More stories

  • in

    Two Wheeler Retail Sales Feb 2022 – TVS, Bajaj, RE, Hero Electric, Ola, Jawa, Yezdi

    Royal Enfield 350cc Custom By EimorTwo wheeler retail sales dipped 10.67 percent in February 2022 with Hero MotoCorp and Honda leading the segmentAs per data sourced by Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), two wheeler retail sales in February 2022 dipped to 9,83,358 units, down 10.67 percent from 11,00,754 units sold in February 2021. It was also a de-growth of 24.39 percent as against 13,00,588 units sold in February 2020, which was the last pre-Covid month.There are several factors that brought about this de-growth. Rising fuel prices have played a major part in decreased sales of petrol powered two wheelers while there is a definite shift in demand towards electric two wheelers as is evident from the table attached. Sales de-growth across the two wheeler segment has been compounded by the continued work-from-home corporate culture and the fact that several educational institutions are yet to open up after two yearlong closure due to the pandemic.Two Wheeler Retail Sales Feb 2022 – Hero LeadsHero MotoCorp led the segment with sales of 3,11,097 units in February 2022, down from 3,52,532 units sold in February 2021. Market share dipped from 32.03 percent held in February 2021 to 41.64 percent last month. Hero MotoCorp continued to see good demand for its Glamour, Splendor, Passion and HF Deluxe but has now announced its entry into the electric two wheeler segment and has unveiled its new brand ‘Vida’ with its first initiative will be the launch of an electric vehicle on July 1.Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) saw its retail sales at 2,46,504 units in February 2022 with market share at 25.07 percent. This was against 3,00,675 units sold in February 2021 when market share was higher at 27.32 percent. HMSI also plans to launch multiple new products. The Honda Activa electric will be launched in India by 2023 and will be seen as a rival to the likes of Ola S1, Bajaj Chetak, TVS iQube and upcoming Suzuki Burgman Electric.Two Wheeler Retail Sales Feb 2022 vs Feb 2021 (YoY)At No. 3 was TVS Motor Company with retail sales de-growth at 1,55,040 units in the past month, down from 1,67,112 units sold in February 2021. Market share increased from 15.18 percent to 15.77 percent YoY.Bajaj Auto posted retail sales at 1,08,682 units, down from 1,21,,052 units sold in February 2021. Apart from these 4 two wheeler OEMs, none of the others were able to surpass the 50,000 unit mark in terms of retail sales. Suzuki (44,129 units), Royal Enfield (44,010 units) and India Yamaha Motors (36,384 units) posted YoY de-growth in retail sales.Electric two wheeler OEMs Post GrowthTwo wheeler OEMs, such as Hero Electric, Okinawa and Ampere have seen significant increase in demand in recent months. Hero Ekectric retail sales increased to 7,356 units last month, up from 2,194 units retailed in February 2021. Okinawa sales stood at 5,923 units in February 2022 from 1,067 units sold in the same month of the previous year while Ampere sales were at 4,303 units from 806 units retailed in February 2021. Each of these electric two wheeler OEMs have also seen a significant increase in market share.Two Wheeler Retail Sales Feb 2022 vs Jan 2022 (MoM)Ola Electric, a newcomer to this segment registered retail sales at 3,904 units last month. Piaggio with retail sales at 3,526 units in the past month suffered a de-growth over 4,632 units retailed in February 2021 while Classic Legends Jawa and Yezdi (3,391 units), Ather Energy (2,229 units), Pur Energy (1,427 units) and Benling (1,147 units) each posted significant YoY growth in retail sales. Revolt sales also increased from 70 units in February 2021 to 1,128 units in the past month while there were other OEMs in the electric vehicle segment that have reported retails at 3,178 units, up from 1,040 units retailed in February 2021. More

  • in

    725,000 GMC Terrain SUVs with Too-Bright Headlights Must Be Recalled

    The headlights on more than 725,000 2010–2017 GMC Terrain SUVs are apparently too bright, although to date there’s no evidence anybody has reported safety issues as a result.In 2019, GM asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to dismiss the problem because, aside from the lack of crashes, only one customer had even asked about the situation.Even so, since these headlights are measurably too bright in some instances, NHTSA denied GM’s request this week, putting the ball in GM’s court to figure out how to resolve the situation.General Motors will need to recall more than 725,000 GMC Terrains to fix a problem with the SUVs’ headlights. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been collecting information on GMC Terrains from the 2010 through 2017 model years and claims that the headlights can create “glare to other motorists driving in proximity” in certain weather conditions, including snow and fog.In a Denial of Petition document posted to the Federal Register Thursday, NHTSA said the headlights in the affected Terrains are simply too bright from some vantage points. Specifically, reflection from the headlamps’ housing illuminates two small areas high above the vehicle that, when measured according to federal motor vehicle safety standards, return a result of approximately 450 to 470 candela. That’s more than three times as bright as is allowed at these measurement points, NHTSA said.

    2013 GMC Terrain Denali.

    In 2019, the automaker asked NHTSA to consider an exemption for the Terrain headlight issue because the “reflection has no effect on vehicle safety for oncoming or surrounding vehicles.” It also said that the headlight supplier, Stanley, redesigned replacement headlamps with graining on the surfaces that inadvertently reflected the too-bright light, “which will prevent the reflections that are the cause of the issue.” GM also said that it had heard of “only a single customer inquiry associated with this condition and is not aware of any crashes or injuries,” with that one customer complaining that the “left headlamp seems to have a portion of the light that shines up in the trees at near a 45-degree angle.” That’s the extent of it. Still, NHTSA denied GM’s request Friday, and the decision now forces GM to recall the vehicles and fix the headlights at no cost to vehicle owners. NHTSA said that approximately 726,959 Terrains manufactured between May 21, 2009, and July 13, 2017, are potentially involved in this recall. GM told Reuters that some Terrains have gotten replacement headlight parts that do not cause the same sort of glare and that the problem was fixed for 2018 and later model year Terrains. The automaker said it will now “review NHTSA’s decision and explore potential next steps,” Reuters reported.
    This content is imported from {embed-name}. 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 created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

  • in

    2022 MG ZS Electric SUV Exclusive Variant Features Leak

    2022 MG ZS EVMG Motor will be launching a new ZS EV in India with a more powerful 51kWh battery pack and a few more featuresMG Motor will soon be updating its sole electric vehicle offering in India- ZS EV, with a host of new features, redesigned exterior and updated powertrain setup. Facelifted ZS EV will be launched in India on 7 March 2022. Bookings for the updated electric crossover have already begun at a token amount of Rs 50,000, while deliveries are expected to commence later this month.2022 MG ZS Electric SUV – FeaturesLike its petrol-powered sibling- Astor, the new ZS EV is built on MG’s Car-as-a-Platform (CAAP) vision. The latest iteration of ZS EV will only be offered in Exclusive variant. Full features list has now leaked.Similar to Astor, the ZS EV was also expected to get ADAS features like lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, autonomous braking etc. But as per the leaked info, there seems to be no ADAS features on board the ZS EV 2022.It gets LED headlights and DRLs, 17 inch new alloys, roof rails, rear spoiler, 7 inch LCD cluster, leather wrapped steering wheel, PVC + PU seat, 6 airbags, 360 degree camera, TPMS, blind spot detection, pedestrian warning, front and rear seat belt reminder, etc.2022 MG ZS Electric SUV Features List2022 ZS EV also gets a new EcoTree Challenge feature on the MG i-Smart EV 2.0 connected car system. This functionality allows the owner to track his / her CO2 emissions and compare them with other owners. Other than this, the updated i-Smart technology comes with over 75 connected car features.In addition, the updated system will offer an advanced VR system that offers over 100 commands (including over 35 Hinglish commands) to control various functionalities of the car. Other features on offer include a new 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment unit compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a panoramic sunroof, a navigation system and more.Updated Powertrain SpecsThe outgoing ZS EV is equipped with a 44.7 kWh HT (Hi-tech) battery pack which is paired to a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor. This powertrain kicks out an output of 143 bhp and 353 Nm of peak torque. The automaker claims a 0-100 kmph time of 8.5 seconds. MG will likely replace the 44.5 kWh battery pack with a 51 kWh which will return the same output.2022 MG ZS EV Facelift – New 17 inch alloysHowever, after the latest update, the new ZS EV is expected to offer a range of almost 500km on a single charge as opposed to 419km offered on the previous iteration. The electric SUV will continue to be offered in FWD configuration and a single-speed automatic gearbox. There are multiple drive modes that alter its power delivery. The range is also increased by a small margin through three-level regenerative braking.Expected Price, TrimsThe upcoming ZS EV will be offered in a single fully-loaded Exclusive trim only which is expected to command a premium over the outgoing model. For reference, the current top-spec variant of the electric crossover is priced at Rs 25.18 lakh (ex-showroom). It will continue to rival Hyundai Kona upon its launch in India. MG India has plans to launch another electric SUV in the Rs 10-15 lakh price range – to rival Tata Nexon EV.Source More

  • in

    NHTSA OKs Manufacturing of Low-Volume Turnkey Replica Cars

    Replica vehicles and kit cars have long been a way for enthusiasts to get a piece of some of the greatest examples of automotive unobtainium. Thanks to the efforts of the SEMA (formerly known as the Specialty Equipment Market Association) and its partners lobbying Congress, the replica market is about to get a lot bigger. Customers in the United States will now be able to legally purchase turnkey, factory-assembled replica vehicles, based on designs more than 25 years old, now that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has officially implemented the Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act.

    According to this new policy, low-volume vehicle manufacturers will be able to construct up to 325 replica vehicles a year—anything from old-school hot rods to midcentury muscle cars and more modern classics. These vehicles will still be required to comply with some level of federal oversight, but not at the level of modern mass-produced vehicles. This should allow small manufacturers that don’t have the resources of a legacy automaker to build limited-production replicas that comply with the new law.That said, these replica vehicles will still be required to meet current model-year emissions regulations, and all replica manufacturers must register with NHTSA, the EPA, and the California Air Resources Board in order to build and sell street-legal vehicles. The process of verification with these entities may take several months, according to SEMA. That means we still likely have a way to go before we start to see an influx of new pseudo-vintage machines powered by modern emissions-compliant engines. For those who don’t want to wait, we should note that this new policy has no impact on your ability to build a traditional kit car. It seems like automotive enthusiasts don’t catch many breaks these days, especially as our zero-emission future draws ever nearer. This is a win we can all get behind, and one that could help get some seriously cool cars on the road in the near future.

    This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

  • in

    Best 1980s American Cars: Window Shopping with Car and Driver

    In a world of chaos, turmoil, and despair, there is Window Shopping. It’s not merely a Zoom call among Car and Driver’s various staff members and hangers-on, though it is that, too. It’s certainty, calm, and reassurance when it’s needed most.Heeding the call for elation once again, Window Shopping’s internet-scouring challenge this week is to find American cars from the 1980s that don’t suck and can be purchased for $30,000 or less. It’s all about moolah for malaise.Who are this week’s contestants? There’s C/D contributor Jonathon Ramsey from verdant Parts Unknown, Kentucky. Technical Something or Other K.C. Colwell, who was born during the 1980s but wasn’t eligible to be purchased during this competition. Editor-in-chief, and still redolent of that new-editor smell, Tony Quiroga. Senior editor Joey Capparella, who was born in the 1990s, and that makes his work title mostly ironic. And Road & Track’s John Pearley Huffman, who was already Midwest Regional Sales Manager for Circuit City in 1986.At least one of the gang here asserts that all cars from the 1980s suck. He makes a strong case. Choices this episode include a diarrhea-brown truck, a sedan even people who owned one forget was a reality, a yellow thing with a Kenwood stereo, another thing this writer can’t recall several minutes after the show, and, duh, a Mustang.Come along for this magical journey back to a time when the world seemed at least as screwed up as it does now. And yet, somehow, we survived.

    This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

  • in

    1970 Jeep Wagoneer Is Our Bring a Trailer Auction Pick of the Day

    • The name “Jeep Wagoneer” has resonated through the years among those who appreciate a big, tough utility vehicle that’s also luxurious. • As much as we appreciate the 2022 Wagoneer, there’s nothing like the classics, like this 1970 Jeep Wagoneer currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer.• With the auction scheduled to end on Friday, March 11, bidding is currently at $11,000 and sure to go way up from there.The 2022 Jeep Wagoneer is a big and tech-heavy three-row SUV that seeks to blend luxury and capability. There’s much to appreciate about it. Still, there is a nostalgic call to get back and relive the days of the past. This is why this 1970 Jeep Wagoneer is today’s pick on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. Bidding is open until March 11 for those who want to get behind the wheel of a 350-cubic-inch Dauntless V-8.

    Bring a Trailer

    The Wagoneer initially debuted in 1963. It was the high-class Jeep, featuring many amenities unlike anything at the time. Power brakes, an automatic transmission, and power steering were unthinkable for a rugged Jeep in the 1960s.

    According to the listing, this Wagoneer was listed on BaT back in December 2016. Since that purchase, work completed on the SUV includes a new aftermarket fuel-injection system, shocks, and suspension bushings and springs, as well as an oil change. According to the listing, the 350-cubic-inch Dauntless V-8 mated to a three-speed automatic transmission, and the Jeep reads 56,000 miles on the odometer.

    Bring a Trailer

    You’ll find plenty of accessories attached to this rugged 4×4. Want a roof rack? It has it. Need bumpers, rock sliders, and rear-mounted carriers? Done. [Slaps hood of Jeep.] This Jeep Wagoneer is absolutely ready for the weekend overlanding trip. Interested parties have until March 11 to bid on it.

    This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

  • in

    Volvo XC40 Recharge Refreshed to Resemble Coupelike C40

    Volvo has facelifted the XC40 Recharge with a new front bumper and triangular headlights similar to the design found on the C40 Recharge.The C40 Recharge also adds a new single-motor, front-wheel-drive variant.Volvo won’t yet divulge the U.S.-market plans for these models, but said that more information will come in the spring.Volvo is rapidly moving towards an all-electric future, with news emerging earlier this week of five new EVs coming in the next few years, including two wagon-like “activity vehicles” and a sedan. But before those models arrive, Volvo’s first electric vehicle is getting an update, with Volvo announcing today a facelift for the XC40 Recharge that brings its styling in line with the sleeker, coupelike C40 Recharge introduced last year.

    Volvo XC40 Recharge.
    Volvo

    The facelift is subtle, with a resculpted front bumper and a frameless grille cover matching the front end of the C40 Recharge. The electric XC40 also gains the pointier headlights of its sloped-roof brother, which continues to feature Volvo’s assertive Thor’s Hammer LED lighting signature. Inside, the XC40 Recharge gains non-leather upholstery options, while new paint colors and wheel options will be available, although Volvo has yet to specify what these will be.

    Volvo C40 Recharge.
    Volvo

    Meanwhile, the C40 Recharge is also gaining a new variant. Slotting below the current dual-motor version of the C40 will be a single-motor model. The motor sends power to the front wheels and comes with a 69.0-kWh battery, versus the 78.0-kWh unit in the dual-motor C40. Volvo says this variant of the C40 Recharge will get about 270 miles of range on the more lenient European WLTP testing cycle. Volvo also claims that the C40 Recharge will be able to charge from 10 to 80 percent in around 32 minutes when plugged into a fast charger.

    Volvo would not confirm U.S. market availability for either vehicle, but a spokesperson did tell Car and Driver that more information will come in the spring. The updated XC40 Recharge is almost guaranteed to reach our shores, likely for the 2023 model year, but given that Volvo doesn’t offer the single-motor XC40 Recharge stateside, the new C40 variant could remain forbidden fruit.
    This content is imported from {embed-name}. 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 created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

  • in

    New Yamaha Electric Scooters Debut – E01 And NEO’S

    Yamaha E01 Electric ScooterThe pre-production prototype of the E01 electric scooter is reported to offer a claimed range of 70-80 km on a single chargeThe fever of electric mobility has now caught up with big and established automakers. While the EV revolution was mainly brought by new startups, prominent players of the IC engine segment have now started to venture into the EV space by bringing out new models. The latest to join the EV bandwagon is Yamaha.The Japanese two-wheeler giant, unlike many other manufacturers, hasn’t rushed into electric mobility and indeed has taken its time to research and develop products that will cater to mass markets. In regards to the EV movement, Yamaha has unveiled its first two electric scooters globally.New Yamaha Electric Scooter Neo’s – DetailsYamaha’s first battery-powered two-wheeler offering is Neo’s which is essentially an electric equivalent of a 50cc scooter that already exists by the same name. It is based on the E02 concept that was showcased by the brand at the Tokyo Motor Show back in 2019. It is worth mentioning that Yamaha already retails the 50cc petrol-powered Neo in select international markets.The biggest highlight of this upcoming e-scooter is that it offers a battery swapping technology. It is powered by a swappable lithium-ion battery pack that feeds energy to a hub-mounted electric motor which is likely to be rated around 2kW. Although official specifications haven’t been revealed yet, the Neo’s electric scooter will be offered as a low-speed electric scooter in all likelihood.Yamaha Neo’s Electric ScooterEven though Neo’s could be humble in terms of its powertrain specs, it does flaunt a youthful and futuristic design which is very attractive. It is also expected to be packed with a decent amount of features up its sleeve.New Yamaha Electric Scooter E01 – India Launch?The second electric scooter revealed by Yamaha is E01 which is speculated to be nearing production status. It is a more powerful derivative that is equivalent to a 125cc petrol scooter. It is based on the E01 Concept that was also shown at the same event as the E02 concept. A few Japanese media outlets have already had a taste of what the battery-powered scooter offers.As per previous spy images, E01 comes with three ride modes including Eco, Normal and Power. It gets a simple fully digital instrument console that shares crucial information such as battery status, speed, etc. Other features expected to be included in the package are keyless ignition and Bluetooth connectivity. The E01 e-scooter is expected to start its life as part of a ride-sharing fleet in one of Europe’s capital cities.Yamaha E01 Electric ScooterIn this way, Yamaha could actually conduct some real-world tests on the scooter before offering it to customers. Since it will be making its debut in Europe, its power is likely to be capped at 11kW (15 bhp) to conform to the light electric scooter regulatory class. Moreover, the E01 is likely to be a brighter prospect for the Indian market since Yamaha has already filed a trademark for the same. More