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BEV

It used to be that a model would be in production for around 5 years before a new generation succeeded it. That is the norm but some manufacturers may shorten or lengthen that period depending on various circumstances. With increased competition and technologies being improved at a faster pace, especially for electric vehicles (EVs), the 5-year cycle might be too long.

It was in 2019 that Volkswagen introduced its new ID designation for a new family of battery electric vehicles, with the first model being the ID.3 which was launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Now, after just 3 years, the carmaker is preparing to launch the second generation of the model in early 2023.

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With the previous government having allowed full tax exemption on battery electric vehicles (BEVs) for a few years, many companies have been quickly introducing new BEV models in the market this year. A number of them are from China, which has the largest EV market in the world, so we are seeing many new brands and models which have unusual names as well.

ORA is one of those new brands and though the brand is new, the brand owner is not. It is a BEV-dedicated brand of Great Wall Motors (GWM), the leading truck and SUV manufacturer in China. GWM is not new to Malaysia as their Haval models have been on sale over the past 10 years, marketed by a local company. In order to more effectively invest and manage their business here, they have established a subsidiary company which will handle distribution and marketing.

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Weismann, a German luxury carmaker, was around as far back as 1988 but did not have much visibility. After disappearing for a while due to financial problems, it reappeared in 2016 and announced a plan to develop new models.

The first of these models, which has ‘Project Thunderball’ as its codename, will the world’s first fully electric convertible roadster. A prototype was revealed in May this year, showing much of the exterior and interior design. But technical details were brief, with the company saying that it will have a ‘highly engineered electric powertrain providing breath-taking performance’.

Weismann has now made further progress in the car’s development and has validated the various systems to be confident to talk about them. The 2-seater rear-wheel drive will have twin rear-mid mounted electric motors delivering up to 500 kW (680 ps) and 1,100 Nm of torque, with claimed 0 to  100 km/h time of 2.9 seconds.

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Toyota, it seems, is eager to show the world that even though it will continue to offer mobility solutions that include combustion engines, it is also giving a lot of attention to developing new battery electric (BEV) models. Behind the scenes, there must be a lot of R&D going on and at the end of last year, Akio Toyoda showed no less than 17 prototype BEV Toyota and Lexus models.

Since then, the company has been rolling out new models to show that it is making rapid progress and will have a growing range of BEVs in the near future. This will soon include a model that is presently known as the bZ Compact SUV concept. It looks production-ready so expect it to be on sale sometime in 2023.

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In the early part of the 20th century, many car companies were formed to make and sell the new ‘horseless carriages’. But over time, it was a case of Charles Darwin’s ‘survival of the fittest’ which applied to businesses as much as nature. By the end of the century, the number was considerably less than when it started and mega corporations were formed as a few companies merged.

Now, in the 21st century, the same thing is happening again as a ‘new’ type of motor vehicle – the electric vehicle (EV) – is poised to move into the mainstream – even displacing combustion engined vehicles in another few decades. And again, we see many new companies or start-ups appearing to try to get even a tiny slice of the growing EV market.

Some have been around a few years already, quietly developing their models and approaching investors and now, it seems that many are beginning to reveal themselves and present their products. One of them is AEHRA, an Italian company that aims to ‘disrupt the existing automotive ecosystem by distilling the values of Italian design, world-class engineering and American customer service to leverage the advantages of next-generation EV powertrain packaging and technology’.

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The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team will enter its fourth year in the all-electric Formula E single-seater World Championship from the 2023 season, running a Porsche 99X Electric Gen3. Seven automakers have registered to race the new Gen3 in Season 9. They are DS Automobiles, Jaguar, Mahindra, Maserati, NIO, Nissan and Porsche.

This third generation of racing cars will be the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric racing cars ever built. The intention behind the development of the new Gen3 cars is to set new benchmarks in motorsport in terms of performance, efficiency and sustainability – the goal of  the FIA and the Formula E organization.

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20 years after Volvo introduced its first SUV, the Swedish carmaker begins a new era with a totally new SUV that takes it into a fully electric future. Unveiled today in Sweden, the new EX90 is the first of a series of models that will enter the market at the rate of one per year. Volvo has declared that by 2030, it will sell only zero emission electric vehicles – one of the most ambitious electrification blueprints in the automotive industry.

“The Volvo EX90 is a statement for where we are, and where we are going,” said Jim Rowan, Volvo’s CEO. “It’s fully electric with a range of up to 600 kilometres on a single charge, designed to further raise our safety standards, the first Volvo car to be truly defined by its software and part of a wider ecosystem, connecting to your home and your other devices. The Volvo EX90 is the start of something new for Volvo Cars in many ways.”

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‘Shape-shifter’ tends to be associated with something scary as it has often been used to describe beings that can transform into something else – usually mean and nasty – like those Terminators. However, the term also refers to anything that can alter its shape and EV tech start-up City Transformer has a shape-shifting microcar that is ideal for urban mobility.

Called the CT-1, it is the world’s first microcar that can change its wheelbase to suit different traffic conditions. It can become narrower for better manoeuvrability and easier parking, and wider for better stability when travelling at higher speeds.

City Transformer presents the CT-1 as the next chapter in sustainable and intelligent urban mobility. With its small footprint, it can address issues of congestion in inner cities without sacrificing key core attributes such as safety, comfort, and the fun-to-drive factor.

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Following the launch of the Genesis GV70 SUV last year, an electrified version is now being introduced in selected markets outside its home market and will be made at the Hyundai Motor Group’s factory in Alabama, USA from next month. It will be the first Genesis model to be built in the USA and the first-ever Genesis production to take place outside South Korea.

The Electrified GV70, as it is referred to, shares the same design based on ‘Athletic Elegance’ as the GV70. The front end shows more attention to aerodynamic efficiency, vital for electric vehicles which need the lowest wind resistance possible. The Genesis signature Crest Grille has thus evolved into an aerodynamic crest that features an inverted G-Matrix Pattern and incorporates a hidden EV charging port, creating a minimalist yet sophisticated look.

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Volvo Car Malaysia has begun sales of an updated version of the Volvo XC40 Pure Electric, the first battery electric vehicle (BEV) from the Volvo range to be introduced in Malaysia. The model was well received when launched in March this year, with over 400 orders received within the first 2 months, all of which were delivered to customers by June 2022.

Priced at RM278,888 (excluding insurance for Peninsular Malaysia registration), the locally assembled XC40 Recharge gets a new colour (Fjord Blue) to join the choices of Black Stone, Crystal White, Sage Green, Silver Dawn, Thunder Grey. There are also minor cosmetic changes at the front and rear as well as new rims. Inside, Charcoal Connect Suede textile is used, with a new shift lever sculpted with leather-free charcoal material.

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