Almost a decade before Chevrolet pinned the Express moniker to its full-size van, the American brand showed off the Express concept car. Designed specifically for use on a proposed government high-speed highway network, the bar-shaped gas-turbine-powered Express could theoretically cruise from point-to-point at 150 mph, at roughly 25 miles per gallon (of kerosene). Despite packing as little as 120 hp, the limited mass and aerodynamic shape of the Express (its coefficient of drag was less than 0.20), not to mention the powertrain’s healthy 350 lb-ft of torque, allowed the vehicle to reach and maintain triple-digit speeds with relative ease.
In the tradition of Tesla’s annual Battery Day, Volkswagen just held its first Power Day. The globally broadcast virtual event laid out the company’s vision for the future of battery chemistry, pack design, manufacture, and recycling, as well as for building out a charging infrastructure, the discussion of which was capped off with this vision and mission statement: “With the right energy management and intelligent storage systems, one day charging will be for free.” Here are the highlights.
Volksbattery—An Almost 50 Percent Cost Reduction!To deliver e-mobility the masses can afford, costs must come down. The VW Group reckons it can drop battery costs to around $100/kWh for its entry-level offerings. Here’s where that roughly 50 percent reduction in cost will come from when it hits the market in 2025:
20 Percent—Cell Chemistry (Anode and Cathode): By replacing pricy and increasingly difficult to source nickel, manganese, and cobalt cathodes with cheaper more abundant iron-phosphate materials, [...]
Certain things are, it seems, too good to be true. I’ve never forget when, on the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE launch the 1,000-watt lightbulb exploded over my head and I realized that Free Driving Assist—the luxury SUV’s ability to hop up and down to free itself from sand or snow—can be used on dry pavement, pretty much whenever you want provided the vehicle was within the system’s operating parameters (i.e., low speed or stationary).
Mercedes’ PR professionals were none too happy at the time, but I did not let that stop me from filming half a dozen GLE-Class “bouncy bounce” videos for Instagram. “You’re going to be really popular in East L.A.,” I said to the German engineer who designed the fast-moving hydraulic pumps that make E-ABC (E-Active Body Control, otherwise known as the bouncy actuators) work. “Why,” he responded with a smile in his young, German eyes. “Do they have a lot of off-roading in [...]
Automakers are exploring many solutions for electrifying the sort of trucks that Americans can’t get enough of. In terms of conventional manufacturers, Ford is arguably out in front. Credit the already available Ford F-150 PowerBoost gasoline-electric hybrid pickup, as well as the upcoming F-150 electric. Heck, even Ram’s eTorque “mild hybrid” system is a fuel-saving step in the right direction. Upstarts like Bollinger, Lordstown, Rivian, and now Canoo want a piece of the pie, too, but aren’t reliant on “legacy” truck platforms. But for more traditional pickups, like the sort already running around your town as work or lifestyle vehicles, Magna has an interim solution called eBeam.
We’re talking about an application for trucks with a traditional ladder-frame chassis and live rear axle. The eBeam drops right in, in theory, utilizing all the original mounts, suspension, and so forth. But there wouldn’t be an input for the driveshaft, as the eBeam is an integrated e-motor [...]
They both are back: The 2022 Jeep Wagoneer and the higher-end 2022 Grand Wagoneer have returned after a 30-year hiatus. The two flavors of Jeep’s full-size three-row SUV come ready to take on a gaggle of big-boy family haulers from Chevrolet, Cadillac, Ford, Lincoln, and even Land Rover. We’ll cover how the Grand Wagoneer compares to the luxurious members of that competitive set separately—so, how do the two Wagoneers compare to each other?
We’re here to help break down the key differences between the two big Jeeps and decided which is best for you. And just in time—orders are being taken now for the new Wagoneer family, which goes on sale this summer. For reference, both the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are the same size (and both have long-wheelbase versions coming later) and feature the same interior layout for seven or eight passengers. Think of them as similar to Chevrolet’s Tahoe and Cadillac’s Escalade: Mechanically [...]
