CHEVROLET SUBURBAN RECOGNIZED BY FILM INDUSTRY, GETS HOLLYWOOD STAR.Chevrolet The Chevrolet Suburban SUV has just earned itself a major award for its work not on the pavement, but on the silver screen.Usually its humans who get their names shown off on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but its impossible not to recognize the contribution Chevys carry-all hauler has made to the film industry.When a convoy of black Suburbans appears on screen, you know thats not the time to leave your seat to buy popcorn, points out Dennis McCarthy, Hollywood picture car coordinator.His dossier includes big-budget films like The Avengers, Black Panther, and a few Fast and Furious installments.The Suburban first debuted on screen in 1952, and since then its appeared in over 1,750 TV shows and films. Since 1956, a Suburban has been in at least one TV show per year, and at least one film per year since 1960.The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce awarded the honor to the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban nameplates, though the star only names the Suburban. More than its role in films, the Suburban also gets recognition for having the longest-running vehicle nameplate in history, dating all the way back to 1935.The nameplate will continue for the foreseeable future, with an all-new version (along with a new Tahoe) to be unveiled soon, perhaps with independent rear
Origin: Chevrolet Suburban first vehicle with star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame
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Plugged In: The changing face of electric vehicle clubs
Bruce Stout with the Steam Whistle restored truck at Electrafest, a green mobility movement display of electric transportion options on Pacific Blvd at Carrall St. in Vancouver.Les Bazso/PNG Electric vehicle clubs have been around for decades, and up until just recently their memberships consisted of backyard tinkerers converting gas-powered vehicles to electric vehicles. Now that most global automakers are producing Evs, where does that leave these clubs? In this week’s episode of Plugged In we talk with Bruce Stout of the Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association about that and much more. Plugged In is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.Is the player not working? Click
Origin: Plugged In: The changing face of electric vehicle clubs
Kia Canada sells its 1 millionth vehicle in Quebec – and this customer gets her Kia Soul for free
Walking into Kia Sherbrooke to shop for a new vehicle, Sonia Blais was not in high spirits.The special education teacher from Magog, Quebec had recently become a single mother of two, with a looming divorce sapping her finances, an expensive holiday season at her door and an already harsh winter blowing over her Eastern Townships home.But a new car is what she need, so after weighing her options, she picked out a Kia Soul, a stylish subcompact, delivered, of course, with Quebecs mandatory winter tires. She paid via a roughly $25,000 loan, with financing.The purchase also made Blais, unbeknownst to her, Kia Canadas one millionth customer, a milestone that coincidentally lined up with the Korean brands 20th anniversary in this country.Even more coincidentally, Kia Sherbrooke was among the brands first concessionnaires here, selling more than a handful of the first 1,417 Sportage and Sephias to hit Canadian shores back in 1999.When Kia head office rang dealership owner Daniel Beaucage, from Groupe Beaucage, over Blais new purchase, he assumed it was over a problem with the order. Not quite, it turns outBlais was invited back to the dealership with her millionième Kia for a little ceremony this past Thursday, hosted by the new VP and COO of Kia Canada, Elias El-Achhab.She figured out from that she was in for some sort of surprise. Beaucage and co-owner Tommy Morissette started off by announcing a list of $2,000 worth of options they wanted to gift her like a remote start to keep her warm, and a bike rack, since shes a frequent rider.Then El-Achhab interrupted the declaration: C’est nous qui payons votre Kia Soul, or We are going to pay your Kia Soul.Blais croaked out a Really? before starting to cry. Kia means it when it says its cars have the power to surprise.Morissette told Driving.ca that Blais really touched its sales representatives, and everybody at the dealership was so happy luck befell her in particular.She moved us with the work shes been doing for the past 22 years with learning disabilities kids, he said. She said she never won anything in her whole life, but now shes driving one of our vehicles her second Kia were going to take very good care of her, and her Soul.For those wondering if a million vehicles is a big milestone, consider that, these days, about two million new vehicles are sold in Canada every year.When Honda Canada celebrated its 50th anniversary March 2019, the manufacturer of Canadas best-selling car, the Civic, claimed just over four million vehicles
Origin: Kia Canada sells its 1 millionth vehicle in Quebec – and this customer gets her Kia Soul for free
Lexus unveils its first all-electric vehicle — but Canada won’t get it
Well, we lose out again. After many years of selling hybrids, Lexus has finally gone all-electric with the upcoming UX 300e. The compact crossover is the brands first to run exclusively on battery power.But rather than unveiling it at the Los Angeles Auto Show, where we saw the Mustang Mach-E, Chevrolet EV pickup, and Tesla Cybertruck break cover, Lexus chose a show in Guangzhou, China.Thats because the UX 300e is only planned for China, Europe and Japan. Lexus Canada confirmed it won’t be sold in North America. (Lexus sells hybrids in Canada, as does Toyota, but neither has had an all-electric vehicle up until now.)And we cant figure how a nimble little luxury sport-ute, perfectly sized for the city and with no tailpipe out the back, wouldnt be a slam-dunk on our shores. Instead, Lexus Electrified, the companys global electrification strategy, will start with the UX 300e overseas next year.But that said, a closer look reveals a model that isn’t about performance. Lexus even says it will have natural-yet-brisk acceleration character, which doesnt exactly translate into pushes you into the back seat.Its 54.3-kWh battery puts it below other premium brands: Audis e-tron is 95 kWh and Mercedes-Benzs ECQ is 85 kWh. Even the Chevrolet Bolt and Nissan Leaf Plus have bigger batteries.The UX 300e makes 221 lb.-ft. of torque below the Leaf Plus 250 lb.-ft., or the 266 laid down by the Bolt. Audi and Mercedes-Benz scream by it at 413 and 560 lb.-ft. respectively. When its time to top up, the UX 300e has a fast-charge capacity of just 50 kW, while the e-tron rates as high as 150 kW.All of that might be understandable if the UX 300e went forever on a charge, but that doesnt seem to be the case either. Lexus claims 400 kilometres but thats on NEDC (New European Driving Cycle), an outdated method that can be more than 25 per cent more generous than how electric vehicles are rated here.Doing the math and assuming the UX 300e nets 300 km in Canadas tests, were still looking at 363 km for the Leaf Plus, and more than 400 for the Bolt. For the higher performers here, the e-trons estimated at 328 km, and the EQC at 360 km.Of course, we have to account for the largest factor in all of this North Americans. Specifically, our neighbours to the south, who usually eschew pint-sized in favour of portly when it comes to vehicles, and who buy enough automobiles to dictate our market. The UX 300e is probably the right size and the right power for its target markets overseas. Were guessing the next Lexus Electrified will probably be an RX, with a bigger battery and more power for
Origin: Lexus unveils its first all-electric vehicle — but Canada won’t get it
Seat to launch electric scooter as urban mobility vehicle
Seat will launch a new electric Scooter later this month, as part of the Spanish firm’s attempts to become a leader in ‘urban mobility solutions’ to tackle congestion in large cities. The eScooter, which is being developed in collaboration with Barcelona-based motorcycle maker Silence, will join the upcoming Minimo and the eXS Kickscooter in the company’s new urban transport line-up. While Seat has not given performance details, it says the eScooter features a 100% electric powertrain equivalent to a 125cc petrol bike. It will be presented at the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona later this month. In recent years, an increasing number of car companies have started targeting solutions for crowded cities. Earlier this year, Seat announced that it would spearhead efforts in the segment within the Volkswagen Group. Last year the brand piloted a fleet of prototype car sharing vehicles, modelled on its upcoming Seat eMii, which users could rent through a mobile app, and a forerunner to its eScooter, the Segway-based eXS. In 2021, Seat will introduce a new small electric city car. The Minimo develops the concept of the Renault Twizy and fronts the firm’s increasing emphasis on small and environmentally-friendly transport alternatives. Seat boss Luca de Meo said that “the constant growth of large cities makes achieving efficient mobility one of the main challenges to
Origin: Seat to launch electric scooter as urban mobility vehicle
Bristol City Council plots diesel vehicle ban
Bristol City Council is consulting on proposals to introduce the UK’s first no-diesel zone by 2021, as part of a drive to improve air quality in the area. The so-called Clean Air Zone has been devised as a means of delivering “the fastest possible improvement in air quality against targets for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) legal limits”, according to the council. If implemented, the measures would see privately-owned diesel vehicles banned from entering a designated section of the city centre between 7am and 3pm every day. A wider charging zone would be in constant operation for high-emission commercial vehicles, including buses, taxis, HGVs and LGVs, with suggested costs yet to be announced. A diesel vehicle scrappage scheme would launch at the same time, to encourage Bristol drivers to swap into less polluting cars. The announcement comes two years after Bristol City Council was ordered by the government to produce a plan for bringing the area’s NO2 levels to within legal limits. It has been suggested that the Clean Air Zone could help to achieve this by 2025. Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees said: “These ambitious plans demonstrate our commitment to tackling air pollution so we meet legal limits within the shortest time, without disproportionally affecting citizens on lower incomes, which would happen with a blanket approach to charging vehicles. “Protecting the most vulnerable people from pollution is central to these plans and we have ensured that all impacts have been carefully considered. If approved, mitigation measures will support those most affected, especially those living in the most deprived communities.” The predicted cost of implementation of the scheme totals £113.5 million, with comprehensive upgrades to the city’s ANPR network, road marking and signage necessary to its successful operation. The proposals will be fully detailed and debated at a meeting of Bristol City Council’s cabinet on 5 November. The final business case is due to be submitted to government in February next
Origin: Bristol City Council plots diesel vehicle ban
The RX-8’s spirit lives on in Mazda’s first electric vehicle
What is it? The MX-30 is the first EV from Mazda. Its also the production version of the prototype we drove a couple of months ago in NorwayWhy does it matter? Well, for one thing the MX-30 breaks from the EV orthodoxy that says the cure for range anxiety is bigger batteries. In its current guise, its 355-volt battery tops out at 35.5 kWh, which, though Mazda has not released final figures, should be good for 200 kilometres or so of all-electric motoring. That should be more than enough for most peoples daily commutes, even those commuting into large urban centres from suburban outreaches.But instead of offering bigger batteries for those looking for inter city travel, Mazda is adding a range-extending, gasoline-fed engine so that the current lack of a recharging infrastructure. And not just any range extender, but a rotary engine the likes last seen in the companys RX-8 sports coupe. Not only is the Wankel engine more compact, affording the MX-30 generous cabin space, but held at a constant rpm (as generators are wont to do) rotaries can prove quite frugal. In other words, the MX-30 looks to be the EV the world needs enough electric range to motor daily without emissions and a convenient range extender for long-distance motoring if not the EV it desires. Another takeaway from the RX-8 is the MX-30s rear suicide doors Mazda calls them freestyle that open from the rear. Like the RX-8s, they are smaller than traditional rear doors but open a ingress/egress-aiding 80 degrees. Looks wise, Mazda says the MX-30 shows off its new Human Modern design. What they really mean is that its a slightly European take on the classic sport-cute. For those looking for current offering to judge the MX-30 against, the new Mazda is about the same size as Kias Niro.Inside, the cabin is perhaps that should be read easily the best yet crafted by Mazda. Pretty much all the controls even the air conditioning system are now touchscreen controlled, the dashboard is ultra clean with barely a switch of button to interrupt its horizontal flow, and Mazda has trotted out some Heritage Cork trim to highlight the MX-30s greenness.When is it coming?We will be getting the MX-30 in the second half of 2020, and pointing out the importance of Canada to Mazda and its EV aspirations I suspect the former should be read avoiding penalties from Quebecs ZEV mandate we will be one of the first three markets to receive MX-30s.Check out all of our latest auto show coverageShould you buy it?Well, that depends on how pretentious and gullible you are. If you fall for the Elon Musk logic that anything short of a pure EV is climate change denial and that one needs at least 500 kilometres of range to be considered a real EV, then I dont think the MX-30 is for you.But if youre looking for a pragmatic solution to the automobiles future, the MX-30 with its rotary range extender will let you cut 80 per cent of your greenhouse gas emissions (and your monthly gasoline bill) while having the combined convenience of charging at home and gassing up quickly on the highway. From that perspective, it might be the best thing
Origin: The RX-8’s spirit lives on in Mazda’s first electric vehicle
New Toyota Mirai fuel cell vehicle makes public debut
Toyota’s dramatic new Mirai Concept, which previews the second-generation version of its hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, has been shown in public for the first time at the Tokyo motor show. A production version of the car will go on sale in late 2020. The new hydrogen-powered concept is described as “a final-stage development model of the second-generation Mirai” and Toyota promises a major step forward in fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technology. It claims the new model offers a 30% increase in driving range over the current model, which has a range of just over 300 miles, along with improved driving performance. The new Mirai Concept is built on Toyota’s latest TNGA platform and features dramatic new styling, including a revamped front with a bold grille and a sweeping, coupé-esque rear. Toyota claims increased body rigidity and a lower centre of gravity than the original Mirai. The concept measures 4935mm long and 1885mm wide, with a wheelbase of 2920mm. It sits on 20in wheels and retains the four-door saloon layout of the original Mirai, which was launched in 2014. The interior has also been reworked. It features a 12.3in central touchscreen and a digital instrument display, with many of the controls moved to the centre of the dashboard. Notably, the Mirai now has five seats instead of the original’s four, which, Toyota says, has been enabled by a reworking of the hydrogen fuel cell configuration. Aside from the claimed increase in range, Toyota has not given specific details of development work done on the fuel cell powertrain. But it says the system, including the fuel cell stack, has been entirely redesigned and offers increased hydrogen storage. It also claims the work on the system ensures a smoother, linear response, along with improved
Origin: New Toyota Mirai fuel cell vehicle makes public debut
New Toyota Mirai fuel cell vehicle to go on sale in 2020
Toyota has revealed a dramatic new Mirai Concept, which previews the second-generation version of its hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. A production version of the car will go on sale in late 2020 it was revealed on the eve of the Tokyo motor show. The new hydrogen-powered concept is described as “a final-stage development model of the second-generation Mirai” and Toyota promises a major step forward in fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technology. It claims the new model offers a 30% increase in driving range over the current model, which has a range of just over 300 miles, along with improved driving performance. The new Mirai Concept is built on Toyota’s latest TNGA platform and features dramatic new styling, including a revamped front with a bold grille and a sweeping, coupé-esque rear. Toyota claims increased body rigidity and a lower centre of gravity than the original Mirai. The concept measures 4935mm long and 1885mm wide, with a wheelbase of 2920mm. It sits on 20in wheels and retains the four-door saloon layout of the original Mirai, which was launched in 2014. The interior has also been reworked. It features a 12.3in central touchscreen and a digital instrument display, with many of the controls moved to the centre of the dashboard. Notably, the Mirai now has five seats instead of the original’s four, which, Toyota says, has been enabled by a reworking of the hydrogen fuel cell configuration. Aside from the claimed increase in range, Toyota has not given specific details of development work done on the fuel cell powertrain. But it says the system, including the fuel cell stack, has been entirely redesigned and offers increased hydrogen storage. It also claims the work on the system ensures a smoother, linear response, along with improved
Origin: New Toyota Mirai fuel cell vehicle to go on sale in 2020
WLTP Challenge showcases vehicle efficiency
WLTP Challenge showcases vehicle efficiency The challenge looked to see how accurate WLTP testing is Results from the inaugural WLTP Challenge have come in, with the overall figures showing that the new WLTP test cycle is largely reflective of real-world fuel economy. Completed over a day’s driving, the 220 mile route included a variety of types of road and conditions. Heading from Bristol to Birmingham, and back again via the Cotswolds, the event planned in all different types of road and speeds – from motorway to urban driving. Designed to simulate a potential day’s driving on business, Fleet World – the event’s organisers – had arranged for every powertrain type to be tested. This covered petrol, diesel, mild hybrid, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, pure-electric, and even hydrogen fuel cell. Highlights from the results include a 40% improvement over the official WLTP figure from a Vauxhall Astra 1.5 diesel, returning 85 MPG. Honda’s hybrid CR-V managed to achieve 70 MPG, representing a 70% improvement over official figures. Mitsubishi’s L200 Barbarian returned 62% more than its test results, and thee fully-laden RAC patrol van exceeded its official figure, proving the case for WLTP with light commercial vehicles too. Next Green Car ran a Nissan Leaf e+ in the event and managed to complete the route comfortably, as did the Audi e-tron and Tesla Model 3 which also represented pure-electric models. Although the official economy figures weren’t matched, they were all close to the target. The Leaf was less than 6% off its miles/kWh target, the Audi e-tron less than 11% away, and the Model 3 only 3% off. Using the real-world figures gained from the challenge, it is calculated that the trip would have cost £10 in the Leaf, compared to £19 for a diesel averaging 70 MPG, and £25 for a petrol averaging 50 MPG. WLTP Challenge 2019 organiser, Luke Wikner said: “The WLTP Challenge 2019 just goes to show that every driver, be they a private motorist or a company car driver behind the wheel of any vehicle, can make significant incremental improvements to their fuel economy. “Smarter driving in this way ultimately leads to safer driving, lower fuel bills, lower insurance, lower stress levels for drivers and fleet operators and a happier mobile workforce. “The Challenge also underlines that the new WLTP test procedure is already proving its worth. Gone are the days when motorists can say that they will never achieve their vehicles’ official fuel consumption figures, as the latest official WLTP figures will be representative of most drivers’ real-world fuel economy, most of the time.” Click below to read NGC’s report of how the WLTP Challenge unfolded.
Origin: WLTP Challenge showcases vehicle efficiency
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