Tag: MOTORING

Audi e-tron GT wins at the 2022 World Car Awards

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 24 April 2022
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Audi is the most successful manufacturer in the history of the award, with 11 titles since 2005…reports Asian Lite News

The Audi e-tron GT quattro was a big winner at this year’s World Car Awards, which was presented for the 18th time in New York. Nominated in the categories ‘World Electric Vehicle of the Year’, ‘World Performance Car’, and ‘World Car Design of the Year’, the e-tron GT quattro took home the title of World Performance Car at the world’s biggest and most prestigious new car awards ceremony, dubbed the “Oscars of the automotive world”. More than 100 auto journalists from around the globe thoroughly tested the cars that qualified and then voted on them for the 2022 honours.

“We are delighted that the Audi e-tron GT has won the 2022 World Performance Car of the Year award! The e-tron GT was the only EV contestant in its particular category, competing with other powerful world-renowned performance vehicles. This win is testament to our vision of the future of mobility and is a symbol of the path we are on as a brand,” said Carsten Bender, Managing Director of Audi Middle East.

Sophisticated thermal management system for reproducible performance

The performance that earned the Audi e-tron GT quattro its World Performance Car award is ensured, to a great extent, by a sophisticated thermal management system. In the Audi e-tron GT quattro, that system consists of four thermal circuits. This means that the battery and the components of the drive system each stay at their ideal temperature, resulting in performance characteristics that can be reproduced at any time.

Thanks to its intelligent thermal management, anyone who uses the e-tron route planner in the e-tron GT quattro will put the battery in an ideal temperature range for charging, depending on the exterior temperature, even while the car is driving – very useful for fast charging with up to 270 kW.

Audi continues to expand its winning streak

This year’s victory brings the brand with the four rings to 11 first places at the World Car Awards, making Audi the most successful manufacturer in the history of the award.

ALSO READ: Audi Skysphere concept makes Middle East debut in Dubai

Audi’s victories at the World Car Awards

2005	Audi A6	World Car of the Year
2007	Audi RS 4	World Performance Car
	Audi TT	World Car Design of the Year
2008	Audi R8	World Performance Car
	Audi R8	World Car Design of the Year
2010	Audi R8 V10	World Performance Car
2014	Audi A3	World Car of the Year
2016	Audi R8	World Performance Car
2018	Audi A8	World Luxury Car
2019	Audi A7 Sportback	World Luxury Car
2022	Audi e-tron GT quattro	World Performance Car

To learn more about Audi’s recent win at the 2022 World Car Awards, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/mrranmpx

Tags AUDI, Award, MOTORING

China Motoring Technology

Audi unveils plans for ‘Audi urbansphere’

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 24 April 2022
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Audi urbansphere concept offers a radical vision for the future of urban travel…reports Asian Lite News

Systematically designed from the inside out, Audi has unveiled plans for the Audi urbansphere concept car. Designers and engineers initially created the Audi urbansphere for use in traffic-dense Chinese megacities, although the concept is also suitable for any other metropolitan centre in the world. In these urban areas, where personal space is in particularly short supply, the concept car offers the largest interior space of any Audi to date. It intelligently coordinates this with technologies and digital services that appeal to all the senses and offer a whole new level of experience.

Markus Duesmann, Chairman of the Board Management at AUDI AG: “In order to meet the demands of our Chinese customers, Audi’s design studios in Beijing and Ingolstadt worked together closely to jointly develop the Audi urbansphere concept car. For the first time, potential customers in China could also take part in the development process, contributing their own desires and perspectives as part of a process known as ‘co-creation’.”

The result can be seen in the Audi urbansphere concept and its particularly striking interior. The spacious automobile acts as a lounge on wheels and a mobile office, serving as a living space during the time spent in traffic. To this end, the Audi urbansphere combines the luxury of complete privacy with a comprehensive range of high-tech features on board, even during the daily rush hour. Automated driving technology transforms the interior, in which a steering wheel, pedals, or displays are notably absent, into a mobile interactive space that provides a gateway to a wider digital ecosystem.

Audi sphere – first class to the power of three

Audi skysphere, Audi grandsphere, and Audi urbansphere are the three concept cars that the brand with the four rings has developed to showcase its vision for the world of premium mobility of tomorrow. In the process, Audi is creating a vehicle experience that goes far beyond the purpose of merely spending time in a car to get from point A to point B.

Sphere number 1: The electrically driven roadster Audi skysphere concept debuted in August 2021. It presented a spectacular vision of a self-driving GT that transforms into a self-driving sports car with a variable wheelbase.

Just a few weeks later, Audi unveiled the second model in the sphere series, the Audi grandsphere concept, at the IAA 2021. This large four-seater sedan exemplified the brand’s ambition to define the future of progressive luxury.

What both concept cars have in common with the Audi urbansphere is that the entire concept is based on level 4 autonomous vehicle technology. Audi is currently working with CARIAD, Volkswagen Group’s software business, to introduce this technology within the second half of the decade.

Fast charging, high range

The heart of the drive system is the 800-volt charging technology. It ensures that the battery can be charged with up to 270 kilowatts at fast-charging stations in the shortest possible time. As such, charging times approach those of a conventional stop to refuel a car powered by an internal combustion engine: just 10 minutes are enough to charge the battery to a level sufficient to power the car to travel more than 300 kilometres (186 miles). In addition, the battery, which holds more than 120 kilowatt hours, can be charged from 5 to 80 percent in less than 25 minutes. This means that a range of up to 750 kilometres (466 miles) can be expected, according to the WLTP standard – and even when used for more energy-intensive city and short-distance trips, it is generally possible to avoid making unexpected stops to charge.

Kia wins 2022 Red Dot Award for ‘EV6 Unplugged Ground’

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 8 April 2022
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Kia has won another 2022 Red Dot Award for its ‘EV6 Unplugged Ground’ brand cultural space in Seongsu, Seoul…reports Asian Lite News

The innovative complex, where people can experience the award-winning EV6 in fun and imaginative ways, picked up the prestigious ‘Best of the Best title in Red Dot’s ‘Interior Architecture and Interior Design’ category.

With ‘EV6 Unplugged Ground’, Kia wanted to make a statement about its refreshed brand and first dedicated electric vehicle, and create a customer space like no other. From experience zones to test drives and expert product advice, the complex immerses people in the future of mobility within one of Seoul’s most popular districts, Seongsu. Formerly an industrial neighborhood, Seongsu has emerged into a popular hub of creativity and fashion in recent years, and is affectionately known locally as the ‘Brooklyn of Korea’.

JI-MIN KIM, HEAD OF KOREA BUSINESS STRATEGY GROUP, KIA: “The purpose of ‘EV6 Unplugged Ground’ was to convey a message about a new life – recycling, sustainability, future mobility and electric vehicles. We chose Seongsu as it was a neighborhood that has also been ‘reborn’, much like the Kia brand. For this space to receive recognition from prestigious design experts at Red Dot is a huge boost for everyone at Kia.”

Kia EV6: winner of two Red Dot product awards

Shortly after being crowned 2022 European Car of the Year, the Kia EV6 also picked up two Red Dot Awards: the ‘Best of the Best accolade for its pioneering and forward-looking design as well as being named winner in the ‘Innovative Products’ category.

ALSO READ: Kia EV6 named 2022 European Car of the Year

The Red Dot Design Award is one of the largest design competitions in the world. It is announced annually by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein-Westfalen and is divided into three disciplines: Product Design, Brands & Communication Design, and Design Concept. The history of the traditional ‘Red Dot Award: Product Design’ goes back to 1955. This year’s entries were assessed by a 50-member international jury of independent designers, design professors, and trade journalists.

Tags Award, KIA, MOTORING

FEATURE Motoring News

Jaguar Land Rover gives second life to I-PACE batteries

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 19 March 2022
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JLR_Pramac_SecondLifeBattery_I-PACE_I-TYPE5

Jaguar Land Rover partners with Pramac to create zero-emissions charging unit using second-life Jaguar I-PACE batteries…reports Asian Lite News

Jaguar Land Rover has partnered with Pramac, a global leader in the energy sector, to develop a portable zero-emission energy storage unit powered by second-life Jaguar I-PACE batteries.

Called the Off Grid Battery Energy Storage System (ESS), Pramac’s technology – which features lithium-ion cells from Jaguar I-PACE batteries taken from prototype and engineering test vehicles, supplies zero-emission power where access to the mains supply is limited or unavailable.

The partnership is the first in Jaguar Land Rover’s plans to create new circular economy business models for its vehicle batteries. As part of its commitment to net zero status by 2039, the company will be launching programmes that deliver second life and beyond uses for its electric vehicle batteries.

Post-vehicle applications exist because Jaguar Land Rover’s batteries are engineered to the highest standards and can therefore be safely deployed in multiple low-energy situations once battery health falls below the stringent requirements of an electric vehicle. Second-life battery supply for stationary applications, like renewable energy storage, could exceed 200 gigawatt-hours per year by 2030, creating a global value over $30 billion*.

The flagship system has a capacity of up to 125kWh – more than enough to fully charge Jaguar’s multi-award-winning all-electric I-PACE performance SUV, or to power a regular family home for a week**. Pramac directly reuses up to 85% of the vehicle battery supplied by Jaguar Land Rover within the storage unit, including modules and wiring. The remaining materials are recycled back into the supply chain.

Charged from solar panels, the unit is a self-contained solution that consists of a battery system linked to a bi-directional converter and the associated control management systems. Available for commercial hire, the units are fitted with Type 2 Electric Vehicle (EV) charge connections with dynamic control and rated at up to 22kW AC to allow electric vehicle charging.

To showcase its capability, the unit helped Jaguar TCS Racing prepare for the 2022 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship during testing in the UK and Spain, where it was used to run the team’s cutting-edge diagnostic equipment analysing the race cars’ track performance, and to supply auxiliary power to the Jaguar pit garage.

An Off Grid Battery ESS will also be deployed at Jaguar Land Rover Experience Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa – the world’s biggest – to help the site cope with inconsistent power delivery from the mains.

ALSO READ: Jaguar and Baracuta join for ‘The New Classic Guide’

Andrew Whitworth, Battery Manager, Circular Economy Team at Jaguar Land Rover, said: “This announcement is a great example of how we will collaborate with industry leaders to deliver our sustainable future and achieve a truly circular economy. We’re delighted to be working with Pramac to use Jaguar I-PACE second-life batteries to provide portable zero-emissions power and supporting Jaguar TCS Racing this season was an excellent opportunity to demonstrate what these units are capable of.”

JLR_Pramac_SecondLifeBattery_Unit_

François Dossa, Executive Director for Strategy & Sustainability, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “The transition to an electric future, with Jaguar becoming all-electric from 2025 and the first all-electric Land Rover model expected in 2024, is integral to our sustainability strategy through the development of a comprehensive EV ecosystem from batteries to charging. This includes our effort to enable technical and business innovations for battery reuse for second life applications. Our collaboration with Pramac is a proof point in such direction, showing how it’s possible to supply zero-emission power through the combination of renewables and second life batteries. Through their testing at Valencia, the Jaguar TCS Racing team have shown how we can inspire the whole ecosystem to continue to explore synergies and validate viable solutions for clean energy.”

Danny Jones, Director, Pramac, said: “We have been privileged to work so closely with Jaguar Land Rover who are a hugely supportive partner in our journey to successfully build a robust product and a commercially viable business case using second-life EV modules. This brings a new element to the sustainability story as a manufacturer of energy efficient and carbon reducing technology. We look forward to continuing the journey with Jaguar Land Rover and providing innovative charging infrastructure solutions to support the electrification of their class-leading vehicles.”

Tags feature, JAGUAR, MOTORING