the continued high quality of Car and Driver. She was one of the first staffers at Automobile Magazine in the ’80s and has worked for many other car magazines and websites as a writer, editor, and copy editor ever since. It has been her privilege to edit many of the greats of automotive journalism over the years, including the ones who currently write for C/D. More

Many new cars have automated emergency braking as part of their ADAS driver assistance packages, but now the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing that every new passenger vehicle have AEB tech by the end of the decade.The industry started talking about requiring AEB back in 2016, and a series of voluntary pledges and required rules in the U.S. and Europe have led to major automakers already having AEB on more than 90 percent of the cars they sell.Requiring AEB tech would be “a major leap forward,” but the new rules don’t yet require cars to brake for cyclists. Commercial vehicles are also not included in NHTSA’s new rules.In the mid-2010s, automakers really started hyping the fact that all of their latest models, even the entry-level cheapos, would soon come with backup cameras. And these driver-assist devices would be standard. It was great news, and also true. But what the car companies didn’t mention as often was that all those new cameras were being installed because the U.S. Department of Transportation required them with a rule that passed in 2014 and came into effect in early 2018.We mention that bit of history because this week, multiple automakers hyped the fact that many of their vehicles already have automated emergency braking (AEB) systems. GM issued a release that said at least 95 percent of all the vehicles it sells, including all 2023 and newer EVs, have standard AEB technology. A Ford spokesperson said on Twitter that AEB with pedestrian detection is already present on over 96 percent of Ford cars, trucks and SUVs.Which brings us to the news that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing a new rule for the auto industry that all new passenger cars and light trucks will be required to have automatic emergency braking systems with pedestrian detection.What Is AEB?Like other new driver-assistance technologies, AEB technology goes by different names at different companies. Toyota calls its version Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, for example. But whatever the name, the idea is the same: a vehicle will automatically apply the brakes when the driver doesn’t in a situation where the car’s sensor and software suite determines that a crash is imminent. Not all AEB systems on the road today can identify a pedestrian, but the new NHTSA rule would require cars to detect both vehicles and pedestrians. NHTSA said it is “actively conducting research” to determine how well AEB systems can respond to bicycles and motorcycles.In January 2022, the Department of Transportation (DOT) issued its first National Roadway Safety Strategy in response to the rising numbers of transportation deaths and serious injuries. The DOT promoted AEB as one way to make roads safer. NHTSA has long said AEB systems are a solution to these “significant safety problem[s]” and has been pushing for more AEB systems in more cars for years. Last October, a study conducted by the AAA found that while AEB systems are useful, many still have flaws.A Brief History of the RulesNHTSA is not requiring AEB technology out of the blue. This has been a long process and it will end up being more than a decade between the first discussions about widespread AEB adoption and the rule’s implementation deadlines. If the new NHTSA rule goes into effect, automakers would have at least four years from the date it is implemented to meet all the requirements of adding AEB technology to every new vehicle. Small-volume manufacturers, final-stage manufacturers and alterers have five years.That means it will be 2028 or 2029 before AEB tech is required. The industry has had time to prepare. In 2016, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and NHTSA proposed a voluntary pledge that auto manufacturers could take to make AEB technology better and more widely available. By the end of 2017, four automakers had made AEB tech standard on more than half of their 2017 model year vehicles, and 20 had pledged to put at least low-speed AEB systems on all their new passenger vehicles by September 1, 2022. European regulators passed a rule that made AEB standard starting in 2022.Safety advocates are in favor of NHTSA’s proposed rule. The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement that requiring AEBs would be “a major leap forward for road safety” but that the timeline was too far into the future and that cyclists need to be included in the kinds of road users that AEB can see. The NTSB also said the new AEB rules should apply to commercial vehicles.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Contributing EditorSebastian Blanco has been writing about electric vehicles, hybrids, and hydrogen cars since 2006. His articles and car reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Automotive News, Reuters, SAE, Autoblog, InsideEVs, Trucks.com, Car Talk, and other outlets. His first green-car media event was the launch of the Tesla Roadster, and since then he has been tracking the shift away from gasoline-powered vehicles and discovering the new technology’s importance not just for the auto industry, but for the world as a whole. Throw in the recent shift to autonomous vehicles, and there are more interesting changes happening now than most people can wrap their heads around. You can find him on Twitter or, on good days, behind the wheel of a new EV.  More