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      Ford Donates Sasquatch Broncos, F-150 Lightnings for Natural Disaster Relief

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      To help with U.S.-based natural disasters, Ford is providing $2.5 million to Team Rubicon, a veteran-led disaster relief organization.Team Rubicon will receive two Bronco Sasquatch SUVs and 15 pickup trucks: 10 F-150 Hybrids, three F-150 Lightning EV pickups, and two F-350s.Ford previously gave Team Rubicon $1.5 million and donated $7 million for disaster relief efforts in the past few years. Automakers often donate vehicles or financial resources to communities they are connected to after a disaster hits. Today, Ford is announcing a five-year, $2.5 million investment in Team Rubicon, a veteran-led humanitarian organization. Ford has previously donated $1.5 million to Team Rubicon and said the latest donation will allow the organization to assist communities facing damage from “the increasing number of natural disasters across the United States.” Ford said it will make a total investment of $5.8 million in Team Rubicon.Stepping Up Transportation, including passenger vehicles, is responsible for around 29 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, climate change scientists have warned that increasing global temperatures will lead to more intense weather disasters. According to NBC News, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration identified 18 extreme weather events that each caused at least $1 billion in damage in 2022.Ford Motor CompanyA Fleet of Fords with Reflective WrapsOn top of the just-announced monetary donation, Ford will also hand over 17 electric vehicles and hybrids to Team Rubicon, including 15 pickup trucks and two four-door Broncos with a Sasquatch off-road package. That truck fleet will be made up of 10 F-150 XL PowerBoost Hybrid trucks, three F-150 Lightning Pro trucks, and two Super Duty F-350 XL trucks. Ford selected these models not only for their ability to carry heavy loads—of food or medical supplies, for example—but also to provide power for rescue efforts or other needs, as all 15 trucks have some Pro Power Onboard capability. The 17-vehicle fleet will also have a co-branded wrap design that includes reflective elements so the vehicles are easier to see in the dark.Full Details and SpecsFord is making the donation through its charitable arm, the Ford Motor Company Fund, which has donated $7 million to disaster relief efforts globally in the past few years, according to the group’s website. Ford and the Ford Fund made over $64 million in charitable contributions in 2022.Team Rubicon Started in HaitiTeam Rubicon was founded in 2010 after a massive earthquake in Haiti. The veteran-led organization now supports communities around the world “before, during, and after disasters and crises” with the help of over 150,000 volunteers. Team Rubicon operates across the United States.Ford will encourage its employees to volunteer with Team Rubicon by providing paid time off when they do. Ford employees volunteered with Team Rubicon in Detroit earlier in 2023 to repair homes wrecked by floods in 2021. The first targets for Ford employees with this new donation are Detroit, again, and Houston.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.Heading Off Disasters at Your HouseContributing 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

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      New Hero Motorcycle Spied – Xtreme 125cc to rival Pulsar 125?

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      New Hero Xtreme 125R spied. Image – MRD VlogsUpon launch, Hero new commuter bike will rival the likes of TVS Raider, Bajaj Pulsar NS125 and Honda SP 125While Hero is the market leader in commuter motorcycle segment, there’s heavy reliance on Splendor 100cc bike. In April, share of Splendor in overall sales was more than 2/3rd. From a business perspective, this is quite like putting all your eggs in one basket.For a more diversified portfolio, Hero MotoCorp has been working on a new range of bikes. It comprises both new commuter bikes as well as premium offerings in middleweight segment. Xtreme 160R 4V was recently launched at Rs 1.36 lakh. Karizma XMR is expected to be launched later this year. Hero is also developing a new maxi scooter. These clearly indicate that Hero MotoCorp is looking to reduce dependence on its 100cc commuter bikes.New Hero Xtreme 125R spiedHero new commuter bike detailsStandard telescopic suspension and rear drum brake indicate that the test mule is a new 125cc commuter bike. With TVS Raider being the primary rival, Hero new bike has a sporty profile. Some key features include sharp headlamp, sculpted fuel tank with extensions, compact rear-view mirrors, sleek turn signals, all-LED lighting, split-seat design and stubby exhaust. The bike has a short tail section and rear tyre hugger.Hero new commuter bike can be seen with a fully digital instrument cluster. This could be the same or similar to the one used with other 125cc Hero bikes such as Glamour XTEC and Super Splendor XTEC. Or it could be similar to the inverted LCD console used with recently launched Xtreme 160R. To present it as a capable machine, Hero could equip the new commuter bike with Bluetooth connectivity.New Hero Xtreme 125R spiedAll while having a sporty profile, the bike has a comfortable riding stance. It has wide, pulled-back handlebar and centrally mounted foot pegs. Rider seat section has a scooped profile, ensuring lower seat height and optimal comfort. Pillion seat section appears a bit narrow, although the thick grab rails should be able to ensure adequate stability.New Hero Xtreme 125R spiedHero new commuter bike performanceHero new commuter bike is likely to borrow the 125cc motor from Hero’s other 125cc bikes. On-board Glamour XTEC and Splendor XTEC, the air-cooled engine churns out 10.7 bhp of max power and 10.6 Nm of peak torque. It is mated to a 5-speed gearbox.The bike has telescopic forks at front and a monoshock unit at rear. Braking duties are performed by a disc brake at front and a drum brake at rear. The bike is likely to be using 18-inch wheels at both ends.Hero’s new commuter bike could be launched later this year. Possibly around the festive season. Hero could be planning to launch the bike at a competitive price point. For reference, rival TVS Raider is available at a starting price of Rs 93,719 (ex-showroom Delhi). More

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      Bajaj Swing, Genie Names Registered – New Electric Scooters Or Bikes?

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      Image for illustration purpose onlyMany OEMs proactively file new trademarks, although it is not guaranteed that these products will reach production stageWhile it has partnerships with Triumph and KTM, Bajaj Auto is also working to upgrade and expand its own portfolio. Towards that end, the company has registered new trademarks Bajaj Genie and Bajaj Swing.Some other names have also been registered such as Bajaj Badal and Bajaj Runner. Earlier this year in March, the company had registered three names – Bajaj Aura, Bajaj Racer and Bajaj Hammer.Bajaj Genie, Bajaj Swing – scooter or motorcycle?It is not clear what these new trademarks are meant for. While Bajaj Genie trademark application was filed in April 2023, Bajaj Swing was filed in May 2023. The current status of all these trademark applications is ‘Formalities Chk Pass’. This is essentially the primary stage of trademark approval process. The final stage of approval is when the status shows as ‘Registered’. For example, earlier names such as Bajaj Tecnica and Bajaj Technik have been registered and are valid up to 2032.Trademark name applications can take a long time to process. There can be objections from other parties, who may have the same or similar sounding trademark name. In some cases, the company itself may abandon some trademark applications. Due to these reasons, OEMs register multiple names in advance. These can be used as per requirement in future.Bajaj trademarks new names – Swing and GenieGoing by their name, Bajaj Genie and Bajaj Swing appear more like the name of scooters. It is possible that Bajaj may be looking to expand its electric scooter range. As of now, there’s only Chetak to take on rivals like Ola S1, TVS iQube and Ather 450X. If Bajaj can launch affordable electric two-wheelers, it can boost sales and grab a larger market share.With reduction in subsidy, many OEMs including Ola and Ather have introduced affordable variants of their scooters. Simple Energy will also be launching new affordable electric scooters in the next quarter.Could it be the names of 3-wheelers?It is also possible that Bajaj Genie and Bajaj Swing could be names of upcoming electric 3-wheelers / rickshaws. It is known that Bajaj is working on its first electric 3-wheeler. The company is the market leader in ICE 3-wheeler segment with market share of more than 70 percent. However, it is yet to launch an electric 3-wheeler. OEMs like Mahindra and Piaggio have taken a lead in this space.It is expected that Bajaj will launch its first electric rickshaw later this year. A test mule was spotted earlier this year in February. Some interesting features were noted such as a fully digital instrument cluster with two dials and lockable storage compartment. It is expected that Bajaj electric rickshaw will have a range of 120 km. Battery charging time could vary based on the type of charger used. More

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      Top 10 Motorcycles May 2023 – Splendor, Pulsar, Raider, Classic, Hunter

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      Royal Enfield New Gen 350cc ClassicHero Splendor remained the top-selling motorcycle in India, 3,42,536 units sold in May 2023The top 10 motorcycle sales list accounted for total sales of 8,64,425 units in May 2023, up 29.34 percent from 6,68,336 units sold in May 2022. This was a volume growth of 1,96,089 units. It was also a MoM growth when compared to 7,30,702 units sold in April 2023.The sales chart saw no change in its top order. It continued to be headed by the likes of Hero Splendor and Bajaj Pulsar which together commanded a near 55 percent share on this list.Top 10 Motorcycles May 2023Top 10 Motorcycle Sales May 2023At No.1 was the Hero Splendor with 3,42,536 units sold in May 2023, up 30.61 percent from 2,62,249 units sold in May 2022. This was a volume growth of 80,287 units with the Splendor commanding a 39.63 percent share on this list.Bajaj Pulsar range was next with sales of 1,28,403 units in May 2023, up 85.44 percent when compared to 69,241 units sold in May 2022. Currently holding a 14.85 percent share, sales of the Pulsar range in April had stood at 1,15,371 units relating to a MoM growth.Top 10 Motorcycles May 2023Sales of HF Deluxe dipped 14.32 percent YoY to 1,09,100 units in May 2023, down from 1,27,330 units sold in May 2022. Sales de-growth was also seen in the case of Honda CB Shine with 1,03,699 units sold in the past month, from 1,19,765 units sold in May 2022.Bajaj Platina saw outstanding demand in May 2023 with sales increasing to 41,154 units from 17,336 units sold in May 2022 relating to a 143.16 percent growth. This was a volume growth of 24,818 units with the Platina commanding a 4.88 percent share on this list.TVS Apache, Raider, RE Classic 350, HunterTVS Apache and Raider each posted significant YoY growth in sales with 41,955 units and 34,440 units sold respectively last month. It was particularly noteworthy for the TVS Raider, sales of which improved by 9911 percent from just 344 units sold in May 2022. MoM sales also improved from 31,491 units sold in April 2022.NoTop 10 MotorcyclesMay-23May-22DiffGrowth % YoY1Splendor3,42,5362,62,24980,28730.612Pulsar1,28,40369,24159,16285.443HF Deluxe1,09,1001,27,330-18,230-14.324Shine1,03,6991,19,765-16,066-13.415Platina42,15417,33624,818143.166Apache41,95527,04414,91155.147Raider34,44034434,0969911.638Classic 35026,35029,959-3,609-12.059Hunter 35018,869018,869–10FZ16,91915,0681,85112.28–Total8,64,4256,68,3361,96,08929.34Sales of RE Classic 350 dipped 12.05 percent YoY to 26,350 units in May 2023 from 29,959 units sold in May 2022 while there was the new RE Hunter that entered the list with 18,869 units sold last month. Yamaha FZ was at No. 10 with 16,919 units sold last month, a 12.28 percent YoY growth over 15,068 units sold in May 2022. MoM sales however, dipped significantly from 20,931 units sold in April 2023. Yamaha re-introduced the FZ-S V3 Matte Black in April 2023. It is priced at Rs. 1,21,400 (ex-sh). More

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      Tesla EV Charging Port Could Be Adopted by Sellantis Next

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      Both Ford and General Motors recently announced intentions to install Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) charge ports on their respective electric vehicles starting in 2025, with access to the Tesla charging network arriving for current models in 2024. Not one to let the crosstown rivals get all the shine, Stellantis executives have just confirmed that the automaker is also investigating and evaluating a move to the Tesla setup. More about Charging Tie-UpsWhereas Tesla EVs have utilized the brand’s proprietary NACS port from inception, every other electric vehicle sold today in the United States comes equipped with an SAE J1772 charge port. This hardware difference has prevented non-Tesla vehicles from using the brand’s expansive charging network up until recently; Tesla agreed to open a portion of its network up to other branded vehicles in a deal with the Biden administration in February. Through that agreement, 7500 Tesla chargers will be opened to the EV-driving public at large by the end of 2024.Stellantis“At this time, we continue to evaluate the NACS standard and look forward to discussing more in the future,” Stellantis said in a statement to Reuters. “Our focus is to provide the customer the best charging experience possible. Our Free2Move Charge brand will offer seamless, simple solutions whether at home or on-the-go through partnerships with charging providers.”With Ford and GM already making the move over to the NACS standard, it makes a ton of sense for Stellantis to follow suit. That’s particularly true as the brand is gearing up to release a suite of all-electric vehicles under its Jeep, Dodge, Ram, and Maserati brands here in the States. The Tesla network provides customers with more fast charging locations than every other provider in the States combined. Whether or not the system’s heralded reliability and ease of use extends to non-Tesla vehicles will play a major role in how this situation works out. It will also be interesting to see how the Tesla owner base reacts to the influx of vehicles at popular charging stations across the country. Comparison ShoppingBorn 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

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      Tesla’s Next European Gigafactory Could Be in France

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      Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been spending time in Europe this month as the electric automaker is searching for a place to build another Gigafactory in the EU.This week, Musk met with French president Emmanuel Macron and, separately, with Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni.”Let’s work together,” Macron suggested on Twitter, which Musk of course owns.Tesla CEO Elon Musk and French president Emmanuel Macron met this week for the second time in a month, as rumors grew that the California-based electric vehicle company will build another factory somewhere in Europe. Macron is encouraging Tesla to build it in his country, and he posted a simple message to Twitter alongside a picture of himself and Musk. “Let’s work together,” the tweet said.This content is imported from twitter. 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.Macron is balancing a desire to bring a Tesla Gigafactory to France while French regulators are considering banning Twitter until it complies with upcoming European Union Digital Services Act regulations. Musk owns both Tesla and Twitter.”It will be great to have a Tesla factory in France, there has been a lot of effort and energy to make sure this is possible, and this can happen,” France’s digital minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, told CNBC. “We have also invested in an . . . entire sector of electric batteries, so we will try to convince him that France is the best possible place in Europe to establish the next Tesla factory.”Musk made a public appearance at the Viva Tech summit in France Friday. At Tesla’s berlin gigafactory in germany, march 2022. Pool|Getty ImagesTesla currently operates one Gigafactory in Europe. Despite France’s efforts to lure that first plant, Tesla built it in Germany, the Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg. Musk also met with Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni this week, and Spain is also mentioned in news reports as a potential new Tesla Gigafactory location.China Is Also an Option, Apparently “Today, France is more attractive than ever,” French industry minister Roland Lescure said during a radio interview this week. “But the competition with other countries is extremely fierce, so we’re bringing out all of our strengths.” Lescure said France’s competitive advantages include cheap, green electricity and ready land before adding that Spain is holding similar cards.Tesla isn’t the only EV company France would like to see set up shop in-country. France has been talking to Chinese automaker BYD, which announced earlier this month that it would start selling five EVs in France by the end of 2023. According to Automotive News Europe, BYD is considering France, Spain, or Germany for its first European factory. BYD hopes to start producing EVs in Europe in 2025.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. More

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      Top 11 Scooters May 2023 – Activa, Jupiter, Xoom, Ola, Ather, iQube

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      Ola Electric ScooterThe scooter segment was led by Honda Activa, TVS Jupiter and Suzuki Access, taking top 3 spots on the list with a combined share of 70.87 percentScooter sales in May 2023 improved by 39.44 percent YoY. Total sales of the top 1a scooters stood at 4,33,229 units, in the past month, up from 3,10,686 units sold in May 2023. It was however a marginal MoM de-growth when compared to 4,36,051 units sold in April 2023. Increased sales were seen across all models on this list except for the TVS Jupiter and Suzuki Burgman. More emphasis was paid to electric scooters and Ola, iQube and Ather 450X along with the Bajaj Chetak have each posted triple digit YoY growth.Top selling scooters May 2023Top 11 Scooter sales May 2023Honda Activa topped the sales chart with 2,03,365 units sold in May 2023, a 36.11 percent YoY growth when compared to 1,49,407 units sold in May 2022. This was a volume growth of 53,958 units with a 46.94 percent share on the list.TVS Jupiter scooter sales fell by 3.21 percent YoY to 57,698 units, down from 59,613 units sold in May 2022. It was also a MoM de-growth from 59,583 units sold in April 2023. Suzuki’s best-seller Access 125 clocked 45,945 unit sales in May 2023 which was a 28.67 percent growth over 35,709 units sold in May 2022.Top selling scooters May 2023Ola Electric has reported sales (retails) of 28,469 units of the S1 and S1 Pro in May 2023. This was a 207.14 percent YoY growth over just 9,269 units sold in May 2022. Ola recently hiked prices of the two electric scooters on account of FAME II revision wherein the subsidy has been reduced by a substantial amount.Commanding a 6.36 percent share on this list of top 11 scooters sold in May 2023 was the TVS Ntorq with 27,556 units sold last month, up 5.95 percent from 26,005 units sold in May 2022. It was also a MoM growth from 26,730 units sold in April 2023.Also in the electric scooter segment was the TVS iQube with a 579.29 percent YoY growth to 17,913 units sold in May 2023, up from 2,637 units sold in May 2022. MoM sales also improved dramatically over 6,227 units sold in April 2023. Hero Xoom 110cc, launched in Jan 2023, was the newest entrant to this list. Sales stood at 13,377 units in the past month, a MoM growth over 11,938 units sold in April 2023.NoTop 11 ScootersMay-23May-22DiffGrowth % YoY1Activa2,03,3651,49,40753,95836.112Jupiter57,69859,613-1,915-3.213Access45,94535,70910,23628.674Ola (Retail)28,4699,26919,200207.145Ntorq27,55626,0051,5515.966iQube17,9132,63715,276579.297Xoom13,377013,377–8Burgman10,23412,990-2,756-21.229RayZR9,7948,84594910.7310450X9,6703,6676,003163.7011Chetak9,2082,5446,664261.95–Total4,33,2293,10,6861,22,54339.44Suzuki Burgman, Ray ZR, Ather 450X, Bajaj ChetakLower down the order was the Suzuki Burgman with a 21.22 percent YoY degrowth to 10,234 units sold in May 2023 from 12,990 units sold in May 2022. It was also a MoM de-growth from 10,335 units sold in April 2023. The list also included the RayZR with 9,794 units sold in the past month, up 10.73 percent over 8,845 units sold in May 2023. Ather 450X saw a 163.70 percent YoY growth to 9,670 units in May 2023 from 3,667 units sold in May 2022. Earlier this month, the company also introduced the new Ather 450S, a base model in the company lineup, bookings of which will open from July 2023. Bajaj Chetak, which was missing in the list of top 11 scooters sold in April 2023, entered the list in May 2023 as sales escalated by 261.95 percent YoY to 9,208 units in May 2023 from 2,544 units sold in May 2022. More

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      New Hero Xtreme 160R 4V Vs Pulsar, Apache – Specs, Features

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      Hero Xtreme 160R 4V Vs RivalsWhen compared to its immediate 160cc rivals, Hero Xtreme 160R 4V comes of as VFM offering, considering everything it packsThe 160cc street bike segment has heated up quite a bit since Hero MotoCorp launched Xtreme 160R 4V recently. This motorcycle now gets some of the most comprehensive sets of updates in just one iteration. Prices start from Rs. 1,27,300 for Standard variant and go till Rs. 1,36,500 for Pro variant with USD forks.Also, the 2V version of Xtreme 160R is still on sale. A strategy similar to Xpulse 200 range. But did Hero tick all the checkboxes? We compared it with all the other 160cc motorcycles to see where it falls. We’re talking about Hero’s own Xtreme 160R 2V, Bajaj Pulsar NS160 and N160, TVS Apache RTR 160 4V and 2V and lastly, Honda X-Blade. Let’s take a look.Hero Xtreme 160R 4V Vs Rivals – Does it have what it takes?Looks are subjective. Personally, I love the look of the Pulsar NS160 the most. For my height (6 feet), it is the most ergonomic too. As per powertrains, TVS Apache RTR 160 4V is at the top with 17.3 bhp and the torquiest at 14.73 Nm. But it is quite a screamer and all that power comes in at a higher engine speed.Honda X-Blade makes just as much torque, but at a much lower engine speed. All of these street fighters get a 5-speed gearbox. Among this list, Pulsar NS160, Xtreme 160R 4V and Apache RTR 160 4V are the only ones with a 4-valve head. Only the Pulsar, Xtreme 160R 4V and Apache RTR 160 4V get oil cooling, while the rest are air-cooled. Surprisingly, Bajaj gave its newer Pulsar N160, a 2V head.Hero Xtreme 160R 4V Vs Rivals – ComparisonLongest wheelbase is with Pulsar NS160 and shortest is with Apache RTR 160 2V. Both Apache motorcycles get 160 mm ground clearance too, highest in this segment. Seat height is comparable between this lot, but the Pulsar NS160 gets the tallest seat. Xtreme 160R 4V gets a split seat option too, which was not the case with the 2V model.Even though the Pulsar N160 shows higher numbers in the engine department, all of that is off-set because of its 154 kg weight. In this area, Apache RTR 160 2V takes the cake with up to 138 kg kerb weight. Pulsar N160 is the only one with a larger 14L fuel tank, while the rest can hold 12L. Both Hero and Bajaj offer 100-section front tyres, but TVS offers 90-section and Honda goes a narrower size and offers 80-section tyre.Did Hero tick all the right boxes?Except for Apache RTR 160 2V, all motorcycles offer an option for 130-section rear tyres and 17” wheel size is common among all. TVS is the only one that offers a rear drum brake option with both its 160cc offerings and to offer conventional rotors while competition is offering petal discs. Pulsar NS160 gets the largest front disc at 300 mm, probably due to its hefty weight.Only Bajaj is offering Dual-Channel ABS in this segment, which is optional with N160 and standard on NS160. We still think Hero should have offered a fourth variant with Xtreme 160R 4V with Dual-Channel ABS, as it would have made it a complete package. Hero now joins the USD front forks wave in the 160cc segment along with Pulsar NS160. Except for the twin shock absorbers on Apache RTR 160 2V, the rest get mono-shock units.In terms of modernity, the Pulsar NS160 takes a back seat as it still features both halogen headlights and semi-digital instrument cluster. Hero, TVS and Honda have moved on with fully digital instrument consoles and LED headlights (Pulsar N160 gets LED headlights too). All motorcycles get LED tail lights and only Hero’s offerings get LED turn indicators with hazard light function.Since these are primarily street fighters intended for city use, Bluetooth connectivity and navigation features are welcome. Only Hero and TVS offer Bluetooth connectivity. TVS is the only one that seems to have invested in ride modes. But given that these are 160cc motorcycles and pushing a maximum of 17 horses, ride modes are kinda gimmicky.Hero has ticked four important boxes. 4V head, oil-cooling, USD front forks and up-market features. Pulsar NS160 ticks Hero’s first three boxes and then Dual-Channel ABS. So, do you want a lighter bike with more features? Or do you want a heavier bike with safer brakes? More