It seems like a lot of folks have a bone to pick with Rep. Joe Manchin [D-WV] who has just this week single-handedly “torpedoed” the Build Back Better bill. The BBB could have been the “the most significant climate legislation in US history,” Megan Mahajan, the manager of energy policy design at the think tank Energy Innovation, told PopSci in October. The plan would put billions of money into developing low-carbon energy technologies and building a national network for electric vehicles.
When this bill dies, so do the chances for the country to reach its lofty and aggressive climate change goals. “There’s still a yawning gap between where we are today and where we need to be to hit President Biden’s climate targets,” Jesse Jenkins, an energy systems engineer at Princeton University who has led an effort to model the effects of the bill on US-wide emissions, told the New York Times. “Without either this bill or a climate bill that’s similar in scope, it’s really hard to see how those goals will be met.”
Unsurprisingly, left-leaning members of the Democratic party and the president himself have voiced frustration with Manchin’s choice. But a more surprising group is speaking out against Manchin’s decision, too—coal miners, including some he represents.
The BBB, along with all of its proposed clean energy benefits, provides a significant boost to coal workers by extending fees paid by coal companies to fund treatments and benefits of workers suffering pneumoconiosis, or Black Lung, which affects thousands of miners across the country. According to the statement, without BBB, that fee will be chopped in half and put the burden of healthcare payments back on individuals and taxpayers. Further, the bill provides tax incentives for companies to build new business on coalfields to employ out-of-work miners.
Additionally, the BBB provides language that would help workers unionize. “This language is critical to any long-term ability to restore the right to organize in America in the face of ramped-up union-busting by employers,” Cecil Roberts, the union’s president, said in a statement. “But now there is no path forward for millions of workers to exercise their rights at work.”
UMWA already released a plan for the energy transition earlier this year stating that “change is coming, whether we seek it or not.” The coal industry saw employment losses of around 50 percent between 2011 and 2020, which will likely continue as the country moves toward a cleaner energy mix. Proposals that include supporting miners and their families by incentivizing alternative jobs in coal country are crucial in protecting these already vulnerable communities.
“We’re likely to lose coal jobs whether or not this bill passes,” Phil Smith, the chief lobbyist for UMWA, told the Washington Post. “If that’s the case, let’s figure out a way to provide as many jobs as possible for those who are going to lose.”
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This story originally featured on Nexus Media News, a nonprofit climate change news service.
On a sweltering morning in July of 2021, thousands of dead fish washed onto the northeastern shores of Pokegama Lake, 60 miles north of Minneapolis.
Deb Vermeersch, an official with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, was called in to investigate.
When she arrived, she saw a quarter-mile stretch of sand covered with the rotting carcass of walleye and Northern pike, which thrive in deep, cool waters, as well as crappies, sunfish and suckers—all warm water dwellers. “They were already pretty decomposed because of the warm water,” Vermeersch recalls.
Because so many different types of fish had died, Vermeersch and her colleagues knew it wasn’t a species-specific parasite, a common cause of fish kills. They zeroed in on the culprit: dangerously low oxygen levels.
Oxygen is disappearing in freshwater lakes at a rate nine times that of oceans due to a combination of pollution and warming waters, according to a study published in Natureearlier this year. Lakes like Pokegama are warming earlier in the spring and staying warm into autumn, fueling algae blooms, which thrive in warm waters, and threaten native fish.
Minnesota, with its 14,380 lakes and temperatures that have risen faster than the national average, is a unique laboratory for studying how climate change is affecting temperate-zone lakes around the world. The state sits at the intersection of four biomes––two distinct prairie ecosystems and two ecologically different forest systems. This means scientists here are able to study how lakes in different ecosystems fare on a warming planet, and look for ways to stave off the worst effects of climate change.
“If you start losing oxygen, you start losing species.“
“What’s going on at the surface is that warmer water holds less oxygen than cool water,” says Lesley Knoll, a University of Minnesota limnologist and one of the authors of the Nature report. She says that longer, hotter summers are interfering with two key processes that have historically kept lakes’ oxygen levels in check: mixing and stratification. In temperate climates, water at the surface of lakes mixes with deep waters in the spring and the fall, when both layers are similar in temperature. As the surface water warms during the summer, the water forms distinct layers based on temperature––cool water at the bottom, warm at the top. This is known as stratification. In the fall, when the surface waters cool again, the water mixes for a second time, replenishing oxygen in deeper waters. But as climate change makes surface water warmer, and keeps it warmer for longer, that mixing doesn’t happen when it should.
“As you have that stronger stratification, the water in the deep part of the lake is cut off from the oxygen at the top part of the lake. If you start losing oxygen, you start losing species,” says Kevin Rose, a biologist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York and a coauthor of the Nature study.
Knoll, Rose and a team of 43 other researchers studied 400 temperate lakes from around the world. They found that, on average, surface waters warmed by 7 degrees Fahrenheit and have lost roughly 5 percent of oxygen since 1980; deep waters, which haven’t warmed much, have still lost an average of almost 20 percent of their oxygen. (Thanks to the state’s long-held lake monitoring programs, almost a quarter the lakes in the study were in Minnesota.)
Warming lakes emit methane
Fish kills aren’t the only reason scientists are concerned about lakes losing oxygen. In extreme cases, when deep waters go completely void of oxygen, something else happens: Methane-emitting bacteria begin to thrive.
“As lakes warm, they will produce more methane and most of that has to do with stratification,” says James Cotner, a limnologist at the University of Minnesota.
Lakes normally emit carbon dioxide as a natural part of breaking down the trees, plants and animals that decay in them, but plants in and around fresh water also absorb it, making healthy lakes carbon sinks.
Lakes have historically emitted methane, too––about 10 to 20 percent of the world’s emissions––but the prospect of them releasing more of the greenhouse gas has Cotner and his colleagues alarmed. Methane is about 25 times more potent than CO2 when it comes to trapping heat in Earth’s atmosphere.
Cotner is leading a team of researchers who are studying what conditions allow methane-emitting bacteria to prosper in lakes and how conservationists can respond.
“The key questions are understanding how much and when carbon dioxide and methane are emitted from lakes, and what are the key variables that can tell how much will be emitted. Certainly, oxygen is a big part of that, but stratification and warming also plays a role,” says Cotner.
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Pollution plays a big role
It’s not just longer, hotter summers that are causing lakes to lose their oxygen. Polluted agricultural runoff (pesticides and fertilizers) and logging have long plagued Minnesota’s lakes. It’s a problem that’s getting worse worldwide as climate change pushes agriculture further away from the equator and into new territory, says Heather Baird, an official with Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources.
In northern Minnesota, potatoes now grow where pine forests have thrived for years. Phosphorus, a common fertilizer, now runs off from the soil into the region’s lakes, Baird says. Though small amounts of phosphorus occur naturally in lake ecosystems, too much of it feeds harmful algae blooms.
Those blooms, which thrive in warm, nutrient-rich water, set off a chain of events that remove oxygen from deep lake waters.
“When phosphorus builds in lakes and creates algae blooms, those blooms eventually die. As they do, they sink. Deeper down, bacteria break down the algae, using up the remaining oxygen at those lower depths,” said Baird.
A quarter of Minnesota lakes now have phosphorus levels that are so high that the state advises against swimming, fishing or boating in them. Fueled by these nutrients, algae blooms take over, covering the lake in sometimes toxic residue that thrives in warm, nutrient-rich water, as was the case in Pokegama Lake earlier this year. The protists choke out aquatic life, especially fish that thrive in cold, deep waters. This is all exacerbated by warming air temperatures.
The 75 percent rule
Researchers and conservationists in Minnesota are now studying the best ways to protect temperate-climate lakes from the worst effects of climate change. They have found that preserving 75 percent of deep-water lakes’ watersheds appear to keep fish stocks healthy.
“Having a forested watershed helps keep better water quality by filtering out nutrients, which in turn can buffer against the impacts of climate change, to a point,” Knoll said. However, she added, as temperatures continue to rise, “that 75 percent may not be high enough anymore.”
Knoll and state conservationists are focusing their research and efforts on deep, cool lakes that have a better chance of staying oxygenated than warmer, shallower lakes, like Pokegama.
Vermeersch, the Minnesota fisheries supervisor, said it’s unclear what this will mean for the future of lakes like Pokegama. “Hopefully it’s not going to be a linear thing,” she said, adding that fish kills are “probably going to happen more often,” depending on a combination of factors. “When you get lakes like Pokegama that are shallow and already impaired, I think we are going to see more and more conditions like this.”
Correction (December 23, 2021): The story previously identified the wrong Pokegama Lake in Minnesota. The one that experienced the fish kill in July is 60 miles away from Minneapolis, not 140 miles away.
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As part of a $37 billion program, General Motors plans to bring at least 30 battery-electric vehicles to market by mid-decade — but it is expanding its electrification strategy to power up pretty much anything “already on the road,” as well as on the water, it announced on Wednesday.
GM looking to electrify “everything,” including offering conversion kits as well as packages for vehicles like this jet tug.
The largest of the Detroit automakers’ Electric Connect and Cruise eCrate systems will allow owners to swap out their conventional gas engines in classic vehicles like the Camaro and E-10 pickup for battery-drive technology. GM also is looking to power up cargo tractors and other airport gear, while also working up ways to bring electric propulsion to the marine industry.
“GM has an established strategy, network of integrators and co-development agreements to apply an extensive array of components and solutions to a broad range of customers and use cases,” said Travis Hester, GM vice president of Electric Vehicle Growth Operations, in a statement Wednesday.
The carmaker estimates there’s a “total addressable market” for swapping conventional drive systems for battery power that could approach $20 billion by 2030.
“As companies across many industries look to reduce their environmental impact, GM is uniquely positioned to serve as a leader not only through exciting new EVs across our brands, but through additional technology applications,” said Hester, “and we look forward to bringing customers — existing and new — along with us on our zero-emissions journey.”
Chevrolet showcased a 1977 K5 Blazer converted to all-electric propulsion at SEMA360 in 2020.
Converting to electric
Demand for conversion technology is already on the rise. There’s been a flood of startups converting classic vehicles, including vintage Camaros, Porsches, Volkswagens and Land Rovers, to run on battery power.
GM targeted the conversion market with the launch of the eCOPO Camaro project car at the SEMA Show several years back, and has revealed other project cars like Project X and the 1977 K-5 Blazer. It is getting ready to provide what are essentially plug-and-play packages, like the Cruise eCrate and Electric Connect, to simplify the process. The goal is to allow owners and conversion companies to make a swap with a minimum of effort.
The Detroit automaker isn’t the only one sensing an opportunity here, however. Ford recently demonstrated the potential for its own Mach-E crate motors, which, as the name implies, uses hardware and software borrowed from its Mustang Mach-E battery-electric SUV. The conversion package can be plugged into classic products such as a 1978 Ford F-100 pickup. Volkswagen and Tesla have also gotten into the game, the latter automaker’s electric drive technology used by one conversion fan on a Rolls-Royce once owned by Johnny Cash.
Multiple applications for electric motors
But GM’s strategy isn’t limited to road-going vehicles.
It’s teaming up with Textron Ground Support Equipment Inc., a Textron subsidiary, to power up ground support equipment like the cargo and baggage tractors, belt loaders and Tug equipment found at commercial airports. Electrifying those vehicles promises to reduce emissions, as well as operating costs, while improving reliability, experts claim.
Commercial fleets, in general are showing strong interest in making the switch to battery power. GM this month began delivering the first of its BrightDrop delivery vans, joining competitors like Ford and Rivian in a market that could rapidly grow this decade, according to industry forecasts.
The opportunity to electrify isn’t limited to ground vehicles, however. A number of manufacturers are looking at ways to harness battery and hydrogen fuel-cell technology for other transportation and cargo applications. Rolls-Royce recently set a speed record with an aircraft outfitted with one of its drive systems. Airbus just released plans for a hydrogen turbofan system.
GM sees big opportunities coming in the marine world. It recently announced a strategic investment in the Seattle-based Pure Watercraft. The move, the automaker said, “represents an opportunity to bring EV technology to the marine industry and help preserve enjoyment of the outdoors for future generations. Together, the two companies will develop and commercialize battery electric watercraft, to accelerate the transition to electric mobility.”
GM also has been exploring ways to electrify the rails. Last June it announced another partnership with Wabtec, one of the largest providers of freight locomotives. Under a non-binding agreement, the automaker will provide both battery and hydrogen fuel-cell systems for prototypes like the Wabtec FLXdrive. Eventually, the technology could replace the conventional diesel-hybrid systems that dominate the rails today.
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Charging is key to the transition to electric vehicles and while more chargers are one the way, Ford Motor Co. is launching a new program to ensure the juice needed to run an EV does not contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases.
Ford’s program can be used by current owners of the Mustang Mach-E, E-Transit and Escape PHEV.
With help of one auto industry’s traditional foes, the California Air Resource Board, Ford is beginning what it describes as a “sustainable charging program,” which allows owners of plug-in electric vehicles in California to opt for only carbon-neutral charging at home.
“Ford’s electric vehicle customers are beginning to realize all the possibilities associated with their vehicles and sustainable energy management,” said Matt Stover, director of charging and energy services, Ford Motor Co.
“By working with regulators, utilities and customers for home integration services, we’re enabling EV drivers to lower their carbon footprints, potentially save money and help protect the grid, all through their smartphones.”
California-based owners of all current Ford all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, including the Mustang Mach-E, the E-Transit and the Escape PHEV, plus the F-150 Lightning coming in 2022, are eligible for the program.
Only green energy wanted
The idea is to only use electricity made with renewable sources rather than oil, gas or coal, reducing the carbon footprint of the energy used to power the vehicles.
Ford plans to participate in CARB’s “Low Carbon Fuel Standard,” which will offer customers a new way to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change by matching the use of electricity used to charge plug-in electric vehicles at home with 100% local renewable energy, the automaker said.
CARB, which has control of air quality standards throughout California, has long warred with automakers about emissions. Significant health concerns, created by automotive-related air pollution in Southern California, have given CARB enormous influence over emission standards not only across California but also across the United States.
Once enrolled, the FordPass app automatically tracks the amount of electricity used while charging at home. Ford generates, or buys, an equivalent amount of California-sourced Renewable Energy Certificates, an EPA-recognized program that records the generation and usage of green energy.
Ford then sends evidence of the matching amounts to CARB, ensuring that all home plug-in charging activity is matched with zero-carbon electricity.
Ford is investing more than $30 billion in electric vehicles and batteries through 2025. The push supports the company’s longer-term goal of creating a sustainable American manufacturing ecosystem, and to accelerate its progress towards achieving carbon neutrality no later than 2050. Overall, Ford expects 40% to 50% of its global vehicle volume to be fully electric by 2030.
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The new Mitsubishi Outlander already has proven to be one of the most important products the long-struggling automaker has launched in its bid to become relevant to U.S. motorists again. Now, Mitsubishi is hoping to gain even more traction with the upcoming launch of a plug-in hybrid version.
The gas-powered 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander made its debut in February.
The Japanese automaker claims it will yield more range than the old Outlander PHEV, at an estimated 87 km, or nearly 55 miles, per charge — though that’s using the global WLTP test cycle and will likely come down once the American version is tested by the EPA.
“With low (carbon dioxide) emissions and environmental impact from manufacturing and use,” said Takao Kato, MMC’s president and CEO, “the all-new Outlander PHEV model can be considered the best solution for carbon neutrality today.”
Updated, upgraded drivetrain
The Outlander was first introduced in 2001 and, with the fourth generation, it has become a core part of the brand, accounting for about 20% of its global volume. The first plug-in hybrid version was unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. It produced a combined 197 horsepower by pairing a 2.0-liter inline-4 gas engine with twin 60-kilowatt electric motors drawing power from a 12 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack.
The new Outlander PHEV gets numerous powertrain upgrades, though the automaker isn’t releasing hard specs yet. In a statement announcing the new vehicle it said the plug-in gets “an increase of around 40% in the output of the front and rear motors and drive battery.” The lithium-ion pack, it did note, jumps to 20 kWh. The gas engine, added a spokesman, is a “slightly updated” version of the old PHEV’s 2.4-liter package.
The new Outlander plug-in hybrid will arrive in the U.S. in the second half of 2022.
Mitsubishi also revealed, “The power drive unit for the front motor is newly equipped with a booster function which bolsters driving force by raising the supply of voltage to the front motor while simultaneously improving electricity consumption by raising the efficiency of the generator.”
Third row added
The automaker also took steps to downsize some of the hardware, notably the rear motor and control unit. As a result, the new plug-in will gain room for a third row yielding space for seven occupants.
The drive system now will allow One-Pedal Driving, as well, a feature that effectively allows motorists to minimize the need to jump from throttle to brake when driving in light to moderate traffic. That feature was found to be extremely popular with EV owners, according to the recent J.D. Power Technology Experience Index.
With only modest tweaks, the plug-in adopts the same exterior and interior design as the gas-powered Outlander. The overall strategy is based on a concept dubbed “I-Fu-Do-Do,” which means “authentic” and “majestic” in Japanese.
New design
The new Outlander PHEV is expected to travel more than 55 miles in electric-only mode.
The fourth-generation Mitsubishi Outlander adopted a new styling language called “Dynamic Shield.” Up front, it features a more upright nose with a pinched, dual-level grille and stacked headlamps. From the side, the SUV features a more deeply sculpted silhouette with a bit of a floating roof element.
The automaker clearly wanted to give the new Outlander a more solid and robust look, with such touches as 20-inch wheels and tires and what it calls the Hexagon Guard rear end.
The new SUV grew larger in virtually all dimensions, the width expanding by 2 inches. That means the cabin of the new Outlander is both wider and more spacious than the outgoing model, Mitsubishi adopting more upscale materials and features like tri-zone climate controls, real aluminum panels and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display.
The gas-powered Outlander is powered by a 2.5-liter inline-4 that bumped up power by 8.9 percent. At the same time, it reduced fuel consumption by 2.6 percent.
Pricing TBD
Many of the features from the current model are expected to carry over into the PHEV, though Mitsubishi hasn’t provided specific details. The gas model offers Hill Descent Control and Trailer Stability Assist. A Multiview camera system helps drivers see what’s around the vehicle, whether on-road or off. Other features for the new Mitsubishi Outlander include a power-operated panoramic roof and an electrically operated tailgate that can be opened with a kick of the foot under the rear bumper.
Pricing for the gas model starts at $25,795 — plus $1,195 in delivery fees. Pricing for the PHEV is expected to run higher, though the numbers won’t be released until closer to sales launch. That holds for a variety of other specs, including U.S. range, power and performance.
“Sales will commence in Japan on Dec. 16, followed by Australia and New Zealand in the first half of 2022 and North America in the second half of 2022,” Mitsubishi said in a statement. While it did not offer specifics, that would suggest that the Outlander PHEV will be marketed as a 2023 model in the U.S.
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Volvo’s focus on sustainability turned to its vehicle interiors with the elimination of the use of leather in all vehicles by 2030.
Volvo, like other automakers, has made sustainability a focus for its future products. The shift includes a move toward electrification and the use of materials that are responsibly sourced and sustainable.
Its latest effort is the elimination of leather from all its electric vehicles. The first “leather-free” vehicle in the Volvo line-up is the new C40 Recharge.
“We’ve got a new generation of customers coming through, they’re far more interested in the products they buy and having an ethical story behind them,” Robin Page, Volvo’s head of design, told Reuters. The target date for making its line-up completely leather-free is 2030.
Sustainable and cruelty-free
Volvo Cars’ new leather-free material consists of textiles made from recycled material such as PET bottles, bio-attributed material from sustainable forests and recycled wine corks.
The decision to eliminate leather isn’t solely about sustainability. It’s also about animal welfare. Volvo is keen to appeal to its customers’ concerns about the treatment of animals by the leather industry and the industry’s environmental impact.
According to a recent Volvo report, The Rise of Conscious Design, two-thirds of customers consider a brand’s environmental policies when making a luxury purchase. These people also want to see better labeling that includes the carbon impact of a company and its products.
This not the first effort by the Swedish automaker to improve its sustainability efforts. In 2018, it resolved to remove all single-use plastics from its offices, cafeterias and at all of its events by then of 2019.
Volvo’s first non-leather interior comes with the n C40 Recharge.
Numerous leather alternatives
The elimination of leather forced Volvo to search out a wide range of alternatives. These include Nordico — a material made from forestry byproducts along with recycled cork and plastic bottles. In addition to being a sustainable product, Nordico mimics the look and feel of leather creating a warm and welcoming interior.
“For someone who loves leather but is aware of the negative effects of leather on the environment, this is a good, modern way to capture the properties but is the right material for the future,” Page said
Recycled polyester is also on the list of alternative materials adorning the interior of new Volvos. This helps reduce the company’s carbon footprint. Linen and flax produced in between crops will also be used, which has the added benefit of helping replenish the soil for future crops.
“We have a vision of where we need to go in the future, with the first step to ensure we harness sustainable, natural and recycled materials,” said Page. “The next challenge is to change what we do with these materials, whether that’s making car parts that last forever, re-enter the circular economy or go back into the earth.”
The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium is a true competitor for the Tesla Model Y.
Much of the talk about electric vehicles lately focuses on the wave of EVs coming in the next 12 to 18 months; however, until then the latest round of electric vehicle registrations shows Tesla’s still king of the EV world, well, at least in the U.S.
According to Experian, which tracks new vehicle registrations in the U.S., sales of electric vehicles are up through the first six months of the year — and up big. There were 255,393 EVs registrations during the time period, equating to an increase of 133% compared to the same period last year. Automotive News first released the registration numbers.
A look at the top 10 EVs registered shows some new names, most notably the Ford Mustang Mach-E. The automaker’s first long-range EV debuted with a splash last fall and, according some analysts, has taken away as much as 10% of Tesla’s sales.
The only electric vehicle that outsells the Tesla Model 3 in the U.S. is the Model Y.
However, the lofty sales number doesn’t appear to be so much Ford conquesting from Tesla, although some of that is happening, the entire market is up, meaning there is plenty to go arounds. In fact, the Tesla Model Y, the vehicle the Mach-E most directly competes with, was up five-fold through July, logging 93,708 registrations.
The reports of my demise …
As the number of options for buyers interested in electric vehicles has grown — slowly — in the last 12 to 18 months, so has the number of predictions about when Tesla will be surpassed as the leading seller of battery-electric vehicles.
If the latest top 10 list of EV registrations is any indication, it’s going to be awhile. Here is the top 10 list of EV registrations in the U.S., according to Experian:
Despite its current recall, the Chevrolet Bolt was the third-best-selling EV in the U.S. through July.
Tesla Model Y: 93,708 units
Tesla Model 3: 68,448 units
Chevy Bolt EV: 21,898 units
Ford Mustang Mach-E: 13,950 units
Nissan Leaf: 9,445 units
VW ID.4: 8,404 units
Porsche Taycan: 6,071 units
Hyundai Kona EV: 6,069 units
Audi e-tron: 5,473 units
Kia Niro EV: 4,091 units
Some of the non-Tesla vehicles have seen substantial sales gains in 2021, including the Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV, which is currently the subject of a massive recall due to battery manufacturing problem that has been pinpointed as the cause of more than 10 vehicle fires.
The company’s recalled all of them and shut down the Orion, Michigan plant that produces them as it works with its supplier, South Korea’s LG Chem, to fix the problem. Despite all this, its sales were up 138% during the timeframe, according to InsideEVs.com.
The Launch Edition of the Rivian R1T will begin production and deliveries later this month.
However, the dominance of Tesla is still strong. It holds the top two spots on the list, accounting for 162,156 units. This is more than two times the rest of the top 10 at 75,401 vehicles. What vehicles occupy the No. 11 and No. 12 spots? The Model S and Model X, respectively.
Overall, the company gives new meaning to the term “California King” as it accounts for more than two-thirds of all EVs sold in the U.S. right now.
Change is inevitable
While Tesla enjoys a substantial lead, it seems it’s only a matter of time when the rest of the world begins flooding the U.S. market with new electric options — and that time essentially starts, well, now.
Starting with newbie Rivian and its Launch Edition R1T electric pickup which will begin deliveries later this month, at least 27 brands accounting for nearly 50 distinct vehicles, which TheDetroitBureau.com chronicled in two part story you can read by clicking here for Part I and here for Part II, are scheduled arrive in the U.S. between now and the end of next year.
Tesla’s not twiddling its thumbs, waiting for the wave to come crashing down on it, expanding its production base in the U.S. with Giga Austin, its massive new plant expected to come online by the end of this year or early next to produce even more of the Model 3 while prepping to for the Cybertruck and possibly a less expensive vehicle in the $25,000 range.
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Even as the first new Mercedes EQS begins rolling into showrooms, the German automaker is rolling out two more variants of the flagship sedan at the first-ever Munich Motor Show. And the new AMG EQS highlights the sort of performance Mercedes’ muscle car brand plans to deliver as it shifts to all-electric propulsion.
The new EQS is, like so many other Mercedes models, getting the AMG treatment.
The initial version of the EQS certainly isn’t a slouch, delivering anywhere from 329 to 526 horsepower. But the AMG edition takes that to a new level, the big sedan punching out as much as 751 hp when its boost function is triggered. That’s nearly 25% more than the gas-powered AMG S 63.
“The AMG EQS is the first all-electric ambassador in the performance segment (and) will undoubtedly appeal to and win over a new clientele for Mercedes-AMG,” Philipp Schiemer, chairman of the performance brand’s board. “It is tailor-made for car enthusiasts who are looking for a combination of innovative electric mobility in a luxurious ambience, coupled with sportiness and agile driving dynamics.”
Taking on Tesla
The decision to deliver an electrified version of the EQS should come as no surprise. The rival Tesla Model S has been stealing buyers from not only the mainstream Mercedes S-Class, but also AMG models like the S 63 with the addition of its Model S Performance and Plaid editions.
The Mercedes-AMG EQS is expected to race from 0-62 mph in 3.4 seconds.
AMG aims to tap into the performance benefits offered by electric motors — which deliver maximum, off-the-line torque the moment they start spinning. That will permit the AMG EQS to launch from 0 to 100 kmh, or 0 to 62 mph, in an estimated 3.4 seconds on models equipped with the optional AMG Dynamic Plus package. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph.
Like the initial version of the EQS, the AMG edition will be powered by a 107.8 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, though it will use modified wiring to increase the amount of power that can be sent to the big sedan’s wheels. That will allow a normal output of up to 649 hp, briefly jumping to 751 hp when in boost mode. That also will bump up torque from 700 to 752 pound-feet.
The system uses twin motors, with the primary one mounted on the rear axle. Along with the increase in wiring capacity, the AMG EQS takes several steps to keep the motors cool under aggressive driving. That includes a “water lance” in the rotor shafts, as well as a transmission oil cooler.
The new AMG EQS features Mercedes’ new Hyperscreen technology.
Range and charging
The automaker isn’t yet quoting range but the AMG model is expected to deliver less than the more mainstream EQS which is rated at 770 kilometers, or nearly 480 miles, per charge using the European WLTP test cycle.
The 400-volt drive system can be charged at up to 200 kW at quick-charging stations, yielding an additional 300 km, or 186 miles, in just 19 minutes.
The AMG EQS rides on a modified version of Mercedes’ new EVA2 architecture, a skateboard-like platform that mounts most of its powertrain components below the load floor. That eliminates the driveshaft tunnel normally required on vehicles with AMG 4Matic all-wheel drive, and allows for more interior space than the conventional S-Class.
The new EQS adopts what might be thought of as a “one-box” or, as Gorden Wagener, Mercedes’ global design director prefers, a “one-bow” design. With only subtle deviation, a single, curved line flows over the top of the vehicle from bumper to bumper.
The AMG EQS rides on a modified version of Mercedes’ new EVA2 architecture, a skateboard-like platform that mounts most of its powertrain components below the load floor.
“It’s all about proportion,” said Wagener, during the launch of the initial EQS last April. “We managed to keep the balance, go to the edge in design and tech, but … not leave anyone behind.”
Unique features
As with other AMG models, the performance version of the EQS features a number of design tweaks. These include:
Front splitter in high-gloss black with chrome trim and also flics and fins on the air intakes, with air curtains on the left and right in high-gloss black with chrome trim
AMG side sill panels in high-gloss black
Rear bumper in the color of the car with aerodynamically optimized diffuser with six longitudinal fins
Larger rear spoiler (compared to AMG Line), to improve driving dynamics: rear lift is reduced without increasing drag
21- or 22-inch AMG aerodynamically optimized alloy wheels
Inside, the EQS gets a modified version of the new Mercedes Hyperscreen which stretches virtually pillar to pillar across the instrument panel. The Hyperscreen is optional on the standard EQS but standard here.
The AMG model is expected to deliver less than the more mainstream EQS which is rated at 770 kilometers, or nearly 480 miles, per charge using the European WLTP test cycle.
Enhancing performance and handling
Other standard features include the AMG Dynamic Plus system which not only improves performance and handling but also adds unique “Soundscapes.” These are, essentially, sound tracks specifically designed to enhance the perception of performance driving, replacing the traditional sound of a gasoline engine.
AMG’s Ride Control+ suspension with adjustable damping also comes standard. So does rear-wheel steering which is optional on the “base” EQS.
At speeds below 37 mph, the rear wheels steer in the opposite direction to the front wheels. This makes the AMG EQS highly maneuverable, light-footed and nimble” in urban driving, Mercedes explains. While at speeds above 37 mph, “the rear wheels steer in the same direction as the front wheels. As a result, the virtually extended wheelbase offers increased handling stability and driving safety at high speeds, and during fast lane changes or sudden evasive maneuvers.”
High-performance compound brakes capable of regenerating energy while slowing or coasting come standard. Among the options offered on the AMG model, buyers can opt for carbon-ceramic compound brakes.
Pricing will be revealed closer to launch. The base Mercedes EQS will reach U.S. showrooms later this year, the EQS AMG set to follow in early 2022.
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Just four months after revealing its first all-electric model, Genesis has uncovered a second battery-electric vehicle, this time in crossover form.
The new Genesis GV60 is the brand’s second battery-electric offering. It uses the E-GMP platform from parent company Hyundai.
And unlike the Electrified G80 sedan, the Genesis GV60 crossover will ride on an all-new, dedicated EV architecture. The skateboard-style platform will underpin BEVs the luxury brand plans to bring to market in the future – along with all-electric models coming from mainstream brands Hyundai and Kia.
What Genesis has dubbed the “Crystal Sphere” is one of the more distinctive features on the GV70. The sphere-shaped knob will not only operate the GV60’s shift-by-wire system but also provide ambient lighting for the electric crossover’s interior.
The GV60 compact crossover employs features specially designed for the battery-electric vehicle.
That model is almost a technical afterthought, with Genesis engineers taking the old approach of squeezing batteries into vehicles wherever possible. Nonetheless, it’s expected to deliver as much as 310 miles of range per charge using the European WLTP standard, and about 250 using the U.S. EPA driving cycle.
Genesis isn’t saying much about the technical details of the GV60, other than noting it will share the E-GMP, or Electric-Global Modular Platform, that underpins upcoming products like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. The key feature is the way batteries and motors are mounted below the load floor. That frees up space normally used for an engine compartment, allowing for more passenger and cargo space, despite a smaller vehicle footprint. It also lowers the center of gravity, helping improve handling.
The E-GMP was designed to permit multiple motor layouts and, in keeping with the brand’s general direction, it’s expected that the GV60 will offer all-wheel-drive using at least two motors, one on each axle.
Look for solid performance
Genesis is looking to make up some ground when it comes to electrification with the new Electrified G80.
In terms of performance, electric motors can deliver immediate, off-the-line torque, the electrified G80 rated at 4.9 seconds in the 0-60 sprint in Sport mode, Genesis previously said. Few would be surprised to see the GV60 hit 60 even more quickly.
The E-GMP architecture is also expected to be optimized for the sort of ride and handling Genesis buyers expect. By lowering the base of the grille, it will not only “emphasize the dynamic performance of the vehicle (but also) increase the cooling efficiency of the high-voltage batteries in the underbody,” Genesis said.
The crossover will pick up on key styling cues seen on current Genesis products, such as the signature “Crest Grille,” though it will be “wider and more athletic,” the company said in a statement released early Thursday from Seoul.
The GV60 also will pick up on the two-line quad headlamps used on current Genesis crosovers. But, viewed from the side, the new BEV will offer a more coupe-like profile. It also will adopt a clamshell-style hood that combines the fenders to reduce the number of body panel cut lines.
The interior design of GV60 takes on Genesis’ design ethos of the ‘Beauty of White Space,’ while seeking to create a spacious and comfortable interior.
Aerodynamics critical
Like many new BEVs, aerodynamics are key to the design, lowering wind resistance critical to maximizing range, as well as performance. That includes such details as the hideaway door handles that pop out as the driver approaches the GV60, as well as the fixed rear spoiler.
The interior is designed to take advantage of the freedom offered by the E-GMP platform. There will be no driveshaft hump, for one thing. Though specs have not yet been released, it’s quite likely the new battery-electric crossover will have class-above interior space.
The GV60’s dashboard is designed in a “wide slim shape” focusing on the high-tech look of the new offering.
The cabin features various elements that appear to float freely, including the center console upon which the Crystal Sphere is mounted. Describing it as “one of the most compelling design elements of the GV60,” Genesis noted, “When the vehicle is turned off, the Crystal Sphere provides ambient lighting, adding to the aesthetic of the driving experience. When you’re ready to drive, the sphere rotates and the SBW (the shift-by-wire system) appears, creating an indoor atmosphere of futuristic mobility.”
There will be widescreen displays replacing conventional analog gauges, as well as to operate the GV60’s infotainment system and vehicle controls.
2022 launch planned
Among the questions left for later, Genesis didn’t disclose the size of the GV60’s battery pack, its projected range or its charging time. But when the electrified G80 was launched, company officials indicated that future models would use a drive system that can flip from 400 to 800 volts, allowing the use of the latest public quick chargers. Using the newest 350 kilowatt systems the electric sedan can go from a 10% to 80% state-of-charge in just 22 minutes.
More details “will be announced in the coming months,” the Genesis statement said, with deliveries of the GV60 set to begin sometime next year.
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Tesla surpassed the $1 billion profit mark for the first time on the strength of record-setting production and deliveries during the second quarter.
Tesla surpassed the $1 billion profit mark for the first time in the second quarter.
The California-based EV maker’s $1.1 billion profit was matched by its 11% margins. The company reported revenue of $11.96 billion during the quarter, exceeding analysts’ estimates of $11.4 billion for the quarter, according to FactSet.
Much of the company’s revenue came from its automotive division, which posted a 97% year-over-year increase for Q2 of $10.2 billion. Perhaps just as importantly, its regulatory credits contributed just $354 million, a decline of 17 percent.
“Our operating income improved in Q2 compared to the same period last year to $1.3 billion,” the company said in its report to shareholders, “resulting in an 11% operating margin. This profit level was reached while incurring SBC expense attributable to the 2018 CEO award of $176 million in Q2, driven by a new operational milestone becoming probable.”
Profits come using tried-and-true formula
Deliveries of the new Model S took off during the second quarter.
The company noted its operating income rose because of “volume growth and cost reduction.” The improvements came despite a $23 million hit it took for dabbling in Bitcoin and production issues associated with semiconductor shortages.
Employees charged with cutting costs and improving production performed well during the quarter, Tesla noted, but to earn big profits in the second half of the year, they’ll need to remain diligent.
“With global vehicle demand at record levels, component supply will have a strong influence on the rate of our delivery growth for the rest of the year,” the company said in the report.
EV sales hit at an all-time high in the U.S. during the second quarter, and Tesla recognizes the market is changing. “Public sentiment and support for electric vehicles seems to be at a never-before-seen inflection point,” it said in the report. “We continue to work hard to drive down costs and increase our rate of production to make electric vehicles accessible to as many people as possible.”
