Audi e-tron Orders, Rimac Fire Plan and UPS Get More Than A Semi | 11 Mar 2018
Episode 53, Mar 11, 2018, 12:01 AM
Dodging A Ticket With Tesla Autopilot | Nice Chinese EV Called Venere |Rimac Find Humour In Grand Tour Crash | e-tron Orders Start In UK | UPS Build Their Own EVs For Urban Delivery | Connected Mercedes Wallbox
Sunday 11th March 2018.
TESLA KEEPS YOU LEGAL
- A Tesla driver claims he dodged a traffic fine by arguing his Tesla Model S was driving itself in semi-autonomous Autopilot mode at the time he was pulled over in Los Angeles.
- Joseph Mourad, is a music producer and DJ, and said that his violation for using his mobile phone whilst driving, and also driving too fast, were dropped because he could show Autopilot was keeping him legal.
- However, LA courts said the ticket had to be dropped: “The reason the ticket was dismissed was because the officer didn’t show up.”
NEW CHINESE VENERE
- Autoblog reported that a new full-electric offering from Shanghai-based LVCHI Auto. It's called the Venere. They said: “The four-door four-seater comes with some eye-popping performance claims, including more than 1,000 horsepower from its 100kWh battery and four electric motors — two each at the rear and front — that each generate 185 kilowatts and a whopping 1,135 pound-feet of torque. It also boasts a 2.5-second 0-62 mph time, a top speed of 177 miles per hour and a driving range of 405 miles on a single charge. We'll believe these claims when the car proves them.”
- Like all concepts, you can say what you want (within reason, if you eventually want to be taken seriously) but here’s to another EV coming out of China.
RIMAC PROVE THEY HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOUR
- To start today I’d like to pass on a few more details about the Rimac C_Two, which we all first saw earlier this week at the Geneva Motor Show. Perhaps unfairly to Rimac, even though they built a stellar Concept_One, in the wider world they’re more famous for Richard Hammond launching one off a hillside in Switzerland and seeing how many times you could roll it over before it set fire to itself.
- It was one of 10 they built. I remember watching the owner on a video with Hammond after the crash, and he seemed remarkably relaxed and joking about one tenth of his company’s output being turned some charred battery remains.
- However proving he really does have a sense of humour, the Rimac C_Two has a fire extinguisher, with a label on the strap: “in case of hill climb, extinguish fire”.
- Spec recap: 1,888 horsepower, 1,696 pound-feet (2,300 Newton-meters) of torque, 0-60 mph in just 1.85 seconds (with a rolling start, but we’ll let them off) and a top speed of 256 mph (412 kph) limited only by the rubber of the tyres. And in case you thought it was a one lap wonder, the 120kWh battery is good for 404 miles (605 kilometres). When it’s not on fire.
- This time there will be 150 of them, so join in line behind me.
E-TRON ORDERS BEING TAKEN
- An electric car which IS a lot closer to being on your driveway is the Audio e-tron. Electric Cars Report says pre-orders are now underway here in the UK: “The £1,000 deposit towards the first ever series production full EV from Audi can be placed online at audi.co.uk. When the priority ordering system is activated, depositors will immediately be informed of the final UK pricing and specification position and of the options available, enabling them to submit an order via their preferred Audi Centre before the car becomes publicly available later this year. The £1,000 deposit is offset against the purchase price, and is fully refundable at any time.”
- Given the deposit is refundable, I’m tempted to go through the system just to find out more! Although my wife would kill me if I did accidentally buy an e-tron.
UPS WANT MORE THAN A SEMI
- We know that UPS are early supporters of the Tesla Semi Truck with 125 coming their way but UPS also want to build their own EVs from the group up. They’ll be doing it with the help of Workhorse.
- Now, New Atlas say: “Workhorse too has a number of future-facing electric vehicle concepts in the pipeline, including drones, a range-extended pickup truck, a flying taxi and also a delivery van that launches drones from the roof. But the new partnership will have it work with UPS to build a new electric truck from the ground, up tailored specifically to its purposes. It says the resulting trucks will have a range of 100 miles (160 km), suitable for carting goods around cities while creating zero emissions and minimal noise.”
- Delivery will be by day and they plan to overnight charge.
MERCEDES WALLBOX
- Mercedes have some gorgeous electric cars in the pipleline like the EQC, to rival the Jaguar I-PACE and the Audi e-tron, but they want you to have their own home charger as well. This time the naming is nothing exotic. In fact it’s not even that imaginative. In fact, we think the intern got the job of naming it. The charging box you’ll put on your wall is to be called The Wallbox.
- Charge rates will be up to 22kW, it can do two EV’s at once and of course will be super connected as everything is with Internet Of Things.
- Mercedes say: “The intelligent Advanced and Twin wallboxes are internet-capable, with a built-in electricity meter and allow access control by RFID (Radio Frequency Identification). This makes it possible to manage several vehicles of different users, which is especially attractive for fleets – as well as for office communities or apartment buildings. Thanks to intelligent sharing of the charging power by local load management with up to 14 additional wallboxes, there is no need – even if several wallboxes are installed – for expensive upgrading of the existing house connection.”
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