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Friday, August 20, 2021
Model S Plaid vs Rimac Nevera 🏁
Genesis reveals upcoming electric crossover
If you have trouble reading this message, view it in a browser. This week Chevrolet plans Bolt battery module replacement, Tesla aims to start production of the Model Y in Germany, and the VW ID.3 gets drafted into police service. But first: This week Genesis took the wraps off the GV60 electric crossover, due stateside in 2022. The luxury model will share the E-GMP platform with two corporate siblings—the Kia EV6 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5—but it will have plenty of its own distinct styling and tech inside and out. The automaker hasn't mentioned specs yet, but it's likely the GV60 will get a 77.8-kWh battery and a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive layout. The GV60 will use the automaker's E-GMP platform, which underpins the Kia EV6 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5. The interior holds more surprises than the interior, with the GV60 trading traditional side mirrors for two floating screens attached to the door frames, but will still feature small winglets on the outside. The instrument panel and the infotainment screen will sit side by side on the dash, representing another industry trend, while the shift-by-wire lever will actually be something Genesis calls the Crystal Sphere, positioned on the center console. More Polestar variants are on the way, but the brand is not quite a household name at the moment. Speaking of aspiring Tesla competitors, this week Volvo's electric brand detailed a more affordable version of the Polestar 2, aimed at the likes of the Tesla Model Y and Model 3. The automaker announced pricing for a single-motor, front-wheel-drive version of the model with a 78-kWh battery, offering an expected range of 265 miles. This version of the Polestar 2 will start at $47,200, prior to the application of the $7,500 federal tax rebate and other local discounts. With that discount, of course, the Polestar 2 will sneak just under the $40,000 barrier in base form, at least in theory, adding to the growing list of more affordable EV stateside. After months of delays, Tesla's Berlin-Brandenburg plant is expected to be come online in a matter of weeks. Tesla CEO Elon Musk indicated the company's first European facility will begin producing the Model Y this October. Musk previously lamented that the plant had become mired in "bureaucratic hell," as the automaker raced to get the facility ready amid record EV demand in Europe. Less than a month after issuing a second formal recall for 2017-'19 model-year Chevrolet Bolt hatchbacks prompted by a number of vehicle fires, GM now plans to replace all of the affected battery modules, including those that have received a prior fix. This means about 51,000 vehicles in the US alone will receive new modules out of a total of over 68,000 affected Bolts worldwide. Spread the word: If you know someone interested in staying on top of the rapidly growing EV segment, feel free to pass this newsletter along.
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