Volvo's low-impact electric car
Volvo's Concept Recharge is a premium electric car which is said to have nearly half the carbon footprint of equivalent rivals. It uses sustainable materials in the car and has tyres made from recycled compounds and superior aerodynamics.
The Swedish company says the car's life-cycle CO2 impact is 80 per cent lower than a 2018 Volvo XC60 - or below 10 tonnes - if it is charged with 100 per cent renewable energy.
Lounge-like interior for new Hyundai concept
Hyundai's Seven concept is a premium electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) with furniture-like seats in a cabin inspired by lounges. Following the 45 concept in 2019 and the Prophecy concept in 2020, the Seven "opens a new chapter for the Ioniq brand" of electric cars.
The company says the Ioniq cars have "differentiated design and technology innovations (which) prioritise customer values over industry norms". Hyundai Motor aims to be carbon-neutral by 2045.
Hottest Porsche Cayman unveiled
Porsche is showcasing five new cars at the LA Auto Show (Nov 19-28). In addition to the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS - the show's highlight - the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, the Taycan GTS, the Taycan GTS Sport Turismo and the Panamera Platinum Edition are making their first appearances.
The 718 Cayman GT4 RS is the new flagship model in the 718 family. On the Nurburgring Nordschleife, it outpaced its sibling, the 718 Cayman GT4, by more than 23 seconds with a time of 7:04.511 minutes on the 20.6km version of the circuit.
The car is powered by a 493hp/450Nm naturally aspirated flat-six engine paired with a low-ratio dual-clutch transmission. It sprints to 100kmh in just 3.4 seconds and has a top speed of 315kmh.
As for the Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, it offers a range of 504km - the longest in the electric Taycan family.
VW refreshes T-Roc range
Volkswagen has revealed its facelifted T-Roc Cabriolet, along with the T-Roc and T-Roc R. The compact crossover range, which boasts a sharpened exterior, offers semi-autonomous driving, intelligent lighting and a newly designed dash panel and infotainment display. Volkswagen hopes the T-Roc - which has sold over one million units worldwide since it was launched four years ago - will continue its success.
CX-50 is first Mazda-Toyota SUV joint venture
Mazda's new CX-50 SUV is designed exclusively for the North American market, which is a pity as the car is likely to do well elsewhere too.
The first Mazda to be built at the new Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM) plant in Huntsville, Alabama, in the United States, the CX-50 is a 50:50 joint venture between the two Japanese companies.
It is positioned above the CX-5 and shares a platform with the Mazda3 and Mazda CX-30. The car, which will have the latest all-wheel-drive system, will initially be powered by one of two Skyactiv-G 2.5 petrol engines, with electrification to follow.
The CX-50 will be followed by two larger SUVs that will be launched in Europe over the next two years - the CX-60 with two rows of seating and the three-row Mazda CX-80.
Fisker boasts longer range than Tesla
Fisker has unveiled an electric SUV which it says will have higher driving ranges than Tesla's Model Y, according to Reuters.
With production of its Ocean electric SUV planned for November 2022, Fisker is set to join its peer, Lucid Group, in challenging Tesla's lead in battery technology.
Fisker says it has leveraged Chinese battery-maker CATL's technology to achieve an estimated driving range of more than 560km a charge for its most expensive Ocean Extreme, and 545km for its Ocean Ultra. In comparison, Tesla's Model Y Long Range has a driving range of 539km.
Fisker's two higher-range Ocean models will use nickel-based battery chemistry, while its most affordable version will use cheaper iron-based chemistry. The base Ocean Sport will have a range of 400km.
Subaru's EV equipped for rough terrain
Subaru's first electric car, the Solterra, boasts a construction where the battery is part of its structure. The twin-motor model has variable all-wheel-drive, with a new Grip Control function that enables the vehicle to run at a constant speed even on rough roads.
The 160kW, 2-tonne car is 4,690mm long,1,860mm wide and 1,650mm tall, with a declared range of 460km.
Skoda Karoq to be updated soon
Skoda has released two design sketches of its revised Karoq. The Czech manufacturer's compact SUV - first introduced in 2017 - has now undergone a design and technology update.
It will have a more distinctive design, with a wider hexagonal grille and a wide air intake underneath. The headlights are overall more slender than in the predecessor version and extend all the way to the grille. Their dynamic appearance is underscored by redesigned daytime-running lights that are now composed of two separate elements each.
