PLUS: VW ID. Xtreme concept, Honda EV motorcycles, and EV chargers for trucks.
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VW ID. Xtreme Concept Imagines an Off-Road ID.4 The VW ID.4 is a familiar enough sight by now, but it probably wouldn't be your first choice for off-road adventures. Wolfsburg's latest EV concept seeks to imagine what a more trail-ready ID.4 could look like, revealing the ID. Xtreme concept in Locarno, Switzerland, a few days ago.
The concept—based on the GTX trim of the ID.4—features flared wheel arches, 18-inch off-road wheels, and some knobby tires, in addition to aluminum panels for the underbody to protect the battery. A few more off-road goodies round out the exterior modifications, but the major change underneath the skin is a power boost of about 30%
"The ID. Xtreme is made by enthusiasts at Volkswagen for ID. enthusiasts here in Locarno," said Silke Bagschik, head of the MEB product line. "We are really eager to find out how the fans of electromobility react to the vehicle."
So is this something we could see on sale in the near future?
The recipe is certainly easy enough to replicate in mass production as a separate trim line, but the main question is whether VW would be able to sell enough of these in a given market for it to make sense financially to the automaker, given the fact that Rivian has already staked a claim to the off-road EV audience. And Jeep is not far behind.
"Based on the feedback from our community, we will decide how to proceed with the project," Bagschik added. |
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Honda Plans for Lots of Electric Motorcycles by 2025 Electric motorcycles have had a deeply mixed debut in the marketplace since their arrival, pairing meager road trip ability with car-like prices. And yet bike makers are slowly but confidently moving to adopt electrification.
A major challenger will enter the ring soon, with Honda revealing plans just a few days ago to offer an expansive lineup globally in just a few years.
"Anticipating market expansion, Honda will introduce electric motorcycles that accommodate a wide range of customer needs," Honda said this week. "Commuter models and fun models combined, Honda will introduce more than 10 new electric motorcycle models by 2025, with an aim to reach annual electric motorcycle sales of 1 million units within the next five years, and 3.5 million units (approximately 15% of total sales) as of 2030."
What's more, it plans to use solid-state batteries that it is currently developing.
Read on to find out what we could see stateside from Honda's planned lineup.
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Why BMW Is Planning Tesla-Style EV Battery Cells Tesla may have made 4680 cells a frequently heard term in EV circles, but it's not the only company that's adopting this new battery cell format. A few days ago BMW revealed plans to adopt a similar format, with cells 46 millimeters in diameter in the works.
"To meet our long-term needs, we will be building battery cell factories with our partners, each with an annual capacity of up to 20 GWh, at six locations in key markets for us: two in China, two in Europe and two in USMCA," said Joachim Post, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network.
Read on to find out just what kind of advantages this new cell type promises for EVs.
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