#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.

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.

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

#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]

#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,

#Ford's All-Electric #Mustang Mach-E Stirs Controversy [Auto Styling News]

How do you stoke both controversy and excitement among auto enthusiasts at the same time? If you're Ford Motor Company, you launch your first all-electric SUV with an iconic CAR nameplate.

The Mustang Mach-E, slated for car lots in late 2020 as a 2021 model, did just that when it was released to the public last month. To put that venerable, nay, iconic, nameplate on an SUV of any kind of new vehicle (other than a traditional sedan) was going to be controversial. And it was. Internet reception was at times brutal, and scathing. 

A small sample from ONE ad Ford ran on Twitter: 

"I’ve owned 2 mustangs, you can call this a mustang, but it’s not." 

"This ain't a damn Mustang, Ford." 

"What’s next, a Mustang truck? Or scooter?" 

"I'm holding out for your Mustang minivan." 

"@Ford  hit me up for the $500 to reserve one of these, if the following conditions are met:

1. Remove all ‘Mustang’ from the name of this vehicle 2. Remove all pony’s from the vehicle. 3. Never refer to this as a ‘mustang’ again. Never."

"Mustang or Rav4? That thing is hideous."

And, damning with faint praise...

"It has the possibility of being a great vehicle but I agree should not have been called a Mustang."

Of course, the SUV-ing of the Mustang is par for the course for American automakers, who have all but declared a jihad on sedans with their traditional hood-and-trunk designs, which they've deemed "unsellable" to the American auto buyer. Tho, the American auto buyer apparently can't get enough of sedans produced by KIA, Hyundai, Honda, Toyota, BMW, Volvo, Volkswagen, Mazda, Mercedes, Audi, and others. Maybe they haven't got the memo.

In the Mach-E, which is advertised as going 300 miles on a charge and cost between $45,000 and $60,500, the hood, like a 1963 VW Beetle,  houses trunk space, due to the electric motor not needing an up-front location, and its air-cooling capabilities. This leads to the somewhat odd-looking grille, which isn't a grille at all, but a flat space, at the front end. 

The white colored Mach-Es will show more prominently the "fang" feature on this part of the car, a cut-out that adds at least some character to an otherwise blank space. That space on the darker (dark blue, dark silver, black offerings) looks like what a kid forgot to punch out of a plastic car model. To be fair, this mimics front ends on various Tesla models,  which also look like they don't know what to do with that space. The space does include a Mustang "leaping pony," and the front end has  headlamps that resemble the Mustang car's.

The rear features a by-the-numbers Mustang-like look, with three, evenly spaced lights and another leaping pony. The side view resembles the Jaguar I-Pace electric car and the weirdly named non-electric E-Pace. From the side, the rear also has a quick-drop-off featured on the Tesla X SUV. And one could also be forgiven for squinting and seeing the Ford Edge in the side view, and possibly also in the rear. The side also features the "almond shape" rear window design featured in DOZENS of bland SUVs on the market. Is there a Federal regulation that requires this?

Which is all to say: this design rips off a lot of other SUVs, and lacks originality.

The company will offer a variety of identical-looking versions of the Mach-E, including a "Select" at nearly $44,000, at "Premium" nearing $51k, a "California Route 1" at nearly $52k, at "First Edition" at $59,900 and for just a bit more, $60,500, a top-of-the-line "GT" model. It's unclear what features will be offered to warrant such a premium, and how these near-identical cars will justify the cost differential. 

But some of these terms (Premium, Select) have appeared on Ford Tauruses in the past, and usually amount to hipper rims, leather interiors, or more powerful engines. With a base electric range already advertised (the aforementioned 300 miles) it's hard to see how the more expensive versions will justify the higher cost.  

(Photos: Ford Mustang Mach-E website)

#KIA Introduces #Futuron Electric SUV #Concept

Kia Motors has revealed its new Futuron Concept, an illuminating all-wheel drive SUV coupe which signals design cues for future electric vehicles.

The Futuron Concept represents the modern and confident image of a progressive electric SUV coupe envisioned by Kia. The Futuron name itself is a portmanteau of ‘future’ and ‘on’, hinting at the switched-on, electric nature of future SUV designs from the brand.

With a design based around the notion of dynamic purity, the Futuron Concept merges elegant proportions with pure shapes and surfaces. Its lightweight SUV coupe body incorporates a fully-electric all-wheel drive powertrain, wrapped in bold yet modern exterior surfaces, and with a flexible, high-tech interior.

The Futuron made its public debut this month at the 2019 China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

The Kia Futuron Concept is built around a ‘360-degree’ design notable for its pure, smooth form devoid of ornament. The delicate diffusion of the body’s surfaces creates a series of taut, flowing shapes which twist, expand and contract around the body. The result is a sleek and streamlined shape, creating an aero-efficient profile.

The novel proportions of the car are immediately striking. Its low-profile SUV coupe body makes a strong statement of intent for Kia’s future cars, which will be confident, sporty and modern, yet also elegant.

The Futuron’s elevated ground clearance is matched with a low, lean body to create a dynamic, confident posture, that's at once aggressive and beautiful.

The Futuron’s fully-electric powertrain makes this shape possible. A high-capacity battery is mounted low in the vehicle’s body, beneath the cabin floor, providing electrical energy to four in-wheel electric motors. The elevated stance of the car is therefore matched with a low center of gravity and a cutting-edge e-AWD system which delivers lightning-fast responses to driver inputs.

The front fender flows backwards from the front of the hood before plunging into the cabin itself, establishing a connection between the driving seat and the road ahead. The concept’s roof is a diamond-shaped panoramic glasshouse which sits atop the 360-degree core, in the best traditions of UFO and flying saucer design. While flooding the cabin with natural light, it also extends down the bonnet to give drivers an unparalleled view ahead.

The glasshouse also incorporates a network of LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors capable of providing Level 4 autonomous driving features, enabling hands-off and eyes-off driving in most conditions.

Furthermore, the 360-degree theme is evident in the lighting that illuminates a sharp character line encircling the Futuron’s body. A playful and interactive new feature, this lighting responds to physical gestures and movements made outside the car, eliciting a close connection between vehicle and driver before they even set foot in the cabin.

The front of the Futuron features a new reinterpretation of Kia’s ‘tiger nose’ grille, a signature for Kia design now for over a decade. While maintaining the basic principle of the design – a clear outline with tabs in the middle – Kia’s designers have expanded the boundaries, widening the shape across the front of the car to create a restrained, yet elegant ‘tiger face.'

The newly-designed front of the car, like that of the Imagine by Kia Concept first revealed earlier in 2019, expresses a new design interpretation for Kia’s future electric vehicles.

With a wider ‘tiger face’ shape, the grille incorporates the Futuron’s headlamps, an innovative ‘Star Cloud’ design which gives the car a dazzling new night-time identity. The concept’s Star Cloud lighting not only highlights a new design form for the front of the car, but also embodies a new lighting concept for Kia, taking inspiration from nebulae in the night sky to create a geometric patchwork of matrix LED lighting. The Star Cloud is also incorporated into the rear of the car, displaying a distinct light signature to anyone following the Futuron.

Revealed for the first time in Shanghai, the Futuron also incorporates Chinese legend in the design and form of its new Star Cloud lighting. The Dragon Skin surface which covers the lighting area emulates the scaled armor that adorns Chinese dragons, both in mythology and modern-day cultural celebrations. The Star Cloud lighting incorporates a kinetic surface, enabling the car to alternate between daytime running lights and full-beam headlamps as the scales open and close.