G. David Felt

? I thought the pope and his minions always sprayed holy venom all the time!

Using the VWs groups MEB platform, Audi first introduced the world in 2018 to the Audi e-tron GT and today takes the next step in showing the world their A6 e-tron luxury sportsback sedan. Audi premiere the world to their Light, Design and Technology with the Audi Q4 e-tron Audi Q4 e-tron premiere Audi A6 e-tron concept – the next e-volution | Audi MediaCenter (audi-mediacenter.com) View full article

According to CHARGED EV Mag web site, Taiga Motors is building a new assembly plant in Quebec for all it's off-road EVs from Snow mobiles to Personal Watercraft. Charged EVs | Taiga Motors to build new assembly facility for its off-road EVs in Québec - Charged EVs Taiga - Electric Snowmobiles and PWCs (taigamotors.ca)

Toyota Motor Corporation announced their Toyota bZ line-up of BEVs at the Shanghai Auto Show. The first to be unvealed is the Toyota bZ4X, an AWD in the bZ series. This CUV plays off the success of the Toyota Rav 4 hybrid series in style. Toyota had 4 key points that they made with tonight's product reveal: Toyota intends to contribute to SDGs based on the perspective of "home planet" that responds to environmental issues of global scale above and beyond the concepts of "hometown" and "home country" that the automotive industry has long continued its business in. Toyota intends to fully concentrate on achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, in accordance with the energy and industry policies in different countries. Toyota is establishing a full line-up of electrified vehicles, which has worked in reducing carbon emissions, based on the concept of introducing sustainable vehicles practically to the market. The number of electrified models will reach around 70 by 2025. In establishment of a full line-up of electrified vehicles, Toyota is underway to introduce 15 BEVs, including seven Toyota bZ models, by 2025. Toyota is working together with Subaru Corporation (Subaru) to promote car-making that takes advantage of the strengths of both companies. Toyota hopes to begin worldwide sales of the Toyota bZ4X, a new SUV BEV, by the middle of 2022. While Toyota had heavily invested in Hybrids and believed Hydrogen is the future, they have quickly paired up with other companies to share the cost of BEV development. China's BYD, Daihatsu, Subaru and Suzuki are partners in using the new e-TNGA platform. Toyota and Subaru jointly developled the Toyota bZ4X taking advantage of the companies strengths. Toyota expertise in electrification with Subaru's superior AWD technologies and driving performance that is both comfortable and enjoyable is what has allowed the bZ4X to be a class leading design with Toyota planning to have the bZ4X produced in Japan and China for global sales starting in the middle of 2022. The Toyota bZ4X has the following characteristics: Using a BEV-specific platform, the bZ4X combines a long wheelbase with a short overhang; this results both in a distinctive design, and in an interior space comparable to a D-segment sedan. A uniquely shaped steering wheel eliminates the need to change grip when steering, and also contributes to a spacious interior; the vehicle adopts a steer-by-wire system that provides a smooth driving feel aligned with the driver's intentions. The low position of the instrument panel and the location of the meters above the steering wheel serve not only to enhance the vehicle's sense of space, but also improve visibility and contribute to safe and secure driving. The bZ4X adopts a new AWD system jointly developed by Toyota and Subaru; it combines safe and pleasing driving performance―made possible by the unique responsiveness of electrified vehicles―with an impressive off-road performance. In addition to the use of regenerative energy systems, the vehicle also adopts a solar recharging system; this cleverly recharges the battery while stationary, and further enhances the unique environmental performance of a BEV. It also provides cruising range that ensures customers not to be inconvenienced in wintertime. Toyota believes they can greatly reduce CO2 emissions via their electrification program and as such plan to have globally 70 electrified models by 2025. This includes their HEVs (hybrid electric vehicles), PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles), BEVs (battery electric vehicles) and FCEVs (fuel cell electric vehicles). Toyota currently has 22% of their global product line some form of electrified vehicles. They plan to increase this to 70 models covering an undefined percentage of their global product line depending on customers needs Toyota will slowly phase out ICE only auto's as they move to a full hybrid/BEV/FCEV product line. An interesting observation is in their first commercial for the Toyota bZ product line and how they are clearly showing the BEV line as an activity / lifestyle auto with the ability to play in the city and just as easily play in the woods. You can find additional photo's and videos of the product release at the company link below. Toyota announces its new BEV series, Toyota bZ, in establishment of a full line-up of electrified vehicles | Toyota | Global Newsroom | Toyota Motor Corporation Official Global Website View full article

Even though I know it was not this car in the Horror movie Christine, Every time I see it, it reminds me of that movie.

So as those that have been around a long time, I used to have a truck, still have my suburban and miss the truck. Wife wants it for her gardening. I have fitted much into my suburban from loads of sheetrock, protected from the rain to lumber. Love the almost 5ft wide interior and with second row seats down and third row bench seat removed, that is 10 feet long space which works for many things, but smells do linger inside an SUV. Why did I get rid of the truck, simple, the kids grew up, the niece needed a truck for her husband and the wife was wanting a mid size suv awd as at the time she was in college. So gave the truck to the relative, solid little Dodge Dakota and got the SS. No regrets, but ready for a crewcab pickup truck with a bed liner for easy wash out. Both Hummer and Rivian are at the top of the list. Will see what I end up getting in the future. Eventually the Escalade will get retired and a full size EV SUV will replace it. Trucks like this Hyundai Santa Cruz Activity Life Style truck will become very common as I see the bulk of society having an SUV/CUV and an Activity Truck to meet their needs.

Makes sense on the Acadia as that section is so big, they really need a window there. Agree that the Envision also should have a window too, crazy that we are removing the shoulder checks for the corner of the auto due to lack of windows to ensure roll over protection is there for the roof not crushing down.

So no use for any bed hauling? No yard projects, no kitchen gear?, I am surprised as usually people can see a valid use for a small bed to haul stuff, hose it out and not worry about getting the inside of their auto dirty. So hobbies, kids stuff, camping, nothing in your life you can see a truck or hybrid SUV/truck or Suck use for ?????? ?

My sister really loves the look and Snazzberry color of the Gladiator, but with her job being on the road all the time going from patient to patient, she needs gas mileage over functional fun. I think this Hyundai will serve a great purpose and sales will be solid.

When someone says Canadian, I think of Ehhhhh.

Totally agree, I think state license plates should cover the whole state rather than just a certain segment. I see that on pretty much all of them. Happy to see the old Orange and black plates go, but they do seem to fit on the criminal auto's.

Liking the Hummer twins very much, great to see a second Ultium battery plant is going to get built in Tennessee. GM Is Building Another $2.3B Ultium Battery Plant in Tennessee (thedrive.com) Very cool story on the GMC V12. GM’s Final V12 Was an Obscure 11.5-Liter Truck Engine From the 1960s (thedrive.com)

This is a good little pickup for those that want to haul people and occasional stuff or the run to Home Depot. Will be interesting to see it sales numbers, but I suspect there is more than enough to justify the R&D and sell them to be profitable. Interior reminds me of what we will see for the standard on all future auto's be it ICE or EV as the screens with programming are easier and cheaper than all manual instruments or individual dummy lights and alerts. Exterior I find pleasant enough, not offensive. Decent numbers for what it is and gotta love the 20ft turning radius, great for maneuvering.

Not sure what the service interval will be, but I did find for Yamaha Electric golf carts that they recommend an SAE80 W90 high performance gear oil with filter change every 10 years or 10,000 hours. Knowing how little Golf carts are driven, I can see this not affecting the average buyer. I would think it would be an equally long time on the gear oil for this electric motor.

I think as we move towards EV's just like GM has their connect and cruise motor, transmission and electrical harness with CPU that allows someone to update an old ICE auto with a modern power train, GM has committed to having connect and cruise EV conversion kits with choice of battery packs. I can see Yamaha doing the same thing and if not, a 3rd party company that will bundle the motor/controller with a battery pack and wiring for those that want to convert an auto to electrical.

Dr. Pepper

Just quoted the linked info which calls the Hyundai that. ? Yes, Ferraris are Meh to me! Could die like Alfa did and would not be a big deal. Sadly, they brought Alfa back and still is a Meh, no big deal auto.

Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, truly proving the saying of common sense is not so common. Let me break this down for you then. The post is about economies of scale not working for EVs when prices are going up. I point out that it is hard to lower prices when costs are going up due to greed of companies. We have shortages of chips, basic supplies to go into making so many components and as those costs go up, they are passed along to the customer. As such, it is understandable that especially now with the backlog of ships still needing to get through another example the sueze cannel after the container ship blocked it for over a week that cost are going up. That does not mean long term economy of scale will not still work to lower costs. Right now, greed has played a major role in so many things being more expensive than they need to be. I pointed out how the ripple effect of the greed of the unregulated power industry in Texas has driven up the costs of items across the board. Your freedom to agree with me or not. I just pointed out why costs are increasing. This is the same for ICE auto's, prices are continuing to go up due to shortages and material costs going up. So no difference between ICE or EV.

IBIZWAX is sold in a box package at Costco which also had soap for washing, the waterless wash/wax spray that I use to do an initial cleaning of the auto, their Everything Wax, Sheen spray for the inside of the auto and then the Headlight and metal polish cleaning material. Inside Costco it is $49.99 As such, I found it convenient to buy and use and been happy with the results. I am sure the online product offer if you want it delivered to your home to be good too I am sure. See below for both instore details and online that Costco offers. IBIZ World Class Detailing Products | Car Detailer Products| Wax Direct Online from Costco, they have an alternative box'd package of auto detailing for $59.99 Meguiar's Gold Class Car Detailing Kit (costco.com)

So some believe James Bond is only a code name given to that agent, as such, a future James Bond could be Black or Asian. ? So then if they go with a Woman, does the name get changed to Jamie Bond???????????? ?

No one promises lower prices, but the greed of the power companies there affected the core of the adhesive companies that produce what is used by the plywood companies and as such, prices and supply have jumped crazy high. If the Texas power companies bit the bullet of investing in protecting their infrastructure when this last happened, companies would not be out of power, people would not have died due to freezing and so much more. Yes I stand by my statement that the greed of the texas unregulated power companies is costing us all. If you look at the adhesive and other components that are used in production of plywood the core of them are all located in Texas. The power outages that could have been avoided if the unregulated greedy power companies had been forced to protect their generation stations and transmission for adverse weather the last time it happened and we would not be seeing such huge jumps in products from Plywood to gas. Texas Greed of the power companies has had a major ripple affect across the whole country. Everything has gone up greatly in cost due to just core basic gas costing so much more as we seem to have foot dragging to restart gas production sites in Texas, then you have the chemical companies that had to restart and now are having higher costs to get their products to market. Ripple affect is wide and big and it affects everything including building auto's.

Last night I washed all 3 auto's, SS, Escalade and Suburban. So they are all very clean, was a long but worthwhile 6hrs for a deep clean. This week is all sunshine in the greater PNW and into the mid 70's by this weekend. This morning before I had to jump on back to back calls, I used my IBIZWAX waterless wash/wax to get the auto ready for a deeper waxing on the Suburban. So looking good, now I can put the IBIZWAX wax covering on it to have it protected for the rest of spring and summer. Then onto the SS and Escalade.

France has joined a growing list of European countries that are pretty much paying for you to move to an electric bike especially if you live in the city. Trade in your gas auto to be crushed and France will give you $2,991 US or $2,500 Euro's to buy your new electric bike. In many cases top of the line Electric bikes like those built by Peugeot cost $2,500 making it a no cost option to change over to an electric bike form your to quote the French Government, inefficient gas auto, reducing the need for insurance, gas, maintenance, etc. With France having free chargers all over their cities, this will help to clean up the air, reduce noise pollution and increase the healthy life style of the citizens by having them use an electric bike. As stated in the story, many families that have two auto's might still need one for long distance road trips and with e-bikes being cheaper if it is an import from outside France could make it a 2 e-bike family with a single auto for long distance road trips still making it a great deal. Another major EU country to offer $3,000 e-bike credit to trade in your old gas car (electrek.co)