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    2022 Lucid Air Dream Edition Performance Is Our Bring a Trailer Auction Pick of the Day

    • No need to bring an actual trailer for this near-pristine and nearly new 2022 Lucid Air Dream Edition Performance, unless you want to keep the odometer with an ultra-low reading. It currently has just 114 miles on it.• The limited-edition electric vehicle originally sold for $170,500, and units available on the used market can be found for over $200,000. The current bid here is already at $180,000.• Lucid is no longer taking reservations for the Dream Edition, and there’s a long waiting list that should snap up all of the company’s product for 2022. At least those editions cost less, until perhaps they go up for auction, too. Vehicle auction site Build a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—bills itself as offering “the best vintage and classic cars for sale online.” That may be true, but there are also vehicles being sold there where you decidedly don’t have to bring a trailer. Exhibit A for this is a basically brand-new 2022 Lucid Air Dream Edition Performance electric vehicle, which just started being delivered in late 2021 and could be had new for $170,500. For now, bidding for the BaT car has already surpassed it at $180,000, but the auction doesn’t end until Thursday.

    Also of note: reservations for new Air Dream Editions are closed—the company said it would only make 520—and another used Air similar to this one is currently available for $219,800.

    A few commenters on the BaT website accuse the Florida-based dealer selling the Air of simply flipping a new luxury car on a site that usually specializes in older models, but it’s also a great way to judge real-world demand for a high-end EV from a new manufacturer. Lucid had said it expected to build 20,000 Air sedans in 2022, but recently reduced that to around 12,000 to 14,000 vehicles because of supply chain problems. With a reservation list that was already at 17,000 late last year, ordering an Air now will require patience. There are three other Air trim lines: the Pure, Touring, and Grand Touring. All of them cost less than the Dream.

    Even without any worry about whether you could even order and take delivery of a new Air this year, there’s no question that this example includes enough features and technology to attract attention. For starters, “used” is true in only the most technical sense, as it has just 114 miles on the odometer. There are two electric motors that provide a total of 1111 horsepower and all-wheel drive. The 118.0-kWh battery delivers 451 miles on a full charge, according to the EPA, and can be fast-charged when necessary. The Infinite Black exterior paint is contrasted by Platinum Polish trim that reaches up to the glass canopy roof. The 21-inch alloy wheels come with 265/35 Pirelli P Zero Elect tires. The Infinite Black color continues inside, where it is matched with a Santa Monica leather-upholstered interior. Drivers and the front passenger can enjoy heated, ventilated, and massaging seats, and even the rear seats are heated. There’s a leather-wrapped steering wheel and DreamDrive Pro driver assistance features to complement the Air’s infotainment calling card: a 34-inch curved infotainment screen.
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    Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance Is a 1050-HP Consolation Prize

    The Lucid Air Grand Touring Performance is a new 1050-hp version of the electric luxury sedan.It’s slightly less powerful than the sold-out Dream Edition Performance but costs $10,000 more.Lucid says deliveries of the Grand Touring Performance will start in June, or August if you’re in California.Lucid has already closed reservations for its top-of-the-line Air Dream Edition, as that model was limited to 520 units in total. But now it is introducing yet another version of the electric luxury sedan called the Grand Touring Performance that has slightly less horsepower than the Dream Edition Performance while costing significantly more. Yes, we’re confused too.

    The non-Performance version of the Grand Touring has started reaching customers already, Lucid claims, and it provides 819 horsepower for $140,500. The Grand Touring Performance has significantly more power than that from its two electric motors—1050 hp, to be precise—but not quite as much as the Dream Edition Performance model’s 1111 hp. And yet, the Grand Touring Performance costs $180,500, or exactly $10,000 more than the Dream Edition Performance.

    Lucid Motors

    This is despite the fact that the Grand Touring model lacks the Dream Edition’s nicer “Santa Monica” interior package with fancier materials. The Grand Touring Performance also has a slightly lower range estimate, with Lucid claiming it can go 446 miles on a charge compared to the Dream Edition Performance’s 451 mile EPA estimate. Of course, if range is your priority you should be choosing the non-Performance Grand Touring model anyway, which is rated at up to 516 miles of range with the base 19-inch wheels. (Oh, and there was also a Dream Edition Range model that claimed to go 520 miles on a charge).

    Lucid Motors

    We suppose this questionable price premium is what you have to pay to actually get one of these 1000-plus-hp Lucid Air models in your driveway now that the Dream Edition is sold out. Lucid now says that deliveries of this new Grand Touring Performance model will start in June for most of the U.S., but buyers in California will have to wait until August.
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    Suzuki Burgman Electric Scooter Launch Delayed By Two Years

    Despite undergoing final stages of testing, Suzuki has announced a two-year delay for the launch of Burgman Electric scooter in IndiaSuzuki Burgman Electric Scooter SpiedLike all other auto manufacturers, Suzuki is also looking to venture into the electric mobility space in India sooner or later. The company has already started testing a new e-scooter whose design appears to be based on Burgman Street 125. Test mules of this battery-powered scooter have been spied testing on multiple occasions previously.As per a new report, development of this upcoming electric scooter has been delayed by a couple of years. Earlier, Suzuki Burgman Electric was expected to make its debut in India later this year, but that is no longer the case as launch has been postponed by a couple of years.Suzuki Burgman Electric Launch Delay – Possible ReasonsIn a recent interaction with an online publication, Satoshi Uchida, Company Head, Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd, and Devashish Handa, Executive Vice President (Sales, Marketing, & After Sales) SIMPL, revealed that Burgman Electric’s launch is still a couple of years away. According to Suzuki officials, development time of the upcoming electric scooter has been extended thanks to high ambient temperatures in our country.Another possible reason for this delay could be the fact that Suzuki is still awaiting Government’s policy on battery standardisation. All four major Japanese brands including Honda, Yamaha and Kawasaki, have already signed an agreement to standardise swappable batteries and replacement systems for international markets.Suzuki Burgman Electric ScooterA near production-ready prototype of the Burgman battery-powered scooter was first spied back in December 2020 which apparently wore a similar look in comparison to its IC engine-powered counterpart. A test mule of the same was last spotted in March this year. While its shape and silhouette are very similar to conventional scooters, Burgman Electric is expected to feature very unique internal mechanics.Challenges for E-Scooter ManufacturersThis comes at a time when several battery-powered scooters have been reported to catch fire across India recently. Several prominent brands like Ola Electric, Okinawa and Pure EV are under scanner and have earned a bad name for themselves. It is understandable that other manufacturers and not just Suzuki might extend their launch timeline, putting some extra time and effort into research and development.Henceforth, EV manufacturers are expected to test batteries and battery management software quite rigorously and improve functioning of their thermal system. Honda too has been testing the Benly E utility scooter in India for some time now to check performance of its removable battery in Indian conditions.Other Upcoming E-scootersMany prominent two-wheeler brands have lined up their respective EV offerings for launch in India in coming months. While Honda has confirmed that it will be launching its first e-scooter in the Indian market this fiscal, Hero MotoCorp will be venturing into EV manufacturing and retailing with a separate vertical and a new brand name Vida.Also, Yamaha recently showcased its first two production-spec battery-powered scooters named E01 and Neo’s in the country. It will be interesting to see if launch timelines of any of these models get affected due to recent events.Source More

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    631-HP Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica Brings the Visual Aggression

    The Tecnica version of the Lamborghini Huracán will have a 631-hp V-10, rear-wheel drive, and fixed-ratio steering.In the lineup, it’s positioned between the Evo RWD and the motorsport-inspired STO.It’s also going to be the second-to-last Huracan variant and will go on sale next year.UPDATE 11:00 a.m.: Lamborghini has announced that the Tecnica will be priced at $242,695.Lamborghini was never going to retire its pure internal-combustion engines without a grand sendoff. We have already seen one of them: the Aventador LP780-4 Ultimae, which marks the end of the V-12 supercar’s decade-long life span. Now here is another, the Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica, which can be fairly regarded as a greatest hits collection for the company’s smaller V-10–powered model, one that will understudy only the track-focused Huracán STO in the range hierarchy.

    Lamborghini

    While more discreet than the wing-wearing STO, the Tecnica still offers an abundance of the visual aggression that makes a Lamborghini a Lamborghini. It also gets the STO’s more powerful 631-hp version of the 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V-10, sending drive exclusively to its rear axle. With more downforce and less drag than the existing rear-drive Huracán Evo, it is also quicker and, the company claims, even more exciting.Sitting between the two existing models, the Tecnica inevitably blurs the lines. So while the STO is a motorsport-inspired special intended for regular circuit use (or at least it’s implied that that’s how owners will use it), the Tecnica has been designed to be a road car first, although one that can still cope with harder track use than the Evo. As such, it has fixed-ratio steering rather than the variable-ratio active setup of the lesser car, but it keeps rear-axle steering to improve high-speed stability. It also has improved brake cooling and Lamborghini’s LDVI (Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Integrata) dynamic control system to manage its plethora of active systems: torque-vectoring rear differential, adaptive dampers, and a recalibrated performance traction control.

    Visual changes are significant. The new front bumper is inspired by Y-shaped forms of the Terzo Millennio EV concept from 2017—the one that featured body panels capable of storing electrical charge. That means larger apertures than those of the Evo, with the Tecnica also gaining integrated winglets and a larger front splitter.

    Lamborghini

    At the back, bigger changes have been made with a new vertical rear screen that looks over a carbon-fiber engine cover; lesser Huracáns have a fared glass panel which incorporates both functions. It also gets a raised rear wing which, although smaller than the STO’s, still helps to increase peak downforce. Lamborghini claims a 35 percent improvement over the RWD Evo. Based on the numbers released for that car, that suggests a total of up to 400 pounds of aerodynamic assistance. While that figure looks modest next to the huge 992 pounds of downforce the STO can generate, the Tecnica’s revised package has also reduced drag by 20 percent over the Huracán Evo.The Tecnica’s interior is also less austere than the carbon-heavy STO, with a microfiber dashboard and new-design sport seats; it keeps its racier sister’s motorsport-inspired fabric door-pull openers, though. Lamborghini says it also gets a redesigned HMI interface for the central touchscreen, and buyers will be able to specify a rear roll cage.As in other Huracáns, there will be three driving modes, but these have been tweaked. Strada remains intended for everyday use, turning the Tecnica as civilized as it can be. Sport is a more aggressive setting that uses the rear-wheel steering and a more permissive traction control threshold to allow some carefully policed power oversteer. And the track-focused Corsa mode actually reduces permitted slip to maximize traction and minimize lap times. Carbon-ceramic brakes are standard, and buyers will also be able to specify optional Bridgestone Potenza Race tires, which are street legal but track biased. According to Lamborghini’s numbers, the Tecnica weighs 3018 pounds dry, which is just 67 pounds more than the corresponding figure for the STO. Which certainly doesn’t feel like an excessive supplement. We don’t have any pricing information yet, but the Tecnica’s place in the range hierarchy means it will be cheaper than its racier sister.According to Lamborghini insiders, there is still one Huracán variant to come after this one. It’s rumored to be a production version of the Safari-inspired Sterrato concept with underbody protection and a raised ride. That really will be going out on a high.

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    Two Wheeler Retail Sales Mar 2022 – Hero, Honda, TVS, Bajaj, RE, Jawa, Yezdi

    Retail sales numbers for March 2022 suggest that there is a clear migration towards electric scootersModified RE 650cc. Image – Rebellious GarageTwo wheeler retail sales dipped 4.02 percent YoY to 11,57,681 units in March 2022. This was against 12,06,191 units sold in March 2021 while retail sales fell sharply by 37.33 percent from 18,47,314 units sold in March 2020, the month in which the lockdown in view of the COVID-19 pandemic was announced.Hero MotoCorp led the sales chart in March 2022 with retail sales of 3,73,528 units, down from 3,99,206 units sold in March 2021. Market share dipped from 33.10 percent to 32.27 percent on a YoY basis. Demand was high for the company’s Glamour, Splendor, Passion and HF Deluxe motorcycles, while the company now gets ready to embark on an electric journey with a new brand name ‘Vida’.Two Wheeler Retail Sales Mar 2022Honda sales also dipped YoY to 2,81,725 units in March 2022 from 3,16,936 units sold in March 2021. Market share fell to 24.34 percent in the past month from 26.28 percent held in the same month of the previous year. Honda also plans an array of electric vehicles with design patents filed. TVS Motor Company has seen its retail sales increase to 1,81,328 units last month from 1,79,521 units sold in March 2021. Market share also went up to 15.66 percent from 14.88 percent.Bajaj Auto and Royal Enfield saw retail sales dip in March 2022. Bajaj Auto retail sales stood at 1,23,413 units, down from 1,38,290 units sold in March 2021. Market share dipped to 10.66 percent from 11.47 percent YoY. Royal Enfield sales fell to 50,762 units last month from 60,847 units sold in March 2021.Two Wheeler Retail Sales March 2022 vs March 2021 (YoY) – FADASuzuki Motorcycle India retail sales increased to 49,371 units from 48,741 unit retail sales in March 2021 bringing up market share to 4.26 percent from 4.04 percent YoY. In March 2022, India Yamaha Motor sales dipped to 41,812 units from 44,311 units YoY. The company has just announced a price hike from 1st April 2022 even as the company had earlier revised prices in January and February 2022. The company cites rising input costs as reasons for this latest price hike.Electric Two Wheelers March 2022Hero Electric sales increased to 13,023 units in March 2022 from 5,235 units sold in March 2021. Market share went up to 1.12 percent last month from 0.43 percent held in March 2021. Hero Electric remained the top electric two wheeler brand in India with an impressive lineup that includes the likes of Photon HX, Optima HX, NYX HX and Flash LX.Ola Electric sales stood at 9,121 units in March 2022. The company has faced some constraints, but has increased production to keep up with demand. Another electric two wheeler company, Okinawa Autotech has also seen increased sales in March 2022 at 8,284 units, up from 1,530 units sold in March 2021. Ampere sales also increased to 6,338 units in the past month from 941 units retailed in March 2021.Two Wheeler Retail Sales March 2022 vs Feb 2022 (MoM) – FADALower down the order, Classic Legends (Jawa / Yezdi) sales were up to 4,234 units in March 2022 from 2,561 units sold in March 2021. Piaggio retail sales stood at 3,870 units, down from 4,826 units sold in March 2022. Ather Energy’s retail sales increased twofold to 2,222 units from 1,064 units sold in March 2021. PUR Energy (2,066 units) Revolt (1,409 units) saw retail sales increase YoY while there were others on this list that also included some EV makers that saw sales of 5,175 units last month, up from 1,450 units sold in March 2021. More

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    Tork Kratos Electric Motorcycle Production Starts – 500 Units per Month

    Tork Kratos R is packed with a more powerful motor and a few additional features over its standard variantTork Kratos Electric MotorcycleTork Motors ventured into electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing when it launched its first product in the form of Kratos, earlier in January this year. The electric motorcycle recently underwent series production at the company’s manufacturing facility near Pune from where the first unit rolled out.Deliveries are expected to commence later this month with an initial focus on customers in Pune. The electric bike is available in two variants namely- Kratos and Kratos R which have been priced at Rs 1.08 lakh and Rs 1.23 lakh respectively (both ex-showroom prices, Pune).Tork Kratos Production BeginsThrough a social media post, the Pune-based technology company turned EV manufacturer had claimed that it will be rolling out 500 units of the electric motorcycle every month. The EV startup has also claimed that it will set up a new micro-manufacturing unit soon. Tork will soon start reaching out to its customers and start the registration and delivery processes.The company recently organised a test ride event in Pune. Tork first introduced a pre-production prototype of an electric motorcycle back in 2016 in the form of the T6X concept. Kratos borrows a large chunk of its overall design from the pre-production concept bike.Tork Kratos Electric MotorcycleKratos, Kratos R SpecsBase variant of Kratos is powered by a 7.5kW electric motor that produces a peak output of 10.05 bhp and 28 Nm of peak torque. The more powerful Kratos R is powered by a 9kW electric motor that dishes out 12.06bhp and 38Nm of peak torque. Both variants derive their energy from a 4kWh IP67 certified lithium-ion battery pack that is claimed to deliver an IDC range of 180km.However, actual range of the electric motorcycle is pegged at 120km on a single charge. The bike comes with three ride modes- Eco, City and Sport, where ECo offers the best range of around 120 km per charge and Sport offers the best performance where range on a single charge is around 80km. Using a regular AC charger, it takes the battery 4-5 hours to get completely charged.Kratos R also benefits from the fast-charging network which allows the battery to be rejuvenated from 0-80 percent in just 60 minutes. Owners of Kratos R will also be offered free access to the fast charging network for two years.Apart from Pune, Tork will also retail Kratos in other important centres like Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Delhi, however, deliveries for these cities are expected to commence later this year or early next year. More

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    New Yamaha Electric Scooters Showcased To Dealers In India

    E01 And NEO’s electric scooters had made their global debut earlier this year in March; India launch likely next yearYamaha Electric Scooters Showcased To Dealers In India. Image – Nikam YamahaAs compared to startups like Ather, Ola, Okinawa, Ampere, Revolt, etc., mainstream two-wheeler manufacturers like Yamaha are yet to target the EV space on a large scale. There are limitations for such OEMs, as they have to maintain focus on their primary petrol powered two-wheelers. Good thing is Yamaha has now taken its first steps in the EV journey by showcasing E01 And NEO’s electric scoters at dealers’ meet. Hat tip to Nikam Yamaha and Torque TV for sharing the images.Yamaha Electric Scooters For India – E01E01 is more likely to make it here, as it’s comparable to a 125cc petrol scooter. Yamaha already has a strong presence in this space with popular scooters like Fascino and RayZR. Similar USPs can be created for E01. Moreover, Yamaha has already filed the trademark for E01.As may be recalled, E01 electric scooter concept was showcased at 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. The maxi-styled scooter has a sporty profile with prominent front fascia, dual headlights, compact windscreen and wide, comfortable single piece seat. The scooter is expected to be offered in both single and dual-tone colour options.Other key features of E01 include fully digital instrument console, Bluetooth connectivity and keyless ignition. It will have three ride modes of Eco, Normal and Power. Max range with a single battery pack is expected to be around 70-80 km on a full charge.Yamaha Electric Scooters For India. Image – Nikam YamahaIn European markets, E01 is likely to be equipped with a 11kW (15 bhp) motor. This is as per the regulatory requirements mandated for light electric scooters. In Europe, E01 will debut as part of a ride sharing fleet.Yamaha Neo’s electric scooterBased on E02 concept showcased at 2019 Tokyo Motor Show, Neo’s electric scooter recently debuted in Europe at a starting price of EUR 3,005 (approx. Rs 2.52 lakh). It will go on sale later this year in May.Yamaha Neo’s electric scooter is equipped with a 50.4V, 19.2Ah Lithium-ion battery pack that weighs 8kg. It supplies power to a brushless DC hub motor, rated to deliver 2.5 kW (3.4PS) of power and 136 Nm of torque in Standard mode. The powertrain is comparable to a 50cc scooter. It is to note that Neo’s is already available as a 50cc petrol powered scooter in select markets.Yamaha Electric Scooters For IndiaIn Eco mode, power output is restricted to 1.58kW. With a single battery, range is around 38.5 km. This can be extended to 68 km using a dual battery setup. Charging time is around eight hours when a standard AC charger is used.It is not certain if Neo’s electric scooter will be launched in India. Charging and battery swapping infrastructure are still underdeveloped in the country. This significantly limits the acceptability for an electric scooter with low range. Market trends indicate that there’s growing preference for electric scooters with around 100+ km range. More

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    2023 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Adds 120th Anniversary Edition

    The 2023 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing will be offered as a 120th Anniversary Edition, but only 120 copies will be built.The special editions celebrate Cadillac’s 120th birthday with several unique interior trim pieces.The first CT5-V Blackwing 120th Anniversary Edition sold for $250k at the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach auction.Cadillac was founded 120 years ago in 1902 by Henry Leland, and the brand is celebrating that milestone with the 2023 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing 120th Anniversary Edition. The company will build just 120 examples, the very first of which was sold this past weekend for $250,000 at the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach auction.

    The 120th Anniversary Editions of the 2023 CT5-V Blackwing are part of the company’s Collector’s Series. Each individual car features a vehicle identification number (VIN) that includes a year from 1902 through 2022, starting with car 1902—the white example seen here that was recently auctioned off. The anniversary treatment is purely cosmetic, with details including special plaques on the door sills and B-pillars that acknowledge the commemorative year.

    Cadillac

    There are additional call-outs between the bottom spokes of the steering wheel and on top of the shifter of cars equipped with the standard six-speed manual transmission. Every CT5-V Blackwing 120th Anniversary Edition also includes a certificate of authenticity and a trip to the Spring Mountain V-Performance Academy driving school. The latter is a great opportunity to test out the rear-wheel-drive sedan’s 668-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V-8, which rocketed to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and posted a 2.49.4 lap around VIR’s Grand Course at our most recent Lightning Lap.

    Cadillac

    Cadillac hasn’t yet announced pricing for the 2023 CT5-V Blackwing or said how much the 120th Anniversary Editions will cost. The 2022 model currently starts at $84,940, which is about $165,000 less than what the first example of the 2023 anniversary version fetched at Barrett-Jackson auction. Cadillac says that it donated all the money from the sale to the SAE Foundation which benefits STEM education.
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