Monday, December 28, 2020

#EV Company #Canoo To Build Roomy Van And Delivery Truck [Auto Styling News]

[Auto Styling News] 


You've heard of Tesla, but now get ready for Canoo.

Canoo is a Los Angeles-based company that has developed electric vehicles, as well.

Canoo says it has designed "a modular platform purpose-built to deliver maximum vehicle interior space and adaptable to support a wide range of vehicle applications for consumers and businesses."


In the beginning it will offer consumers would it cals a lifestyle vehicle and we'll also produce a delivery truck, called a "multi-purpose delivery vehicle."

The company won the Red Dot Design Award 2020: "Best of the Best" for concept design in the transportation and mobility category.

Based on Canoo’s proprietary electric platform, the vehicle will be offered in two initial size variants, with others to follow. 

Its all-electric multi-purpose delivery vehicle will be priced starting at around $33,000. Limited availability will begin in 2022, with scaled production and launch planned for 2023. Pricing and availability of the consumer-focused lifestyle vehicle have not yet been released on the company's website.


Customers can pre-order the multi-purpose delivery vehicle for a refundable deposit of $100 per vehicle.

The delivery truck will be a lot squarer then the consumer vehicle. Which makes sense, because it will be easier to install shelves in the truck that resembles an Amazon delivery truck then in one that resembles a pill.

Let talk about the design of the consumer vehicle - the minivan.

You can't accuse it of being ugly. In fact, it resembles a beautiful Tylenol tablet. The front is roundly curved oh, and the back of the thing is almost exactly the same shape.

In fact, owners will probably complain that they have trouble walking to the front of the vehicle when they get out of the store, because they continually walk to the rear instead.

The headlamps and the tail lamps resemble the letter T on its side. They are quite stunning, in part because they are unlike anything on the market today. In fact, this vehicle will not be mistaken for any other
vehicle that has ever existed. Although one can say it resembles, if you squint and use your imagination, a Toyota Previa 
minivan, which graced American roads from 1991 to 1997. 

The roof panel consists entirely of glass, which is becoming more and more common especially in luxury vehicles. In fact, the vehicle will have 22 windows in total. Visibility in this thing will be amazing!

The safari windows appear above where the normal four windows of the vehicle are. And in the front of the vehicle, where the dashboard usually would sit, a window will allow drivers and passengers to see through roadway ahead of them, and pedestrians, more clearly.

The company says there will only be one color offered for the vehicle, black, which brings to mind Ford Motor Company's hesitation - well, Henry Ford's - to offer any colors back in the early 1900s. (They finally relented, of course, and Model A's were offered in the spectrum of colors by the 1920s.)

However the cars will be offered with the option of wraps, and I'm sure the aftermarket for wraps will be hot if this car takes off.


Despite the push-me-pull-you jokes that are inevitable for people who remember the original Doctor Doolittle film, the car is actually quite handsome and striking from a distance. That alone is likely to how many people in and get them to plunk down $100 to reserve one, or invest in the company's stock (GOEV) which is already trading near $15.50  a share. 

At the time this blog was written, Tesla was hovering around $660 a share. Imagine if you had bought it at $15 a share?

It's very easy to get excited about this vehicle, and about this company and it's rather stunning looking vehicles. But the recent troubles with EV carmaker Nikola, which just lost a huge contract to build electric garbage trucks, shows that the market is very tender right now. 

Still, it's equally easy to envision millions of Americans driving their kids to school and to the supermarket in this round electric minivan in early 2023 and 2024.

See video below of a "beta" version of the family vehicle in action.


Auto Styling News is a blog that covers car concepts, newly released models, and the auto industry.

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Specs, Spy Photos Revealed For Ioniq 5 Electric Vehicle [Auto Styling News]


Specs for Hyundai Motor Company’s first electric vehicle under new sub-brand Ioniq, the Ioniq 5, have been (inadvertently) released by Hyundai Austria, says Inside EVs, which took the spot shot above of the sleek, 5-door hatch with Audi-like production head lamps.

The Ioniq 5 First Edition has a dual motor specification and a maximum output of 313 horsepower. When fully charged, the maximum range is 450km (280 miles) based on a 58kWh battery.  In Austria, a reservation can be placed from December 18th to January 31st.

By February 2nd, Hyundai will allow customers to choose the color and then they will have time until February 16th to place the order. Vehicles will arrive by June/July, 2021, says The Korean Car Blog.

The Ioniq 5 is based on Hyundai Motor Group's E-GMP platform for electric vehicles, and will be sold between $42,900 and $45,400, depending on battery capacity

The First Edition will likely strongly resemble last year's stunning 45 Concept car, below, revealed at the Frankfurt Auto Show.



Monday, December 7, 2020

#Polestar Wows With Handsome Precept #Concept [Auto Styling News]


Polestar is the Swedish company Volvo's electric vehicle division, and both are owned by Chinese parent company Geely. It is headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden with vehicle production taking place in Chengdu, China.

It is already up and running and selling cars worldwide. And it's turning heads with its clean, Nordic designs.

Polestar recently unveiled the Polestar Precept – a vision of how the brand sees its future styling direction.

The company's division says, in typically Nordic and logical language, "we believe that a car should stand out because every part of it has been thoroughly thought out."

The name “Precept” was chosen to emphasise the vehicle’s role in setting out Polestar’s intent as the contemporary electric performance brand. 

A precept is a manifesto of things to come; a declaration. The car signifies an important milestone for Polestar as a standalone brand, describing a unique design philosophy that remains firmly embedded in Polestar’s brand values: pure, progressive and performance.

“Precept is a declaration, a vision of what Polestar stands for and what makes the brand relevant,” says Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar. “The car is a response to the clear challenges our society and industry face. This is not a dream of a distant future, Polestar Precept previews future vehicles and shows how we will apply innovation to minimise our environmental impact.

Indeed, the car is not too far in looks from the 2021 Polestar 1, an incredibly handsome vehicle (on sale now for about $60k.)

Precept features an integrated front wing above the SmartZone which accelerates air flow over the long hood. This allows air to attach itself to the surface earlier, which improves aerodynamic efficiency and thus improves the vehicle’s range. 

Minimalistic athleticism, the sculpted form of the Polestar Precept sets the tone for future Polestar vehicles. The vehicle’s proportions define its presence with restrained surfacing and a focus on aerodynamic efficiency. A 3.1-metre wheelbase which accommodates a large battery pack gives the four-door vehicle a very low silhouette, and better leg-and-head room in the back seat.

The front grille is replaced by the Polestar SmartZone, representing, "a shift from breathing to seeing," the company says. An area which once channelled air to radiators and the internal combustion engine now houses technology for safety sensors and driver assistance functions. 

Purposefully gathered behind a transparent panel dedicated to intelligent hardware are two radar sensors and a high definition camera. The LIDAR pod, mounted atop the glass roof, is given optimal visibility as a next step towards increased driving assistance. The Thor’s Hammer-style LED headlight style evolves with separated elements, taking on a dynamic, more robotic and brand-defining interpretation.

At the rear, the wide blade-like light fixture spans the entire width of the car, extending into vertical aero-wings – another aerodynamic feature and a nod to light-weight design.

There are, of course, some flights of fancy, and fantasy, that won't likely be seen on the production car.

Conventional side mirrors are replaced here by camera-based units, each of which extends outwards on an aerodynamic arm. 

The absence of a conventional rear window means that the Precept’s single-volume glass roof extends behind the rear seats and the tailgate itself is designed with a larger opening and higher-mounted hinges improving access. This obviously will be replaced in the production car with a proper rear window for visibility.

That's not to say some future tech won't make it into this car. Inside, the traditional rear-view mirror is replaced with a digital screen, the image collected by a wide-angle camera mounted at the rear of the car.

This technology is already creeping into several vehicles in 2020, including some GM cars like the Cadillac CT6 and some Lexus models. It's a neat feature that allows you to avoid the 3 adult's heads in the back seat because the camera is on the back of the roof.

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

#Rivian Electric Trucks Set To Launch With $69k Starting Price [Auto Styling News]

You may know all about the Cybertruck and its developer, serial entrepreneur Elon Musk, but you might have to get to know Rivian and its founder and CEO, RJ Scaringe as well, if you want to keep up with the latest in electric trucks.

Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian unveiled its highly anticipated Electric Adventure Vehicles - the R1T, an all-electric pickup and the R1S, an all-electric SUV — launched at events surrounding the 2018 LA Auto Show. They're nearing their production schedule of late 2020.

The R1T, a 5-passenger pickup truck, debuted at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles on Nov. 26, and the R1S, a 7-passenger SUV, was revealed at the automaker’s press conference at Automobility on Nov. 27. 

With up to 400+ miles in electric range, a wading depth of 1 meter, lockable storage bins that can fit the bulkiest of gear, and the performance and precise control of quad-motor AWD, Rivian vehicles have been developed to help customers get out and explore the world. Both vehicles will be produced at Rivian’s manufacturing facility in Normal IL.

The company begins by producing, "two vehicles that reimagine the pickup and SUV segments,” says Scaringe. “I started Rivian to deliver products that the world didn’t already have - to redefine expectations through the application of technology and innovation. Starting with a clean sheet, we have spent years developing the technology to deliver the ideal vehicle for active customers.

The company launches with two trucks, the R1T and R1S. Both designs communicate strength and refinement while still inviting customers to get the vehicles dirty. Strong proportions and clean, continuous bodylines help achieve a modern, inviting stance while acknowledging the performance and level of technology integrated into the vehicles.

The main bodyline of the R1T, which wraps up and around the cab and gives the vehicle a distinctive silhouette, while highlighting the Gear Tunnel™ cutline and accentuating the rear fender flares. The R1S shares much of its appearance with the R1T but in the rear highlights a function-driven design expressing capability and utility with plenty of space for occupants and gear. 

Rivian R1T

Both vehicles feature short overhangs, high ground clearance and aggressive approach and departure angles for a confident and rugged stance, all enabled by Rivian’s unique skateboard platform. 

Perhaps most controversially, the Rivian trucks will be quickly recognized on the road with their iconic, signature “stadium” headlights and a daytime running light that extends the entire width of the vehicle. But then again, every part of the Cybertruck will look far LESS conventional than these trucks, which will bring to mind the Toyota FJ Cruiser or even the 2021 Ford Bronco.

The Rivian has a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting at $69,000. At this time, Rivian is taking $1,000 refundable deposits.

Monday, November 2, 2020

Hyundai Prophesy EV Concept Will Give #ElonMusk Sleepless Nights [Auto Styling News]

 

Hyundai just won a 2020 Red Dot Design Award for its latest and sleekest concept car - the Prophecy. The design concept got a nod as the "Best of the Best" in the mobility and transportation category.

Released in March, just as the world went into hibernation due to the coronavirus, many probably missed this gorgeous concept car, which Hyundai insists will be hitting the roads in some form in the near future as a fully electric vehicle.

What more than likely will not be hitting the roads will be the concept's joystick driving mechanism, which takes the place of a steering wheel.

Still, Elon Musk and is electric Tesla fleet should be a little bit nervous by this gorgeous vehicle concept from Korea.

The Prophecy Concept brings life to yet another new icon of Hyundai’s electric car that will stretch Hyundai’s design spectrum into broader horizons, even if the design only partly see the light of day. 

Company designers are calling it ‘optimistic futurism, which will serve as the ‘emotional connection’ forged between the human and car. 

The key characteristic is most prominent in the immaculate side view, reminiscent of a perfectly weathered stone. The clean, simple and streamlined ‘one curve’ stretches from the front to the rear of the vehicle to define timeless design. 

The deliberate restraint in its contour is at once present and recognizable even from a distance. The wheel looks like a propeller of an airplane, sucking in air flow down the side of the car, compelling it to adhere close to the car body. 

Transparent acrylic material gives us a clear view into the beauty of functional components – an intentional design feature that is integrated in the spoiler, and in the headlamps. 

The visionary concept clearly expresses Hyundai's latest design philosophy, Sensuous Sportiness, expanding on the era-defining example set by last year's "45" concept EV that stripped away complexity in favor of clean lines and minimalistic structures.

Leveraging the extended wheelbase and shorter overhang, Hyundai's designers have achieved something truly streamlined and beautiful to look at. And they know it.

"We have brought to life yet another icon that establishes a new standard for the EV segment as well as pushing Hyundai's design vision to even broader horizons," said SangYup Lee, Head of Hyundai Global Design Center. "With Optimistic Futurism, our aim is to forge an emotional connection between humans and automobiles."

The application of Hyundai's Sensuous Sportiness design philosophy is evident in the voluptuous side section, which is like that of a perfectly weathered stone. 

The dynamic and elegant boat-tail line created by the rear quarter panels appear to propel the form forward even when it is standing still.

The transparent acrylic material provides a clear view of the functional components inside. This intentional design feature is integrated in the spoiler, headlamp and in the camera monitoring system (CMS), calling attention to the functional beauty of the components.


The pixel lamp lights, which were first seen on the '45', are another rather radical step forward. This progressive lighting technology is integrated into the headlamp, tail lamp and spoiler, calling to mind the abundant energy contained in the vehicle's battery cells. Pixelated lamps will be carried forward as a signature design element in future Hyundai models.

(If there is one note of mild criticism one can make this gorgeous vehicle, it would be the design of the headlamps themselves. They remind me of a 2006 Nissan headlamps, in shape, anyway, despite their high technology, which clearly reside in the 2020s. 

They would do well to borrow the headlamps of either the 2020 Hyundai Tucson or Hyundai Sonata for this model.)

A wide air intake installed below the bumper takes fresh air to cool the batteries more effectively, delivering an even more eco-friendly EV to customers.

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Cadillac Teases 2023 All-Electric LYRIQ [Auto Styling News]



Cadillac has announced that the first of its electric vehicles will be the LYRIQ, a show car planned for a 2023 launch.

The car takes the current angular styling and puts it on steroids with nary a curve to be found on the entire vehicle.

Cadillac’s first electric SUV makes a bold design statement that introduces a new face, proportion and presence for the brand’s new generation of EVs. It’s a forward-looking vision unconstrained by the needs of a traditional internal combustion engine, says the company.

The face of the vehicle is undoubtedly unique. Whether it will prove too much for the buying public, or whether it will fit right in among other cars of the year 2023, remains to be seen.


“The LYRIQ represents the next iteration of the iconic brand’s styling, enabled by electrification, as only Cadillac can express,” said Andrew Smith, executive director, Global Cadillac Design. “Inside and out, LYRIQ is a thoughtful integration of design and technology and is intended to make every drive an occasion.”

The company's launch releases the LYRIQ is "assertive and modern," and they are not wrong. The vehicle is characterized by its low, fast roofline and wide stance that emphasize agility and convey confidence. Additional details such as a flow-through roof spoiler express the careful attention paid to aerodynamics to optimize efficiency on the highway.

A distinctive “black crystal” grille in the front is one of the LYRIQ’s most unique and expressive design elements. It is also a dynamic feature, as it is part of a dramatic lighting choreography that — along with bold vertical, slim LED signature lighting — greets the owner upon approach. At the rear, a split taillamp design incorporates slim LEDs that are also integrated into the lighting choreography.


Internally, the LYRIQ will be based on GM’s next-generation, modular electric vehicle platform and driven by the Ultium propulsion system, allowing Cadillac to deliver customers a variety of range and performance options. 

With range being one of the biggest factors when it comes to selecting an EV, the LYRIQ will deliver over 300 miles of range on a full charge.

Squarely aimed at Tesla buyers, Cadillac EV well also offer a hands-free driver assistance feature, along with remote self parking.

Of note is the LYRIQ's Ultium battery system. The Ultium’s NCMA (nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminum) chemistry uses aluminum in the cathode to help reduce the need for rare-earth materials such as cobalt. In fact, GM engineers reduced the cobalt content by more than 70 percent, compared to current GM batteries

Monday, March 16, 2020

#Mercedes Delays Work On Self-Driving Cars To Focus On Electric [Auto Styling News]


Mercedes has delayed the introduction of self-driving cars to focus on electric vehicles and autonomous trucks.

Speaking with journalists in the wake of the cancelled Geneva motor show, Daimler chair and head of Mercedes cars, Ola Kallenius, said the German luxury giant shifted its approach to self-driving vehicles.

They will, however, continue to focus on semi-autonomous trucks.

Three questions surrounding autonomous cars include whether they are technically feasible, whether regulators will allow them on the road, and whether consumers will pay a premium for the technology.

[Source]

Monday, January 13, 2020

#SONY Surprises With #Tesla-Like Electric Car #Concept At #CES2020 [Auto Styling News]


Sony says it wants us to re-imagine mobility as we know it. To that end, its electric, self-driving vehicle prototype, the VISION-S, was unveiled this week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, and ... it looks a whole lot like a Tesla.

Considering its company name, Sony will no doubt be up to the challenges of creating a technologically stunning vehicle, albeit its first one. It will (says the company) feature 33 sensors around the car, offering 360-degree vision of the road. It can park itself, with a "summon" feature similar to Tesla's, and of course has self-driving capabilities. Like the Tesla, it will feature ongoing software updates.

Now to the looks: From a side profile, one might be forgiven if you mistake it for a Tesla S. It has the same general shape, including the squared-off rear end. But there are some interesting differences. The Tesla's front looks as though it forgot the grille, placing a flattened panel in its place. The VISION-S, however, looks somewhat nicer, with an almost Porsche-like rounded front end. It headlamps are attractive, and a bar with a stylized feature that looks like two hands coming together, meeting in the middle.

The rear-panel window, as with all of the side windows, are squared off and form a straight line from front to back. That gives it a rather conventional style, and a bit out of step with current design of most other vehicles (including the Tesla S) which have door panels that swoop gently upward as they work their way to the back of the vehicle.

The rear, aside from being squared off like a Tesla, also has lights that resemble the Musk vehicle. And many following this car will undoubtedly believe they are following a Tesla.

Of course, this is a "prototype" (not a CONCEPT, says Sony) so things *might* change between now and actual production, a date for which was not announced in Las Vegas.

Overall, this is not an ugly vehicle, and will give Tesla a run for its money, especially if it can offer greater tech inside the cabin than Musk's car, at roughly the same price. And Sony brings with it a credibility and name recognition for high quality technology, so Elon must be slightly nervous,