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The Independent
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
Skoda's CEO reveals all on electric cars, petrol cars and sporty Skodas
Klaus Zellmer runs one of Europe's favourite car brands, Skoda. He joins our EV editor Steve Fowler for a drive around London in the new all-electric Skoda Enyaq to talk through the entire Skoda business including new model plans, the challenge faced by Chinese brands, Skoda's role in the VW Group, expansion in India, hot and sporty Skodas and much more. Watch more from Drive Smart on Independent TV.
Entrepreneur
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Entrepreneur
The E-man: Balbir Singh Dhillon, Head of Audi India
While things might not have fallen apart, for Audi India's electric vehicle (EV) ambition, there have certainly been phases where progress felt slower than anticipated. What worked in the company's favour is staying committed to long-term vision for electric mobility in India. By listening closely to its customers, adapting approaches to suit evolving needs, and investing in the right ecosystem partnerships, it has been able to navigate those challenges with resilience. "Building a new category takes time and we view each roadblock as part of the learning curve, not a setback," said Balbir Singh Dhillon, Head of Audi India, which operates in the luxury segment. Amid evolving EV penetration in India, the luxury EV segment is poised for healthy growth. "We take pride in establishing a strong foundation for electric mobility in the premium segment — not just by introducing products, but by shaping perception and building trust. We were among the first to launch luxury EVs in the country, setting the tone for sustainable progress in the segment. The response to our e-tron range has been encouraging, with customers embracing EVs not just as a sustainable choice, but as a truly luxurious and performance-driven experience. It reinforces that we're on the right path and that's something we take great pride in," he added. With increasing awareness, supportive government policies, expanding charging infrastructure, and a clear shift in consumer mindset towards sustainability, the EV ecosystem is steadily gaining momentum in FY26. Audi India, has created an EV ecosystem for its customers:It offers a highly curated ownership journey — from complimentary charging benefits and roadside assistance to 12 high-voltage battery repair centers across India. The e-tron hub is a special tab available on the 'myAudi Connect' app that guides customers on a range of functions and features of their electric vehicle. Furthermore, it has successfully installed 140-plus chargers across 75 cities in India – this includes all Audi India dealerships, workshop facilities and select VW Group brand dealerships located across strategic highways. Audi has set up India's first ultra-fast charging e-tron hub in Mumbai, with a total capacity of 450kW. "We are seeing growing interest in our e-tron range from progressive, future-oriented buyers seeking performance and responsibility in their mobility choices. As a brand, we are committed to supporting this transition through a strong product portfolio, a growing charging network, and customer-centric initiatives like extended complimentary charging and dedicated after-sales support for EVs," he added. One of the biggest challenges in building the EV business in India has been addressing infrastructure readiness and consumer confidence simultaneously. While awareness and intent are growing, many potential buyers still have concerns around charging access, range, and long-term ownership. "To overcome this, we've focused on creating a robust and reassuring ownership ecosystem. From offering complimentary charging across a growing network of partners to ensuring strong after-sales support tailored for EVs, we are proactively addressing the concerns that matter most to customers," he concluded.
Top Gear
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Cupra Tavascan Driving, Engines & Performance
Driving What is it like to drive? Acceleration is brisk, but not with that step-off jolt some fast EVs give you on the first micron of pedal travel. That's fine. Who wants to be slammed in the back of the skull by the headrest every time a traffic light goes green? More importantly, the acceleration is enough to give decent overtaking gumption, and to give the tyres something to think about on the exit from a corner. In numbers, the AWD version is 5.5 seconds 0-62mph. Advertisement - Page continues below The front motor is called into play when rear traction is close to its limit, but in any case it's the weaker of the pair. Bottom line, this feels rear driven. A point you can emphasise by selecting a sports AWD mode which defers the front motor's arrival, and a sports setting for the ESP. You can also tauten the dampers. We're glad to say there's now a screen shortcut to turn off the electronic assistance features. The lane keep can yank at the wheel when the road lines are inconsistent, and the speed limit warnings are irritating too. On motorways the lane centring and radar cruise work well and smoothly, although the displays could do more to reassure you by telling you what they're up to. What about in the corners? With the right settings, the Tavascan is definitely more amusing than its rivals. You can use the regen paddles to slow it progressively, but even so too much ambition at the start of a tight bend will see you lost in understeer and steering wheel numbness. That's your 2.3 tonnes right there. Advertisement - Page continues below But then when you add the power it feels engaging, giving you a sense of the tyres working for you. The steering is precise and well weighted. The brake pedal is a bit soft underfoot, with a mild sense of delay as regeneration hands off to friction, but which of its rivals isn't like that? I hope they didn't ruin the ride? The Tavascan copes well with bumps, with the caveat that it's a particularly firm ride overall. A button on the steering wheel cycles between drive modes, which affects damping among other things. And a second one shortcuts you to the Cupra mode that puts all settings to their most aggressive. Cupra has lowered the ride height by 15mm compared to the related VW Group MEB crossovers, and made adaptive dampers standard with the AWD version. And done its own software for steering and brakes and damping and ESP. And given the option of light 21-inch wheels. It all helps. What's the charging like? Peak DC recharge rate is 135kW which isn't too fancy, but Cupra says it can sustain that for a long time, so you can make good use of, say, a 150kW charge post and get from 10-80 per cent in as little as 28 minutes. There's three-phase AC charging, but disappointingly it's only 11kW not 22kW, so you're still taking eight hours to fill the battery from empty. That said, 7kW is likely the maximum power your home can deliver anyway. So call it 11 hours on one of those home or street charge ports from dead flat to 100 per cent juiced. And efficiency? How far can I really go on that battery? We drove the range-topping VZ2 AWD for a couple of hundred miles or so round a selection of UK roads during warm weather and got... 3.6 mi/kWh out of it. Not amazing, but we've seen a lot worse. That would make for total range of 277 miles against a promise of 323 – and that'll drop in the winter, especially without the (non-standard) heat pump. If range anxiety is a thing you suffer from, stick with the RWD Tavascan: that'll get close to 300 miles real world. Highlights from the range the fastest 250kW VZ2 77kWh AWD 5dr Auto [Winter Pack] 0-62 5.5s CO2 0 BHP 335.3 MPG Price £62,115 the cheapest 210kW V1 77kWh 5dr Auto 0-62 6.8s CO2 0 BHP 281.6 MPG Price £47,285 the greenest 250kW VZ2 77kWh AWD 5dr Auto [Winter Pack] 0-62 5.5s CO2 0 BHP 335.3 MPG Price £62,115
Top Gear
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Cupra Tavascan Interior Layout & Technology
Interior What is it like on the inside? The drama of the Tavascan's exterior is carried over to the inside of the car, with a swoopy, aggressive, minimalist design that will wow your passengers. That and the gloomy dark colour scheme with copper accents that gives particularly swanky boutique hotel vibes. You half expect to find a Nespresso machine and a sewing kit in the centre console. Most of the materials don't stand up to close inspection, the Tavascan is more premium in design than it is in execution. The dramatic spar that runs from below the screen down to the console is like a gothic buttress, only made of creaky grey plastic rather than stone. Advertisement - Page continues below More troublingly, its shape means there's only a small tray below it, where most EVs can provide a deep and useful storage bin. There is space below the armrest though. Where are all the buttons? Where indeed. The only button on the central part of the dash is for the hazard warning lights – which you can accidentally turn on if you're trying to rest your arm amid the never-ending task of adjusting anything on the touchscreen. The Tavascan also gets VW Group's ill-advised. touch-sensitive steering wheel controls with haptic feedback underneath – they mostly work fine, but it's still too easy to press something unintentionally when you're going through an involved corner. Look, we don't mind technology, but only when it actually makes life better. How's the tech overall? The 5.3in digital instrument panel is a bit small but does the basics. Most action goes on in the 15in centre screen: it works snappily and can be customised with useful shortcuts and widgets. For instance your favoured combo of assist settings (by law they all default to on when you stop the car) can be activated with just one downward swipe plus one jab. Advertisement - Page continues below Wireless phone mirroring is included, but this is a rare car where you might consider using the native satnav. Not because it's any good, the map is a bit fussy and washed out. But you do get route instructions on the digi dash and arrows that float around the windscreen thanks to the augmented reality head-up display that comes on V2 models and above. There's also an LED rail along the base of the windscreen that gives you peripheral vision clues, for instance sweeping left to right as you approach a right turn. What's the space like in the back? In the back, the outer seats are quite dished, which both supports you and provides a bit more room, but that makes the middle one a booby prize. But there's enough headroom despite the plunging roof line, and plenty of leg space if the front seats are lifted from their very lowest position so you can tuck your feet under. The sportier buckets feature a hard plastic back, so your passengers' knees will appreciate the extra space. They make it a bit dark in the back, too – the panoramic glass roof that comes on all but the entry model is a welcome addition. Boot space is deep and fairly tall if you drop the two-level floor, so it's 540 litres under the parcel shelf. There's no seats-down figure from Cupra, but you'd have to assume it's at least 541 litres.
Miami Herald
20-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Scout Motors urges DOJ to fight state dealer franchise laws
The Republican Party may be the party of "states' rights," but Scout Motors hopes the current Republican presidential administration will eliminate the state franchise laws that impede its direct-sales strategy, according to an Automotive News report. Scout called on the federal government to do this in an 11-page letter submitted to the Justice Department's Anticompetitive Regulations Task Force by Blair Anderson, the automaker's vice president of government and regulatory affairs. The task force was created in March after president Donald Trump signed executive orders in January and February calling for removing "regulatory burdens placed on the American people." The letter used similar language, calling franchise laws "burdensome restrictions on competition." Car sales in the United States are currently regulated by a patchwork of state laws, some of which allow automakers to sell cars directly to customers. But many states still require franchised dealerships. There's been friction between those dealerships and automakers since Tesla unveiled its direct-sales model over a decade ago. Tesla fought a series of legal battles with franchised dealerships in individual states. Now Scout, which plans to build its Traveler SUV and Terra pickup truck in a new South Carolina factory starting in 2027, is facing similar struggles. A group of Volkswagen and Audi dealerships in Florida filed a lawsuit in February to block Scout's direct-sales plans, and the California New Car Dealers Association (CNCDA) filed a similar lawsuit in April, Automotive News noted. In March, the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) also sent a letter to Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume and other executives urging the company to let its members sell Scout vehicles. Scout revives the International Harvester Scout, one of the original SUVs, which the VW Group gained the rights to after its purchase of International's successor Navistar. The new Scout vehicles are rugged off-roaders, with body-on-frame construction, with all-electric or extended-range powertrains. They're also unlike anything in the current VW Group portfolio, and exactly the kinds of vehicles dealerships in truck-loving America are eager to sell. That's likely adding fuel to the fire over the VW Group's attempt to set up a new brand with direct sales, while keeping franchised dealerships for its other brands. In the letter, Anderson said that, as a new manufacturer, Scout shouldn't be forced to adopt the franchised dealership model "especially when the new manufacturer has not asked any dealerships to place any investment in distributing its vehicles, developed a more efficient alternative, and will not sell any vehicles also offered for sale by a franchised dealer." Dealerships don't seem to buy the logic that Scout's clean slate entitles it to a different sales model than its fellow VW Group brands. The question is whether the federal government will and whether, if it does, it actually has the authority to strike down state franchise laws. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
