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The 2024 Porsche Macan EV will ride on the company’s new remium Platform Electric (PPE), and the German automaker has released new details about PPE and the upcoming crossover.The Macan EV will max out at 603 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque, and Porsche is promising sharp driving dynamics.The 100.0-kWh battery will be able to charge from five to 80 percent in under 25 minutes thanks to an 800-volt electrical system.Porsche is investing in synthetic, carbon-neutral fuels in a bid to keep its much-loved internal-combustion engines alive in an ever-stricter regulatory environment. But even so, Porsche’s future, like that of every other car company, will be centered around electric vehicles. By 2030, Porsche hopes to have more than 80 percent of its sales consist of EVs. Critical to this goal will be the PPE platform, co-developed with Audi, which will underpin Porsche’s high-volume electric cars. The upcoming Macan EV will be the first Porsche to ride on PPE, and at a recent event at the Porsche Experience Center in Franciacorta, Italy, the German automaker revealed juicy new details about the platform and the electric crossover that will herald its arrival.PorschePorsche is promising that the fully electric Macan will bring improved range and charging and Porsche’s typical sharp handling. The PPE platform will, like on the Taycan, utilize a 800-volt electrical architecture. Along with slashing charging times, Porsche says this reduces the weight of the high-voltage cables and how much space they take up. Every electric Macan will use a lithium-ion battery mounted in the floor of the vehicle with a gross capacity of approximately 100.0 kWh, made up of twelve modules with prismatic cells. Charging rates will improve over the Taycan’s 270 kW, with Porsche targeting the ability to recharge the Macan EV from five to 80 percent in under 25 minutes. Porsche is also packaging the onboard AC charger, high-voltage heater, and DC/DC converter together in what it calls the Integrated Power Box to save space.Porsche has also developed a neat trick called “bank charging.” If the charging station uses a 400-volt system, the Macan EV’s 800-volt battery is effectively split into two 400-volt batteries that can be charged at the same time. However, most DC fast-chargers in the United States already employ 800-volt architecture, so this technology will be less relevant here than in other markets.PorscheThe PPE platform will allow for rear- and all-wheel-drive setups, with the maximum output initially set at around 603 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. Vehicles riding on the platform will be powered by permanently excited synchronous electric motors, which will bring higher power and torque densities, improved efficiency, and more easily reproducible power outputs versus asynchronous motors. The Macan EV has revised the magnet arrangements within the motors and improved the cooling system compared to the Taycan, which Porsche says boosts the power density. Silicon carbide is also replacing silicon for the semiconductor material in the inverter on the rear axle to decrease switching losses. A one-speed gearbox will be used instead of the two-speed unit in the Taycan.Porsche claims that the Macan EV will be the “sportiest model in its segment,” thanks to what Porsche refers to as a “performance rear axle.” The rear electric motor will be mounted behind the rear axle, recalling the positioning of the flat-six engine in the 911 sports car and shifting the weight balance rearwards to a 48/52 percent split. Porsche argues that this will improve “agility when accelerating out of corners.”More Porsche EV NewsPorsche also revealed that the Macan EV will have a revised unequal-length control arm front suspension and a multi-link rear setup that is attached to the body by an elastically-mounted sub-frame. The rear motor, meanwhile, is directly connected to the body structure at four points. This approach is said to improve driving precision, rigidity, and NVH behavior. Certain trims will also come fitted with a fully-variable electronically-controlled rear differential and, for the first time on a Macan, rear-wheel steering that can adjust by up to five degrees. The all-wheel drive system will permit fully variable torque distribution between the front and rear axles.PorscheThe electric Macan will also feature the Porsche Active Suspension Management system (PASM), which will be available with both air suspension and steel suspension setups. The Macan EV will see the addition of two-valve shock absorbers that can adjust independently, creating a more adaptable suspension and better distinguishing the different drive modes. Air suspension will also allow the body to lower at higher speeds to stretch the range using slipperier aerodynamics. The Macan EV will ride on wheels up to 22 inches in diameter.Porsche says the platform can be easily adjusted to different wheelbases, track widths, and ground clearances to suit a number of different vehicles. We already know that the Macan EV will be joined by the Audi A6 e-tron sedan, but this platform likely won’t be used for Porsche’s electric-sports-car endeavors. The platform also won’t support more than two electric motors or the use of wheel-mounted hub motors. Deliveries of the Macan EV are supposed to get underway in 2024, with more details on the ground-breaking crossover and Porsche’s PPE platform expected next year.This content is imported from poll. 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From the November 2022 issue of Car and Driver.On August 15, about 30 new EVs and 42 plug-in hybrids were eligible for federal income-tax credits. On August 16, those numbers fell to eight and 10. Starting January 1, 2023, the number of qualifying EVs will rise to 11. These changes are a result of the Inflation Reduction Act that President Joe Biden signed into law August 16.Only one provision of the law took effect immediately, and it’s a big one. Since that date, only vehicles assembled in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico qualify for the $7500 credit, eliminating nearly three-quarters of eligible vehicles. Here’s what we’ll see at the start of 2023 and beyond:Shifting QualificationsThe limit of 200,000 units of qualifying EVs per automaker is lifted, making General Motors and Tesla vehicles eligible again. However, new price caps on qualifying vehicles—$55,000 for cars, $80,000 for trucks and SUVs—eliminate the GMC Hummer and several Teslas (Models S and X, higher-trim Model 3s).Start LookingAnother change is that the amount of the tax credit does not depend on battery size. If your EV or plug-in hybrid has a battery capacity of at least 7.0 kilowatt-hours, you can get the full $7500 stipend. For the first time, used vehicles are eligible when purchased from a dealer. They now get a credit of up to 30 percent, with a $4000 maximum. The pre-owned EV or plug-in hybrid must cost no more than $25,000 and be at least two model years old.One more perk starts in 2024: You can get the credit for new vehicles at purchase rather than wait until tax season. That means the $7500 can serve as a down payment.Locally SourcedMany of the changes have to do with EV production. In addition to the provision about final vehicle assembly, half of the $7500 credit is contingent on at least 40 percent of the critical materials in the battery being extracted or processed in the U.S. or in countries with which we have a free-trade agreement. Materials recycled in North America also count. The benchmark gradually increases to 80 percent in 2027.To promote local battery assembly, the other $3750 is based on a requirement that a minimum of 50 percent of the value of the battery components be manufactured or assembled in North America. This bogey escalates gradually to 100 percent in 2029.Starting in 2024, if any battery components are manufactured in “a foreign entity of concern,” meaning China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia, then the vehicle is disqualified. The same rule will apply for sourcing of critical materials in 2025.Mo’ Money, No CreditsThere is also an income ceiling for claiming the credit. For joint filers or surviving spouses, it’s $300,000; for a head of household, it’s $225,000; and for single and separate filers, the cap is $150,000. Adjusted-gross-income limits for used-vehicle credits are half as high as those for new cars. Overall, these new “clean vehicle” credit provisions are a mixed bag of industrial policy, social engineering, and EV promotion. Encouraging truck purchases by giving them a higher price cap hardly makes sense when trucks use more electricity, sourced mostly from CO2-generating power plants. But the domestic automakers are overwhelmingly truck-heavy, so this is another sop to them. These rules, along with the escalating battery provisions, will encourage more EV and parts assembly in our automotive market. And the battery regulations will help us develop local sources to supply the coming waves of EVs. Expediting mining permits and environmental- impact statements might do even more good, but they’re absent from the bill.In the short term, this law seems likely to reduce EV sales—at least until more manufacturers set up shop in North America. We’ll see how it goes a few years out.This content is imported from OpenWeb. 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

This content is imported from youTube. 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.Veterans Day on November 11 is a holiday to pay respects to those who serve or have served in the U.S. military, and Black Rifle Coffee Company and Hoonigan have teamed up to make this video in their honor.In this case, it involves some over-the-top activities such as carjacking a vehicle and driving it like there’s no tomorrow. Apparently the point simply lies in having fun with life—and a Jeep—including squealing tires and reckless driving.Veterans have a small role in the film, and the message at the end thanking veterans for their service is sincere, but the main attraction is Travis Pastrana, giving chase in a Subaru BRAT.Black Rifle Coffee Company and the team at Hoonigan Media Machine have honored America’s military veterans this year with a short video that, if it were real, would land any veteran doing what the video recommends in a heap of trouble. But never mind that: this short film that’s perfectly timed to hit YouTube viewers’ preference for action and for 10-minute videos.Called “The Final Send,” the mini-movie enlists actual veterans at the end, but really, what we’re here to see is two customized Hoonigan vehicles tear up the streets of small-town Boerne, Texas. If that’s your thing, settle in and hit play. In “The Final Send” cinematic universe, military veterans happily steal cars and their owners hop in to join the lawless fun, even if they end up leading local police on a dangerous chase on public roads (something we cannot recommend, of course).Antics from the C/D ArchiveThe human star here is World War II military veteran Hank (played by off-road racer Dave Carapetyan), who gets a doctor’s recommendation to do something “epic” as a reward for his service to his country. Hank decides that means he should hoon it up in a stolen Jeep, which attracts the attention of Sheriff Pastrami (stunt driver Travis Pastrana, who chases the scofflaw in a delightfully customized Subaru BRAT). However you interpret the video’s final message, you can tell Pastrana and Carapetyan had a fun day at work. The funniest part of the whole thing, though, is YouTube’s auto-generated transcript, which repeatedly attempts to turn tire squeals into words. They sound like “foreign” and applause to the AI, apparently.Black Rifle Coffee Company, of course, is promoting its coffee and runs an annual Veterans Day sale, but Hoonigan’s vice president of brands, Ron Zaras, who also directed the film, said the collaboration between the two brands and the resulting video were simply meant to honor veterans.”The message we want to get across is that veterans have done so much for us, and they come back to this [civilian] world and should have that fun too,” Zaras said in a statement. “They should be able to enjoy what they’ve made possible for us.” This content is imported from youTube. 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

The Buick Century is a new flagship ultra-luxury minivan, sitting atop the brands GL8 family of vans offered in China. The Century comes in equally sumptuous four- or six-seat layouts, complete with 18-way adjustable seats. The Century will be available with three trim levels, starting around $74,500 and ranging to around $97,000 based on current exchange rates. Want an ultra-luxury minivan? Move to China, and Buick’s got you covered with its new Century minivan (no, this isn’t related to the Buick Century sedan sold for many decades in the U.S.). Several high-end vans available in China have caught our attention before—including the boldly styled Lexus LM and Buick’s GL8 Avenir—and this latest Buick van’s cabin looks nearly on par with that of luxury sedans like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.More Luxury VansThe Century can be had in either a four- or six-seat layout. Covered with Nappa leather, the rear seats offer 18-way adjustments, five independent heating zones, and a massage function. Worried about cold feet? Don’t be. The extendable footrests are heated as well. The Century is designed to chauffeur the wealthy, and nothing screams wealth like 366 LEDs and 162 flashing lights in the suede headliner meant to resemble a starry night sky, complete with shooting stars.The four-seat layout offers a partition between the driver and rear passengers, creating a private place to work or sleep while being chauffeured. A 32-inch entertainment screen can raise and lower at the touch of a button on yet another touchscreen. A cabin-talk system allows rear passengers to see and talk to the driver or front passenger. In a move that shows just how much the Century caters to its passengers, 16 of the vans 21 speakers are located in the rear passenger section. A 13-liter fridge keeps drinks cool, while the scent diffuser keeps the cabin smelling fresh. The Century may favor its passengers, but the driver is not forgotten. The Century has a 30-inch virtual cockpit display as well as head-up display to project nav, speed, and other key vehicle info to the driver. Buick doesn’t provide many mechanical specs, but the Century is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and a 48-volt hybrid system.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.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

Side-impact crashes are especially deadly, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) wants to change that.Putting various body styles through its updated side crash test, the IIHS reports that many small sedans and hatchbacks struggled to achieve a Good rating. (All 11 tested had achieved overall Good scores in the original test.)The Mazda 3 sedan and hatchback received Good ratings, while Honda’s Civic, Nissan’s Sentra, and Toyota’s Corolla received Acceptable grades, and Kia’s Forte (pictured above) and Subaru’s Impreza received Poor marks.Safety technology within the automotive industry has progressed significantly in the 21st century, with advanced driver-assistance systems becoming standard equipment. Adding these layers of driver redundancy aims to avoid crashes altogether, but driver aids have their limits, and the frequency of traffic crashes has skyrocketed in recent years. When collisions occur, the structure of the vehicle itself can be the difference between serious injury or walking away with a few scratches. This content is imported from youTube. 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.Small car performance is a mixed bag in new side crash testWatch onThe Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has introduced a new crash test to its safety rating regimen. Nearly a quarter of passenger-vehicle occupant fatalities can be traced to severe side impacts, and the IIHS recently updated that test to reflect reality, with a 4200-pound barrier striking the side of test cars at 37 mph. The results for small cars are concerning. Good or Acceptable RatingsOf the 11 models tested, only the Mazda 3 hatchback and sedan received the highest mark of Good, with an acceptable level of safety cage damage and a minimal level of injury to the driver’s torso and pelvis. The Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, and Toyota Corolla all received Acceptable ratings, which is a bump down from Good in IIHS terms, and showed weakness in driver pelvis protection. It’s worth noting that all of these models received an Acceptable rating in the structure and safety cage category—a stark contrast from the Good ratings seen on many mid-size crossovers. Mazda’s legacy hatchback had a strong safety cage and returned results with only a low chance of most injuries.MazdaFour Were Graded ‘Poor’Four of the 11 models tested received Poor overall ratings due to inadequate safety cage construction and significant injury risk to drivers. Kia’s Forte performed the worst, with a marginal safety cage rating and poor protection of the driver’s torso and pelvis, while Subaru’s Impreza and Crosstrek family displayed poor structural safety across the board.Specifically, the Forte’s crash test resulted in a window-sill head impact through the airbag, adding to the high risk of head injury. Subaru’s crash test also indicated a window-sill head impact and a cabin intrusion of the B-pillar.Insurance Institute for Highway SafetyAcross the board, small sedans and hatchbacks performed poorly as compared with their mid-size crossover counterparts but fared similarly to small crossover and mid-size sedan counterparts. The IIHS says a higher ride height leads to better performance in the new evaluation, due to the impact being centered closer to the floor as opposed to the door. But this doesn’t mean these small sedans and hatchbacks are inherently unsafe. “It’s encouraging to see so many small cars with passing grades in this new side test,” said IIHS senior research engineer Becky Mueller, who led development of the new evaluation. “Smaller, lower vehicles are at a disadvantage when struck by the new test barrier, which is a more realistic representation of the front end of a typical modern SUV than our old barrier.”Even so, it’s clear that a number of manufacturers have figured out how to provide sufficient structural rigidity and crash protection with less material. Additionally, all of these models received a Good rating in the current side-impact test, which uses a 3300-pound barrier traveling at 31 mph. The new test has a 4200-pound barrier strike the side of the vehicle at 37 mph, which IIHS said more closely emulates a real-world impact from a mid-size SUV.This updated test is not an official test criterion for 2022 model year units, but the institute says that starting in 2023, vehicles will need a Good or Acceptable rating in this upgraded test to get Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ honors. As the IIHS continues to update safety standards, manufacturers will face pressure to meet these benchmarks, given that IIHS ratings are a significant marker for safety-conscious car buyers. This content is imported from youTube. 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

This content is imported from youTube. 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.If Window Shop had gone to Uncle Ben’s school of common notions, the theme of today’s show would have been, “With greatly understressed engines comes great reliability.” Since it’s much easier to answer a challenge than moral obligations, the command was to find the most reliable car on sale with a budget of $10,000.Road & Track senior editor John Pearley Huffman took a trip in The Internet Wayback Machine—or to an estate sale—for a 1992 Toyota Camry. The XV10 has never enjoyed such hyperbole, being compared to the Lexus LS400, Toyota’s winning GTP race cars, overbuilt Mercedes engineering, and the Platonic Form of Toyotas. Shame about those potentially dried seals, though. Pearley “Thunder-stealer” Huffman had chosen the exact Camry that senior editor Joey Capparella planned to present. Capparella switched tabs to his Plan B, a second-gen Lexus GS300 powered by Toyota’s legendary 2JZ. Despite concerns about an ugly steering wheel cover, a propensity for foggy taillamps, and Capparella’s insider trading by choosing a version of his own car, the GS won reserved praise.Contributor Jonathon Ramsey asked, “What’s the point of a reliable car I don’t want to be seen in?” The answer took him first to a Land Cruiser in Ontario disqualified for being too awesome. He settled on a 2008 Subaru Outback in excellent condition. Others noted the risk of a blown head gasket being antithetical to reliability, proving Ramsey might never relinquish his mantra that it’s better to look good than to get where you’re going.Executive editor K.C. Colwell rolled up in the kind of unexpected gem he’s known for, a Honda Element with a manual transmission. The banter immediately turned to the seating arrangements, the cupholders, the cleanliness of the intake manifold, and how come no one ever sees the Honda Element anymore. At no time did anyone discuss or even mention the Element’s reliability.Editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga thought he could carry off the win in a Lexus GX470. He answered every challenge to its four-wheel-drive complexity, Walmart service history, and supposedly missing lug nut with, “It will never break.” Considering the source, used GX prices should be headed to nosebleed heights and Lexus should sell every GX it can make as soon as this show airs. But would TQ be headed to a win? Power and reliability live in inverse proportions, the same relationship reliability has with joy, adventure, and excitement. However, this episode of Window Shop proves boring cars are directly proportional to the chances of a crossfire gabfest.More Window ShoppingThis content is imported from youTube. 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