Tag Archives: EVs

CONCEPT CARS

Škoda Reimagines the 110 R Coupe as a Futuristic EV Concept

Sometimes the smartest way forward is to look back. Škoda has done just that with a new digital concept that channels the spirit of its classic 110 R coupe, the cult-favorite two-door that once brought a whiff of sports car glamour to Eastern Bloc roads. Now reinterpreted for the electric era, the project is the latest in a series of design studies that use heritage as a springboard for future ideas.

The original 110 R debuted in 1970 as the sporty sibling to the Škoda 100 sedan. It wasn’t powerful—just 62 hp from a rear-mounted 1.1-liter four-cylinder paired with a four-speed manual—but its rear-wheel-drive layout and sleek fastback shape made it a beloved, attainable coupe for enthusiasts behind the Iron Curtain.

Fast forward more than 50 years, and designer Richard Svec, who joined Škoda in 2023 after a stint at Italdesign in Turin, has reimagined the 110 R for the EV age. Rather than leaning into retro pastiche, Svec focused on proportion, stance, and form to capture the coupe’s essence while pushing its style into the future.

The result is a compact two-door, two-seat electric coupe with a low roofline and fastback tail. Its face nods to the past with headlamps that echo the “melancholic” look of the original, now rendered as sharp rectangles with retractable, body-colored covers. A recessed front end incorporates Škoda’s new “Tech Loop” design language, previewed on the Vision O concept.

Performance cues abound. Inflated fenders wrap around large center-lock wheels with aero covers, while hood ribs, a visible protective cage, and deep side intakes reference the original’s racing pedigree. Out back, hidden taillights and a thin LED strip mirror the car’s front-end graphics, giving the coupe a unified look from every angle.

Škoda has yet to disclose powertrain details, but speculation suggests a rear-mounted electric motor—true to the original’s layout—would be the logical choice. If it borrows from the brand’s current EVs like the Elroq or Enyaq, output could hit around 286 metric horsepower, a number that would make this lightweight coupe plenty quick.

As with most digital concepts, Škoda has no plans to put the 110 R Coupe into production. Still, the design exercise hints at what could be possible if the company’s bread-and-butter EVs continue to succeed. With mainstream profits secured, Škoda could have the flexibility to indulge in halo products like this—cars that connect emotional heritage with a forward-looking identity.

For now, the 110 R digital coupe remains a tantalizing glimpse of what might be: a reminder that heritage can still guide the future, even in the age of electrification.

Source: Škoda

News

Mercedes-Benz Kicks Off Pre-Series Production of the All-Electric VLE in Spain

Mercedes-Benz is officially gearing up for a new chapter in its van lineup. At its Vitoria plant in Spain, the company has begun building pre-series versions of the all-electric VLE, a model that will make its global debut in 2026. This isn’t just another van with a battery bolted in—it’s the first product developed on Mercedes’ brand-new modular, scalable Van Electric Architecture (VAN.EA), and it promises to blend the driving manners of a limousine with the space and practicality of a full-blown MPV.

A Plant Rebuilt for the Future

The Vitoria facility, which has been building vehicles since 1954, has undergone a massive modernization program to handle the new VLE. The factory’s 5,000 employees were retrained on new digital tools, IT systems, and manufacturing techniques. A new body shop and fully flexible paint line have been added, and the assembly hall was overhauled—all without stopping the current production of the Vito, eVito, and V-Class.

Mercedes is touting the Vitoria plant as a benchmark for sustainable production. Since 2013, all purchased electricity has been sourced from renewables, and the factory now generates its own green power via solar panels. Geothermal energy heats the buildings, while waste heat from the paint shop is also reused. As part of the brand’s larger push, production across Mercedes-Benz Vans is net carbon-neutral.

Digital-First Manufacturing

For the VLE program, Mercedes leaned heavily on digital methods. The entire plant was virtually recreated as a “digital twin” before physical construction, enabling engineers to fine-tune processes with AI-driven simulations. The result? Faster ramp-up, fewer errors, and greater efficiency. And when series production begins in 2026, the VLE will debut the Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS) in a van for the first time.

What to Expect from the VLE

The VLE will be offered in a wide range of configurations—from eight-seat family haulers to plush executive shuttles. Mercedes promises sedan-like ride and handling paired with versatile space management. Early prototypes have already proven their mettle:

  • Aerodynamics: Record-breaking results in the wind tunnel.
  • Real-World Range: A Stuttgart-to-Rome road trip required only two 15-minute charging stops.
  • Performance: High-speed agility at Nardò’s test track in southern Italy.
  • Durability: Arctic Circle testing showed resilience in extreme cold and snow.

And while the first VLE models will be electric-only, the new platform is designed with flexibility in mind—meaning combustion versions are also in the pipeline.

Why It Matters

Mercedes is betting big on electrification in the van segment, and the VLE is the spearhead. Unlike today’s eVito or EQV, which are adaptations of combustion platforms, the VLE is electric from the ground up. That means better packaging, improved efficiency, and a more competitive stance against newcomers in the EV people-mover and light-commercial market.

Looking Ahead

“The new VLE is the first vehicle of our new, modular and highly flexible van architecture. In record time we have brought the VLE from the initial concept considerations to production maturity,” said Thomas Klein, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans.

Vitoria’s plant boss, Bernd Krottmayer, was even more direct: “We are ready to build the future of Mercedes-Benz Vans.”

When the production-spec VLE finally breaks cover in 2026, it won’t just mark the launch of a new model. It will represent the start of a new generation of Mercedes vans—digitally engineered, sustainably built, and designed to drive like nothing else in the segment.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

NEW CARS

Cayenne Electric Takes Shape: Virtual Testing Meets Desert Heat

When Porsche pulls the wraps off the Cayenne Electric later this year, it won’t just be unveiling its first all-electric SUV—it’ll be showing off a revolution in how cars are developed. For the first time, the German marque skipped the usual stage of building dozens of mule prototypes and went straight from digital simulations to pre-series production. That’s right: the Cayenne Electric was born in pixels before it ever touched pavement.

“Construction-stage testing with one-off prototypes was no longer necessary,” explains Dr. Michael Steiner, Porsche’s R&D chief. “Roughly 120 test vehicles were largely replaced by digital equivalents.” In other words, engineers started flogging the Cayenne long before there was a Cayenne to flog.

Virtual Nürburgring Laps, Real Stress Tests

The secret is simulation. Porsche’s Weissach engineers digitized routes from city commutes to the Nürburgring Nordschleife, then ran virtual Cayennes across them. With modern computing power and decades of test data, the simulations were accurate enough to predict how the SUV would handle braking, cornering, and power delivery.

A new “composite test bench” made the leap from virtual to physical. This setup combines four electric motors capable of mimicking real-world driving resistance, from rough asphalt to tire slip, while also testing the battery, charging system, and thermal management under load. “The machines are so sophisticated that we can even replicate different asphalt surfaces,” says engineer Marcus Junige.

On the Nordschleife, the Cayenne Electric had to deliver full power, lap after simulated lap, without faltering. Porsche’s thermal management system—its most advanced yet—proved capable of keeping the battery cool enough for repeat punishment. Test-bench results lined up so closely with digital data that almost no correction was needed.

Where Humans Still Matter

But Porsche is quick to remind us that no matter how sharp the software, the final polish is human. “In reality, only humans can perform the finishing touches,” says Sascha Niesen, who leads overall vehicle testing in Weissach. Porsche’s development drivers are still irreplaceable when it comes to tuning the delicate balance of dynamics, control strategies, and feedback that define a Porsche.

That means testing in the real world, too. The Cayenne Electric has endured traffic jams, desert highways, alpine passes, and Scandinavian winters. At 50°C in Death Valley, Porsche stressed the cooling system. At -35°C in Sweden, engineers focused on cold starts, traction, and regenerative braking. And in every case, the SUV had to arrive ready for fast charging—whether after a Nürburgring lap or a snowbound commute.

Faster, Leaner, Greener Development

The hybrid approach—virtual first, real-world second—has slashed Porsche’s development time by about 20 percent while cutting down material waste. It also means endurance testing happens sooner: pre-production Cayennes have already racked up 150,000 kilometers in mere months, simulating years of owner abuse in city streets, highways, and country roads.

The result? A vehicle that blends Porsche’s old-school obsession with precision driving dynamics and its new-school commitment to sustainability.

When the Cayenne Electric makes its debut later this year, it won’t just mark a new chapter for Porsche’s biggest seller—it’ll stand as proof that the future of testing is as digital as it is analog.

Source: Porsche