The Audi Avant RS6 wagon is quick, it handles magnificently and it’s a powerful wagon – it’s an enthusiast's dream car. The RS E-Tron GT is an EV sports sedan that stays true to the automaker’s performance lineage. Audi offered both vehicles up for a day of performance ice driving and the big takeaway (besides that I need to work on drifting around corners) was that an EV makes for a more stable ride on ice.
Both vehicles have all-wheel drive systems but where the RS6 Avant is mechanical with a locking rear differential, the E-Tron GT is powered by two electric motors, one at each axle. The wheel control of those motors can’t be replicated by the mechanical system and the extra heft of the battery made for a drive experience that was equal parts exciting and also eye-opening. Watch the video above for the full story.
Volvo will put a wireless EV charging system through its paces as part of a program to test alternative charging options. A small fleet of electric Volvo XC40 Recharge cars will be used as taxis in Gothenburg, Sweden in a three-year pilot.
The cars are equipped with a wireless charging system from Momentum Dynamics. Charging pads will be embedded in the ground at two taxi ranks. Volvo will use 360-degree cameras to help drivers put the cars in the correct position and when they're in the right spot, the taxis' batteries will automatically topped up. An image shared by Momentum Dynamics showed an EV charging at a rate of 41kW.
The EVs will be on the road for more than 12 hours a day and are expected to be driven for upwards of 100,000 km (62,000 miles) per year. Volvo says this is the first durability test of its electric EVs in a commercial setting. Momentum Dynamics has also teamed up with Jaguar to test wireless charging in electric taxis in Norway.
The concept of building charging tech into roads is hardlynew, but it hasn't exactly taken off yet. Still, researchers and engineers are working on other ways to charge EVs as they drive, so at some point in the future, drivers may never need to visit a typical charging station.
Sennheiser's Ambeo soundbar is a big and impressive all-in-one Dolby Atmos option, but it also carries a $2,500 price tag. That's almost double compared to most other flagship Atmos models from the competition. However, the company says it's working on more affordable Ambeo soundbars that offer similar performance. At an event this week primarily focused on its new IE 600 in-ears and overall strategy under Sonova, the new owner of Sennheiser's consumer business, the company teased new Ambeo soundbars that should debut later this year.
"Our plan in the future is to bring this technology into those price points here the competition is playing," Sennheiser's director of portfolio management Stefan Krämer explained. Reading between the lines, this would likely mean at least one new Ambeo model should clock in around $1,000 as that's where much of the Dolby Atmos-equipped competition resides. He also said we can "expect a very similar experience" to the model that debuted in 2019.
The company says it's also working on a third-generation version of its flagship Momentum True Wireless earbuds. Details are scarce here, but we won't have to wait long to get more info. Krämer said that model will debut next month during this week's event. It should offer most, if not all, of the bells and whistles you expect in a set of premium true wireless earbuds. The company did say that there will be a new design and "next level ANC" (active noise cancellation) in addition to great audio performance. Previous Momentum True Wireless models debuted at $300, but offered some of the best sound quality of any buds we've tested.
Much as Hyundai did yesterday, Kia has announced an electrification roadmap at its 2022 Investor Day, promising to have 14 fully electric models by 2027 and sales of 1.2 million EVs by 2030. It also revealed that its EV9 SUV, unveiled in concept form last November at the LA Auto Show, will be the first to use autonomous driving tech it calls "Automode."
Kia's roadmap builds on its "Plan S" development strategy announced early in 2021 that included new branding and a plan to introduce of seven EVs by 2027. Now, the company plans to double that with 14 BEV (battery electric vehicle) models available by 2027 and total EV sales of 1.2 million by 2030. It also projects to sell 4 million vehicles annually by 2030, so EVs would make up just over a quarter of that — while automakers like Mercedes-Benz plan to only sell BEVs by 2030.
The strategy is still ambitious, as it's starting with 160,000 BEV sales this year and plans to ramp that up by five times to 807,000 units in 2026 and 1.2 million by 2030. To hit those targets, Kia will introduce at least two new electric vehicles per year. A couple of those will be electric pickup trucks, including a "dedicated electric pickup truck and a strategic model for emerging markets," the company said.
Kia
In the near term, Kia plans to launch its flagship electric vehicle, the EV9 SUV, by 2023. The concept version it teased last year had squared-off Range Rover-ish lines, a massive 27-inch display and a Tesla-like yoke instead of a steering wheel. Kia now says that it will be around 5 meters long, accelerate to 100 km/h (62 MPH) in five seconds, and travel 540 km (340 miles) on a charge — while giving you an extra 100 km of range with just six minutes of charging.
The EV9 will also offer over the air (OTA) and FoD (feature on demand) services for the first time, allowing owners to easily update their vehicle's software. "In addition, it will be the first model to be equipped with Kia’s advanced AutoMode autonomous driving technology," it said. Automode will be "rapidly expanded" throughout its lineup after that.
What is Automode, you might ask? All we know so far is that it's "a range of autonomous driving technologies" that will include a "Highway Driving Pilot" feature that works by itself without driver intervention on highway sections. It will also be improved as the technology develops via wireless updates. It sounds like at least Level 3 self-driving, something still only available from a few automakers, so we'll have to see how that goes for Kia.
In its press release, Kia offers more details about how and where it plans to sell EVs, PHEVs, and hybrid models around the world. However, it has already overhauled its plans substantially just over the past year, and is likely to do so again. Given the early success (2,126 units sold in February) and generally glowing reviews of the EV6, Kia has reason to be confident about future EV plans.
Ford is determined to compete against electric vehicle rivals like Tesla and Rivian, and it's willing to reorganize the company to improve its chances. The brand is splitting its car manufacturing business into separate EV-only and internal combustion engine (ICE) divisions to help it fight both "new EV competitors" and conventional challengers. The electric unit, Model e, is meant to speed up large-scale development of EVs while producing connected vehicle technology for all of Ford. Effectively, the badge hopes to edge closer to the fast-moving, tech-driven cultures of its EV-only competitors.
The ICE division, Ford Blue, will concentrate on "relentlessly attacking" costs, improving quality and streamlining operations to help turn a profit. Blue will supply hardware-focused engineering and manufacturing to the rest of the company.
Company chief Jim Farley will serve as president of Model e. Apple and Tesla veteran Doug Field, who joined Ford in September 2021, will lead the unit's development as its Chief EV and Digital Systems Officer.
The split, part of a larger Ford+ strategy, isn't a complete surprise. Ford EVs like the Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning have seen strong early demand, but Tesla still dominates the US electric market with deliveries of over 1 million cars last year. The move theoretically helps Ford catch up to or surpass Tesla while keeping ICE cars viable — at least, until ICE is phased out.
This approach also mirrors EV-focused strategy changes at some of Ford's mainstream competitors. GM already plans to become EV-only by 2035, while Stellantis unveiled a "Dare Forward" plan that will see EVs lead sales in Europe and the US by 2030. Even Hyundai was rumored to have stopped developing new combustion engines, although it denied the claim. Electric cars are taking priority across the industry, and Ford doesn't want to risk being left behind.
Hyundai plans to release 17 full electric vehicle models by 2030 as part of its efforts to strengthen its lineup and to catch up to rival automakers. The company's CEO Jaehoon Chang has made the announcement when he unveiled Hyundai's electrification roadmap in an investor presentation. Out of 17, 11 models will be under the main Hyundai brand, while 6 will be released under its Genesis luxury brand.
The automaker announced last year that Genesis will switch to electric powertrains completely by 2025, though at the time, it said that it expects to have eight EV models available for sale in 2030. Chang's latest announcement includes more concrete details about Hyundai's electrification plans. He said the company is investing 19.4 trillion won ($16.08 billion) in its EV-related endeavors, including setting up more manufacturing plants with the capability to produce EVs. The automaker is also aiming to capture a 7 percent market share in the global EV market and to sell 1.87 million electric vehicle units per year by 2030.
The company has yet to reveal the exact models it's releasing within the next eight years, but it did say that three of them are sedans, six are SUVs, one is a light commercial vehicle, while the last one is a new vehicle type. The first release will most likely be the IONIQ 6, an all-electric sedan that will be available for purchase this year. In 2024, Hyundai will be releasing the IONIQ 7, as well.
While $16.08 billion is a considerable investment, analysts told Reuters that it's in in no way "aggressive" when compared to the commitments made by some rival companies. Toyota, for instance, plans to invest 8 trillion yen ($70 billion) for its electrification projects by 2030, while GM had earmarked $35 billion for its EV and automated vehicle investments from 2020 through 2025.
It’s been about a year since Sonos released the Roam, the company’s smallest and least expensive speaker yet. As with most modern Sonos speakers, the Roam has a built-in microphone that lets you use the speaker with Amazon’s Alexa or the Google Assistant. Today, Sonos is releasing a variant of the Roam that omits that microphone, the Roam SL.
Aside from removing the microphone, the $159 Roam SL is identical to the original Roam, which costs $20 more. It's a small speaker that can connect to your WiFi network and be part of a Sonos multi-room audio system. But it also has a built-in battery and Bluetooth capabilities, so you can take it with you and use it away from a WiFi connection. It's also waterproof and dust-resistant (IP67 rated), and the battery is rated for about 10 hours.
Aside from losing voice assistant capability, losing the microphone takes away another feature from the Roam SL. The original Roam features Auto Trueplay, which uses the microphone to tune the speaker to sound better wherever you place it. With no microphone, the Roam SL won't be able to do this, and Sonos confirmed that you won't be able to manually tune the speaker with an iPhone as you can do with most of the company's other speakers. It's not a huge surprise, as the Roam SL is meant to be moved, so a manual tuning process isn't something that'll make sense for most people, but it's still worth knowing if you're choosing between the Roam and the Roam SL.
The Roam's battery life isn't as good as other speakers in its class, but it sounds great and is a relatively inexpensive way to see how the Sonos experience works. As such, we imagine the Roam SL will also be worth checking out for people who don't want a microphone on their speaker. Sonos has tried this before, with the One SL, a mic-less version of the Sonos One, so it's not a huge surprise to see the company offer the Roam without a mic as well. You can pre-order the Roam SL now on the Sonos website, and it'll be available on March 15th.
Tesla Superchargers close to the Ukraine border will offer free electric vehicle charging to support those leaving the country following Russia's invasion. Owners of Tesla and non-Tesla EVs will be able to use stations at Trzebownisko, Poland; Košice, Slovakia; and Miskolc and Debrecen (both Hungary) at no cost for a limited time. It's unclear whether Tesla plans to expand the program to other Supercharger sites.
"We hope that this helps give you the peace of mind to get to a safe location," Tesla wrote in an email to local owners, according to Elektrek. It's said to be the first time Tesla has offered free charging to owners of third-party EVs.
Tesla doesn't currently operate in Ukraine, though some people there are said to have imported its EVs and the company wants to open Supercharger sites in the country (it's not clear how the conflict may have impacted those plans). The company has offered free charging during other times of crisis, including when hurricanes struck the US.
Despite a litany of financial struggles and botched factory plans, Faraday Future has built its first production-intent car. The EV startup today unveiled the FF 91 at its Hanford, California-based plant, and announced it would begin production in Q3 of 2022. Since the best-laid plans of Faraday Future often go haywire, we won't hold our breath for the time being.
Here’s what we know about the FF 91 so far: Faraday Future’s flagship car is intended to be an “ultra-luxury EV” that can compete with the likes of Jaguar, Tesla, Polestar and other brands. It has three motors, which means that at least in terms of power, it would beat out even the newer Tesla models (except for the Cybertruck) and ostensibly be in the same league as Audi’s E-tron crossover. The system horsepower is a jaw-dropping 1050, and it can go from 0 to 60 mph in 2.39 seconds. The seats are zero gravity (meaning they recline in a fashion that makes you feel weightless) and ventilated. They also double as massage chairs.
The FF 91 can go 300 miles per charge, putting it roughly in the same league as a Tesla Model 3. It also includes a huge 130 kWh lithium-ion battery, which will no doubt be one of the reasons behind the vehicle’s inevitably large price tag.
Drivers who can’t wait to join in on Faraday’s vision of a future can reserve an FF 91 today. There’s a waitlist to join the FF 91 Futurist Alliance (which costs $5,000 but guarantees you a priority reservation), but you can still pay $1,500 for a standard reservation. Given the company's poor track record with deadlines, prospective early adopters should be cautious. The company's troubles don't seem to be over. Just earlier this month, the company restructured its leadership board after an internal investigation found that employees were lying to investors. Given that production of the FF 91 is about four years late; it's likely we shouldn't hold our breath for a timely release.
It's not just passenger cars and big rigs receiving the EV treatment — the vehicles in the middle are getting some TLC, too. Lightning eMotors is doubling its production capacity just weeks after partnering with GM to electrify medium-duty vehicles like delivery trucks, school buses and shuttles. The company's Colorado factory will make up to 1,500 fleet-worthy EVs per year by the end of 2022, with plans to produce 20,000 per year by 2025. Those figures might not sound like much, but Lightning is targeting a relatively niche audience.
The recent team-up will see Lightning "upfit" GM's medium-duty platform with electrified versions. While GM will provide the chassis, Lightning will produce the end product destined for commercial use. Lightning is GM's first specialty vehicle maker to offer full EVs in this category.
The combined efforts might not be as exciting as from-scratch electric cars headed to your driveway. Even so, it represents an important part of a broader effort to reduce transportation emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency notes that 29 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation, and more than half of those emissions originate from road-going vehicles that include medium-duty machines. The more companies like GM and Lightning can electrify fleets, the closer they can get to eliminating transportation emissions as a factor in climate change.
