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2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge, company’s first EV, costs $53,990

Volvo revealed its first fully electric vehicle, the 2021 XC40 Recharge, in October 2019 and on Wednesday we learned the price. Part of the company’s larger effort to reduce carbon emissions, the EV crossover SUV will start at $53,990 before the available $7,500 federal tax credit.

The XC40 Recharge rides on the same Compact Modular Architecture platform as the gas-powered XC40. It places a 78-kwh battery pack under the front seats, and Volvo says the layout not only doesn’t affect interior space, but the vehicle also adds cargo space thanks to a new front trunk. A pair of 150-kw motors, one on each axle create, create a 402 horsepower and 448 pound-feet of torque to push the XC40 Recharge to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. Volvo quotes a 248-mile range on the European WLTP cycle and 200 miles in the U.S., though EPA testing has not yet been performed.

An 80 percent charge will take 40 minutes on a 150-kw fastcharger and buyers will have access to the ChargePoint network that has more than 115,000 charging locations nationwide.

2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge

The XC40 Recharge will be the first Volvo to receive over-the-air updates for all on-board software, and it will debut a new Android-based infotainment system that Volvo developed with Google. The infotainment system will include Google assistant, Google Maps, and a variety of other apps. Google Maps will create routes to help drivers save energy and suggest locations for charging stations.

Standard equipment will include a 12.3-inch driver display and 9.0-inch center touchscreen, dual-zone automatic climate control, four USB-C ports, a panoramic sunroof, and 19-inch alloy wheels.

Options will include a $1,300 Advanced Package with headlight cleaners, Volvo’s Pilot Assist driver-assistance system, adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera system, a 12-volt power outlet in the luggage area, and wireless smartphone charging. A $750 Climate package will come with heated windshield-wiper blades, heated rear seats, and a heated steering wheel. Volvo will also offer metallic paint ($645), lava carpet ($100), a 13-speaker Harman Kardon audio system ($800), and 20-inch alloy wheels ($800).

2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge

2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge

2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge

Volvo Chief Technology Officer Henrik Green said the XC40 Recharge will be the one of the safest Volvos ever. Among the standard safety features will be blind-spot monitors that will steer the vehicle away from cars in the blind spots, cross-traffic alerts, adaptive headlights, and a system that protects occupants if the vehicle runs off the road.

Volvo says it will have a plug-in hybrid for every vehicle it sells, and it will offer a year of free electricity for plug-in buyers. The company will offer a Sustainability Bonus in the form of a cash refund available through the Volvo on Call app. Volvo also plans to develop more plug-in hybrid powertrain options. Most plug-in hybrids use the T8 powertrain, which features a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder aided by a motor to produce at least 400 horsepower. The XC40 also offers the T5 Twin Engine, which uses a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder gas an electric motor to net 262 hp.

Green noted that building an electric car requires more energy than building a car with a combustion engine. To tackle this issue, Volvo will use renewable energy in its plants, expand its efforts on recycling, and collaborate with suppliers to reduce their carbon footprint.

The Swedish automaker will also promote using renewable energy to charge, and will provide a refund to owners for electricity used to charge the car after the first year of ownership. Volvo aims to reduce its carbon footprint by 40 percent by 2025 and go carbon neutral by 2040. The company says it will achieve its 2025 goal by reducing tailpipe emissions by 50 percent, its supply chain emissions by 25 percent, and its emissions from manufacturing and logistics by 25 percent.

The new Volvo XC40 Recharge is due by the end of the year.

Source

October 21, 2020
2022 GMC Hummer EV: 1,000 hp, 350 miles of range, $112,595

Gas is cheap and the Hummer is back, only this time it’s electric.

On Tuesday, GM’s truck and SUV division unveiled the 2022 GMC Hummer EV pickup truck with 35-inch off-road tires, air suspension, up to three electric motors for 1,000 horsepower and 11,500 pound-feet of torque (wheel torque), and more than 350 miles of driving range.

Four models will be available, but for those looking to spend less it’s going to be more than two years until their electric Hummer arrives, the spring of 2024 to be exact. GMC will kick off the Hummer lineup with the Hummer EV Edition 1, which will be available by the end of 2021.

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The Hummer EV Edition 1 will have three motors and more than 350 miles of driving range thanks to a 200-kwh 24-module double-stacked Ultium battery pack. With the estimated 1,000 hp and 11,500 lb-ft of torque, the Edition 1 will be capable of 0 to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds, GMC said.

All Edition 1 models will start at $112,595 and come with white paint, a Lunar Horizon interior, and “Edition 1” interior badges. The Edition 1 will have all the goodies that unleash the Hummer EV’s capability: torque vectoring, air suspension, an Extract mode that GMC has yet to detail but may lift tires out of the muck. adaptive dampers, a four-wheel steering system called CrabWalk, and a driver-selectable mode GMC calls Watts to Freedom that will unleash the 3.0-second 0-60 mph time.

GMC is rolling out the Hummer EV in four phases. After the Edition 1 late next year, the Hummer EV^3X will arrive in the fall of 2022, also with the three-motor drive system, torque vectoring, and Watts to Freedom mode. It will start at $99,995.

2022 GMC Hummer EV

In the spring of 2023, GMC will offer the Hummer EV^2X with a two-motor drive system, the air suspension, four-wheel steering with CrabWalk, and Extract mode. This model will cost $89,995. The most-affordable model, the Hummer EV² will hit the market in the spring of 2024 with a price of $79,995 and the two-motor system. GMC has not quoted power or range for the two-motor models.

All models will be built on GM’s new BEV3 architecture. The electrical architecture is an 800-volt system that is capable of fast-charging up to 350 kw to provide nearly 100 miles of range in 10 minutes. GMC says the Ultium battery pack contributes to the Hummer EV’s structural rigidity.

GMC’s CrabWalk mode can be viewed as GMC’s answer to Rivian’s “tank turn” mode. Rivian’s system allows a vehicle to spin around within its own length, and the Hummer EV’s system will allow the rear wheels to turn as far as the fronts at low speeds, which will allow it to move diagonally.

2022 GMC Hummer EV

This tech should make maneuvering a vehicle in tight spaces easier, and give owners something to show off to their friends.

The latest version of GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driver-assistance system will be standard.

The adaptive dampers will smother the road, the air suspension will allow adjustable ride heights, and 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler All Territory MT tires will be standard to tackle the trails. GMC said the Hummer EV will be able to fit 37-inch tires for more capability.

2022 GMC Hummer EV

The Hummer EV will be able to drive through more than 2-feet of standing water and scale an 18-inch vertical obstacle. Steel plates will be located around the battery pack for protection, and a front and rear underbody camera system will act like a virtual spotter. GMC said up to 18 camera views will be available to help increase awareness of obstacles.

Inside, the Hummer EV is modern, with a 13.4-inch touchscreen to control most vehicle controls and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. The Hummer EV will be offered with a Targa front roof panel and T-tops over the second row, all of which can fit in the front trunk.

Handy exterior features will include a mutlifunction tailgate from other GM trucks, a power rear glass window, and a power tonneau cover.

2022 GMC Hummer EV

GMC originally planned to unveil the Hummer EV May 20, but that was pushed back to the fall by the coronavirus pandemic. Production is scheduled to start in fall 2021 at GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck factory, which is being converted into a dedicated EV facility.

An SUV version is also planned, though we don’t have a date for its debut.

Source

October 21, 2020
2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS: $161,550 SUV has Bentayga, Cullinan in its sights

The Mercedes-Benz GLS is already pretty luxurious, but with any vehicle there’s always room to go one step beyond. That’s why Mercedes has its Maybach division which in late 2019 unveiled an extra-plush version of the GLS.

The Maybach GLS is due in showrooms toward the end of 2020 as a 2021 model, and pricing information was announced Monday. The ultra-luxury SUV will start at $161,550, including a $1,050 destination charge. That puts it in competition with the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan, and to a lesser degree the Lamborghini Urus and new Aston Martin DBX.

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The Maybach GLS has been revealed in GLS600 4Matic grade only for now (more powerful options should be coming down the line). Its powertrain is a mild-hybrid setup combining a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 with an electric motor-generator designed to start the engine during stop-start driving and aid it during off-the-line acceleration. Under braking, the motor-generator recovers energy. Peak output is 550 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque, which ensures 0-60 mph acceleration in around 4.8 seconds. The top speed is governed to 130 mph. A 9-speed automatic and all-wheel drive are standard.

Setting apart the Maybach GLS from the regular GLS is a unique grille with multiple vertical slats. Additional chrome accents are featured around the vehicle and a Maybach logo features on each of the rear pillars. Buyers also have the option for two-tone paint schemes and the choice of 22- or 23-inch wheels.

2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS

2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS

2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS

The cabin is where the biggest departures from the regular GLS can be found. The Maybach puts an emphasis on even grander materials and extra comfort, especially for rear-seat passengers. A Maybach isn’t really a vehicle you drive yourself; the real fun is in the back. Getting in and out is made easier thanks to electronically extending running boards, and the rear seats can recline to provide almost bed-like comfort. This feature has come at the cost of a third row, however.

The Maybach GLS comes standard with two seats in the rear, and a third is optional, though only the outer two seats recline. All four seats are heated and cooled and have massagers. Without the third seat, a fixed center console joins up with the one at the front. This extended console has its own list of options including folding tables, a refrigerator and space for champagne bottles and flutes. The cupholders front and rear are heated and cooled, and the second row has its own 7-inch tablet to tap into some controls. And finally, a fragrance dispenser ensures the cabin always smells fresh. You’ll need all this luxury to celebrate all the successful business deals helping to pay for your plush ride.

2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS

Mercades-Maybach also equips the SUV with dual 12.3-inch screens running the MBUX infotainment system—which includes augmented reality navigation directions—and a Burmester audio system. Mercedes’ active air suspension which can adjust depending on the road surface ahead or the bank of a curve is also fitted to further aid comfort.

Being based on the GLS platform, production will be handled at Mercedes’ plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which is already churning out the regular GLS. It will be the first time a Maybach has been built in the U.S.

2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS

Maybach likely has high hopes for the GLS. Since the revival of the brand in 2015, it’s proven a smash hit. Last year, one in seven S-Classes sold was a Maybach. China, Russia, and the U.S. have been the key markets.

Note, the GLS isn’t the first SUV to wear the Maybach badge. That honor goes to the Maybach G650 Landaulet launched in 2018 and limited to just 99 units.

Source

October 19, 2020