How EVs Can Save Paradise Islands Like Hawaii | 10 July 2021

Episode 1139,   Jul 10, 2021, 11:00 AM

Today’s big EV stories:
• Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition makes UK debut
• Audi Q4 e-tron comes in at just over £40,000
• ID.4 GTX now available to order in the UK
• Tesla increases Model S and Model X prices by $5,000
• Renault Megane Ditches ICEs In The UK, Now PHEV-Only
• Volvo and Geely create Aurobay
• Nio receives certification for battery swapping stations
• LiveWire One electric motorcycle makes its debut
• Fjord1 contracts NES for ferry conversions and charging stations
• More EVs could reduce CO2 emissions in Hawaii by 93%

Show #1139.
 
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Good morning, good afternoon and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily for Saturday 10th July. It’s  Martyn Lee here and I go through every EV story so you don't have to.
 
Thank you to MYEV.com for helping make this show, they’ve built the first marketplace specifically for Electric Vehicles. It’s a totally free marketplace that simplifies the buying and selling process, and help you learn about EVs along the way too.
 
FORD MUSTANG MACH-E GT PERFORMANCE EDITION MAKES UK DEBUT
 
- Ford's high performance Mustang Mach-e GT has made its UK debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed ahead of first customer deliveries in late summer 2021. The model rivals the likes of Kia's 576bhp EV6 GT, but costs a chunk more at £67,225.
 
- The GT pairs an 88kWh battery with an electric motor on each axle for a combined output of 459bhp.
 
- s more powerful than an actual Mustang GT, which produces 444bhp from its 5-litre V8
 
- Torque is rated at a more impressive 634lb ft of torque – for reference, that’s 146lb ft more than the Tesla Model Y Performance, and more even than the most powerful road-legal Mustang ever, the Shelby GT500.
 
- 3.7sec is enough to cover the 0-62mph sprint, 1.4sec quicker than the ordinary Mach-E AWD. Top speed is a somewhat low for its class at 124mph, 13mph quicker than its standard siblings
 
- Mach-E GT’s range is rated at 310 miles (WLTP) on single charge, sacrificing 25 miles over the standard Mach-E AWD and 69 miles RWD variants fitted with the extended 99kWh battery.
 
 
AUDI Q4 E-TRON COMES IN AT JUST OVER £40,000
 
- The all-electric Audi Q4 e-tron is now available to order in both SUV and ‘Sportback’ coupe guises with prices from £40,750. The cars come with a choice of two battery sizes, three power outputs and four trim levels, offering a maximum range of 316 miles from a single charge.
 
- Audi will give you a 55 kWh battery with 52 kWh of usable capacity, as well as the entry-level 35 e-tron powertrain. That produces 168 bhp, all of which is sent to the rear wheels. As a result, the car will manage 208 miles between trips to the plug, while the 0-62 mph sprint takes nine seconds flat.
 
- 40 e-tron powertrain is even more capable. With an 82 kWh battery (of which 77 kWh is usable) and a 201 bhp electric motor, this is the model that manages 316 miles to a charge. And because it’s more powerful, the motor will get you from 0-62 mph in 8.5 seconds
 
- the 50 e-tron Quattro system. Unlike the 35 e-tron and 40 e-tron, it has two electric motors providing 295 bhp and four-wheel drive.
 
Q4 e-tron, Vorsprung 50 e-tron quattro. £65,645
 
 
ID.4 GTX NOW AVAILABLE TO ORDER IN THE UK
 
- The Volkswagen ID.4 GTX is now available for UK customers to order, with prices starting at £48,510. The first wearer of the new GTX badge is available in two versions – GTX and GTX Max (£55,540 OTR).
 
- These are also the first ID. models to feature dual-motor all-wheel drives.
 
- The ID.4 GTX features a system output of 220 kW, and is able to drive up to 180 km/h and accelerate to 100 km/h in 6.2 seconds.
 
 
TESLA INCREASES MODEL S AND MODEL X PRICES BY $5,000 
 
- Tesla has just released a $5,000 price increase for the base versions (Long Range) of both Model S and Model X electric vehicles. It comes just as the automaker started delivering the new Model S and hasn’t even started delivering the new Model X.
 
- Last month, Tesla finally started deliveries of the new Model S – starting with the new Plaid top performance version, which also saw a $10,000 price increase last month.
Now in an update to its online configurator, Tesla has decided to quietly implement a new $5,000 price increase for the base Long Range version of the flagship electric sedan. - The price jumps from $79,990 to $84,990 for the Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive Long Range version while the Plaid, which comes with faster acceleration and higher top speed, still starts at $129,990.
 
- Tesla also increased the base price of the Model X, which now starts at $94,990
 
 
RENAULT MEGANE DITCHES ICES IN THE UK, IS NOW PHEV-ONLY
 
- Renault has announced the addition of the Megane Hatch Plug-In Hybrid model to the UK lineup, complementing the Megane Sports Tourer Plug-In Hybrid. The electrified hatchback will be available to order from August, with the first UK deliveries scheduled for September. In the press release detailing the introduction of the new plug-in hybrid variant, Renault makes the following very interesting statement. 
 
“At the same time, and in line with its electrification strategy for the Megane, Renault will remove petrol and diesel versions of the Hatch and Sports Tourer.”
 
- UK customers who want a Renault Megane can only have it as a plug-in hybrid, albeit available in two equipment levels. There’s the Iconic E-Tech Plug-In Hybrid 160 Auto and the sporty R.S. Line E-Tech Plug-In Hybrid 160 Auto.
 
- a 49-kW (65-hp) electric motor sourcing energy from a 9.8 kWh (400V) lithium-ion battery.
 
- For now, Renault does not mention the EV driving range, but the Captur equipped with the same powertrain can cover 31 miles (50 km).
 
 
VOLVO AND GEELY CREATE AUROBAY
 
- Volvo Cars and its parent company Geely Holding have agreed to create a joint venture under the name Aurobay for its powertrain operations, as the companies proceed with their earlier announced plans to merge these into a new, stand-alone business.
 
- The new company will be a global supplier of complete powertrain solutions including next generation combustion engines, transmissions and hybrid solutions.
 
- Aurobay will initially be jointly owned by Volvo Cars and Geely Holding and as part of the creation of Aurobay, Volvo Cars will transfer all assets in its wholly owned subsidiary Powertrain Engineering Sweden, including its Skövde, Sweden-based engine plant including the related R&D team, along with its engine plant in China and other relevant assets to the joint venture in coming months.
 
- The creation of the stand-alone joint venture and the transfer of assets allows Volvo Cars to focus fully on the development of its new range of all-electric premium cars in coming years.
 
- The new stand-alone business also has the ambition to supply customers outside of the Geely Holding Group
 
 
NIO RECEIVES CERTIFICATION FOR BATTERY SWAPPING STATIONS
 
- Nio received TÜV certifications to sell and operate its battery exchange stations and chargers in all EU member states. The first deliveries to Nio’s first European market Norway are already on the way.
 
- Nio has now received important certifications for later use in EU countries. The German certification agency TÜV Rheinland issued the European Conformity Certificate and TÜV MARK Approval Certificate to the ‘Power Swap Station’, the DC ‘Power Charger’ and the AC wallbox ‘Power Home’. This means that the devices may be sold and operated in all EU member states.
 
- Nio wants to operate more than 4,000 of the stations worldwide, including around 1,000 outside China.
 
- Meanwhile, rumours are growing that the next European market after Norway could be Germany – not only because the German car market is highly attractive for Chinese brands. Specifically, the company is looking for a “General Manager of Nio Germany” based in Munich. According to the job advertisement on LinkedIn, there are already more than 170 applications for the vacant position.
 
 
LIVEWIRE ONE ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE MAKES ITS DEBUT
 
- Harley-Davidson announced an updated version of its LiveWire electric motorcycle on Thursday; only it's not a Harley anymore. Instead, Harley has spun off its electric motorcycle division into its own brand, which is also called LiveWire.The LiveWire One looks a whole lot like the Harley-branded LiveWire we know and love, only it's got a new paint job and a new logo. As before, the bike offers up around 146 miles of range in urban riding and can be DC fast-charged from 0-100% in 60 minutes, making it pretty easy to live with.
 
- What it does seem to have revamped is the LiveWire One's pricing. What used to be a nearly $30,000 motorcycle now asks just $21,999 before any applicable tax credits
 
- The LiveWire One will make its physical debut on July 18 at the International Motorcycle Show in Northern California.
 
 
FJORD1 CONTRACTS NES FOR FERRY CONVERSIONS AND CHARGING STATIONS
 
- Norwegian ferry operator Fjord1 has contracted Norwegian Electric Systems AS (NES) to act as system integrator and deliver power control, distribution and battery systems to three ferries that will be converted from gas and diesel propulsion to zero emission battery operation.
 
- NES will equip the three ferries with batteries, charging systems, new generators and upgrades of the AC circuit boards and automation systems. For the battery charging stations, the company will supply charging towers, power electronics and control systems.
 
 
MORE EVS COULD REDUCE CO2 EMISSIONS IN HAWAII BY 93%
 
 
QUESTION OF THE WEEK WITH EMOBILITYNORWAY.COM
 
If you had to buy one electric car today and it was the only car you were allowed to drive for the next three years, what would you choose? And why. I'll go first. VW ID.4 GTX
 
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