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  • 🔋 How Volvo’s EX30 Changes The Game

🔋 How Volvo’s EX30 Changes The Game

PLUS: Porsche Teases Mission X Hypercar

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Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

  • Volvo’s EX30 Changes The Game

  • Porsche Teases Mission X Hypercar

  • Minus Zero Unveils Level 5 ADAS Tech

  • Honda Shows Off Electric Kart Concept

VOLVO’S EX30 CHANGES THE GAME

Hold onto your charging cables, people. Volvo, with a sparkle in its Swedish eyes, just unleashed its not-so-little secret weapon onto the electric vehicle scene. The EX30, aka the Humble Brag Express, is on its way to a curb near you by 2024. This pint-sized, ‘B segment’ EV has just casually become Volvo’s golden child, and we’re here to tell you why.

In the future, Volvo has grand visions of transforming into some kind of carbon-neutral butterfly, pledging to sell only EVs by 2030, with the elusive carbon neutrality following suit by 2040. Some might call it ambitious, others, a chronic case of save-the-world-itis. They’ve had a good stab at it already with a slew of plug-in Recharge hybrids, the XC40, C40 EVs, and the fashionably late EX90.

This particular announcement, though, is like hitting the EV jackpot. The EX30, with a price tag of just $35,000, isn't just out to win hearts, it's here to take them by storm. Yes, you heard right, you can already place your orders across Europe and some other selected markets. US folks, you get to practice your patience – you can only pre-order for now. Orders will open in other markets when the stars align.

Let's get into the good stuff. The EX30 comes in two flavours: the RWD and the AWD model. But here's where things get more interesting.

Volvo, it seems, has been experimenting with rocket science. Their RWD-only model, powered by two fast motors, turns the EX30 into a veritable speed demon, achieving 60 mph in just over five seconds. Then they thought, "What's better than fast?" The answer: Even faster. Add a 145 horsepower motor to the front, and you've got a $35,000 electric SUV achieving a blistering 0-60 in 3.4 seconds.

Ferraris and Porsches, eat your heart out. This isn't just Volvo's fastest accelerating car ever. It would even leave their beloved Polestar in the dust by a full second.

But don't think this speed monster can only keep up with a Tesla when showing off at the starting line. Other specs are solid, if not as attention-grabbing as its acceleration. It tips the scales at 4,000 lb.+/-140 lb., for RWD/AWD. With a 69kWh/64kWh battery, the EX30 is roughly in the same weight class as the Chevy Bolt EUV, and offers a similar range of 265/275 miles for the AWD/RWD.

Don’t get too excited about the Bolt comparisons, though, because the EX30 blows it out of the water with a DC fast charge rate of 153kW. As for the all-important charging curve, we'll keep our snarky judgments to ourselves until we've seen it in action. Volvo boasts about the battery charging from 10 to 80% in about 26.5 minutes, but we'll see how that works out in real-world conditions.

And hey, it isn't just about the mechanics here. A peek inside the EX30 feels like stepping into a minimalist sanctuary with a breathtaking glass ceiling. The exterior, meanwhile, screams modern Volvo. In case you didn’t get it, that means it’s an aesthetic stunner.

But wait, just when you thought it couldn’t get any better! Volvo pulled a classic One More Thing move, revealing a pseudo-off-road AWD variant dubbed the EX30 Cross Country. Now, the AWD range might take a hit because of the beefier tires and decreased aerodynamics, but who cares? This thing is going to make off-roading electric!

PORSCHE UNVEILS MISSION X HYPERCAR CONCEPT

Put on your safety goggles, folks. Porsche, the company that practically sweats engineering prowess, has let its band of brainiacs run wild yet again.

Just like proud parents at a school talent show, we’ve watched their creations consistently outshine the competition. Remember the 911? The new Cayenne? The Taycan EV? All iconic and all because Porsche lets its engineers party hard. And when these tech-savvy geniuses really cut loose, they spit out category-defining marvels like the 959, the Carrera GT, and the 918 Spyder. Brace yourselves, because it's time for another mic-drop moment.

Enter Porsche’s Mission X concept, a mind-bending vision of the future that was unveiled last Thursday. This is one of those pivotal moments when Porsche doesn't just push the boundaries but obliterates them, forcing the world to play catch-up. And this time, it's going to be all-electric.

I can already hear you saying, "It's just a concept!" But let's face it, when has Porsche ever teased us with a concept car that didn't eventually strut its stuff on the production stage? To add fuel to the fire, Porsche has already hinted at a production run for the Mission X in its press release. Exciting times, indeed.

While Porsche has played coy with the specifics, they’ve given us enough to start connecting the dots. The Mission X has ambitions to smash the Nurburgring lap record (unofficially, of course). And with a power-to-weight ratio of around 2.2 lbs per hp, it certainly sounds like it has the chops.

There’s also talk of “significantly more downforce than the current 911 GT3 RS,” which translates to more than 1,895 pounds at 177 mph. Now that's some serious gravitational oomph. Add to this its petite measurements for a hypercar, at 177 inches long, 78.7 inches wide, and 47.2 inches tall with a wheelbase of 107.4 inches, and you have a compact force of nature. Oh, and did we mention it charges twice as fast as the Taycan Turbo S?

And here's the kicker: it's road-legal. So you can wave goodbye to your pedestrian, internal combustion engine vehicle.

There will always be the naysayers who will mourn the absence of a combustion engine. But if the delightfully driveable Taycan is any indication, the Mission X, should it move beyond the concept stage, will be a whirlwind of speed and excitement. Prepare to have your minds blown, folks.

MINUS ZERO UNVEILS LEVEL 5 ADAS TECH

Ready for a hefty slice of autonomy in your daily commute? Bengaluru-based tech whiz-kids Minus Zero are ready to serve it up with a side of silicon chips. With the automotive industry teetering on the brink of cracking fully autonomous driving, our tech darlings have confidently tossed their hats into the ring with the unveiling of the zPod concept vehicle. This little gem of an idea isn't just taking a shot at autonomy – it's already making the buzzer-beating three-pointer.

Equipped with their proprietary tech – Nature Inspired Artificial intelligence (NIA) and True Vision Autonomy (TVA) – the zPod isn't just a cool name, it's India's ticket to the major leagues of autonomous driving. This tech-twosome was showcased at a star-studded event, which included the likes of Gagandeep Reehal and Gursimran Kalra (the brains behind Minus Zero), and Infosys' executive vice-chairman Kris Gopalakrishnan.

Minus Zero's baby didn't just park itself at the demo - it strutted its stuff, showcasing its real-world driving acumen, executing maneuvers that would give a ballet dancer a run for their money. Vehicle following, overtaking, and blind turns were all in a day's work for the zPod, and all this without any human meddling.

The TVA tech, decked out with a suite of monocular cameras, gives the zPod eyes that could rival a hawk's, making it vehicle agnostic and fully reliant on its own vision. The NIA and TVA tech duo aren't just the party tricks of the zPod - they're scalable, adaptable, and ready to be decked out in any vehicle of choice. This means, car manufacturers can snag this tech for their future models and give autonomy a real push on the roads.

Minus Zero has big dreams for the future – they want India leading the charge in autonomous mobility, exploring use cases like campus mobility and ADAS tech. But they're not stopping there. They're expanding their trials to foreign markets, including public road tests. Watch out world, the era of Minus Zero autonomy is dawning!

HONDA SHOWS OFF ELECTRIC KART CONCEPT

Source: Car And Driver

Ladies and gentlemen, start your... batteries? Honda's latest brainchild, the eGX Racing Kart, is on a mission to flip the motorsport world on its head. Right now, it's just a concept, but brace yourselves - it's an electric go-kart with replaceable batteries that's promising to cut costs and burn rubber, not cash. It's like Honda has taken karting, traditionally the motorsport equivalent of a Swiss watch, and thrown in some IKEA-level accessibility.

This bad boy is powered by Honda's Mobile Power Pack (MPP) batteries - sturdy, replaceable powerhouses that are as convenient as a two-slice toaster (and about the same size). They're already zipping around Japan in electric mopeds, with riders swapping depleted batteries for fresh ones faster than you can say "Sayonara, charging time."

The eGX runs on a pair of these 1.3 kWh, 50-volt MPP batteries, which takes about five hours to charge but, hey, who has time to wait? You're in for about 35 to 45 minutes of pedal-to-the-metal fun, and when you've drained them dry, swapping them out takes less time than it takes to change a TV channel. No PhD required, folks - the swapping procedure is so simple even a caveperson could do it.

Honda's staying hush about the output, but it's clear the eGX is no slouch. It hits speeds of 45 mph, has an insatiable hunger for the road with instantaneous torque, and offers steering heavier than your Thanksgiving turkey. Combine that with a single 7.6-inch rear brake rotor for sharp, speed-conserving corners, and you've got yourself a punchy, fun little electric beast.

But the real charm of the eGX is its simplicity. It's as easy to maintain as a pet rock - say goodbye to the internal combustion engine and its messy fluids. The only consumables here are the tires and the batteries after every adrenaline-packed 45-minute session. Granted, you'll need to buy extra batteries to keep the fun rolling, but let's not quibble over details, shall we?

While Honda is still weighing the pros and cons of putting the eGX into production, we see it as an exciting spark for the next generation of racers. So here's hoping they can make it financially viable. After all, as the legendary movie line goes, "If you build it, they will come." So Honda, please, we're begging you, build the dang thing!

THE JUICE 🔋

Tesla reopens Roadster reservations. Is this a sign we’re closer to Roadster production? We sure hope so.

Waymo also kills a dog... Adding tension to an already tease topic.

Global EV Sales Now 14% Of Total Auto Sales. Early adoption complete. Now for the early majority.

PLUGGED IN WEEKLY MEME

That's a wrap for today. Charge your batteries & see ya next time! If you want more, be sure to follow our Twitter (@PluggedInEmail)

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DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.Tesl

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