It’s being called Volkswagen’s new affordable ‘people’s car’. But unlike the original ‘Beetle’, it’s a battery-electric model aimed at putting the mockers on China’s plans to flood Europe with low-cost, Beijing-backed rivals. The German carmaker has teased an image of the EV, a likely hatchback set for production in 2027 and priced at 20,000 euros, or $NZ36,000. A … [Read more...] about Volkswagen tackles Chinese with new ‘people’s car’
‘I bought this car before Elon lost his mind’
Tesla owners have become disillusioned with Elon Musk’s outspoken incursions into global politics, says the head of rival electric carmaker (EV) Polestar. An example of the discontent, said Michael Lohscheller, is the increasing appearance on Teslas of bumper stickers such as: “I bought this car before Elon lost his mind.” Or “I bought this car before Elon went crazy.” In … [Read more...] about ‘I bought this car before Elon lost his mind’
2024: Year of petrol-electric hybrids and Toyota’s 1:6:90 rule
It could be said that 2024 was the year of the petrol-electric hybrid (HEV) car, even though it has been around in one form or another for 28 years. Toyota pioneered it. Honda followed soon after. Others came much later. Each HEV saves on CO2 exhaust emissions. HEVs totalled a never-before 34,736 registrations in New Zealand last year, or 27.0% of the overall … [Read more...] about 2024: Year of petrol-electric hybrids and Toyota’s 1:6:90 rule
Feeding the dragon: Chinese cars eat into legacy brands
Chinese automotive brand JAC begins selling its T9 ute in New Zealand in a week or so, by which time China will have displaced Japan for the second year running as the world’s largest exporter of motor vehicles. JAC joins the dozen or so Chinese carmakers already here … more are on the way. One, Xpeng, already with its name down on NZ Government books as an electric vehicle … [Read more...] about Feeding the dragon: Chinese cars eat into legacy brands
Chinese EVs, zero emissions, and fairy dust
In June 2019, investment bank UBS and the research division of financial news company Bloomberg predicted electric vehicles (EVs) could reach cost parity with conventional petrol ones within five years. Around the same time, Ford said that by 2024 all its passenger vehicles in Europe would be EVs or hybrids. It quickly added the same vehicles would all be emission-free … [Read more...] about Chinese EVs, zero emissions, and fairy dust