The Cadillac Optiq, soon to debut in China, has a story of its own. It shadows its sibling, the Lyriq, but flaunts a unique persona. These fresh photos, courtesy of China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, show the Optiq in its powerful dual-motor AWD variant, the latest addition to the Ultium electric SUV lineup.

The Optiq is powered by a 143-kw front motor and 68-kw rear motor

At first glance, the Optiq might look identical to its single-motor RWD sibling. But dig a little deeper, and its character emerges. The new front grille with its diamond-cut triangular pattern and distinct lighting signature sets it apart from the crowd, especially the Sport trim painted in an eye-catching blue.

Size-wise, the Optiq is slightly more compact than the Lyriq, but that doesn’t mean it lacks punch. Powered by a 143-kW (192-hp) front motor and a 68-kW (91-hp) rear motor, it matches the Buick Electra E5 Avenir in output, revealing a shared technology under the GM umbrella.

What truly makes the Optiq fascinating is its strategic unveiling in China before potentially entering the US market. The collaboration between SAIC-GM and carefully filed patents hints at a broader strategy, positioning the Optiq not just as a product but as a symbol of innovation and adaptability.

In a market crowded with electric SUVs, the Optiq doesn’t just mirror its siblings; it offers a fresh voice. It’s not only about horsepower and wheelbase but also about creating a distinctive identity within a family.

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(Via)

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Elon Musk-led electric carmaker Tesla has agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle a lawsuit that claims that the company used a software update to reduce the maximum battery voltage in 1,743 Tesla Model S sedans, reports Reuters.

As a part of this settlement, owners of the vehicle will get getting $625 each which is touted to be “many times the prorated value of the temporarily reduced maximum voltage.” This is based on the proposed settlement documents filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco.

Do note that the proposed settlement is subject to approval by a judge. A U.S. judge set a Dec. 9 hearing on the proposed settlement for the lawsuit that was filed in August 2019.

Lawyers, who filed the lawsuit for the car owners said that the “voltage limitation was temporary, with a 10% reduction lasting about 3 months, and a smaller 7% reduction lasting another 7 months before the corrective update was released in March 2020.”

A subsequent update restored about 3 percent of the battery voltage in these vehicles, and a third update released in March 2020 was designed to fully restore the batteries’ voltage over time as the vehicles are driven, the settlement documents said.

The documents further add that the company data shows 1,552 vehicles with the maximum battery voltage fully restored and 57 have had battery replacements. As for the other vehicles, the maximum voltage should continue to be restored over time.

Tesla recently announced that its revenue stood at $11.9 billion in Q2 2021, beating analyst expectations and showing a 98 percent increase compared to the same period of last year. GAAP earnings per share soared by 920 percent year-on-year to $1.02.

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Historically, Turkey has been largely dependent on foreign automobile manufacturers. However, recently the country has made a step away from reliance and to independence in the industry. TOGG which is a collaboration of various Turkish companies has just unveiled an electric crossover SUV that is the country’s first completely indigenous car.

Yeni Lige yolculuğum başladı…
Teşekkürler Türkiyem!#YeniLigeYolculuk#TOGGhttps://t.co/JKIdgmkU8Y pic.twitter.com/bCa1dtfo8Z

— Türkiye’nin Otomobili (@TOGG2022) December 27, 2019

Notably, the only foreign impact on the vehicle is the Italian design firm Pininfarina so it is safe to still call it homegrown. The vehicle isn’t simply an electric vehicle as its base versions arrives with a singe 200 horsepower rear-axle moto. This means that the car is capable of 0-60MPH in about 7.6 seconds, which is commendable. On the other hand, its most beefed up version goe up to a 400 horsepower dual motor setup that can achieve o-62MPH in 4.8 seconds flat.

The operational range of the TOGG EV SUV’s battery is about 300 miles (482 kilometres) that is capable of reaching an 80 percent charge in just 30 minutes. It achieves this with a (rough estimate) 150kW charger. The car features a bunch of useful functions and follows a futuristic and tech-savvy design philosophy. It offers a “Sow Traffic Pilot” that will offer Level 2 semi-autonomous that could go with Level 3 autonomy and higher.

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The Turkish EV SUV’s interior controls are primarily digital carry a Porsche style passenger display. It is also claimed to have a holographic assistant that will utilize eye-tracking to better provide information so the driver need not take his eyes off the road. The vehicle is also connected to the internet so it will link the SUV to the grid and deliver OTA updates periodically.

Although the crossover is clearly directed and marketed with nationalistic ideals, it also draws attention to Turkey’s inequality. According to a report from TurkStat, the average yearly income within the country is under 5000 US Dollars (roughly 34,812 Yuan) while people in Istanbul make a bit over 6000 US Dollars (roughly 41,775 Yuan). So, even if TOGG prices the EV SUV reasonably or affordably, it won’t be as easily accessible considering the features the car offers. Thus, it might be a good start for the country, but one that might not hit it off with the masses.

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The Elon Musk owned automobile brand, Tesla, has been unaffected by the recent slump in the Chinese car market. Rather, the company just saw a soar in registration numbers in the month of November.

According to a new report, the Tesla Model S maker is seeing notable growth in momentum as its registrations rose 14 folds in China in November 2019. The number of Tesla vehicles registered climbed to a five month high of 5,597 vehicles last month. This compared to 393 in November 2018 shows a significant year on year growth, according to China Automotive Information Net (CAIN).

In 2019, Tesla saw a very bumpy ride in the Chinese market. One of the primary reasons for this is undoubtedly the US-China trade disputes. According to data illustrations, we can see the company facing a slow initial start (January and February) which was followed by a large increase in registrations (in March). From then on, the automobile brand went through various ups and downs until the month of November 2019. It is speculated that fears regarding China raising tariffs on US made vehicles in December also heped boost sales a month prior.

China is currently the largest automobile (cars) market in the world; and through its extension, the leading title for the largest EV (Electric Vehicles) market also belongs to the Southeast Asian country. However, the Chinese electric car market has been on a decline since the past 5 months; thus, it paints an optimistic picture of the market when a brand sees healthy growth.

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As of right now, Tesla’s success in the country depends on the company’s new Shanghai plant. This would the first factory set up outside of America, allowing for lower prices and bolster demands of its electric cars in the region. China is a key market for Tesla as the country accounts for nearly half of the world’s electric vehicle sales and is the biggest market for the company after the US. Notably, Tesla is also considering cutting prices of its Chinese built cars in 2020 to better capture the market.

In 2018, Tesla and other US based brands were charged with a 25 percent tariff which was rolled back at the start of 2019; after the US and China arrived closer to a trade agreement. Lastly, the year 2020 will be very important for Tesla and the EV industry, which is expected to boom in the arriving years.

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(Via)

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Little by little, we have seen the slow but steady growth of electric vehicles and battery powered locomotives. These offer a glimpse of the future, which is a world with more sustainable forms of resources. Although that is not the case right now, but the world is in an active phase of moving away from fossil fuels.

Thus, leadings us here, with questions regarding what are the real aternatives to cars, bikes, and others. Well, apparently the answer lies with e-bikes.

According to a few reports, the next hit in EV (Electric Vehicles) is not Elon Musk’s Tesla cars or its Cybertruck, but the simple and effective e-bikes. Historically, electric bikes have not been as popular as the their more expensive counterparts. Rather, in most countries they are not even considered to be worth purchasing, with viability playing an important factor. In 2012, e-bikes represented lesser than 1 percent of total bike sales in the year. So how does a niche product with no actual market has the potential of becoming a major industry in the near future?

Since the past few years, notable advancements have been made in the automotive industry which includes upgrades to lithium-ion batteries. It is now noticeably more affordable to develop and produce a battery powered vehicle than before. Furthermore, developed countries are now more likely to also supply supplementing infrastructure that supports this new age form of vehicles as well.

With the globe already tackling global warming and pollution issues, it has become a national interest to invest in emission free vehicles. Hence, it has led to various analysts stating that e-bikes sales will receive a massive surge in demand within the next decade.

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As suggested in some reports, the adoption rate of EVs is just 5.1 million units being in circulation. This number is expected to rise to only 12 million by 2025, but e-bikes sales, on the other hand, are expected to reach 40 million units by just 2023. And if you do the math, 40 million is more than three times that of 12 million electric vehicles in the world. Additionally, few other analytical firms have also estimated that the numbers can reach as high as 110 to even 130 million between 2020 to 2023. It is also expected that the e-bikes shipments will surpass electric vehicle sales within a year.

As of right now, China is said to be the undisputed e-bike capital of the world. The country and its citizens have embraced the technology with many popular renting services and stations also being established to further grow the venture. Vietnam arrives in second with a few European and even Middle Eastern countries also embracing the e-bikes industry. One of the most common barriers to new technology is always mindset and the worry of transition towards new products that are more advanced. But with Government investments and fostering, the adoption rates can be raised significantly.

In Southeast Asian countries, especially China, e-bikes popularity can also be accredited to their pricing strategy which can undercut their European counterparts with nearly half the price. Thus, the future with more technological advancement and economy in scales can see higher units being shipped globally. Even though the battery powered industry is still in its nascent stages, it has major expectations of showing real promise in the near future.

The world will largely benefit from e-bikes and its popularity. Although a hundred million is still shy of billions, it is very impactful when you considered that tens of billions of rides will be made with no emissions and help reduce traffic congestions on busy roads. This also leads to fewer resources being used and lesser pollutants in the environment.

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When it comes to electric vehicles, there’s probably no other company that can match Tesla’s technology right now. However, that doesn’t mean there won’t be any new entries in this niche industry. The start-up car manufacturer, Faraday Future revealed its brand new concept electric sports car, the FFZERO1 yesterday. This is the first time we are hearing about such a car from the company, as it has managed to stay away from the limelight since it launched 18 months ago.

This California-based company is backed by the Chinese billionaire Jia Yueting, who is also the founder of the media giant LeTV. The new model called the FFZERO1 features a 1,000 horsepower engine with maximum speeds of upwards of 200MPH (321KMPH). This concept car can accelerate from 0-60MPH in less than 3 seconds, thanks to its teardrop shape and aerodynamic tunnels which will ensure airflow into the engines to cool the batteries. Unfortunately, if you were hoping to see the car go into production, that’s probably not going to happen. The FFZERO1 is just an example to show what is possible.

However, the technology will end up in other vehicles manufactured by the company. The company is also focused on the interior experience which it says will feature ultra-modern room design and user-friendly interface. It aims to be the future of the automotive industry and for this, has a total of 550 employees working on its projects, many of whom have been poached from rivals such as Tesla and BMW.

Well, the concept car looks futuristic, but since it’s not going to be manufactured, we will have to wait and see how the company plans to impress us in the coming years. Also, it would be interesting to see how LeTV fits in the future of Faraday Future. LeTV recently announced that it will showcase its connected car ecosystem in partnership with Aston Martin at CES this year, and we can expect a similar partnership with Faraday Future.

You can read more about Faraday Future from their official website.

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