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California clamps down on replacement tire efficiency. Rivian thinks about charging stations fanning hot electric truck batteries as they charge. And Lordstown Motors is recalling the Endurance over a propulsion issue. This and more, here at DriftBreath Reports.  Lordstown Motors has paused production on the Endurance electric truck due to “performance and quality issues.” Although the company didn’t disclose what those are, it says that it’s filed paperwork to recall 19 of the trucks due to an issue that could lead to loss of propulsion while driving.  Rivian is thinking about having some of its DC fast-charger stations funnel cool…

Mercedes-Benz on Tuesday provided insight into plans to deliver in-house-developed operating and navigation systems to be used across its lineup in the years ahead. Many automakers today rely on off-the-shelf systems like Linux and QNX, and more recently Google Android. However, switching to an in-house system provides automakers with greater control and flexibility, and increasingly, new financial opportunities. Mercedes started work on its operating system, dubbed MB.OS, in 2021, and on Tuesday the automaker said the system will be introduced around the middle of the decade in a next-generation compact car lineup based on the MMA platform. The first MMA-based…

Cadillac will launch three electric vehicles this year to join the existing Lyriq and Celestiq, and a prototype for one of them has just been spotted. The prototype is for a mid-size three-row SUV that will likely end up replacing the gas-powered XT6. Cadillac has previously described the vehicle as a “globally sized” offering with an emphasis on space and cargo capability. The vehicle is heavily camouflaged but design cues borrowed from the Lyriq can clearly be seen, like the lines of the front fascia, the vertical layout of the headlights, and the beak-like visor running along the leading edge…

The Pininfarina Battista electric supercar has set a quarter-mile record for production cars, managing an 8.55-second run, Pininfarina announced Thursday. That time narrowly beats the 8.58-second quarter mile recorded by the Rimac Nevera, which shares components with the Battista, in 2021. The record run was conducted earlier this month at the Natrax test facility in India, home country of Pininfarina’s parent company, Mahindra. Pininfarina Battista record attempts at India’s Natrax test facility Pininfarina is also claiming a half-mile acceleration record of 13.38 seconds, and noted that the 222.4-mph top speed achieved by test driver Hormazd Sorabjee makes the Battista the…

Despite more stringent standards, a number of electric cars and plug-in hybrids were recognized with Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick awards for 2023. The IIHS strengthened requirements in a number of areas in 2023, and as a result only 48 models received awards, compared to 65 for 2022 (including eight EVs). Of that group, 28 earned the highest Top Safety Pick+ and 20 earned Top Safety Pick awards. Among the Top Safety Pick+ winners were the all-electric Rivian R1T, Subaru Solterra, Tesla Model Y, and Volkswagen ID.4, as well as the Lexus NX 450h+ and Volvo…

The third-generation Range Rover Sport delivers exactly what luxury SUV buyers are looking for. Smarter styling, improved onboard technology, along with a raft of developments in the way the Sport drives mean that it remains as sophisticated as ever, while maintaining a dynamic edge over its bigger Range Rover sibling.A strong choice of petrol, diesel and efficient plug-in hybrid engines will please private and business users alike, as will the sumptuous levels of comfort and refinement. Yes, prices have inevitably risen, but the Range Rover Sport is one of the best premium SUVs you can buy.About the Range Rover SportIn…

Land Rover put its Special Vehicles (SV) division to work on another special called the Lansdowne Edition. Don’t worry, you can’t buy it — it’s limited to the UK, Land Rover is only making 16 of them, the production run sold in advance at £250,000 ($301,565 U.S.) a pop. The automaker didn’t explain the name, but it created the limited edition to celebrate a new boutique in London’s especially posh Mayfair suburb. Mayfair also happens to be the site of Lansdowne House, completed in 1768 as a residence for a succession of very important people, now the home of exclusive…

Ohio’s Lordstown Motors announced that it “has experienced performance and quality issues with certain Endurance components.” That’s led to a temporary stop to both production and customer deliveries, and it will lead to the company’s first recall. According to the company, it’s already filed paperwork with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to voluntarily recall affected trucks due to “a specific electrical connection issue that could lead to a loss of propulsion while driving.” That issue affects 19 vehicles already delivered to customers or in use by the companies. Additional vehicles at the plant will also need the recall…

California is considering efficiency standards for replacement tires, helping ensure that hybrids and electric cars sold with efficiency-focused tires would consistently get comparable replacements. As noted by trade publication Modern Tire Dealer, replacement-tire efficiency standards have been discussed for some time, but may be moving closer implementation following data gathered by the California Energy Commission (CEC), the regulatory agency in charge of drafting proposed standards. The CEC was previously granted authority to adopt and implement tire-efficiency standards via legislation, and it launched the data-gathering campaign in November 2020. Earlier this month it recommended a minimum standard for rolling resistance, along…

Volkswagen’s ID.Buzz is already on sale overseas but the electric van will finally reach U.S. showrooms later this year. The reason for the delay is that the U.S. will get a long-wheelbase version that’s still in development, and one of the prototypes was recently snapped by our spy photographer. The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6, a sleek electric sedan featuring strong Porsche and Mercedes-Benz vibes, goes on sale this spring. Pricing information has been released and the figures are comparable with the Tesla Model 3, but the Ioniq 6 has the range advantage. Bentley’s twin-turbo 6.0-liter W-12 engine is on its…