Electric Car News & Trends: April 2022
It’s been a busy couple of weeks in the electric vehicle (EV) market, There have been a number of new sneak peeks and concept cars shown as well as some interesting bits of news regarding Low Emission Zones and the increasing popularity of electric cars in general. Here is a quick round-up of some of the latest news and trends in the EV world.
Jeep Magneto 2.0 Concept Car
After getting a look at the Magneto concept car from Jeep in 2021, however this past month Jeep unveiled the Magneto 2.0 in 2022. The 2021 concept was slightly lukewarm in its attempt to be the ultimate electric off-roader, with not as much power and only 285 horsepower and it seemingly just being a slightly less powerful version of an already well-beloved car.
However the 2022 take on this all electric version on their iconic Wrangler seems to be more promising, with a new electric powertrain and offering 625 horsepower, a much needed increase from the previous year's attempt. Additionally, it was shared in the press release that it has a 0-60 mph acceleration time is a little as 2 seconds, but in terms of range it’s still unclear what that might be.
Interestingly, Jeep has also hinted at a whole line of electric vehicles by 2025, (GreenCarReport) so there may be a lot more heading our way soon.
Polestar O2 Concept Car
Polestar also shared some visuals of their latest concept car, the Polestar O2. This electric roadster is focused on sustainability and the brand is boldly demonstrating their belief that the future of luxury cars is all electric.
The brand also made an interesting move in terms of sustainability, by opting to make it part of their design and manufacturing process. Polestar are choosing to do this by labelling the aluminium panels that make up the body of the car in their different grades, so once the car has reached the end of its life, these panels can be recycled and reused. (Polestar) They’re also opting out of using the traditional luxury interior materials such as wood, leather and aluminium, stating that as they are typically bonded together, it makes them more difficult to recycle. Instead, Polestar are using what they’re calling a ‘mono-material interior’ of thermoplastic (or recycled polyester) so that it can be repurposed at the end of the cars’ life. (Polestar)
Polestar clearly intends to spare no expense when it comes to their O2, going as far to include a built in drone in their concept vehicle. Thomas Ingenlath, the company’s CEO, stated this isn’t just a gimmick, it was added to give drivers the option to film themselves while driving in order to create what they call ‘shareable moments’.
Teaser Image for new Electric Delorean
A few weeks ago we saw the first teaser image for the first electric Delorean, nearly 2 months after it was first teased on the company’s Twitter page.
From what is visible in the image it looks like the design may be inspired by the iconic DMC-12, but with a modern twist, as Dolorean have partnered with design company Italdesign to create what they’re calling a ‘reimagined electric car’. (Italdesign)
Delorean did state on their Twitter and Youtube accounts that we’ll see more on the 18th of August this year and it’ll be displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance three days later on the 21st of August. (PRNewsWire) As of the time of writing this, there does not seem to be any information regarding potential release dates but most likely we’ll learn more about that on August 18th.
Audi A6 Avant E-Tron
The A6 Avant E-Tron concept is the follow-up to the A6 E-Tron, which was revealed last spring . This sleek and luxurious saloon is very much in line with the likes of the Mercedes EQS and the Tesla Model S, meaning the A6 Avant E Tron a potential rival to some of the most luxurious cars available today. (Audi)
Audi claims the range of the A6 Avant E-Tron will be over 700 kilometers (or 435 miles) which is just that bit more than some of the best ranges currently available on the market, (if you’d like to see which cars have the best range today, click here).
While it’s still only at the concept stage, it’s estimated to be available in spring 2023, so if you’re interested in getting an A6 Avant E-Tron you will have to wait a while, however if you can’t wait that long, the A6 E-Tron is estimated to be available by the end of 2022.
Edinburgh low emission zones
It was announced at the end of March, that from the 31st of May 2022 the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) would be introduced in Edinburgh city centre. (City of Edinburgh Council) The LEZ was proposed as a way to reduce air pollution in the city centre as it can negatively impact citizens' health, particularly for older generations, children and those with pre-existing health conditions. (City of Edinburgh Council)
The LEZ will be in the city centre, (click here to see all the areas included in the proposed boundary) and in these zones vehicles that are determined to be contributing to air pollution will not be permitted to drive. Currently there is no specific information regarding electric cars on the City of Edinburgh Council's website, however it’s probably safe to assume electric cars would be permitted in the LEZ as they don’t meet the criteria of emissions this zone is targeting. There will also be other exceptions such as essential vehicles and cars used by blue badge holders. (City of Edinburgh Council) The LEZ will be enforced starting on the 1st of June 2024, and if drivers are caught disregarding the rules, they will be fined. (City of Edinburgh Council)
Tesla Model Y outsold Tesla Model 3
In 2021, the Tesla Model 3 was the most popular electric car in the UK, (CNBC) however in March 2022 the Model 3 was edged out of that top spot behind the Model Y. (Teslarati) This comes as the trend towards adopting electric cars only continues to increase exponentially, with BEVs now representing over 16% of all new cars purchased in the UK. (ThisIsMoney)
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