All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

Porsche opened its fifth Porsche Charging Lounge

At the end of January, Porsche opened its fifth exclusive Porsche Charging Lounge. This charging station is located near Hamburg and the A1 motorway, making it easily accessible not only for drivers in northern Germany, but also for travelers heading to the Baltic Sea.

This charging station operates 24 hours a day and allows owners of all Porsche electric cars to use four DC fast charging stations with a capacity of up to 400 kW. While the vehicles are charging, drivers can enjoy comfortable seats with built-in speakers, as well as a wide selection of refreshing drinks and snacks, a water dispenser, modern sanitary facilities, and free Wi-Fi.

Porsche developed the modular concept of the filling station in cooperation with the F.A. studio. Porsche, and this one in Hamburg was the first to be implemented. It has a unique design that provides the ability to adjust depending on the terrain. The modules are mostly made of steel, stainless steel, wood and stone, and are manufactured by Porsche’s partner in Baden-Württemberg, using energy from renewable sources. The facility is air-conditioned using a heat pump, and part of the energy comes from the photovoltaic installation on the roof. Also, attention was paid to the optimization of energy consumption, so the lighting is automatically reduced when there are no visitors

In addition to the charging station in Hamburg, Porsche also has charging stations in Bingen am Rhein, Estenfeld near Würzburg, Koblach (Austria) and Ingolstadt. Access to the charging station and lounge area is only possible via Porsche ID, and if the license plate is linked to the Porsche ID, the barrier opens automatically using license plate recognition. Users can register via the My Porsche app, and access is also possible via the Porsche Charging Card or the QR code from the My Porsche app.

Source: Porsche

Gallery:

Porsche opened its fifth Porsche Charging Lounge
News

Renault sold its stake in AvtoVAZ for 1 cent

After Russia invaded Ukraine, the European Union imposed sanctions, forcing many carmakers to halt production in Russia. One of them was Renault, which even considered restarting production a month later, but backed out. It controlled 30 percent of the entire Russian car market, and now it has been announced that the French manufacturer has sold its share in AvtoVAZ (68%) to the Russian automotive research center NAMI for 1 ruble (1 cent).

It is obvious that Renault has no intention of returning to Russia, and if it were to decide to do so, it would cost them a lot. According to NAMI CEO Maxim Sokolov, the company has invested a lot in AvtoVAZ, so if Renault were to decide to return, it would cost them 112.5 billion rubles ($1.3 billion).

According to Sokolov, Renault invested between $226 and $249 million in AvtoVAZ before withdrawing from Russia, so he believes it would be right for the French to compensate NAMI if they return.

In an interview with TASS, he also said that in 2023, AvtoVAZ NAMI had invested about $311 million. Last year, they invested almost $453 million, and this year they plan to invest another $510 million.

Current relations between Russia and the EU do not indicate that there could be a relaxation soon, so it is difficult to expect that European manufacturers could return to the Russian market in the near future.

Source: TASS

Tuning

Mansory Elongation based on the Tesla Cybertruck

Almost six years ago, Tesla unveiled its battery electric pickup truck, the Cybertruck, which Elon Musk said that it packs a lot of technology and it doesn’t look like any other vehicle out there today. Now, German tuner Mansory has unveiled its own version, the Mansory Elongation.

The Elongation is equipped with forged carbon components that replace some of the original steel panels, but also give it a more aggressive look. These include new fenders, a hood with a vent, a sporty bumper with an integrated splitter and a set of LED roof lights, new side mirrors, sills and false windows with a vent, two spoilers on the corners of the rear, a massive splitter, F1 brake lights and a carbon panel with an illuminated Mansory logo. It sits on black 26-inch FD.15 wheels wrapped in 315/40 R26 high-performance tires.

The interior is upholstered in high-quality leather covering the seats, and there are also plenty of carbon details. Mansory offers a choice of interior colors, and this example is finished in a combination of white, black and green.

When it comes to the powertrain, nothing has been changed. The Elongation is powered by three electric motors with a total output of 805 hp (600 kW) and 1,033 lb-ft (1,400 Nm), which is enough to push the car to 62 mph in just 3 seconds with a top speed of 130 mph (209 km/h).

The price of the upgrade is unknown.

Source: Mansory

Gallery:

Mansory Elongation based on the Tesla Cybertruck