Tag: coches

We are still in shock over one of the craziest changes in the motor world in more than a hundred years. Let’s explain it, just in case you haven’t heard everything that has happened.

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Jaguar, one of the most prestigious brands in automotive history, and a company that can boast of having created the most beautiful car of all time (the Jaguar E-Type, according to the constructor and founder of Ferrari, Enzo Ferrari), decided to wipe the slate clean… forever.

A few days ago, Jaguar unveiled a bold and exuberant new visual identity that seems to have divided the brand’s fans between those who hate it and those who love the change. Honestly, there are more detractors than fans of the change in direction.

The car that the Pink Panther would drive

Now, hours before the official presentation at Miami Art Week, the company’s new concept car has been leaked, and we bet it’s going to be just as divisive.

The prototype, leaked on Coche Spias, is called Design Vision Concept and is much pinker than any Jaguar we’ve seen. It seems to be incredibly unfinished, with a very sparse interior and an exterior that somehow seems to lack polygons (yes, the Tesla Cybertruck and its low-resolution look come to mind).

The highlights of the new car include gigantic front and rear grills, super thin headlights, wheels that could serve for a semi-trailer, and the total absence of a rear window.

Jaguar had already previewed some details of the Design Vision Concept, but now we can see the car in full and from all angles. Take a look at the complete gallery on Coche Spias, and make sure to scroll down to see the rest of the photos.

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Jaguar is working on a new production of an electric car, and it looks a bit like the Vision Concept, but we can’t shake the feeling that the new Jaguar is primarily interested in generating heated discussions in car forums.

The biggest problem with electric cars is still their range and slow charging. Despite Tesla’s superchargers breaking records, charging times are much slower than refueling times for gasoline.

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Well, a new wireless charger for electric vehicles can fill a car’s battery with the same efficiency as a plug with a cable, with an innovative power of 100 kW, which opens up the possibility of fast, efficient, and very convenient charging by simply parking in a designated spot.

Wireless energy transfer was first demonstrated in the 1890s by Nikola Tesla. Nowadays, it is quite common in many households, where many people use wireless charging pads for phones, tablets, and electric toothbrushes, as well as induction cooktops.

Energy is transferred from the charger to the device through the interaction of electromagnetic fields, and what was once considered black magic is now considered a safe, convenient, and efficient way to get the job done.

However, it has not taken off in the world of electric vehicles, mainly because power levels have kept it out of the realm of fast charging. One of the fastest wireless charging pads available on the market for electric vehicles is the 12 kW Hevo pad.

It’s better than a wall socket; it’s a level 2 charging speed and would give you around 68 km of driving per hour with an average efficiency electric car (5.6 km/kWh). But it’s not what you would expect from a commercial charging station.

A wireless charger that charges the car in one hour

The researchers at ORNL claim to have demonstrated the fastest and most powerful wireless charger for electric vehicles in history, with a “lightweight design of polyphase electromagnetic coupling coil” that transfers energy more than eight times faster than the Hevo pad, enough to charge the same car about 563 km in one hour.

In the test, a receiving coil was installed in a Hyundai Kona EV, which was parked over a 14-inch diameter polyphase transmitter, with a five-inch air gap between them. The system was measured at 100 kW, with an efficiency of 96%, comparable to what would be obtained with a very good cable and plug.

Researchers point out that, in a laboratory test, conventional coil technology has transferred a power of 120 kW, but they claim that this is the best ever tested in a car, and that the design of the polyphase coil allows to obtain the highest power density in the smallest possible coils, making the system relatively compact and convenient.

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Of course, for any wireless charging solution – including the one integrated into the road surface – to gain momentum, many things have to happen, starting with car manufacturers setting standards and incorporating receiver coils and charging equipment into their vehicles.

This is a situation that is biting its own tail: few manufacturers are installing the coils, since few companies are building the infrastructure on a large scale, and vice versa.

Little by little, the future is becoming more real. Not only in terms of robotic assistants and artificial intelligence, which are accumulating achievements day by day, but also in the field of energy transition. Until now, this field had been dominated by luxury brands and scarcely affordable prices (although there have been honorable exceptions like the eGolf), but Nissan has entered the playing field with a proposal that clearly outlines the automaker’s intentions. These plans have included the presentation of their new concept vehicle and the intention to electrify the continent.

A 7-year plan with 19 vehicles

Nissan’s design team in London has unveiled a new non-production vehicle called the Concept 20-23, which will not be released in the market. It features circular lights and a compact design more suited to European models than the larger chassis commonly found in the United States. This model’s unveiling is part of Nissan’s “Ambition 2030” plan, which aims to introduce 19 new electric vehicles to the market and electrify eight models currently in production. It’s worth noting that this plan is specifically targeted at the European market, where Nissan achieves about a third of its electric vehicle sales.

So far, the company has been selling hybrid and electric vehicles exclusively in Europe, including the “e-Power” Qashqai hybrid, Nissan X-Trail, Ariya EV, and the electric van Townstar. The electric version of the Nissan Micra will soon join these models, as well as another model yet to be revealed but under development at the Sunderland plant in the United Kingdom.

To support its ambitions, Nissan is working to reduce its battery manufacturing costs by 65% by 2028, transitioning to cheaper chemicals to replace cobalt. However, despite its intentions, it appears that the company has not made significant progress in this regard, so we will have to wait for further updates.

We’ve all wanted to have Batman’s car. Admit it. It’s unique, powerful, black, and incredibly sporty. If it shoots missiles and withstands bombings, that’s Batman’s business; we love it for everything else. And now you can buy it.

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Well, not Batman’s car itself. It’s more like the closest thing we’ll find to Bruce Wayne’s car outside of comics and movies. And the best part is that the company responsible for creating this marvel is Spanish.

The Spanish brand Cupra (a subsidiary of SEAT) took advantage of this week’s International Mobility Show in Munich to unveil the DarkRebel EV.

A prototype that captivates anyone

The DarkRebel EV is one of the most attractive and distinctive prototypes we’ve ever seen… and the company announced its intention to bring it to market very soon.

Setting aside references to the Dark Knight, concept cars are built to gauge the public’s appetite for a new car, so if you’re as enamored as we are with the style of the new two-seater electric hot hatch, the Dark Rebel, head to your local dealership and let them know.

Realistically, this design is so visually appealing that it could become a trendsetter. Perhaps the only challenges to overcome would be how quickly the car can be prepared for mass production and the potential loss of its stylistic strength in the process.

The automotive industry is accustomed to presenting concept cars that often get watered down along the way, especially when the vehicle has to meet high safety standards.

However, there’s still hope to see the DarkRebel EV on the streets of our cities in a couple of years. It all depends on the genuine interest of potential customers.

CUPRA is part of the Volkswagen Group and is better known as the high-performance arm of the Spanish brand SEAT. By the way, for those who may not know, the name CUPRA derives from “Cup Racing.”

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