Electrification is amongst us, and the oldest manufacturer in the world has the panache and experience to come up with a truly stunning vehicle. The EQC 400. An impressive Mercedes in every aspect. Aimed at the higher market segments, and rightly so. It creates first of all an upmarket image for fully electric vehicles, and it targets a well to do clientele which has invariably charging points at home and at the office or workplace, making them less dependent on the public charging infrastructure, which is still seen to be (very) deficient in some EU countries.
A prudent strategy adopted also by other premium car manufacturers, like Audi for instance with their e-tron.
After driving a few days – a full battery charge – with this superb car with the star, we can say that this car sets indeed the standards for what electric driving can be… Just read further!
Indeed, an extra zest of sportiness is added to the already iconic Audi e-tron. The Sportback version looks and is more dynamic, as it offers up to 300 kW of power and a range of up to 446 kilometers (277.1 miles). A new feature, and for the first offered on a in a mass-production vehicle, are its digital matrix LED headlights.
This was also clearly visible at the Los Angeles presentation of this elegant SUV Coupé, where the rakish and elegant contours of the Sportback were lit by an array of LED headlights in the background, and mounted on a robot alongside the car.
Just read on for more details…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
The Audi e-tron Sportback looks very good in the typical Audi design language. The roof drops down steeply to the rear—in typical coupé style— and is flowing into the steeply raked D-pillars. The lower edge of the third side window rises towards the rear—also a typical Sportback feature.
The designers also varied the signature at the broad diffuser, drawing attention to the absence of exhaust tailpipes. A light strip connects the LED lights to one another.
Announcing even more colour…
A total of thirteen paint finishes are available for the all-electric drive SUV coupé, including the new colour plasma blue, metallic, which is exclusive to the e-tron Sportback. The logo on the electric charging flap features the eye-catching high-voltage signal colour orange, which can also be applied to the brake callipers on request.
The S line model emphasizes the sporting
DNA of the Audi e-tron Sportback, and is standard equipped with 20-inch wheels
and sport air suspension. At the rear end, the spoiler as well as a striking
diffuser which extends across the entire vehicle width, contributes to the
outstanding vehicle aerodynamics. In contrast to the basic model, the
attachments on the S line exterior are painted in the exterior body colour –
including the wheel arch trims, door sills, bumpers and exterior mirrors.
For those who want more contrast, Audi also
offers the so-called black styling package that accentuates the area of the
Singleframe, the side windows, and the bumper. The exterior mirror housings are
also available in black as an option.
A drag coefficient of merely 0.25…
In conjunction with the S line exterior and virtual exterior mirrors, the Sportback achieves an drag coefficient value of just 0.25. This is primarily due to the coupé body shape and the associated lower aerodynamic drag behind the car. The high separating edge of the Sportback minimizes swirl in the air flow in this area.
Global innovation in a production vehicle: The digital matrix LED headlights
With the digital matrix LED headlights as top-of-the range equipment, Audi presents a worldwide first in a production vehicle: Broken down into minute pixels, their light can illuminate the road in high resolution. The design is based on a technology abbreviated as DMD (digital micromirror device) and is also used in many video projectors.
Audi e-tron Sportback: digital matrix LED headlight
At its heart is a small chip containing one
million micromirrors, each of whose edge length measures just a few hundredths of
a millimeter. With the help of electrostatic fields, each individual
micromirror can be tilted up to 5,000 times per second. Depending on the
setting, the LED light is either directed via the lenses onto the road or is
absorbed in order to mask out areas of the light beam.
Revolution ahead: just follow the light…
These LED lights will be seen on the e-tron Sportback mid 2020, and they can perform multiple tasks. It can generate dynamic leaving- and coming-home animations that appear as projections on a wall or on the ground. This presentation transforms the area in front of the car into a carefully illuminated stage. Not only does the digital light system deliver cornering, city, and highway lighting as versions of the low-beam light with exceptional precision, it also supplements the high-beam light by masking out other road users with even greater accuracy.
Above all, however, it offers innovative
functions such as lane light and orientation light. On freeways, the lane light
creates a carpet of light that illuminates the driver’s own lane brightly and
adjusts dynamically when he or she changes lane.
In this way, it improves the driver’s
awareness of the relevant lane and contributes to improved road safety. In addition,
the orientation light uses darkened areas masked out from the light beam to predictively
show the vehicle’s position in the lane, thereby supporting—especially on
narrow roads or in highway construction zones—the safe lane centering assist.
The marking light function is also used in conjunction with the optional night vision assist. The light automatically draws attention to any pedestrians it detects, thereby reducing the danger of overlooking pedestrians in the immediate vicinity of the lane.
Detail
On the second part of this report, we will
tell you more about the dynamic qualities, the drivetrain, i.e. batteries and
engines, interior and connectivity of this e-tron Sportback…
A tall standing Urban Coupé with fluid, inviting lines…
Kia recently showed a stunning electric coupé with novel proportions. This Futuron made its public debut at the 2019 China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai. Its low-profile SUV coupe body makes a strong statement of intent for Kia’s future cars, which will be – as the manufacturer puts it – confident, sporty and modern, yet also elegant. At 4,850 mm in length, 1,550 mm tall and with a 3,000 mm-long wheelbase, it has an elevated ground clearance is matched with a low, lean body to create a dynamic, confident posture.
It is indeed a sports car… on an SUV platform. Clever.
Because this makes – like for instance in the Audi e-tron – room for the
batteries to be lodged beneath the cabin floor. The advantage is also that the elevated
stance of the car is therefore matched with a low center of gravity.
And that slightly more elevated stance is just what
you want in an urban car, even if it has the sleek shape of a coupé.
Just read further…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
This “E”-Coupé
is powered by four powerful in-wheel electric motors. This e-AWD
system delivers as you can expect lively responses to driver inputs.
But the important hallmark here is its fluid, intriguing design. The front fender flows backwards from the front of the hood before plunging into the cabin itself, establishing a connection between the driving seat and the road ahead. The concept’s roof is a diamond-shaped panoramic glasshouse which sits atop the 360-degree core, in the best traditions of UFO and flying saucer design. It floods the cabin with natural light, and it also extends down the bonnet to give drivers an unparalleled view ahead. The glasshouse also incorporates a network of LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors capable of providing Level 4 autonomous driving features, enabling hands-off and eyes-off driving in most conditions.
Furthermore, the 360-degree theme is evident in the
lighting that illuminates a sharp character line encircling the Futuron’s body.
A new “tiger” face…
The newly-designed front of the car, like that of the
Imagine by Kia Concept first revealed earlier in 2019, expresses a new design interpretation for Kia’s future
electric vehicles.
With a wider ‘tiger face’ shape, the grille
incorporates the Futuron’s headlamps, an innovative ‘Star Cloud’ design which
gives the car a dazzling new night-time identity.
Flexible cabin space…
The layout of the electric powertrain and
incorporation of Level 4 autonomous
driving systems has enabled the creation of a spacious and flexible cabin
unlike any other vehicle on roads. The two
front seats are created out of flexible materials and can offer an upright
‘driving’ position, or a reclined ‘rest’ position, similar to the flexibility
afforded to first-class airline passengers. With the activation of the
Futuron’s autonomous driving features, the two front seats recline as the
steering wheel retracts. The ‘zero-gravity’ seating position this creates helps
to reduce fatigue on long journeys.
One of the most prominent features of the cabin is the
‘cockpit’ area surrounding the driver. The graphical user interface (GUI) of
the cockpit flows out of the driver-side door and wraps around the steering
wheel in a seamless arc. This merges the instrument cluster directly with the
audio-visual display at the center of the dashboard and is linked to the
display integrated within the surface of the steering wheel itself.
The GUI is operated by artificial intelligence
technologies, displaying useful information about the car various autonomous
driving, powertrain and navigation features, which creates a unique user
experience.
This is, according to Kia, what driving into the
(urban) future is all about. Just look at the photos here…
We are driving presently the Jeep Renegade with its brand new state of the art 1,3 litre 150 HP “Firefly” engine, and we can tell you it is very impressive indeed.
This leads us to bring you the news that the Jeep Renegade PHEV can be previewed at the MotorVillage Champs-Elysées until the 25th of September.
Following its world premiere at the Geneva motor show last March and its international on-road debut at Turin’s Parco del Valentino motor show in June, the new Jeep® Renegade Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) has arrived in the heart of Paris to be showcased at the exclusive Jeep showroom on the Champs-Elysées.
The PHEV Renegade will take centre stage in
the Playground expo, which is dedicated to Jeep’s affinity with sports and
includes partnerships with WSL (World Surf League), LNB (Ligue Nationale de
Basket) and JeepELITE.
New hybrid technology…with plenty of punch
Displayed in Trailhawk specification, the
Renegade PHEV has a pure electric range of approximately 50 kilometres and of
course no CO2 emissions in full-electric mode. In order to deliver these
figures, the Renegade combines a 1.3-liter GSE turbo gasoline engine with an
electric motor located between the rear wheels, powered by a set of batteries
that can be recharged while driving or by using an external power outlet: at
home with the domestic plug, using the efficient Wallbox, or with a public
charge point. Recharging times can vary from an hour and a half to three hours
depending on the type of outlet.
The combination of both internal combustion engine and the electric motor delivers outstanding performance and driving pleasure: 0-100 km/h is reached in approximately seven seconds, CO2 emissions are lower than 50g/km (NEDC2) and the full electric top speed is 130 km/h. The combined power output sits in the 190 and the 240 horsepower range, depending on the trim level.
Most of all, thanks to the new hybrid
technology, the Jeep Renegade further improves its legendary off-road
capability courtesy of the greater torque offered by the combination between
the two power sources. Thanks to the new electric all-wheel-drive technology
(eAWD), traction to the rear axle is not provided by a prop shaft but through
the dedicated electric motor. This allows the two axles to be separated and
control the torque independently in a more effective way than a mechanical
system.
The Jeep Renegade PHEV features a unique interior and dashboard, plus an 8.4″ HD Uconnect system with specific pages to allow for the driver to control its day-to-day hybrid driving operation. The Selec-Terrain maintains its location in front of the gear shift lever, while the Hybrid selector appears right next to it allowing the driver to select between the following driving modes: (see photo below)
Hybrid: the mode that optimises power to
minimise fuel consumption. Internal combustion engine and electric motor work
together depending on the road type, with energy recovery phases when braking
eSave: the internal combustion engine can
maintain or recharge the battery while driving (driver’s selectable options)
Electric: full-electric mode which allows
for a pure electric range of approximately 50 kilometers.
The new 7″ TFT colour display shows
new information in front of the driver’s eyes: the battery charge level, range
in electric, combustion and combined modes, power percentage and recharge
levels. The 8.4″ Uconnect colour screen features new tabs such as power
flow, driving history, charging times, eSave and the different charge settings.
Needless to say that we are keen to take a
test drive soon in this interesting hybrid!
Driving the future. Now. Literally, without any strings or plugs attached. That is what Lexus driving is all about. Superbly engineered, dramatically styled. With an eye for quality and modern day luxury: this is what Lexus’s most compact SUV offers you.
It runs on the new GA-C-platform, which is also seen in the new
Corolla. It shares also (most) of its drivetrain. Indeed, the well known 2
litre Atkinson Cycle four cylinder plays here the fiddle in harmony with its
electric cousin under the bonnet, in clever hybrid fashion, just like in the
Corolla. This means absolute technical perfection and utmost reliability is
yours to enjoy. But that is not all. The bodywork of this SUV has what it takes
to please you, both inside and out. Just read further…
Toyota and Lexus are friends of the earth since decades. They offer E power in hybrid form across their whole range now, and this started already back in 1997 with the Prius, a car which has been a star on Californian (and many other) roads worldwide ever since.
The hybrid drivetrain of this car is
nothing short of a stroke of genius, and therefore hardly surprising that it is
also seen on the Lexus range. Faithful readers know that I am the happy owner
of a Lexus CT 200h, a car which is running around with an average consumption
between 3.9 and 4.6 litres/100 km.
The subject of this test is also to find out whether the continuously further developed hybrid system brings further gains in efficiency compared to my faithful Lexus.
It had to happen. BMW cultivates pleasure of driving. And this also goes for their E-cars. Even more so, as they have excellent torque and therefore massive pulling power. And what’s more, you can use several motors at once.
So it was only a matter of time that a trial car with superpower is created. Here it is: BMW Group presented its “Power BEV” during its #NEXTGen event in Munich.
Just before we go further, just explain here a bit more on the #NEXTGen event: From 25 to 27 June 2019 the company invites selected international journalists, analysts and further stakeholders to “BMW Group #NEXTGen” at BMW Welt in Munich. With this event, The BMW Group chooses a new direction with regard to how it presents its future technologies, services and products.
But back to the car now. Indeed, BMW explores
with this “Versuchswagen” what is technically possible. A BMW 5 Series was
taken off the production line, and then fitted with three fifth-generation
electric drive units, resulting in a maximum system output in excess of …530
kW/720 hp. This transforms the 5-Series into a supercar: with this power, it accelerates
from 0 to 100 km/h in comfortably under three seconds.
But it is not only about straight line
performance, it is also about handling. A true BMW also puts a smile on the
driver’s face through corners, and so the engineers got to work on the chassis
and suspension.
Separately controlled motors provide unseen agility…
To this end, the chassis and powertrain engineers worked together particularly closely to maximise the car’s performance. Key to its dynamic superb qualities is that the two electric motors at the rear axle are controlled separately. This brings e-torque vectoring into play, which enables maximum drive power to be translated into forward propulsion even in extremely dynamic driving manoeuvres.
Two separate engines in the back…
The result is more effective and precise control
than with a limited slip differential, because actively targeted inputs are
possible in any driving situation. By contrast, a limited slip differential
always reacts to a difference in rotation speed between the driven wheels, and therefore
is slower to react.
As said, the drive system comprises three
fifth-generation drive units, each of which brings together an electric motor
and the associated power electronics and power take-off within a single
housing. One is mounted at the front axle and two (a double drive unit) at the
rear axle. Another notable aspect of this generation alongside its eye-catching
power is that it is entirely free of rare earths. An electric motor of this
type will make its series production debut in the BMW iX3. The iX3 will only
have one motor, though, rather than three.
A series production car forms the basis…
Experienced test drivers handle the power and extract the possibilities of high performance handling…
As said, a current BMW 5 Series production
model serves as the donor car for the Power BEV. Integrating a drive system of
this type into a production car represents a serious technical undertaking, but
it has been achieved here with absolutely no restriction in passenger
compartment space. This makes it far easier to assess this drive concept
alongside alternatives.
It has also allowed the engineers to look
even more effectively into the possibilities opened up by two separately
controllable electric motors at the rear axle with e-torque vectoring.
And that means, in future series-production
vehicle projects, that the right technology can be selected for the model at
hand. Customers will therefore be provided with the most appropriate technology
for their choice of vehicle concept. Wow! Needless to say, we are now looking
to the E-future with a very broad smile! Driving pleasure will be certainly
part of it!
A beautiful Turin setting was chosen for
the first international on-road debut of Jeep’s both the new Hybrid Plug-Ins
(PHEVs), the new Jeep Renegade and Jeep Compass.
Indeed, at the the Salone dell’Auto in Turin, the new SUV will set off from Piazza Vittorio Veneto and parade around the city centre circuit, giving spectators a chance to realise how quiet it really is.
Both Renegade and Compass have CO2 emissions below 50g/km, and are both fitted with plug-in hybrid propulsion systems. Batteries can be recharged by the internal combustion engine or from an external power outlet.
They have a pure electric range of approximately 50 kilometres and about 130 km/h full electric top speed for both Renegade and Compass. The electric units work in synergy with the new 1.3-litre turbo petrol engines. There is ample power: the combined action of the two propulsion systems, internal combustion and electric, produces up to 240 hp.
The off-road talents of hybrid propulsion
Thanks to the high torque of the electric motor and the ability to adjust it with extreme precision during take-off and while driving on the most challenging terrain, off road behaviour is further improved.
Thanks to the new electric all-wheel-drive technology (eAWD), traction to the rear axle is not provided by a prop shaft but through a dedicated electric motor. This allows the two axles to be separated and to control the torque independently in a more effective way than a mechanical system. We cannot wait to collect driving impressions for you soon…
Time to think of alternative ways about paying for your mobility, if you read this slide…
At the Jeep presentation at the Lago di Garda, we attended a gripping presentation by Marcella Merli, Head of Group Sales & Marketing of FCA Bank. We also had a long conversation with her, about how we use our cars, and how we should have a fresh look at car ownership and think about alternative and clever ways to finance and fund our individual mobility.
This article is also a first in a series where we will present on a regular basis alternative and clever ways of mobility finance schemes.
Marcella Merli, Head of Group Sales & Marketing of FCA Bank, presented with verve the “Jeep Miles” program…
Indeed, she presented here for Leasys, the rental and mobility company of FCA Bank, their “Jeep Miles” program, the new pay-per-use rental solution designed especially for Jeep customers.
Inspired by the “Pay per Use” trend, today increasingly popular with consumers in various sectors, it offers subscribers the possibility to pay for their vehicle only when they are actually using it. “Jeep Miles” is a long-term rental requiring no down payment, that offers a convenient monthly fee, plus a variable cost calculated based on the kilometres actually travelled. The Mopar Connect T-Box, installed on board the vehicle, registers the mileage travelled by the customer. There are no mileage limits, for a real “Pay per Use” experience!
Marcella Merli presented amongst others this typical example, seen here on the photographed slide, of Andrew, an international account manager
Jeep Miles will be available in selected European markets in 2019.
The fixed monthly fee will include the main
mobility services, with different formulas. A variable component will then be
added on, calculated by applying the rate per kilometre to the mileage actually
travelled by the customer. The first 1,000 kilometres will be free of charge.
Jeep customers who, for example, only use
the car in specific periods of the year, or are often abroad for work, will
find Jeep Miles an ideal solution for their mobility requirements. It will also
be suitable for those who mainly use their vehicle in the city, clocking up low
annual mileages.
Marcella Merli presented amongst others this typical example, seen here on the photographed slide, of Andrew, an international account manager, single, goes on long international business trips had occasionally uses his Jeep Compass on weekends.
In his scheme, there is a small fixed instalment of 249 Euros, a “light” scheme of 0,09 Euro per km, including Third Party Liability, Road Tax, Road Assistance, the Leasys APP. The 0,18 Euro per km scheme includes further Fire & Theft, Collision Damage Waiver and last but not least Full Maintenance.
Soon, Leasys will also introduce soon a
credit card, which like we said, gives you an extra 1,000 miles on your Jeep
Miles contract, and enables also to buy with a discount all the Mopar accessories
you can think of…
Tempted? Indeed, think differently about financing your mobility…and enjoy your Jeep driving even more!
We photographed the first e-tron we drove at the entrance of the beautiful Middelheim park in Antwerp…
When visiting Audi’s “The Place To-e” in Antwerp, we took the opportunity to slide behind the wheel of Audi’s all-electric SUV flagship. It is already quite familiar to us seeing it produced, as your servant has made already several guide tours around the Brussels factory where it is built.
I will also continue to do so and in the
near future be able to welcome you there to show you around the production
lines, but until now we never had the opportunity to sit behind the wheel of
one.
Of course, Audi Import in the person of PR
Manager Audi Belgium, D’Ieteren – Audi Import Sofie Luyckx will rather sooner
than later offer me a longer test drive in one, but we tell you here already
our “first drive” experiences.
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Impressive in ingenuity, style and build quality
The e-tron makes a statement of quality and style when you approach it. This is even reinforced when you see the dashboard and cabin and slide behind the wheel. Clean, well balanced, superbly finished, this is what your eyes and hands see and feel.
All commands are digital/virtual, or via stylish knobs like the drive selector…
The instruments, dials and function knobs are all digital, embedded in shiny black surfaces, which are ergonomically ideally angled towards you. You would like to touch them with gloves, as your fingers leave marks on their semi-matte surfaces. Maybe we should go back – with pleasure – to this gentlemen drivers’ tradition of wearing fine leather gloves when driving a car, certainly with a noble example like this one.
It is all breathing this angular futuristic
Audi styling language, which has a timeless balance to it.
Comfort in silence and refinement
We took this e-tron fro a very gentle urban ride, testing out the energy recuperation modes when decelerating and/or braking, which is very cleverly controlled in intensity by the paddles on the steering wheel. A very refined touch.
Progress is of course, as an e-car befits, silky smooth, with ample acceleration power delivered by both engines fore and aft. With this luxury SUV it is combined with excellent suspension comfort, and here the Audi really stands out. This is further enhanced by the superb seats, which make the picture of a fine quality car offering top level refinement complete.
In the neighbourhood of the “The Place To-e” in Antwerp is the magnificent Middelheim park, and this is where we photographed the e-tron for you.
Soon more about this superb car, when we
have it for a longer drive…
Autoprova - for the Connaisseur 