Featured
GMC Hummer EV Abandoned on Off-Road Trail Due to Suspension Failure
GM made huge waves with the debut of the GMC Hummer EV. In addition to big power and weight (up to 1,000 horsepower and a curb weight of nearly 9,000 pounds) it was the return of one of the most capable SUVs ever made. If one recently found abandoned off the side off an Arizona desert trail is any indication though,…
Renault Megane E-Tech Electric with Giga Gears
French firm’s traditional hatchback gains range-extending upgrades and enhanced interior tech
When the all-electric Renault Mégane launched in 2022, it couldn't have been more different from the cars that preceded it in the lineage.Here was a five-door hatchback styled by Gilles Vidal made to look like a concept SUV, powered only by electricity and shared almost nothing mechanically with previous generations. On top of this, it began a new family look for Renault models; a legacy that has since been continued with models such as the Scenic, Symbioz and Captur.But the Mégane had some shortcomings which meant it couldn't match its established competitors such as the Cupra Born, Kia Niro EV, and MG 4 - all of which have been updated in one way or another to make themselves more efficient and therefore competitive.But while it never had a problem standing out in simple, kerbside terms compared to those cars, it was the Mégane's only-average efficiency and range, its limited rearwards visibility, and some elements of its driving experience that made it uncompetitive for the class.Renault has introduced a round of upgrades for 2024 to address some of these issues. Along with a price drop, a heat pump is fitted to all cars as standard, boosting claimed range by up to 9%. A standard 12.0in infotainment touchscreen also replaces the old 9.0in display, and all cars now get 'contextual' adaptive cruise control (which adjusts speed according to sharp bends or roundabouts). How, then, does this new technology translate in the real world?Range at a glanceIn the UK, at least, Mégane buyers don’t get a lot of choice. It’s offered with just one battery size (60kWh) and one motor. A 40kWh variant is available elsewhere, though. There are three trim levels: Evolution, Techno and Iconic.ModelPowerEV60*214bhp*Version testedAffordable Path to Join Porsche Club of America | Giga Gears
If you’ve always looked up to the fine folks in the world’s largest single-make enthusiast ownership club, the Porsche Club of America, and aspired to rub elbows with those well-heeled elites of the automotive world, but couldn’t ever afford a Porsche, here’s your chance. To be a member of the PCA, you have to have a…
Gordon Murray’s Ultra-light Platform Secures £11m Government Funding | Giga Gears
The Gordon Murray Group is turning attention to mainstream EVs after V12-engined supercarsNew lightweight platform is one of 46 UK projects to get a share of a £88m innovation fund
The government has awarded the Gordon Murray Group (GMG) a share of an £88 million innovation fund to aid development of an 'ultra-lightweight' vehicle platform.
The Windlesham-based firm – named after its founder, Formula 1 engineering legend Gordon Murray – is one of 46 UK companies to land a portion of the fund through the government-backed Advanced Propulsion Centre's Collaborative R&D competition.
GMG will share around a quarter of the total pot (£22.5m, including an £11m government grant) with Surrey-based Protean Electric, a developer of in-wheel motors for electric vehicles.
GMG will use the funding to support the development of a new "ultra-lightweight vehicle platform for future vehicles", dubbed M-Lighten, which Autocar understands will not be exclusively for electric vehicles.
It hasn't given any details of the platform, nor said what specifically it will be used for, but strategy and business director Jean-Philippe Launberg said that one aim is "to make cars significantly more energy-efficient to build and run, contributing to the UK's decarbonisation".
He added: "Furthermore, the extra lightweighting we will unlock through M-Lighten directly enhances the already legendary dynamics of our cars. It’s driving perfection taken to the next level."
Since Murray founded GMG in 2017, it has revealed two V12-engined supercars (the T50 and T33), established its Windlesham headquarters and announced major growth plans that centre on developing EVs for global car firms.
In 2022, Autocar reported that GMG was working on a pair of electric SUVs (one for a third party) with a focus on keeping weight as low as possible while producing them in the most efficient way.
Murray previously revealed his company was working on a “revolutionary, lightweight, ultra-efficient electric vehicle architecture” that would first underpin “a little SUV with a compact delivery-van derivative”.
GMG also previously confirmed that it was working on a "very noisy" hybrid sports car.
It's likely this new government funding will go towards productionising the platform that will underpin these future models.
No further details of the platform have been given in the government's announcement, beyond the confirmation that it's a monocoque structure destined for "a portfolio of class-leading future vehicles".
Protean Electric meanwhile said the funding would support it "to continue to lead electric vehicle innovation from our UK development centre".
The firm makes in-wheel motors that are said to allow for more precise control over vehicles while doing away with the need for axles, driveshafts and subframes, thereby reducing mass and allowing smaller batteries to be fitted.
UK firm Bedeo has used Protean's motors in an electric Land Rover Defender conversion, which is said to weigh roughly the same as the original car despite featuring a large 75kWh battery pack.
GMG and Protean are just two of the companies that have been awarded Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) funding for the 'rapid' development of automotive projects. The other 44 are either technology start-ups focusing on decarbonisation technologies, collaborative R&D projects or projects "exploring zero-tailpipe-emission vehicle technologies within the niche vehicle sector".
Pointing to the investment in EV battery development projects in particular, the APC highlighted that the UK is forecast to need 110GWh of annual EV battery output by 2030 - the equivalent of six 'gigafactories'.
"Recent gigafactory announcements in the UK by [Nissan partner] AESC and [JLR owner] Tata Group have built excitement about the potential to create a new, dynamic and highly skilled battery industry in the UK," it said, adding that some 270,000 jobs could be supported by the EV and battery industry in the run-up to 2040.
Other firms to be awarded funding include Equipmake, for an electric fire engine; Triumph Motorcycles, for a new software stack; Wrightbus, for a new electric bus demonstrator; and Nyobolt, which is working to certify its innovative lightweight battery anode technology.
“Consumer Reports’ Recommended Affordable Cars | Giga Gears”
The average transaction price of a new car has slowly been coming down since it peaked during the pandemic, but it’s still scarily close to $50,000. That might work for rich people, but most people can’t afford to spend that kind of money on a car. The good news is, even though you can’t get a new car for less than…