EV Brief 1/22/23 EV Brief 1/22/23

Hyundai IONIQ 6 EV scores "Best in Class" Euro NCAP rating

The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) has announced the best-rated cars of 2022. After testing 66 new passenger cars, Hyundai’s IONIQ 6 Electrified Streamliner was awarded ‘Best in Class’ in the ‘Large Family Car’ category.“

Ioniq 6 crash testing against a mobile deformable barrier. Images: Euro NCAP

Hyundai IONIQ 6 awarded ‘Best in Class’ of 2022 by Euro NCAP in the ‘Large Family Car’ category

Hyundai’s Electrified Streamliner recently achieved maximum five-star rating in Euro NCAP safety test
Newest model in Hyundai’s all-electric IONIQ line-up brand excelled in ‘Adult Occupant’, ‘Child Occupant’ and ‘Safety Assist’ categories

“This latest Euro NCAP ‘Best in Class’ 2022 title for IONIQ 6 follows on from last year’s maximum five-star safety rating, and proves that it is one of the safest EVs on the European market,” says Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, Vice President Marketing, Product and PR at Hyundai Motor Europe. “Hyundai is committed to providing all road users with the highest level of safety, while at the same time offering innovative mobility solutions to our customers. This latest accolade by Euro NCAP underscores our industry-leading position in the field of future mobility.”

The Euro NCAP assessment program is a counterpart to ANCAP (Australian new Car Assessment Program), and the two organisations share internationally recognised crash testing standards. To define the Euro NCAP ‘Best in Class’, a calculation is made of the weighted sum of the scores in each of the four areas of assessment: ‘Adult Occupant Protection’, ‘Child Occupant Protection’, ‘Vulnerable Road User Protection’ and ‘Safety Assist’. This sum is used by the organisation as the basis for comparison of the vehicles. Cars qualify for ‘Best in Class’ based only on their rating with standard safety equipment. Additional ratings based on optional equipment are excluded.

IONIQ 6’s victory in the ‘Large Family Car’ category follows on from its successful Euro NCAP safety test last year. In November 2022, it was announced that the latest model of Hyundai’s all-electric IONIQ line-up brand was awarded with the maximum five-star rating.

According to Euro NCAP, IONIQ 6 achieved “exceptionally high results” in the ‘Adult Occupant Protection’ with a score of 97 per cent, claiming first place in the category. Meanwhile, the vehicle assessment organisation praised Hyundai’s Electrified Streamliner in the field of ‘Child Occupant Protection’, where it scored 87 per cent: “IONIQ 6 provided good protection for all critical body regions of both the 6- and 10-year dummies in the frontal offset and side barrier tests and scored maximum points in this part of the assessment”. The model also achieved a high score of 90 per cent in the ‘Safety Assist’ section.

The IONIQ 6 is equipped with the next level of Hyundai Smart Sense Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, including Highway Driving Assist 2 (HDA 2), which helps to maintain a set distance and speed from the vehicle ahead when driving on a highway and helps to centre the vehicle in the lane while driving, it can even overtake the vehicle in front. HDA 2 allows IONIQ 6 to reach Level 2 autonomous driving.

HDA2 is currently available on top-spec IONIQ 5 models in overseas markets, but has not made it to the Australian market. We have reached out to Hyundai Australia to determine if future models will receive this technology.

The IONIQ 6 is expected to launch in Australia in the second half of this year, starting from around AUD$70-75,000. You can view the full NCAP results here.

EV Brief 3/18/21 EV Brief 3/18/21

BMW teases i4 electric sedan with new images and details; BMW M Performance version to follow

BMW has teased exterior images of the new i4 Gran Coupe EV at its annual conference in Munich, Germany overnight. The automaker is drawing out the launch, with full technical specifications and interior images to be released over the next few weeks.

BMW shows off its first all electric sports sedan - the i4 Gran Coupe with up to 590km (366mi) WLTP range

BMW promises up to 590km (366mi) WLTP range, power up to 390 kW (530PS) as well as a BMW Motorsport version (eventually). We can expect the i4 Gran Coupe to compete against a range of vehicles in the competitive sports sedan class, from Tesla’s Model 3, Model S and Polestar 2 at the more affordable end, to the Porsche Taycan and Audi E-Tron GT when BMW announces an i4 Gran Coupe M Performance.

Broadly sharing most of the design details from the concept i4, the usual “toning down” has taken place, with less futuristic headlights to satisfy various legal and cost constraints, conventional side mirrors and smaller wheels.

The large “grille” remains, along with vertical front intakes, slim, broad taillights and BMW’s signature Hofmeister kink on the rear doors. We like it; though it lacks the “wow” effect of the concept i4, proportions are sound, and the design details are contemporary. One thing though; please lose the blue highlights BMW!

The BMW Concept i4 vs. the production i4:

The i4 will be built on BMW’s flexible and modular CLuster ARchitecture (CLAR) platform, on which the iX3 and iX SUVs are based. Notably, BMW will produce the i4 Gran Coupe on the same production lines as petrol and diesel models, thanks to a massive €200 million retooling of the Munich assembly plant.

Most manufacturers—including BMW—are focusing on the development of crossovers and SUVs based on their next generation electric architectures, so it’s great to see Munich also prioritising an all-electric sports saloon.

As mentioned, further technical details and imagery is expected to be launched over the next few weeks. While BMW has yet to reveal pricing and launch timing, we can expect the i4 to follow the iX SUV to market in early 2022.

Images: BMW AG

EV Brief 3/12/21 EV Brief 3/12/21

Volkswagen's 2020 "Project Trinity" promises step change in EV range and charging

Volkswagen has announced that they are working on a cutting-edge electric saloon to be built in Wolfsburg from 2026. Expected to be similar in size to the company’s Arteon fastback saloon, Volkswagen promises ”new standards in terms of range, charging speed and digitization—as well as being able to drive highly automated according to Level 4.”

Based on the company’s MEB electric vehicle architecture, the Project Trinity EV should feature advanced vehicle autonomy and connectivity systems.

According to Volkswagen, the project name Trinity is derived from the Latin “trinitas” and stands for the tri-unity. Accordingly, Trinity stands for three crucial themes: a newly developed electronics platform with state-of-the-art software, the simplification of the supply structure, and fully networked and intelligent production at the main plant in Wolfsburg.

Volkswagen claims the newly developed vehicle architecture will set standards in terms of range, digitalization and charging speed, with the aim of Project Trinity to allow customers to charge as fast as traditional refueling.

By the planned start of series production in 2026, it is anticipated that Trinity will reach Level 2+ and be technically ready for Level 4.

“We are using our economies of scale to make autonomous driving available to many people and to build a learning neural network. In this way, we are creating the conditions for the continuous exchange of data from our vehicle fleet—for example, on the traffic situation, on obstacles or on accidents,” says Ralf Brandstätter. Trinity thus gives people time and saves them stress. After a long highway trip, you arrive at your destination relaxed. Because you have been driven by a chauffeur to your vacation or to your home after work. “Trinity therefore becomes a kind of 'time machine' for our customers,” says Ralf Brandstätter.

With the production of the series version, the Wolfsburg plant will become a showcase for state-of-the-art, intelligent and fully networked production processes. “We will completely rethink the way we build cars and introduce revolutionary approaches. Digitalization, automation and lightweight construction play an important role here,” says Ralf Brandstätter.

Future vehicle models such as Trinity will be produced with considerably fewer variants, and the hardware will be largely standardized. The cars will then have virtually everything on board and customers will be able to activate desired functions “on demand” at any time via the digital ecosystem in the car. This will significantly reduce complexity in production.

By developing the automobile into a software-based product, Volkswagen is creating the conditions for new, data-based business models. Entry barriers to individual mobility are to be lowered, while at the same time offering even more attractive usage packages. Volkswagen intends to generate additional revenue in the usage phase—for charging and energy services, for software-based functions that customers can book as needed, or for automated driving. “In the future, the individual configuration of the vehicle will no longer be determined by the hardware at the time of purchase. Instead, customers will be able to add functions on demand at any time via the digital ecosystem in the car,” says Ralf Brandstätter.

According to Inside EVs, Volkswagen clarified some issues with what Ralf Brandstätter told Welt Am Sonntag in an interview about Trinity. The Volkswagen brand’s CEO stated to the German newspaper the Trinity would be around 4 meters (158 inches) long and cost about €35,000.

Volkswagen told InsideEVs there was a mistake in the quote. It should be “more than 4 meters.” According to the company, the car will be similar in size to the ID.4, with a length between 4.5 m (177 in) and 4.7 m (185 in).

EV Brief 2/15/21 EV Brief 2/15/21

BYD partners with Nexport to sell electric vehicles in Australia from 2022

BYD Co Limited (Build Your Dreams) has signed an historic deal with Nexport this week, allowing the Australian company to retail a number of BYD electric passenger vehicles locally from 2022

image_728346a0-1f29-402d-a683-b8ca6a78b7f520210215_042057.jpg — BYD signs deal to retail electric cars in Australia from 2022

BYD Co Limited (Build Your Dreams) has signed an historic deal with Nexport this week, allowing the Australian company to retail a number of BYD electric passenger vehicles locally from 2022.

This is the first foreign distribution agreement signed by BYD, and will see the launch of a range of the company's electric vehicles to buyers down under next year.

A left hand drive BYD Han in Australia for testing purposes. Image: BYD Australia

“Australian consumers will soon be able to access affordable, best of class electric vehicles in both the passenger and commercial space” according to Luke Todd, Managing Director of Nexport. “Thel right hand markets have been undersupplied in the Electric vehicle space and this agreement ensures certainty of local supply in these best of class EV vehicles”, Todd continued.

The BYD Tang is an all electric luxury SUV. Image: BYD

Nexport plans to retail BYD electric vehicles through a new online site EV Direct, which is expected to launch customer pre-orders from July 2021. The direct sales model should help to bring the price of EVs down, by avoiding dealership, franchise and transportation overheads, and BYD claims that price parity will be achieved with equivalent internal combustion engined vehicles.

It's expected BYD's Tesla-rivalling Han sedan will make it here, as well as the plug-in hybrid crossover Song and Tang SUV.

We are very excited about the prospect of more electric options for consumers in Australia. Any brand snobs should be on notice: a reality check is coming. BYD is the largest electric vehicle manufacturer in China, and before expanding into the automotive sector, the company was the leader in global mobile phone battery manufacturing. There's no doubt that they can make an impact on the Australian automotive market with the right mix of value, luxury and performance.