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In what would be a major strategy shift, Toyota is considering a dedicated EV platform similar to what other automakers have to compete more effectively with Tesla, The Asahi Shimbun reported this week. However, Toyota doesn’t plan to deploy this platform until 2027 or 2028, when it believes consumer demand for EVs will be sufficient to warrant the investment, the report said. That means it will be a full vehicle cycle before anything shows up on this new platform, and until then Toyota might not be as competitive versus models that have such a manufacturing cost, range, or efficiency advantage…
Audi has been spotted testing a prototype for an updated Q7, and the tester already appears to be at a late stage of development. The current Q7, the second generation of the nameplate, arrived for the 2017 model year and was given its first update for 2020. Normally a prototype for a redesigned model would appear at about this time, but with Audi planning to transition to a full-electric lineup this decade it makes sense for automaker to continuing updating the current internal-combustion model until an electric successor arrives. This updated three-row SUV is expected to arrive late this year…
Quick Facts on Electric Car Charging Costs Charging an electric vehicle battery overnight at home is likely the least expensive option. Gas prices fluctuate, and electricity rates vary regionally, but in most cases, it costs less per month to charge an EV than to buy gas for a traditional vehicle. While free options are available, public charging stations have time-based fees that usually cost more than home charging. Many people ask the single biggest question about electric cars: What will I spend to charge the vehicle? If you’re looking at an electric car vs. a gas car, doing some upfront…
Fast Facts Volvo XC90 Recharge T8 Inscription Extended Range Powertrain 2.0-liter turbocharged four with plug-in hybrid electric motor (455 combined hp, 523 combined lb/ft) Transmission Eight-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive Fuel Economy, MPG 26 combined (EPA Rating Fuel Economy, L/100km 8.5 city / 8.5 highway / 8.5 combined. (NRCan Rating) Base Price $73,195 US / $93,550 CAN As Tested $84,090 US / $102,100 CAN Prices include $1,095 destination charge in the United States – in Canada, Volvo does not quote a separate destination fee, and because of cross-border equipment differences, can’t be directly compared. Part of becoming a parent is…
Porsche’s new 911 Dakar launched at the 2022 Los Angeles auto show last November was originally meant to be called the 911 Safari, according to the person in charge of the off-road sports car’s development. In an interview with Edmunds published last week, Thomas Krickelberg, director of the 911 Dakar program, said the car was originally called the 911 Safari during the early days of development but Porsche had to abandon those plans after being refused permission to use the name by Tata Motors. Tata is the rights holder of the Safari name when it comes to automotive applications and…
The Lexus RC and RC F are finally ready to say hello to 2023. The eight-year-old coupe is still in its first generation, and the new model year car is not moving the needle much aside from two small, noticeable changes inside. Instead of the current car’s two large analogue dials separated by a small digital screen, the new RC puts a new digital screen on the left, a large digital tachometer in center stage, and a small analogue speedo on the right. In the center stack, a new touchscreen infotainment display comes out from under the cowl built into…
Nissan in 2021 rolled out a handful of concepts previewing potential designs for the brand’s upcoming EV portfolio. One of them was a pickup truck called the Surf-Out, which could prove popular as both a lifestyle truck and light-duty workhorse in the U.S. Nissan design chief Alfonso Albaisa told Motor Authority in a 2022 interview that his design team was investigating an electric pickup truck, and now an executive representing Nissan dealerships has revealed that Nissan is studying one for the U.S. The information was revealed by Nissan Dealer Advisory Board Chairman Tyler Slade in an interview with Automotive DriftBreath…
Audi has saved the most intriguing—and arguably, most American—of its four sphere concepts for last: an electric pickup. Well, sort of. The Activesphere concept is “a master of metamorphosis,” as Audi puts it—a coupelike hatchback with an elongated roofline, in which the entire rear section folds horizontally, then opens up to a cargo bed that’s large enough for e-bikes or perhaps an ATV. A flush ski rack is integrated into the roof structure, and the suicide-style rear doors mean there’s no middle pillar. The sphere concepts, presented over the past couple of years, include the Skysphere sports car, Grandsphere flagship,…
The BMW M division celebrated its 50th anniversary last year by launching a number of new models, one of which was a hardcore M4 CSL. There was no similar hardcore version of the M3, which probably left fans of the more practical M thoroughbred a little sour. It turns out they only needed to be patient, as BMW M on Tuesday revealed a new M3 CS for the 2024 model year. 2024 BMW M4 CS The CS cars fill the gap between the Competition grade and hardcore CSL. They up performance via the typical means of more power and less…
When it comes to top-down driving, the sky is the limit. Picture it: you’re on a weekend drive. The weather is perfect, the roads are winding, the view is spectacular, and the traffic is nonexistent. Most importantly, the roof of your car is down, because you’re not behind the wheel of just any performance car, you’re behind the wheel of a sports car with a convertible roof, because there’s nothing else in the automotive world that can replace it. Some of the world’s most celebrated cars in history have been luxury coupe convertible cars, and even today, 2023 convertibles continue…