EV Brief 7/2/22 EV Brief 7/2/22

Streamliner-inspired Hyundai Ioniq 6 breaks cover - EV sedan to launch in 2023

Is it a Porsche 911 or a Mercedes-Benz CLS? Hyundai’s swoopy new electric sedan harks back to the age of the streamliner train with its aerodynamic form factor.

Hyundai has revealed the design brief and presented the first images of its Ioniq 6 electric sedan overnight. This new battery electric vehicle carries a striking and unique design philosophy in the same vein as its sister Ioniq 5, but the two vehicles couldn’t be more different (on the outside).

Is it a Porsche 911 or a Mercedes-Benz CLS? Hyundai’s swoopy new electric sedan harks back to the age of the streamliner train with its cab-backward profile, prominent design lines running the length of the vehicle, and retro-futuristic aesthetic.

The front design is a little Porsche-esque; large headlight apertures with prominent ridges running through the hood. It’s quite different though to the concept Hyundai Prophecy below, on which the Ioniq 6 is based. There’s a lot more “design” everywhere; while the Prophecy was all pared-back minimalism, the Ioniq 6 has lots of different cuts and angles in the front lower diffuser.

Hyundai’s Prophecy concept, on which the Ioniq 6 design is based.

We prefer not to assert our opinion on the exterior styling of this car until seeing it in the metal. Hyundai’s design team are good at playing tricks on our eyes — as we saw with the Ioniq 5 — and the Ioniq 6 looks the way it does for a reason: it boasts a drag coefficient of 0.21Cd which compares well to the Mercedes-Benz’s EQS (0.20Cd) and the Lucid Air (0.21Cd).

Hyundai Ioniq 6 Image Gallery

While the Ioniq 5 debuted a “living room” cabin-feel, the Ioniq 6 sports a “human-centric” design. According to the automaker, the interior space was developed simultaneously with the exterior form. Efforts were made to maximize and optimise the interior space, stretching it at the front and rear. It’s obviously more compact and cocoon-like than the Ioniq 5, but this should suit a vehicle that is certain to be more of a drivers’ car.

The eye-catching interior ambient lighting wouldn’t be out of place in Seoul’s Myeong-dong district, but it’s the interior architecture that we’re most interested in. Retaining familiar elements from sister E-GMP-based vehicles like the Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, the Ioniq 6 features twin twelve-inch screens, a touch display for HVAC controls, and “parametric pixel” detailing everywhere. The four pixels on the steering wheel are functional too, communicating in-car information to the driver such as vehicle state of charge.

Controls have been removed from the doors, to free up storage space. There’s also ample storage in the floating centre console, which is fixed in place, unlike in the Ioniq 5. The centre console is also flat to facilitate placement of a laptop computer. This may sound gimmicky, but we’ve wished many a car from BMW’s iX3 to the Polestar 2 had somewhere to rest a computer while charging up.

The Ioniq 6 interior borrows heavily from other E-GMP-based cars.

Hyundai claims sustainability front of mind

OEMs are increasingly looking to outdo one another when it comes to eco-credentials; the industry is now way beyond the cursory nod to the environment with “vegan leather”; Hyundai states the Ioniq 6 uses recycled pigment paint from end-of-life tires for plastic cladding, and bamboo charcoal pigment paint is applied to the body of the vehicle.

The interior of the Ioniq 6 is also trimmed in sustainable materials and colours. Depending on the trim level, these include recycled PET fabric (seats), bio TPO skin (dashboard), bio PET fabric (headliner), bio paint derived from vegetable oils (doors), and recycled fishing net carpet.

While Hyundai claims eco-process environmentally friendly leather, the material is still not sustainable, and is quite impractical in our view when it comes to maintaining its looks. Other OEMs have now moved on, and we wish Hyundai would follow the lead set by Tesla, BMW and Polestar with stylish non-leather options.

Drivetrain, battery and pricing

While Hyundai is saving the reveal of the Ioniq 6’s technical specifications for later in the year, we do know that it shares the same E-GMP platform and technology as the Ioniq 6. We’re expecting similar 58kWh and 77.4 kWh variants, a 450-500km WLTP range depending on battery capacity and wheel size, and the same 800V electrical architecture and charging speed. The Ioniq 5 can charge from 10 to 80% in around 18 minutes.

We also know Hyundai is planning an Ioniq 5 N performance variant, to rival Kia’s EV6 GT. We fully expect the Ioniq 6 to be a perfect product to receive the N treatment, somewhere down the line.

Pricing has yet to be announced for the Ioniq 6, but we expect it to again be similar to the Ioniq 5, starting at AUD$70,000. United States customers can expect to pay around $40,000—$45,000USD for the Ioniq 6, and UK customers £40,000-£45,000.

EV Brief 4/7/21 EV Brief 4/7/21

Mercedes-Benz releases technical details of electric EQS sedan ahead of April 15 launch

Following the recent reveal of the Mercedes Benz EQS interior, we now have a full suite of technical details for the S-Class segment EV from the German automaker. Set to arrive in three variants, the EQS sedan will be a technological tour-de-force based on the automaker's dedicated EV architecture dubbed EVA

Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4MATIC flagship to offer 770km range, 385kW power

Following the recent reveal of the Mercedes Benz EQS interior, we now have a full suite of technical details for the S-Class segment EV from the German automaker. Set to arrive in three variants, the EQS sedan will be a technological tour-de-force based on the automaker's dedicated EV architecture dubbed EVA, with an aerodynamic drag coefficient of 0.20cd (Tesla’s revised Model S promises a drag coefficient of 0.208cd), rear and all wheel drive options, sophisticated thermal management, and two battery options with net usable capacities of 90 kW and 107.8 kW. Let’s take a look at the range:

Mercedes Benz EQS 450+
- single permanent magnet synchronous motor, rear wheel drive
- 245 kW (333 PS) / 568 Nm (418 lb ft), WLTP combined energy consumption 20.4-15.7kWh/100 km, range not stated
- 90 kWh nickel, manganese cobalt (NMC) modular battery, pouch cell design with 400V architecture, 200 kW DC fast charging
Mercedes Benz EQS 580 4MATIC
- front and rear permanent magnet synchronous motors, all wheel drive
- 385 kW (523 PS) / 855 Nm (630 lb ft), WLTP combined energy consumption 21.8-17.4 kWh/100 km, range up to 770 km (478 miles)
- 107.8 kWh NMC modular battery, hard case cell design with 400V architecture, 200 kW DC fast charging

Is there anything special about the technology in the EQS?

In typical Mercedes Benz fashion, the press kit is a weighty tome. The largest battery available is a whopping 107.8 kWh, good for a claimed 770 kilometres (478 miles) of range on the WLTP combined cycle. Mercedes-Benz states the battery management system is designed for over the air updates, and that the batteries’ cell chemistry has been revised to reduce cobalt use, with the optimised active material constituting nickel, cobalt and manganese in a ratio of 8:1:1.

AC charging is available up to 22 kW, and DC charging can pump 200 kW into the EQS, good for 300 kilometres (186 miles) of charge in 15 minutes.

In terms of the drivetrain, Mercedes-Benz has worked with Bosch to develop synchronous motors for the EQS, unlike the asynchronous type found in the EQC. This means that the speed of the stator's magnetic field is equal to the motor's rotor speed, eliminating slip, and providing greater refinement, precision and efficiency. The motor on the rear axle features six-phase operation with two windings of three phases each, and stators with pull-in winding.

Mercedes-Benz claims a particularly strong magnetic field, improving energy efficiency, performance and reducing space in these new motors. The 4MATIC all wheel drive system continuously distributes the drive torques between the front and rear axles.

Braking recuperation is available, with drivers able to select from three stages. The recuperation output is up to 290 kW, with the ability to brake to a stop.

How smart is the EQS?

Tesla’s navigation route guidance has the ability to accurately calculate projected energy consumption versus real time consumption to your destination based on driving inputs, traffic and topography has always been considered industry leading. Mercedes-Benz will be introducing Navigation with Electric Intelligence on the EQS, which promises to calculate routes based on projected energy demand including topography of route, ambient temperature, energy consumers and more, as well as responding dynamically to congestion and changes in energy demand.

Mercedes-Benz promises smart navigation on the EQS.

Critically, the charging process must be simple for the EQS. Mercedes-Benz will be attempting to lure current S-Class owners into their flagship EV, and will also be looking to make conquest sales from the likes of Tesla, Porsche and BMW. It is critical that the charging process requires minimal effort for EQS owners, and Mercedes-Benz is promising a plug-and-charge service at European Ionity chargers where the vehicle and charger will automatically perform a handshake and sort out payment. It’s expected that United States EQS owners will have access to the Electrify America (EA) DC fast charging network, but it’s imperative that this flagship vehicle avoid charging issues seen by many on the Electrify America network.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS will be revealed in full on April 15.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

EV Brief 1/23/21 EV Brief 1/23/21

BMW readies electric i4 performance sedan for production with final calibration drive

The BMW i4 is set for production later in 2021, and the German automaker has released more information, photos and video from the vehicle’s final calibration drive. Expected to evolve from the striking Concept i4, it’s likely that—love it or hate it—the bold, elongated kidney grille will make it to the production model.

BMW aims to bring signature dynamics to new EV sedan

2021 is set to be a bumper year as mainstream automakers launch an electric vehicle onslaught in response to changing customer demands and governmental zero emissions mandates around the world.

BMW claims the production i4 will sport 390 kW (530 hp), and will scoot to 100kmh (62mph) in just 4.0 seconds. The BMW i4 will feature an 80kWh high-voltage battery pack with 150kW fast charging, and its expected to weigh around 550kg. BMW provides a claimed range of around 600 kilometres (373 miles).

It’s expected the i4 will share many visual similarities with the upcoming 4-series GranCoupe. These photos were taken during a final prototype calibration drive, which BMW claims was used to ensure that “the spontaneous power delivery of the electric motor is combined with precisely controllable handling in every situation, fascinating cornering dynamic, optimised traction in all weather and road conditions and perfectly balanced ride comfort”.

BMW is focusing on ride and handling—typical hallmarks of cars from Munich—and the company claims that “The BMW i4 conveys the feeling of being light and agile yet also solid and authoritative,” according to project manager David Alfredo Ferrufino Camacho. He goes on to add “With its superior directional reliability and high level of cornering stability, it seems to literally attach itself to the road. All electric vehicles are capable of fast straight-line acceleration. But that’s not enough for us at BMW.”

The i4 will likely launch after the compact iX3 and full-size iX SUVs, as the third all-electric model out of five planned by 2025. The company also plans for 12 all-electric vehicles across the BMW Group, which includes, Mini and luxury brand Rolls Royce. It’s all part of a European Union mandate to ensure automakers achieve a target of 50g/km or less of CO2 across 40 per cent of their fleets by 2030.

You can view the press images, a video of the i4 going sideways and the full press release below.

Press Release:

Munich. When an ideal balance is called for between dynamics and ride comfort, the BMW 3 Series and 4 Series models consistently set the benchmark within their segments in the premium market. In terms of electrically powered vehicles, the new BMW i4 is set to take on this role very soon. The first purely electrically powered 4-door Gran Coupé enriches locally emission-free mobility with sheer driving pleasure.

“For the first time, we’ve developed a BMW with sporty DNA for purely electric driving entirely from scratch,” explains project manager David Alfredo Ferrufino Camacho. “The BMW i4 offers everything BMW stands for – and it’s fully electric, too.”

A few months prior to its world premiere, the BMW i4 is currently completing the final phase of driving dynamics testing. The focus here is on the integrated application of all drive and suspension components, ensuring that the spontaneous power delivery of the electric motor is combined with precisely controllable handling in every situation, fascinating cornering dynamics, optimised traction in all weather and road conditions and perfectly balanced ride comfort. For the purpose of this fine-tuning process, the BMW Group applies its technological expertise in the areas of drive and suspension drawn from decades of experience. This gives the new BMW i4 a mature premium character and makes for a driving experience that is unique within the competitive environment.

Excitingly calm: sprinting with the BMW i4.

With a maximum output of up to 390 kW/530 hp, the electric powertrain in the BMW i4 enables impressive acceleration manoeuvres: it reaches the 100 km/h mark in just four seconds from standstill. But even more impressive than its pure sprint capacity is the driving response it conveys. A model-specific damper technology reduces the dipping movements of the body at the moment of set-off, while the actuator-related wheel slip limitation (ARB) developed by BMW with its extremely fast and precise control guarantees optimum traction and perfect straight-line stability at all times – even on slippery road surfaces. This makes the catapult-like sprint in the new BMW i4 an experience that is both exciting and carefree, because it is not affected by drive slip or course corrections.

However, fascinating acceleration is only one aspect of the superior performance characteristics that define the BMW i4. Other distinguishing features include its spontaneous reactions to every movement – not just of the accelerator pedal but also of the steering and the brake pedal. The prerequisites for this high level of agility and precision are anchored in the underlying vehicle concept of the BMW i4. This includes the car's long wheelbase, wide track widths, model-specific camber values, large wheels, as well as the high torsional rigidity and the vehicle’s low centre of gravity and weight balance.

Effortless precision: taking the bend on the ideal line.

All these parameters were taken into account in detail in the integrated application of the drive and suspension components so as to ensure hallmark BMW sporty flair in every situation on the road. The design and tuning of the suspension and damping systems consistently ensure optimum road contact. At the same time, the virtually silent drive in combination with the sophisticated suspension technology gives the impression of an effortlessly floating vehicle even at higher speeds, entirely unaffected by bumps in the road or difficult traction conditions.

“The BMW i4 conveys the feeling of being light and agile yet also solid and authoritative,” says project manager David Alfredo Ferrufino Camacho. “With its superior directional reliability and high level of cornering stability, it seems to literally attach itself to the road. All electric vehicles are capable of fast straight-line acceleration. But that’s not enough for us at BMW.”

The BMW i4 is also effortlessly controllable – even in highly dynamic driving situations. In addition to its neutral self-steering behaviour and its powerful, precisely controllable brakes, the steering in the BMW i4 is a major contributing factor here: it responds directly and with a high degree of accuracy, offering the driver precise feedback at all times while remaining entirely independent of drive forces, even during intensive acceleration or deceleration. Lane changes at high speeds are mastered with ease, while relaxed driving over long distances is ensured by the speed-related Servotronic power steering and the fact that the vehicle is largely insusceptible to any disruption caused by road bumps.

Typical BMW: the unique balance between sporty flair and ride comfort.

The distinctive driving dynamics of the BMW i4 derive partly from the fact that its performance characteristics are not achieved at the expense of driving comfort. The purely electrically powered Gran Coupé is characterised by unrestricted suitability for day-to-day use. Fitted with a high-voltage storage system featuring the latest battery cell technology that enables a range of up to 600 kilometres (WLTP), the chassis technology of the BMW i4 is designed for long-distance comfort, too. It is based on the high-quality damper technology, supplemented with model-specific components and separately tuned. This effectively reduces body vibrations due to road unevenness and on bends. The model-specific fine-tuning of the suspension and damping contributes significantly to the harmonious driving characteristics of the BMW i4.

At the same time as the final calibration runs are being held, preparations are underway for the production start-up at BMW Group Plant Munich. (See link to related press release.)
Here, every single production step is currently undergoing validation before the BMW i4 receives its final stamp of approval for characteristic BMW delivery quality.

EV Brief 1/10/21 EV Brief 1/10/21

NIO Reveals Striking ET7 Sedan with 1,000km Range

NIO has pulled the covers off the new ET7 Sedan at its annual NIO Day. NIO claims exceptional range, performance and luxury from this striking sedan, as well as the introduction of Lidar technology — a first in all-electric consumer vehicles — to aid autonomous operation.

Exterior Design

Clearly carrying cues from the ET Preview displayed in 2019, the ET7 is objectively a handsome car. The short, squat front end is muscular and sporty, and its small, narrow headlights and grille-less front end are reminiscent of Hyundai’s 2021 Kona. The deliberate, triangular slots for the additional front lights remind us of the Kia Stinger (no bad thing).

With a large glasshouse profile, NIO designers have kept the side of the vehicle simple yet cohesive. One accentuating crease near the top of the door plays beautifully with light, while a rising ‘power line’ on the lower part of the doors is reminiscent of Audi’s A5 and A7 Sportback models.

The tapering rear roofline and chunky three quarter panel remind us of the Polestar 2, without the squared-off edges. It’s elegant — if a little unexciting — but does well to give the rear presence while masking the bulk of the vehicle.

The rear itself shares design elements the Audi A7 and Tesla Model 3, with what looks to be an integrated retractable spoiler as well as a fixed ducktail lip in the boot (trunk) lid, and plenty of horizontal lines to accentuate dynamism and presence. Plus the (now ubiquitous) LED light bar running the width of the vehicle as seen on vehicles from Polestar to Porsche.

Interior

The interior is a clean combination of Volvo Scandi-minimalism, Tesla austerity and familiar design cues from the NIO family. NIO has made a big deal about "invisible" smart air vents on both front and rear row, frameless windows and soft close doors with flush door handles.

NIO has compared the interior of the ET7 to a second living room, and it appears to be a comfortable space for four adults on a long trip. Standard equipment includes smart air suspension, heating, ventilation and massage functions all round. There is a full length glass roof, a 23 speaker audio system, dual-LCD screen dashboard and NIO’s Nomi; the automotive world’s first in-vehicle digital assistant.

Battery and Drivetrain

The NIO ET7 will initially be offered with two battery options; a 70 kWh with 500km (310 miles) of range, and 100 kWh with 700km (440 miles) range.

NIO plans a version with a solid-state battery packing 150 kWh and a density of 360wh/kg for later in 2022, which the company claims will offer 1,000km (620 miles) of range. While a number of automakers including Toyota have publicly discussed plans to develop solid state batteries and claim many advantages over Tesla’s technology, for now, solid state batteries have inferior cycle life to batteries with liquid electrolytes, such as Tesla’s setup.

NIO has also revealed Power Swap 2.0, it’s battery-as-a-service (BaaS) swap technology. While many — including us to a degree — remain sceptical about the scalability of this battery swap model, many NIO owners and Chinese customers generally are fond of the technology, which allows drivers to either turn up or book in a time to swap their vehicle’s battery pack in a matter of minutes. NIO claims the stations will be able to store 13 battery packs and provide up to 312 battery swaps per day. NIO plans over 500 battery swap stations by the end of 2021. NIO will offer a monthly payment option for this battery swap technology.

The ET7 offers an all wheel drive dual motor setup, with a permanent magnet motor in the front and an induction motor in the rear. It has a peak system output of 480 kW and 850 Nm of torque. NIO quotes a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) time of 3.9 seconds.

Autonomy and Vehicle Technology

One hundred million. That’s the number of real-world kilometres driven using Tesla’s Autopilot system, and its the reason Tesla will be so hard to beat when it comes to autonomous driving. During NIO’s presentation of the ET7, the company praised the new NAD (NIO Autonomous Driving) system, with its Lidar, eleven eight-megapixel cameras and crazy powerful — 1,016 Tera Operations Per Second (TOPS) — Nvidia chip, but what they didn’t talk about was software.

Elon Musk has long dismissed Lidar on passenger vehicles as unnecessary, and has even claimed “LiDAR is a fool's errand…anyone relying on LiDAR is doomed.” Tesla has stuck with a system of cameras and radar for the “eyes” of its autopilot system, but Tesla has had vehicles gathering data in the real-world for years now, with its Neural Network processing trillions of data points. In the video by Whole Mars Blog, a Tesla Model 3 successfully navigates from San Francisco to Los Angeles with almost zero human intervention, with just its computing power, and Tesla’s radar and camera system. Seriously impressive.

The NIO ET7 is due for release sometime in 2022, and pricing is as follows:

NIO ET7 (70 kWh)
448,000 yuan (US$69,185)
with BaaS: 378,000 yuan ($58,375) plus 980 yuan ($151) per month

ET7 (100 kWh)
506,000 yuan (US$78,142)
with BaaS: 378,000 yuan ($58,375) plus 1,480 yuan ($229) per month
ET7 Premier edition (100 kWh)
526,000 yuan (US$81,230)
with BaaS: 398,000 yuan ($61,463) plus 1,480 yuan ($229) per month