01 Dec 2021 | Audi E-Tron Gets Facelift And More Range

Episode 1295,   Dec 01, 2021, 01:00 AM

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Today’s big EV stories:
• Audi E-Tron facelift said to bring a lot more range
• New Volkswagen ID Buzz electric MPV spotted: prices, specs and release date
• Rivian Caught Benchmarking Ford Mustang Mach-E
• Which Car Company Is Complaining About Making EVs?
• Tesla Switches From Intel to AMD for Model Y Infotainment System
• Tesla enables in-car purchases and subscriptions
• Tesla Giga Press Supplier Says 6 Chinese Automakers Want Similar Tech
• Tesla found guilty (again) of throttling Supercharger speeds
• Next Volvo XC90 rumoured to be named 'Embla'
• Formula E's Gen3 car to get 40% of energy from regenerative braking
• LG Energy Solution in Michigan secures $1.36B for EV battery output
• First electric vehicle used for polar bear spotting

Show #1295

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Good morning, good afternoon and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily for Wednesday 1st December. It’s Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don't have to.

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AUDI E-TRON FACELIFT SAID TO BRING A LOT MORE RANGE

- the Audi E-Tron is getting ready for the second half of its life with a facelift and technology upgrade slated to appear next year. The most welcome change will be a new-generation battery, more efficient motors with greater energy recuperation, and new electronics that work together to increase range by nearly 50%, going from 259 miles on the European WLTP cycle to 373 miles

- If the same transformation applies to our EPA ratings, the E-Tron would go from 222 miles to 329 miles, the E-Tron Sportback would go from an EPA-rated 218 miles to 323 miles. The battery is expected to hold steady on capacity at 95 kWh.

- It will be on the market for another five years or so, and needs to compete with the growing tide of dedicated electric crossovers appearing in that time.

- During a visit to Audi's Belgian factory that builds the E-Tron and E-Tron Sportback, Brand CEO Markus Duesman told RTL the factory will begin building the Q8 E-Tron to replace the E-Tron.

- Audi just debuted the China-only Q5 E-Tron last week, a Q6 E-Tron will hit the market as the brand's first PPE-based around the same time as its VW Group sibling, the battery-electric version of the Porsche Macan in 2023, that year will also see an A6 E-Tron sedan, and in 2025 there could be a flagship electric sedan called the A9 E-Tron.


NEW VOLKSWAGEN ID BUZZ ELECTRIC MPV SPOTTED: PRICES, SPECS AND RELEASE DATE

- VW’s all-electric take on the classic campervan and will soon be available as a practical MPV people carrier and a roomy commercial vehicle

- Prototypes sporting lighter camouflage have been spotted, following on from official images of the passenger version during a press conference launching the new ID5 and ID5 GTX electric cars.

- It’s plain to see that the finished car will look very similar to the original ID Buzz concept from 2017 (shown below next to a classic T1 campervan).

- An image of the interior shows the ID Buzz will use the same general layout as other ID models including the ID3 and ID4. These include the digital driver’s display, largely buttonless dashboard and a central infotainment system.

- The cargo version of the Volkswagen ID Buzz is expected to be able to take around 800kg in the back. It is also predicted to offer options such as a fold-out work bench and a 230V household power outlet.

- Volkswagen has already confirmed the upcoming Volkswagen ID Buzz will use a selection of batteries from 48kWh to 111kWh in size. Range-topping versions could have as much as 342 miles of range.


RIVIAN CAUGHT BENCHMARKING FORD MUSTANG MACH-E

- It’s certainly nothing unusual to see one automaker benchmarking another automaker’s vehicle, and Ford is no exception. In recent months, Ford Authority spies have spotted The Blue Oval benchmarking a couple of all-electric models, including a Tesla Model 3, as well as the Audi e-tron, a direct competitor to the Ford Mustang Mach-E – not just once, but twice.

- Now, Ford Authority spies have captured a pretty intriguing automaker benchmarking Ford’s EV crossover – Rivian.


WHICH CAR COMPANY IS COMPLAINING ABOUT MAKING EVS?

- Stellantis is a huge mix of international car companies, combining top manufacturers from a number of different countries. Given how much shade the Stellantis umbrella casts, it’s almost funny how little EV experience is shared among these different automakers. Stellantis’ most prestigious marque would have to be Ferrari, and up until recently it swore it’d never go fully electric.

- “What has been decided is to impose on the automotive industry electrification that brings 50 percent additional costs against a conventional vehicle,” he said.“There is no way we can transfer 50 percent of additional costs to the final consumer because most parts of the middle class will not be able to pay.”


TESLA SWITCHES FROM INTEL TO AMD FOR MODEL Y INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM

- The infotainment system in the Tesla Model Y uses an Intel chip, but not for much longer.As Brinkwire reports, Tesla has apparently decided to switch from an Intel to an AMD Ryzen chip for the infotainment system in the Model Y, but only in China for now. This shouldn't come as too much of a surprise because Tesla has switched between Intel, Nvidia, and AMD processors before.

- The Model S and Model X have already made the switch to an AMD chip, and now the Model Y is joining them. The fact this is only happening in China may just be an initial phase, with all new Model Y EVs making the switch eventually.

- Elon Musk likes to tell people how good Teslas are at playing the latest games, and an AMD Ryzen APU certainly helps when it comes to playing.


TESLA ENABLES IN-CAR PURCHASES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

- Tesla has started to enable in-car purchases and subscriptions in its latest software updates.
Owners can buy a “Premium Connectivity” straight from their center console inside Tesla vehicles.

- Despite not being in the release notes, Tesla owners getting the new 2021.40.6 software update reports that they see a new tab in the Tesla menu for “Upgrades”

- For now, it appears that only the Premium Connectivity Subscription is available through the in-car purchase system

- Interestingly, it’s actually not the first time that Tesla introduced in-car purchases.
Back in 2016, when Tesla was selling Model S vehicles with software-locked ranges, the automaker let owners unlock it through the car for $10,000.


TESLA GIGA PRESS SUPPLIER SAYS 6 CHINESE AUTOMAKERS WANT SIMILAR TECH

- Tesla supplier LK Technology has worked with the electric vehicle maker on the casting technology and says six China-based automakers want to deploy a similar technology in their factories next year.

- Tesla has been investing heavily in casting and alloy technology and uses a series of big die casting machines to make car bodies with just a few massive casted parts, a trend that is now catching on in the auto industry.
The Giga Press is seen as Tesla's latest leap in manufacturing and is used to produce the Model Y. The technology reduces the Model Y's front and rear casting from hundreds of parts down to just two.


TESLA FOUND GUILTY (AGAIN) OF THROTTLING SUPERCHARGER SPEEDS

- Tesla has been found guilty of throttling Supercharger speed on older Model S vehicles in Norway. The automaker has been ordered to pay impacted customers 130,000 kroner (~$14,200 USD) each.

- With an estimated 10,000 2013-2015 Model S owners in the country, the potential fine adds up to about $142 million USD.

- This is actually the second time Tesla has been found guilty of these claims. Earlier this year they were found to have intentionally lowered the charging speeds of their 2013-2015 Model S vehicles through an over-the-air (OTA) software update in 2019. Tesla did not respond to the lawsuit or attend the hearing, so an ‘absence judgement’ was rendered in favour of the more than 30 plaintiffs in the case. In that ruling, Tesla was ordered to pay 136,000 kroner (~$16,200 USD) to owners.


NEXT VOVLO XC90 RUMOURED TO BE NAMED 'EMBLA'
 

FORMULA E'S GEN3 CAR TO GET 40% OF ENERGY FROM REGENERATIVE BRAKING


LG ENERGY SOLUTION IN MICHIGAN SECURES $1.36B FOR EV BATTERY OUTPUT


FIRST ELECTRIC VEHICLE USED FOR POLAR BEAR SPOTTING


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