A wide range of new choices

The auto industry is fundamentally changing due to the carbon neutrality goals in North America, Europe, and China, and the top automakers are preparing a huge ZEV onslaught to decrease their average emissions. 2022 is estimated to be the year with the highest number of new electric car concepts, world premieres, and market launches. Here are the top four Electric Vehicle models. 

1. The Aiways U6 

The Aiways U6, will be an SUV coupe. Positioned above the U5 SUV, it will be 4,805 mm long, 1,880 mm wide, and 1,641 mm tall, with a 2,800 mm wheelbase.

The Aiways U6 motor will allow accelerating from 0-62 mph in less than seven seconds. Reports have claimed that the range of the U6 will be 650 km (404 miles). The electric SUV coupe will bestow a high speed of 160 km/h. The U6 is likely to go on sale in China in the upcoming months, and is expected in Europe in the second half of the year, although European markets may get it as a lease-only model.

2. Audi E-Tron

The Audi e-tron, revealed in September 2018, will receive its mid-life facelift in 2022. New batteries, energy-saving motors, and enhanced recuperation should  increase its range to around 600 km or 373 miles on the WLTP test cycle. It has been said that the car could take the name Audi Q8 e-tron.

3. BMW 3 Series Electric

Exclusive to China the BMW i3 is the first ever all electric BMW 3 series. The vehicle comes in a single eDrive35L variant which is 10cm longer than the regular 3 series. The i3 features a single motor RWD st-up and offers a 66.1kWh battery. The electric sedan offers top speeds of 112 mph and an acceleration time of 6.2 seconds (0-62). 

4. BYD Seal 

The BYD Seal is the second model under the brand’s Ocean series. It is set to be a great rival to the Tesla Model 3. It will come equipped with the BYD Blade Battery. It will accelerate from 0 – 62 mph in just 3.4 seconds. The design of the BYD Seal will give the impression of a four-door coupe. 

To find out more visit: https://topelectricsuv.com/featured/upcoming-electric-cars-2022-2023/

The company showing a strong resurgence

A recent report by Mercedes-Benz showed that there were 501,600 global passenger car sales during the first three months of 2022, which is a 15% decrease compared to the year before.

An area that stood out within the report was that the company made 67,800 Mercedes-Benz plug-in Passenger Car sales, which is an increase of 37% compared to the first quarter of 2021.

Battery- electric cars represented 21,900 of that number (up 210% year-over-year). Although the all-electric car sales are higher based on the new models introduced to the market, the plug- in hybrid sales demonstrated only an 8% increase year-over-year. 

Nevertheless, they remain in the majority (45,900).

Plug-in car sales in the first quarter of 2022 – Mercedes-benz (preliminary numbers): 

• • BEVs: 21,900 (up 210%)

• • PHEVs: 45,900 (up 8%)

• Total plug-ins: 67,800 (up roughly 37%)

Alongside smart (assuming that almost all are BEV’s), Mercedes-Benz sold around 74,200 plug-ins, which is estimated around 15% of the total volume. The company found that the plug-in share is much higher in Europe, at 33%.

Click here for more information: https://insideevs.com/news/579009/mercedes-electric-car-sales-q1-2022/

Ford have released their plans to electrify their vehicles throughout Europe, including conformation of a total of 9 electric models through the end of 2024, and a new 30-45 GWh battery plant. 

According to the manufacturer, the BEV sales target is above 600,000 units by 2026: 

• 2021: 23,000
• 2026: over 600,000 (compared to over 2 million globally)
• 2030: 1 million
• 2035: only all-electric vehicles

To achieve such a significant growth in BEV sales, Ford is investing into their vehicle plants in Germany, Turkey, and Romania.

In Germany, the company has plans to invest $2 billion at the Ford Cologne Electrification Centre to produce two all-new models which will be starting in 2023. The investment includes a new battery assembly facility, scheduled to start operations in 2024.

The volume of the two all new models is expected to reach 1.2 million units over a 6-year period. The original plan in 2020 was 600,000 units for the first model. The average would be 100,000 per year per model

An impressive investment is also heading to Turkey, where the company will be producing the Ford E-Transit, and Transit Custom/ Tourneo Custom. Not only this there will also be a battery gigafactory joint venture with SK On.

In Romania, Ford will be producing an electric version of the Ford Puma as well as electric versions of the next-generation Transit Courier/Tourneo Courier all will be no commencing from 2024.

In total across the company there will be 9 BEV models, and only the Ford Mustang Mach-E will be imported to Europe.

To find out more visit: https://insideevs.com/news/573357/upcoming-ford-electric-vehicles-europe/ 

Ferrari have provided their fans with an early insight to a new race car based on the 296 GTB. 

The race car is being developed just in time for the 2023 motorsport season and will initially arrive in GT3 guise. It will become a direct replacement of the 488 GT3 which was last updated for the 2020 season. 

Teaser sketches from the 296 GT3 were released by Ferrari which showed a hint at a shap design with the potential of including a long-tail element. The design inspiration of the vehicle came from the 250 LM, the car that earned Ferrari its final overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans back in 1965.

As a result of technical regulation the 296 GT3 will bypass the electrified elements of the 296 GTB. The race car is also highly likely to skip the DCT in favour of a sequential transmission.

The 296 GT3 will reach the race track in the coming months, and the developments are currently being handled in partnership with the French race team constructor Oreca.

The vehicle has some big shoes to fill, with the 488 GT3 achieving an impressive 107 titles since its debut race, 429 if these were wins from 770 starts. These figures make it Ferrari’s most successful race car to date. 

To find out more visit: https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1135340_v-6-powered-ferrari-296-gt3-race-car-to-hit-the-track-in-2023 

The new LCV market fell by 26.9% in the first month of 2022 compared with a bumper January last year, according to the SMMT. While this was the weakest start to a year since 2013, January has historically been a volatile month due to the intermittent nature of fleet renewal. 

Newly registered small vans more than halved at 53.9%, while medium sized fell by 29.8%. Medium sized vehicles (those weighing over 2.5 tonnes) represent ⅔ of the LCV market. Sales of pickup trucks also declined by 17.4%, while 4x4s rose 196.8% though remaining a small fraction of the market. 

Diesel remained the dominant fuel type for commercial vehicles (market share of 94.3%), but demand for battery-powered vans grew 21.4%. Electric vans are predicted to increase significantly this year with new model launches expected. It is estimated that 1/16 new vans will be fully electric at the end of 2022.

SMMT forecasts that the LCV market will grow 2% in 2022. For further information, please visit https://www.smmt.co.uk/2022/02/lcv-market-declines-in-january-but-electric-van-uptake-grows/ 

A new study published has confirmed that Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are unlikely to catch up to battery-electric vehicles. The auto industry has recently been divided on new solutions that eliminate emissions from their products. 

A large number have been certain that battery-electric vehicles (BEV) are the best solution, however a few automakers have instead been trying to make fuel cell hydrogen powertrains work. 

Brands including Hyundai, Toyota, and GM have been the most resistant in giving up on the technology, which can also achieve zero-emission transport, but is proven to be much less efficient than BEVs.

For passenger cars it seems the end of fuel cells (FCEV) are inevitable.

Some of the biggest FCEV programs in the world have failed to gain any reactions after years and billions invested. 

Another main factor that affects both FCEVs and BEVs is infrastructure problems. However, BEVs have the great advantage of having to build on an already extensive electric grid infrastructure with virtually every electric outlet in the world being a potential charging station. 

For more information visit: https://electrek.co/2022/02/15/study-hydrogen-fuel-cells-cannot-catch-up-battery-electric-vehicles/ 

According to the latest figure released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) the UK’s user car market saw an increase in transaction of 11.5% during 2021 this totalled to 7,530,956 transactions. In 2020 more 777,000 cars changed owners despite the year being more affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this growth the 2021 performance was still below the pre-pandemic five year average by -5.5%.

The fourth quarter of the year resulted in transactions falling by -3.1% to just over 1.6 million, this comes from the semiconductor shortage which impacted the level of new car sales and squeezed the supply of used cars. 

The second quarter of 2021 was the most successful time of the year with 2.1 million transactions. May was the peak of 2021 with 796,782 cars finding new keepers in the month.

Annual demand for battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles reached a record breaking high, growing by 119.2%.To find out more information visit: https://www.smmt.co.uk/2022/02/used-car-market-up-despite-volatile-year/