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CT-1 – The Shape-Shifting Microcar For Urban Mobility

‘Shape-shifter’ tends to be associated with something scary as it has often been used to describe beings that can transform into something else – usually mean and nasty – like those Terminators. However, the term also refers to anything that can alter its shape and EV tech start-up City Transformer has a shape-shifting microcar that is ideal for urban mobility.

Called the CT-1, it is the world’s first microcar that can change its wheelbase to suit different traffic conditions. It can become narrower for better manoeuvrability and easier parking, and wider for better stability when travelling at higher speeds.

City Transformer presents the CT-1 as the next chapter in sustainable and intelligent urban mobility. With its small footprint, it can address issues of congestion in inner cities without sacrificing key core attributes such as safety, comfort, and the fun-to-drive factor.

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Genesis Electrified GV70 To Be Brand’s First Model Built Outside Korea

Following the launch of the Genesis GV70 SUV last year, an electrified version is now being introduced in selected markets outside its home market and will be made at the Hyundai Motor Group’s factory in Alabama, USA from next month. It will be the first Genesis model to be built in the USA and the first-ever Genesis production to take place outside South Korea.

The Electrified GV70, as it is referred to, shares the same design based on ‘Athletic Elegance’ as the GV70. The front end shows more attention to aerodynamic efficiency, vital for electric vehicles which need the lowest wind resistance possible. The Genesis signature Crest Grille has thus evolved into an aerodynamic crest that features an inverted G-Matrix Pattern and incorporates a hidden EV charging port, creating a minimalist yet sophisticated look.

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Volvo XC40 Recharge Updated For Model Year 2023

Volvo Car Malaysia has begun sales of an updated version of the Volvo XC40 Pure Electric, the first battery electric vehicle (BEV) from the Volvo range to be introduced in Malaysia. The model was well received when launched in March this year, with over 400 orders received within the first 2 months, all of which were delivered to customers by June 2022.

Priced at RM278,888 (excluding insurance for Peninsular Malaysia registration), the locally assembled XC40 Recharge gets a new colour (Fjord Blue) to join the choices of Black Stone, Crystal White, Sage Green, Silver Dawn, Thunder Grey. There are also minor cosmetic changes at the front and rear as well as new rims. Inside, Charcoal Connect Suede textile is used, with a new shift lever sculpted with leather-free charcoal material.

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Hyundai IONIQ 5 Among Best 11 Cars For 2022-2023 Japan Car Of The Year Awards

Although Korean cars are becoming increasingly popular in major markets, including China, around the world, they have not penetrated the Japanese market and it is only this year that Hyundai Motor is returning to Japan. The company tried in 2001 and stayed for 8 years, pulling out after selling only 15,000 units.

It’s not a big market for imported makes as the total share for all foreign brands is only around 8%. With electrification growing, the Korean carmaker believes it now has products that will appeal more to Japanese consumers. Earlier this year, it launched the IONIQ 5 and hydrogen-fuelled NEXO EV. The latter model can be offered as Japan is steadily building a hydrogen refuelling network around the country.

Hyundai’s return seems to have been met more positively this time as the IONIQ 5 has been picked to be among the Best 11 Cars in the 2022-2023 Japan Car of The Year (JCOTY) program. There are 11 instead of the usual 10 because there was a tie. These are essentially the finalists from a list of nominees that had 48 models this year (the NEXO was included as well). It is probably the first time that Korean model is appearing in a JCOTY list as we can’t remember any other occasion in previous years.

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Lancia Delta Evo-e RX To Debut In World RX of Germany Next Weekend

The World Rallycross (RX) Championship has gone electric and since the first round of the 2022 championship in August, teams have been running cars which have been modified with electric powertrains. As in the WRC, the top tiers will run the new RX1e rallycross cars with twin motors, pushing out 500 kW (equivalent to 680 bhp) and 880 Nm of instant torque.

GCK Motorsport, which is entering its first event next weekend, is only starting as it did not make it in time for the first 9 races. However, its entry in the coming World RX of Germany is much anticipated by enthusiasts because Guerlain Chicherit’s GCK Motorsport will be running a car which was first launched in 1987 – the Lancia Delta.

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e:N2 Concept Previews Design Of Next Honda EV Exclusively For China Market

With Chinese being the largest EV market in the world, any carmaker wanting to sell there must have EV models to offer. There is little time to waste as so many brands keep coming out with new models and Honda has already started selling its e:NS1 and e:NP1 electric SUVs earlier this year.

They will be joined by the e:N2 in future and to give an idea of what the second set of models will be like, the carmaker is showing the e:N2 Concept at the Fifth China International Import Expo in Shanghai. By 2027, Honda plans to have 10 models in the e:N series which will be identified by the luminescent ‘H’ emblem in the front .

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Ariel To Produce EV Sportscar With 0 – 100 Km/h Capability of 2 Seconds

Ariel is a small British carmaker that makes the unusual Atom and open-framed Nomad cars since the early 2000s. The Atom began as a student university project which drew enough interest that it became commercialized. It uses a few different engines, including Honda’s VTEC engine, and typically weighs under 650 kgs.

Now the company is also going electric with a new sportscar called the HIPERCAR that has a radical body design with the chassis and subframes made of aluminium and body of carbonfibre to keep weight low. A fully operational prototype of the HIPERCAR (which stands for High Performance Carbon Reduction) has been completed and will form the basis for low volume production.

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Togg Completes Pre-Production Units of Turkiye’s First National Car, To Go On Sale in 2023

Turkiye (formerly spelt as Turkey) will soon have its first car developed and built by a domestic company as pre-production units have been completed this week at a new factory in Gemlik, 128 kms south of Istanbul. They are products of Togg or Turkiye’nin Otomobili Girisim Grubu (Turkish Automobile Joint Venture Group) which is a consortium of 5 companies for the automotive project.

Togg aims to serve as the backbone of the Turkish mobility ecosystem with 100% Turkish intellectual and industrial property. It is Europe’s youngest electric manufacturer with the aim of producing a million vehicles in 5 different segments by the end of this decade.

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Details Of Lotus Eletre e-SUV Released, Pricing To Start from RM487,000

In March last year, Lotus unveiled its Eletre Hyper-SUV to the world, providing a preview of its future in the electrified era that would see it going from a British sportscar company to a global performance car business and brand. At that time, the Eletre was still under development so details were few – but that didn’t stop thousands of customers around the world from ordering one (or more).

Today, the company has released details of the car which has pricing ranging from £89,500 to £120,000 (about RM487,000 – RM653,000) in the UK, with three versions available: Eletre, Eletre S and Eletre R. There will be a choice of two fully electric powertrains – 450 kW (603 ps) single-speed version with a claimed maximum range of 600 kms, and a 675 kW/905 ps dual-speed system with a maximum range of 490 kms. Torque figures are 710 and 985 Nm, respectively, delivering a 0 – 100 km/h) performance said to be either 4.5 or 2.95 seconds. The 112-kWh battery pack that is installed in both versions has a charging time (10% – 80%) of just 20 minutes using a rapid charger.

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Toyota Reveals Second bZ Model, Jointly Developed With BYD And FAW-Toyota

Toyota’s second model in its bZ battery electric vehicle (BEV) range is the bZ3, and it has been developed for the Chinese market using a different approach to product development. This approach has involved two other companies – BYD Company Ltd and FAW Toyota Motor.

Each company is a leader in its own field: Toyota in automobiles, BYD in batteries and FAW Toyota having the production facilities and network coverage across China. Over 100 Toyota engineers from the design, production, engineering, and quality control departments participated in the development, working together with engineers from BYD and FAW Toyota.

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