Tag Archives: VW

EV, Future, News

Volkswagen ID LIFE

At the car show, which is currently taking place in Munich, Volkswagen presented the concept of a “people’s car” available for every pocket. As Volkswagen announced, the price of ID LIFE, as it was called, will be 20,000 euros.

For the past five years, Volkswagen’s plan has been to make a car from the ID family. Thanks to the ACCELERATE strategy and the rapid transformation to electric mobility, this small car can be expected from 2025.

“In creating the ID. LIFE, we have consistently focused on the needs of younger customers. We believe that, even more so than today, the car of the future will be about lifestyle and personal expression. The customer of tomorrow won’t simply want to get from A to B; they will be much more interested in the experiences that a car can offer. The ID. LIFE is our answer to this,” says Ralf Brandstätter, CEO of the Volkswagen brand.

It is an urban car that retains simplicity and minimalist appearance, which is visible at first glance. No expensive materials. Recycled materials, wood, rice husk and rubber were used in the construction of the vehicle. The mirrors have been replaced by cameras. A textile roof has been installed which, if necessary, can be easily removed. This will most delight fans of rides on sunny days.

Inside, there is no standard control panel. On the steering wheel, there is a touch screen on which all the commands are located. The front and rear benches are foldable and can be used for different occasions. For those who like fun, the car is equipped with a game console and a projector.

ID.LIFE was developed on the MEB platform, and is powered by an electric motor with an impressive 234 hp (172 kW). With front-wheel drive, this electric car reaches 62 mph in 6.9 seconds. It uses a 57 kWh battery that provides a range of 249 miles (400 kilometers).

By 2030, Volkswagen wants to achieve electric models in sales of at least 70 percent in Europe and 50% in North America and China, respectively.

Source: Volkswagen

News

Toyota victim of computer chip shortage

The shortage of computer chips has led to a decline in vehicle production worldwide. This has mostly affected large manufacturers such as VW, Ford and GM, which will significantly reduce production and even suspend it in some plants. One of the victims of the chip shortage is Toyota.

Thanks to large stocks and a lesson learned from 2011, Toyota has successfully dealt with the shortage of computer chips. However, a long-running shortage of chips has forced the Japanese company to reduce vehicle production by almost 50 percent.

In an official statement, Toyota announced that only 1 of the 28 production lines in Toyota’s 14 factories will operate in September, while the remaining will be shut down. In the United States, production will be reduced by almost 100k vehicles, which should not lead to layoffs. Completely unexpected, because this is the biggest production stoppage in the automotive industry in recent history.

Due to this situation, Toyota said: “Due to Covid-19 and unexpected events with our supply chain, Toyota is experiencing additional shortages that will affect production at most of our North American plants. While the situation remains fluid and complex, our manufacturing and supply chain teams have worked diligently to develop countermeasures to minimize the impact on production. ”

How long this situation will last is not known. Many producers expect production to return to normal by the end of the year. Toyota is not so optimistic. They believe that the problem could continue in 2022.

Source: Toyota

News

Golf GTI Clubsport

The new Golf GTI Clubsport is based on the recently introduced eighth generation Golf GTI. The GTI Clubsport is a lighter, more aggressive, track-biased version of the hot hatchback.

Clubsport has an upgraded Vehicle Dynamics Manager that integrates front differential control with variable locking into the system. This allows the vehicle to respond more quickly to small steering inputs. It also eliminates the understeer you would find in a front-wheel drive vehicle.

The Clubsport gains additional aerodynamic elements over the GTI. The Clubsport suspension lies 0.59 inches lower than the standard GTI. The positive axles are increased on the front axle. The progressive power steering has a more direct response when entering a corner.

Inside, the Clubsport receives newly upholstered sports seats with perforated leather trim, while red stitching is available as an option. A Digital Cockpit is standard equipment, too, as is 30-colour ambient lighting and a 10-inch central touchscreen infotainment system with navigation.

The new Clubsport has a 2.0 four-cylinder turbo petrol engine that develops 300 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The Clubsport comes exclusively with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

With an additional 55 horsepower and 30 Nm compared to the engine potential powered by a standard GTI, the slightly lower Clubsport accelerates from 0-62 mph in less than six seconds and develops an electronically limited 155 mph.

The new VW is offered on 18-inch wheels as standard, and a 19-inch option is also available. At the back, there’s a high-gloss black spoiler on the roof. A circular exhaust outlet comes out of each side of the rear, and a simulated diffuser run between them.

As with the regular Golf GTI, the Clubsport features a number of selectable driving modes, which alter the parameters of the engine, gearbox, optional adaptive dampers and steering. However, alongside the regular Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual settings, the Clubsport features one more mode: Special.