Rapid EV chargers should have card payment by 2020 says OLEV Rapid units should have easier access from next year By Spring 2020, all new rapid EV charge points should offer card payment access for pay-as-you-go usage, as part of the UK Government’s Road to Zero strategy. As part of a roaming solution to allow easier access to EV chargers, the Office for Low Emission Vehicles is encouraging the use of bank card compatibility, to enable EV drivers to use the units without first needing to register with a card or app. The majority of charge points are likely to offer contactless bank card access, allowing drivers to ues and pay for the charge point as they would pay for shopping at a supermarket for example. It brings the process in line with how drivers fill up at a petrol station, with no need for them to sign up with oil companies first. It is a common complaint amongst both those that drive electric vehicles, and those that have looked into buying one, that access to UK charging infrastructure is a limiting factor in EV uptake. Future of Mobility Minister, Michael Ellis, said: “The government’s vision is for the UK to have one of the best electric vehicle charging networks in the world, but we know the variety of payment methods at the moment is a source of frustration for drivers. “It is crucial there are easy payment methods available to improve electric vehicle drivers’ experiences and give drivers choice. This will help even more people enjoy the benefits electric vehicles bring and speed up our journey to a zero-emission future. Business and Industry Minister Andrew Stephenson said: “Initiatives like this are essential as we move towards a net zero economy, making it easier than ever for people to own and use electric vehicles. “Investing in batteries, technology and infrastructure through our modern Industrial Strategy and Faraday battery challenge will ensure the UK leads the world in the global transition away from fossil fuels while supporting the future of our automotive industry.” The announcement comes on the same day as Polar revealed it is adding contactless bank card payment to all new rapid and ultra-rapid chargers going forward, plus retro-fitting existing rapids with the technology. Some networks, including InstaVolt and Engenie, already offer contactless bank card payment on all their rapid charge points.
Origin: Rapid EV chargers should have card payment by 2020 says OLEV
Electric vehicle chargepoints should offer card payment by 2020
All new public charging points should offer contactless payment via credit or debit card by spring next year, the Government has stipulated, as it seeks to address a key issue surrounding electric-vehicle usage. While the requirement is not mandatory, the Government announced today that it “expects industry to develop a roaming solution across the charging network, allowing electric vehicle drivers to use any public chargepoint through a single payment method without needing multiple smartphone apps or membership cards”. It added that if the market is too slow to deliver improvements across the (charging point) network, it is “prepared to intervene to ensure a good deal for consumers by using powers in the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act”. With more than 50 charging point providers in the UK, the variety of payment methods required to be able to use a range of charging points has become a major source of frustration for EV drivers. The announcement comes as BP Chargemaster, operator of one of the UK’s largest public charging networks, published plans to introduce contactless card payment to all new 50kW and 150kW chargers. It will also retrofit existing rapid chargers over the next 12 months. However, the firm stated that contactless payment would be for “occasional users” to its charging points, and added that it will “continue to lead with its Polar Plus subscription” service. A BP Chargemaster spokesman told Autocar: “The benefit of contactless payment will mostly be realised by those charging infrequently, who may not have used our network before. Today, the majority of usage on our network is from subscribers, and that market will grow with higher utilisation from fleets and businesses, particularly with the introduction of the BP Fuel Charge card – the UK’s first combined fuel card for liquid fuels and EV charging.” When asked about the comparative costs of contactless payment versus a subscription, he said: “The Polar Plus subscription costs £7.85 per month (with three months free for new users), with the benefits being a usage tariff that is half the price of using contactless, as well as RFID card access, which remains the quickest way to activate a charge point on our network.” The Government’s announcement did not mention pricing or its expectations regarding contactless payments costing the same as existing offerings. Future of Mobility Minister, Michael Ellis, commented: “It is crucial there are easy payment methods available to improve electric vehicle drivers’ experiences and give drivers choice. This will help even more people enjoy the benefits electric vehicles bring and speed up our journey to a zero-emission
Origin: Electric vehicle chargepoints should offer card payment by 2020
First drive: 2019 Mini Electric driven on track
The Mini Electric is the launching point of a bold new era for the venerable British brand – but the first impression you get from driving one is reassuringly familiar. Perhaps the biggest compliment you can pay Mini’s first series production electric car is that it drives and handles exactly as you’d expect a Mini to, regardless of powertrain. Which, of course, is no bad thing, because the classic Mini characteristics – sharp steering, rapid direction changes, nimble handling – represent both a formula that works, and exactly the sort of characteristics you’d want from an electric city car. Much like when BMW first revived the brand with the hatch in 2000, the aim for the British-built Mini Electric (known as the Mini Cooper S E outside the UK) is to wrap up a progressive modern design with nostalgic-tinged appeal. And a brief run in a production version on the Brooklyn Street Circuit that hosted the recent ABB Formula E Championship New York ePrix suggests that goal has been achieved. What is the Mini Electric like? Like any other Mini three-door hatch, when you first set eyes on it. That’s aside from a few visual touches, mostly based around the front grille and a handful of small badges – and the obvious lack of engine noise when you hit the start button. Which is probably a good thing, since it’s a proven, popular design, and there’d be little point in having an electric Mini that didn’t really look like a Mini. It’s a notably different tack from the designed-to-be-different BMW i3, which the Mini takes much of its powertrain from. The production interior is highly familiar as well, using the retro-fused dash layout as the petrol-powered Mini hatch. So there are big, round driver info display and infotainment screens, with plenty of old-school toggles and physical switches, including the classic start/stop switch in the middle of the dashboard. It contrasts sharply with the minimalist, touchscreen-dominated interiors of many electric cars currently being developed, but the links to the current petrol-powered Mini – and, in turn, back to Alec Issigonis’s original creation – work well. There are some minor differences, if you look hard enough. The most notable is the replacement of the manual handbrake with an electronic one for the first time, to match the gear-free electric powertrain. There is also a mode that sets the level of energy the car recaptures under braking, which the digital display gets new screens showing energy usage, power levels and so on. Under the retro skin, the Mini Electric borrows much of its powertrain from the BMW i3, with a 32.6kWh T-shaped battery powering a 181bhp and 199lb ft motor. Unlike the i3, power is sent to the front wheels only, resulting in a -062mph sprint of 7.3 secs, and a top speed of 93mph. The battery size gives a WLTP-certified range of 124-144 miles, which is around the same as the forthcoming Honda E, but less than rivals such as the Peugeot e-208 and Vauxhall Corsa-e will offer. What’s the Mini Electric like to drive? We were among the first journalists to drive a production-spec Mini Electric, albeit for a brief run around the 1.475-mile Formula E Brooklyn Street Circuit at limited speed. That said, it was enough to confirm initial impressions from our previous run in a prototype: that electric propulsion suits a Mini very well. The instant torque offered by an electric motor makes for rapid progress at all speeds, while BMW’s new ARB traction control system ensures that delivery is kept smooth. With its capability to make rapid progress, it definitely has an air of Mini Cooper S about it. The steering is also pleasing direct, the machine responding well to rapid direction changes and betraying little signs of the extra weight of the batteries contained low down in the car. It rides well, too, soaking up the many bumps and rough surfaces that feature on a street circuit laid out on the ageing roads of the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. It didn’t feel quite as direct or nimble as the smaller Honda E did from our brief time in a prototype version of that car, although the Mini Electric is bigger and more practical, and could perhaps prove more versatile beyond tight city streets. The three drive modes – Standard, Mid and Sport – carried over from the regular Mini adjust the performance as you’d expect, although it will take a longer run to really explore the differences in all conditions. The Mini Electric also offers adjustable levels of energy recapture under braking, as with many electric cars. In the higher setting it’s possible to drive the machine largely without touching the brake pedal, the recapture quickly slowing the car enough for all but the tightest turns. Again, it’s a driving style that is well-suited to the characteristics that have long underpinned the Mini brand. Is the Mini Electric worth considering? It will take a longer run on real-word roads to truly judge the Mini Electric, but what’s clear is that everything customers
Origin: First drive: 2019 Mini Electric driven on track
Used car buying guide: Volkswagen Golf R (Mk6)
The used car market can be a strange place, and it’s no stranger than when two generations of the same model rub shoulders. For example, nosing through the ads for Volkswagen Golf Rs you’ll find that for around £15,000, you have two choices: an older Mk6 or a newer and improved Mk7. Of course, the Mk7 it has to be. Fortunately, below that figure and down to around £10,500, life is a lot simpler, since only the Mk6 is in contention. It was launched in 2010 and expired in 2012 but in its short life the Mk6 wrote the rule book for its successor: downsized 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine, Haldex four-wheel drive system and a choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic DSG gearboxes. The newer model has the sweeter chassis, more power and more electronic trickery up its sleeve, but in spirit and execution it and the Mk6 have much in common, being quick, capable, discreet and well built. The Mk6 R was a replacement for the Mk5 R32 that had expired in 2008. That model was powered by a 3.2 V6, so news that the R would have a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine raised eyebrows. Happily, they resumed their customary position when it became clear that the engine, a development of the MK5’s EA113 2.0-litre motor, produced no less than 267bhp and 258lb ft, compared with the R32’s 247bhp and 236lb ft. Throw in the R’s 0-62mph time of 5.7sec (5.5sec with the DSG), a healthy 1.2sec (and 0.7sec) quicker than the R32, and it was obvious that a new chapter in high-performance Golfs had begun. Today there’s a wide choice of used Mk6 Rs to pick over. DSG autos outnumber manuals, and their responsiveness and superior economy make them the better buys. The gearbox has issues but, as long as its fluid and filter are changed every 40,000 miles, it should behave itself. At the cheaper end, the manual gearbox is probably a safer bet. Three or five doors? A five-door is more practical and only reinforces the R’s already discreet appearance. The R is well equipped as standard, with eye-catching 18in Talladega alloys (VW had to distinguish it from its lesser-powered GTI sibling), a bodykit, lowered sports suspension and large front stoppers. Browse the small ads and you’ll see sellers boasting of extras including adaptive chassis control (ACC, with Normal, Comfort and Sport modes), 19in Talladegas, full leather and Recaro seats. Less desirable add-ons include aftermarket exhausts and a remap. On that point, make sure the gearbox has a stronger clutch to handle any extra torque. We mentioned the high prices of some Mk6 Rs. Admittedly they appear to be in excellent condition, have full service histories and come with stacks of extras, but at £17,500, where their prices peak, you could be in a 2015 Mk7 5dr with 31,000 miles and a full VW service history. The best advice is to try them both. An owner’s view Joe James: “I have a 2011 Mk6 R 5dr with 61,000 miles. It has full VW history and I’ve just had the DSG fluid and filter changed. The car is quick, comfortable and well made. I can’t fault it. The paddle shifts add an extra dimension – why would anyone bother with the manual? It’s more economical than the manual, too, with up to 32mpg on the motorway. My car has the optional ACC active dampers. It’s hard to tell Normal from Comfort, but Sport is very firm. Prices for Mk6s can be high because the model is rare and exclusive. Mk7s are 10 a penny!” Buyer beware… ■ Engine: A new belt and water pump at 60,000 miles and new oil every 10,000 are essential. Check if the oil filter canister is leaking. Ask if the fuel pump cam follower has been changed – it can fail prematurely. Scrutinise the diverter valve, listen for misfires (possibly a failing injector or ignition coil) and smell for coolant leaking from the thermostat or water pump. ■ Transmission: Check that DSG ’boxes have had an oil and filter service at 40,000 miles, and check the oil level. A juddery clutch may indicate imminent failure of the dual-mass flywheel. ■ 4Motion system: Failure of the hydraulic pump that operates the clutch plates can cause wheelspin under acceleration – a diagnostic system check will confirm. Check for corroded pump wiring. Haldex coupling requires fresh oil and filter every 20,000 miles. ■ Brakes, suspension and wheels: Check the ABS light goes out on startup – it could indicate trouble with the pump control unit. On a rough road, listen for front suspension knocks suggesting worn top mounts. Check the vulnerable Talladega alloys. ■ Body: Check for fresh paint, overspray on window rubbers and under door handles, and for uneven panel gaps. ■ Interior: The hard-wearing cabin is a clocker’s delight, so check it all works and that the mileage is accurate. Also worth knowing At insurewithvolkswagen.co.uk, you can buy a 12-month warranty for your Golf R. For our ‘One we found’ (below), they quoted all-component cover (there’s cheaper named cover, too) at £691 with a £250 excess and a 10,000- mile
Origin: Used car buying guide: Volkswagen Golf R (Mk6)
A meeting of minds: Aston Martin, JLR and Porsche lead engineers debate the future of performance cars
Pick three blokes – any three blokes in the world – to sit around a table with and talk cars. Fast cars, interesting cars, everyday cars, driver’s cars, electric cars, motorsport and more. Come on – who are you gonna pick? Well, you couldn’t do much better than these three: Matt Becker (chief engineer of vehicle attribute engineering at Aston Martin), Mike Cross (chief engineer, vehicle targets and sign-off, at Jaguar Land Rover) and Andreas Preuninger (director of high-performance cars at Porsche). These three blokes will each be well known to regular Autocar readers because they’re among the most influential figures in the industry for defining and tuning the character traits of the very best driver’s cars in the world. They collectively have years of experience doing the sort of job most of us could only dream of, and have personally shaped and tailored some utterly unforgettable metal. We have occasion to talk to them, each in isolation, pretty regularly. But never before the chance to sit them around the same table to gossip about the state of the sports car industry, about each other’s wares, and about all of our hopes and fears for the future of enthusiast motordom. Not, at least, until now. You guys have what some would consider the best jobs in the world. But how do you know when it’s done? When is a car finished? Mike Cross: The trouble is they never really are. Andreas Preuninger: It’s never done (smiles). Mike Cross: You just get to a point of sufficiently diminished returns that you know you’re ready for production. I’m not sure I’m ever completely satisfied with something, but I know when I’ve achieved my targets. Would your colleagues call you a perfectionist? MC: Definitely. They’d be exasperated with me. Matt Becker: They might use some other words, too Do you find you agree with your peers about what makes a really good driver’s car? MB: There’s certainly agreement within my team, because my guys are hand-picked to recognise what ‘good’ is. It’s a little bit subjective. But you can’t do it all yourself. You need a team with the same instincts as you. AP: That’s especially true, even now, with chassis engineering. You’re so dependent on what you feel in a car; and that’s really what we try to create and fine-tune. We want the driver to feel what the car is doing and to be sure that the electronic systems are adding to that feeling. It’s a challenge – but it’s important. It’s not just about empirical tests and computers and simulations. What do young engineers do better now than you did at their age, and what do you wish they did better? MC: They’re a lot smarter academically than I was, but I’m not sure they’re quite as practical. I think they’ve got to want to love cars, they’ve got to be interested on a mechanical level, and they need an aptitude for it. AP: I second that completely. Right now, there are still enough engineers with gasoline in their veins to keep us going, because you have to live for the job, to be creative and to think about it day and night in order to be really good. The generation of youngsters right now needs pushing a little bit more and their practical thinking is a little bit short. Could you pick the guy in your department who’ll be doing your job in 20 years’ time? AP: Yes. MB: Not yet. MC: Not sure. If you were starting out today, do you think you’d pick the same career? MB: Yes. Because, as Mike says, you don’t stop learning; and making use of the talent of the younger guys, with the heads for software, to get the feeling you want in the car is great fun. MC: It never becomes routine because the next car is always different. Always more to learn. AP: I’d definitely do it all over again. The sports car has been declared dead so many times, but where there’s technology, there’s always a way. The next 20 years will be even more exciting than the last. Have driver assist systems made your cars better? MB: The systems can – and do – enhance the appeal of the car. And in our cars, when you switch them off, they stay off. They’re not still active in the background. The fact is stability and traction control systems have improved so much and have become so clever, they can even pre-empt what’s going to happen to the car. It’s all about tuning them properly so they don’t dilute the driving experience – which is why we’re here. AP: The big question about them for me is always ‘what purpose is it achieving?’. Torque vectoring on a sports car is very useful. People taking their cars on track days at the weekend want to be quick. So there is a tangible benefit. MC: Also, getting the vehicle fundamentals right is so important. Then the assistance systems only need to augment what you’ve already got. You want the car to be engaging at low speeds and high speeds. Can you get the same character we currently see from the engine in a Porsche, Jaguar or Aston Martin from an electric motor? MC: No. And I
Origin: A meeting of minds: Aston Martin, JLR and Porsche lead engineers debate the future of performance cars
New Nissan Juke previewed ahead of September unveiling
Nissan’s long-awaited new Juke has been previewed in a first official image that gives a glimpse of the crossover’s front-end design. The darkened shot, released along with a confirmation of a 3 September debut for the car, shows a sleek LED headlight design that echoes the dual-light layout of the outgoing car but with a more modern twist. The Mk2 Juke, designed at Nissan’s London studio, will go on sale in early 2020, a few months after the unveiling. It’s the replacement for a model that has been on sale with relatively few changes since 2010. Disguised test cars have shown that the Renault Captur rival’s design will evolve the distinctive shape of today’s car but remain recognisable. Details such as Nissan’s V-Motion grille, adapted from the Micra, will be brought in, while the rear end will have a more angular look. In an exclusive interview last year, Nissan’s global design boss, Alfonso Albaisa, claims the second-generation Juke “doesn’t look too much like the last one”, adding: “It doesn’t look like IMx (an electric crossover concept unveiled in 2017) or the new Leaf, either. It’s an urban meteor with a nasty attitude.” Albaisa quashed a rumour that the Juke replacement had been reviewed and rejected, saying: “(The Juke) is certainly coming soon. But it didn’t get ‘sent back’. I’m not sure where that story came from. It’s a very cool car, and it still has all of its attitude.” The original Juke was introduced at the 2010 Geneva motor show and helped to boost the popularity of supermini-sized SUVs. In terms of sales, that class grew tenfold across Europe between 2010 and 2016, and by 2022, it’s expected to double in size from its 2016 level of 1.13 million units. Juke sales have exceeded 100,000 per year in Europe four times to date, and the styling of the Sunderland-built car was considered an important contributor to that. “Our job was easier with the first one, because there was nothing else like it,” Albaisa told Autocar. “And that car’s success was so huge even given how polarising it looked. The second one couldn’t be derivative or evolutionary and still be a Juke. We’d almost have to change its name to Nancy otherwise.” The new Juke is likely to be built on a stretched version of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s CMF platform, as used by the new Renault Clio. It’s expected to shun the naturally aspirated petrol engines that have accounted for much of its sales volume so far, instead using the turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder and 1.3-litre four-cylinder units used in the Qashqai. A 1.5-litre 109bhp diesel is likely to be offered, too, while four-wheel drive will be kept for automatic models higher up the range. Albaisa wouldn’t confirm whether the new Juke would be previewed by a show car, in the same way that the Qazana concept displayed at the 2009 Geneva motor show was used to test the water for the production car that followed. Given the riskiness of the original Juke’s styling and how well established the model has become, it’s likely that Nissan will maximise the impact of the new Juke by keeping it under wraps until the last moment.
Origin: New Nissan Juke previewed ahead of September unveiling
Roush’s terrifying 650-hp Ford ‘Nitemare’ nails 96 km/h in under 4.0 seconds
Roush unleashes a 650 horsepower supercharged 5.0-litre V8 on the 2018 F-150 Roush has made its name on souping up Ford platforms mostly Mustangs but recently its been putting its own special sauce on the F-150 by supercharging the engines and blacking out the grilles.Now the tuner has got a new concoction mixed up: the Nitemare.The company pulled the covers off the thing last Halloween, but just recently released some performance figures for the truck.Hows zero-to-96 km/h in 3.9 seconds sound? The regular cab pulls off those supercar-adjacent times, with the SuperCrew just behind at 4.1.Roush says that makes it the worlds quickest production truck, but we think for that title to officially stick, it has to be something installed on an assembly line, and not by a third-party aftermarket.Hows it do it? The 5.0-litre V8 has been gifted a supercharger in the form of a Roush TVS R2650, which bumps the power up to 650, and torque up to 610 lb-ft. It howls through a tuned performance exhaust that utilizes the companys special valvetrain technology.A console-mounted dial lets you tune what sort of noise you want to hear out of those pipes, with four sound options: Touring, Wide-Open, Sport and Custom (the final option gives you even more specific control via the Roush Active Exhaust app).To truly haunt your dreams, the grille has been swapped out for a custom all-black unit with integrated accent lights; and hockey stick graphics will match nicely with the hockey mask for your Freddie Kruger costume. The truck rides on 22-inch custom Roush wheels, with Continental Crosscontact LX20 285/45R22 tires.The package costs US$19,150 on top of the base price of an F-150. Dual exhaust tips, Off-Road Utility kit, Black and Carbon Leather Seat upgrade, Console Vault and tonneau cover are available as extra-cost options. Canadian pricing has not been announced
Origin: Roush’s terrifying 650-hp Ford ‘Nitemare’ nails 96 km/h in under 4.0 seconds
The fifth-gen Cadillac Escalade will get a high-power variant: rumour
The 2018 Cadillac Escalade. The next-gen Cadillac Escalade will reportedly be served up with an extra side of horsepower. A story by Cadillac Society cites “sources familiar with future Cadillac product plans,” claiming the top-of-the-range fifth-generation Escalade will get a more potent V8 engine than the current models. According to the Caddy-dedicated publication, the upcoming Escalade will come with three engine options, one of which will be a significant step up from what’s currently offered in the flagship SUV. Official details have yet to be released, but Cadillac Society believes it has a bead on the three potential engines destined for the performance variant, which may be called the “Escalade-V” or “Escalade Blackwing.”There’s the 6.2-litre V8 that drovethe now discontinued CTS-V, where it made 640 horsepower and 630 lb.-ft. of torque. Option two, which our source claims is the frontrunner, is a tweaked version of that same powerplant, which has yet to be fitted into any Cadillac product, but has been used by GM to power the Corvette ZR1. That supercharged engine makes 755 horsepower and 715 lb.-ft. of torque for the ‘Vette. The third and final engine swirling about the rumour mill is the souped-up twin-turbo 4.2-litre V8 Blackwing engine that drives the CT6-V. In the luxury sedan, that engine makes 550 horsepower and 627 lb.-ft. of torque. So, if rumours are to be believed, the fifth-generation Cadillac Escalade will have a model-topping engine with no fewer than 550 and no more than 755 horses. That is, if Cadillac plugs one of those engines in as they currently are. Regardless of which high-test engine Cadillac chooses to run with, it looks like the Escalade is in for a significant bump up in power from its current 6.2-litre V8’s 420 horsepower and 460 lb.-ft. of torque.The next generation of Escalades is anticipated to arrive as a 2021 model year, so we shouldn’t have to wait long to confirm (or squash) the
Origin: The fifth-gen Cadillac Escalade will get a high-power variant: rumour
Year of the underdog: Geely’s rise from obscurity to the top
Few car manufacturers have risen so far in such a short space of time as Geely. The Chinese brand’s name can be translated from Mandarin as ‘auspicious’ and ‘lucky’. Both are entirely appropriate terms for a company founded as recently as 1986 that is now breathing down the necks of the world’s top 10 car makers. Its origins were understandably humble. China was a vastly different country in the early 1980s when founder Li Shufu graduated from university; a hard-line communist state where free enterprise was largely banned and the small number of cars were almost entirely imported. As late as 1985, China’s domestic manufacturers produced just 5200 cars, the entire market for passenger vehicles being around 100,000 a year. Small beginnings Li didn’t start with cars. After making money by taking photographs for tourists, he established a small company in Zhejiang to make fridge parts, then complete units. Politics intervened: Geely missed out on a licence to sell fridges so diversified into motor scooters, quickly becoming one of China’s biggest makers. But what he really wanted to do was build cars. The first four-wheeled Geely was a strange beast. It was built in around 1995 and was clearly inspired by the contemporary round-headlight W210 Mercedes E-Class, featuring a near-identical front end but sitting on the far shorter wheelbase of the First Automobile Works-built Audi 100. It was a one-off creation using fibreglass, but it won Li attention and people wanted to order something similar. Soon afterwards he bought a majority stake in a small truck company (which had the all-important production licence) and launched the Geely HQ, a Daihatsu Charade copy wearing a very Mercedes-like radiator grille, in 1998. Geely expanded rapidly as China’s mobility revolution triggered a huge expansion in car ownership, but it was still a minnow compared with the country’s larger car makers – in 2003, total production was just 76,274 units. While other manufacturers were expanding through joint ventures with overseas firms, bringing expertise and helping to produce cars that Chinese buyers wanted, Li vowed to grow Geely differently, saying such arrangements created complacency and stifled innovation. Joining the world stage The 2005 Frankfurt motor show was packed with premieres that fought for attention, the list of debutants including the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayman S, Mercedes-Benz R-Class, five-cylinder Ford Focus ST and Volkswagen Eos. It also marked Geely’s European debut, the company taking a small stand and introducing the little, lumpy CD coupé, surrounded by characters from the Beijing opera. This was just a year after Geely’s annual production had broken through the 100,000 barrier and the company’s products looked cheap and joyless to European eyes. (Build quality wasn’t great at the time either; in 2008, JD Power ranked Geely 36th and last among Chinese brands.) But being the first independent Chinese car maker to attend an overseas show played well at home, making Geely look like more than just the regional manufacturer it pretty much was at the time. It was a lesson echoed in the later decision to launch the deliberately European LynkCo brand in China first. The company’s international outlook was growing, and it formed a joint venture with Manganese Bronze, then owners of the LTI taxi company, to make cars in Shanghai. The big league Outside China, only keen motor industry watchers were likely to have heard of Geely before late 2009. That changed when the company admitted it was in negotiations with Ford to buy Volvo. The sale concluded the following year, with parent company Zhejiang Geely Holding Group taking control. This means that Volvo Car Group is on the same level as Geely Auto within the corporate hierarchy, not subsidiary to it. Despite recession-hit Ford’s enthusiasm to offload Volvo, Li had to work hard to be taken seriously as a bidder. Geely generated barely a sixth of Volvo’s revenue at the time, but it had major backing from Chinese banks and managed to land the Swedish marque for $1.8 billion, barely a quarter of what Ford had paid for it 11 years earlier. Few industry watchers understood the logic behind the deal. Automotive mergers are normally between companies with significant overlap looking to reduce costs. Geely and Volvo had almost nothing obvious in common, and many predicted that attempts to merge operations would be disastrous. But Li didn’t want a merger, promising at the time that “Volvo is Volvo and Geely is Geely”. As it soon became clear, Geely had effectively purchased a hugely experienced European brand to become its own joint venture partner. Swedish powerhouse Geely’s gamble on Volvo would only work if the Swedish company’s fading fortunes could be turned around. The brand’s sales were sliding and it had been starved of investment during the last years of Ford ownership. A Volvo engineer admitted later that if a light bulb
Origin: Year of the underdog: Geely’s rise from obscurity to the top
Tesla asks Apple to help nab alleged data thief working for Chinese competitor
Elon Musk during his presentation at the Tesla Powerpack Launch Event at Hornsdale Wind Farm on September 29, 2017 in Adelaide, Australia. Tesla and Apple both suspect they were betrayed by driverless technology engineers who defected to the same Chinese startup.So, Tesla is now asking for Apples help in a lawsuit in which the electric carmaker accused an engineer who worked on its Autopilot program of taking thousands of highly confidential files when he went to work for XMotors.ai, the U.S. research arm of Guangzhou-based Xpeng.Along with typical information demands in the early fact-finding phase of the lawsuit that are spelled out in a court filing last week Tesla wants to see the engineers emails and have a forensic analysis conducted on his electronic devices the company founded by Elon Musk disclosed that it has also served the iPhone maker with a subpoena.The documents Tesla seeks from Apple arent specified in the filing, but the thinking may be that while the Silicon Valley titans are rivals in the ultra-hot self-driving space, they share a common enemy in Xpeng.Last July, prosecutors charged a hardware engineer in Apples autonomous vehicle-development team with downloading proprietary files as he prepared to leave the company and start work for the for Chinese company. The engineer has pleaded not guilty.Apple didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.The former Tesla engineer, Guangzhi Cao, acknowledged in a court filing that he downloaded copies of Teslas Autopilot-related source code to his personal iCloud account, but denies any wrongdoing. Cao has done precisely nothing with Teslas IP, having diligently and earnestly tried to scrub all of Teslas source code from his personal devices and volunteered to provide the company with complete forensic copies of any devices it wished to inspect, his lawyers wrote.Xpeng which hasnt been accused of wrongdoing by Apple or Tesla has said it plays by the rules and has denied having any part in the engineers alleged misconduct. The company has said that when it was notified in June 2018 that U.S. authorities were investigating the Apple engineer, his computer and office equipment were secured and he was denied access to his work and subsequently fired.Xpeng, which is backed by Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Foxconn Technology Group, is among the startups in China striving to reshape the auto industry as the worlds biggest market promotes new-energy vehicles in an effort to clean its air and cut its reliance on oil
Origin: Tesla asks Apple to help nab alleged data thief working for Chinese competitor
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