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    2022 Bajaj Chetak Electric Scooter Homologated – Gets More Power

    Bajaj Chetak Electric ScooterShortage of imported components could be among the reasons for introducing more localization for Chetak
    Launched in January 2020, Bajaj Chetak electric scooter comes with USPs such as elegant design, sprightly colour options, metal body, connected tech and keyless start. However, as the pandemic began soon after its launch, Chetak wasn’t really able to unlock its full potential. Even now, shortage of semiconductor chips and other parts is being felt across the auto industry.
    2022 Bajaj Chetak with increased localization
    Things are expected to improve in future, as Bajaj is working on a new version of Chetak. It will have increased localization, which will reduce dependence on imported components. As revealed in Type Approval Certificate, one of the key changes is a new, more powerful motor. It generates 4.2kW of peak output and 4.0kW of max continuous output.
    In comparison, current Chetak model is powered by a Bosch-sourced motor. It makes 4.08kW of peak power and 3.8kW of peak continuous output. It is likely that other key components such as battery pack could also witness a higher level of localization. With the Type Approval Certificate in place, new Chetak could be launched soon.
    More affordable Chetak?
    One thing that’s not clear is whether 2022 Bajaj Chetak Electric Scooter will be more affordable than the current model. Usually, a higher level of localization helps to reduce production costs. Chetak can benefit from reduced pricing, as there’s intense competition in electric scooter space. There are multiple products that are not only cheaper, but also claim better performance and range than Chetak.
    2022 Bajaj Chetak Electric Scooter Homologated
    Bajaj Chetak is currently one of the costliest electric scooters in its class. Even with FAME subsidy, starting price is close to Rs 1.48 lakh in Delhi. At this price, it will be challenging to generate high sale volumes.
    For most buyers, a price of around Rs 1 lakh (including FAME subsidy) will be far more agreeable. TVS iQube is a good example, which is priced at Rs 1.01 lakh in Delhi (inclusive of FAME II subsidy). iQube and Chetak are not very different in terms of performance, range and top speed.
    One can also consider Ola S1 electric scooter, which is available for under Rs 1 lakh in several states. In Delhi, Ola S1 can be purchased at Rs 85,009 (effective ex-showroom including FAME II subsidy). It has better numbers (claimed) such as top speed of 90 kmph and range of 121 km.
    Bajaj new EV plant
    To strengthen its presence in EV space, Bajaj is currently building a new EV plant in Pune. The location is the same where original petrol-powered Chetak was once manufactured. New Bajaj EV plant is being built at an investment of Rs 300 crore (approx. USD 40 million). When working at full capacity, the plant will be able to manufacture 5 lakh EVs per year.
    EVs to be manufactured at the new plant include scooters, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Apart from Chetak, Husqvarna electric scooter and motorcycles will also be manufactured at this facility. EVs manufactured here will cater to both domestic and international markets. More

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    2022 Tata Nexon Electric Spied – Gets Larger Battery, Longer Range

    2022 Tata Nexon ElectricTata Motors will launch updated Nexon Electric with a larger battery pack this year – It would offer a higher range of around 400km on a single charge
    Range anxiety in electric vehicles (EVs) is a major concern among automobile buyers, especially in India where charging infrastructure is yet to gain widespread prominence. In addition, initial cost of an EV is a lot higher than conventional IC engine-powered vehicles which makes them unfavourable by most buyers in major parts of the country.
    However, EVs do have the benefit of low running costs in comparison to their petrol and diesel counterparts. For this, EVs have to provide a certain range in order to make it a profitable proposition for buyers. Nexon EV is one of the most sought-after EVs in the passenger car segment in India.
    2022 Tata Nexon Electric Spied
    Despite so many positives, the electric SUV has one major drawback in the form of its range. Nexon EV offers a range of 312km on a single charge which may seem decent on paper but its real-world range stands at around 180-200 kms. This might be very less for consumers who often cover long-distance journeys in a car or for those who commute long distances on a daily basis.
    To address this issue, Tata Motors will be updating Nexon Electric with a larger battery pack that will offer a greater range on a full charge. A test mule of the same has now been spotted somewhere in Pune. Images are credit to TechTalk Teardown. Hat tip to automotive enthusiast Snehal Praveen for sharing the update.
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    2022 Tata Nexon EV- Exterior Details
    Prototype caught in the camera was seen wearing a full-body camouflage although there wasn’t any noticeable clue of any change from images. It gets the same front fascia with a sealed Tata’s Humanity line faux grille which are flanked by dual-beam LED headlamps on each side with integrated LED DRLs.
    It also rolls on new 16 inch dual-tone diamond-cut alloy wheels. Side profile also remains intact will sloping Coupe-like roofline and roof rails. Rear end of the electric SUV has not been shown in the latest spy shots but it is unlikely the company will provide any noticeable change on this side.
    Features & Specs on offer
    In terms of features, it will be offered with gizmos such as a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system enabled with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a semi-digital instrument cluster with a 7-inch TFT display, auto LED headlights, auto climate control and connected car technology.
    2022 Tata Nexon Electric Spied In Pune
    Interiors are also expected to remain identical. Tata will, however, make some calibration changes to the powertrain and software with the addition of a new battery pack. Safety kit will include standard features such as dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat anchors and cornering stability control.
    Currently, Nexon Electric is powered by the brand’s Ziptron EV powertrain technology which draws energy from a 30.2kWh lithium-ion battery. This powertrain returns an output of 127 bhp and 245 Nm of torque. The battery gets an 8-year standard warranty. In its current avatar, Nexon EV is priced between Rs 14.24 lakh and Rs 16.85 lakh (ex-showroom). More

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    BMW iX Flow Makes the SUV Change Color Using E-Reader Technology

    BMW’s iX Flow concept, shown at CES this week, can change colors, as long as it is a shade of gray. The iX Flow is covered in E Ink, the same material used in e-readers like the Kindle.The tech allows instant personalization and can help the iX Flow be more energy efficient. At the 2022 CES technology show, BMW revealed two new products due to reach customers in the near future: the 2023 iX M60 electric SUV and a 31-inch screen with integrated Amazon Fire TV. But BMW also showed off its wild imagination by unveiling a radical concept called the iX Flow. Based on the iX SUV, the Flow is wrapped in something called E Ink—the material used in the displays of e-readers like the Kindle—which allows it to change color in the blink of an eye.

    BMW

    At the moment, the iX Flow can only shift through shades of white, grey, and black, but BMW suggested that adding vivid colors isn’t out of the realm of possibility. The E Ink wrap consists of millions of microcapsules containing negatively charged white pigments and positively charged black pigments. This microcapsules—which have a diameter equal to the thickness of a human hair—can be stimulated by an electrical field to bring different amounts of each pigment to the surface of the microcapsule, changing the shade of the car.

    BMW

    BMW sees a few use cases for the E Ink technology in future BMWs. First off, the color-changing wrap would allow the driver to adjust their vehicle’s appearance based on their aesthetic preferences. E Ink could also make the car more efficient—in hot, sunny settings, the iX Flow could turn white to reduce the amount of heat absorbed by the body of the car and decrease the reliance on the air conditioning. In cold weather, the iX Flow could switch to black to absorb as much heat as possible and lessen the energy required for the heating system. Having the climate control systems using less juice from the batteries would help an EV maintain a longer range in more extreme temperatures. BMW also suggests applying the material to the interior to prevent certain surfaces, like the dashboard, from heating up too much when left in the sun.

    The E Ink technology is also very energy efficient itself, only using energy during the quick color-changing phase, since the E Ink does not require a current to maintain the chosen shade. BMW has not elaborated on the production possibilities of the E Ink technology seen on the iX Flow, but suggested that applying the material was not unrealistically expensive and that we could see E Ink eventually making its way onto production vehicles.
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    BMW’s 31-Inch In-Car Theatre Screen Has Built-In Amazon Fire TV

    BMW has unveiled the Theatre Screen, an ultrawide screen measuring 31 inches and with up to 8K resolution.Amazon’s Fire TV service is integrated into the Theatre Screen and operates off the vehicle’s 5G connection.BMW didn’t specify when the Theatre Screen will hit the market, but the entertainment system should reach production soon. Although BMW opted out of attending the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show in person, the company still showed off its latest wares via a livestream event. Along with the debut of the BMW iX M60, BMW revealed the Theatre Screen, which it proclaims is the “in-car entertainment of the future.”

    The Theatre Screen is a 31-inch panorama display for the rear seats that lowers from the roof. The screen can show content in three formats—16:9, 21:9, and even 32:9—and it has a resolution of 8000 by 2000 pixels. The screen also has 5G connectivity and integrated Amazon Fire TV, and BMW claims it’s the highest-resolution and biggest display for any in-car Fire TV system.The Theatre Screen also brings a new setting, My Mode Theatre. When the car is put in this mode, the screen descends from the roof, accompanied by a sound cue created by iconic composer Hans Zimmer. My Mode Theatre also dims the ambient lighting in the rear and rolls up the blinds in the side and rear windows. The screen works in conjunction with the Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system and everything, including the angles of the screen, can be controlled via touch pads on the rear doors. BMW hasn’t said when we will see the Theatre Screen in cars we can buy but implied that the new entertainment system is headed to production.
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    2024 Chevy Silverado EV Trail Boss Takes the Electric Pickup Off Road

    The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV will have an off-road-oriented Trail Boss model like the gas-powered truck. Expect all-terrain tires, locking differentials, and possibly the GMC Hummer EV’s Crab Walk feature. The Silverado EV will arrive in 2023 and the Trail Boss should follow after the RST which arrives in the fall. Chevrolet’s new Silverado EV electric pickup was just revealed, and it has something the Ford F-150 Lightning does not yet offer: an off-road-oriented version. Like the gas-powered Silverado, the Silverado EV will have a Trail Boss off-road model.

    Chevrolet won’t spill any additional details on the Silverado EV Trail Boss other than what’s pictured above, which shows that it will have matte black body cladding and red tow hooks on the front end. The Silverado EV is available with 24-inch wheels, but the Trail Boss will have smaller, unique black wheels on all-terrain tires. Expect a lifted suspension, standard air springs, locking differentials (the GMC Hummer EV has two electric motors on the rear axle that can mimic a locking diff and a locker on the front axle), and it could possibly get the Hummer EV’s Crab Walk feature, too.

    The Silverado EV doesn’t share underpinnings with the gas model, rather it uses a narrower version of the GMC Hummer EV’s Ultium platform. It has an available 200.0-kWh battery pack and two electric motors, one on each axle, providing up to 664 horsepower and 780 pound-feet of torque in a special launch-control mode. Claimed range is up to 400 miles, but expect the Trail Boss model’s range to be less than that because of its all-terrain rubber.

    2020 Chevrolet Silverado Trail Boss.
    Chevrolet

    Look for more information on the Chevrolet Silverado EV’s upcoming Trail Boss model soon, as the base WT model and RST are slated to arrive in 2023. We expect the Trail Boss will follow those two along with an additional model that’s promised to offer 20,000 pounds of towing capability.
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    2024 Chevy Equinox EV Revealed, Will Start at around $30,000

    Chevy showed the first photos of the 2024 Equinox EV crossover.GM’s Ultium battery platform will underpin this new model.It will start at around $30,000 and go on sale in the fall of 2023.The Chevrolet Equinox compact SUV will spawn an electric variant, set to go on sale in the fall of 2023. The first images of this new model show off its sleek exterior and futuristic interior, which are a far cry from the current gas-powered Equinox. Chevy claims that it will have a starting price of around $30,000 and that it will offer LT and RS trim levels.

    Chevrolet

    The only mechanical detail we have so far is that the Equinox EV will use one of GM’s Ultium batteries. There’s no word on the battery’s capacity or an estimated driving range, but we think it will need to offer around 300 miles of range to be competitive in the current EV crossover segment.

    Chevrolet

    Chevrolet

    The red Equinox EV in these photos appears to be an RS model, while the silver vehicle could be an LT or Premier. Both feature large display screens inside, but the RS appears to have different interior trim including red upholstery and carbon-fiber-look trim.Look for more details on the Equinox EV to come throughout the year as Chevy shares more specs on this upcoming electric addition to its lineup. The company also confirmed that a Blazer EV will arrive in 2023.

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    As Chevy Silverado EV Charges after Ford F-150 Lightning, How They Compare

    When the 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV goes on sale in 2023, the Ford F-150 Lightning will have been on sale for a year already.Both trucks offer 10,000-pound towing capacities, but the Silverado has more range and performance. The Silverado EV starts at $39,900 (plus the mandatory destination charge), and the F-150 Lightning will likely cost around $42,000 to start. Ford’s electric F-150 Lightning will have been on sale for a year before Chevy’s new Silverado EV arrives. Ram says it will tag along a year after that with the electric version of its full-size pickup. These electric pickup’s gas-powered counterparts are their respective brand’s bestsellers, and they hope to continue the success in the growing field of electric pickups.

    Range is the all important number when it comes to electric vehicles, and, although the EPA’s estimates of either truck have not yet been announced, both automakers have made claims. The Chevy Silverado is targeting up to 400 miles of range from its available 200-kWh Ultium battery pack, while Ford says the F-150 Lightning will offer up to 300 miles of range with its 131.0-kWh Extended Range battery and 230 miles with the 98.0-kWh Standard Range pack. Both electric trucks can offload energy to power a house and even other EVs. The Silverado will provide 10.2 kilowatts while the F-150 Lightning can provide 9.6 kilowatts.

    Ford

    Towing is also imperative, and both of these electric trucks can tow up to 10,000 pounds. However, Chevy says that a future Silverado EV variant will be able to tow up to 20,000 pounds, putting it in heavy duty territory (a diesel Silverado 3500HD is max rated at 36,000 pounds). Nonetheless, based on our recent EV towing test, we’d wager that towing anywhere near these trucks’ max towing ratings will likely cut the range numbers stated above more than half. Something the Silverado offers but the Lightning doesn’t is a midgate that can be lowered in a 60/40 split to lengthen the bed. Both electric pickups come standard with dual-motor setups providing all-wheel-drive. Base Silverado WT (work trucks) will offer 510 horsepower and 615 pound-feet of torque, but the top RST model offers a launch control mode called Wide Open Watts that enables 664 horsepower and 780 pound-feet of torque and a claimed sub-4.5-second sprint to 60 mph. Ford says the F-150 Lightning will reach 60 mph in the mid-4.0-second range with the bigger pack, which has 563 horsepower and 775 pound-feet, so stay tuned to see which is quicker when we take them to the test track.

    Chevrolet

    Where the F-150 Lightning looks similar to the gas-powered truck, the Silverado EV shares nothing with its internal-combustion model. We think it resembles the Avalanche, but Chevy denies any inspiration from the pickup that was discontinued in 2013. It’s available only as a crew-cab configuration, like the F-150 Lightning, with a 5.9-foot bed. The Silverado EV is built on the same architecture as the GMC Hummer EV, and it has independent suspension front and rear just like the Ford.
    Screens dominate the interiors of both of these electric trucks. The Silverado EV offers a 17.0-inch touchscreen and an 11.0-inch digital gauge cluster, while the F-150 Lightning has a similar interior to the gas version but with an available 15.5-inch vertically oriented touchscreen and 12.0-inch digital gauges. Both trucks are available with hands-free-driving technology: General Motors’ Super Cruise, which works on more than 200,000 miles of pre-mapped highways, and Ford’s BlueCruise, which has over 100,000 miles of usable highway. Ford F-150 Lightning orders will open this month, and the first trucks will arrive in the spring, starting at $41,669. You can place a reservation for the Silverado EV now, and it’ll arrive in 2023 starting at $39,900 plus a not yet announced destination charge.
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    Sony Vision-S 02 Concept EV SUV Could Reach Production

    Sony revealed another electric vehicle prototype, the Vision-S 02 SUV, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year. This time, Sony plans to potentially send the car to production, and the company will establish Sony Mobility Inc. this year. The new electric SUV prototype has 536 horsepower from a dual-motor setup, and Sony hasn’t made any claims about range. At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) last year, Sony said it had no plans to sell its Vision-S 01 electric sedan, instead claiming that it was only for testing autonomous driving technology. The tech company’s aspirations seem to have changed this year, as it’s planning to potentially enter the market soon, showing a new Vision-S 02 SUV that can seat up to seven passengers.

    Sony

    This SUV is similar in size as the Tesla Model Y, one of the best-selling electric vehicles last year. A dual-motor setup provides all-wheel drive and 536 horsepower, but Sony has yet to reveal any details on the battery pack or make any claims about range. If it makes production, though, it’d need to keep up with the Model Y, which offers up to 330 miles of range. This prototype vehicle is equipped with control arms front and rear with air springs and rides on 20-inch wheels.

    The Vision-S 02’s interior is similar to that seen on the 01 sedan shown last year, with a large panoramic screen across the dashboard with three individual screens including one for the front passenger. Drivers can customize the car’s acceleration and deceleration sounds. The rear passengers get screens, too, and can play PlayStation games through a remote connection to a gaming console at home. Sony has been testing Level 2 driver-assist systems in Europe using the Vision-S 01 sedan that was debuted last year. In the spring of this year, under the name Sony Mobility Inc., the company plans to start launching the Vision-S 02 into the growing EV market.
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