Author: Central Desk

Marking a groundbreaking shift poised to revolutionize the auto industry, Renault Group and Geely have consummated a 50/50 joint venture (JV) agreement to launch an industry-leading powertrain technology company. This news comes following a framework agreement first announced in November 2022, and aims to position the new JV as a global trailblazer in developing, manufacturing, and supplying top-tier hybrid and highly efficient Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) powertrains. Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, is mulling a strategic investment in this new venture, after signing a letter of intent with Renault and Geely in March 2023. Such an investment would accelerate…

Porsche, the iconic sports car manufacturer, expanded its My Porsche App to incorporate innovative features within Apple CarPlay®. This marks Porsche as the first automaker to facilitate more accessible vehicle functions through CarPlay®. Mattias Ulbrich, CEO of Porsche Digital and CIO of Porsche AG, expressed excitement about the app’s upgrade. “We are excited to further improve the My Porsche App and using the capabilities of Apple CarPlay to deliver a truly enhanced customer experience. Technology and digitization are crucial factors for the enduring fascination of our brand – now and in the next 75 years,” Ulbrich emphasized. The My Porsche…

McLaren’s quest for innovation with its much-anticipated Artura hybrid supercar has been punctuated by a number of formidable challenges. Yet, in the face of these hurdles, the company’s CEO, Michael Leiters, displays an unwavering commitment to rectify existing complications and prioritize product maturity. In a display of remarkable candor, Leiters admitted in a December interview, “We saw that the car wasn’t mature, so we stopped deliveries. We already had a significant delay in our production line at the time and we reduced [production] to zero [cars] a day to fix our quality problems.” Despite the actions taken, the Artura continues…

The Tamiya Wild One, a popular radio-controlled car from the 80s, has been brought to life as the Wild One Max, a full-scale, road-legal electric dune buggy. Renowned for breathing new life into classic cars as electric vehicles, The Little Car Company has designed the Wild One Max to emulate its miniature predecessor, integrating modern enhancements for practical use. Retailing at $35,000, the Wild One Max showcases a two-seat cockpit, abbreviated suspension turrets, and windscreen wipers. Powering this revamp are eight interchangeable battery packs, supplying a combined 14.4kWh, enabling a range of around 120 miles. Despite its lightweight design of…

Renowned electric vehicle producer Tesla appears to be setting the stage for an extensive recruitment campaign for EV test drivers. With wages ranging from $18 to $48 per hour, as cited in a Business Insider report, this tactical initiative underscores Tesla’s dedication to augmenting its vehicular performance and capturing invaluable data to spur ongoing tech evolution. A plethora of job openings have emerged recently across several US cities, encompassing Austin, Denver, and Brooklyn. These roles, straddling both day and night shifts, engage potential employees in a three-month period and offer attractive supplemental benefits. While Tesla has a history of hiring…

Breaking new ground in e-vehicle urban mobility, BMW Motorrad has unveiled its latest creation, the CE 02, dubbed as an ‘eParkourer’. This urban runabout e-vehicle stands out as neither an e-scooter nor an e-motorcycle, but a new breed of transportation designed to provide a dynamic and enjoyable ride in urban settings. Following the launch of the CE 04 two years ago, the new CE 02 targets young urban riders. Its design emphasizes practicality, nimbleness, and robustness, stripping back to the essentials while maintaining a sleek aesthetic. The vehicle features large wheels, ensuring durability and fun across varied terrains, and sports…

The highly anticipated Rolls Royce’s Spectre, the luxury automaker’s first fully electric car, has seen a tremendous response in pre-orders, indicating a successful leap into the future of automotive technology for the historic British brand. From the moment it was announced, the Spectre, a super coupe, generated substantial interest and attention, effectively filling up the order book until the end of 2024. With deliveries set to commence in the fourth quarter of 2023, the electric revolution for the Rolls-Royce brand is now officially on the horizon. Notably, this tremendous response is part of Rolls-Royce’s broader strategy to transition to an…

Ford’s 2024 Mustang all-new will debut a feature geared toward promoting safer interactions between drivers and vulnerable road users. The new feature, dubbed ‘Exit Warning,’ will be available on all models of the Mustang from summer onwards. Exit Warning utilizes radar technology to detect approaching cyclists, scooter riders, and pedestrians when the Mustang is parked. The system is activated when vulnerable road users, traveling at a minimum speed of 4 miles per hour, are identified within the vicinity of the vehicle. Should the opening of the vehicle’s door potentially risk an impact with the approaching user, Exit Warning springs into…

Solaris, a distinguished European bus manufacturer, acclaimed for its technological leaps forward, has achieved an illustrious milestone by conclusively delivering 20 ultra-modern electric buses to MPK Kraków. This infusion of sophisticated, zero-emission vehicles, which includes 13 standard twelve-meter buses and 7 articulated counterparts from the esteemed Urbino electric series, materialized as part of an ambitious contract amounting to a substantial EUR 16 million. This formidable feat marks a significant milestone in the metamorphosis of Kraków’s public transport mechanism. The existing vehicular ensemble of the city has been substantially augmented, reinforcing its steadfast commitment to zero-emission public transit. In the chronicle…

Internationally celebrated Italian automaker, Fiat, has disclosed the details of its reimagined Topolino, a paradigm of electric quadricycles, merging classic aesthetics with modern technology. The 2023 Topolino EV, with its design ethos reminiscent of the original Fiat 500, is a nod to the iconic Fiat heritage while effortlessly encapsulating the contemporary imperatives of urban commuting across European cities and coastal landscapes. The Topolino’s propulsion apparatus and power storage technology are adopted from the Citroen Ami. The Topolino’s robust 5.5 kWh energy storage unit ensures an impressive driving range of 75 kilometres. Moreover, the capacity to replenish the battery from zero…