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  • Canoo Taking Orders for Vehicles

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    New player in the electric vehicle market Canoo Inc. is now officially taking orders for the company’s lifestyle, Multi-Purpose Delivery Vehicle (MPDV) and pickup truck offerings.

    According to the company, potential customers can reserve one of Canoo’s vehicles for $100 by going online to.

    Canoo’s lifestyle vehicle will be the first of the trio to market in 2022.

    “It’s no longer a question of whether America will go EV — but when. Our line-up is future-forward and succeeds where others have struggled: Giving people the EV that works smarter for them at a price that can work for their budgets. That’s why we are designing for flexible use cases and focused on productivity solutions,” said Tony Aquila, Chairman & CEO Canoo Inc. 

    “We are designing for people who work hard, play hard and need something reliable, that will last and give you value. We’re for the 99% not the 1%. Our vehicle line-up is built for the backbone of America – to give you value so you can work smarter.”

    Portfolio includes vehicles for work and play

    The Canoo vehicles that can now be reserved break down into three categories: Lifestyle, MDPV and Pickup.

    The company revealed the Lifestyle vehicle will be the first of the three to hit the marketplace sometime in 2022. The price ranges between $35,000 to $50,000.

    It is designed to be cabin forward to maximize interior space and function, with exportable power and customization options — all on a small footprint. It will come standard with multiple car seat anchor points and have enough space for five.

    Nascent EV maker Canoo is the latest company to get into the electric delivery van segment with its new MPDV.

    It will have an interior volume of just over 188 cubic feet, which is about the same as a large SUV, while the vehicle’s overall footprint and length will be in line with that of a Prius. 

    Its electric drivetrain puts out 300 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of peak motor torque and 250 miles of battery range. Final pricing will be announced in the new few months.

    Small business vehicle also coming

    The MDPV is designed to be used by a wide range of commercial customers, including small businesses, fleets and last-mile delivery companies. 

    It offers efficiency and class-leading cargo volumes, which will help businesses to reinvest and thrive, officials claim. This is meant to make delivery vehicle a great option for independent contractors, tradespeople, utilities and service technicians.

    Bi-directional onboard charging maximizes functionality and turns the vehicle into a power plant for equipment and tools that can be powered up even at remote destinations. 

    Canoo pickup truck front
    Canoo didn’t want to be left out of the massive pickup truck segment, offing this unnamed and unusual offering.

    The vehicle’s design is meant to accommodate workstations to store and access a variety of devices, products and equipment. Depending on the configuration, anticipated specifications include up to 200 hp and 236 lb-ft of peak motor torque with up to 250 miles of battery range.

    Hot pickup truck market not forgotten

    And no car company EV or otherwise can get along in the U.S. market without a pickup truck. The Canoo truck, like its stablemates, is fully electric with a cabin-forward design as well as steer-by-wire technology and proprietary multi-purpose platform architecture.

    The truck will also have an extendable flatbed designed to compete with other pickup trucks on a smaller footprint. This will make it easier to maneuver and more convenient to drive. These are important features for people who will use the truck for things like work on construction sites. 

    It will also have exportable power, advanced exterior lighting, fold-down worktable and cargo storage, flip-down side tables, side step and storage, an extendable bed with space dividers and multi-accessory charge port.

    Specs include dual or rear motor configurations, with 500-plus hp and 550 lb.-ft. of torque with dual motors, vehicle payload capacity of 1800 pounds and at least 200 miles of battery range.


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  • BMW Gets Big Boost from EV Sales

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    The BMW Group reported it more than doubled its sales of electric vehicles in the first quarter as the German automaker’s revenue increased by 18.9% and its net income increased fivefold, topping $3 billion. 

    “The first quarter shows that our global business model is a successful one, even in times of crisis. We remain firmly on track for continued sustainable, profitable growth,” Oliver Zipse chairman BMW’s board of management said in a strategy

    “Our strategy is based on retaining a keen focus on providing attractive high-tech products that are destined to shape the changing world of mobility going forward. With this clear vision, we are already developing the next major technological leaps that will continue to fascinate our customers ten years from now.”

    BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said the company want to increase its EV sales 50% each year through 2025.

    Shift to EVs picking up momentum

    The luxury automaker is focused what it describes as digitally connected, sustainable electric mobility through the systematic addition of electrified drivetrain technologies to its model portfolio. Officials set a goal of increasing the company EV sales by an average of more than 50% per year through 2025. 

    By then, the BMW Group plans to have some 2 million fully electric vehicles on roads worldwide, officials said. This includes all of the company’s brands, BMW, Mini, etc.

    The strong demand for plug-in hybrids and fully electric vehicles contributed substantially to the sales performance in the first quarter, with deliveries more than doubling compared to the same quarter one year earlier as sales totaled 70,207 electrified vehicles during the first quarter.

    Stronger sales across the board

    Mini continues to cater to its U.S. buyers with another new special edition model: the 2021 Coral Red Edition.

    Higher sales volume in the first quarter 2021 resulted in corresponding increases in automotive segment revenues and earnings.

    Worldwide deliveries of BMW brand vehicles increased 36.1%. Mini brand sales increased 16% and sales by Rolls-Royce increased by 61.8% with China, the U.S. and Asia-Pacific contributing most of the growth, BMW reported. 

    The greatly improved level of revenue and earnings was driven by a combination of higher sales volume figures across all regions of the world, particularly in China, and improved selling prices. Positive effects also came from the robust situation on pre-owned vehicle markets, causing revenues from the sale of previously leased vehicles to rise, above all in the U.S.

    The improvement also contributed to earnings growth. In particular, the Group’s share of the profit in the Chinese joint venture BMW Brilliance Automotive amounting to 503 million euros, or $612.1 million, compared with 162 million euros, or $197.1 million, in the first quarter of 2020.  

    Profitability key and outlook unchanged

    Nicolas Peter, member of the board of management of BMW AG Finance said, “Profitability is a key aspect of our transformation journey. Our operational strength enables us to manage the move towards a world of digitally connected, sustainable mobility. With this aim in mind, we are investing specifically in low-emission drivetrain systems and attractive, highly innovative products and equipment.”

    Rolls-Royce sales jumped 61.8% in Q1.

    Meanwhile, the outlook remains stable despite the continuing challenges posed by the pandemic.

    “In light of the current dynamic environment, the BMW Group reaffirms its outlook for the full year, expecting business performance continuing to develop positively. New models and digital services covering various aspects of individual mobility are likely to ensure that demand remains buoyant. Group profit before tax is therefore predicted to rise significantly during the outlook period,” BMW said.

    The BMW’s automotive segment is expected to record a solid year-on-year increase in the number of BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brand vehicles delivered to customers. The segment’s EBIT margin is set to improve significantly on the previous year’s figure and come in at the upper end of the forecast range between 6% and 8%.However, rising raw materials prices could have a dampening impact on earnings going forward by adding more than a $1 billion in additional expenses to the company’s bill of materials, BMW officials said.


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  • Chevy Bolt Goes Up in Flames Days After GM Announces “Final Fix”

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    A battery fire involving a Chevrolet Bolt destroyed the battery-electric vehicle and seriously damaged the home where it had been garaged.

    Before implementing the “final fix,” General Motors recommended not fully charging the Chevy Bolt.

    The May 1 fire is the latest in at least seven known fires involving the Chevy battery-electric vehicle since the beginning of 2020, and it occurred shortly after a recall and a subsequent “fix” meant to address the problem. Federal safety regulators advised owners of Bolts built during the 2017 to 2019 model years to park the vehicles outside until they could be repaired.

    The General Motors BEV is just one of many electric vehicles to face battery fire problems. Hyundai earlier this year recalled more than 75,000 of its Kona EV models due to a fire risk and there have been numerous fires involving Tesla vehicles, though most have occurred following crashes rupturing a vehicle’s battery pack.

    GM issued warning

    The latest Chevrolet Bolt fire completely destroyed the vehicle while also doing serious damage to a home in Ashburn, Virginia. Authorities there estimated the conflagration caused a total of about $235,000 in damages.

    The exact cause of the fire has yet to be determined but Chevrolet previously warned that Bolt EVs produced in the 2017 through 2019 model years were vulnerable. In a message to customers this past month it said they face “a risk of fire when charged to full, or very close to full, capacity.”

    The latest Chevy Bolt fire in Ashburn, Virgina caused $235,000 in damage. (Photo credit: Bobby Busche via Facebook)

    The automaker previously issued a warning and recall in 2020, at the time advising owners to take several steps that would limit the amount of power the Bolt battery pack would store. The downside was a reduction in the vehicle’s range. The impact was relatively minor, cutting off charging when the batteries reached about 95% of their maximum capacity.

    The final fix just announced focused specifically on 2019 models, with subsequent updates expected to follow for older versions of the Bolt.

    GM said it is aware of the latest incident and is investigating — as are local fire authorities. It is unknown whether the owners in Ashburn had reduced the capacity of their battery pack as GM had previously advised.

    Fire risk could raise flag for consumers

    While range, cost and charging times are considered key obstacles to widespread consumer acceptance of battery-electric vehicles, experts warn that fires are another big concern.

    “There are a lot of people who won’t want to take the risk” on buying an electric vehicle “if they think there’s a chance of an accidental fire,” Joe Phillippi, senior analyst with AutoTrends Consulting, told TheDetroitBureau.com earlier this year.

    Lithium-ion batteries are vulnerable to catching fire, though the degree of risk depends on factors such as the precise formulation used. There are more than a dozen main “families” of lithium-ion chemistry.

    Jesse Ortega, the Chevy Bolt EV’s executive chief engineer, announced the recall of more than 68,000 of the EVs last year.

    GM not alone

    About 69,000 Bolts were recalled last year, including 51,000 sold in the U.S. The Hyundai Kona EV recall was even larger, involving 75,000 of the vehicles sold worldwide.

    Tesla has had several recalls since the original Model S was introduced, including one aimed at providing greater shielding for its batteries to reduce the risk that the pack could be breached in the event of an accident. But that appears to have happened in a recent crash and fire that took the lives of two occupants.

    Nonetheless, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has tried to downplay the risk, claiming that the automaker’s products have experienced only about 10% as many fires on a billion-miles-driven basis as do gasoline-powered vehicles.

    With EVs expected to rapidly increase in number during the coming decade, experts are hoping to see a shift from lithium-ion to solid-state batteries. That new technology replaces the flammable slurry of chemicals in today’s batteries with an inflammable solid or foam, such as ceramics.


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  • Tesla Sets New Records with Q1 Results

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    Tesla set another quarterly record for deliveries during the first quarter of 2021.

    As predicted by many, Tesla Inc. set another quarterly record for production and deliveries during the first quarter of 2021 while rolling out another profitable quarter.

    The delivery numbers eclipsed the previous record by more than 4,000 units, coming in at 184,877 vehicles during the quarter. The overwhelming majority of the deliveries were Model 3 and Model Y at 182,847 vehicles – at 140% increase compared to the year-ago number. It’s also a 21,000-plus unit jump compared with the previous quarter.

    The company’s automotive revenue came in at $9 billion, an increase of 75% compared with Q1 2020. Overall, the company’s total revenue came in at $10.4 billion with a net income of $438 million or 39 cents per share. It also reported an adjusted EBITDA of $1.8 billion for the quarter with operating income reported at $594 million with a 5.7% operating margin.

    Big results — again

    Tesla’s Elon Musk is taking on a new role: host of Saturday Night Live.

    Quarter-end and cash equivalents to $17.1 billion in Q1, driven mainly by a net cash outflow of $1.2 billion in cryptocurrency (Bitcoin) purchases, net debt and finance lease repaymenbts of $1.2 billion, partially offset by free cash flow of $293 million.

    “There’s no guarantee that Elon Musk’s appearance on SNL will garner big laughs, but it’s certain that he’s laughing all the way to the bank,” said Jessic Caldwell, Edmunds’ executive director of insights.

    “Tesla had a record-breaking first quarter, and seems to be doing particularly well compared to its more traditional OEM competitors who are starting to flounder in light of the unique market conditions squeezing the industry right now. It’s pretty ironic that as an automaker known for producing computers on wheels, Tesla’s deliveries in a quarter marred by a global chip shortage have proven to be so strong.

    The big numbers came despite the fact the average selling price for one of its vehicles fell during the quarter. However, officials seem almost pleased by that, noting that lowering “the average cost of the vehicles we produce is essential to our mission.”

    The exterior of the new Model S is a little more angular than its predecessor.

    Big sales — again

    The company was quick to note that with production of its Model 3 basically coming from one plant (Shanghai), it is the best-selling premium sedan “in the world.” It outsold its top competitors, the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes E-Class.

    “This demonstrates that an electric vehicle can be a category leader and outsell its gas-powered counterparts. We believe Model Y can become not just a category leader, but also the best-selling vehicle of any kind globally,” the company told investors.

    With the strong performance of those two, production of the 2021 Model S — the vehicle that really started it all — “should start very shortly.” Officials noted that production of the Model Y production rate in Shanghai continues to improve and “two new factories — Berlin and Texas — are making progress. There is a lot to be excited about in 2021.”

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  • Genesis Goes Electric with Electrified G80 Sedan’s Debut in Shanghai

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    Genesis G80 EV front

    Genesis is looking to make up some ground when it comes to electrification with the new Electrified G80.

    The Genesis brand is determined to go from catch-up mode to leaving its competition behind. After an initial delay, it’s rolled out an assortment of new SUVs and its now getting into the battery-car game with the launch of the Electrified G80 at the Shanghai Auto Show.

    The name of the Genesis Electrified G80 sedan might confuse some folks, making it sound like the automaker simply stuffed some batteries inside the conventional, gas-powered G8. However, the new model gets a major makeover to ensure it gets the range and other benefits offered by switching to battery power.

    “Today is very special because it represents a variety of firsts for the Genesis brand, not only because this is Genesis’ very first appearance at Auto Shanghai, but also as the first time we are unveiling a new product outside of Korea,” said Jay Chang, Global head of the Genesis brand. “The Electrified G80, the perfect balance of athleticism and elegance, marks the beginning of our journey into the EV market, representing Genesis in the era of electrification.”

    Filling in gaps in the product line-up

    Genesis G80 EV side charging

    Genesis has been on a product roll in the last year or so, but an EV was a hole in the line-up — until now.

    Genesis has been on a roll this past year, expanding its SUV line-up, updating initial sedans, including the gas-powered G80, and rolling out concepts like the all-electric Genesis X coupe revealed last month.

    The one thing missing has been a production battery-electric vehicle, something the automaker has long signaled was in the works — though it also was known to be considering different options, including a crossover, a city car or, as it now turns out, a relatively conventional sedan.

    There are some questions left to be answered, such as what platform the Electrified G80 rides on. Parent Hybrid Motor Group has developed the E-GMP architecture for use on products including the new Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.

    It’s not clear whether it also underpins the Genesis Electrified G80. But the luxury member of the family has clearly found a way to squeeze in plenty of batteries, claiming the BEV sedan will deliver as much as 500 km, or 310 miles, range using the global NEDC standard. That likely would drop to something at or under 250 miles using the U.S. EPA test cycle.

    Quicker charging

    Genesis G80 EV interior

    The interior of the new electric G80 sedan features a slew of technology.

    The powertrain also aims to address concerns about charging times. The Electrified G80’s drive system can flip from 400 to 800 volts, allowing it to plug into the latest public quick chargers. Using the newest 350 kilowatt systems it can go from a 10% to 80% state-of-charge in just 22 minutes, Genesis claims.

    The Vehicle-to-Load, or V2L, system also lets a motorist tap energy stored in the battery to power electric tools or, if need be, appliances should a home suffer a power outage.

    Genesis isn’t ready to reveal specifics about the motor drive system, though it does note the all-wheel-drive system has a “Disconnector Actuator” that lets it switch from AWD to just rear-wheel drive. That suggests there is a single motor mounted, most likely, on the rear axle.

    In Sport Mode, the automaker claims, the Electrified G80 will launch from 0 to 60 in 4.9 seconds.

    Lots of unanswered questions

    While the battery model looks much like the conventional G80, it features a sealed version of the familiar Genesis Crest Grille. That reduces aero drag since there’s no need to send air to cool and feed a gas engine under the hood. The charging port is hidden within the grille’s upper right corner.

    Inside, the automaker switched to sustainable materials, including fabrics made of PET from recycled soft drink bottles.

    Calling electrification “one of the key strategies” for the brand, Genesis said the Electrified G80 will be followed by “additional EV models.” It also said it will share more information about the BEV and plans to bring it to North America “later this year.”

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  • “Zoom Zombies” Are the Driving Dead

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    Zoom call

    Too many of these could turn you into a zombie if you have to climb behind the wheel afterward.

    If you’re one of the millions of Americans who have been working from home and spending hours a day in video meetings you might notice it can become difficult pulling your thoughts back together at the end of the day. And if you then have to climb behind the wheel that could prove deadly.

    A new study raises concerns about “Zoom Zombies,” motorists who can’t fully focus on the road ahead after a day of videoconferencing. This may be one of the reasons why in 2020 U.S. highway deaths posted their biggest year-over-year increase in nearly a century.

    “COVID-19 fundamentally changed the way we interact with our vehicles,” said David Timm, founder and CEO of Root Insurance, which raised concerns about Zoom Zombies in its annual Distracted Driving Awareness Survey. “As many abruptly shifted to a virtual environment, Americans’ reliance on technology dramatically increased along with their screen time, causing a majority of drivers to carry this distracted behavior into their vehicles.”

    Covid-19 and the distracted driving pandemic

    rollover crash

    NHTSA estimates that more than 10% of highway deaths stem from distracted driving.

    Distracted driving has become an increasingly serious problem as more and more motorists interact with smartphones and other technology while behind the wheel. Even before the COVID pandemic, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that more than 10% of highway fatalities involved distracted driving. Preliminary analysis suggests that has gone up since last year’s lockdowns began.

    The Roots study found 64% of the U.S. motorists it surveyed acknowledging they check their phones while driving. That’s up 2% from last year, and 6% from the 2019 Distracted Driving Awareness Survey. Meanwhile, 53% of the respondents said they check their phones within the first 15 minutes behind the wheel — a 9% jump from 2019 — when they should be trying to shift focus to driving.

    Add the fact that drivers are downplaying the risks. The study found three in 10 drivers don’t see the risk of driving while using a mobile phone. That’s up from 24% just a year ago.

    But the study raised another concern: even when motorists aren’t texting or chatting on their phones, they still might not be paying full attention to the job of driving.

    Lexus Driving Disrupted distracted drivers

    Younger drivers are more likely to have trouble concentrating on the road after engaging in some sort of video conference call.

    The younger the driver, the worse the problem

    Root reports that 54% of the 1,819 adult motorists it surveyed have had trouble concentrating on the road after making videoconference calls with Zoom, Microsoft Meet or some other software platform. The younger the driver, the worse the problem. For Gen Z motorists, 65% reported losing focus while driving, while it was 61% for millennials and 48% for Gen-Xers.

    “The problem with distraction is huge and it’s not just checking e-mail or texting,” said Russ Rader, an executive with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “There’s the risk of cognitive distraction, looking at the road while your thoughts are elsewhere. That zoning out may mean you don’t notice a dangerous situation soon enough to react.”

    Whether you call them “Zoom Zombies” or “Zoombies,” the problem has gained widespread attention, and concern — especially when it comes to driving.

    If it appears drivers has seemingly forgotten how to drive as pandemic-related restrictions eased, it’s because, well, they have.

    “I think computer use, in general, can overload you,” especially after a series of videoconference meetings, said Joan Claybrook, a former NHTSA administrator and longtime auto safety advocate. “After you get into your car you may be operating on auto pilot.”

    Driving skills have atrophied

    That’s all the worse as we emerge from the pandemic, experts told TheDetroitBureau.com. During the last 12 months, most Americans have been driving less and even as roadways begin to look more crowded, “driving skills have atrophied for many people,” warns Sam Abuelsamid, principal auto analyst with Guidehouse Insights.

    “It’s become harder to drive safely because you’re going to forget some of the skills you learned over time,” added Abuelsamid. “It’s not as easy as just jumping back on a bike.”

    While he believes Zoom fatigue is “likely a contributor to the increase in highway fatalities,” how much it contributes is uncertain. What’s clear is that highway fatalities soared in 2020, even as motorists slashed the number of miles they drove.

    Record surge in fatalities

    Preliminary data indicated as many as 42,060 Americans were killed in motor vehicle crashes last year, the National Safety Council reported last month. That was an 8% increase from 2019. That surge occurred even though Americans drove a total of 2.83 trillion miles in 2020. That was a 13.2% decrease from the year before, marking the lowest level of driving by American motorists in two decades, reported the U.S. Federal Highway Authority.

    Traffic fatalities rose in 2020, rising 8%, but the death rate, the number of deaths per miles driven, jumped 24% compared with 2019.

    So, on a per mile basis, the death rate surged by 24% in 2020, the biggest year-over-year increase since 1924.

    Why does “Zooming” take so much out of people? It’s not like sitting around a table for an in-person meeting. Key visual cues are absent, such as body language, while others can overwhelm, according to psychologist Sharon Parker, director of the Centre for Transformative Work Design.

    They tend to be sharply focused, without the normal chit-chat and other interactions that come before — sometimes during — and after in-person meetings, Parker wrote. One result: participants come away struggling to interpret what actually happened rather than transferring attention to what comes next.

    And that may extend beyond the work day to when you’re behind the wheel and should be focusing on the road ahead.

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  • MG Returns to its Roots with Electric Cyberster Roadster

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    MG Cyberster concept front

    Not your father’s MG ragtop for certain. The once-British, now-Chinese company developed has a new Roadster concept car.

    It’s a name most American motorists have long forgotten but there was a time when the products of British brand MG were a common sight on U.S. roadways. Once known for its droptop roadsters, MG is today owned by China’s SAIC which has turned it into a relatively mainstream producer of crossovers, sedans and hatchbacks.

    Now, though, MG is returning to its roots — more or less. It has been hinting for some time it was developing a two-seat ragtop and, weeks ahead of its formal debut at this year’s Shanghai Motor Show, we’ve gotten a sneak peek at the new MG Cyberster.

    This is no retromobile. As the name suggests, the MG Cyberster adopts a strikingly modern take on roadster design and technology, making use of high-tech features like its distinctive “Magic Eye” headlights which appear to vanish when turned off.

    Golden days gone

    The Cyberster is set to make its debut at the Shanghai Auto Show later this month.

    If anything carries over from the golden days of British sports cars, it’s the low, long and wide dimensions of the MG Cyberster. But, even there, you won’t confuse it for a classic MG TC. The nose is far more aggressively raked, with a very modern-style lower grille and splitter, all critical for aerodynamics.

    The back end goes with a relatively blunt, squared-off shape and the double-bubble rear deck features twin headrests serving dual duty as a built-in rollbar.

    The lighting is all LED and the Magic Eye lamps are perhaps the most distinctive feature. Much as Hyundai has done with the seemingly chromed strips on the latest Sonata that turn into light bars, the Cyberster’s round headlamps vanish entirely when turned off.

    Chinese-British collaboration

    Though MG may be Chinese-owned today, SAIC and its London-based design team paid homage to the brand’s origins by using strip-style taillights that recreate the familiar Union Jack.

    MG Cyberster concept dashboard

    The Cyberster concept features five screens, including one in the yoke-like steering wheel.

    Inside, the high-tech nature of the new roadster becomes even more apparent. There are fully five videoscreens on the instrument panel: one handles gauge cluster duties, another managing the infotainment system. A third has been mounted inside the yoke-style rectangular steering wheel. Two others display images from the small cameras that replace conventional sideview mirrors.

    We expect to learn more about the MG Cyberster during the Shanghai Motor Show later this month. That should include some specifics about its fully electric drivetrain. So far, we only know that the roadster is expected to deliver 500 miles per charge. That’s using the WLTP standard, but even if it were to be cut down a bit by the EPA it would make for an impressive number.

    Performance unlike classis MG roadsters

    The Cyberster also will be able to launch from 0-60 in under 3 seconds, according to MG. Keep in mind that classic British roadsters never made that much power or offered all that great acceleration. The real appeal was in the overall driving experience. The modern-day Mazda MX-5 Miata is the closest we have to that era. Among the questions to be answered: how many motors are used in the Cyberster. These days, it’s becoming commonplace to mount separate motors on each axle. Going the equivalent of all-wheel-drive would be a big change from traditional MG roadster design.

    MG Cyberster concept tail

    British designers found a way to incorporate some Union Jack-style stripes into the taillights.

    For now, at least, the MG Cyberster is a concept vehicle so another subject likely to be dealt with on April 21 in Shanghai is if a production version is in the works.

    Opportunity for a U.S. return?

    Of course, there’s also the question of whether a production MG might be used to open the door to the United States — much like Alfa Romeo turned to the 4C to relaunch itself in the States. MG left the  U.S. market in 1980 after years of declining sales. Its various owners have, throughout the years, repeatedly signaled a desire to make a return.

    Breaking in isn’t easy, as a number of brands have discovered the hard way. Peugeot last month scrapped brands for its own American revival. That said, the emergence of the EV appears to be shaking things up — as Tesla demonstrates. Perhaps, MG might see an opportunity to gain a foothold with the Cyberster alongside other totally new brands like Fisker, Lucid and Lordstown.

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  • Krafcik Leaves Waymo After Five Years as CEO

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    John Krafcik NADA 2018

    Waymo CEO John Krafcik is way gone, announcing his departure and the company’s plans to move the current COO and CTO into the role of co-CEO.

    Add “former” to the title of Waymo CEO John Krafcik, who announced today he’s left the company.

    The former Hyundai Motor America chief spent five years heading up the autonomous vehicle subsidiary of Google, which, according to his farewell on LinkedIn, “was called ‘Chauffeur’ internally.”

    Tekedra Mawakana and Dmitri Dolgov, of whom Krafcik said “having seen their brilliance, vision, and commitment in play for years — I assure you they are very well suited for this,” take over as co-CEOs of the Mountain View, Calif.-based AI-focused company. As is often the case with senior executives, Krafcik will stay on in an advisory capacity.

    “So now, with the fully autonomous Waymo One ride-hailing service open to all in our launch area of Metro Phoenix, and with the fifth generation of the Waymo Driver being prepared for deployment in ride-hailing and goods delivery, it’s a wonderful opportunity for me to pass the baton to Tekedra and Dmitri as Waymo’s co-CEOs,” he wrote.

    Next steps

    Waymo co CEO Tekedra Mawakana

    Waymo named former COO Tekedra Mawakana as its new co-CEO to replace Krafcik.

    Krafcik didn’t offer many details what the future holds, although it could be that he’s uncertain himself. He said he and his wife, Leila, will take a “coupbatical,” which he described as “a refresh period where we look forward to reconnecting with old friends & family, and discovering new parts of the world.

    “After that, we’ve got a few ideas for focus and contribution that we’ll flesh out together and share when the time is right. We’ve already relocated to Austin, Texas, and we look forward to seeing some of you there, or on our travels.”

    Krafcik once headed up Hyundai’s U.S. operations, helping lead the brand through an image renaissance and a period of rapid growth. He even earned the “Automotive Executive of the Year” in 2013. However, his run there ended in late 2013 after the South Korean automaker declined to renew his contract — despite the accolade.

    However, he quickly landed on his feet, taking over as CEO of TrueCar just as the automotive sales and data website was readying to go public. His tenure there was short, however, as he moved on to Waymo, then-Google’s self-driving car project, just a little more than a year later in September 2015.

    Dynamic duo

    Waymo coCEO Dmitri Dolgov

    Waymo CTO Dmitri Dolgov joins Mawakana as co-CEO with Krafcik’s departure.

    As for the company, Mawakana and Dolgov now step into new roles. Previously the COO and CTO respectively, they are described as having “complementary skill sets and experiences.” Due to the nature of their roles, they’re already accustomed to working together.

    Dolgov, who started in autonomy as part of Stanford’s DARPA Urban Challenge team, joined the company in 2009, when it was still referred to as Google’s self-driving car project. Over time, his influence and responsibility grew. He became CTO late in 2016.

    Mawakana, joined­­ Waymo as a policy lead. Prior to joining the company in 2017, she led global policy teams at eBay, AOL, Startec and Yahoo, after beginning her career as Washington, D.C.-based law firm Steptoe & Johnson LLP.

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  • Volts, er, Volkswagen’s April Fool’s Day Prank a Jolt to the System

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    Oh those wacky Germans!! As quickly as it got here, VW took it away: Voltswagen is the company that never was.

    A lesson for wannabe pranksters: if you’re planning an April Fool’s Day joke, stick to April 1st.

    That lesson apparently got lost in translation over at Voltswagen, er, Volkswagen headquarters when the company intentionally leaked an “internal document” on March 29 indicating it was planning to change its name as a way to highlight a dramatic, mega-billion-dollar shift to battery-electric vehicles.

    Like so many others, automotive PR departments have often found ways to tweak the media on April 1 and the closer a supposed story hews to reality the better the joke — though news veterans have learned to tread cautiously with everything they see that day. VW’s gag, it seems, gained credibility because of the timing, even though it would have generated major skepticism had it come out two days later.

    But “There will be no renaming of Volkswagen of America,” the company now says after receiving numerous angry calls from those fooled by the supposed name change — including, we will admit, TheDetroitBureau.com.

    Good one, guys … good one

    Volkswagen of America chief Scott Keogh, left, and VW AG CEO Herbert Diess share a laugh, knowing what was going to be unleashed on the U.S. media.

    As readers will note, we did question whether this was part of a short-term marketing campaign, rather than a real, permanent name change. After all, other companies have taken similar steps. IHOP in 2018 announced it was becoming IHOB, a short-lived switch, it turned out, to promote the fact it offered more than just pancakes for breakfast.

    Indeed, the stunt was intended to highlight the launch of the Voltswagen, er, Volkswagen ID.4, the carmaker’s first long-range battery-electric vehicle targeting the U.S. market. It began rolling into American showrooms this month.

    “The alleged renaming was designed to be an announcement in the spirit of April Fool’s Day, highlighting the launch of the all-electric ID.4 SUV and signaling our commitment to bringing electric mobility to all,” said a statement from VW released the day after the rouse, 36 hours before April Fool’s Day.

    The right amount of credibility for a fake release

    The thread of credibility was, in fact, there for at least a short-term use of the name Voltswagen. The German company is going all-in on electrification, committing to spend more than $80 billion to bring at least 50 all-electric models to market by mid-decade. Its high-line Bentley brand will only sell battery-electric vehicles by 2030 and while the flagship VW brand hasn’t committed to going completely BEV, global CEO Herbert Diess has strongly hinted that is in the works.

    VW ID.4 driving

    Volkswagen has designated $86 billion to bring more than 50 EVs to market in the next few years, including the ID.4.

    “We have said, from the beginning of our shift to an electric future, that we will build EVs for the millions, not just millionaires. This name change signifies a nod to our past as the peoples’ car and our firm belief that our future is in being the peoples’ electric car,” said the fake VW release, purportedly quoting Scott Keogh, president and CEO of Volkswagen of America.

    VW already did adopt a new name for its electric vehicles. They are being grouped together under the ID banner. An all-electric hatchback, the ID.3, went on sale in Europe last year. Other models are coming, including the ID.Buzz, a modern, battery-powered take on the legendary VW Microbus.

    Volkswagen isn’t alone, one rival German automaker marketing its BEVs through the new Mercedes-EQ marque, another opting to call its electric models BMW i. And Hyundai just launched a new battery-car sub-brand called Ioniq.

    VW’s reaching out to promote its electrification efforts shouldn’t be surprising. The automaker’s global CEO Herbert Diess declared a goal of becoming the world’s leading EV manufacturer, his goal to “overtake” today’s top seller, Tesla.

    Whether the Voltswagen stunt will short-circuit the launch of the ID.4 isn’t certain. But wary journalists are likely to be far less willing to get charged up the next time a VW press release arrives.

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  • Bow. Wow! One-Bow Design Takes Mercedes EQS in an Entirely New Direction

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    Mercedes EQS with Thomas Kuppers

    The new Mercedes-Benz EQS battery-electric sedan makes its formal debut April 15.

    One thing’s for sure: there’ll be no mistaking the new Mercedes EQS sedan when it rolls down the street.

    Think of the EQS as the all-electric alternative to the German automaker’s familiar S-Class flagship. But you clearly won’t confuse the two when it reaches showrooms in autumn. Some new battery-electric vehicles share the same design language as conventional, gas-powered products. With EQS, Mercedes goes off in an entirely new direction, one it’s been hinting at with concept vehicles like the 2019 Vision EQS.

    The production model adopts what the automaker calls a “one-bow” design. It takes the look of the coupe-like Mercedes CLS to extremes. The result could have rolled off the set of a sci-fi film. But there are practical benefits in terms of range and interior roominess, as well.

    “We said we have to go further” than just packing batteries into a conventional looking product,” Steffen Kohl, Mercedes’ director of advanced exterior style, said during a media webinar. The EQS “carries the future of Mercedes-Benz,” he added, noting the “one-bow” language of the EQS will strongly influence other products to come from the new, all-electric Mercedes-EQ sub-brand.

    Plenty of power and range

    Mercedes EQS with Robert Lesnik

    Robert Lesnik led the exterior design effort for Mercedes new EQS battery-electric sedan.

    EQS rides on a skateboard-like platform, mimicking virtually all new battery-electric vehicles. Its batteries, motors and other key electrical components sit below the floorboards.

    The automaker will reveal full powertrain details during a formal unveiling April 15. But EQS uses twin motors, one on each axle, drawing power from a 108 kilowatt-hour battery pack. That provides about 435 miles of range using the European WLTP test cycle. The EPA rating should come in somewhere about 350 miles, according to industry observers.

    The layout moves the sedan’s wheels close to the vehicle’s corners. It also frees up space where a traditional gas or diesel engine would be mounted, providing significant flexibility to the Mercedes design team.

    Shorter wheelbase, longer cabin

    The cab-forward design features a short nose, the angled, one-piece aluminum clamshell hood rising aggressively to flow into a steeply raked windshield. Instead of a traditional, two- or three-box layout, the look is like that of a single bow line, explained Robert Lesnik, who led the exterior design effort.

    The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQS concept provided a framework for the company’s new electric luxury sedan.

    “EQS will be the world’s best production car ever in terms of aerodynamics,” with a drag coefficient of 0.20 significantly better than even the sleekest of today’s supercars, he explained.

    The effect “looks optically lower than it is,” Lesnik added.

    The front end features a new grille with “abstracted, three-dimensional star pattern(s),” according to Mercedes. It’s framed by slit-like headlamps flowing into the front quarter panels.

    “When people ask why we need a grille anymore,” Lesnik explains that it is “not an air intake. It’s a face.”

    “Coming from the future”

    The side panels lack the normal creases found on conventional Mercedes models, though the greenhouse does pinch in towards the trunk, giving the EQS a sense of muscularity.

    Mercedes-Benz EQS interior

    The new EQS features Mercedes’ newly introduced Hyperscreen technology.

    Around back, the most distinctive feature is a light band connecting what Mercedes calls “curved, 3D helix” taillamps.

    From nose to tail, the new EQS measures 5.2 meters, or 204.7 inches. That’s about 3.5 inches shorter than the U.S. version of the latest Mercedes S-Class. But the electric sedan has more room for four passengers, its cabin pushed forward into what would normally be the engine compartment.

    As distinctive as the exterior might be, the interior takes things even further, said Peter Balko, who oversaw development of the cabin. “We wanted our interior to be modern,” he explained, “as if coming from the future.”

    Buyers will have numerous options

    Buyers have several key options to choose from. The showpiece layout uses the new hyperscreen concept first shown on the latest S-Class. It features a seamless digital cluster running the entire width of the instrument panel. The organically shaped glass blends three different displays, starting with the digital gauge cluster, the touchscreen infotainment screen and a separate display for the front passenger.

    Mercedes-Benz EQS gauges

    The gauge cluster on the new EQS is configurable based on the wants of the driver.

    EQS offers a digital gauge cluster and a large, free-floating, Tesla-like infotainment screen for those seeking a more conventional look. The space in front of the passenger can be outfitted with an assortment of different woods and fabrics and even a version of the Star Pattern grille.

    The EQS will “touch almost all of your senses,” said Kohl. Among other things, the product development team has come up with three distinctive, user-programmable “soundscapes.”

    Sounding off

    While battery cars aren’t entirely silent, they are significantly quieter than vehicles with conventional internal combustion engines. Motorists can enjoy the lack of noise or they can opt for one of the soundscapes, “depending upon the emotions of the moment,” said lead sound engineer Thomas Kuppers.

    • Silver Waves is meant to be soft and soothing;
    • Vivid Flux is “shimming and explosive,” a bit “techie but (with) warmth,” said Kuppers; and
    • Roaring Pulse is “pretty raw, with “the growl of thunder,” especially under aggressive driving.

    “We haven’t finished yet,” Kuppers added, noting that, “There will be new soundscapes over the life of the vehicle that we will download through over-the-air updates.”

    The new EQS will borrow from the conventional S-Class by also appealing to the sense of smell, Mercedes officials noted. The new BEV will have the ability to inject scents into the cabin, including some designed specifically for the new model.

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