The Swedish car manufacturer Volvo is the first company in the world to introduce a digital passport for its cars. This type of digital document will be mandatory for all electric cars in the EU from 2027, and will record data on the origin of the material, recycled material, as well as data on the battery condition.
The first car to receive its digital passport is the all-electric EX90 SUV, which was developed in cooperation with the British company Circulor. The integration of this Volvo software will cost a symbolic 9 euros per car, and it will be important for customers that the data will be constantly updated.
This document will contain all information about the battery and the origin of the materials that the battery is made of. It will also contain data on the amount of recycled content in the battery as well as CO2 data.
This will help owners and future buyers of used electric cars to know important information about the vehicle, especially the battery condition. It will be possible to download the data by scanning the QR code that will be located on the driver’s door. However, detailed information about the battery and the vehicle will be available only to the competent authorities.
Ford has officially started production of the electric Explorer EV at its factory in Germany. Ford invested almost two billion euros in this factory, as part of the transition to electric vehicles. The goal is to produce 250,000 electric cars a year, including the production of this compact SUV.
The car was originally supposed to be launched in September 2023, but due to the introduction of new battery standards, the production of this model was postponed. At the factory in Cologne, Ford produced the Fiesta model, but production was suspended last year in order to release full capacity for the production of the Ford Explorer EV.
This may not be the best time for Ford to start production of a new electric car considering that demand for EVs is on the decline. However, the American manufacturer expects good sales results.
Ford is considering selling gasoline and hybrid cars in Europe after 2030, which is the opposite of the original plan that only included electric vehicles. Also, demand for hybrids has increased in recent years, prompting automakers to reduce investment in EVs. The lack of charging infrastructure in Europe contributed to this, as well as the invasion of Chinese electric cars, which have been causing headaches for other manufacturers for a long time.
A few days ago, BMW revealed the new generation of the 1 Series subcompact car, which has been on the market since 2004. It is the fourth generation of this model and the successor to the F40, the BMW 1 Series F70.
The car is somewhat more robust than its predecessor, but with the same wheelbase of 2670 mm. It is equipped with a new front grill with vertical slats interrupted by angled bars, redesigned headlights with a matrix LED high-beam and blue inserts, while the rear LED lights look like those of the current X2 model. It sits on newly designed 17- to 19-inch wheels, and buyers will be able to choose from seven metallic and two solid colors, plus four individual body colors. For the first time, a two-tone body combination with a black roof is also offered.
In the cabin, multimedia system iDrive 9, 10.25-inch driver’s display, and 10.7-inch touchscreen. Most of the conventional controls have been removed, and the previous automatic transmission lever has been replaced by a smaller selector. The seats are wrapped in Arktur fabric. Optional equipment includes sports seats covered in Econeer fabric or a combination of artificial leather (Veganza) and Alcantara, a panoramic glass roof that slides electrically, a Harman Kardon surround sound system, and a head-up display.
BMW 1 Series (118d) is powered by a 2.0-L four-cylinder engine with 150 hp (110 kW) and 360 Nm (265 lb-ft) of torque, which is enough power to push the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.3 seconds with a top speed of 222 km/h (138 mph).
Version 120 is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter in combination with 48-volt mild hybrid technology with a total power of 170 hp (125 kW) and 280 Nm (206 lb-ft) of torque. That’s enough for a sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.8 seconds and a top speed of 140 mph (226 km/h).
The 120d version is powered by a 2.0-L four-cylinder turbodiesel engine combined with a 48-volt mild hybrid system with an output of 163 hp (120 kW) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque. It has the same top speed as the 118d version, but it is faster than the sprint by 0.4 seconds. It should be noted that all versions come with front-wheel drive and a 7-speed automatic transmission.
The top of the range is the M135 version powered by a 2.0-L four-cylinder biturbo engine with 300 hp (224 kW) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque. With adaptive drive on both axles (xDrive), the M135 reaches 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).
