Fast Lane: Honda Odyssey axed, electric VW saloon with 620km range

Hyundai Motor has released first images of its Ioniq 6 electric saloon.

The streamlined car has hints of the Audi e-tron GT and Porsche Taycan, and boasts a drag-coefficient of 0.21 - or just shy of the 0.20 attained by the slippery Mercedes-Benz EQS electric limo.

The Hyundai's aerodynamic aids include a low nose, active front air flaps, wheel gap reducers and digital side mirrors (optional). The Ioniq 6 also has an elliptical wing-inspired spoiler and separation traps on both sides of the rear bumper.

Full specifications of the car will be released next month. It is unknown when this model will arrive in Singapore.

The German authorities have raided Hyundai and Kia offices over allegations that more than 210,000 diesel vehicles of theirs had illegal devices which minimise emission levels when they are being tested, reported Reuters, quoting the Frankfurt state prosecutor's office.

Volkswagen admitted in 2015 to using such devices to cheat in American emissions tests on several diesel engines. Several other European makers were also implicated in the "Dieselgate" cheating saga. The engine software that Hyundai and Kia used is thought to have come from parts companies Bosch and Delphi.

A spokesman for Hyundai Motor Group in Seoul, representing both brands, has confirmed the raids and said the company was working with the authorities.

Citroen has unveiled its e-C4 X electric crossover. The 100kW car has a range of 320km and will be launched alongside Citroen's new C4 X petrol and diesel variants. Like the recently launched C5 X, the car will offer a new infotainment system, comfort suspension and fatigue-reducing seats.

The Honda Odyssey, one of the most popular multi-purpose vehicles (MPV) of all time, is expected to be no longer available here from next year. Its demise follows the discontinuation of the Toyota Estima, another best-selling people-mover.

The trend is not confined to Japanese models, as manufacturers around the world cater to growing consumer preference for sport utility vehicles (SUV). Citroen also axed its Grand C4 SpaceTourer recently and Peugeot repositioned its 5008 MPV as an SUV.

The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX electric concept has beaten its own efficiency record in real-world driving with a 1,202km road trip from Stuttgart in Germany to Silverstone in Britain.

The car averaged 83kmh and a consumption of 8.3kWh/100km despite occasional heavy traffic and summer temperatures, although it is unclear if the air-conditioning was switched on. Upon arrival, the car was driven by race driver Nyck de Vries around the Silverstone track at up to 140kmh (the car's maximum speed) for 11 laps.

Behold the ID Aero, Volkswagen's electric saloon that was initially targeted at the Chinese market.

The mid-sized four-door is expected to go on sale in the second half of 2023, and Volkswagen plans to start production of a European version in Emden in the same year. The model will also be exported to the United States.

The ID Aero is almost 5m long and has a drag-coefficient of 0.23. It is equipped with a 77kWh lithium-ion battery and promises a range of up to 620km.

Citroen's luxury arm DS has unveiled the new DS 7, with a 360hp plug-in hybrid variant which goes head to head against performance models from the German marques. The DS 7 E-Tense 4x4 plug-in hybrid has intelligent all-wheel-drive, big wheels, lowered suspension and large-diameter brakes.

The Maserati Grecale SUV is due to arrive in Singapore in early 2023.

There are three variants, although it is not known which will be available here first. The GT is a four-cylinder mild hybrid with 300hp, the Modena has the same powertrain with 330hp and the Trofeo is a V6 with 530hp.

The car is 4,846mm long, with a wheelbase of 2,901mm and a height of 1,670mm.

Audi Environmental Foundation has teamed up with non-profit start-up Nunam to power electric rickshaws in India with battery modules from Audi e-tron test vehicles.

For a start, three electric rickshaws will be powered by used batteries taken from test vehicles in the e-tron test fleet. The project explores how modules made with high-voltage batteries can be reused after their car life cycle.

The e-rickshaws are scheduled to hit the roads in India in early2023.

Financial services group Fitch Solutions Country Risk and Industry Research expects electric vehicle-makers will increasingly look to maintain control of EV batteries with the cost of producing batteries escalating.

Battery recycling will become necessary to supplement the supply of battery metals over the long term and mitigate some of the inflationary and supply risks.

The group expects that a European Union's regulation requiring automakers to retain ownership of EV batteries once retired will become more widespread as EV adoption rises around the globe. Regulations will require automakers to track their batteries, it added.

The Alpine A110 dons the colours of the legendary No. 7 Berlinette in the 1975 Tour de Corse, in a 150-unit limited production run to mark its participation in the race. Built for rallying, the Alpine A110 Tour de Corse 75 is powered by a 300hp engine propelling a yellow body with deep black bonnet and roof.

The "Tour de Corse 75" signature on the front left fender is matched by a motif on the doors, a white border on the bonnet, and the number seven on the rear. It has Sabelt Racing bucket seats which can be fitted with a competition harness. The car has 18-inch gloss white wheels and orange Brembo brake calipers.