Tag Archives: vehicles

News

Why China Is About to Force EVs Back to Normal Steering Wheels

For a hot minute, the yoke steering wheel was the ultimate EV flex. It looked like something lifted from a Le Mans prototype, promised better gauge visibility, and told the world you’d finally escaped the tyranny of the circle. But in China—the world’s biggest car market—that experiment is about to end.

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has published a draft of a new national safety standard, GB 11557-202X, that quietly but effectively bans steering wheels with a “cut-off” top. When it takes effect on January 1, 2027, every newly approved vehicle will need to comply. And that’s bad news for yokes.

Why China Is Cracking Down

On paper, the regulation is about crash safety, not design. The existing rulebook, written back in 2011, simply isn’t up to the job anymore. EVs are heavier, faster, and packed with new structures and airbag systems that didn’t exist a decade ago. So MIIT decided to rewrite the playbook—and it took inspiration from global standards like UN Regulation R12, which governs how steering systems behave in a crash.

The new Chinese rules tighten several key limits. The maximum horizontal force measured during dummy testing is reduced to 11,110 newtons, and the allowed rearward and upward movement of the steering column in a crash is more strictly capped. Even more important: every car, no matter what clever design it uses, must now pass full human-impact testing. No more exemptions.

And that’s where the yoke runs head-first into a wall.

A Shape That Can’t Be Tested

Under the new standard, regulators must hit the steering wheel rim in ten different locations during crash tests. Among them are two killers for yoke designs: “the middle of the weakest part” and “the middle of the shortest unsupported part.” A steering wheel that doesn’t have a top section physically doesn’t have those areas. Which means it cannot, by definition, satisfy the test procedure.

That’s not bureaucratic nit-picking—it’s about how a human body interacts with the wheel in a crash. According to Autohome, nearly half of all driver injuries in China—46 percent—are related to parts of the steering system. A traditional circular wheel spreads impact loads more evenly as the driver moves forward. A yoke, by contrast, creates a ledge that the body can slide over and then strike again, raising the risk of injury during secondary impacts.

Airbags Make It Even Worse

Modern steering wheels are also airbag delivery devices, and the new Chinese rules get very specific about what’s allowed around a deploying airbag. Hard or sharp elements that could be driven toward the driver are now banned.

With a conventional wheel, that’s relatively easy to validate. With a yoke—often made from complex molded plastic and metal reinforcement—things get unpredictable. When the airbag explodes out of the hub, pieces can fracture in strange ways. Regulators don’t like “strange ways.” They like repeatable, testable outcomes.

A round wheel gives them that. A yoke does not.

Real-World Driving Still Matters

Even if you don’t care about crash labs and dummy metrics, drivers have their own beef with yokes. Production cars, unlike race cars, need big steering angles for U-turns, parking, and tight city maneuvers. With no top rim to grab, one-handed steering becomes awkward, and drivers report accidentally brushing touchscreen controls while scrambling for leverage.

The yoke may look futuristic, but daily driving is stubbornly analog.

What Happens Next

Once the new GB 11557-202X standard takes effect in 2027, any newly homologated vehicle in China will need a compliant steering system. Cars already on sale will likely get about a 13-month grace period before they, too, must be updated.

For automakers, especially those chasing the EV trend with sci-fi interiors, the message is clear: the circle is back.

And honestly? Good. The steering wheel has survived more than a century not because it looks cool, but because it works—ergonomically, mechanically, and now, it turns out, legally.

Source: Autohome

NEW CARS

Škoda Peaq Spied: The Brand’s Biggest, Boldest EV Yet Is Almost Ready

Škoda is about to do something it’s never done before: launch a true flagship. And not just any flagship—a three-row, fully electric SUV designed to drag the Czech brand into a new, more premium orbit.

Meet the Peaq, a seven-seat electric SUV that’s been caught testing in Arctic-grade winter conditions just months ahead of its official debut. If the name sounds aspirational, that’s the point. This is Škoda aiming for the top of its own food chain.

Born from 2022’s Vision 7S concept, the production Peaq is shaping up to be the electric equivalent of the Kodiaq—only bigger, bolder, and far more ambitious. It will sit above the Enyaq in both size and price, lining up against a growing class of three-row EVs like the Peugeot e-5008 and Mercedes-Benz GLB, while undercutting pricier options such as the Kia EV9 and Volvo EX90.

A Concept That Actually Made It to Production

Spy shots from Sweden reveal a vehicle that looks surprisingly faithful to the Vision 7S. Sure, the surfaces have been smoothed and the edges softened, but the Peaq’s proportions—tall, long, and wide—remain unmistakably flagship-grade.

Škoda’s clever camouflage tells an even better story. Instead of the usual black-and-white swirl, the Peaq is wearing body-colored panels shaped to mimic the smaller Enyaq, hiding what’s underneath. But look closer and you can still see the truth: slim LED daytime running lights, a tall upright nose, and a wide lower grille that echoes the concept car’s rugged, tech-forward face.

Around the sides, the camouflage continues along the sills and C-pillar, trying to hide a design that appears to keep the Vision 7S’s distinctive rear side window treatment. Translation: this thing will look more futuristic and more assertive than any Škoda before it.

Built on VW’s EV Backbone

Underneath, the Peaq rides on Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform—the same architecture that underpins the Enyaq, Elroq, and dozens of VW Group EVs. That means big battery options, long range, and enough floor-mounted lithium-ion cells to keep seven passengers comfortable on a road trip.

Expect a flat floor, generous legroom, and a cabin engineered around Škoda’s traditional strengths: space, clever storage, and family-friendly usability—just with a lot more screens and a lot less gasoline.

A New Price Bracket for Škoda

Here’s where things get really interesting.

The Enyaq currently starts just under £40,000, but the Peaq will go higher—possibly much higher. Škoda’s leadership has already confirmed it will be the brand’s most expensive model ever, pushing into territory the company has never occupied.

But Škoda insists it won’t abandon its value-for-money roots. The idea isn’t to be cheap—it’s to be the best deal in the segment. That means undercutting luxury rivals like the Volvo EX90 while offering more space and practicality than similarly priced competitors.

In other words, Škoda wants to be the brand that makes premium-sized electric SUVs feel attainable.

Why the Peaq Matters

The three-row EV segment is still thin. Most electric SUVs top out at five seats, and families who need more space are still being forced into gasoline or hybrid alternatives. Škoda sees that gap—and it’s going straight for it.

Internally, the Peaq is more than just another model. It’s a statement that Škoda is ready to grow up, charge more money, and still convince buyers they’re getting a smarter deal than anyone else offers.

If the production car delivers on what the spy shots suggest—and if Škoda keeps the price in check—the Peaq could become one of the most important electric SUVs in Europe when it lands later this year.

And for a brand built on quietly clever cars, this might be its loudest move yet.

Source: Škoda; Photos: Autocar

News

Mercedes Plans a Product Tsunami, and It’s Bigger Than the EV Push

If you thought the freshly updated S-Class was Mercedes-Benz’s big swing for 2026, think again. That was just the opening act. According to internal planning documents first surfaced by Motor1, the three-pointed star is about to unleash a full-scale product blitz: seven new or heavily updated models in the next three months alone, at least 16 by the end of the year, and nearly that many again lined up for 2027. This isn’t a refresh cycle—it’s a market invasion.

And here’s the twist: despite all the corporate talk about electrification, most of these new Mercs will still burn gasoline.

S-Class, Maybachs, and the Return of Opulence

At the top of the pyramid, Mercedes is doubling down on what it does best—rolling luxury. The recently revealed facelifted S-Class will quickly be followed by a refreshed Maybach S-Class, because if there’s one thing wealth still demands, it’s more chrome, more leather, and more ways to shut out the outside world.

The GLS is next in line for a refresh, and, naturally, a Maybach GLS will trail behind it like a private-jet lounge on wheels. And don’t be surprised if Mercedes uses this moment to drop one more halo model with an internal-combustion heartbeat—possibly the long-rumored G-Class Cabriolet or a fire-breathing AMG CLE packing a V-8.

Yes, a V-8. In 2026. From Mercedes. Let that sink in.

Electric Flagships, Minus the Weird Styling

On the EV side, the EQS sedan and EQS SUV are due for updates, and Mercedes may also be ready to unleash a fully electric AMG super-sedan to effectively replace the GT 4-Door Coupe. That suggests a future where AMG’s idea of performance no longer requires exhaust pipes—but it still needs eye-watering acceleration.

More importantly, Mercedes is finally killing off the “egg-shaped” EQ look. The next wave of EVs will be visually aligned with their gas-powered siblings, which means your electric C-Class won’t look like it escaped from a wind-tunnel experiment.

The Real Money: C-Class and GLC

In Mercedes-speak, the “Core” segment is where the profits live—and where the updates are coming fast. The C-Class sedan and wagon are both set for redesigns, and the GLC and GLC Coupe with combustion engines will get freshened up to match their already-revealed electric counterparts.

But the big news lands in 2026: the first C-Class without an engine at all. A fully electric C-Class could be the model that finally convinces European buyers that EVs can replace their beloved diesel sedans without feeling like a downgrade.

Interestingly, the EQE and EQE SUV are expected to bow out entirely, suggesting Mercedes is pruning the early-generation EVs that never quite found their footing.

Entry-Level Gets Serious

Mercedes knows it can’t survive on six-figure S-Classes alone. A new-generation GLA arrives later this year, followed closely by a fully electric version wearing the “EQ Technology” badge. This is where volume—and profits—are won and lost.

Then, in 2027, the A-Class as we know it is gone. Its replacement won’t be a traditional compact hatchback but something closer to a small MPV-SUV mashup, aimed squarely at buyers who want practicality, tech, and a premium badge without stepping up to a GLC.

Also coming: a smaller G-Class (because everything cool eventually gets shrunk) and a dedicated electric AMG SUV designed to take on BMW’s M and Neue Klasse EVs head-on.

Mercedes Is Quietly Walking Back the EV Hype

Perhaps the most telling part of all this isn’t what Mercedes is launching—it’s why. The company has openly acknowledged that the real-world transition to electric cars is happening more slowly than the boardroom projections suggested. So instead of killing off internal combustion, Mercedes is embracing it.

That’s why models like the GLC 53 with a six-cylinder exist—and why a C 53 is on the way. Mercedes has realized that buyers still want engines with character, not just kilowatts.

The Strategy in One Sentence

Mercedes is no longer betting everything on batteries. It’s building a lineup where electric and gasoline models coexist, look the same, and compete on equal footing—while using high-performance AMGs and luxury Maybachs to keep the brand aspirational.

For BMW, this means a brutal fight in the entry-level and midsize segments. For drivers, especially in Europe, it means something even better: more choice, more engines, and more reasons to keep loving cars in an era that keeps trying to make them appliances.

And if Mercedes really does deliver a V-8 CLE, an electric AMG super-sedan, and a fully electric C-Class all in the same product cycle, it might just pull off the rarest trick in modern auto history—being relevant to everyone at once.

Source: Motor1