Electric Hilux possible, electric world …?

 Batteries could be included for a New Zealand favourite but don’t imagine every future Toyota will go that way, the brand says.

bz4x previews toyota’s first fully electric car, out next year. But it doesn’t mean every future Toyota will power play this way.

TOYOTA has fired up focus on the potential for a New Zealand market icon, the Hilux, being battery-driven yet also suggested a fully electric driving world is improbable.

The matters have been addressed by Toyota Australia, which has acknowledged that the push to add hybrid or pure electric power to all models could eventually see the introduction of a battery-compelled version of the top-selling one-tonne ute. 

Additionally, however, the distributor has spoken stridently in suggesting not every vehicle on the planet can ever switch to pure electric power, primarily because this transition would simply shift the problem from tailpipes to power stations.

This viewpoint has spurred Toyota New Zealand to say that it’s a reminder that each country has its own challenges and that our neighbour’s are different to our own.

Says TNZ chief executive Neeraj Lala: “The challenge for Australia and TMCA (Toyota Motor Corporation Australia) is that in transitioning to BEV a large proportion of their electricity is generated by fossil fuels hence the commentary on shifting the problem.”

In comment on Tuesday, a day after the home office of the world’s biggest car maker unveiled the pure-electric BZ4X, a RAV4-sized and styled model that has been confirmed for New Zealand availability from 2022, the Australian operation’s sales and marketing boss contended: “Despite this week’s focus on (pure-electric cars), we cannot achieve carbon neutrality simply by turning all our cars into (pure-electric vehicles).”

The statement from Sean Hanley is potentially a litmus paper to electric vehicle supporters who hold belief there is no reason why New Zealand should not stop the sale of new fossil fuelled vehicles by 2035, as proposed by a Government study, and wholly embrace a mains-fed future.

On this, Lala says: “That is an issue at the source of electricity generation for Australia (albeit it a far smaller issue here in NZ) … we have our own challenges and need to continue to work with the Government and relevant industries to continue our transition to a low emission vehicle fleet in NZ.”

The new car market leader concurs with a view also put by the Australians – namely, that the world of tomorrow will be better served by a choice of future vehicle technologies.

To that end, Toyota says over the next decade it will expand its choice of technology – beyond petrol and diesel vehicles – by introducing more hybrid, plug-in hybrid, pure-electric, and hydrogen models.

A fully electric Hilux? Never say never, apparently.

Lala offered that because each country has its own unique challenges in considering models in their market including powertrains and electrification “…the Toyota global view has been to not focus on just one but multiple powertrain options so countries and customers can have a variety of low emission options that suit them.

“As the technologies advance, there is a likelihood that electrified models will span across our whole model range (this is our longer term objective) and if these are developed and introduced as HEV, PHEV or BEV has a dependency on how mature the market is and what benefits the power train can offer the customers in that market.”

While not responding directly to the concept of a battery Hilux, he offered this view. “ … NZ customers want more rugged utes that can go off-road, tow and carry loads so a BEV option would need the support of charging infrastructure in both urban and rural/remote locations to be practical for our customers.” 

The idea of an electric ute fits in with contention from Toyota’s agency in the United States, which this week let slip that pick-up trucks it sells will take this form of propulsion.

The timing is anyone’s guess. Having previously said it wanted to have battery-influenced versions of every important car it makes in circulation by 2025, Toyota Japan this week pushed out that timeframe to 2030.

Also, while Toyota has said a Hilux EV could happen, it also says that it might be a decade before we see it. In the interim, then, a hybrid option could still be in the more immediate future.

The thought out of Australia about the purely battery-fed Hilux has come with a caveat about the need for such a vehicle to be up to surviving Australia’s tough conditions.

However, when asked about the imminent arrival of electric versions of the Tesla Cybertruck, Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado in the US – and the possibility of a Toyota rival – Toyota Australia executives reportedly said an electric Hilux could not be ruled out.

The CarAdvice website has quoted the senior product planner for Toyota Australia, Rod Ferguson, as saying: “We have not ruled out a pure-electric Hilux” and, though such a vehicle would “definitely be a challenge, but until we get to point where we say we can’t do it, we will explore every option”. 

Advancements in battery systems could one day make an electric heavy-duty ute possible, Ferguson said.

bz4x is RAV4-sized, but will it compete directly with the popular sports utility?

“We need to consider the packaging and changing platforms (vehicle architecture). We haven’t ruled it out.”

In respect to the idea of an utterly electric driving world, Toyota Australia’s executives are not so sure.

According to Hanley: “One-quarter of the world’s CO2 emissions today come from electricity generation. Even by 2040, more than half the world’s electricity is expected to be generated by fossil fuels.”

“Therefore, if all cars were to become (pure-electric vehicles), the demand for electricity would increase and carbon neutrality could be a long way off.

“We simply cannot achieve carbon neutrality by only producing electric vehicles,” said Hanley, especially as “more than half the electricity generated by 2040 will still be powered by fossil fuels. 

“In the end, the main driver of electrification (of vehicles) will be … the consumer,” said Hanley, adding that Australians have a “broad use” of vehicles and a vast range of demands, from rural and city use to mining and off-road driving.

“Our vehicles must be fit for purpose. There’s no point bringing a car to market if it can’t do what consumers want.”

Benz electric flagship here by Christmas

Everything about the EQS seems likely to wow

 THE most extravagant electric vehicle Mercedes has yet to put into production will start to show in New Zealand before year end.

While volume expectations for the EQS, effectively a battery-compelled S-Class limo – but sitting on a new electric platform and with obviously more dramatic styling - and touted as the first of its kind in the large luxury sedan category, are not being discussed, the national distributor has expressed confidence about this five-seater with a range of up to 770 kilometres making a solid showing from the get go.

“Currently, first deliveries are expected in December and pricing will be available closer to that time,” a brand spokesman.

As for how it will do?

“The EQ product in general is gaining momentum in New Zealand.

“Of course we had EQC winning (New Zealand) Car of the Year, then a lot of recent interest in EQA and with the reveal of the EQS we expect further positive interest in that vehicle and Mercedes-EQ in general.

“That’s not mentioning the continuously increasing customer interest in our plug-in hybrid portfolio as well.”

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern having an Audi e-Tron 55 sports utility as a primary Government transport choice when she’s at home in Auckland has sent a powerful international message about Government entertaining an increasingly hands-on interest in electric motoring.

Notwithstanding that the current ministerial limo fleet runs diesel BMW 7-

Series, is Mercedes Benz interested in pushing the EQS as a potential replacement in that duty?

Says the spokesman: “As for the government vehicle question, of course we will explore any opportunities that may come up but there is no specific strategy to announce at this stage. “

Benz’s international unveiling has given detail of two initial launch models, badged EQS 450+ and EQS 580 4Matic, each get a massive 107.8kWh (net) battery pack, allowing for a WLTP range of up to 770 kilometres. An onboard charger allows AC charging up to 11kW (or 22kW as an option) and DC charging up to 200kW.

The EQS 450+ has an electric motor on the rear axle only, making up to 245kW and 568Nm of torque, for a 0-100kmh time of 6.2 seconds and a 210kmh top speed.

Adding another motor to the front axle gives the EQS 580 4Matic four-wheel drive and up to 385kW and 855Nm. That drops the benchmark acceleration time to just 4.3 seconds. Top speed is the same as for the EQS 450+.

A Torque Shift torque-vectoring system helps spread power across the front and rear axles as needed, up to 10,000 times per minute – though its capabilities won't be fully realised until the an AMG edition, with 560kW. This will be revealed before year-end but nt touchdown timing for NZ has been shared yet.

Mercedes intends for EQS to be seen as a technology leader as much as it is an electric one, so it's loaded with the latest luxury gadgets. Even so, that’s just a starter … lots of the high-end equipment is likely to be optional and there's plenty of talk in the 70 page press release of over-the-air upgrades that buyers can install after they've taken delivery.

All versions come with a modest amount of rear-axle steering, but it's possible to unlock a system with up to 10 degrees of lock, which dramatically reduces the turning circle of the EQS, making it easier to manoeuvre and park. Not that you'll need to worry about such things if you have the fully autonomous parking technology enabled.

Before you get in, you can have the air cleaned as well as the cabin set to your desired temperature. The doors can self-open and close at the touch of a button, or even automatically as you approach the car with the key on your person. As the driver, you hop in and, on pressing the brake pedal, the door closes behind you.

The top instrument display is the MBUX Hyperscreen, a slick-looking one-piece digital dashboard. It actually comprises three individual screens. The front-seat passenger gets their own display to interact with. In the interests of safety, a camera keeps an eye on the driver and, if it detects that their attention is focused on the passenger's screen, it is dimmed automatically.

As standard, the EQS is fitted with a 12.3-inch driver display and a 12.8-inch central touchscreen in portrait orientation, as on the current Mercedes S-Class.

The cabin isn’t just about technology. It appears to be luxurious, too. Mercedes-EQ offers loads of personalisation for the interior and shows incredible attention to detail.

EQS sits between the regular and long-wheelbase versions of the S-Class in terms of length. The elongated shape is designed to minimise drag as the car moves through the air, with remarkable effect. Mercedes-EQ claims that the EQS is the 'most aerodynamic production car in the world' thanks to a coefficient of drag as low as 0.2.

The appearance of the EQS can vary considerably, depending on which boxes you tick on the order form. There are standard, AMG Line and Electric Art exterior styles to choose from, and a Night Package to add to those. Digital Light headlight technology is worth a mention. It uses 1.3 million micro-mirrors and video projector tech for a wide variety of safety functions, and to welcome the driver with a snazzy light show.

Electric Silverado noted by NZ distributor

For now, though, it’s business as usual with old-school V8.

GM has shared this artist’s impression of the electric Silverado

AN electric imperative for a classic American pickup marque just regaining traction here with V8 petrol models has local distributor interest. 

General Motors Special Vehicles’ New Zealand has reacted positively to news that the Chevrolet Silverado pickup it holds distribution rights to will configure, perhaps as early as next year, in a wholly battery-powered format delivering more than 600 kilometres’ range between charges. 

There’s no indication from GM yet about what this might mean for right-hand drive markets, however the maker insists its plan to sell some 30 electric vehicles by 2025 is a properly global intent. It has also made clear that, ultimately, it intends to only produce the truck in electric format.

New Zealand currently receives Silverado as a brand-new model purely in its historic V8 petrol form. Current editions, all powered by a 313kW/624Nm 6.2-litre V8 mated to a 10-speed automatic, are delivered from the United States via Melbourne, where they are converted into RHD.

 While company policy restricts comment on future product, the make’s local operation based in Auckland has indicated will maintain a watch on the model’s new technology direction, announced by GM’s president Mark Reuss, an American who since running Holden in 2008 and 2009 has enjoyed a rapid management ascendancy to his current position.

Mark Reuss makes the Silverado announcement at GM’s Factory Zero

A GMSV spokesman in NZ today said the focus for the present remains on product it already has here and that incoming.

“At GMSV we're focusing on bringing three exciting vehicles to Australian and New Zealand truck and performance car enthusiasts - the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and the all-new, direct from the factory right-hand drive, C8 Corvette.   

“We are glad there is so much excitement around EVs, but we don't have any comment to make with regards to future product and won't be drawn on possible speculation relating to the local market.”

The new derivative, which has been teased for months, seems set to share and underpinning, battery and other technology with the electric Hummer, whose potential for right hand drive markets has not been clarified, and will offer around 640 kilometres range on a full charge.

That’s almost 80kms’ additional range than has already been cited the Hummer EV Edition 1, which GM has previously said will offer up to 746kW, and appears to beat any of the petrol editions. Regardless that they have extra-large fuel tanks, the petrol models are cited to deliver an optimal economy of 12.3 litres per 100km.

The maker has added that the range prescribed for Silverado is not absolute and might vary “based on several factors, including temperature, terrain, battery age, loading, and how you use and maintain your vehicle.”

Silverado presently offers in NZ in V8 petrol form, the most recent addition being the Trail Boss edition.

It has not offered information on any other performance aspects, though this will be high interest. Silverado has a particular forte as a heavy-duty towing choice, with the petrol models rated to haul an impressive 4500kg on the hook. 

Silverado is Chevrolet’s biggest selling model in North America.

The company did not immediately say when the electric Silverado will go on sale, but independent reports since Reuss announced the project cite sources with GM as saying the edition could be production by the end of 2022 – a timeframe that, if accurate, means it will beat the Hummer into showrooms.

The push synchs with GM’s announcement in January that its entire 'light-duty' range, into which this model falls, will be electric by 2035. Commentators say this means the new electric Silverado will eventually be the only light-duty pick-up available from the brand by then.

The electric Silverado will be made at “Factory Zero,” the recently rebranded Detroit-Hamtamck plant dedicated to EVs that GM is currently retooling at a cost of more than $US2 billion.

It’s the same plant where GM will build the electric Hummer in SUV and pickup formats.

Industry observers in North America say an electric Silverado is not too surprising considering that rival Ford already has an electric edition of its F150 pickup under development. That vehicle is intended to release in 2022.

The V8 Silverado as sold by GMSV is converted by Walkinshaw Automotive Group, the former parent company of Holden Speical Vehicles, which previously held distribution rights to the model.

Ford Europe going electric – NZ to follow?

Blue Oval battery drive ties with Volkswagen and starts with a small SUV.

the website for British weekly AutoExpress is picking this as the look of Ford’s first small electric for Europe, a small SUV based off Volkswagen’s MEB platform.

 EVERY Ford passenger and commercial model presently sold in New Zealand might potentially be affected by a bombshell electric drive announcement.

Ford’s decision to transfer its entire passenger vehicle line-up in Europe to electric power within the next few years and also to electrify its commercial vehicle range, including the next-generation of the Ranger utility – a top-seller here in its present form – was delivered overnight. 

The repercussion here is still being considered by Ford New Zealand, with spokesman Tom Clancy saying “we have no news for New Zealand on that one. It’s too early to see how that relates to us.”

However, the inevitability of some degree of impact seems clear enough.

fancy an electric Ford Ranger? It’s on the cards.

While Ford is suggesting some of its electrics are just for Europe, the whole plan also appears to draws in future versions of core passenger lines – Fiesta, Focus, Puma and Mondeo (recently discontinued here, but set to re-emerge in 2022 as a SUV that Ford NZ says it will look at) – that NZ takes from that region, with no Plan B.  

We also commit to its Transit van, which is already available in plug-in electric form locally and will go to full electric year.

This schedule also draws in the new-generation Ranger coming next year. That line is a co-development with Volkswagen, whose new Amarok will be a doppelganger, with the programme handled by the same team operating from Melbourne that were behind the current T6.

Talk from Ford Europe is for the one-tonne ute to deliver it with a plug-in hybrid or all-electric option by 2024; presumably these being optional to the diesel engines it will assuredly continue with. Ford has cited intent to achieve two-thirds of commercial sales to be electrified in Europe by 2030. 

The Blue Oval also announced overnight that its first full electric car out of Europe will base off the German giant’s bespoke MEB platform that’s also underpinning all VW Group’s battery-compelled passenger models.

Ford’s model will effectively be a cousin to the to VW ID.4, Skoda Enyaq, SEAT El-Born and two Audi Q4s that are all already NZ-confirmed.

That car will be a small sports utility similar to the Puma. The website for a British weekly, Auto Express, claims the model will derive its styling influence from Ford’s only current electric car, the Mustang Mach-E. It has published images of how it sees it looking.

Fords’ first EV out of Europe is likely to be similar in size to the new Puma.

Ford has also implied the Escape medium SUV will be subject to more electrification beyond the plug-in hybrid treatment it will deliver to NZ later this year.

With all that going, the potential for its performance icon, the Mustang, being ignored seems unlikely. That will be news the NZ fanbase that overwhelmingly choses the current car in its V8 petrol format might find challenging.

However, Ford’s drive toward electric seems cemented. Europe needs to be a primary development site, because this is where brands need electrics if they have any hope of meeting tough European Union CO2 targets. And, of course, beyond that numerous European regions and the United Kingdom are intent on banning on internal combustion engine cars, many by 2030.

Ford says the Fiesta-like EV will be out within two years and will built at a redeveloped Cologne manufacturing plant.

The factory will become the Ford Cologne Electrification Centre - a dedicated electric car manufacturing site. Ultimately it will produce two Ford EVs tailored for European tastes.

AutoExpress says the dimensions of the MEB platform means Ford’s car will likely sit between the Fiesta and Focus in size, and “very close” to the Puma SUV.

“Although the platform is modular and can be extended or shortened with different battery options, it’s expected that Ford’s new EV will be similar in size, allowing clear space between it and the … Mustang Mach-E. However, interior space of the ‘Mini Mustang’ is likely to be in excess of that in the Focus and closer to that in the Mondeo,” the magazine surmises.

Ford will also have VW’s battery technology – so, a choice of 58kWh batteries with power outputs of 150kW or 106kW or a 77kWh battery also with 150kW, but with a longer range.

To be competitive with other MEB models and their rivals, the baby Ford EV would have to offer between 400 and 550 kilometres’ range, AutoExpress says. Fast charging will also be offered with an 80 percent charge expected in a little over half an hour.

Stuart Rowley, the president of Ford Europe, says the announcement in respect to the future of the Cologne factory, which has been outputting cars for almost a century, “is one of the most significant Ford has made in over a generation.”

BMW’s revived electric onslaught starts this year

Kiwi interest in the iX3 and iX, potentially arriving around October, is ramping up.

The new iX is the most important car BMW will release here in 2021 …. and other all-new EVs are on the way.

 TWO car brands last year took pride in having achieved putting 500,000 electric models into the market.

One was Tesla, the other BMW Group.

 The difference was in the time taken to get there. Twenty-20 was a year when Elon Musk’s crew achieved producing half a million cars in a year.

BMW Group took a longer route to achieve the same figure, and did so with battery-involved product beyond its sole fully electric car.

The i3, whose production dates back to 2013 and which broke the mould when it came on sale here in 2015, has actually recently clocked up 200,000 units.

No, the jelly and icecream ‘half-a-mill’ moment was for the entire BMW Group and reflected it having sold more than 500,000 electrified models – a descriptive that, of course, covers its plug-in hybrids as well as fully electrics - across the BMW and MINI brands.

That this has taken years is nothing to worry about. The pace has stepped up - by the end of 2021, BMW Group is confident it will have doubled its penetration – and so too the level of commitment.

Twenty-five electrified vehicles on the road by 2023 is one ambition; another is to build “a quarter of a million more electric cars than originally planned” between now and then. A target that’ll allow it to more than double the share of electrified vehicles in its sales from around eight percent last year to around 20 percent. Beyond that? It’s to sell 4.6 million fully electric vehicles and almost as many plug-in hybrids within the next 10 years.

The i3 as we know it now will continue to contribute. Plans to kill it off last year were rescinded. It’s hard to say how long the stay of execution will last; some suggest it will continue to be manufactured until 2024.

This is ‘Power of Choice’; a strategy that BMW New Zealand is very energetic about. In a briefing today, managing director Karol Abrasowicz-Madej, and product manager Tim Michaelson, have made clear NZ will benefit from the global roll-out.

The ‘Power of Choice’ push also puts PHEV to the fore.

‘Electrified’ means more than full-out electric. ‘Power of Choice’ calls for up to four different powertrain variants – petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid and pure-electric – in each of its main model lines to be built on the same production line.

Even so, it’s a big move for a make whose electrification plans – and the pace surrounding the subject - has varied wildly, between pioneering and glacial, over the last decade.

Cars like the i3 and i8 sports car were way ahead of their time when new but they were hugely costly for Munich to develop and sell. What’s followed has been a series of plug-in hybrids and arguably little else.

Kiwis have already experienced all of the above (in X3, X5, 3, 5 and 7 Series), and notwithstanding BMW NZ having achieved success with some, activity – and consumer interest – will surely ramp up all the more with two additional products arriving around the third, potentially fourth, quarters.

The iX3 and iX have both been subject of extensive coverage already.

The i3 put BMW on the electric drive route in 2015 here and is set to stay on sale for a while yet.

The first is as the name says, a wholly electric version of BMW’s second-smallest crossover. It provisions in pure rear-drive form and is the make’s first product for us out of China. BMW NZ originally expected it at mid-year, but has held off to achieve a 2022 edition that takes some enhancements not meted early build cars. Michaelson says the tech doesn’t change; it’s all about extra specification and additional paint choices.

The iX, meantime, is BMW'S first electric SUV built from the ground up on a new EV platform.

BMW NZ has already begun an on-line campaign and it appears orders have been placed, regardless that pricing has not been announced.

In respect to that, and also in regard to potential allocations, Abrasowicz-Madej doesn’t want to give too much away.

However, he says there’ll be enough allocation to meet market demand and suggests it might feasible to imagine an iX3 could cost similarly, or perhaps a touch more, than the X3 30e plug-in hybrid that is a $120,000 ask here.

As to who is expected to buy-in? His hope is that both cars will attract conquest customers as well as existing brand loyalists. “It’s going to be interesting to see how that eventuates.”

He doesn’t expect these to erode the sales performances of the X3 and X5, his two best-selling models, though in terms of flavour the newcomers are probably not going to be entirely different to those orthodox SAVs.

“But (with iX) we are still talking about differences in size, in design and in many other factors.”

Abrasowicz-Madej says the local interest is a positive; notwithstanding BMW’s deep dive into EV-dom, many customers are still coming to grips with understanding the technology. “It is an education process. They are still learning about the technology, recharging, the driving.” However, he agrees it is easier to talk about the benefits of electric driving now than perhaps has been in the past.

Michaelson, meantime, is calling iX an especially exciting product.

It shares exterior dimensions of an X5, is as tall as an X6 and has the wheelbase of an X7, with very high specification and plush appointments in two levels of bodywork, a standard look and a sport enhancement with more rakish styling elements.

The iX3 is likely to settle in nicely, but it will be no surprise if it is utterly overshadowed by iX; the latter will be a far pricier proposition, but it will also be more premium and reaches further in design and technology.

BMW NZ is especially excited about the potential presented by the iX.

The car’s bold roadside impression carries into a cockpit that uses a lot of inspiration from the iNext, a concept car that has become important to the whole BMW electric strategy. The iX takes the design study’s hexagonal steering wheel and vast curved digital displays for the driver and front passenger.  

It also features BMW's new ‘fifth-generation’ electric powertrain tech. We are told that the car will be powered by two electric motors (with no rare earth elements), producing 'more than' 370kW, which comprehensively beats the 300kW Mercedes EQC and Audi e-tron 50 and 55 (respectively 230kW and 300kW).

Apparently the iX will do 0-100kmh in under five seconds, but of greater importance is the efficiency and range between charges. BMW expects the car will average 21kWh per 100km on the WLTP cycle, resulting in a range of more than 600km from its 100kWh battery pack.

Recharging times are also impressive … when the right hardware is in place. The iX can be DC fast-charged at up to 200kW, allowing 10-80 percent charging in under 40 minutes, or 120km range for 10 minutes of charge.

The car premieres a new aluminium space frame that supports an inner carbon cage fabricated from CFRP – for composite plastic and carbon-fibre-reinforced-plastic – covered with a body made out of a combination of aluminium and CFRP. The latter is a material BMW has become accustomed to working with as it features intensively in the i3 and now discontinued i8.

For the first time in a modern-day BMW model, the iX will feature a fixed clamshell style bonnet. A series of aerodynamic developments, including the blanked-off grille, minimal air ducting within the front bumper, flat underbody panelling, integrated door handles with an electronic opening mechanism and the tapered glasshouse, contribute to a claimed drag coefficient of 0.25.

Full LED main beams are standard, though buyers will also be able to specify BMW’s Laser lights as an option. At the rear, the iX’s narrow tail lamps receive LED functionality as standard.

The iX3 will sit alongside conventional and PHEV versions of the popular compact SAV.

The iX3 obviously takes a different approach; for a start everything about how it looks is very familiar, of course.

Yet it nonetheless represents an important step. It’s not just BMW’s first electric SUV, but also the first BMW to be available with either pure combustion, plug-in hybrid or pure electric power. 

The X3’s platform has been adapted with a new rear sub-frame that houses a single electric motor and an 80Wh battery pack that, BMW says, is 20 percent more energy dense than any battery it has used before.

Output is to the tune of 210kW and 400Nm and a 6.8-second 0-100kmh sprint is claimed. BMW says it’ll provide an impressive 460km range, as determined on a WLTP test cycle. Using fast-charging, the iX3 is capable of receiving 80 percent charge in 34 minutes. 

BMW is talking up the car’s adaptive energy recuperation system, which it claims automatically enhances efficiency on longer drives. Using location data from BMW’s latest cloud-based navigation system, the iX3 can autonomously change the level of braking recuperation on the move and according to the road ahead. For instance, if the car recognises that a stop sign is ahead, full recuperation will be deployed without any need for the driver to select it. 

Alternately, the driver can take manual control of the regenerative braking, with three levels of resistance availed. A ‘B’ position on the Drive selector enables high enough energy recovery for one-pedal driving around town, a trick the brand appears to have nabbed from Toyota/Lexus. 

The iX3 gets a unique tune for its standard adaptive suspension system with electronically controlled dampers. Alternately, buyers will be able to specify a sportier Adaptive M suspension setup. 

The front grilles are closed off for aerodynamic purposes and the bumpers have been reprofiled and it gets set of aerodynamic wheels styled to reduce the drag coefficient by around five percent compared with regular X3 wheels. 

So, these are the 2021 entries. What’s next? Perhaps understandably, that’s a subject BMW’s national representatives were reluctant to talk about, though that is hardly an inhibitor.

There’s been plenty said overseas, none of which has been denied by the parent brand, to cement the road map’s course. The following is based on what’s being said overseas.

Plug-in hybrids are set to be ubiquitous in Munich’s line-up. The X3 will be first to tick off the ‘diesel, petrol, phev and electric’ remit; others will follow.

Internationally, if not here, there will be multiple plug-in hybrids within different families to choose from; for the 5-Series, as example, BMW has revealed a 545e hybrid as well as a 530e hybrid.

As for the electrics?

The i3 as we know it now achieves another facelift and larger battery, but it’s just a see-me-out strategy with a new i3 to take its place – only this one will be an all-electric version of the familiar-looking 3-Series.

Meantime, an as yet unseen i1 model - an electric extension to the new 1 Series lineup - will take the current i3’s place. There’ll also be an iX1 crossover, with a raised seating position and relatively compact dimensions.

Still getting your head around the next car to bear the ‘i3’ badge being so different? Well, an all-electric 3-series is also a big change up, too. In addition to the sedan, there’ll be a four-door fastback called … you got it, the i4. It’s been seen in concept form and testing and the production edition is to be unveiled later this year.

BMW has sent out images of the i4 during its development and says the production model will be revealed later this year.

Both run the vastly improved eDrive tech in the iX3 and the iNext. The new tech is around 30 percent power denser than the powertrain shown in the i3 we know now.

BMW talk specific to i4 has been to expect a range of 600km (WLTP), 390kW and a top speed of 200kmh. It’s gunning for the Tesla Model 3; the cited 0-100kmh sprint time of around 4.0 seconds is on pace with Beemer’s own V8-powered cars. 

Also en route are the i5, an electric version of the eighth-generation 5 Series, due in 2023. It will initially be a sedan, but a station wagon version could be offered in some markets.

The most famous Five will continue to be the M5. The next, arriving in 2024, will be a dramatic change from the current F90. Why? Because it’s expected to be the first M car to be exclusively electrified – either as a ‘Power PHEV’ or full-electric car. There’s that philosophy of powertrain choice.

BMW is openly working on the ‘power BEV’, using a 5-series mule. That model has three e-motors borrowed from the iNext/i4 powertrain. One drives the front axle while the rear wheels get a motor each. Numbers? 530kW and sub-3.0s 0-100kmh. 

The BMW iX5 is already in pilot-production at BMW’s Dingolfing factory. This is the SUV iNext truly points to. It offers a base range of 547km, rising to 740km with an optional 110kWh battery. It’s also planned to support level-three autonomous technology.

Its powertrain will be similar to that of the i4, so is promising a rough 600km range and all-wheel drive.

More? There’s strong talk of the i7; an EV flagship based on the next 7 Series sedan which is due next year. Suggestion it will share much of its mechanicals with the i5 and iX5 and achieve a range of up to 740km. Prototypes have been seen.

Also, an iX7. Overseas’ media say design proposals for a seven-seat sister to the iX5 have been pitched, with intent for release in 2025.

 And what about another i8? BMW teased with the Vision M Next Concept (below) in 2019. Back then it looked set to be a huge milestone for M division, ultimately paving the way for a full-electric M car. But it’s been cancelled. 

EQA on fast boat to NZ

Mercedes’ second electric car has been unveiled – and it’s coming here soon.

 KIWIS keen to express their electric car enthusiasm from behind a three-pointed star won’t have too long to wait for the EQA unveiled to the world overnight.

Mercedes Benz New Zealand says it expects the wholly battery-compelled small sports utility will be here in mid-2021, with a front-drive, single motor EQA 250 derivative leading the introduction.  

The Auckland-based operation says information about pricing and specification of what will stand as the first compact premium electric crossover on the market will become available closer to the car’s release.

Effectively an all-electric version of the GLA small SUV – it’s based on a modified version of the platform currently used by that car and the A Class - the introductory edition presents with a single electric motor located on the front axle and feeding from a 66.5kWh battery pack.

The powertrain develops 140kW of power and 375Nm of torque and promises 426km range on the New Zealand-recognised WLTP scale (or 486km on the outmoded NEDC rating). 

The maker vouches a 0-100kmh sprint time of 8.9 seconds and cites an electronically-limited top speed of 160kmh.

The slightly slovenly step-off seems a repercussion of the podgy kerb weight, an unavoidable with battery inclusion.

At 2040kg the model weighs some 555kg more than a front-drive, petrol-powered GLA 200, which runs a 120kW/250Nm 1.3-litre turbo petrol and achieves the legal open road limit from a standing start in 8.6 seconds. 

The EQA line-up is set to expand with a twin-motor, all-wheel drive variant that will much snappier: Some are saying 0-100kmh in five seconds. The company has told media in Europe it’ll generate “more than 200kW” and also have 500Nm of torque.

Meantime, Benz says the EQA 250 will take 30 minutes to reach 80 percent capacity using a 100kW fast-charging station.

EQA is the second full electric for Mercedes here, following the much larger $142,900 EQC that holds status as the 2020 New Zealand car of the year, as awarded by the New Zealand motoring Writers’ Guild, and is the first of six new EQ-branded electric vehicles to arrive before the end of 2022.

EQC also shares DNA with a combustion-engined model, the GLE sports utility, but that convenience isn’t a long-term pitch; other incoming Benz electrics are going to be on a bespoke platform.

Mercedes assures that using the GLA/A-Class underpinning for EQA has not required any particular compromise. It says adapting the chassis to make space for an electric motor and a battery pack under the vehicle’s floor was straightforward, as it was always designed for an electric application.

The GLA’s platform was, however, extensively strengthened to support the added weight of the battery pack. Also, new under-floor cross members were implemented under the floor and the car achieves a guard for the front of the battery pack to prevent it from being punctured in the event of an accident.

In an effort to squeeze the maximum possible amount of range out of the car’s battery pack, Mercedes’s engineers paid particular attention to the EQA’s shape when it was on the drawing board.

Hence, while it obviously has strong familial association with the GLA and A-Class, the electric model’s association with EQC is probably equally if not more patent. As with the larger model, the lines have been softened and the  frontal area has been made as smooth as possible, to improve the aero. This is also why the car’s underside is also completely enclosed by an undertray. The end result is a drag coefficient of just 0.28Cd.

Mercedes’ next electric models seem set to be the EQB, a seven-seater sports utility, and the EQS, a high-end all-electric luxury alternate the marque’s traditional flagship, the S-class. Mercedes recently showed off a full-width digital dashboard, it calls the hyperscreen, that will go into the EQS.

Electric Toyota, Lexus just a year away?

A line drawing and a shadowy image are the latest elements of an information rollout about the new platform-sharing products.

The Toyota BZ series (above) and the as yet unnamed Lexus base off a common platform.

TOYOTA and upmarket spin-off, Lexus, have released additional clues about their first bespoke electric cars, developed off a common platform for potential release next year. 

The brands have each released shadowy images giving a hint of how the Toyota BZ - for ‘beyond zero’ – series and the as-yet-unnamed Lexus will look on release, with industry experts immediately seeing some styling connection between the latter and the LF-30, a concept Lexus displayed at the 2019 Tokyo motor show.

Toyota’s been slow to join the electric car field and for a long time was historically disparaging of the technology, saying it was an unnecessary stop on the journey between the mild-hybrid (so, non-mains replenishable) tech that kicked off with the first Pruis and now proliferates its family and is Kiwi-favoured, to the ultimate future of hydrogen fuel cell motivation.

However, that sentiment ceased when new boss Akio Toyoda took the reins; these brands now have more plug-in hybrid cars – which do rate as EVs – and also have developed the NX300e, a fully battery-reliant version of the smallest Lexus crossover, coming on sale in New Zealand next year. 

The latest announcement from Toyota overnight represents further confirmation of a bigger investment into battery driving.

 Even though the platform they build upon appears related to the new TNGA underpinning now used by many popular Toyotas, these are not conversions of existing products but new cars designed from the get-go to only be compelled by batteries. In short, they’re bespoke. 

Overseas’ reports suggest the BZ series and Lexus are timed to make their public emergences at a common time, but no-one yet quite knows when that will be.

However, 2021 is looking good. Toyota says that it will announce final details on the BZ “in the coming months” and that the model “has already been developed and is being readied for production”. 

Toyota New Zealand’s boss Neeraj Lala, in an interview in June on his first day as chief executive, promised “we’ll have an EV here within the next 18 to 24 months. Just in time for demand.”  

He would not be drawn into saying which badge that tech would sit behind. In hindsight, it’d surely have to be both. 

the LF-30 concept was revealed last year.

A strong styling feature of the Lexus concept is an aggressive bonnet lip over what seems to be a typically complex ‘spindle’ front grille. 

The BZ, meantime, is are expected to roughly the same size as the RAV4 SUV - although the wheelbase is almost certainly likely to be longer than that of the conventionally-powered vehicle, and the front and rear overhangs should be shorter. 

There’s another string to the BZ bow in that it is likely to also be the basis for an electric Subaru; the brands are, of course, partners already with the current and new 86/BRZ – only the latter coming to NZ, next year, as the GR86 (because it’ll be part of the Gazoo Racing tribe).

Onlookers say panel creases highlighted in the BZ sketch make it clear that it and Subaru’s effort, which has been spoken of in the past, are going to share more than their underpinnings.

Says Britain’s AutoExpress: “The lines should translate into a distinctive-looking model with an image unlike anything else in the Toyota range - much as the Prius hybrids have their own identity.”

Toyota calls its new EV platform e-TNGA, and says it is designed to support a wide range of vehicles, since only a few areas of the architecture - notably the space between the front axle and the base of the windscreen - are fixed.

Toyota claims this allows difference widths, lengths, wheelbases and heights - and also says e-TNGA can be fitted with front-, rear- or four-wheel drive, and a range of battery and electric motor capacities. Some of the trademarks registered by Toyota - including BZ4X and BZ5X - would sit easily on a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Lexus is reportedly hoping that its defined styling and a sophisticated new four-wheel drive system, called DIRECT4, will lend enough distinction between its model and the Toyotas.

The new Lexus set-up uses a motor on each axle and features sophisticated computer hardware and software that can split power and torque depending on the dynamic experience required.

As all this unfolds, Toyota has also stated intention to build another conventional – so petrol and petrol hybrid – SUV to slot between the C-HR and the RAV4.

toyota has displayed various electric car design studies over recent years, including this one from 2018.

Audi’s baby Q joins plug-in hybrid gang

No word yet about NZ introduction timing.

THE SMALLEST offer in Audi’s sports utility portfolio has joined the plug-in hybrid club.

There’s no word from Audi New Zealand about when the Q3 TFSIe will become available here, but it goes on sale in Europe in March. 

The new edition uses a 1.4 TSI turbo petrol engine aided by an 85kW electric motor.

Power for the electric half of the drivetrain comes from a 13kWh battery, which when fully-charged gives the Q3 TFSIe an electric-only range of 51km on the WLTP cycle. Combined power is 182kW, with 400Nm of torque, and Audi claims a 0-100km/h time of 7.3 seconds.

The plug-in hybrid tech is available in both the standard Q3 and in the Q3 Sportback and is badged as a '45 TFSIe' in current Audi badging-speak.

Audi claims both return figures of 32 to 39g/km of CO2 and fuel economy of 1.4 litres per 100km.

The Q3 plug-in’s commitment to eco-minded motoring is quite pronounced. It will always start-up in electric mode unless it's in very cold conditions and, when running in 'Auto Hybrid' mode, an engine-off coasting feature will often enact, which helps to save a little extra fuel. The computers that decide how best to juggle electric and petrol power can also take info from the sat-nav to predict how best to deploy that power. 

There is, of course, the option to charge the battery while driving, and there's an S setting for the gearbox which allows brief bursts of maximum torque, gauged to be 330Nm, released from the electric motor for hard acceleration.

Audi suggests the brake energy recuperation system can recover 40kW of power during braking. Charging from a home socket with 3.6kW output, the Q3's battery can be recharged in just under four hours, and you can use the MyAudi smartphone app to monitor and schedule that charging.

The battery pack does impact on boot space – Audi cites it at 380 litres – but the cabin and exterior styling are essentially unchanged, aside from the addition of an extra cover for the charging point.

Here and gone – Endura’s short NZ residency

A big Canada-sourced five-seater SUV that only got here in mid-2018 is leaving Ford’s local line.

The endura as it released in May of 2018. By the end of that year it had a new look, new drivetrain, new tech.

TAKING a name suggestive of longevity wasn’t any help to the Ford Endura – two years on from its local launch, the big Canadian-made five seater sports utility has been dropped from New Zealand sale.

The Auckland-domiciled brand’s confirmation of the model’s demise was not unexpected; earlier this week the car’s only other right-hand-drive customer, Ford Australia, also pulled the plug. 

Ford NZ declined to comment on speculation that the car was doomed without our neighbour’s support, spokesman Tom Clancy suggesting that the car had been “reasonably successful” in our market.

He also cited that the model is set for complete withdrawal from production, as it does not synch with Ford’s move toward an electric vehicle future that demands specific platforms. The Endura’s underpinning is not suited to that purpose, he said.

He voiced same optimism expressed in Australia about Ford still having decent SUV strength without Endura; citing – as Melbourne’s PR team has –the recent expansion of that family to include the new Puma and Escape. In addition, Ford has a Everest off-roader.

Ford NZ says it never saw Endura coming in to reprise the opportunity left by the Falcon-derived Territory, a much-loved car in New Zealand that ended production on 2016.  

Because? Mainly on grounds the new model was a five-seater whereas Territory had room for seven. As does the Everest – though Ford also made clear that Ranger-based vehicle wasn’t a Territory equivalent, either. 

However, families looking for a large Ford might have viewed Endura (which would have been called Edge here, had not Toyota New Zealand claimed dibs to that name) differently. Despite offering fewer chairs it was similar sized and had similar performance traits to the big Aussie, including capability for some limited off-road operation.

 The car’s entry into the market in May, 2018, was interesting; the initial model offered was a short-term proposition, as it arrived in a $73,990 ST Line all-wheel-drive biturbo diesel format whose design dated back to 2014. It already been superseded in North America (where it represents as the Edge) and the United Kingdom.  

Ford NZ had 300 of the pre-facelift cars to sell then subsequently moved in December of 2018 into the refreshed product which offered specification and technical improvements, notably a drivetrain change.

The initial car’s 154kW/450Nm 2.7-litre V6 turbodiesel and six-speed direct shift gearbox was usurped by an eight-speed auto biturbo 2.0-litre diesel with 140kW and 400Nm, and one variant became three: Trend, ST-Line and Titanium, spanning from $53,490 to $69,990.

Ford NZ says it has a handful of cars left in stock.

LDV eDeliver 3: A $50,000 electric delivery van (if GST is ignored)

We drive LDV’s new battery-dedicated van, which offers huge potential.

CHINESE brand LDV is to launch a new purpose-built electric van in New Zealand with potential to transform the urban commercial delivery market.

The vehicle is the eDeliver 3, here in the first quarter of 2021. It’s a futuristic-looking van that will be offered in short- and long-wheelbase forms, with a choice of two battery packs, payloads of up to 1020kg … and the cheapest option will achieve the distributor’s sub-$50,000 target, but just $10. And only with goods and services tax excluded.

Add in the tax and the $49,990 ‘sticker’ ratchets up a further $7500. (The GST-excluded figure applies if a vehicle is bought for legitimate commercial use; a buyer can then often reclaim the GST).

One example is in New Zealand for evaluation by LDV importer Great Lake Motor Distributors. It’s a built to United Kingdom market specification, so is badged Maxus, the new name for LDV product in Europe, and has the larger of the two powertrains. That version costs $62,490 with the tax included.

“I can just see the eDeliver 3 zipping around Auckland,” beamed GLMD managing director Rick Cooper at the media event. “I see a very rosy future for this van.”

When MotoringNZ drove the van, pricing discussions with China’s SAIC Motor were still under way. However, Cooper seemed intent on dropping hints; he referred, for instance, to the $48,990 pricing of the recently-arrived MG ZS EV, also a SAIC product (but with another distributor).

GLMD has already dipped its toe in the commercial EV water with the larger EV80 van, which entered the market in 2018 with an $80,000 pricetag. It’s done okay; so far 51 have been sold.

But the eDeliver 3 has obvious potential to do much better. It will be first completely purpose-built electric van to enter the Kiwi new vehicle market. Designed from the ground up for electric power only, it uses a combination of alloy, high-strength steel and composite materials to keep weight down.

Experts say at least 140kg has been shaved off the weight via the use of these lightweight materials – and a classic illustration of that is the van’s bonnet, which is made of composite material and can be easily lifted unclipped and lifted off the vehicle to gain access to the electric motor.

When the eDeliver 3 does arrive, it will be available in short-wheelbase and long-wheelbase forms, and with a choice of 35kWh and the 52.5 kWh battery pack that is in the trial example. Range is up to 280km with the smaller pack and 400km with the larger.

The high power, low energy electric motor offers maximum power of 90 kilowatts, while peak torque is 255 Newton metres. This gives acceleration times to 100kmh of as low as 11 seconds.

A feature of the vehicle is that it provides DC and AC dual charging. In the DC mode the battery pack can be charged to 80 percent in just 45 minutes and on to 100 percent in 80 minutes. In the AC mode the charging time to 100 percent will be six to eight hours.

The short-wheelbase model will offer 4.8 cubic metres of load space, and up to 905kg payload depending on the size of the battery pack. The long-wheelbase version will have 6.3 cubic metres of cargo room, with up to 1029 payload if the fitted with the smaller battery pack.

That, said the GLMD people, will be a major selling point for the eDeliver 3 in a commercial delivery van environment in which cargo capacity is king.

Driving this new van is a fascinating experience – and that’s right from the beginning, when you discover that there’s no push-button start; instead the driver must turn an ignition key in the traditional way, and with the transmission in neutral.

From then it’s a matter of turning a rotary selector into D and heading off in an almost silent way. In typical electric vehicle style there’s instant torque, and there are two battery regeneration settings to help pick up charge when decelerating and braking – one is quite gentle and the other is more pronounced.

The eDeliver 3 immdiately impresses as an easy drive, with the frontal area separated from the load space in the interests of less noise and better crash safety, and the load area accessed by a sliding door on the left side and wide-opening rear doors.

The electric news doesn’t stop there.

GLMD also confirmed that when the eDeliver 3 does arrive in New Zealand, it is likely to be followed soon after by a second new electric van.

It will be the larger eDeliver 9, which will be based on the existing EV80 platform and boast a payload of up to 1400kg. Its battery pack is likely to be a larger 73 kWh version, which will give it a range of up to 270km. The van is expected during the second quarter of 2021. There has been no indication of pricing.

# This story was updated and altered on November 22, with the determined pricing included. Additional reporting by Richard Bosselman.

MG ZS EV our first sub-$50k electric car

The cheapest new electric car in the market just got cheaper

INTENT to establish the MG ZS EV as the country’s cheapest new electric car has seen the distributor move yet again on the pricing, clipping $7000 off the tag it had only recently set.

A repricing to $48,990, announced today, means the model becomes the first sub-$50,000 brand-new fully electric car and also means it retails for $1000 less than the ‘special introductory price’ that was offered to the first 50 orders, when that book was opened a year ago.

Once that count was fulfilled, MG revised the price to $50,100 for the next 100 pre-orders. Then, when the car ultimately landed, it debuted with an official sticker price of $55,990.

MG has not yet clarified if any remuneration cheques are in the mail.

The new pricing allows even more space between this model and others that could be conceived as rivals, though those cars - the Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Ioniq EV and Volkswagen’s e-Golf - were still more expensive when the MG held its previous price. The e-Golf is really out of the hunt anyway, as supply of that model exhausts at the end of the month. 

The MG’s price drop could well raise its allure with the Government, which has recently signalled interest in accepting the models as a potential fleet car.

The electric MG comes with an eight-year/160,000km battery warranty plus a five year/unlimited kilometre vehicle warranty and five year roadside assist package.

“The first cars are arriving in dealers now and our business plan is designed to make EVs more affordable and available to everyone,” said MG Motor Australia and New Zealand chief executive Peter Ciao. 

“We are making a commitment that each electric vehicle sold by MG locally will offer value that encourages mainstream adoption. MG wants to make zero-emission motoring add up for the first time for customers locally.

“An attainable electric vehicle is the first step in creating demand in market which will lead to better infrastructure, something that MG Motor is a proud champion of.”

The ZS EV’s 44.5kWh battery pack is larger than that in the Leaf and Ioniq, but claimed combined range of 262 kilometres is less than for the Hyundai. MG says the car will achieve 370km at urban pace. The electric motor creates 105kW of power and 353Nm of torque.

Eighty percent charge is expected to come in 40 minutes when the MG is plugged into a 50kW CCS charger.

MG also recently put up interesting argument about the relevance of the products mixed heritage; being a ‘British’ brand now in ownership of China’s largest producer of electric cars, Shanghai Automotive.

Auckland-based country manager Antony MacLean conjects any reputational stigma is unwarranted and that a vehicle's country of origin is no longer relevant. 

Cars these days are international products, he says. As example, MG’s safety systems are from a German company, Bosch. He also reminded that as much as Apple is perceived as an American brand, it was common knowledge iPhones were only made in China.

No ID, no access - so VW going PHEV for a while

Wolfsburg’s preference to push EVs into Europe and China means another fully electric replacement for the now-departing e-Golf mightn’t be seen for ages.

VW NZ prefers to kick off its ID electric car push with the ID.4, above, and has no plans for the ID.3 below. It’s a semantic, as no ID cars seem set to available here until late 2022 anyway.

 E-GOLF supply will be exhausted by the end of the month and Volkswagen NZ will not have anything from the ID range until perhaps late 2022, so it’s increasing faith in another direction.

There’ll be intent to push plug-in hybrid fare; mainly in the mainstream – Mk 8 Golf here from the start of 2021 includes a PHEV and so does the Tiguan – but also with a performance flagship, the Touareg R.

When VW Group is now ratcheting up its electric vehicle roll-out and others in the family are playing their cards - Audi with an increasing e-tron penetration, Porsche with Taycan, Skoda NZ the Enyaq and SEAT the El-Born – it potentially galls that the parent’s own brand cannot present anything from the ID line locally for a while. A long while.

The ID.3 hatch is already well settled into European sale and is now starting right-hand drive production, including for the United Kingdom (the sourcing point for at least one grey import example), however that car has already been dismissed for NZ. VW NZ prefers the ID.4, a crossover.

No matter. Opportunity to secure any ID models for at least the next 20 months seems pretty much non-existent. 

VW is prioritising production of its own fully electric cars for its home markets, so as to meet tough European Union emissions standards. In addition, it is putting a lot of focus into launching eight ID models into China by 2023. On top of this, the coronavirus pandemic is also having an effect, likely at multiple levels.

“Volkswagen Group is trying to provision as much of the European markets’ demand as they can,” says VW New Zealand boss Greg Leet, in explaining why  “late 2022” is now the best bet for his own roll-out. 

“There are CO2 targets that need to be achieved and that has been the factory’s first and foremost mission.”

 Leet acknowledges that, with a Labour Government, potential for shift and progress on emissions standards here is also likely. That’s not unwelcome to his brand.

 “We are really supportive of emissions standards and what they might look like in NZ. No doubt the new Government will be working through that and putting measures in place to encourage that. We’re talking with the factory about what that might look like. 

“But we currently are not going to be looking to achieve launching that ID model until the back end of 2022.”

Why ID.4 over ID.3? “ID.4 is the model that is subject to discussion with us at the moment … we see it as the greatest opportunity. It’s an SUV orientated car for a start.”

 Frustrating this is stretching out? Sure. But it’s life and, so, VW NZ has shifted immediate focus to a PHEV.

“We are in discussion … there are couple of options, a few different options. None by any means are guaranteed yet, but we are in discussion.”

Golf GTE is being considered.

The generation eight Golf, which launches in February in two mainstream petrol formats, followed by a GTI a month later and a Golf R in the last quarter of 2021, is also engineered as a PHEV, the GTE, whose sporty orientation does hold appeal.

Then again, the brand might prefer to leverage battery-assisted, mains-replenished drive potentials with a sports utility, as this product type is now to dominant choice with Kiwi new car buyers anyway.

The medium-sized Tiguan could be that car. The NZ line is selling more strongly than the Golf and this penetration is set to improve all the more when a new flagship, the performance-oriented Tiguan R (pure petrol, rather tha PHEV, like its Touareg big brother), comes in late 2021. 

In July, VW Germany announced intent to add a Tiguan PHEV, as part of a facelift process. 

While the Golf 8 PHEV is being offered in two versions with 150kW and 180kW system power, the Tiguan eHybrid will only be offered with the more powerful 180 kW PHEV.

 The variant has a 1.4-litre petrol engine producing 115kW and the electric motor making 85kW. The 13 kWh battery will provide a range of 50 kilometres, as measured by the WLTP standard.

The plug-in hybrid is only available with front-wheel drive, but not in the four-wheel-drive version. The PHEV is also only to be offered in the standard Tiguan, but not in the slightly longer all-wheel-drive version.

Leet would not be drawn on talking about his preferences, but said PHEV technology provides a good opportunity for the brand here.

Just securing Golf 8 is very much a relief; the original, pre-Covid timeline would have had that car snugly established by now. 

“It’s no secret that, as with manufacturers, Covid has thrown a spanner in the works,” Leet says.

He says the parent has done a magnificent job, not just re-establishing production rates since emerging from a lock-down in March but also having to basically start afresh with prioritising the order of individual market provision.

Some places that were doing well before Covid had not recovered; others – NZ included – had come back very strongly and were going gang-busters.

“We’ve been a little bit hamstrung with product being available having to feed in really big markets,” Leet says.

local e-Golf supply will be exhausted by the end of the month. The car went out of production in March.

“While it’s easy to think that a country needing maybe just a few hundred cars (and that’s NZ) won’t make a big difference in the overall picture, what I’ve learned in the last few months is that single cars have become as important to the manufacturer, in regard to where they place, as the 100s or 1000s have in the past.” 

Leet says the resurgent private buyer interest in new cars is great for VW NZ; while the passenger car market in total ins down 23 percent, that’s simply a reflection of the rental car market, which VW barely feeds, having stopped.  

“We’re still flying. Our market shares have increased and where we have had product, we are selling more of it.” The demand for all the SUV models has been extremely high; in October it registered more than 80 Touaregs, an unprecedented monthly return. It now expects stock levels to be tight until new the arrivals land early 2021. “We are simply running out of stock.”

There’s been no need for a runout of Golf 7.5; supply will be exhausted before Golf 8 comes, initially in Life and R-Line formats. Full spec and price have yet to be released. Byt these will both run the 110kW engine. The GTi is taking the 180kW 2.0-litre engine and provision here with the seven-speed DSG and electronic differential lock that for now restricts to the TCR, based on the outgoing car. In respect to GTI, don’t hold out hope for the new hotshot Clubsport recently revealed in Europe, as TCR replacement. It’s not available to NZ.

“It’s not a trainsmash for us is not having that car.”

New 500 – the eclectic electric

Fiat’s third gen 500 is reborn as an electric charger – with a neat door design.

THE Hyundai Veloster is no longer the only asymmetrical ‘three-door’ car in production – it now has a little friend, from Italy.

Fiat’s determination to push the 500 into a third generation, but this time as wholly electric vehicle to say ciao to the MINI Electric, has come with a novel design twist that can only be experienced in this market at the moment by those who buy into South Korea’s sports coupe.

La Prima' 3+1 is so named because it has an extra, rear-hinged, side door that opens up to allow extra access to the back seats.

The whole point of the 3+1 is an effort to keep buyers within the 500 and Fiat brands when they outgrow a conventional 500, the maker says.

As Fiat puts it: “The young person who darted onto the city streets aboard their 500 after a day's work, is now a 'working mom or dad', struggling to get their one or more children to school in the morning before heading to work, then to their dance class or foreign language lessons in the afternoon, all the while keeping their own personal commitments going. That customer has therefore become a family that needs the interiors to be more accessible, but still 'cool'.”

Olivier François, Fiat’s brand president, says the extra door is a nod to the heritage of the original 1957 500, as that had doors hinged at the rear.

There's no centre pillar for the 500 3+1, and Fiat reckons that it makes getting kids in and out of the back, and especially loading up child car seats, that much easier. The only penalty, according to Fiat, is an extra 30kg of weight.

It has no impact of the car’s overall dimension. In measuring in at 3632mm long, 1683mm wide and 1527mm tall, with a 2322mm wheelbase, the third generation is 60mm longer and wider and has 20mm extra wheelbase over the current car, yet remains a compact choice.

Will we see the new 500 here? The question has been put to brand rights’ holder Ateco Group NZ; no response has been forthcoming yet. 

That the car has been confirmed for sale in the United Kingdom, with deliveries there starting in March, suggests it will be produced in right-hand-drive. Whereas the hatch and cabriolet are international, the 3+1 styling is for left-hook only.

Small cars have been losing ground to like-sized crossover equivalents in this market, but Fiat reckons the world – particularly city dwellers – can do with an “urban Tesla.” 

Even so, the current car, which now restricts representation in New Zealand as an Abarth hot shoe, will continue in production for a while yet.

François acknowledges that as much as electrics are the future, because fossil-fuelled small city cars are among the cleanest on the market already there’s no absolute guarantee all consumers will feel need straight away to switch to a wholly zero-emission line.

“What we don’t really know, what we have no visibility on, is future demand for electric vehicles,” he has explained.  

“But we need to be ready. We know that demand for sure will explode, because of the regulations in city centres. We don’t know to what level it will explode, but we are ready because we have one great nameplate with two approaches.”

Despite all the obvious familiarities, the design is fully all-new. It’s the first fully-electric vehicle designed from the ground-up on an all-new platform from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

The car delivers in 24kWh and 42kWh battery formats, with 85kW fast-charging available from middle of the range, and three trim levels, Action, Passion and Icon.

The entry-level 500 EV is fitted with a 23.8kWh battery pack and a 68kW electric motor, which provides a 0–100kmh time of 9.5 seconds and a top speed of 134kmh. The maximum claimed WLTP range of 118 kilometres will climb to 240km under city driving conditions, Fiat claims. 

Mid-range models and up are fitted with a 42kWh battery pack and 86kW electric motor. The 0-100km time drops to 9s, top speed raises to 149km, and range climbs to 320km, according to the maker. Recharging also picks up, as it will take direct current fast charging, so will recover an 80 percent charge in half an hour. 

Both powertrains offer three driving modes. ‘Normal’ is as being “as close as possible to driving a vehicle with a normal combustion engine”. ‘Range’ engenders higher brake energy recuperation, to the point where it’ll entertain one pedal operability. ‘Sherpa’ preserves as much range as possible, so it limits the top speed to 80kmh, reduces throttle response and deactivates the climate control and other comfort features.

The car is, of course, tailored for around town. So, though it’s 60mm wider, 60mm longer and with a 20mm longer wheelbase, it’s still small. 

The centre console holds a 10.25-inch infotainment system supporting a range of chic smartphone apps, including for checking pre-drive battery level checks and cabin warming and cooling.

Fiat also claims the car is capable of “Level 2” semi-autonomous driving, using a front-facing camera system to monitor the road ahead. Adaptive cruise control with automatic braking and accelerating, lane keep assist, speed limit assist, blind spot warning and 360-degree sensors also arrive.

Lexus NZ to join pure battery power play

The first EV from Lexus is coming to NZ. But does a core question remain unanswered?

CONFIRMATION the UX 300e, the first EV production vehicle from Lexus, will come to New Zealand leaves uncertainty about whether parent Toyota also has a battery car heading this way as well.

Toyota New Zealand, of which Lexus New Zealand is an operational aspect, is declining to offer elaboration.

This comes after Neeraj Lala, chief executive of both, confirmed the 300e will be sold here. He would not say when that will happen and no other details have been forthcoming.

Lexus has cited China as a primary market for the model, hence why they chose to stage the international reveal at last year’s Guangzhou motor show. And while it also cited Europe and Japan as other recipient markets, it has never been clear about what other countries might be in line. Until now, of course.

With Lexus in the EV-sphere, where does that leave Toyota? It and Lexus have said they plan to release three EVs by the end of 2021. Also, in past discussions with media, but specifically during a media conference on August 3, Lala said the main brand will have its first EV on sale in NZ in 2021. The broader gameplan involving, as well as the single EV, a PHEV and more mild hybrids, was outlined on August 6 (https://www.motoringnz.com/news/2020/8/6/extra-electric-involved-product-for-tnz).  

So is that the Lexus – bearing in mind that TNZ is always adamant, in the face of the obvious ownership situation and occasional engineering and technology cross-pollinations, that Lexus and Toyota are separate entities – or is it another car?

That question has been put directly to Lala today. However, the response, via TNZ’s communications channel, is no comment.

And so to the UX 300e. Built on Toyota’s GA-C platform, it runs a front-mounted motor that produces 269kW and 300Nm of torque. Energy comes from a 54.3kWh underfloor lithium ion battery offering a claimed range of around 315km on the official WLTP testing regime. It's capable of 0-100kmh in 7.5 seconds and has a top speed of 160kmh.

The model is capable of DC replenishment and rapid-charging from zero to 80 percent takes 52 minutes. It features a number of driving modes so that the performance of the motor can be better managed, along with paddles to alter the strength of the regenerative braking.

Lexus says the drivetrain has been developed with a focus on on-road performance and the goal of offering a quiet and refined driving experience. Extra bracing has been added over the regular UX hybrid and the dampers reworked to maintain optimum weight distribution.

The first market to announce intent to sell the right-hand-drive has been the United Kingdom.

It says it will take a single model, with two options: Premium Plus and Takumi. Standard equipment runs to LED headlights, heated seats, parking sensors, a reversing camera, 17-in alloys and smartphone integration.

Premium Plus, adds leather upholstery, a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats, keyless entry and a wireless smartphone charger.

The Takumi option comprises an upgraded sound system, a 10.3-inch infotainment screen, surround view camera, 18-inch alloys and a sunroof.

Special features include Active Sound Control  that “transmits natural, ambient sounds to communicate the driving conditions”. Smartphone integration will allow owners to check battery charge and remaining range remotely, be notified when charging is complete and pre-condition the car using the climate controls.

The 300e has not diverted from the general US styling, but of course has specific badging and has picked up aerodynamic wheels.

Taycan: Faster than a 911, cheaper too

Pricing and spec of the first pure-electric Porsche you can buy has been released.

WHAT catch to a Porsche everyone will swoon over that outperforms the classic 911 and costs $20,000 less?

None at all assuming you’re also committed to the way of the future and are happy to drive a car relying purely on electricity.

Porsche has today released New Zealand market pricing and specifications for the Taycan, the brand’s first pure-electric car, ahead of fuller availability, expected to occur from the fourth quarter, though a small fleet of demonstrators are now touring Porsche centres (their word for ‘dealership).

The Taycan 4S, pricing from $203,900, the Taycan Turbo starting at $289,900 and the Taycan Turbo S kicking off from $366,900 means the entry edition represents handily below the cheapest 911, a $223,200 wallet hit, and will outgun it by 0.2 seconds in the 0-100kmh sprint, which the 4S achieves in a claimed 4 seconds flat. 

The Taycan 4S is powered by a 79.2kWh Performance Battery producing an output of 320kW/640Nm, and offering up-to 390kW on overboost. It provides a claimed 365 kilometres of range and is capable of a top speed of 250kmh. 

The 93.4kWh Performance Plus battery can also be optioned on the 4S (pricing yet to be announced), offering an additional 40kW and 10Nm in normal driving conditions, but stretching to a maximum of 420kW on overboost. Claimed driving range is 414km.

The middle-of-the-range Porsche Taycan Turbo achieves a 0-100 time of just 3.2 seconds from 460kW, and up-to 500kW on overboost, A range of 420km when the battery is fully charged is claimed, also a top speed of 260kmh.

The flagship Taycan Turbo S can generate up to 560 kW of overboost power in combination with Launch Control. Zero to 100 falls to 2.8s and has a range of 405 km when the battery is fully charged.

The Taycan is the first electric vehicle to utilise an 800 volt system, with every other electric vehicle having a 400 volt system. Not only does this allow the driver greater access to the performance available from the battery, but Porsche claims this will also help to improve recharging times.

All NZ-delivered Taycans come with a Mode 3 charging cable for use at AC public charging stations, while a 150kW on-board DC charger is standard for 400 volt charging stations.

New Zealand models gain a range of standard equipment in addition to worldwide standard specifications. 

Surround view, comfort access, lane change assist, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, front seat ventilation, steering wheel heating, rear side airbags, electrically folding exterior mirrors, digital radio and privacy glazing are standard.

Additional equipment for the Taycan 4S includes 20-inch ‘Sport Aero’ wheels, metallic paint, front seat heating, 14-way electric comfort seats, Auto-dimming mirrors as well as the BOSE Surround Sound system.

Taycan Turbo and Taycan Turbo S gain driving dynamic and comfort features like Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) Sport, four-zone Advanced Climate Control and ambient lighting.

Skoda shows off big Greenie

The electric Skoda destined for New Zealand has been unleashed in an appropriately green land.

THE covers - well, camo - are still on, but a lot of details have nonetheless come out about Skoda’s first electric vehicle for international markets, the Enyaq iV.

Even though the car is still under disguise, a media preview effort that involved taking it to Ireland - because, in addition to the ‘E’ also referencing ‘electric’ and the ‘q’ conforming to an in-house naming practice, Enyaq derives from the Gaelic girl’s name Enya (which means ‘fire’ and ‘kernel’), plus green is Skoda’s colour and Ireland is the Emerald Isle – to release video, images and a ton of spec information – there’s been little holding back on detail.

For instance, Skoda has confirmed a car earmarked for sale here within two years will come with the options of three battery sizes, five power variants and a driving range of up to 500 kilometres. It also provisions in rear-drive in entry form and four-wheel-drive further up the range and a performance all-paw RS edition with 225kW is on the cards.

The car, of course, bases off the common underpinnings and drive units developed by Volkswagen for the ID.3 hatch and ID.4 crossover and also heading to SEAT, for the el-Born: Also already cited as a local starter.

Where it prices is anyone’s guess, but in size Skoda’s EV slots between the Karoq and the Kodiaq, being 4648mm long, 1877mm wide and 1618mm tall, on a 2765mm wheelbase.  

It is also classed as an SUV, though realistically that’s just a convenience. The message from commentators who got to see and drive it is that, because of the massive battery pack within the floor, there isn't a great deal of ground clearance so don't expect to go very far off-road in it.

However, it is designed to tow (if only up to 1200kg) and will is as roomy as the Kodiaq, with a big cabin – made all the more spacious by the lack of a transmission tunnel – and a 585-litre boot. Unlike some other electric SUVs, there isn't a storage area under the bonnet.

If Skoda NZ entertains taking the full range, then conceivably Enyaq would provision in more variants than virtually any model it presently sells here.

The line starts with the 109kW Enyaq iV 50, driven by a rear-mounted electric motor (so, rear-wheel drive) with a 55kWh battery pack and a maximum driving range of 340 kilometres.

Above this is the Enyaq iV 60, also rear-wheel drive but with a 62kWh battery and a 390km driving range, then the Enyaq iV 80, the highest choice in the rear-motored set. It has an 82kWh battery offering 150kW and up to 500 kilometres’ range.

Beyond this are dual-motor all-wheel-drive 80X and RS variants, also with the 82kWh battery pack, but with a second electric motor driving the front wheels. In this form the 80X has 195kW and the RS another 30kW more. The extra grunt comes at expense of range, but not greatly, with 460km claimed. The RS is the only variant that Skoda has announced a 0-100kmh time for; claiming it’ll smash that in 6.2 seconds. That’s 0.8s better than the fastest current Kodiaq, the RS. 

Fast charging is also promised with an 80 percent 'fill' possible from 40 minutes at a 125kW DC-powered station … provoding, that is, you’re talking about the 82kWh models. The onboard 11kW charging unit will enable users with a suitable domestic wallbox to replenish the battery charge in six to nine hours, depending on battery size.

Skoda wouldn’t allow photos of the interior, but media noted it doesn’t have the usual Skoda instrument displays, but instead takes a small digital display ahead of a two-spoke steering wheel plus an augmented head-up display that projects onto the windscreen, as in the Volkswagen ID.3. A centrally mounted freestanding touchscreen sits atop the dashboard, and this will come in two sizes, 10- or 13-inch, depending on model.

Skoda’s bent for practicality reveals with decent interior storage, including a generous console between the front seats. It gets a large wireless charging pad that can charge two phones simultaneously. Oh yes, and it has the trad umbrella. 

Skoda has a wide variety of specification grades, starting with Studio, available in the Enyaq 50 alone. Additional Loft, Lodge, Suite and Eco Suite trim levels will be available on the 60 and 80 models, and Eco Suite features more sustainably sourced materials. The 60 and 80 versions will gain the largest touchscreen display, a 13-incher. 

The car taken to Ireland was an Enyaq 80 and even with four adults on board, it was determined to have plenty of performance to offer with the typical instantaneous pick-up that is associated with electric motors.

What stood out for invitees was the smoothness of the ride over secondary road surfaces. Said one Irish publication: “It impressively soaked up larger bumps and the damping effect was equally polished, despite the lack of air suspension. How much that will differ in cars fitted with the largest 21-inch wheels remains to be seen, but running on 19-inch rims (also wearing winter tyres), it left a positive impression.”

$60k for battery-pure Mini

The Mini that plugs into play will be here in August.

ANOTHER small electric model is set to slot under $60,000 when it lands in August - if by just $100.

Still, Mini’s first fully electric car, the Cooper SE, is set to intrude into a price space occupied by two more utilitarian plug-reliant products, the Nissan Leaf and the Hyundai Ioniq.

As much as they both of which hammer the wee BMW-Brit bauble for range (the official cited max is 233kms) and in size, both arguably falls well behind for visual chutzpah, premium-ness and social standing.

How they will stack up for specification? Yet unknown. Even though there’s just going to be the single variant, that today’s announcement enforces that this is the start point for pricing is good reminder that it will, as always, cop a decent options list.

Even so, the local starter spec looks good. Mini is kicking off its campaign with a First Edition whose fittings include some fancy gear: adaptive LED headlights, bespoke interior trim, heads-up display and a Harmon Kardon audio. Intriguingly, Australia also takes the same thing for $A59,900 – which comes out to just under $NZ64k on today’s exchange rate. So, a Kiwi win, by the look of it.

Of course, you can tick boxes for all that in combustion-engined Minis and still save, as almost all are cheaper; not just all the variants in the same three-door styling but also the substantially larger Countryman and Clubman.

That just reminds that there’s still a degree of expensiveness in buying into a mains-reliant drivetrain consisting a 32.6kWh lithium-ion battery and a 135kW/270Nm electric motor. 

Even so, there’s lots of optimism, with Brett Waudby, general manager of MINI New Zealand and Australia, reckoning the car “heralds a new chapter for the brand - a charge into the future of electromobility without compromising the marque’s core values of creativity, vibrancy and smart urbanity.

“It is wonderful to see such a positive response we are getting to the car. Our dealers are extremely excited to add this model to our customer offering, which is sure to be an absolute thrill to drive.”