A century ago, the American company Ford produced tractors in a factory complex located in Dearborn, Michigan. Today, in the same factory, the production of the electric pickup truck, F-150 Lightning, started. With this model, Ford is trying to change people’s opinion about electric vehicles, but also about Ford as a brand.
That they succeeded in their intentions is shown by the fact that Ford has received over 200,000 orders so far. It is not yet known when we will see the car on the roads, but we shouldn’t have to wait long. Ford’s plan for next year is to produce over 140,000 copies of this model, which, based on the number of orders received, would have a great impact on competition.
Ford is not a leader in the production of electric pickups, but their model will be different and significantly cheaper than the competition. According to the information announced by the American company, 3/4 of the orders come from people who are buying a Ford car for the first time.
After outstanding sales results in the first quarter of the year, Porsche and Audi have established cooperation in the Japanese charging station market. Under the name Premium Charging Alliance, German companies are expanding a network of 150 kW stations that will be available from the second half of this year, when their vehicles will have 102 charging stations available.
On this occasion, Porsche Japan CEO Michael Kirsch said: “Japan shows a lot of commitment to develop the public charging network, however, we believe the charging speed itself is not quite fast enough.”
As a leader in fast charging, Porsche strives to enable Porsche car owners to have more charging stations available: “With the Premium Charging Alliance, we aim to join forces with other companies that also provide fast charging, meaning our customers spend less time charging their cars, finding more suitable locations and making driving electric vehicles more convenient,” said Kirsch. For example, a powerful 150 kW charging system allows Porsche Taycan to charge 80 percent of the battery in just 24 minutes.
At the moment, there are 50 fast charging units in Japan, of which 37 units in 33 Porsche centers, 12 units in seven city locations and one unit in the Porsche Experience Center.
After a lot of testing, in the Arctic Circle and southern Europe, as well as the air tunnel and the streets of Germany, the all-electric i7 has finally arrived and with it the new BMW 7 Series.
The new 7 Series comes with standard air suspension and automatic electronically controlled shock absorbers. Thanks to the adaptive suspension, the driver can, in Sport mode, raise or lower the car. The car is larger, which does not mean bad maneuverability, primarily thanks to the rear-wheel drive system up to 3.5 degrees.
When it comes to design, the front end features horizontally split headlights located in the middle of the bumper and a huge front grille with prominent kidneys, while the daytime running lights are slightly closer to the bonnet. Inside, the Live Cockpit Plus dominates with a Curved Display that integrates a 12.3 and 14.9-inch screen.
When it comes to propulsion, in Europe the 740d will be powered by a 3.0 L turbodiesel 6-cylinder engine with 300 hp (221 kW) and 561 lb-ft (760 Nm), but from next spring. Two petrol models with 48-volt mild hybrid technology will be available in the US, China and other select markets, but not Europe. The BMW 760i xDrive comes with a new V8 engine that delivers 544 hp (400 kW).
BMW also introduced the all-electric i7. The design of the front of the car is adorned with light elements made of exclusive crystal glass and illuminated contour of the kidney grille, which give a modern look. The interior of the i7 is equipped with a curved display, a newly developed panoramic glass roof Sky Lounge, light and functional strips on the instrument panel and doors that provide better ambient lighting. BMW has not forgotten the rear passengers either, who now have at their disposal a 31-inch 8K Theater Screen screen located between the front seats.
When it comes to powertrain, the BMW i7 will be powered by two electric motors with a total power of 544 hp (400 kW) and 550 lb-ft (745 Nm) of torque. The car is equipped with a 101.4 kWh battery that provides a range of 590 to 625 km. Reaches 62 mph in 4.7 seconds with a limited top speed of 149 mph (240 km / h). For those who want more power, BMW has announced additional versions, among which stands out the most powerful M70 xDrive with 660 hp (485 kW).
