PLUS: VW begins ID. Buzz production, Cadillac previews Celestiq, and Audi plans more charging hubs.
This week Polestar gave the world the best preview yet of its next EV, revealing the profile of the Polestar 3 just a few months ahead of its official debut in October. Set to follow the Polestar 2 sedan, the electric SUV will offer a dual-motor, all-wheel drive layout along with a serious battery pack. The automaker has already promised a range of 372 miles in the WLTP cycle, which should translate to figure just north of the 300-mile mark in the EPA cycle.
The Polestar 3 will set its sights on the rapidly growing cast of mostly German competitors, targeting the likes of the BMW iX, and it should be priced accordingly. The SUV will actually be built stateside for the US market, with Polestar sharing Volvo's Charleston, South Carolina footprint.
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The Polestar 3 will offer quite a bit of range, along with a dual-motor layout. |
This week's preview is all about the exterior design, with the Polestar 3 set to adopt a rakish profile that will steer clear of the coupe shape that automakers have favored lately. The SUV will feature rhombus-shaped details and a prominent visual indentation at the door sills that has become a Polestar trademark, while the front fascia is expected to stick fairly close to the appearance of other Polestar models, giving them a close family look.
The Polestar 3 isn't the only SUV on the way from Polestar. The Polestar 4 is just around the corner, and it will be positioned below the 3 in size, entering another very busy segment. But we'll have to wait a bit longer to see that one.
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Volkswagen has started series production of the ID. Buzz, but the US model won't get here for a while. |
Speaking of EVs arriving in the next couple of years, a few days ago Volkswagen commenced production of the ID. Buzz in Hannover, Germany. The long-awaited electric MPV is on its way to buyers soon, at least in Europe. Production will remain quite modest for the first year, with VW expecting to produce just 15,000 examples before its expands production to as many as 130,000 units a year.
"The start of serial production of the all-electric ID. Buzz is an important milestone in the electrification of our fleet and for the manufacturing operation at the Hannover site," said Carsten Intra, chairman of the Brand Management Board of VWCV.
If you're wondering by now just when US buyers will be able to drive away in one of these, the answer is not for a while. We'll see the US-market model in 2023, but buyers won't take delivery until the following year. That's right: the ID. Buzz will only get here in 2024, with the US receiving the long-wheelbase, three-row version optioned with an 82-kWh battery pack. So there's still plenty of time to pick out your colors and options.
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Audi revealed this week it will expand its charging hub concept after a positive response from EV drivers following the opening of its prototype hub in Nuremberg, Germany. Aimed at urban drivers who may not always have access to charging at home or work, the automaker's luxury charging hub is also a lounge, available by reservation via an app, offering space to relax, work, and eat. |
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Traditional car shows like Frankfurt, Tokyo, and Detroit were once global touchpoints where the world's auto industry would gather to mark its progress. Executives, analysts, and even journalists wore serious suits and carmakers spent millions of dollars on press conferences that lasted a matter of minutes. International auto shows were big deals. At least to some. But in recent years the traditional car show has been running out of gas, on its way to the recycling yard like so many wheezing gas-fired sedans and coupes being towed to various Pick-Yer-Part wrecking yards. |
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