Latest news with #electric
The Herald
3 days ago
- Automotive
- The Herald
Omoda to launch new C9 plug-in hybrid in Mzansi in June
Omoda has confirmed its new C9 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) will launch in South Africa next month. The mid-size crossover SUV features a 1.5 l turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine paired with a 34kWh battery pack and four electric motors. According to Omoda, this set-up delivers a combined output of 440kW and 915Nm. Fuel consumption is rated at 1.4 l /100km on the combined cycle, with a claimed electric-only driving range of up to 150km. The battery can be recharged from 30% to 80% in 25 minutes when connected to a DC fast charger. While final specifications for the local market are yet to be confirmed, the C9 PHEV will be offered exclusively in the high-spec Explore trim. Standard equipment is expected to include 20" alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, Nappa leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats and heated seats for front and rear passengers. Further details will be announced closer to launch.
Forbes
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Smart #5 Electric SUV Proves That Size Really Does Matter
The #5 is the biggest Smart yet, and definitely not just a city car. Once upon a time, not so long ago, Smart cars were tiny. But the brand has well and truly moved on from that era. The #1 was still urban in focus, despite being a more traditional crossover hatchback size, and the #3 took that in a more coupe-like direction. But now we have the Smart #5, and it's very much in a different league to any Smart that went before. The #1 and #3 are still 'city first' cars, but with more extra-urban capabilities. The #5 is much more general-purpose and mainstream than that. This is a mid-size crossover SUV with some resemblance to a Jeep Renegade from the front, albeit with a much more contemporary spin. Smart is pitching the #5 as an outdoor-capable 'adventure' vehicle, and there's even an offroad mode available with some versions of the car. While the #1 and #3 have a distinct family resemblance from the front, so it could be easy to mistake them unless you see the side profile, the #5 is a noticeable divergence. Smart calls it a design evolution, but it feels like more than that. The row of lights along the front and rear add to the rugged look. However, this isn't a huge car – it's less than 4.7m long, making it shorter than a Tesla Model Y. Definitely not a small city car. The range of versions is greater with the #5 than previous Smarts, too. The entry-level model is the Pro. It sports a single motor driving the rear wheels and delivering 250kW (335hp) and 373Nm of torque, allied with a 76kWh gross (74.4kWh net) LFP battery. All the rest of the range have a 100kWh gross (94kWh net) NCM battery. The Pulse allies this with all-wheel drive delivering 432kW (579hp) and 643Nm of torque, as does the Summit. The Premium and Pro+ use a single rear motor with 267kW (358hp) and 373Nm of torque. The range-topping Brabus, which I drove, boasts a potent 475kW (637hp) AWD system and 710Nm of torque. Smart has been a joint venture between Geely and Mercedes-Benz since 2020. The cars are also available in China (the #5 was the main act on Smart's stand at Auto Shanghai last month), and the powertrain comes from Geely. That means it uses the Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA), variants of which can also be found in cars from Polestar, Volvo, Zeekr, and Lynk & Co. But the exterior and interior styling have been created by Mercedes-Benz, so you have Chinese EV technology underpinning a European design, which Smart reckons gives its cars a unique selling point in both regions. While the trim options of the first couple of hashtag Smarts were relatively easy to choose between, the six different versions of the #5 provide more confusion because the equipment level varies too. All versions have a panoramic sunroof, powered tailgate, adaptive cruise control, powered seat adjustment and front heated seats. There's wireless phone charging plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This is what you get with the Pro and Pro+. Dual infotainment screens are only included with the higher trim levels. There's a 10.25 instrument display and a 13in infotainment screen on these two trims, too. The Pulse, Summit, Premium and Brabus have a second 13in infotainment screen on the passenger side, which enables that occupant to enjoy media while driving. The Pulse adds off-road driving modes (being all-wheel drive), plus a heat pump and leather seats. There's a PM2.5 sensor with air quality control. Summit then provides a powered trailer hitch, hands free access to the tailgate, a head-up display, and a second wireless phone charger. Premium has all this, lacks the all-wheel drive, but adds ventilated front seats and heated rear ones, plus an enhanced 20-speaker Sennheiser sound system. Apart from the extra power, the Brabus mostly adds design elements, although you get the additional Brabus driving mode, launch control, and simulated engine sounds (of which more later). All the new hashtag Smarts have minimalist but high-quality interiors – this is part of what Mercedes-Benz brings to the joint venture. There are leather upholstery options, and the front seats are very comfortable. I drove the #5 for nearly five hours in one day, with a break after three, and felt perfectly fine. There is a strong sense of roundness about the interior trim, with the dashboard, screens, vents and other features echoing the C-shape in the Smart logo. The Smart EQ fortwo only had two seats, while the #1 and #3 are credible five-seaters, but the #5 has an almost unfeasible amount of room in the back given how big it is. Sitting behind the driver's seat, adjusted for my 5 ft 10in self, there is a lot of legroom, with plenty of headroom too. The panoramic sunroof makes the space feel even greater. Although the middle seat is more child-only, this is a car that four adults could travel long distances in with comfort. There are also two movable internal cameras above the rear doors. Nobody was able to tell me what these were for, but I suspect they will be used for some kind of occupant-monitoring system. There is plenty of space for rear-seat passengers. There are some opaque methods for opening car tailgates, but Smart's must be one of the most obscure. Hidden within the hole of the letter A of the brand name on the back is the button to release the door. Considering how much rear seat space there is, the fact that you also get 630 liters of cargo capacity with the seats up is commendable. Fold them forward, and this increases to 1,500 liters, which isn't quite so class-leading but certainly adequate for a car less than 4.7m long. There's a 72-liter frunk as well with the rear-wheel drive cars, although the all-wheel drive Brabus, Summit and Pulse have motors where this space would have been, so only offer 47 liters. The infotainment system for the #5 has matured compared to previous models. While the #1 and #3 are packed with software features, the home screen is very busy. The #5 is much more sedate and easier to navigate as a result. You still get a pet lion hanging out on the home screen (each Smart has its signature animal, with the #1 getting a fox) but it's far less active than previous cars. It's a tamer big cat. I would still have liked a few more discrete buttons for air conditioning settings, however. The Brabus version of the #5 I drove has serious grunt. By default, this car operates in Comfort mode, which still feels quick. There's an Eco mode below that for squeezing out the most range. But then there are Sport and Brabus options. Dial in the latter, and you get the full power and torque. This enables a sprint to 62mph in just 3.8 seconds. That is incredibly fast for any car, let alone a reasonably sized SUV. Most impressively, if you're doing motorway speeds there is still plenty left to go beyond the limit very quickly. Don't ask me how I know that. If you want a bit more drama to your drive, there is even a selection of fake engine noises to turn on, although only with the Brabus version. The non-Brabus #5s are still perfectly fast enough, however. Even the Pro only takes 6.9 seconds to hit 62mph, while the Pro+ and Premium require 6.5 seconds. The Pulse and Summit drop further to 4.9 seconds. This is a quick SUV whichever version you go for. The Brabus is almost too quick, and you'll probably not use Brabus mode most of the time. I saw the efficiency drop very noticeably in this mode. The handling on windy mountain roads is more engaging than most midsize electric SUVs I've tried. It's not a BMW iX, but it's definitely one of the best in class, while handling rough road services almost as well as a car with air suspension. That's a seriously impressive achievement. The Smart #5 Brabus is monstrously quick in a straight line. The electric range of Smart cars has come a long way since the EQ fortwo, which would make you nervous driving anything beyond your local urban area. The #1 and #3 are much more comfortable travelling between cities, but the #5 takes that another step further with its huge 100kWh battery. The all-wheel drive Pulse, Summit and Brabus offer 338 miles of WLTP range, while the Premium extends to 369 miles. The 76kWh battery in the Pro and Pro+ is still quite big, so delivers a reasonable 291 miles of WLTP range. I drove the Brabus for nearly five hours and 274.5 km (171 miles) at the European launch. This included a lot of steep and windy hill roads, some urban driving, and at least a couple of hours of highway. Most of this was in Comfort mode, with about 20% in Brabus mode and very little in the other two options, but my driving style was generally what you might call 'vigorous', within legal limits. My overall efficiency was 2.4 miles per kWh, implying a real-world range of 226 miles. That's not stunning, when the Tesla Model Y Performance (last generation) went further with a smaller battery when I tested it in 2023. The new version is even more efficient. The Smart #5 cars with 100kWh batteries boast incredibly quick 400kW charging. However, the #5 has another trick up its sleeve - 400kW charging, thanks to an 800V architecture. You won't find 400kW charging in many places yet, but if you do, lightning-quick replenishment is on the cards. During the launch, the car was demonstrated going from 8% to 82% in under 15 minutes. That's not really any slower than refilling with dinosaur juice, when you factor in having to go into the fuel station to pay. The LFP battery in the Pro/Pro+ only offers 150kW charging, however, thanks to having a 400V architecture. Smart hasn't finalized UK prices for the #5 yet, although UK CEO Jason Allbutt hoped to set the entry-level Pro around £40,000 ($53,500) and the Brabus 'early to mid £50,000 ($67,000)'. That would be very reasonable, particularly for the more premium versions of the car. If the #5 can be introduced at this level, it will be competitive with the Tesla Model Y and a strong contender against Chinese entrants like the BYD Sealion 7 and XPENG G6. The quality is high, the driving experience commendable, and the practicality strong. Will Smart ever return with a smaller car? Sylvain Wehnert, Head of Design Creation at Smart, says the company has been working on something called Project #2 for 18 months, but there's still no concrete date for release. Until then, Smart cars are getting bigger, and in the case of the #5, more mainstream. Judging by how many boxes the Smart #5 ticks so well, that means we could see plenty of them on the road.
Top Gear
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Battle of the electric estates: BMW i5 Touring vs Audi A6 e-tron Avant
Electric See, it's not all SUVs in the electric era. Audi's new A6 Avant e-tron goes toe to toe with BMW's i5 Touring, but which is better? Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Close run battle, this. And that's not a surprise, is it? For all recorded time, comparing big German bizniz barges has been like agonising over shades of off-white in the paint aisle. The BMW 530d M Sport Almond Ivory... or the Audi A6 S line Elephant's Breath? Sorry love, better grab a tester pot to be sure we don't prefer Mercedes E-Class AMG Line Waiting Room Beige. But it is incredible how equal the latest evolutions of A6 and 5 Series are, because here we have the two polar opposite views the car industry is currently arguing over – how to build an EV. Advertisement - Page continues below Option one: BMW's one size fits all masterplan. Build a car to accept every powertrain choice going. Into this immense, awkwardly angular bodyshell, BMW stuffs petrol and diesel engines, hybrids, or this totally electric solution, the i5. Photography: Jonny Fleetwood You might like That's why you sit a little bit higher than you're used to in a 5 Series – because about 300kg of cells need room to lie down. It's why this car is punctured by grilles – in case this body contained an engine. It also explains the XXL overhangs and traditionally long bonnet (with no front boot stowage beneath it, meaning the charging cables get in the way of shopping and knot the dog's legs). And the 'classic' plutobarge look means the aero is none too clever. So there are compromises, and not just for the i5. All 5 Series' (including the infamously porky M5) are now stupidly heavy, because the basic structure has been armour plated in case it needs to carry monumental e-flab. Advertisement - Page continues below But the upshot is BMW only has to build one car called a 5 Series. The factory is happy, the badging department is pleased, and you don't need a treasure map to negotiate BMW's website. Option two: Audi will soon build two entirely unrelated A6s. One is this car: the electric only A6 e-tron. The other is the new, um, A6, a combustion or hybrid powered car on an entirely different chassis. The two cars will both be called A6 but won't share a single body panel. Still, the advantages to dreaming up a fresh platform are obvious. The A6 e-tron Avant isn't just slipperier than the BMW. It's one of the world's most aerodynamically efficient production cars, because it's not full of holes, the underbody is flatter than morale at Old Trafford, and it lacks door mirrors. We'll come back to those. Besides leaving the air neat and tidy, the A6's bespoke foundations unlock other useful advantages. Yes, it's actually 5kg heavier than the 5er, but it carries 17 per cent more battery capacity in a car that's usefully smaller overall. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. No surprise then that there's a heap more range. BMW quotes 327 miles from the industry lab test, but we're more forensic. This car has been our TG Garage long termer for eight months and 10,000 miles. It averaged 310 miles to a charge last summer. Even the least efficient A6 e-tron – this Launch Edition on 21in wheels – claims over 400 miles. The Sport model reckons it'll outrun the i5 by a good 100 miles. So far, so 'we told you so' by Audi then. An electric car is best when it's built to be electric from the wheels up. And the virtuous circle keeps on spinning, running four rings around the bloated i5. It's not just your eyes, either. The A6 is indeed noticeably shorter (if marginally wider) – easier to park and place – yet passengers in the second row enjoy more space to lounge in. Opening the back doors of a 5 Series is like going to a flat viewing after studying the cheeky fisheye lens photos posted by the estate agent. Hang about, it looked ginormous on the outside. Where's all the space gone? But the weather (as motorsport commentators gleefully point out) is a great leveller. It's bitingly cold when A6 meets i5. And you know what? Both offer up 250 miles. A colleague spends longer with the Audi and coaxes it to 2.8 miles per kWh over 270 miles, but the BMW avenges its smaller battery by being more efficient overall, effortlessly managing three miles per kWh. And though the i5 loses the space wars for 'people', it wins it back on 'stuff'. It has the marginally bigger boot and even a slightly faster electric tailgate. Skip 8 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Just as things are looking up for the i5, let's roll price into the equation. An i5 Touring squeaks in at under £70k, but Brits will almost always tick the M Sport box as seen here, taking the price north of £76k, or £1,100 a month on the BMW finance calculator. A6 e-tron Avants are a few grand cheaper to begin with, while the equivalently thrusting S line trim is £68,605. This particular car is a spec laden Launch Edition unhelpfully no longer listed on Audi's website, but here to give you a good idea what an A6 looks like with every option optioned. Even at an eye watering £87k, it's £6k less than BMW charges for this bell and whistle festooned i5. At this point we ought to cover depreciation, but the BBC doesn't allow depictions of cruelty and torture in its publications. So we'll drive them instead, just as soon as the BMW's 87-point turned its way out of the multistorey. And nicked a wheel on the down ramp kerb in the process. My fault. Or was it? For all its screens, cameras, sensors, bongs, alerts and assists, the sheer bulk of the i5 simply isn't compatible with quite a lot of Britain. Over 5m long, 2m wide over the mirrors. Rear steer and 360° cameras help, but the Audi is wieldier and less stressful at each end of your journey. Partly that's because you sit up in the roof rafters rather than (relatively) down on the cat's eyes. What Audi's done here is dress up a crossover driving position in an estate car suit. That black fillet breaking up the thickset doors and 21in rims does a convincing job of hiding the fact an A6 driver is no longer eye to eye with other pilots of German business expresses. They're riding high and mighty with the Evoques and Qashqais. Easier to judge your surroundings from up there. Life in the BMW is calm and cultured. It's a very expensive car, but it has the feel of one too Or it would be, if Audi hadn't wilfully sabotaged itself with yet more virtual mirrors. OK, we've been here before with the old e-tron SUV and in various Hyundais and Lexuses, so the problems with this tech are fairly well established. The displays aren't clear enough in dark or wet conditions (gawd help you if it's both), there's no depth perception so telling at a glance how quickly that car in the next lane is closing is nigh on impossible, and because the camera is fixed, you can't change your perspective by bobbing or weaving your head. You need to swipe at the screen to muddle where the lens is pointing. It's a faff. And despite shifting the screens away from the corners of the pillars and up onto the doors, it's tricky to unlearn the instinct of looking out the window to check the mirror. Ah, whoops, that's a camera. Refocus to inside the door to check screen. Oopsie, there's a 10-tonne truck in my blind spot. Why all this inconvenience and this hefty cost (the digital mirrors are usually a £1,495 option)? According to Audi's wind tunnel boffins, the drag saving is worth four miles of range over a full charge. I think I'd sooner park in the next village and walk. There are other quibbles. The entire Top Gear road test team drove the A6 during its stay with us and not one thought the ride was acceptable. Yes, it's wearing 21in rims and our roads are rougher than Hardest Geezer's foot calluses, but there's a tension and restlessness to the A6's ride which gets on your nerves. You'll have read how the car is much more at home on the highways of continental Europe which are cared for like putting greens, but that's cold comfort when the A6 is jouncing down the A6003 and everyone's having their heads tossed around like they're on a moody seaside donkey. Life in the BMW is calm and cultured. It's a very expensive car, but it has the feel of one too, straddling the line between where an executive 5 Series ends and a luxury 7 Series limo begins. It squashes bumps the Audi fidgets over, absorbs imperfections the Audi hosts a conference call about, and generally oozes about like a shooting brake Rolls-Royce Spectre. Once you're on a road it can comfortably fit down. When you tug its bombproof door closed behind you, it seals you off from the outside world so effectively you half expect your ears to pop, as if it's a pressurised cabin in a business jet. Skip 9 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Perhaps this is a personal preference thing, but across all the i-kind and e-trons I've driven, BMW's intelligent regen braking is more logical than Audi's paddle adjusted settings. Click the i5 into B mode in town for maximum recuperation and it's a very relaxing one pedal car. In the very old days, an Audi/BMW faceoff would traditionally alight on the fact the BMW also had steely eyed rear drive chops and was obviously the choice of serious drivers, while the Audi was about as memorable as a Dulux paint chart. The gap is a lot closer these days. For one thing, the Audi's rear wheel drive too. More efficient that way. Back to back, the lower set, slightly more agile BMW was the keener drive, but come on. Two-tonne e-wagons with augmented warp soundtracks hardly scream Sunday morning thrap, right? Be in no doubt, the Audi's a fine car. Our team preferred its interior screen logic (cameras excepted) and found it easier to manoeuvre. It's spacious, futuristic and has the potential to be a genuine range monster. Probably comfier, less annoying and better value with a more modest spec, too. But the i5 earns the narrowest of moral victories here, because despite not even being built to be an EV first and foremost, it's the better car to drive, to ride in, to carry things and isn't remotely compromised enough to justify building a whole other car as an electric offshoot. So there you have it, carmakers of the world. BMW's been the canary in the coal mine and done you a big favour. Keep building cars you can sell with or without engines. Y'know, just in case electric doesn't end up being the only fuel of the near future.
Auto Car
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
The Fiat Panda 4x4 is back – and it's the ultimate budget off-roader
Cult-classic off-roader returns, likely using a small rear-mounted electric motor to provide four-wheel drive Open gallery Close The new Fiat Grande Panda 4x4 concept previews a revival of the cult classic go-anywhere supermini and the latest expansion of the Italian firm's fast-growing line-up. The original Panda 4x4 was launched in 1983 and quickly became a cult classic, thanks to the raised ride height and rugged styling elements that made it an affordable off-roader. The revived concept is based on the new Grande Panda, which is offered with both 111bhp electric and 108bhp 1.2-litre mild-hybrid petrol powertrains and sits on Stellantis's cost-conscious new Smart Car platform. While Fiat hasn't confirmed production intent, it refers to the Grande Panda 4x4 as 'the next chapter' in its legacy and a 'potential true symbol of versatility, reliability and freedom'. While full details about the concept's powertrain haven't been revealed, Fiat does refer to it as offering an 'electrified innovative rear axle'. The Smart Car platform can't accept a proper dual-motor powertrain, suggesting that the new model is likely to feature an engine or motor powering the front axle and a small motor at the rear to offer 4WD. A similar mild-hybrid arrangement is employed by the rival Dacia Duster 4x4. The Grande Panda 4x4 concept features several bespoke design cues, including a dark red paint that echoes a special edition of the original Panda 4x4. There are also steel wheels; special graphics on the doors that emphasise the stamped Panda lettering and evoke traditional off-roader body cladding; a protective underbody skidplate; and a roof rack. Fiat has hinted that any production version would 'most likely feature other accessories'. Join our WhatsApp community and be the first to read about the latest news and reviews wowing the car world. Our community is the best, easiest and most direct place to tap into the minds of Autocar, and if you join you'll also be treated to unique WhatsApp content. You can leave at any time after joining - check our full privacy policy here.
The Drive
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Dodge Confirms Electric Charger Daytona R/T Is Dead as Unsold Cars Pile Up
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Well, that didn't last long. Dodge has confirmed that the electric Charger's base Daytona R/T trim level will not return for the 2026 model year, leaving only the pricier Scat Pack version. The news comes shortly after the brand announced massive incentives on 2024 and 2025 models in a bid to clear excess inventory, and a few weeks after the White House's tariffs made the Canadian-built coupe more expensive. 'Production of the Charger Daytona R/T is postponed for the 2026 model year as we continue to assess the effects of U.S. tariff policies,' a company representative told Carscoops . The spokesperson confirmed that the Scat Pack will stick around on its own until the four-door model joins the lineup, and that the twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter straight-six-powered Sixpack variants will land during the second half of this year. Granted, the term 'postponed' doesn't mean 'canceled,' but there's no word on whether the R/T will sooner or later return to the portfolio. Stellantis Dodge dealers across the nation are sitting on an inventory of approximately 3,500 Charger Daytona R/Ts, according to enthusiast website Mopar Insiders . Dealers have been extremely generous in their attempts to move the cars off their lots. Taverna Dodge in Plantation, Florida, is listing a new 2025 Charger R/T with five miles on the odometer for merely $34,184—that's nearly half MSRP—and its inventory includes several other new, delivery-mileage models priced in the vicinity of $35,000. Cameron Country Dodge is trying to offload a leftover 2024 with 13 miles for $38,292. Getting rid of the base trim will inevitably make the Charger more expensive, and that's bad news when you factor in the fairly low demand for what's been hyped as the first electric muscle car. Pricing for the pared-down 2026 range hasn't been announced yet, but the 2025 R/T carried a base price of $61,595 including a rather hefty $1,995 destination charge. The 2025 Scat Pack costs $75,980. It's not too far-fetched to assume that the Sixpack will carry a lower MSRP, though the White House's tariffs won't tilt the scale in its favor. Where the long-rumored V8-powered Charger that Dodge has often alluded to stands in this mess, remains to be seen. Got tips? Send 'em to tips@
