| If you have trouble reading this message, view it in a browser.  The Tesla Model Y gets another price hike, Subaru's Solterra rolls into LA, and Honda shows off an autonomous EV trucklet. But first:  This week Hyundai and Kia took the wraps off two large electric SUV concepts at the LA auto show, giving the world a loose preview of what could be headed to both brands' lineups in the near future. Based on the automaker's E-GMP platform, Hyundai's Seven concept showed off a spacious interior made easy to admire through its suicide doors, and a futuristic but still fairly plausible exterior design. The pixel headlights are certainly a popular element at the moment, having recently made an appearance in the Grandeur electric restomod concept, but visitors were equally likely to appreciate the lounge-style interior showcasing a number of hygienic features and surfaces meant to minimize virus transmission (yes, really).  Kia brought a large electric SUV concept to the LA auto show as well. The LA auto show also served as a debut venue for the Kia EV9 concept, sporting a boxier profile but a footprint similar to the Seven. Underpinned by the E-GMP platform as well, the EV9 concept promised a range of 300 miles and charging speeds up to 350 kW. The EV9's interior was a little more conventional than that of its Hyundai sibling, previewing a spacious, Telluride-sized SUV that we could see from the brand quite soon. "The Kia Concept EV9 is yet another important marker for us in what has been an incredible journey since the start of the year. Having made our intentions clear—to become a global leader in sustainable mobility solutions—today we are proud to show the world our all-electric SUV concept, which fuses together an advanced zero-emissions powertrain, a cutting-edge exterior design and a contemporary and innovative tech-based interior space," said Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design Center.  President Joe Biden went for a spin in the GMC Hummer electric truck, the first deliveries of which are scheduled for later this year. While all eyes were on the LA auto show this week, another major event took place further east, with GM formally opening its Factory ZERO in Michigan, which has already been building pre-production examples of the GMC Hummer SUT. The automaker converted the EV plant from an existing Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant rather than starting from scratch, saving quite a bit of time and money in the process while keeping EV production close to home. GM also managed to recycle or reuse almost everything that came out of the old plant, even including the concrete floor, while adding high-tech systems like a 516-kW ground-mounted photovoltaic solar array.    With one battery-electric model in production and more on the way, Polestar may not be a household name like Tesla, but it has been producing cars longer than some other recent EV start-ups like Lucid and Rivian. And it's building a store network just like the Austin-based EV maker that has now been selling EVs for over a decade.
 For starting out as a simple and affordable variant of the Model 3, the Model Y is suddenly a luxury-priced vehicle. Shortly after receiving a $2000 price hike just weeks prior, the Model Y has received yet another one, growing another $1000, which pushes it over the $60,000 mark with destination charges.   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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Friday, November 19, 2021
EVs are the stars of the LA auto show
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