Jeep Yuntu 7 Passenger Plug-In Hybrid SUV For China

Jeep choose the Shangai auto show to show off its Yuntu concept, a plug-in hybrid 7 passenger SUV that appears to be intended strictly for the Chinese market. While the concept retains traditional Jeep design cues like the grille with seven vertical bars, it also is a little less chunky on the outside and decidedly more Swedish Modern on the inside than any other Jeep product. “From 2018, Yuntu’s design features will be reflected in the new models of GAC FCA, from fossil fuel to alternative-energy vehicles,” Daphne Zheng, Jeep’s sales chief in China, told the press at the Shanghai show.

Jeep representatives at the show were reluctant to provide any details about the powertrain for the Yuntu — a word that means “cloud” in Chinese — other than to say the car would have 40 miles of range and wireless charging standard. They actually refused to say if the car was a plug-in hybrid but the PHEV badges on the exterior pretty much gave the game away. A company statement says the Yuntu will feature both voice and facial recognition software.

“SUVs are the fastest-growing segment in China,” the company said in a statement, “and the Jeep Yuntu Concept showcases the potential for the Jeep brand to keep expanding in the country.” Jeep first began selling vehicles in China in the 1980’s as part of a joint venture called Beijing Jeep. It recently entered into a new joint venture called GAC FCA with Guangzhou Automobile Group as its Chinese partner. The partnership started building Jeeps in 2015.

The FCA press release suggested the Yuntu could inspire a new flagship for Jeep in China. There is speculation it may also offer clues about future Jeep models in the US, including the rumored reincarnation of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Some members of the press believe the powertrain for the Yuntu is based on the system developed by FCA for the Pacifica Hybrid minivan, but the company has declined to provide any specifics. At this time, it isn’t even known whether the Yuntu has front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, or all wheel drive.

Jeep builds the Cherokee, Renegade, and Compass in China. Sales of those three vehicles approached 50,000 in the first quarter of 2017 — an increase of 110% over the same quarter last year. Jeep also imports the Grand Cherokee and Wrangler into China. Imported cars in China are subject to a tariff of about 25%, making it hard for them to compete with locally produced vehicles.

The statement by Jeep that SUV’s are a rapidly growing segment of the Chinese market is a bit disingenuous. They are hugely popular in the US as well, yet Jeep has shown little to no interest in building a plug-in hybrid SUV for customers in America.

Source: Automotive News

Chevrolet FNR-X PHEV SUV Concept Steals The Show In Shanghai

General Motors is justly proud of its Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center, which designed and developed the FNR-X PHEV SUV concept that debuted at the Shanghai Auto Show this week. The world is cuckoo for SUVs. A plug-in hybrid model should be just what the doctor ordered for those looking to jump into the electric car revolution but only at the shallow end of the pool.

If emotion sells cars (and it does), the hunky chunky FNR-X has the brawny, in-your-face good looks so much in fashion these days. The designers at PATAC must have slept with miniature Camaros under their pillows at night. The FNR-X translates the edginess of Chevrolet’s muscle car into SUV design language perfectly.

Is the FNR-X the SUV with the Voltec drivetrain developed for the Chevy Volt many have been hoping for? We’re not sure of that. The wording from the official GM press release is a bit ambiguous. “The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle can switch between its engine and electric motor, while offering two driving modes: V (Versatility) and S (Sport).” Make of that what you will. GM is also careful not to mention anything about all-wheel-drive capability.

Chevrolet doesn’t refer to the FNR-X as an SUV. Instead, it describes it as an “all purpose sports concept vehicle.” To make it off-road capable, it has an active suspension that can adjust ride height to various road conditions. The car also has several aerodynamic tweaks to help it slip through the air — active grille shutters and switchable wheel blades adjust automatically during high-speed driving. It also has front and rear spoilers and side skirts that move up and down in accordance with different driving modes.

The interior is just as high tech and edgy as the exterior. “It incorporates an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) dynamic display system, a unique intelligent speech interaction system and an ID-customizable information system. With the all-terrain Advanced Driver Assist System in addition to optical and acoustic recognition sensors all over its body, the FNR-X provides highly autonomous driver assistance by choosing the best route based on its predictions for complex road conditions. Its panoramic intelligent augmented reality head-up display offers a clear 270-degree posterior-lateral view to maximize safety and driving pleasure.”

Motor1 is effusive in its praise of the FNR-X PHEV SUV, calling it the “coolest concept in Shanghai.” What no one knows at this moment is when the car might go into production or whether a version is intended for US customers. Tesla’s Model 3 sedan is ready to go into production, but its SUV variant won’t be ready until somewhere down the road. A PHEV SUV that looks like a first cousin to a Camaro and a Silverado should get lots of American drivers excited. Hopefully Chevrolet doesn’t take too long making up its mind. If I were running the Bow Tie division at GM, I would have these cars in showrooms yesterday.

• 

• 
• 
• 

Source and photo credits: GM

Volkswagon Crozz Electric SUV Concept Debuts In Shanghai

Volkswagen has revealed third member of its new I.D. electric car brand and it is a tasty little crumpet, as Henry N. Manney, III used to say. Known as the I.D.Crozz,  the electric SUV concept is the perfect embodiment of what the market seems to want today — a crossover SUV that looks like a sport coupe. Think of it as mashup between a Chevy Suburban and a Mazda Miata.

Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess told the press in Shanghai the Crozz is a “production possibility” and could hit the market as soon as 2020. “If it was ever possible to make a one hundred percent certain prediction of what the future will look like, it is achieved here. We are showing with the ID Crozz how Volkswagen will be transforming the roadscape from 2020.”

So what is an I.D. Crozz? It is a car built on Volkswagen’s new MEB chassis dedicated exclusively to electric cars. The same architecture is found underneath the other two cars in the I.D. portfolio, a sedan known simply as the I.D. Concept and the I.D. Buzz — an updated version of the iconic VW bus that was featured at this year’s Detroit auto show.

It has an 83 kWh battery and a claimed 311 mile range in the European test cycle. (Subtract 20% to get an idea what the EPA range will be.) 0-60 is said to happen in less than 6 seconds and the Crozz has a claimed top speed of 112 miles per hour. The company says an 80% charge can be had in 30 minutes using a 150 kW fast charger. (Good luck finding one of those.)

That’s all good news, but it’s what’s inside that makes the I.D. Crozz interesting. Hold the VW crest in the middle of the steering wheel for 3 seconds and the car transitions to self driving mode, thanks to a suite of electronic sensors. The interior also features an augmented reality heads up display on the windshield and hand gesture activation of climate control and audio systems. Even the opacity of the glass roof can be controlled by hand gestures. Volkswagen refers to it as a cell phone on wheels.

Electric cars allow designers and engineers to do creative things when it comes to packaging the car’s components. Volkswagen says it has developed new high power electric motors that are more compact, which allows it to dedicate more of the space inside to carrying people and things. Although it is smaller on the outside than a Volkswagen Tiguan, it has more interior room. The rear doors open beyond 90 degrees to make loading bulky items like bicycles a breeze.

Volkswagen’s stylists have done a good job with the I.D. Crozz. It is a handsome design that has strong eye appeal. (Am I the only one who thinks it looks a little like a Tesla Model 3 with more creases in plan view?) The only question is whether the I.D. Crozz and its siblings will get to market in time to compete with the other electric SUVs other companies are rushing into production.

Source: Cleantechnica, Electric Cars Report

Audi Electric SUV Will Be Sporty And Sexy

Audi CEO Rupert Stadler says the upcoming Audi electric SUV will be sporty and sexy, and that it will be “packed with utility.” Industry observers say the new electric SUV from Audi will be designated the Q6. An electric SUV to compete with the Telsa Model X is news, but the big news is about its range.

“When it comes to a battery electric vehicle, it was very clear for us, a range of 500 km is a must,” said Stadler, talking exclusively to  Britain’s Auto Express at the Shanghai Motor Show. Why is that big news? Because 500 kilometers translates into 300 miles. Even though official specifications for the much anticipated Tesla Model X have not been released, that car is based on the Model S chassis. The Model S with the greatest range is the P85D, rated at 265 miles. The newly announced Model S 70D has 240 miles of range.

The Model X will be heavier than the Model S, which invariably means it will have less range. Many think its range will be about 200 miles. If true, that will give the Audi Q6 a big advantage over the Model X in the marketplace. Range for electric vehicles is as important today as cubic inches were back in the heyday of big American V-8 engines.

The Audi Q6 and the Tesla Model X are destined to go head to head with each other for supremacy in the marketplace. No prices for either have been offically announced. Rupert Stadler says, “Believe me, the premium customer is prepared to pay a little bit more to say I’m doing everything well for the environment.”

Stadler is basing most of his hopes for the Audi Q6 on expectations that the infrastructure for recharging electric vehicles will increase dramatically in coming years, especially in China, which is now the biggest automobile market in the world.  “What we are seeing in China at the moment is there are some government decisions that will put [chargers] every 30 miles on 10,000 to 12,000 miles of highways. If this happens, and this will happen, then it could be an accelerator and create some good momentum. Hopefully the Europeans will follow.” He says the best time for the Q6 will be when that increase in charging infrastructure is completed — in 2018 or 2019.

Is Stadler correct in his prediction of a massive increase in charging capability in the next few years? If China is successful building more charge points, will other countries be as well? Certainly the US does not now have a plan to install a charging station every 30 miles.

Assuming all of Stadler’s optimism turns out to be be correct, will the public flock to Audi showrooms to get an electric SUV with the most range or will they flock to Tesla stores because the Model X has those cool “falcon wing” doors? There’s a lot of money riding on the outcome. And it will take a few years before we know the answer.

Cadillac CT6 Plug-In Hybrid Good For 335 Horsepower, 37 Mile EV Range

As promised, the Cadillac CT6 Plug-In Hybrid has made its world debut at the Shanghai Auto Show. The Cadillac CT6 Plug-In Hybrid promises to double the fuel economy of the conventional version, 37 miles of electric driving range, and at least 335 horsepower from a 2.0 liter gas engine and a pair of electric motors at the rear-wheels, but don’t mistake this for the ELR 2.0. Instead, this is a new direction for Cadillac that finally takes plug-in cars seriously.

Despite using a similarly-sized 18.4 kWh battery pack using the same lithium-ion chemistry as the 2015 Chevy Volt, the battery was made specifically for the Cadillac CT6 PHEV, as was its drivetrain. A 2.0 liter gas engine sits under the hood, while two electric motors can drive the rear-wheels for up to 37 miles. In Sport Mode, the gas engine and electric motors can work together, and acceleration should come in under six seconds if GM executive Mark Reuss is to be believed.

But unlike the Chevy Volt and the Cadillac ELR (which GM calls extended-range electric vehicles), once the battery pack is drained, the gas engine takes over driving duties. In Hold mode, drivers can reserve the battery pack for when they need it, while Normal driving mode lets the CT6 prioritize the battery over the gas tank, maximizing MPGs. The CT6 will use the same Regen-on-Demand system as the ELR though, and the electric motors can handle speeds of up to 75 MPH, which should help it approach 70 MPGe. That will match competitors like the Mercedes S500 Plug-In Hybrid, though it should be substantially lighter than the German behemoth thanks to Cadillac’s new lightweight chassis architecture.

With the CT6 and much-improved (and more reasonably-priced) 2016 ELR, Cadillac is doubling the number of plug-in cars it offers, and under the reign of Johan de Nysschen, we will probably see many more. The Cadillac CT6 is the first car Johan can really put his name on, and including a plug-in version will prove an important turning point in Caddy’s fortunes, if you ask me.

Which you sorta are, because you’re still reading this right now, aren’t you?

BMW X5 Plug-In Hybrid To Make Shanghai Debut

While BMW may not have been the first automaker out of the gate with plug-in cars, the i3 and i8 have been warmly welcomed by Bimmer and EV enthusiasts alike. Alas, the next BMW i car won’t arrive until 2020 at the soonest, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t more plug-in Bimmers on the way. Arriving at the Shanghai Auto Show is a BMW X5 PHEV that could deliver up to 78 MPGe and over 300 horsepower.

Officially called the BMW X5 xDrive40e Sport Activity Vehicle (really BMW…), that long name underlies a fairly potent combination of performance and efficiency. A four-cylinder turbocharged gas engine combines with an electric motor to offer a total system output of 313 hp/230 kW, sending power to all four wheels through an eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission for a 0 to 62 MPH/100 KPH time of 6.8 seconds. A 9 kWh lithium-ion battery pack stores enough electricity for short jaunts of about 15 mi/25 km, and with a fully-charged battery pack BMW claims fuel economy of up to 78 MPG in urban driving.

That number plummets to between 30 and 37 MPG on longer journeys, with average fuel economy of about 36 MPG once the battery is totally depleted. Still not too shabby, and a huge improvement over BMW’s last Chinese reveal, the 530LE, and unlike the underpowered plug-in hybrid sedan, the X5 xDrive40e stands a chance of coming to America. It might be another five years before we get the BMW i5 rumored to be in the works, but the plug-in hybrid SUV (or SAV if you prefer Bimmer’s nomenclature) market is still wide open.

If they brought it to America, would the BMW X5 PHEV tempt you into taking a test drive?

Cadillac CT6 Plug-In Hybrid Coming To Shanghai

Last week GM revealed its new flagship luxury car, the Cadillac CT6, which debuts a new naming nomenclature and chassis structure for the brand. While the Cadillac CT6 debuted with a 400 horsepower twin-turbo V6 engine, CEO Johan de Nysschen told The Detroit Bureau that a plug-in hybrid version with similar performance would debut at the Shanghai Auto Show later this month.

The timing couldn’t be better, as de Nysschen was just quoted as saying that Cadillac’s only plug-in car, the Volt-based ELR, would not continue after its product cycle ends. With an average of less than 100 sales a month (due mostly to its Tesla-rivaling MSRP of $76,000), the ELR may be popular with its owners, but woefully outdated once the CT6 plug-in hybrid debuts. Out with the old, in with the new, as it were.

Cadillac is keeping details of the CT6 plug-in hybrid close to the chest for now, though Cadillac officials did hint that a lithium-ferrous-oxide battery larger than the lithium-ion battery found in the Chevy Volt will be part of the equation. This may imply that the Cadillac CT6 has a different plug-in drivetrain from the Volt or the just-revealed Chevy Malibu Hybrid, though officials have suggested similar fuel economy in the neighborhood of 45 MPG, with an electric driving range of more than 30 miles per charge.

So why a Shanghai debut? Simply put, because Cadillac needs more plug-ins to compete in the Chinese market as the local government seeks to further incentivize green car sales. The CT6 will go on sale in China at first, but will definitely come to the American market if for no other reason than to improve the economies of sale and profit margins.

More importantly, de Nysschen says that battery-powered drivetrains will play an increasingly important role within the Cadillac lineup. Despite an almost entirely-new lineup, Cadillac sales have been falling, buffered only by the hot-selling Escalade SUV. Are the lack of plug-in vehicles to blame? Considering competitors like Mercedes, Audi, and BMW pledging to sell more and more models that plug-in more than they fill-up, I think there’s something to the notion that Cadillac is just a few steps behind its biggest competitors.

Here’s hoping the new Cadillac CT6 plug-in hybrid can close the mineshaft….err electrification gap.