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| The Optiq is the smallest revealed of Cadillac's "IQ" EV SUVs. |
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| The Wagoneer S will be Jeep's first full EV model for the 2025 model year. |
What Is It?
The Jeep Wagoneer name continues a large luxury SUV legacy for Jeep while simultaneously ushering in a modern era in Jeep’s mission to become an “American Range Rover” competitor. Looking ahead to 2025, the Wagoneer S will be the brand’s first full EV and have an estimated driving range of around 400 miles. While most specs and supplier data aren’t known yet, Jeep expects the Wagoneer S to make around 600 HP and have a 0-60 time of 3.5 seconds.
We do know now that the Wagoneer S will ride on the Stellantis STLA Large platform, which supports an 800V architecture. This is a Jeep, so I would expect to see an adjustable air suspension allowing for some off-road use, additional underbody protection for battery components, and e-all-wheel drive (eAWD) courtesy of a dual electric motor set up. A “Trail Rated” badge is also possible on the Wagoneer S, but then again, the regular gas-powered Wagoneer lacks a Trail Rated badge because Jeep themselves says it’s “too big and heavy to be trail rated”. While the Wagoneer S looks smaller than the gas variant, weight will definitely be a factor - pointing to the idea that having a right sized off-roader certainly matters. Other brands, such as Rivian or the upcoming/returning Scout brand, may want to take note of this.
Design
In terms of the design, you can see some familiar Jeep traits as well as some Range Rover Velar-inspired styling on the exterior. On the inside, it’s all screens, all day. Some features on the interior of the Wagoneer S include a 19-speaker McIntosh sound system, mood lighting and heated/cooled/massaging seats. Pricing is unknown, but I expect this vehicle to crest $100,000 just like the gas models.
Would you consider a Wagoneer S? Or a gas Wagoneer? I like modern Jeeps, but I fear that they may be going too far against the grain with their pricing strategy to be an “American Range Rover”. We’ll see how this model fares in the market against existing and upcoming rugged luxury EVs.
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| Jeep's design language is very present in the Wagoneer S. I like the rugged looks of the ICE Wagoneer, but the sleek sportiness of the Wagoneer S. |
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| Demand for the F-150 Lightning has been cooling off, alongside EV sales in general in recent months. Ford is now forced to make adjustments. |
EV demand has been cooling some in recent months in the United States. Last year, EV sales made up around 7.5% of all U.S. new car sales. However, in 2022, year-over-year EV sales saw around a 90% overall increase - this number was not matched in 2023. Now, several automakers, such as Ford, are adjusting their pricing, production targets and new release timelines to align with declining sales. One such example is the F-150 Lightning.
Ford has announced that they will cut F-150 Lightning
production at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center. This is due to falling demand
of Lightning - there will be only one shift starting on April 1st. About 1,400
workers will be affected and some will transfer to other Ford facilities while
others will be offered an early retirement plan. For good measure, let’s
remember that the gas-powered F-Series has been the best selling vehicle in
America for decades.
Why the Decline?
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| From the Detroit Auto Show 2022 - Lightning Ride Along Experience |
So what’s leading to this decline in sales for EVs? There’s a few factors I can think of. The first is the high cost of many EVs, even with the availability of the tax credit. It’s hard to ignore that while electric vehicles have many advantages in lowering emissions while improving performance, it’s hard to justify the high cost of entry many times. I recently went to look at an F-150 Lightning at my local Ford dealer and it cost $95,000! Even with a sizable down payment and the max $7,500 tax credit, you’d still be looking at an $80,000+ truck! Well out of the average consumer’s budget.
Other factors would be a still-developing charging infrastructure. Now to combat this, Ford announced last year that it was adopting the North American Charging Standard (NACS) on all 2025 EV models. Existing customers will receive an adapter starting in 2024 that would allow them access to the Tesla Supercharger network, in addition to the 10,000 DC fast chargers already in the Blue Oval network. Until this shift is fully in place, charging stations could still be a little tricky to navigate, especially in colder weather as we’ve seen.
Finally, we have a situation where all of the early adopters could likely have gotten what they’ve wanted. So the pinned up demand is now tapering off. This actually doesn’t just apply to the F-150 Lightning, either. If you’ve been paying attention, inventory levels for the new Bronco have risen drastically in recent months after there being a waitlist to get one. Now, Ford is offering incentives for the first time, especially to Jeep owners, to move Broncos. I won’t be surprised if we see steeper incentives on the Lightning to move them off lots. Every automaker needs to access current market conditions along with customer needs in order to not end up with excess inventory and achieve profitability. Especially in a rapidly advancing EV world, with new ones announced every day it seems.
Would you ever consider an F-150 Lightning? I might. I rode in one at the 2022 Detroit Auto Show and thought it was a cool truck and a blast to experience. Let’s keep an eye on inventory and sales numbers to see how this scenario plays out for Ford and the wider budding EV truck market. There may be opportunities for niche players, such as Rivian, to capitalize on the Lightning’s slower sales if analyzed and targeted correctly.
F-150 Lightning Ride Along at the 2022 NAIAS: https://youtube.com/shorts/88cAQg9LFAU?si=epjNub3pBFtwyY4u
Ford Global Sales Figures, Good Car Bad Car link: https://www.goodcarbadcar.net/sales-by-automaker/ford-motor-company-global-sales-data-reports/
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| I've had several chances to get up close with the F-150 Lightning, as well as the other EV truck competitors. Its nice in person! The frunk is one of the largest I've seen. |
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| Exploring the HUMMER EV at Motor Bella 2021 |
Copyright © 2024 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.
Here’s *quite literally* one of the biggest new car reveals as of late: the all-electric Cadillac Escalade IQ! Riding on GM’s Ultium battery platform shared with the Cadillac Lyriq and GMC HUMMER EV, the Escalade IQ boldly reimagines what “Escalade” means for the EV era. Advanced features such as vehicle-to-home (V2H) charging connectivity and a 55-inch total pillar-to-pillar LED display for the driver and front passenger will be on offer. Rear seat passengers will be able to access the internet and various streaming apps via a rear seat entertainment system, and a 40-speaker AKG premium sound system is available.
All the Right Appointments
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As for the EV side of the equation, the Escalade IQ has it covered there too. The frunk (or E-trunk as Cadillac calls it) measures a large 12.2 cubic feet. Driving range from the 24-module 200 kWh Ultium battery packs is expected to be around 450 miles at a full charge. And eAWD will be standard as well as four-wheel steering and “Arrival Mode” (Cadillac’s version of the HUMMER EV’s Crab Walk). 0-60 MPH will take 5 seconds and 800V DC fast charging is possible. At a public fast charging station, you should be able to charge up to 100 miles of range in 10 minutes.
Of course, this all won’t come cheap… The Escalade IQ will
START at $130,000. But hey, look at it this way: that’s roughly $20,000 less
than what the current Escalade V starts at, plus since it’ll be built in
Detroit, you’ll get an EV discount. So perhaps it’s a luxury EV “bargain” in
that regard! I must say, I do like the way it looks. I can’t wait to sit in one
when the get to auto shows and dealers.
Copyright © 2023 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.
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| As EVs grow in popularity, batteries will need to be manufactured to meet demand. Some states are already gearing up to become leaders. |
Battery manufacturing is going to be key to EV adoption, especially since the revised requirements for EV tax credits stipulate that in order to qualify, an EV must have its components and materials for batteries sourced from within North America. Because of that, you can expect several states within the United States to strive to become a leader in the EV business, in particular battery production. All that said, let’s discuss briefly which states are projected to become leaders in the EV space.
Georgia, Kentucky and Michigan are all projected to dominate EV battery manufacturing by 2030. The reason these states in particular are projected to be production leaders because they will be able to manufacture between 97 and 136 gigawatt hours of EV batteries. Additionally, Kansas, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee will also be able to manufacture EV batteries according to outlined plans – between 46- and 97-gigawatt hours’ worth of EV batteries to be specific. Ford has already invested over $11 billion in Tennessee and Kentucky for its “BlueOval City” manufacturing facilities, where both batteries and EV trucks will be built. VW is also planning to now invest in a battery cell factory in North America instead of Europe due to the potential incentives it could bring – over $10.6 billion. Unlike Ford, however, the German automaker has not decided on a location for its factory.
Going Green
By 2030, its predicted that U.S. battery manufacturing capacity will be able to support the production of 10 to 13 million EVs per year, which puts the country in line to meet the Biden Administration’s goal of 50% EV sales by 2030 as well. While this goal might sound slightly lofty to some, its very plausible that states such as Michigan could be come poised to be leaders in the EV race. Automakers such as GM already have some manufacturing sites in the state, i.e., Factory Zero, and Michigan is part of a Midwest state alliance to expand EV charging infrastructure. Personally, I feel like if you have strong desires to “go green” right now, your best bets are to check into a hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicle, which offers a reduced fuel consumption driving experience without the worries of range anxiety that EVs have.
Are you following the EV revolution? Let’s see where things go. See the links below for more information on this topic.
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| BMW and Solid Power are teaming up to test solid-state battery usage. |
BMW will soon begin to test using a solid-state battery in its EVs. This is the direct result of a partnership between BMW and Solid Power, an American battery tech company. Prototypes of this battery will be built at BMW’s own battery facility near Munich, while testing of the new batteries could take place by mid-decade. Don’t expect to see an electric car from BMW with a solid-state battery until around 2030 or so, however. Other automakers are also making plans for solid-state battery implementation in future EVs, such as Volkswagen and Hyundai.
Solid-state batteries by design have a solid electrolyte and offer improved range and charging times vs. current liquid-type batteries. They are also inherently lower cost and safer by design, which should help alleviate concerns about EV fires after collisions. The main issue with them is one that has plagued the entire EV adoption process thus far – scaling up production to match demand. EV battery materials are a commodity. Before going full-on solid state, however, BMW intends to introduce a new lithium-ion battery in their upcoming EVs in 2025 that will promise a 30% improvement in range vs. current similar batteries. I can’t wait to check that out, especially in a vehicle like the new i4.
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| The Lyriq is an important model for GM and Cadillac, as its one of the first to ride on the Ultium platform, which will underpin all future GM EVs. I recently had a chance to view the Lyriq up close at my local Cadillac dealer. |
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| Love these rims! |
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| Lyriq's interior is very luxurious! |
I uploaded a YouTube short and video of me doing a walkaround at the dealer of the Lyriq, a product analysis video, and I have also uploaded pictures of the Ultium battery stacks from the 2021 Motor Bella auto show and of the Lyriq from the 2022 Detroit Auto Show. If you are interested in seeing these, the link to the Adam’s Autos YouTube page is below. And don’t forget – Cadillac has also recently shown their flagship Rolls-Royce sedan EV competitor, the Celestiq, as well. It will have a base price of $300,000 and will be hand-built! The Lyriq, however, starts at $62,990 and under new guidelines from the Inflation Reduction Act, it should qualify for at least a portion of federal EV incentives since its built in Spring Hill, Tennessee.
Lyriq YouTube video: https://youtu.be/ueTJodLn7Ps
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| Do you think that the Lyriq will be the XT5's replacement? This SUV has been around for 7 model years now. |
Copyright © 2022 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.
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| The 2022 BMW Alpina B7 |
An all-new BMW 7-Series has been released for the 2023 model year. But the Alpina B7 won’t come back for this generation. Its worth noting, however, that BMW is planning its own high performance 7-Series. The plug-in hybrid 7-Series and i7 M70 EV both have impressive power numbers – 563 HP and 600+ HP respectively.
Will you miss the B7? I would love to have a B8 personally. I’ve always loved the performance and luxury of the Alpina lines. The first Alpina B7 was released in 2001. Future Alpinas will be built in BMW factories.
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| This is the new electric 2023 BMW i7, and its reported that there will be an M-performance version of this - essentially making a new Alpina B7 a little obsolete. At least the Alpina B8 still exists. |
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| For the first time in its existence, Dodge is allowing buyers to order a Challenger Convertible through dealers as part of a send-off to the V8-powered muscle car era of the brand. |
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| The Dodge Hornet will be Dodge's first electrified model and is a twin of the Alfa Romeo Tonale. |
Other Sports Car News
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| The Infiniti Q60 was introduced for the 2017 model year. 2022 will be its last. |
In other sports car news, Infiniti
announced that the Q60 Coupe is not long for this world. 2022 will be the final
model year for this car. That’s a shame, because it’s a beautiful vehicle.
Infiniti says that the Q50 sedan will remain in production for 2023, but that
the company will be focusing on building SUVs and electric vehicles moving
forward. No surprise there – grab one while you can.
Are you excited about Dodge’s upcoming
“Last Call” and electrified models? Also, are you sad to see the Q50 go away? While
the sedanapocolypse continues, the electric future should give us hope for performance.
Copyright © 2022 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.
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| The 2024 Chevy Blazer EV will be built in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico alongside the gasoline powered Blazer. |
Chevrolet has now officially unveiled the 2024 Blazer EV. It’ll
ride on the Ultium platform and will have front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive
and all-wheel drive models. Based on first looks, I can see some design influence
from GM’s other midsized Ultium EV offering, the Cadillac Lyriq – namely in the
side profile. Ironically, the gas-powered crossover Blazer also now looks less appealing
in my eyes after I’ve seen the Blazer EV. Though something tells me that this
EV model will be just as controversial in nature as the gas model amongst diehard
Chevy enthusiasts, since many will continue to say this isn’t a “real Blazer”. For
many people, the word “Blazer” brings back memories of the of the K5 Blazer era - i.e., an SUV based on a body-on-frame architecture actually meant for off-roading, not a crossover.
For me, I remember the S-10 Blazer of the 90s and Trailblazer of the 2000s.
History lessons aside, this new Blazer EV will offer up to
320 miles of range and an SS trim level with 557 HP. Speaking of trim levels,
four will be offered: 1LT, 2LT, RS and SS. As mentioned, you can get the Blazer
EV in several drive configurations – the 1LT, 2LT and RS come standard with FWD,
but the RS can also be had with RWD. AWD is also offered on the 2LT and RS and
depending on your choice of battery pack size, you’ll get 293 miles of
estimated range out of the 2LT – the RS will be able to travel up to the aforementioned
320 miles of range depending on your configuration. GM hasn’t said what size the
Blazer EV’s battery packs will be, but we know the Ultium battery packs are supplied
by LG Chem. So, based on prior knowledge of GM's Ultium platform and specs, its reasonable to assume that the battery packs could be similar in size to
the Lyriq. When plugged into a DC fast-charger, the Blazer can charge at up to
190 kW and gain 78 miles of range in 10 minutes.
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| I like how tech-focused the interior of the Blazer EV is - and I'm also always a fan of red and brown leather. |
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| If the flash of the SS trim is too much for you, check out other variants of the Blazer EV. I can't wait to see what the PPV looks like as well. |
Are you not intrigued by the Blazer EV? I am! If this is the
future of GM’s EV crossovers, then its bright because this will turn a new page for GM, showing they can produce a competitive EV while also marking a new chapter in the "Blazer" history books.
Blazer EV webpage via Chevy.com: https://www.chevrolet.com/electric/blazer-ev
Copyright © 2022 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.
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| Say hello to the Crown, making its comeback to America as your electrified Avalon replacement. |
Toyota is reviving the Crown in America as a replacement for the upscale Avalon sedan. Unlike the Avalon it’s replacing, the Crown is being marketed as more of an “SUV-ified sedan alternative” rather than an outright large semi-luxury sedan. I fully suspect this is because consumers have largely shifted away from midsize and large cars in favor of SUVs.
Also, in a change from the Avalon, the new Crown will only be offered with hybrid powertrains. The standard powertrain is a 2.5L four-cylinder with three electric motors good for 236 combined HP and an estimated 38 MPG according to Toyota. Top-trim Platinum models will have the company’s new Hybrid Max powertrain setup, also seen in the new Lexus RX, with 340 HP. Fuel economy is estimated to be 28 MPG combined in this trim. It’s also worth noting that the lower trims (XLE and Limited) will use a continuously variable transmission (CVT) while the Platinum trim will use a 6-speed automatic transmission. eAWD is standard on all trims.
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| The Crown's interior looks to be more luxurious than other Toyota models at first sight. Fitting, since its supposed to be an upscale replacement for the long-standing Avalon. AWD is a definite bonus as well. |
What do you think of the Crown? I think it’s interesting
nonetheless, I like it. Especially with its two-tone paint schemes - I’m
guessing this will only be available on the top trim. However, I’m not sure it
will move the bar very much on the “sedan vs. SUV” spectrum, as individuals who
want an SUV likely want an SUV for specific utility purposes vs. a car. It’s
also surprising to see Toyota dropping a legacy nameplate such as Avalon
instead of attaching the word “Cross” to it like they did with the “Corolla
Cross”, as Toyota rarely ever rocks the boat with a new niche product like this
(a la Honda Accord Crosstour flashbacks). We’ll see how the new Crown does with
shoppers when it arrives in showrooms this fall and in early 2023.
Copyright © 2022 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.
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| VW is planning to throw its hat into the EV off-roading/active lifestyle vehicle game with a Scout revival. |
Volkswagen is one of many automakers dedicated to having a portfolio of electric vehicles. If they’re recent products such as the ID.4 and Electrify America charging network didn’t have you convinced, then reserve further judgement until you hear about Scout.
Scout was a name last used by International Harvester in the 60s and 70s, but VW is planning to revive the nameplate on an off-road focused SUV and truck around 2026 in the United States. I think this is a great idea on VW’s part, given America’s never-ending thirst for SUVs and trucks. Plus, demand for EVs is growing, especially given gas prices. I like VW’s electrification and current product lineup, and Scout will only enhance that further.
Will you be looking to buy a Scout? Prototypes and additional
sketches are expected to be released within the next year or so. Competition
for Scout once they’re released would be the Rivian R1S and R1T as well as
electrified Jeep and Ford Bronco variants.
Copyright © 2022 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.
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| Ford has appeared to somewhat hint that there are other electric and electrified pickup trucks on the way. |
It’s 4/26/2022, and the Ford F-150 Lightning has started production today at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan! Future F-Series electric trucks will be built at Blue City Oval in Stanton, Tennessee starting in 2025. Ford is spending $11.4 billion to build and EV factory in Tennessee and a gigawatt battery factory there as well. This will no doubt make Ford even more competitive with Tesla in the EV space, and a leader in the EV pickup truck wars we’re seeing gain traction. We still have yet to get any seriously concrete plans on when the Cybertruck will enter production… However, if you’re already wanting more EV trucks from Ford, fear not - Ford CEO Jim Farley said that another EV truck is on the way.
Two great features on the F-150 Lightning are V2L and V2V charging, allowing users to charge other EVs and also power their homes for a set amount of time using their truck. The standard battery in the Lightning is good for 426 HP and 775 lb.-ft. of torque. The extended range battery makes 563 HP, but the same amount of torque. Towing capacity is rated at 10,000 pounds with a payload capacity of 2,000 and AWD is standard. Range with the standard battery is estimated to be 230 miles on a single charge and 300 miles with the extended range battery. SK Innovation supplies the F-150 Lightning’s lithium-ion battery packs. The cells in the battery use nickel-manganese-cobalt chemistry.
Pricing starts at $41,669 for the F-150 Lightning Work Truck before federal incentives and discounts, but currently the Lightning is all sold out. You’ll likely wait a year or more if you reserve one now. Other trims for the F-150 Lighting are the XLT, Lariat, and Platinum. Some upcoming competitors for the F-150 Lightning include the Chevrolet Silverado EV, Rivian R1T, GMC HUMMER EV truck, Lordstown Endurance and the Tesla Cybertruck.
Are you excited for the EV truck wars? So far, I actually
like the GMC Hummer EV and Chevrolet Silverado EV best.
Copyright © 2022 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.
Sometimes, there’s truth in the saying “big things come in small packages”. For those of you that are unfamiliar with Koenigsegg, they are a Swedish company that makes super cars. They have developed a new electric motor, named “Quark”, that will be used in the Gemera four-seater. It weighs all of 63 pounds, but be fooled by the size of this motor - it makes 335 HP and 443 lb.-ft. of torque.
This electric motor combines both radial and axial-flux construction to adequately balance power and torque. But its probably worth noting that peak power figures are only available for 20 seconds, after which they taper off drastically. This is pretty typical with electric vehicles and motors. After the aforementioned 20 seconds, power of the Quark drops off to 134 HP and 184 lb.-ft. of torque. No worries however - the Gemera will have a total of three electric motors and a 600 HP three-cylinder engine, so it’ll still be plenty quick I’m sure. In fact, Koenigsegg says that the electric motors are meant to assist low speed range on the Gemera while the ICE powertrain supplies high speed power.
Some of the materials used in this e-motor are aerospace and motor sport grade steel and Koenigsegg’s own “Aircore Technology”, which is hollow carbon fiber for the rotor. The company also has an EV drive unit made of of two Quark motors called the “Terrier”. This unit is good for 670 HP and 811 lb.-ft. of torque while also having the ability to torque vector across the axle.
How Is This Important?
This is a development worth watching I’d say, since electric
motors will become increasingly more powerful and needed in the auto industry
as OEMs pivot to EVs. The performance that Koenigsegg gets out of their
vehicles is interesting enough, but their electric motor technology could
inspire other suppliers and OEMs alike to develop more lightweight, powerful
electric motors for upcoming EV applications outside of only super cars. If
this can be balanced with increased range in EVs and supported by expanded
charging infrastructure as time moves forward, EVs could continue to gain
market share over conventional ICE vehicles.
Copyright © 2022 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.
