LA Auto Show

Hyundai launches home charging ecosystem as part of EV push • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 20, 2022Posted in Electrum, hyundai, LA Auto Show, solar, TransportationNo Comments

Hyundai announced this week at the LA Auto Show a new way for its customers to charge at home as part of the company’s efforts to woo a new group of EV buyers. Hyundai Home, the automaker calls it, incorporates solar panels, energy storage and EV charging for Hyundai owners. Hyundai announced a partnership with Electrum, a solar panel, home battery and heat pump installer, which will help customers in 16 states find the right power installers and systems for their EV charging needs. With the new partnership, consumers in Arizona, California, Colorado. Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington can now work with Electrum advisors to find the best and most affordable power solutions for them. Prior to this week’s announcement, dealers were helping customers get in touch with local installers and power suppliers in order to get charging and storage set up for their new Hyundai EVs like the Ioniq 5, according to Ian Tupper, the senior group manager of strategic environmental partnerships at Hyundai. “With Hyundai Home, we’re really trying to democratize, not only EV charging and being able to adopt an electric vehicle, but the entire ecosystem around it. We want to make it easy for customers to go solar to get energy storage and to eventually use all those systems together to reduce their energy bill,” Tupper told ZebethMedia during an interview at the LA Auto Show. Making EV charging more accessible As the U.S. increasingly makes a push to reduce carbon emissions, especially those from tailpipes (aka fossil-fueled powered vehicles), states like California have banned the sale of new gasoline vehicles by 2035. That means that an increasing number of Americans are going to be looking at EVs, PHEVs and hybrids for their next new car purchase. Yet, rentals make up roughly one-third of American housing, according to the U.S. Census and most of that housing stock is older, which means that in order to get access to at-home charging, landlords will have to be willing to invest to upgrade panels and provide charging access in multifamily garages. The average cost to upgrade a single family home’s electrical panel to handle charging a vehicle at home, can run between $1,300 and $3,000, or more. Add that into the high price of battery-electric, hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles and many people wont be able to afford or access home charging, especially those who live in multifamily buildings without access to home charging. That’s something that Tupper says Hyundai is taking into consideration, but he wasn’t able to share any concrete details around future plans. “If we want to achieve mass adoption, we need to solve that problem for renters and so we’re attacking it in a couple of different ways. First through our partnership with Electrify America. We’re working with them to incentivize to construction of as much charging infrastructure as possible and we’re trying to give it to customers for free,” Tupper told ZebethMedia. “We’re taking a strategic partnership approach and trying to identify the players right to offer, really a smattering of solutions. If there’s a city where, you know, we can help support the production or the development of charging hub, great. But if there’s a way for us to even incentivize low-power AC Charging. We’re going to take a look at that as well.” Tupper says that Hyundai is working with its partners like Electrum to bring more charging and power storage options to more customers in other states outside of the 16 that Electrum currently services, too. “We’re just starting out,” Tupper said, “Our guiding principles are that customers not only get the right products, but they also get the right products at the right price. Electrum helps us help the customer find the right solution on the marketplace, that way we’re actually able to deliver, usually a substantially better deal than something that they would normally just get by going to a local provider.”

VinFast’s bid to attract U.S. buyers includes 4 all-electric SUVs and maybe a sports car • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 18, 2022Posted in EV, LA Auto Show, Transportation, VinFastNo Comments

VinFast showcased four battery-electric SUVs at the LA Auto Show this week and even hinted at a sports car as the Vietnam-based automaker pushes ahead with its plan to break into the U.S. market. The four EVs, which ranged in size from small five-passenger crossovers to large 7-passenger SUVs, is part of the company’s effort to resonate with U.S. consumers. In an EV market that now has just about every automaker jumping in, it may take more than simply offering SUVs. Although choice is part of the plan, according to Craig Westbrook, the Chief Service Officer of VinFast U.S. Vinfast’s plan is to flood the space with plenty of options so that Americans get familiar with the new brand, Westbrook told ZebethMedia. The executive also hinted that by this time next year, VinFast may show off a sports car for the U.S. market. “We need a product offensive,” Westbrook said in an interview at the LA Auto Show. “We need to come to market strong. We don’t need to trickle down or ease out models and buying opportunities for the few. So within probably less than a 12-month period, you’ll have all four models, all SUVs across these four major size and price segments.” Vinfast expects to bring two SUVs, the VF6 and VF7, to market by early 2023. The VinFast SUVs Vinfast VF6 VinFast showed off the VF6, VF7, VF8, and VF9 at the LA Auto Show, and offered ride alongs in the five passenger VF8 outside the convention center. Unlike last year’s auto show, where the company showed off global vehicles the VFe36 and VFe35 with no interiors, the VF6 and VF7 had interiors that customers and media could poke around to get a feel for what the new-to-the-U.S. company might deliver. In the two short laps around the tiny test track in front of the LA Convention Center the VF8 felt like any other EV crossover — the weight of the battery pack that VinFast estimates will get up to 292 miles of range, is apparent, especially over uneven bumps. The vegan leather interior and large central screen make the interior feel luxurious and surprisingly ample. A large dual pane roof makes the backseat feel spacious and open, and the ride in the rear is equally engaging. Westbrook said that the VF8 and VF9 vehicles are currently on their way to the U.S. and should be delivered to buyers in early 2023. Globally, VinFast says its taken 65,000 reservations for the VF8 and VF9, but the company didn’t have a specific breakdown for North America at the time of our interview. Most of those orders are coming to California, according to Westbrook, and customers, are according to Westbrook’s observation, are mostly those who are making the first time EV-leap. California focused “Most of the pre-orders have taken place here, [California],” Westbrook said. “California is easy. This is where headquarters are and where a port is, and so, we’re going to serve these customers first. Obviously we want to look at all our customers, but that’s going to be the first way that we can try to splash into the market is effectively as possible.” VinFast currently has six retail locations open in California, all located in shopping malls where people can come in and check out the vehicles, much like a Tesla store. Westbrook says that some of the first vehicles coming off the boat from Vietnam will go to stores so that more potential customers can get into the vehicles and test drive them. Westbrook said that many of the reservation holders have not come to the point in the buying journey where they have to decide between opting for the company’s somewhat controversial battery leasing program, or buying their vehicle outright. When asked about the reception that reservation holders had to the battery leasing option, Westbrook said “We’ve seen sort of growing acceptance and interest in the option.” During the presentation at the LA Auto Show, Westrbook noted that Vinfast recently took an order for 2,500 vehicles from the car subscription company, Autonomy, which generally deals only in Teslas. New warranty and service options VinFast’s goal is to make the transition to battery-electric as barrier free as possible for new customers. Westbrook said, and to that end, the company announced more details of its bumper-to-bumper warranty, offering an industry-leading 10-year and 125,000-mile of coverage and a 10-year, unlimited mile battery warranty that the company says is designed to offer EV customers peace of mind as they transition to electric driving. The company also announced a mobile service that will come to customers or offer ride share options if customers get stranded. “I would say that when it comes to quality, people have an expectations, and we have to meet them,” Westbrook said “We do understand that that when you purchase car over here and our service point is over there, you may not want to come to us. So we can help you, right? And that’s part of our model. It’s not being forced into something. We realize that’s what you want as a customer.”

Fiat CEO teases subscriptions, car-sharing for all-electric 500e launch in US • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 17, 2022Posted in electric vehicles, fiat, LA Auto Show, Stellantis, TransportationNo Comments

Stellantis plans to “explore alternative business models,” such as subscriptions and car sharing, when it launches its all-electric Fiat 500e in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2024, Fiat CEO Olivier Francois told ZebethMedia at the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show. The exec did not rule out limiting the 500e’s U.S. launch entirely to subscriptions come early 2024, saying: “Maybe you will never have a price. Maybe it will just be usership. Maybe there will be there will be a combination of both.” The executive added cryptically, “There will be a healthy dose of digital, that’s for sure. We all collectively need to reinvent the business model.” The all-electric Fiat 500e launched in Europe in 2020 and is considered a massive success for Stellantis. Whether it will be embraced by U.S. buyers is unclear. The original 500e, which was essentially a retro’d version of an internal combustion version of the same model, didn’t fare so well and was largely regarded as a compliance car in the U.S. This time, Francois suggested it would be different. When the Fiat 500e comes to North America in early 2024 it will have an estimate range of more than 150 miles, the ability to charge the battery up to 30 miles in five minutes and will come with an advanced driver assistance system that provides “Level 2+” features such as lane centering and adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, blind spot detection and 360-degree parking sensors. If there was a theme to Francois’ comments around the North American rollout of the Fiat 500e, it was experimental. It seemed the brand is ready to try a variety of sales and launch tactics for the region. Fiat released a few details of the North American specs for the 500e vehicle, including that the battery will have more than 150-mile range. Olivier Francois, Fiat CEO and global CMO Stellantis, said the all-electric Fiat 500e will be able to charge the 85kW battery up to 30 miles in five minutes. The vehicle will come with an advanced driver assistance system that provides “Level 2+” features such as lane centering and adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, blind spot detection and 360-degree parking sensors. The Fiat 500e will also come with the UConnect 5 connected car system and a 10.25-inch touchscreen. Image Credits: Kirsten Korosec Stellantis isn’t the first automaker to suggest that subscriptions could remake the car business. At the tail end of 2018, Volvo went as far as to say “don’t buy our cars” during an event for its Care By Volvo subscription. Though Volvo intended to make “having a car as easy as having a cell phone,” the program turned out to be anything but for some subscribers, who said encountered delays and mixups with dealerships. Today, Volvo’s subscription site greets visitors with a note that “inventory is currently unavailable online.” For its part, Francois claimed Fiat’s strategy had little to do with cranking U.S. sales, saying he was “capacity constrained” and instead focused on figuring out the “future of mobility with a car that’s designed for the city.”

Hyundai’s hydrogen fuel cell concept hints at the performance N brand’s future • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 17, 2022Posted in Hydrogen, hyundai, LA Auto Show, TransportationNo Comments

Just don’t say it’s inspired by the DeLorean Hyundai revealed Thursday a hydrogen fuel cell hybrid concept vehicle called the N Vision 74 that the company says demonstrates the performance sub-brand’s vision for electrification. The Hyundai N sub-brand, the performance-focused arm of the automaker, has been applied to a range of production vehicles since its founding in 2015 from the Hyundai Veloster N and Elantra N to the Kona N. The N brand, a name inspired by Germany’s famed racetrack in Nürburgring and where Hyundai tests these models, has targeted luxury performance brands like BMW M, Mercedes AMG, Audi RS, and Cadillac V-series with its N brand. The N Vision 74 raises the stakes. Just don’t say it’s inspired by the DeLorean. A closer look at N Vision 74 Image Credits: Abigail Bassett Hyundai calls the N Vision 74 a “rolling lab,” — a testbed of sorts for future products. Although there is some Hyundai Pony Coupe history in there too. The N Vision 74 pays homage to the Hyundai Pony Coupe concept from 1974, which was developed by the legendary car designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro, who also designed the Delorean. (The DeLorean made its debut in 1981 after the Pony Coupe.) It’s a detail that Sang Yup Lee, the Hyundai Global Design Center and an executive vicepPresident at Hyundai Motor Company was quick to point out. “Don’t’ say they look alike, because we did it first,” Lee said during the press conference. N Vision 74 gets a unique hydrogen hybrid and battery-electric architecture. Underpinning the N Vision 74 concept sits both a fuel cell stack and a battery pack. The fuel cell stack at the front puts out 85 kW (max 95 kW), while the 62.4 kWh battery sits at the rear. The hydrogen W fuel cell converts hydrogen to electricity to charge the 62kWh battery. The car also gets independent rear-mounted motors on each wheel to generate a total power output of 500 kW and nearly 670 horsepower and 663 pound-feet of torque. Hyundai says that allows for engineers to tune power distribution between left and right wheels and optimally set the N Vision 74 up to handle different types of tracks. The N Vision 74 concept gets dual-charging capabilities. It can be filled with hydrogen or recharged on a DC Fast charger thanks to the underlying 800-volt architecture E-GMP platform. Hyundai says it can get as much as 372 miles of range and a top speed of 155 mph. The question is, of course, will this hydrogen fuel cell hybrid technology come to a production car? Hyundai wouldn’t say whether this kind of powertrain will go into production. However, Lee did conclude his presentation stating that “The N Vision 74 Concept has undeniable Hyundai DNA and design that serves as a compass to guide our future.”

Toyota unveils all-electric SUV concept under its ‘Beyond Zero’ badge • ZebethMedia

By zebethcontrolPosted on November 17, 2022Posted in LA Auto Show, Los Angeles auto show, Toyota, TransportationNo Comments

Toyota unveiled Wednesday an all-electric SUV concept with plant-based seating and an AI “personal” assistant as the automaker expands its “beyond zero” portfolio. The bZ compact crossover concept that debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show is meant to showcase Toyota’s vision for its battery-electric future. Toyota has said it plans to launch 30 fully electric vehicles, including five under the bZ (“Beyond Zero”) badge. Last year, the Japanese automaker kicked off the bz brand with the unveiling of the all-electric Toyota bZ4X. That vehicle, which is is nearly identical to the Subaru Solterra thanks to a collaboration between the two companies, came to market earlier this year. The SUV concept car showcases a “possible vision of the very near future” for its EV lineup, the automaker said in a statement. Toyota didn’t provide a timeline for the launch, but said the portfolio will support its goal to go carbon neutral by 2050. Image Credits: Toyota The 2023 Toyota Prius, a mild hybrid, also debuted Wednesday ahead of the auto show. Toyota said the sleek bZ concept pushes the wheels to the corners to achieve an aggressive stance, making it appear in motion when parked. Its silhouette displays short overhangs, sweepback angles and a “narrowed-down cabin design” to create a futuristic look, according to the automaker. Inside, the car showcase seating made from plant-based and recycled materials and a semicircle-shaped steering wheel that looks like the top half has been lopped off. Yui, the name of the AI-based “personal agent,” responds to requests from front or rear passengers using sound and lights that “move around the cabin.”