Tag Archives: vehicles

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VW to stop selling ICE vehicles in Norway

Norway is the leader in the world of electric vehicles, and according to data for September this year, 90 percent of the total number of cars sold were EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles, most of which are fully electric. That was one of the reasons for VW to make a decision to stop selling ICE vehicles in this country from 2024.

In 1990, Norway abolished taxes on imported zero-emission vehicles. However, from 2023 it implements a purchase tax (25% VAT) based on the cars’ weight and on the purchase price from 500,000 Norwegian Kroner and over.

Moller Mobility Group is the largest dealer of VW vehicles in Norway, and it previously announced that it will sell only electric vehicles from 2024. However, it is not known if this also applies to VW commercial vehicles, although it may happen.

Speaking of car manufacturers, the best-selling electric car in Norway is still the Tesla Model Y (20,202 units), followed by the Volkswagen ID.4 (5,832 units) and the Škoda Enyaq (4,730 units). There are also ID.3 (2,788 units), ID. Buzz Cargo (2,624 units), ID. Buzz Pro (1,273 units) and ID.5 (1,228 units).

Source: VW

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Stellantis invests €1.5 billion in a Chinese company

Following Volkswagen’s $700 million deal with Chinese company Xpeng, Stellantis formed a joint venture with Leapmotor. The world’s largest conglomerate will have a 51 percent stake and will have the rights to export, sell and manufacture Leapmotor electric vehicles outside of China.

At a press conference in the Chinese city of Hangzhou, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said: “We have not been so successful in China, so we prefer to rely on a Chinese partner. To win in China, it is better to win with a Chinese company.” This is a good strategic move by Stellantis, with which the group resets its strategy focused on electric vehicles after years of bad sales in China.

Stellantis intends to invest €1.5 billion to acquire approximately 20% of Leapmotor. This will be a good financial injection for the Chinese company to improve its sales results in the domestic market but also to expand its business outside of China. Shares of Leapmotor have risen about 22 percent in Hong Kong this year, and the company now has a market value of $5.4 billion. “Today it is a great milestone in Leapmotor’s history, and I am thrilled to witness this moment together with Mr. Tavares and his team. We believe in win-win partnerships formed by strong players in the fast-evolving environment. Working with Stellantis, we will continue to be innovative and creative in technology and business synergies and will bring Leapmotor EV cars to the global market,” said Leapmotor Founder Zhu Jiangming.

China is definitely the biggest electric car market in the world. However, large companies that have a well-developed global network, such as Tesla, raise the prices of electric cars, which threatens the business of smaller manufacturers. Leapmotor is one of them, and this cooperation will enable not only the survival of the company but also growth on a global level.

Source: Stellantis

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Nissan Hyper Force Concept with 1,341 HP

Between October 26 and November 5, the Japan Mobility Show takes place, where many companies will present their new cars. One of them is Nissan, which has unveiled a high-performance electric supercar, the Nissan Hyper Force Concept.

A completely new design that not only pays homage to the current GT-R model, but also contains solid carbon and has great aerodynamic performance developed in cooperation with the Nismo department. Active aerodynamic components, movable front wings and both ends of the rear wing, as well as the design of the front section and rear diffuser give better airflow, providing better stability and handling. It is equipped with advanced self-driving technology and numerous sensors and hyper LIDAR.

The Hyper Force Concept is equipped with a 1,000 kWh battery that enables a power of 1,341 hp which, thanks to e-4ORCE technology, is sent to all wheels. The driver can use several driving modes, GT (Grand Touring – used as a mode for more comfortable driving and combines the screens on the steering wheel into a simpler interface) and R mode (Racing – provides more information valuable for racing and includes a red light in the cabin).

The car is also equipped with lightweight forged carbon rims that help cool the brakes but also improve aerodynamic performance. The cabin is illuminated with blue light and the seats are made of carbon and have four-point seat belts.

Source: Nissan

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Nissan Hyper Force Concept with 1,341 HP