EV charging sites overtake petrol stations for first time There are now more public EV charging locations than filling station forecourts New figures from Zap-Map reveal the extent of the UK’s electric vehicle revolution, with the number of public charging locations now surpassing petrol stations for the first time. Data from Zap-Map shows that as of 22 May, there are 8,471 charging locations across the UK, hosting a total of 13,613 charging devices. In contrast, as of the end of April, there are currently only 8,400 petrol stations in the UK, a figure which is continuing to decline. There has been huge growth in the UK public EV charge point market in the past 12 months, with the number of locations increasing 57% in that time. Charging points can now be found across the length and breadth of the country, from the Shetland Islands to the Cornish Riviera, from Giant’s Causeway to the White Cliffs of Dover. The expanding network supports an increasing number of electric vehicles on the road, expanding from only 3,500 cars just six years ago, to more than 210,000 currently. Analysts forecast that by the end of 2022, at east 1 million EVs will be in use in the UK, a figure backed by government policy that looks to electrify all new cars and vans by 2040. Ben Lane, co-founder and CTO at Zap-Map commented: “The public and private sectors are now investing heavily in the UK’s EV charging infrastructure to ensure that there are sufficient charging points to support the growing electric fleet. This month’s milestone reveals of the rapid pace of change already underway as the age of the combustion engine gives way to an all-electric era with vehicles offering both zero-emissions and a better driving experience.” In parallel to the increase in number of charging locations, new technologies are becoming available which offer higher charging rates. Whereas most ‘rapid’ units are rated at 50 kW, enabling a standard EV to be fully charged in 40 minutes, the latest ‘ultra-rapid’ units are capable of up to 350 kW; ready for the next generation of longer-range electric vehicles. References: Public EV charge point location information from Zap-Map’s database, both historical and current, covering the United Kingdom. Petrol station data from Experian Catalist Market Summary Report, April 2019, with historical downward trend highlighted by Statista. Zap-Map at the Fully Charged Show Next Green Car’s sister-company Zap-Map, the UK’s leading EV charge point platform, will be exhibiting at the Fully Charged Show in Silverstone from 7th to 9th June. The team are looking forward to meeting Zap-Map and EV users and will be celebrating the recent securing of investment from Good Energy, which supplies clean power, sourced from its own generation assets as well as from independent UK-based renewable generators. Come and meet us on Stand C54. Image courtesy of
Origin: EV charging sites overtake petrol stations for first time
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First Drive: 2020 Porsche Cayenne Coupe
2020 Porsche Cayenne CoupeDavid Booth GRAZ, Austria — Enough with the Bah, humbug’, already. Purists started this anti-Cayenne caterwaul back in 2002 when Porsche first made clear its intention to leap into the SUV market; Porsche is 911, was the refrain, and anything that deviates from such Swabian purity was deemed travesty. The naysaying only got more strident when, eight years later, the Panamera made its debut. Awkward was the politest thing most Porschephiles had to say about the company’s first four-door sedan, the purists even more worried that Stuttgart was drifting further away from their 911 rear-engined ideal. And yet, thanks to coffers filled by dilettantes buying badges, the 911 is, if anything, stronger than ever, available in ever more variants with ever more power and even, incredible that such a thing is even possible, even more mind-altering handling. Rather than diminished, the 911 has prospered in this age of less than pure Porsches. And yet the wailing and moaning has begun anew, the Cayenne again this source of ire, only this time it’s the new sporty “Coupe” version for which the aficicandoes are predicting all manner of catastrophe. “Totally pointless” says one commenter; Ugly ruminates another (dozen). It all seems rather futile. For one thing, if Porsche wasn’t willing to backtrack 17 years ago before the Cayenne became a smash success, it sure as shootin’ isn’t going to now that it is. Secondly, the Coupe, although listed as a completely new model, is amazingly close in design to the standard Cayenne, enough so that CNET admonished us to think of it not as a new model but more like a “styling package” in Cayenne’s extensive option range. And thirdly, the thing is quite attractive (certainly more so than BMW’s awkward X6), the rear looking like a melding of original Mercedes CLS roofline with an SUV torso. From a certain profile — rear three-quarters is my favourite — the Cayenne Coupe may be the best-looking Porsche this side of 911. To paraphrase one of the greatest slogans of modern day activism — We’re here. We’re queer (looking). Get used to it! Traditionalists really need to get over themselves. On the technical side, there’s now a choice of three stonking engines for the Coupe; the base 3.0-litre V6, that great honking turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 and a new 2.9L twin-turbocharged V6. The sweetheart of the trio is the 2.9-litre twice-turbocharged V6 in the Cayenne S . Basically the Audi RS5 engine plunked into Porsche’s SUV, its 434 horsepower is good enough to scoot the 2,050-kilogram S to 100 kilometres an hour in five seconds flat. Like the RS’ed Audi, it also sounds the part, its sharp-edged exhaust note pure European sports, uhm, car. There’s more than enough power especially mated to the eight-speed Tiptronic automatic and, more importantly, it’s eager to rev. This is one of the finest drivetrains in the Volkswagen/Audi/Porsche empire and fits perfectly with what I think is the Cayenne Coupe’s sporty intent. Of course, if you want maximum urge, there’s always the Cayenne Turbo Coupe, its 4.0-litre V8 pumping out 542 horses. That’s good enough for a truly impressive 3.9 seconds to 100 klicks and, if you have access to German autobahns or Italian autostradas, 286 km/h. It’s truly a healthy beast. But, to my mind, it sounds too American — at least to my ears — and weighs a seriously hefty 2,200 kilos. As entertaining as all that urge can be, if you can do without the badge, the S is really the way to go. The base 3.0-litre V6, meanwhile, is really mom-mobile motivation. It sports 335 horses and 332 pound-feet of torque, which is more than enough to move the (in this trim, 2040-kilo) Cayenne to the local flea market, but not nearly enough to imbue such a large SUV — especially in supposedly sportier Coupe format — in true Porsche fashion. For all you traditionalists still bristling that Porsche has slid sideways into minivandom, the base version, though sportier than any Caravan, is your one serious argument. As for Porsche’s legendary handling, the new S Coupe holds up its end, especially if equipped with the available Sports package that includes a carbon-fibre roof (reducing weight by a whopping 21 kilograms) and positively gargantuan 22-inch wheels (mounting 315/30ZR22 Pirelli PZeros in the rear and almost as massive 285/35ZR22s in front. The steering is almost sports car-like with a fine balance between steering weight and feel, minimal roll and exemplary turn-in. No, the S Coupe is not a 911, but it feels measurably lighter than its 2,050 kg and tons more agile than BMW’s X6. The top-of-the-line Turbo, meanwhile, feels noticeably heavier, and most of that heft, thanks to the bigger motor, felt in the front. Indeed, on some slippery, rain-soaked Austrian switchbacks, we had a couple of “moments” in the Turbo that were not apparent in the better-balanced S model. Not that the Turbo is bad, but if you’re buying a Cayenne Coupe for traditional Porsche
Origin: First Drive: 2020 Porsche Cayenne Coupe
First Ride: 2019 Husqvarna Svartpilen 701
LISBON, Portugal — “It’ll grow on you.” People say that when they try to force onto you their appreciation of something you probably won’t like. Fungus, for instance, can “grow on you,” though it’s probably not something that sounds appealing. While I wasn’t initially fond of the 2019 Husqvarna Svartpilen 701’s styling when I saw it in pictures, nothing had to grow on me to appreciate its bold design once I saw it in person. It looks really cool. And it backs its unique styling with excellent performance. Svartpilen doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. It’s Swedish for “black arrow” by the way. So now that you know that, you should probably also know that beneath its bold bodywork — in which you’ll see hints of naked bike, dirt tracker, and Mad Max — is a tweaked KTM 690 Duke. That’s a very good thing. Austrian bike maker KTM acquired Husqvarna Motorcycles in 2013, and that collaboration has resulted in a several street-oriented, KTM-based Huskies, including the Svartpilen. It’s powered by KTM’s 692 cc liquid-cooled single, which claims an impressive 75 horsepower and 53 lb.-ft. of torque. That’s about the same horsepower as Suzuki’s SV650 — with about 8 lb.-ft. more torque — and the SV is a twin. While the frame and swingarm are the same as on the KTM 690 Duke, other chassis components are not. Unlike the Duke’s suspension, which is adjustable only for rear preload, the Svartpilen is equipped with higher-spec components; the 43-mm inverted fork and single shock are adjustable for compression and rebound damping, with the shock also benefiting from adjustable spring preload. The Svartpilen also has 15 mm more suspension travel, at 150 mm. Other chassis changes include a more upright riding position than the Duke, and an 18-inch front wheel instead of the Duke’s 17 incher. The Svartpilen is rather svelte, tipping the scales at 158.5 kg (349 lb) dry. Traction control is standard, whereas it was part of an optional track package on the Duke. It also has an electric quick shifter, though it only works on the upshift. ABS is also standard, and like the traction control, it can be turned off. Among the he most exciting motorcycle launches I’ve attended have been the ones where the hired route guides ride like they’re trying to escape from the group under their charge. That was the case on this ride. I followed the lead rider, a local guy, out of the parking lot, and after a brief wait at a traffic light he took off between cars as if he were trying to evade custody. Lane splitting and filtering are the norm in Europe, but this was intense. The rolling slalom through Lisbon traffic really emphasised the Svartpilen’s nimble handling, slender framework, and torquey engine. The gearbox shifted with a feathery touch, though I mostly used the clutch in town because it provided smoother gear changes than the quick shifter. Once we got on the highway the Svartpilen easily maintained 130 km/h, a modest 10 km/h above the limit, without straining. While the engine is mostly smooth, some buzzing does transfer through the seat and the mirrors blur above 6,000 rpm. The ride only got better when we hit the winding mountain roads north of Cascais. The wide handlebar provided lots of leverage for maneuvering tighter bends, without inducing a weave through faster sweepers. Rolling on the gas between turns is a blast on this bike, and it lunged forward regardless of the selected gear. Because of the engine’s broad powerband, shifting was mostly optional. The suspension really impressed. Usually naked bike suspension is tuned almost supersport-stiff, which while returning exceptional handling, compromises rider comfort. The Svartpilen has what I’d consider Canada-proof suspension. We took a turn onto a tight, narrow and twisty road with broken, bumpy and patched pavement. Our escapee lead rider never slowed, so I just followed, surprised to discover that the Svartpilen railed along, soaking up bumps without upsetting the chassis and returning confidence-inspiring handling. A sport bike would have probably folded in two under these conditions. About my only gripe with the new Husky is the instrument cluster. While the gauge itself is a large, round item, the display area is actually much smaller. It’s also at an awkward angle that makes it hard to see, and the rubberised trip-meter buttons to the left of the gauge are hard to use, needing a lot of pressure to depress. Oh, there’s one more thing that puts me off about the Svartpilen 701. It’s not the handling, which is exceptional. It’s not the engine’s output, which is smooth enough in delivery to make a novice feel at ease, yet more than powerful enough to satisfy an expert. And it’s not the styling, which I found to be fresh, unique, and quite functional — without having anything grow on me. It’s the price. The 2019 Husqvarna Svartpilen 701 retails for $13,399. That’s a whopping $1,900 more than the 2019 KTM 790 Duke, which features a 799 cc,
Origin: First Ride: 2019 Husqvarna Svartpilen 701
First Drive: 2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC
The 2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC comes to Canada next spring, and while we dont know pricing, true range of option packaging yet, we do know that it drives like a Mercedes-Benz should.Andrew McCredie OSLO, Norway — It’s not the beautiful scenery, twisty smooth blacktop or sparse traffic that compelled Mercedes-Benz to choose this Scandinavian country as the place to invite the world’s motoring press for the first drive of what is arguably the most important vehicle in company history this century. It’s the fact Norway has the most electric vehicles per capita than any country in the world. One out of every five private cars is an EV, and in the first quarter of 2019, a stunning 71 per cent of all new vehicle purchases were electrics. Teslas, BMW i3s, and even the odd Audi e-Tron are abundant in Oslo and the outlying countryside, and entire, multi-level parking lots at train stations have chargers at every stall. True, a very generous incentive program has spurred the EV adoption among the country’s five million-plus souls, but so too has a strong sense of sustainability (somewhat ironic given the country’s treasure chest of some $1 trillion bulges from oil reserve revenue that lie in and around Norway). The 2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC is the automaker’s first foray into a full-electric production vehicle, and begins an ambitious roll out of no less than 10 all-new EVs by 2020. Up next are the EQA, the EQB and, most likely, the EQS. The EQC was a smart place to start, as it is essentially an electrified version of the company’s top-selling vehicle, the GLC crossover. And while they share the same wheelbase and roughly the same interior dimensions, that’s where the similarities end. The EQC is a fresh sheet, purpose-built design featuring a lithium-ion battery pack designed and built in-house by Mercedes. It didn’t take long behind the wheel to realize what the appeal of this vehicle is, outside of the fact that it runs zero emission-free. First and foremost, it’s a Mercedes-Benz. Meaning, the interior has all the familiar hallmarks of the luxury brand, from the door-mounted seat controls to the razor sharp fit and finish, and from that iconic windshield wiper stalk to the comfortable, and well-bolstered, seats. But it also carries the new EQ design language, including a massive 25-inch split screen dedicated to driving gauges on the left screen and Nav/Media on the right. Likewise, the exterior is immediately recognizable as a Benz, from the big three-point star on the nose through to the elegant lines of the contoured body. On that nose, North American EQCs will get a light display star rather than the traditional badge that were on the EQCs at the press drive. And, most importantly to the purists of the brand, the EQC drives like a Mercedes. Steering is laser precise, there is no wishy-washy handling through those aforementioned twisty bits, and the performance is almost AMG-worthy right out of the box. The one concession to handling comes from the electrified propulsion system’s bit of low gravity girth in the form of a 652 kilogram, 80 kWh battery pack located in the floor of the sport utility. While that low-slung weight gives the vehicle a real sense of road stickiness, it also conveys a sense of weightiness not found in gas-powered Mercedes’ utilities. That said, the asynchronous electric motors driving the front and rear axles do spirit the 2495 kg EQC from a standstill to 100 km/h in an impressive 5.1 seconds. Power output isn’t too shabby either, rated at 408 horsepower and 564 lbs.-ft of torque, accommodating a towing capacity of 1800 kg. There are five drive mode settings to play with, including the self-explanatory Comfort, Eco and Sport. The Max Range mode will control things like regenerative braking, power output and distribution to all four wheels to maximize the range given the current state of charge of the vehicle. And Individual mode allows you to tailor the various EV-related parameters to your preference. As to regenerative braking, there are five settings that are controlled by steering wheel mounted paddle shifters, a very welcome ‘driver operated’ feature that provides an added driving dynamic, particularly over undulating and winding terrain (which as it turns out is abundant in Norway). There are three regen settings, from the mild D through to a medium D- and very strong D, the latter ideal for ‘one-pedal driving’ in more congested traffic situations. When you’ve got nothing but open road ahead, the D+ setting allows for unimpeded coasting, while the final setting, D Auto, lets the EQC’s computer brain figure what level of regent is best in real time. In this setting it was a bit of a revelation when the EQC applied the brakes on its own when we rolled up on a slower moving vehicle, and did so not with an abrupt stab but a nice, even threshold braking of sorts. It makes you realize how all aspects of the laundry list of onboard safety systems are constantly, and
Origin: First Drive: 2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC
First Drive: 2019 Porsche 911 Speedster
2019 Porsche 911 SpeedsterBrian Harper / Driving Sardinia, ITALY — It might be the Cayenne and Macan crossovers that fatten Porsche’s coffers and keep it in the black, but the company’s heart and soul — its very essence — lies in its sports cars: the 356 and its iconic, evergreen successor, the 911, plus the 914, 924, 944, 968, Boxste and Cayman, among others. So, when Porsche celebrated its 70th anniversary last year, it was not a crossover that was the face of the milestone, but a 911 Speedster Concept, the sports car showcasing the link between the very first Porsche 356 “No. 1” roadster, which made its debut in June 1948, and the cars the company manufactures today. “A pure driving experience,” was how Porsche described the idea behind the Speedster Concept. Developed by the Porsche Motorsport department, the “birthplace” of the 911 GT2 RS and GT3 RS, the study was a fully road-worthy glimpse of a potential series-production car — although at the time of the celebrations, a final decision had not been made. At the New York Auto Show this past April, Porsche had clearly made up its mind, taking the wraps off the production version, the sports car losing nothing in the transition from concept to reality. And less than a month later Porsche has shipped its first batch of track-worthy, pre-production 911 Speedsters to the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. Here’s a fun fact: The forefather of Speedster models, the 1952 356 1500 America roadste — of which only 16 were built strictly for the U.S. market — had an aluminum body manufactured entirely by hand. It weighed about 160 kilograms less than a 356 Coupe and its top speed was 180 km/h, achieved with a 70-horsepower flat four under its hood. The 911 Speedster, even with copious amounts of carbon-fibre throughout — hood, front fenders, rear deck — weighs about double (1,465 kilograms with fluids). Yet, courtesy of its GT3-derived, naturally aspirated 4.0L six-cylinder, pumps out more than seven times the power, a prodigious 502 hengste. Top speed is about 310 km/h. Let me state categorically, without fear of contradiction, that the 911 Speedster lives up to the ”pure driving experience” that was the Concept’s mandate. And well it should, considering that each one that makes it to Canada will set you back a substantial $312,500 (just 1,948, representing the year 1948 when Porsche as a car manufacturer came into existence, are being produced for world-wide consumption). Let me further state that Sardinia was an inspired venue for exercising the two-seat beast, the route cutting through the northern part of the island from east to west with stunning views and kilometre-after-kilometre twisting, undulating tarmac challenging enough to make motorheads weep with joy. To get the rear-wheel-drive 911 Speedster down to fighting weight, everything was scrutinized, from the use of a manual fabric top down to the Porsche shield on the front trunk. A few things had to go as well, the more notable ones being air conditioning (an available no-cost option), navigation (available), and the biggie: no PDK or anything approximating an automatic transmission. Yes, sports car purists, it’s a six-speed manual box or nothing. And what a lovely mechanical piece it is, probably the best stick shift since the lamented Honda S2000, with bolt-action, snickety-snick precision. While the car happily putters through town at low revs, it’s much more fun to hear the engine shriek at the top end, sounding positively operatic as it approaches its 9,000-rpm redline. The armchair quarterbacks who think a zero-to-100-km/h time of four seconds is merely adequate for an exotically priced sports machine — yes, the Ferrari 488 Spider and Lamborghini Huracan EVO Spyder are both quicker, but they’re also even more expensive — need to get behind the wheel before they start yapping. The Porsche is quick enough in pure acceleration; the way it carries its speed into tight, decreasing-radius turns and comes out at the end faster than going in is magical. The fact the Speedster has no problems holding its intended line when working the corners is in large part due to its chassis, derived from the 911 GT3 models with a specifically calibrated rear axle steering system, plus a set of wide 20-inch Michelin Pilot Cup Sport 2 tires. Excessive speed demands controlled stopping power; the Speedster lands on the proverbial dime thanks to Porsche’s ceramic composite brakes — 410-millimetre vented and perforated discs up front, and 390s in the rear. Not only do they provide maximum deceleration, they are about 50 per cent lighter than cast iron rotors. As previously mentioned, in order to lighten the load and keep the driving experience as pure as possible, the cabin is lacking a few essentials. Furthering the shedding of kilos, lightweight door panels are used, with storage nets and door pulls instead of handles. Porsche is not without compassion for the fashion conscious; the standard black
Origin: First Drive: 2019 Porsche 911 Speedster
The first two Pontiac Firebirds ever built are now for sale on eBay
When the Firebird first rolled off production lines back in 1967, it marked Pontiac’s glorious entrance into the American pony car market. Over 50 years later and the very first two Pontiac Firebirds to ever see the light of day, VINs #001 and #002, are up for sale on eBay Motors in Lincoln, Nebraska. Following their discovery in a private collection, both cars have been fully restored and are in excellent condition. VIN #001 is a convertible, red inside and out, with a 326-cubic-inch V8 engine matched to a three-speed automatic transmission. VIN #002 gets the same engine, only with four-speed transmission, a coupe top and silver paint. This same pair of Pontiacs were also put on offer in 2016 at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Las Vegas, but the right buyer wasn’t in attendance and bidding failed to reach reserve. Now, following several major Hollywood takes on the life and works of John Z. DeLorean, the legendary general manager of GM’s Pontiac Motor Division during the early Firebird days, it remains to be seen if the two fully restored examples of American muscle will fetch the seller’s wanted price. The buy-it-now tag on the eBay listing has been set at US$285,000, with the current top bid at US$150,000.
Origin: The first two Pontiac Firebirds ever built are now for sale on eBay
First patents surface for Dyson electric car planned for 2021
Patent drawings for what could be Dysons upcoming electric vehicleDyson Dyson’s electric car may have a long wheelbase, an interior cabin with reclining seats and an aerodynamic design, according to patents recently awarded to the company. The patents, filed about 18 months ago and made public Wednesday, are the first glimpse of the car being built by the U.K.-based company known for pricey vacuums, hair dryers and air purifiers. In an email to staff, founder James Dyson said the patents don’t reveal what our vehicle will really look like or give any specifics around what it will do, but they do provide a glimpse of some of the inventive steps the company is weighing. The patents also indicate Dyson is mulling a vehicle with larger wheels to improve efficiency. Dyson’s email also hinted at a car with a low center of gravity to improve handling. The company posted a new automotive page to its website detailing its history in the automotive world and how its experience working on motors could contribute to a car. Dyson joins a growing list of technology companies getting into the car business. Tesla has pioneered electric vehicles, Alphabet’s Waymo unit leads in self-driving technology, while Apple has had an automotive project since about 2016. Patent drawings for what could be Dyson’s upcoming electric vehicle Dyson Dyson first disclosed plans to build an electric car in 2017, saying it would invest 2 billion pounds (US$2.6 billion) on the vehicle and accompanying batteries. Last year, the company said it would build a facility in Singapore to develop the car it hopes to introduce by 2021. In his email to staff, Dyson said that testing of the car would ramp up next month and that more than 500 people are working on the
Origin: First patents surface for Dyson electric car planned for 2021
Mercedes-AMG plans to build cars in China for the first time
Having caught on that the Chinese performance and luxury car market isn’t going anywhere but up anytime soon, Daimler has announced that, for the first time ever, it will be moving production of some of its Mercedes-AMG products to Beijing. The hope is Chinese buyers looking for a performance vehicle will be enticed over to the AMG nameplate by the new, closer production location. The first made-in-China AMG car will be the 2020 A 35 L 4MATIC long-wheelbase sedan, a China-market-exclusive that was formerly imported from Germany but will be produced in the brand’s Beijing site by the end of the year. The decision to move manufacturing of the A 35 AMG to the destination market was made easy by the fact that the long-wheelbase A-Class sedan currently on roads in China is already manufactured in the factory near Beijing, adjacent to the nation’s first AMG-exclusive dealer. Daimler is hoping the AMG A 35 L strikes the same chord with buyers that the A 45 hatchback did. As the entry-level option in China, the spunky compact A 45 has been Mercedes-AMG’s best-selling import to date. Despite the heavily congested roads, Chinese drivers are still opting for vehicles that offer an exciting driving experience, like AMG’s do. To support the push to win some of that performance market, AMG is also investing in a new experience centre at the Zhejiang Circuit in Shaoxing, where AMG fans can test the vehicles out of gridlock traffic.
Origin: Mercedes-AMG plans to build cars in China for the first time
First Ride: 2019 Triumph Speed Twin
2019 Triumph Speed TwinBill Metro / Triumph DAYTONA BEACH, Calif. — Who doesn’t like having the best of both worlds? Low calories and good taste, if you’re a boxer making weight. Three bedrooms and affordable, if you’re shopping condos in Vancouver or Toronto. Attractive and intelligent, if you’re looking to swipe right on Tinder. In motorcycling, the best of both worlds is fast and comfortable. It’s actually fairly easy to build a fast motorcycle; there’s certainly enough of ‘em. Put a big engine in a small frame, throw in powerful brakes and a riding position Valentino Rossi would approve of, and you’re looking at pretty much every race-spec superbike. Ditto a comfortable naked bike. Cramped riding position gives way to relaxed ergonomics, buckboard ride to plush dampers, and back-breaking clip-ons are replaced with a lumbar-friendly high handlebar. Usually, what you end up with is a friendly little scoot, beginner-friendly but hardly inspiring. The trick is to combine the two without losing the superbike’s drama or the naked’s practicality. And, if you’re really good at your job, you’ll throw in some au courante retro styling along with an iconic nameplate. In Triumph’s lineup, what you would end up with would be the new-for-2019 Speed Twin, Triumph’s best of both worlds a mix of sporty Thruxton and user-friendly Street Twin. Triumph’s “best of both worlds” is a mix of sporty Thruxton and user-friendly Street Twin The Thruxton is Triumph’s sportiest Bonneville twin, dressed up in yesteryear’s café racer garb. The Street Twin is the British marque’s most user-friendly street bike, quite literally one of the friendliest motorcycles extent for novices, returning riders and those shorter of stature. Our own Costa Mouzouris’ significant other just bought a Street Twin, its low seat height, relaxed riding position and light weight making it one of the easiest big-displacement — its eight-valve twin displaces 900-cc — motorcycles aimed at the retro crowd. The Speed Twin is, quite literally, the melding of sporty Thruxton and easy-peasy Street Twin. The High Power engine is an exquisite blend of Thruxton and Scrambler 1200 Take one Thruxton high-compression 1200-cc twin, upgrade it with the Scrambler’s lighter crankshaft, mass-optimized counter-balancers and revised clutch and you have the best Bonneville in Triumph’s lineup — smooth as the Scrambler, but with the Thruxton’s 96 horsepower and 82.6 pound-feet of torque. Oh, and Triumph also threw in some magnesium side covers top reduce the centre of gravity a little. It’s a sweet engine. The Speed Twin is sneaky fast Harley riders are always going on how their V-twins are the epitome of low-end torque. Triumph begs to differ. OK, 96 horsepower isn’t exactly going to set the MotoGP world on fire, but the way the Speed Twin responds to the gas at low revs is truly impressive. Twist the throttle at 3,000 rpm it powers ahead smartly. Do the same at 5,000, it literally lunges. Oh, it runs out of puff fairly early — peak power arrives at just 6,750 rpm — but for the cut-and-thrust of dodging cars in traffic or scooting from hairpin to hairpin on a twisty mountain road, it’s nigh on perfect. It’s amazingly smooth for a big parallel twin Big-displacement parallel-twins have traditionally been earthquakes on wheels, the tremors their unbalanced pistons send through a motorcycle’s frame enough to rattle — actually loosen — fillings. In the old days, the solution was rubber mounting the engine — Norton’s Isolastic system being the most successful — but that caused assembly and maintenance headaches, not to mention robbing the frame of stiffness (most modern motorcycles use the engine as a chassis strengthening member). Triumph’s solution was to rotate the crankpins 90 degrees — the pistons now fire 270-degrees apart rather than 360 — and add counter-balancing shafts. It works. So well, in fact, that it’s easy to forget to upshift to sixth gear on the highway, so smoothly does the big twin churn beneath you cruising along in fourth or fifth. All big displacement twins should be so vibration free. The ergonomics are pure Street Twin Other than footpegs a little rear set and a slightly taller seat, the Speed Twin’s ergonomics are pure Street Twin. That means your buttocks are barely 807 millimetres off the ground (low enough for those short of stature to place their soles firmly on the ground), a nice upswept handlebar for an upright seating position and a centre of gravity low enough to make a BMW Boxer Twin jealous. Oh, Daddy Long Legs will find the riding position a little cramped — the tight peg-to-seat distance will take its toll on creaky knees eventually — but for sheer ease of use, the Speed Twin is the big sportster to beat. The Speed Twin really is a lightweight Ten kilograms lighter than the supposedly sportier Thruxton, the Speed Twin is a whopping 28 kilos airier than a garden-variety Bonneville T120, which I’ll remind you, sports a
Origin: First Ride: 2019 Triumph Speed Twin
The first all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQC just rolled off the line
Der Mercedes-Benz unter den Elektrofahrzeugen geht an den Start. Der neue Mercedes-Benz EQC (Stromverbrauch kombiniert: 20,8 – 19,7 kWh/100 km; CO2-Emissionen kombiniert: 0 g/km) rollt im Mercedes-Benz Werk Bremen vom Band – und kann ab sofort bestellt werden. The Mercedes-Benz of electric vehicles is ready for launch. The new Mercedes-Benz EQC (combined electrical consumption: 20.8 – 19.7 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km) is produced at the Mercedes-Benz Bremen plant – and can be ordered now. The first Mercedes-Benz all-electric EQC rolled off the assembly line at the company’s plant in Germany early May. The all-new model is expected to go on sale in Canada sometime next year. The first in an upcoming line of the company’s electrified “EQ” vehicles, the EQC was unveiled to Driving.ca at a special event earlier this year. The initial production model is the all-wheel-drive EQC 400 4Matic, which will start in Europe for €71,281. That’s about $107,400 in Canadian dollars, but just how much it’ll cost when it lands on our shores remains to be seen. Although it describes that starting price as being for the “generously-equipped base version,” Mercedes-Benz somehow also manages to come up with a “net basic price” that’s less than €60,000, which will make it eligible for a “green” tax rebate of €4,000 from the German government. At the company’s plant in Bremen, Germany, it’s being built on the same production line as the C-Class, GLC and GLC Coupe, all of which have conventional gasoline drivelines, which the company said will “ensure that best possible use of capacity at the plant.” The electric model will also be built in China for that market, through the company’s Beijing Benz Automotive joint venture. The EQC’s batteries are produced in Germany by Accumotive, a Benz-owned subsidy. The company said it is investing over €1 billion globally in battery production and will eventually have nine battery plants in three continents, including facilities in Alabama, Bangkok, Beijing and in Poland. The new model is expected to have a range of about 400 to 450 kilometres, a combined output of 408 horsepower and 564 lb-ft of torque from its two electric motors, a governed top speed of 180 km/h, and all-wheel drive, thanks to having those motors mounted on the front and rear axles, where they kick in to supply power to the front or back as
Origin: The first all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQC just rolled off the line
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