EXPECTED volume for the plug-in hybrid version of the Eclipse Cross might at least equal counts being achieved by a well-received big brother whose petrol-electric drivetrain it adopts.
That view is expressed by Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand’s head of marketing, Reece Congdon, who anticipates seeing the new 2.4-litre version of the brand’s compact crossover to achieve up to 50 sales a month.
Read MoreA PRODUCTION variant of a fully electric Toyota concept revealed in China today will release in New Zealand next year, with sister models to follow.
The BZ4X styling study Toyota Japan has revealed at the Shanghai Motor Show has been described as being a “hero” of a global electrification future that will deliver 70 models globally by 2025.
It’s similar in shape and size to the RAV4 crossover but lower, with a longer wheelbase and sharper styling. From the outside, the concept captures the ethos of bold, futuristic EV looks; the interior … erm, less so. A large touchscreen extends up out of the centre console, which has a rotary shifter placed in the middle and storage underneath.
Shorthand for ‘Beyond Zero’, a catchphrase chosen to highlight the corporate direction, BZ will present as a sub-group of seven fully electric models, with the BZ4X first into production.
Toyota hasn't said anything about battery size or range for this model, the first to use the new e-TNGA electric car platform, which will also underpin product from Subaru, which co-funded and co-engineered the underpinning.
The showroom-ready example is not expected to be much different to the concept, save for perhaps for losing some exotic details. An orthodox steering wheel will likely replace the yoke-style item on the styling study, regardless that Tesla has introduced the latter for its latest version of the Model 3.
TNZ chief executive Neeraj Lala says NZ will take these cars, and he expects them to be well received, though he has also expressed thought it might be some time before these full electrics outsell the hybrid choices it already has here in abundance and will add to.
Comment released today also leaves impression any expectation of the wholly electric fare being priced for mass appeal is probably mis-judged.
With today’s announcements, Toyota has taken to label everything it produces that has a battery-involved impetus as being an ‘electrification vehicle.’
This self-concocted descriptive seems to have been created to leave impression its hybrids are of similar calibre as electric cars, though by definition they are not, as an express qualification for electric status vis an ability to enable a mains-replenishment ability.
However, the new label certainly enforces that Japan’s No.1 is the world’s biggest player in electric-assisted drivetrain production, with more hybrids, plug-in hybrids, electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles to come. Interestingly, according to Toyota US (but not mentioned by Toyota NZ) this reach will include the pickup truck line-up in the near future, including hybrid and BEV powertrains. Does Hilux qualify as a ‘pickup’, or do they mean the larger Tundra?
Lala says Beyond Zero means a variety of options for Kiwis.
“The Beyond Zero (BZ) range will be introduced in New Zealand to strengthen our range of electrified vehicles and achieve affordable mobility for all.”
“As a company committed to mobility for all, our priority is to offer affordable vehicles that meet the needs of all New Zealanders. This means a range of powertrain options to suit consumer needs,” says Lala.
“Like hybrid technology 30 years ago, adoption and affordability will take some time. This will allow time for infrastructure, technical training and servicing to prepare itself for accelerated demand and lower cost alternatives.”
“BEVs will eventually become a sustainable means of mobility. However, it will take time as the energy mix, battery technology and infrastructure are still being developed,” Lala says.
Currently the cheapest full electric car offered in NZ is an MG, at just under $50,000. Expectation that Toyota’s status as the world’s most largest car producer will allow it to significantly reduce that premium seems overly optimistic, however.
Says Lala in respect to this: “As there is significant research and development cost recovery on new technology, this first Toyota BEV for New Zealand will not be an affordable BEV for all Kiwi households and businesses.
“Our focus will also be on how we can transition BZ4X into the used vehicle market as quickly as possible so all Kiwis can become familiar and enjoy this new technology in an affordable manner. This is why we see affordable hybrids and plug-in hybrids as transitional technology and a bridge to a sustainable, low emissions future.
“Adding our first battery electric vehicle (BEV) to our range, continues our journey of offering powertrain choices for customers while helping New Zealand realise a zero-carbon future.”
“Toyota has been vocal in our support of the New Zealand Government as we transition to a low emissions economy and we’re excited at the prospect of bringing Toyota’s first pure battery electric car to New Zealand next year,” Lala says.
“Currently Toyota New Zealand’s average CO2 emissions sit at 165.9g/km which is almost 7 grams lower than the industry average. We are focused on introducing balanced, lower emission products to our range.”
HOW long before Hyundai here catches up with its subordinate in offering a seven-seater sports utility with electric assistance has yet to be answered – whether the parent’s ultimate equivalent will also slip under the $100,000 mark is also not yet known.
The New Zealand distributor for Kia has stolen a march on Hyundai New Zealand in releasing the Sorento in two petrol hybrid versions, one with plug-in recharging and the other mild.
The New Zealand agent for Hyundai did not respond to questions today about when its Santa Fe, the Kia’s sister ship, will arrive with the same technology, which was developed by Hyundai then shared with the sibling brand.
However, Hyundai NZ has always indicated it will also provision the Santa Fe with the very same hybrid drivetrains.
As expected, the battery-assisted editions are more expensive than the other Sorento variants Kia has here.
At $89,990, the PHEV is the most expensive Sorento ever sold here, while the hybrid also raises the stakes in its $80,990 front-drive and $82,990 all-wheel-drive formats.
All three are in the highest-level trim Kia offers with the model, according to a brand announcement shared by media today.
To date, the most expensive Sorento here has been a turbodiesel, also in the Premium trim, that costs $76,990.
Kia’s pricing strategy appears to reflect that there is an unavoidable costing factor with the hybrid tech, which allies to a four-cylinder petrol engine in either of its formats.
It also raises another question: How much more the Hyundai models might cost?
There is already pricing inequality between the diesel sister ships, most obviously when the best-kitted versions are compared.
Though the specifications are identical, and they have the same powertrains, the Sorento Premium costs a whopping $13,000 less than the Santa Fe Limited – whose RRP is lineball with the Sorento Premium PHEV’s sticker.
Both hybrids run a turbocharged 1.6-litre four producing 132kW/265Nm, but the electric motors and their feeder batteries are different.
As previously reported, the Sorento (and Santa Fe) PHEV runs a 13.8kWh lithium-ion battery that delivers an optimal electric-only range of 57km per charge. The PHEV’s electric motor creates 67kW and 304Nm,
The hybrid (again, in both models) has a 44kW electric motor. It also has a smaller battery, rated at 1.5kWh.
Overall claimed outputs are 195kW/350Nm for the PHEV and 169kW/350Nm for the hybrid. The diesel creates 148kW and 440Nm.
Kia claims a combined fuel economy of 1.6L/100km and cites a CO2 count of 36 grams per kilometre from the PHEV. The figures for the mild hybrid have yet to be shared, but economy could well likely be closer to the diesel’s 6.1L/100km, if not the oiler’s 159g/km optimal.
Kia’s Premium grade ticks off leather upholstery, a heads-up display, wireless phone charging, Bose audio and a comprehensive passive and active safety suite.
Diesel utes are No.1 with Kiwis …. but they’re not going to make the clean air cut.
BASICALLY, we don't like our 'greens' and consume too many meaty products.
That’s the national new vehicle buying pattern in a nutshell.
Sports utilities, crossovers and, in particular, one tonne utilities. These are the vehicles we love the most; to the point where they cumulatively outsell conventional cars and the Ford Ranger has become the country’s best-selling model.
Great stuff. Just one wee catch. It’s always been common knowledge that, were New Zealand ever to get its act together and implement some kind of emissions regulation, then the vehicles Kiwi love most would get us into trouble.
CO2 emissions from new passenger and light vehicles have been declining. However, our national average is well above where the Government has now decided it needs to be; mainly because we’ve been making too many dirty decisions.
Core to announcement yesterday of a Clean Air Standard is intention to reach a CO2 target of 102g/km by 2025.
Easy-peasy? The current NZ average for cars and SUVs is 161g; overall, the fleet is around 171g – an improvement on a year ago, if only by 3g. And today’s average is still below is still slightly below the target the European Union set for its territory in 2003.
So, yeah, the challenge is to achieve a reduction of almost 40 percent from the current new-vehicle average. Utes, which are particular grubs, and vans must hit 132g in the same timeframe.
There’s no time to waste. The Government intends to pass the law this year and enact the standard in 2022, with the first charges being levied on any who miss their annually reducing targets from 2023.
It’s not as if we didn’t know this day was coming. Fact is, NZ is just catching up to a world trend, which in a way is going to be helpful.
Vehicle makers are already being compelled the same targets in much larger, more crucial markets; their reaction to that challenge means they are already making products that are in step with the NZ intention. We will get many of those vehicles.
The European Union mandate on makers selling in its territory to meet an even higher standard, a fleet-wide average of 95g/km, and Japan’s mandate for a 104g/km standard, are especially compelling. Vehicles tailored to meet or exceed those expectations will also come here.
The NZ model is not too different from the EU’s. Vehicle suppliers will have different targets to meet, and will only have to ensure that the average efficiency of the cars imported in any given year meets the standard. This means higher-emission vehicles can still be imported but will have to be offset by cleaner vehicles.
Failure to comply will be penalised, as in the EU, but not to anything like the same extreme. In the EU, fines can be large enough to bring a brand to its knees. Here a penalty will be applied from 2023 of $50 per gram of CO2 above the target for new vehicle imports or $25 per gram above the target for used vehicle imports - but it is applied across the fleet.
If you decided, today, to investigate which vehicles on sale at this very moment were already meeting that new cut-off … well, the shortlist would be very short indeed.
even acknowledged thrift-meisters such as the top-selling Suzuki Swift are challenged to meet the 105g/km standard. The hybrid version, above, does with a count of 94g/km but conventionally-powered editions do not.
Forget conventional internal combustion-engined cars; even especially thrifty types struggle to be that clean.
You need to go hybrid, though even then it’s not a given. Toyota's Prius, Yaris, C-HR and Corolla petrol-electric models are all under the 105g/km. The Camry hybrid and the hot-selling RAV4 hybrid are on the wrong side of the fence.
The models that will make more of a difference are will be used by brands that can achieve them to lower their fleet averages are, of course, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and fully electric vehicles.
This has been shown in the EU, where makers were generally starting from a base of 120g/km.
These are vehicles that, of course, many big players are now making in greater volumes. Ironically, some have been hard to secure for NZ because their makers are prioritising places where they have to represent electric fare or face fines – this is why VW Group product has been restricted, or completely held back, from NZ introduction. Europe’s biggest maker is focussing, out of necessity, on keeping those cars in EU markets. The NZ decision could well be a very useful tool for the brands’ NZ agent to now argue for prioritisation.
In the here and now, the current hybrid and plug in hybrid fare that meets or improves on the standard comprise seven BMWs, two Hyundais, two Kias, a Range Rover, two Lexus models, four Mercedes, a MINI, a Mitsubishi, a Peugeot, two Porsches, six Toyotas and four Volvos.
In addition, 14 fully electric passenger models avail here, from Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Mercedes, MG, MINI, Nissan, Renault and Tesla. One or two examples of the Volkswagen e-Golf might also be unspoken for, though car is not out of production and supply has ended.
The probability of seeing more electrics, PHEVs and hybrids is high – being, then, it already was anyway because, well, you might recall the motoring world is going that way regardless of how much you love your V8s.
Of course, not all brands have the luxury of being about to take the electric path. Subaru and Suzuki are barely in the game, with just mild hybrid options. No ute here yet has any kind of battery-assisted drivetrain, though a hybrid Toyota Hilux is promised and Mitsubishi has hinted at a battery-assisted powertrain for Triton. Look at Isuzu: It makes a ute and a spin-off SUV. Both rely purely on a diesel engine whose emissions are well about the new mandate.
plug-in hybrid and fully electric technology is an obvious solution to achieving or surpassing the new standard. Many brands are one step ahead … the PHEV Ford Transit is among models intended for NZ introduction.
What habits might we have to change or even quit? A year ago I wrote a backgrounder for a national publication that aimed to give insight into the vehicles that might well become problematic were our country to ever consider the CO2 issue.
That piece pointed out how our huge move toward ute ownership has been detrimental to bringing emissions down. It pointed out, for instance, that a the start of 2020, the Ford Ranger, which at that point had dominated ute sales for five years (and would do the same last year), was both a relative saint and a sinner, in that one engine it ran - the 2.2-litre four-cylinder biturbo, emitted a category best 177g/km - whereas the other, the five-cylinder 3.2-litre single turbo it launched with, evidenced a near class-worst 234.
America's big lugger RAM was also in the black. It’s XL-sized products delivered a 283.8g/km average outcome.
One solace for ute faithful now, as then, is that makes reserved for rich listers top the scale of shame. In the data used for last year’s story, Aston Martin achieved an average of 265.1 g/km, Bentley 274.7, Ferrari 279.8, Lamborghini 305.2 and McLaren 257.3. Rolls-Royce was the worst emitter, with an average of 343.3g/km.
Notwithstanding that some of those makes are now fast-tracking into an electric age, it’s probable more of those cars are going to come under the spotlight. Some might be withdrawn, others will asuuredly become even more expensive as penalties are passed on to the customer.
The XC40 Recharge is the first Volvo electric for New Zealand.
WITHIN eight months Volvo here will release the first of a family of cars on which its future depends and have farewelled a fuel type that presently accounts for 50 percent of sales of a core popular sports utility.
The newcomer is – obviously – the make’s first full electric model, a version of the XC40 compact crossover.
Already available in its priority right-hand-drive market, the United Kingdom, but likely to come here around August-September, the XC40 Recharge packs 300kW from two motors that will power all four wheels.
A 78kWh battery that can charge to 80 percent on a fast charger in 40 minutes is expected to deliver 350-400kms in the real world.
The model is the only fully electric Volvo set to be available here this year, but assuredly the Geely-owned Swedish brand’s local range is in for a series of shock treatments as the distributor comes up to speed with the make’s global electrification strategy.
Volvo Cars was the first established car maker to commit to all-out electrification and is the only brand to offer a plug-in hybrid variant on every model in its line-up.
By 2025 the company aims to have sold one million electrified cars and it will launch five fully electric models between 2021 and 2025.
For New Zealand, this means additional mild hybrids and plug-in hybrids with the make’s latest efficiency-oriented battery-supported petrol engines are to roll in. Some would already be here, had not it been for delays in stock delivery caused by Covid-19.
Anyway, as Volvo NZ increases this battery push, it will also decrease its count of vehicles that are wholly fossil fuel-reliant; the ultimate aim being to expunge these entirely in favour of powertrains that will feature some form of electrification.
First to depart will be diesel models; all going to plan, says Volvo New Zealand boss Coby Duggan, combustion ignition powertrains will be removed from all Volvo models offered in NZ from as early as mid-2021, replaced by MY2022 mild hybrid petrols.
It’s a determination the brand acknowledges carries some risk locally, because diesel has been a popular choice, not least in its largest sports utility, the XC90.
In 2020, half of all examples of this seven-seater sold were with diesel. That powertrain choice also offers in the next-size down XC60 and the V90 Crosscountry wagon. Diesel has never offered in the XC40.
However, the XC90 is by far the strongest diesel performer. Volvo NZ is confident it can achieve consumer swing away from the black stuff, however, and has already started this hearts and minds campaign by introducing an XC90 petrol in the same spec, and for the same money, as the XC90 diesel that has been doing well.
“Once we can offer MY2022 mild hybrid XC60 and XC90 (we will no longer offer any diesel in the range. That’s quite a significant shift for us.
“I’m relaxed about phasing it out in XC60 product as it is has not accounted for much there but it’s different with XC90, as it has generated quite a lot of volume. This year, it has given us, in round terms, around 50 percent of XC90 volume.”
He wonders if a lot of that interest comes down diesel being at an entry level price point. The new petrol tests this.
“What we’ve started doing now is to introduce a T6 petrol at the same price point, and thus create a petrol entry point we have not had before. It’s a way for use to test whether the loyalty to diesel has been about torque, and economy and towing and all the things Kiwis say they love about diesels or whether the price point is also a key contributor.”
Volvo’s ultimate plan, at least until it can create more fully electric models, is to increasingly proliferate the hybrid powertrains it has in readiness that supersede those it has offered in the past.
The mild-hybrid technology pairs a turbocharged petrol engine to a 48-volt battery and an integrated starter-generator (ISG) unit – a compact electric motor replacing a car's traditional starter motor and alternator – to both sharpen engine response at low speeds thanks to a boost from the electrical system, while also, crucially, improving fuel economy.
Volvo has struggled to build enough mild hybrid, PHEV and full electric cars in 2020
The battery is then recharged through regenerative braking, which recuperates energy 'lost' under deceleration, and not requiring the system to be externally recharged via a plug.
The ISG also allows for quicker activation of the start-stop system when taking off from a standstill.
Above that option will be a range of improved plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains – also badged under the Recharge sub-brand that identifies full electrics – which pair a turbo petrol engine with a larger lithium-ion battery pack and a more powerful electric motor, enabling them to drive on electric power alone for distances up to 50km.
Volvo already offers a plug-in hybrid option on the S60 and V60, plus the XC90 Recharge, but additional PHEV options at different price points and performance levels are anticipated for introduction, the next arriving being a PHEV XC40. Whereas the other PHEV cars have a T8 designation, this one will be a T5.
“The XC40 plug-in will be here in the first half of the year, with a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine with an electric motor, and that will complete the plug-in hybrid lineup.
“The mild hybrid lineup will start to come in the second part of the year, as Model Year 2022 cars, with the 48 volt system. This will be in the 60s and 90s models but not in the 40s until the following model year.”
“The tricky thing for us has been around timing,” Duggan says. “It has taken longer than I personally expected for this technology to get to this part of the world.”
Is this entirely due to Covid-19? There’s no doubt coronavirus has hurt the entire car industry and Volvo hasn’t been immune by any means in 2020.
Says Duggan: “Supply and meeting demand has been incredibly difficult for everyone in every industry, but the plug-in product has been the most difficult for us to lay hands on and it’s likely that will continue into 2021.”
What also hurts NZ is its size and geographic location – we’re very much at the far end of the supply chain – our modest volume requirement and that other markets in which emissions regulations are more rigorously enforced, and where penalties and rewards apply, have been given higher priority.
“We’re hoping that as production capacity ramps up again we can secure as many (vehicles) as we need … at the moment the only thing that will hold us back in respect to plug-in volumes in particular is ability to supply; the demand is there.”
Volvo Sweden’s electric motivation has also been reinforced by the factory announcing that it will invest around $NZ110 million to set up its own in-house manufacturing of motors for electric cars.
This programme will see it equip its existing powertrain plant in Skovde, Sweden, to assemble and eventually manufacture e-motors before the middle of the decade.
While other car companies rely on outsourcing parts for electric powertrains, Volvo will follow in the footsteps of Tesla by bringing at least some of these operations in-house.
The new chapter of change for Volvo here also affects its management. Duggan is leaving the brand on January 15, to start a new role with Toyota New Zealand that’ll keep him in Auckland; a return to a familiar territory as he has held a previous role with Lexus. His replacement is Ben Montgomery, who has been with Volvo briefly previously and has subsequently held roles with Renault, Jaguar and Land Rover.
DETAIL is finally out about one derivative of the new-generation Tucson Hyundai’s New Zealand distributor has yet to officially commit to.
When initial specifications were announced at the new generation Tucson’s international unveiling in September, the make only spoke about the purely fossil-fuelled drivetrains.
The Tucson plug-in hybrid will likely be of more interest, however, and not simply because of the growing consumer interest in electrically-assisted drivetrains. It is also a breakthrough for this brand.
The set-up comprises a 1.6-litre T-GDI turbo petrol four-cylinder engine with a 66.9kW electric motor, and a 13.8kWh battery. Combined, the powertrain produces 197kW and 350Nm of torque. The electric motor on its own develops a peak of 304Nm.
The Tucson plug-in hybrid drives all four wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox.
It also incorporates some trick aerodynamics. Behind that complex radiator grille, there's an active air intake flap, that opens and closes as needed, improving air-flow into and around the car, depending on how much cooling the engine needs.
A range of drive modes are on offer, the Tucson's standard mode driving the wheels via the electric motor alone at low speeds, with the combustion engine switching on at higher velocities or when rapid acceleration is required.
Hyundai reckons that the Tucson plug-in's electric-only range will be more than 50km on the WLTP cycle' but the final figure is to be confirmed.
There's a 7.2kW on-board charging system, so it'll charge reasonably briskly from either a home wallbox or a public charger. CO2 emissions figures haven't yet been issued.
Though Hyundai describes the 13.8kWh lithium-polymer battery as being mounted on the underbody, this installation and the fuel tank has eaten into boot space a little.
While the conventional petrol-engined Tucson that Hyundai New Zealand has confirmed it will introduce in the first quarter of 2021 has a 620-litre boot, the plug-in model has to make do with 558 litres. That luggage space expands 1737 litres with the rear seats folded.
That four-wheel drive system comes with HTRAC terrain response technology, and there's optional adaptive dampers for the suspension.
The PHEV's interior is all-but-identical to the standard, non-hybrid model, save for a handful of hybrid-specific displays for the 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen and 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.
The Hyundai BlueLink smartphone app also gains the ability to monitor the Tucson's lithium-polymer battery's state of charge, as well as manage charging settings.
In the safety department, exclusive to the plug-in Tucson is Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist, a low-speed reverse autonomous emergency braking system that detects and notifies the driver of hazards behind the moving vehicle, and applies the brakes if necessary.
The new Santa Fe is also set to present to NZ next year in a plug-in hybrid format, as well as in mild hybrid.
This and other images of what appears to be the next Outlander were posted on the web days ago.
INTENT by Mitsubishi to maintain an air of mystery with the next Outlander that is expected to come on sale here in 2021 seems set to proceed, regardless that unexpurgated images of the model have already hit the web.
Today distributors, included Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand, sent out an official shadowy image, that of course discloses little detail, as part of a build-up to the car’s full official unveiling, timed for February.
There’s just one catch to keeping the suspense up – the cover asppears to have been completely blown.
Images of a car without any camouflage have been racing around the internet for most of this week.
Mitsubishi distributors sent this extremely shadowy image out today.
Those pictures, seen here, purport to show a car in a public area and were posted first on Instagram account @allcarnews, then subsequently picked up by other websites, including Australia’s CarAdvice.
The account claims the car was snapped while sitting in an open car park.
The new Outlander looks to share the bulk of its design with the Engelberg Tourer, a concept that was revealed at the 2019 Geneva motor show.
The ‘caught-out’ car carries the brand's current design language, showcasing slim headlights and pointed front facia.
It's expected the vehicle will share its underpinnings with the upcoming Nissan X-Trail, a result of platform-sharing within the Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi Alliance. Some sites suggest an uncanny resemblance to the Nissan at the D-pillar.
According to a report from a US website, CarBuzz, the new Outlander will be powered by the X-Trail's 2.5-litre petrol four-cylinder engine, producing 135kW and 245Nm in its American tuning.
There will also be a replacement for the Outlander PHEV, but that comes later. The present model uses a 2.4-litre petrol four-cylinder mated to two electric motors mounted on each axle, with 60kW at the front and 70kW at the rear, and powered by a 13.8kWh battery pack.
Last year’s Engelberg Tourer concept
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.
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.
Neeraj Lala.
NEW Zealand risks becoming the “Cuba of the South Pacific”, a dumping ground of Europe’s dirty diesels and high carbon-emitting petrol-fuelled cars.
That’s the view of Toyota New Zealand’s chief executive officer, Neeraj Lal, reacting to recent occurrences of political shift toward encouraging a shift from fossil fuels and toward more environmental motoring solutions, including battery-motivated products.
His comments come in the wake of two big headline actions: The move by the United Kingdom to ban sale of new fossil-fuelled cars after 2030 and our own Government’s determination this week to formally joined 32 other countries around the world in declaring a state of climate emergency for New Zealand.
The NZ initiative brings with it a revitalised focus on electrifying its public service vehicle fleet, thorough prioritising fully electric and hybrid cars, and plans to become carbon neutral by 2025.
That’s conceivably a switch Toyota NZ cannot leverage to advantage as much as some other brands as even though Toyota hybrid cars are highly favoured by private and fleet buyers, they are not considered electric models, because they lack facility to recharge off the mains.
The Government’s climate response decision has been welcomed by not-for-profit pressure group Drive Electric, though this organisation - which involves 17 new car brands, including TNZ - says the move still doesn’t go far enough.
Mr Lala says the UK’s move is both an encouragement to New Zealand policy-makers and a danger sign that this country could be flooded with used internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles at the end of this decade.
New Zealand needs to work urgently on the right policy settings that encourage much higher take up of electrified vehicles through meaningful financial incentives, he said today.
“We also need to make sure that we do not end up importing vast numbers of ICE passenger vehicles. Otherwise there is no hope of meeting the Paris Agreement’s 2050 net-zero carbon target.”
A push by new vehicle distributors, via their representative body, the Motor Industry Association, to introduce the ‘feebate’ that incentivises purchase of low and no-emissions cars has TNZ’s support. Mr Lala said the scheme, proposed in the last Parliamentary term by kyboshed by the Government’s then-partner, NZ First, has much merit.
The core element of the scheme is that it incentivises private and fleet buyers of low-emitting vehicles by adding a levy to high-emitting vehicles and using that revenue to reduce the price of low-emitting vehicles costing less than $80,000.
Mr Lala also reminds that the era of Covid-19 has affected car makers ability to produce and ship vehicles.
“As the worldwide supply of hybrid and battery electric vehicles becomes stretched due to global demand, New Zealand will find it harder and harder to access stock without a financial incentive.
“Essentially, we need to get our hybrid and EV numbers up to get higher stock allocations.
“The feebate scheme should be back on the table, urgently. Toyota New Zealand has opened a dialogue with the Minister of Transport, Michael Wood, and will continue to advocate for financial incentives for electrified vehicles.”
TNZ is easily the biggest seller of mild hybrid vehicles in this country – and is now seeing hybrid editions of popular models outselling their fully fossil-fuelled equivalents. However none will conceivably be considered when Government weans off fossil-fuelled cars in public service use and into electric models, as proposed.
the rav4 hybrid has become massively popular and outsells the fully fossil-fuel alternates.
The market leader has just one plug-in hybrid car, a version of the Prius, but will add another, in the form of a PHEV edition of its most model of the moment, the RAV4. It has plans to deliver an electric car in 2021.
Mr Lala has applauded Government for confronting environmental issues, but says it needs to put financial resources behind its policy.
“Companies such as Toyota (NZ) would be willing to supply the public sector with low-emitting vehicles, but not at cost – it needs to be a win-win for both parties.
“With transport emissions accounting for nearly 20 percent of all carbon output, we have a large influence on how New Zealand will progress to a zero-carbon economy. The transition to a low emissions transport market comes with a price tag, but the cost of not enabling a greater uptake of low emissions vehicle could cost Aotearoa/New Zealand and the planet a lot more.”
AVAILABILITY is confirmed, arrival date is two years away and, until price is narrowed down, fleet managers will be left pondering the total cost-effectiveness.
That in a snap is the situation in respect to the E-Transit, the wholly electric edition of Ford’s workhorse van, which the national distributor has confirmed for sale here, though not until some time in 2022.
Ford New Zealand’s confirmation of the model, on the same day of its global unveiling, reflects the distributor’s strong conviction that electric is the way forward for this class of vehicle, particularly when used for urban work.
The range? That’s interesting. American models are rated by the EPA for 202km of travel per charge (in low bodystyle variants), while European models are good for 350km of travel per charge according to the WLTP.
E-Transit’s drive modes are also tailored to its electric powertrain. A special Eco Mode aims to provide up to an 8-10 pe cent improvement in energy usage if it’s driven unladen with spirited acceleration or at highway speeds, according to Ford data. Eco Mode limits top speed, regulates acceleration and optimises climate control to help maximise the available driving range.
All models irrespective of market are powered by a 67kWh battery feeding a punchy 198kW/430Nm electric motor that drives the rear wheels.
The big question mark is price. Ford NZ says that – along with the market’s specification – won’t be sorted for quite a while yet.
Even so, the pricing structure already established for the Transit in its orthodox diesel format and plug-in hybrid format – plus market recognition that full-out electrics, due to their technology, unavoidably carry a premium - surely has to give an early warning about the lines’ probable placement.
As things stand, the wholly fossil fuel-reliant models span from $63,000 to almost $75k. The PHEV cargo van that is establishing now is a $89,990 ask. Conceivably, then, the cheapest fully electric model might be up around $100,000, so line-ball with the Tourneo Titanium people mover that carries a $99,990 premium.
The PHEV and EV models will make for interesting comparison, on performance and per kilometre costing.
Ford is urging potential customers to consider that the E-Transit boasts maintenance costs that are 40 percent lower than its internal combustion cousins over an eight-year or 161,000km period. Which camp does the PHEV sit closer to? That’s not yet clear.
The plug-in uses a 92.9kW electric motor to power the front wheels, drawing on energy stored in its 13.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
This gives it around 50km of EV range before a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbopetrol fires up as a generator to charge the battery pack, but when that happens the model has a range similar to that of the diesel, with around 500km overall. An average optimal fuel burn of 2.4L/100km on the combined cycle is claimed in the United Kingdom.
The battery pack can be charged via the mains in 4.3 hours or by a Type-2 AC charger in 2.7 hours. The pack comes with an eight year/160,000km warranty.
The full electric’s range varies depending on version. The low-roofed editions have the best range, of 200km. It’s 189km for the medium-height roof version and 174km for the high-roof versions. That compare well with the E-Transit’s rivals including the Peugeot Partner Electric (170km), LDV EV80 (190km) and the Mercedes-Benz eVito (150km).
The E-Transit features AC and DC fast-charging. A full charge on DC using a 115kW fast charger will top the battery up from 15 percent to 80 percent in 34 minutes. The more common 50kW chargers will to that in 65 minutes. Stick it into a home power socket and it’s a 12-hour replenishment.
In both the full EV and the PHEV, the battery is positioned under the floor. In the plug-in this reduces load capacity a little compared with the standard Transit, however. Suggestion from Ford is that this isn’t the case with the full electric.
The situation for the the maximum payload is not yet clear. The PHEV in its short roof, low wheelbase version has a 1723kg payload compared with the diesel version’s 1339kg.
Another appeal with the full electric is that it features Ford’s SYNC 4 that can connect to the internet to unlock software subscriptions that help fleets manage charging transactions, telematics services and more.
So who’s buying? It’s clearly less likely to be used on long haul than the traditional models, but that’s not the idea anyway. Ford says E-Transit ideal for urban environments, fixed drive routes and deliveries within geofenced zero-emission driving zones, without requiring fleet owners to pay for excess battery capacity they don’t need.
E-Transit is part of Ford’s more than $11.5 billion global investment in electrification through 2022. The all-new, all-electric Mustang Mach-E and the fully electric F‑150, which starts hitting North American dealers in mid-2022, are also part of this push.
THE updated Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross medium crossover becomes available at the end of the month, the local distributor has announced.
The vehicle achieves fresh looks, a revised chassis, new suspension – with a new rear shock to improve handling characteristics - and some specification alterations.
One intriguing alteration affects boot space; a redesign has added 140mm length to the rear, meaning it now has a 405-litre boot. While the body is longer than before, the wheelbase remains the same (at 2670mm) with the additional space eked out of a reconfigured cabin.
The model’s exterior lines and details have also altered, to attune to the brand’s latest design language.
A new alternating-pattern mesh grille design is featured up front, flanked by slender new LED daytime lamps that replace the larger headlights of the outgoing model – leaving the lower lighting assembly to act as driving lights.
The car also gets a redesigned hatch and rear window for improved visibility, integrating with updated tail-lights.
The interior revision includes a new touchscreen that is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and achieves additional driver assist technologies. Once again, there are two specification levels, XLS and VRX.
Forward Collision Mitigation remains standard across the range, however blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert and lane change assist – fundamental elements in most cars now – are introduced to the XLS.
A 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine remains standard, with unchanged 110kW and 250Nm outputs, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission.
However, Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand has confirmed it will deliver a plug-in hybrid next year.
This comprises a 2.4-litre non-turbo petrol four-cylinder mated to electric motors mounted on each axle; so, a similar – if not the same – drivetrain as that featuring in the next size up Outlander PHEV, which is also about to undergo change.
With no major structural changes involved in the facelift, the new Eclipse Cross retains its five-star ANCAP rating, achieved before the test was toughened up at the start of this year.
JUST a handful of plug-in hybrid BMW cars in New Zealand are thought to be drawn into a battery pack problem which could result in a short circuit and potentially cause a fire.
The maker has nonetheless issued a widespread recall for all of its plug-in hybrid vehicles.
The list of affected models includes the X1, X2, X3 and X5 SUVs, the 3, 5 and 7 Series saloons, the 2 Series Active Tourer, the i8 and the MINI Countryman.
The recall applies to any of these PHEV models that were built between 20 January and 18 September this year.
BMW estimates roughly 26,700 vehicles have been affected worldwide, but it seems just 12 of these are in this country.
Comment in respect to the New Zealand situation has come from BMW’s regional head office in Australia.
“We can confirm this safety recall relates to a small limited amount of PHEV variants of the BMW 3 Series, 3 Series Touring, X1, X2, X3, X5, 2 Series Active Tourer, 7 Series, 5 Series, 5 Series Touring and MINI Countryman models,” a spokesman related today.
“An inspection of the parts involved is currently being carried out.”
Any customer who wishes to check if their car is affected by a recall can visit the recalls section of the BMW New Zealand website now and key in their 17-digit VIN numbers to find out.
Asked how many vehicles were subject to the recall, he said the count was 12, and all owners have been contacted.
“Replacement loaned vehicles have been provided to these customers while their vehicle currently undergoes an inspection.”
The initial remedial action comprised a 30 minute quality inspection. “Further action may be taken if needed.”
The spokesman did not respond to the proposal that some vehicles are expected to be off the road for weeks, due to delay in securing components.
Asked if BMW/MINI has suspended sale of PHEV product and what impact, if any, this issue had on the brand’s fully electric cars, the BMW i3 and the e-Mini, the spokesman responded: “This action does not affect full EVs, only PHEV models listed. This safety precaution recall does not affect all PHEV products.
“It affects only a small amount of vehicles from one specific production line produced in the period 13/03/2020 – 06/08/2020.”
BMW Germany announced overnight its engineers have found some discrepancies in the manufacturing process of its battery packs, which the company sources from the third-party supplier Northvolt.
The concern is that foreign contaminants may have been sealed into the units during their assembly, which have the potential to short circuit the battery pack and cause a fire.
A spokesperson for the brand in Germany said: "BMW Group has launched a worldwide safety recall and stopped delivery of a small number of plug-in hybrid vehicles as a preventative measure to check the high voltage battery.
“Internal analysis has shown that in very rare cases particles may have entered the battery during the production process.
“When the battery is fully charged this could lead to a short circuit within the battery cells, which may lead to a fire. BMW apologises for the inconvenience caused to customers, but of course safety must come first."
German media reports that a fix is expected to start being rolled out by the end of the month.
It is not the first recall to affect BMW's plug-in models. All of the above models bar the i8 were subject to a recall earlier this year to remove welding beads left on the battery.
Of course, BMW isn’t the only company plagued by battery-motivated recall issues, though. Ford, who uses the same battery supplier as BMW, issued a similar notice for the Escape PHEV after four vehicles short circuited and caught fire.
Hyundai also issued a recall for the Kona Electric after 16 reported cases of cars catching fire, which forced the Korean brand to recall more than 25,000 vehicles in South Korea. Whether the issue concerns NZ-delivered vehicles has not been made clear.
INCORPORATION of a hybrid powertrain – but not straight away - is a core change with an update to Mitsubishi’s compact sports utility, the Eclipse Cross.
Detail of this inclusion has been aired with the brand having now unveiled the refresh, which is thought to be close to introduction to New Zealand, though no exact date has been announced.
In addition to the powertrain revision, the vehicle achieves fresh looks, a revised chassis, new suspension – with a new rear shock to improve handling characteristics - and some specification alterations.
The model’s exterior lines and details have also altered, to attune to the brand’s latest design language.
A new alternating-pattern mesh grille design is featured up front, flanked by slender new LED daytime lamps that replace the larger headlights of the outgoing model – leaving the lower lighting assembly to act as driving lights.
The cat also gets a redesigned hatch and rear window for improved visibility, integrating with updated tail-lights.
The interior has not altered much, save that the centre display housing an 8.0-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability has become more prominent and the previous model's touchpad has been discarded.
The car initially continues to represent with a 110kW/250Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine matched to a CVT gearbox with all-wheel drive.
The plug-in hybrid powertrain is reportedly coming in late 2021. This comprises a 2.4-litre non-turbo petrol four-cylinder mated to electric motors mounted on each axle; so, a similar – if not the same – drivetrain as that featuring in the next size up Outlander PHEV, which is also about to undergo change.
A new Outlander is set to launch in 2021, with a PHEV variant coming in 2022.
Meantime, Mitsubishi is also looking to replace the ASX, which is the oldest of its crossovers by some margin.
Images released by Mitsubishi Japan seem to suggest the Eclipse Cross might include a sporty GSR appearance.
Comment about the Eclipse Cross has yet to come from Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand.
MORE information about the plug-in hybrid powertrain for the Land Rover Defender has come out, along with shock news – for the local distributor - that the four-cylinder diesels driving the model at present seem for the chop.
In expressing thought about both, Jaguar Land Rover New Zealand’s top man says while the P400e (above), which blends 44km of pure-electric range with punchy 300kW petrol-fired performance, looks tasty, so much will come to price.
As for the apparent determination to axe the diesels that were front and centre at the national media event for Defender, staged just seven weeks ago?
Well, that’s come as a shock to general manager Steve Kenchington and he’s been eager to get more information from JLR in the United Kingdom, which appeared to indicate this change in an overnight global release.
If that decision is valid, it’s not clear how much longer this market will be served by the D200 and D240 units that contain in all the launch derivatives.
What is known is that a six-cylinder diesel engine will be introduced in March of 2021. The national franchise already knew that this powerplant would arrive in top line D300 format. It’s the news, broken last night, of less powerful D200 and D250 variants of this unit that has come out of left field. Supposedly, these usurp the D200 four and D240.
Kenchington says there was no indication, when the car hit the market in July, that the four-cylinder option was set to disappear. As of today, he’s still not sure it will. Certainly, the reports have come as a complete surprise.
“It’s a real bombshell. I’m scratching my head on it to be honest. We actually haven’t had any formal notification that the four-cylinders are off the table for us.”
He thinks it all comes back to JLR’s focus on economies of scale and achieving less complexity.
Defender has been selling brilliantly since release – demand is actually ahead of expectation and the likelihood is at least 350 units being ordered by next March, the end of the local arm’s financial year and just nine months away, when 300 were forecast for the entire calendar year.
He doesn’t think knowledge now that an under-bonnet change is going to diminish enthusiasm for the current engines.
“If anything, it could be quite the contrary.”
Meantime, the idea of taking a PHEV alongside the current sole petrol choice, a 298kW three-litre six-cylinder (P400) that has 48-volt mild hybrid electrification.
As expected, the drivetrain is from the Range Rover Sport PHEV – so a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery. The combined output of the two systems is 296kW and 650Nm, enough to help the Defender crack the 0-100kmh sprint in 5.6 seconds. It can also tow a trailer up to 3000kg in weight.
It can cover up to 44km on pure-electric power alone and, as electric drive is sent to all four wheels, there’s opportunity for zero-emission off-road driving.
The optimal fuel burn average - under the WLTP testing regime - is just 3.3L/100km, which is the same level as claimed for Toyota’s most efficient car, the Yaris Hybrid, while emitting just 74g/km of CO2. Topping up the battery using a 50kW fast charger, meanwhile, takes just 30 minutes for an 80 percent charge, or two hours using a 7.4kW wallbox home charger.
The diesel drive unwraps in an interesting manner. That the entry six-cylinder will continue with D200 badging might confuse, but has a logic, as it creates identical power as is generated by the current 2.0-litre, 147kW – even though torque lifts, from 430Nm to 500Nm.
Retiring the D240 designation for D250 is logical, too, as it has 184kW, a 7kW lift, and a than the D240 delivers. Torque climbs to 570Nm.
The top state of tune from the six-cylinder in its flagship D300 tune, meantime, is 221kW and 650Nm.
The big plus for the six-cylinder is enhanced efficiency, but more in terms of emissions - thanks to 48-volt mild hybrid tech, the D200 and D250 emit 250 g/km.
The story is different in respect to economy. Whereas the four-cylinders’ achieve optimals of 7.6 litres per 100km and 7.7L/100km, the D200 and D250 both average 8.7L/100km. The sixes are sharper in the sprint, though, with ability to hit 100kmh in 10.2 seconds (D200), 8.3s (D250), and 6.7s for the D300.
The new diesels also introduce Intelligent All-Wheel Drive to the Land Rover family: this allows up to 100 percent of engine torque to be diverted to either the front or rear axle if required.
Those engines avail in the current 110 and the incoming shorter 90 body styles, whereas the P400e is available only in the 110 wheelbase, with five or six-seat layouts. The PHEVs also come standard with air suspension and 20-inch alloy wheels.
In some markets, Land Rover has also introduced a new X-Dynamic trim that features a satin black finish for the front and rear bash plates, grille bars, recovery loops and alloy wheels. They also take illuminated tread plates and seats finished in hard-wearing Robustek fabric.
Land Rover has also released more detail on its commercial Defenders, named Hard Top, which maintain only the front seats and convert the remaining cabin space as a fully flat load floor and have a load area partition.
the 5008 is releasing as a larger option to the 3008, which has been Peugeot’s most popular model here and is also arriving early next year in updated form, including with a PHEV drivetrain.
GOING bigger in the strongest part of the new car market is the gameplan in 2021 for Peugeot in this market – in addition to adding an electric edge to its most popular model it’s also entering the large sports utility sector.
Announcement of the seven-seater 5008 medium-large soft roader joining the local lineup, conceivably as a Skoda Kodiaq rival, follows confirmation that an update to the mid-sized and similarly styled 3008 five-seat crossover will span into another new area – electric driving.
The plug-in hybrid version of the 3008 – whose full name is a mouthful, being ‘AWD Hybrid4 300 e-Eat8’ - will stand as the first battery-compelled Peugeot sold here.
The electric-assisted 3008 will likely introduce around the same time – so, early 2021 – as the 5008, whose two orthodox turbocharged four-cylinder engine options, a 1.6-litre petrol and a 2.0-litre diesel, might conceivably feature in other 3008 models.
No exact specifications or pricing has been announced for the cars. That won’t happen until closer to launch, says the brand rights’ holder, Auckland-based Auto Distributors New Zealand.
Chief executive Chris Brown has expressed high confidence for both model lines, which despite being in different sectors as result of size difference are nonetheless closely related, being off a common platform and sharing the same drivetrains.
He views the 5008 as being “the perfect solution for families who desire unparalleled levels of comfort, style and refinement” while the 3008 should offer enough revised technology to maintain “as the most popular model in our line-up.”
The PHEV model augments the current edition’s 1.6 petrol with an electric motor and battery to produce a total output of 224kW and 520Nm. The electric drive configures to the rear wheels, so as to create a four-wheel-drive effect for a car that formats in front-drive in other editions.
The driving range on electric-only power is almost 60km, according to testing on the independent WLTP cycle.
The 3008 also presents with a 2.0-litre diesel and a 1.6-litre petrol whose respective outputs of 133kW and 400Nm and 121kW/240Nm are as developed in current editions and also appear to be cited for the 5008 models, also with an eight-speed automatic.
The refreshed 3008 is identified by a big update to the grille and LED lights and also delivers interior upgrades.
The cabin takes a 12.3-inch digital drive display and also a larger 10-inch infotainment display system to refresh the i-Cockpit cabin theme. Expect new trim options and material finishes, too.
The 5008 will intrigue as being very much a big brother in size and specification … and styling. From the back of the back of the driver’s door forwards it and the 3008 are effectively the same car.
The model designation has never been represented previously, though it has been around for some years and used to apply to a large people mover.
Peugeot retired that car when MPVs fell out of fashion but re-issued the badge on identifying – as many others have – how large SUVs were being adopted in the same role.
is one of these concepts shown last year destined to become toyota’s first electric car sold in new zealand?
FIVE more mild hybrids, a plug-in replenished battery-assisted model and a fully electric car are on Toyota’s national agenda, though sign-off for several – including the EV – has yet to be fully sorted.
What’s being sought and when it might arrive, all going to plan, has been shared by Toyota New Zealand.
Aside from the Yaris Hybrid covered extensively this week, the roll-out starts with another hybrid CH-R, but in a sportier-looking format that leverages the GR (Gazoo Racing) pitch that TNZ continues to develop. It’ll be here before the end of the year.
Following, apparently in the first half of 2021, are two vital volume products. The heavily revised Camry and a new Highlander, are also primarily – if not wholly – running battery-fed petrol drivetrains next year. So, if you still prefer a petrol V6, act fast. That choice will not transfer to the new lines.
Also tied down for New Zealand introduction, but with time yet to be fully sorted, is a hybrid Hilux. Toyota New Zealand’s chief executive, Neeraj Lala, says he hopes to see it in the latter part of next year, but accepts release could yet spill into 2022.
So that’s five: What else is in the thought stream? Two potential big-hitters that draw off mains power.
There’s the RAV4 PHEV/Prime, which replenishes its plug-in petrol-electric drivetrain off the grid. After debuting in North America last year, it’s now being built in right-hand-drive in Japan, but only for sale there at this time.
the rav4 prime was introduced to North America last year but has now entered right hand drive production, but just for Japan. TNZ has pitched for it. The car’s drivetrain (below) delivers around 90kms’ pure electric operation. It’s also designed to give a performance edge.
In this variant the front motor and inverter achieve more powerful output than the RAV4 hybrid system, the maximum system output cited at 225kW, which Toyota says, facilitates a 0-100kmh time of six seconds and “sporty, powerful driving”.
The make also claims a wholly electric driving range of 95 kilometres. That’s well above the cited range for Japan’s only logical competitor already sold here, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. The EV range, and the car’s claimed total range of 1300km, is a calculation based on Japan domestic market processes.
Lala is keen to see it and says introduction as a domestic Japan model is a good thing.
“We’ve asked Toyota Motor Corporation if that car can be made available to New Zealand. We have not had confirmation yet but it is a car we would definitely like to have in our market.
For 2021? He hopes so. One alternate option for TNZ is to introduce it as a brand-backed used import, via the Signature Class channel, but Lala’s preference would be to represent it as a brand-new product.
But that can take time. “Introducing a new car isn’t easy … there has to be a lot of testing and compliance to ensure it meets our conditions. But generally, if something has been available as Japanese domestic it has been pretty much a safe choice for NZ compliance so we’re hoping there won’t be too many hoops to jump through.”
And then the ultimate step … a fully electric product. Which is what exactly; a completely new model or something based off an existing product?
No help here, from Lala. He’s sworn to absolute secrecy. “I cannot tell you anything about it.”
Highlander hybrid has already been confirmed for 2021 launch.So has Camry (below)
That doesn’t mean nothing is known. Toyota’s determination to branch away from being the global kingpin in hybrid drivetrains and start plugging into the zero emissions EV-sphere was announced 14 months ago, when it announced intention to create pure electrics not only for itself but also for other Japanese marques in which it has tech agreements.
Toyota then unveiled a new platform with enough flexibility to entertain what could be a very wide span of different kinds of vehicle – from small city cars to large sports utilities – using a "next step" solid state battery it also racing to get into production.
The starter project is an all-electric platform for midsize and large vehicles jointly developed with Subaru. Those brands are also working together to produce an electric crossover far more advanced than the mild hybrid Forester and XV recently launched here.
That vehicle, which will be sold separately under each brand, will debut in the early 2020s and, though the US is cited as a main target market, other countries where Subaru performs well (and that’s NZ) are expected to stand a chance.
Toyota is also working with Suzuki and Daihatsu to jointly develop a compact EV.
It revealed last year that its new platform would initially underpin six variations in all - a large SUV, a medium SUV, a medium crossover, a medium minivan, a medium sedan and the compact. Styling concepts of these proposals were presented at a forum on June 7.
TNZ’s intention to take an EV is an acknowledgement, after years of denial, that nothing less than a fully electric car with actual external recharging functionality has become a must-have in this market.
Even though it has long delivered battery-involved cars across the Toyota and Lexus line-ups that have a degree of regenerative capability, presently only one product in the showroom – Prius Prime PHEV – even counts as an EV.
That’s why Government departments and companies looking to include EVs in their fleets have had to bypass the Camry, Corolla, RAV4 and Prius mild (non mains-replenished) hybrids.
plug-in capability is a requirement to achieve electric vehicle status.
Toyota Motor Corporation has said its EV deployment plans will not slow down its hybrid imprint; hence why TNZ – which has 17 already, just two less than Lexus – is able and keen add more.
Yet Japan headquarters has also acknowledged a "sudden surge" of international EV popularisation – and the repercussion of increasingly stringent emissions requirements in China and Europe - has meant it has to reconsider its thinking, which until now has been that electrics are an unnecessary step between its petrol-electric hybrids and the hydrogen fuel cell vehicles it still sees as being the ultimate cars of the future.
Accordingly, it cites that of the 5.5 million battery-assisted vehicles it aims to build by 2025, almost one million might well be pure EVs.
TMC had intended to showcase unveil a solid-state battery for electrified vehicles ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which were to have begun this week but instead have been delayed until 2021, assuming the world is by then on top of the coronavirus crisis that has caused so much disruption since March.
Solid state technology promises lighter, more powerful and safer batteries and could well be a breakthrough in popularising EVs.
Toyota is still forging ahead with a plan to start making EVs in China, purely for sale in that country. The first was expected to be a variant of the CH-R.
The new dedicated EV platform it has developed with partners is dubbed e-TNGA, a play on the company's new-generation Toyota New Global Architecture modular platform used by Corolla, Camry, RAV4 and the latest Yaris, also about to come on sale here, including in a mild hybrid form.
Toyota’s decision to also give Hilux a hybrid drivetrain was announced some months ago. Lala ‘s enthusiasm for this product is very high; he sees a big potential. Some others in the sector are looking to going all-electric – just this week the New Zealand importer for the LDV brand reckoned it will have a purely battery-compelled edition of the current T60 ute here next year. Production is set to kick off in the second quarter, with NZ market arrivals stated to start in the third quarter. Detail about the potential range, outputs and price ate still under wraps. LDV already has an electric van in the market with another on the way.
It’s far from clear whether a Hilux hybrid will be petrol-electric or diesel-electric. The latter would be a first for Toyota, which favours petrol-electric hybrid technology over diesel in its passenger car line-up.
EVEREST-rated sleeping bag and tent, multi-tool, freeze-dried food but perhaps no need for a jerry can of fuel as you’ll be heading into the rough with a three-cylinder petrol engine with electric motor that’ll give a Toyota Prius a run for ultra-efficiency.
The announcement of plug-in hybrid versions of the Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery Sport remind this famous off-road brand is packing for new kinds of adventures these days.
This greater involvement with electric drivetrains won’t just touch into the small, more city-favoured cars. It is highly probable Land Rover is set to introduce new mild-hybrid six-cylinder diesel engines to the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport within a few months effectively spelling an end to the V8 diesel.
However, the big push starts with the smaller cars, just-revealed in the United Kingdom.
And set to show in New Zealand when exactly? Jaguar Land Rover New Zealand says it certainly has interest in the product – but not the price the maker is setting for it.
Says product manager Paul Ricketts: “We are currently in pricing negotiations with the central team on these models.
“The pricing we have at the moment does not allow for the models to be competitive in New Zealand.”
Exactly what premium those P300e variants hold is anyone’s guess, as UK pricing has yet to be made public.
These editions are the first to use Land Rover's new Premium Transverse Architecture, which allows them to use plug-in technology for the first time and despite perception about this drivetrain approach being a touch ‘lite’, the maker categorically assures it’ll survive exploration outings of the Ureweras and Central Otago.
The hybrid system combines a 149kW turbocharged three-cylinder 1.5-litre petrol engine with a 81kW electric motor fed from a 15kWh battery stack, tucked under the rear seats.
The combined power output of both cars is 230kW, with 540Nm of torque. That's good enough for the Evoque to achieve 0-100kmh in 6.1 seconds and the Land Rover in 6.6s.
Claimed fuel economy and emissions are an eye-opener. Just 1.4 litres per 100km with emissions of just 32g/km, while the slightly larger, heavier, Discovery Sport scores 1.6 litres per 100km and 36g/km of CO2. Both cars can travel for more than 60km on a fully-charged battery - 66km for the Evoque and 62km for the Discovery, both capable of speeds of up to 135kmh on battery power alone.
It’s a technology leap that has been tackled with typical Land Rover ingenuity. The engine is effectively an Ingenium four-cylinder with a pot lopped off the end, which makes it 37kg lighter than the donor.
The PHEV technology marks a major change in Land Rover's four-wheel drive technology. For the first time on a four-wheel drive Land Rover model, there's no transfer box, and no propshaft going to the rear wheels. Instead, the rear of the car uses Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD) tech. The electric motor drives the rear wheels at speeds of up to 135kmh, after which it's decoupled to reduce transmission drag and save even more fuel.
There's also a new brake-by-wire system which maximises brake energy recuperation, and an on-board 7kW charging system for topping up the battery. Both cars can rapid-charge from 0-80 percent in 30 minutes. From a domestic socket, charging takes six hours and 42 minutes, while from a 7kW home charger box, it takes one hour and 24 minutes to reach 80 percent.
When running in hybrid mode, the vehicle's electronics use Predictive Energy Optimisation (PEO) tech, which combines inputs from the steering, throttle, and brake as well as localised GPS data and the sat-nav destination to best juggle the mixture of petrol and battery power.
The engine drives the front wheels through an updated eight-speed automatic transmission.
Nick Rogers, Jaguar Land Rover Executive Director of Product Engineering assures the models still meet traditional requirements.
The drivetrain lends “fantastic all-wheel drive capability and the perfect blend of performance, depending on your driving style” while the cars maintain “the same awesome capability and composure with all-electric driving and stunning efficiency, both on- and off-road.”
PLUG-IN electric fare will continue to present in strength for BMW locally even after the next round of fully electric product starts rolling in, with a fuel cell alternate also theoretically possible.
This is impressed by BMW Group New Zealand as it prepares to release another new electric pathway model - a battery-assisted edition of the X3.
Brisk business is forecast for the X3 xDrive30e, a $107,700 offer that becomes the seventh PHEV model in the local lineup.
In this car a 2.0-litre 135kW four-cylinder petrol marries to an electric motor to allow electric-only range of 55km, fuel consumption as low as 2.1 litres per 100km, a 215kW/420Nm output and 0-100kmh in just 6.1 seconds.
It’s an especially good fit as soft-roaders – or sports activity vehicles in BMW-speak - are achieving more consumer consideration than any other car type and mains-replenished drivetrains are also resonating with Kiwis, the brand’s managing director for New Zealand says
The present impact - and potential long-term implication - of the coronavirus emergency makes it challenging to give indication on supply strength or how well it will sell.
Yet Karol Abrasowicz-Madej has every confidence in PHEV and EV cars continuing to gain traction here, with an 88 percent lift between 2018 and 2019.
For sure, we’re still talking modest volume. “The total new car market was around 100,000 passenger registrations in 2019 – of those 2809 were electric, around 2.7 percent.”
However, BMW NZ is happy to hold dominance in that sliver and its PHEV lineup – which despite the combustion component meet the accepted definition of being electric cars – allows it to provision more EV choices any other make and especially good grip within the premium segment.
And this will only increase as it is looking at “any opportunity” with that product.
“There is a market, the buyers are out there and we are looking for an opportunity to capitalise.
“Our strategy is to unfold and unroll all available product to New Zealand. We know it will be good for us and customers. In our opinion plug-in hybrids are perfect for this market.
Overseas’ reports suggest PHEV is also coming to the 3-series Touring wagon in both two-wheel-drive and all-wheel drive guises, and the X1 and X2 compact crossovers. In all, BMW has promised to have 25 kinds of electric vehicles in circulation by 2023.
With so many models going battery assist, does it stand to reason that the tech will inevitably become core to the majority of BMWs sold here?
Abrasowicz-Madej doesn’t deny the possibility, but prefers not to give an estimate of how great that penetration might be in one or two years from now. It all depends on the market on how the market will develop. It’s pretty clear 2020 won’t be a brilliant year for anyone. So much depends on, for instance, how quickly business confidence is restored.
One prompt might lay with our leaders. Belief that the sector also greater Government-led stimulation to really get going also remains a passion project for Abrasowicz-Madej. Regardless that it appears to have derailed, the Clean Car proposal that would have effectively subsidised models that achieve low emissions and economy and penalise those that do not remains important, he says.
He conceivably has a good inroad to push his thoughts that with those walking the corridors of power. The Seven Series is, of course, on the Crown VIP roster and conceivably the next generation might keep that job, with Munich confirming it’ll outlay in fully-electric format – exactly the configuration the Government wants. So will BMW pitch?
Abrasowicz-Madej is diplomatic. “The Government is one of our customers. It would be a pleasure to take part on any bidding process.”
As much as the PHEV push is now firmly cemented, that’s not to say that traditional combustion engine models will be ignored: Hence why the brand is just as keen to deliver to an even more exclusive audience with the X5 M and X6 M.
“We have buyers who have preference for electro-mobility and others who prefer combustion engines. We say we can attend to both; our belief is in the power of choice.
“We are leading in the market for electrified powertrains and have the widest range and there is good demand for that. We are a brand that is intent to stay on top of technology. We know that what we are doing is right.”
X3 fans will be further drawn into a battery-compelled future when the iX3 comes here, in 2021 all going to plan. The latter and the xDrive30e will be sold side-by-side so as to enable buyers to have a full span of choice, he says.
In Europe the PHEVs have been at the forefront of BMW’s successful achievement of a range-wide reduced 95 grams per kilometre CO2 emission target set by the European Union.
Overall, BMW’s fleet fuel consumption and CO2 emissions have been cut by more than 40 percent over the past 13 years. And with the ongoing electrification process, the company claims CO2 emissions this year will be 20 percent lower than last year’s count.
The focus on this product might raise questions about where BMW stands on full electric and hydrogen, but shouldn’t.
As much as the PHEVS are setting the pace now, the long-term and priority thrust of the parent brand’s electrification plan still involves going to fully electric cars.
The MINI Cooper SE is still on track to land mid-July and NZ orders are included in a list of 7000 confirmed international reservations
It would seem a safe bet to think the new i4 sedan, though still officially a concept, is perhaps just two years away and, of course, the battery-compelled Seven-Series limo has been signed off, alongside full petrol, PHEV and another diesel (the engine currently favoured for VIP use).
All are understandably quite different propositions to the only electric BMW in circulation at the moment. Ironically, given how much of a pathfinder it has been, the now aged city-centric i3 is unlikely to enter a second generation.
In addition to those models, BMW has also reiterated seriousness about also developing a production fuel cell car.
Klaus Fröhlich, member of the board of management for Research and Development, BMW AG, has indicated the fuel-type could become a 'fourth pillar' of BMW’s future mobility stable of propulsion systems.
The intent is demonstrated by a model first revealed at last September’s Frankfurt motor show. The I Hydrogen NEXT (see video below) wouldn’t seem out of place if it hit the street tomorrow, as it is effectively a re-engineered X5, albeit with a handful of cosmetic alterations to mark it as one of the company’s eco models.
The car’s pair of eDrive electric motors, (one for each axle), with a combined output of 274kW, were developed the iX3.
The fuel cell tech might also seem familiar, too. It has been co-developed with Toyota, whose expertise in this field is demonstrated by its hydrogen-fed Mirai car, which is about to enter its second generation.
As much as BMW insists I Hydrogen NEXT requires something out of its hands - a refuelling infrastructure - it has nonetheless determined to begin a pilot production phase in 2022 and could have it in full production by 2025.
Instead of pulling stored electrical energy from a battery pack, as mains-fed electric cars do, the i Hydrogen NEXT generates its own electricity through a chemical reaction between stored hydrogen and oxygen from the air, using a hydrogen fuel cell. As such, the only emissions generated by the vehicle are water vapour.
The fuel cell is supplied by two 700 bar storage tanks, which occupy the same space as the gearbox and driveshaft in the combustion-engined X5. Together, the tanks can hold six kilogrammes of hydrogen. Refuelling also only takes around four minutes, which is a huge saving over the hour-and-a-half average charge-times of current conventional electric vehicles.
Other claimed advantages a hydrogen-electric vehicle has over a traditional EV include suitability for towing and no compromises on passenger comfort, due to the lack of a heavy lithium-ion battery pack and the stiffer suspension required to support it.
Interest in establishing a hydrogen network is taking root, and while the initial consideration is to first focus on heavy transport needs there has been talk of a refuelling network. But if it all comes into play?
“Hydrogen has challenges … there are still bottlenecks when it comes to a supply network and establishing hydrogen stations. But if the technology keeps developing on that side … well, maybe it is also an option for the future.”
MotoringNZ reviews new cars and keeps readers up-to-date with the latest developments on the auto industry. All the major brands are represented. The site is owned and edited by New Zealand motoring journalist Richard Bosselman.
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