Tag Archives: automotive technology

Green NCAP has announced the first vehicles to be awarded its new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) award. So who is Green NCAP, what even is that, and which other vehicles were recognized besides the Tesla Model 3? Let’s get right to it.

Tesla Model 3: learn more at CarGurus

The independent UK organization Green NCAP’s mission is to promote the clean, energy-efficient development of cars while minimizing environmental impact. A noble cause. It achieves this through its star rating and index system which can summarize a vehicle’s performance in clean air, energy efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Since 2019, Green NCAP’s star ratings have provided consumers with an easy way to compare the on-road environmental performance of new cars under identical driving conditions.  LCA information complements the rating as it assesses the vehicle’s complete environmental impact, taking into account factors like production, energy supply, and end-of-life.  We believe that this award helps consumers to make an informed and greener choice about the true sustainability of their cars – it will be a true differentiator for the wide choice of electric cars currently on offer on the forecourt.  Moreover, it is hoped that the award will act as a catalyst for the industry to innovate and accelerate its development of more sustainable cars.

Dr. Aleksandar Damyanov, Green NCAP Technical Manager

The LCA award is given to the best performers, tested since 2022 — receiving five stars in their assessments. Four cars have been given the LCA Award: the Dacia Spring, the ORA Funky Cat, Renault’s electric Megane E-Tech, and the Tesla Model 3. These vehicles currently have total life cycle greenhouse gas emissions equal to or less than 120 g CO2‑eq./km.

Green NCAP hopes the LCA award helps encourage consumers to make a “greener choice” when shopping for a new vehicle. Time will tell which new vehicles will join LCA club going forward. Our money is on the 2025 Tesla Model 2.

Tesla concluded its Q3 earnings earlier today, in which Elon Musk commented that the company has “dug its own grave” with the questionable rollout of its controversial Cybertruck. Musk said he has driven the Cybertruck – calling it “an amazing product,” according to comments recorded by Business Insider. He added, “There will be enormous challenges in reaching volume production with the Cybertruck and in making the Cybertruck cash-flow positive.”

It’s been about 4 years since the polygonal design of the Cybertruck made its public debut. The first batch of the stainless-steel sensation – or, depending on who you ask, misshapen-metal monstrosity – is slated for delivery on November 30, allegedly. However, the Tesla CEO made sure to emphasize we “temper expectations.” Musk admitted, “We dug our own grave with the Cybertruck.”

As it stands, Giga Texas (the Tesla manufacturing plant in said state) has the capacity to make 125,000 trucks a year. By 2025, Musk claimed its annual Cybertruck production will reach 250,000 trucks. The main bottleneck is Tesla’s choice to build the Cybertruck out of stainless steel, coupled with unforgiving flat expanses of bodywork. Or, if you ask Musk, it’s taking so long to arrive because of how “radical” and “special” the Cybertruck is compared to something like the Ford F-150 Lightning and perhaps the upcoming Fisker Alaska.

Tesla Model 3: check local availability at CarGurus

In addition to the Cybertruck update, we’ve gotten a look into Tesla’s latest figures – and they aren’t looking so hot. Year-on-year gross profits have fallen by 22% — the weakest performance since the pandemic hit in 2020 Q2. Reported sales for this quarter are at $23.4 billion which did not hit the forecasted $24.3 billion. Around midday Thursday, Tesla shares fell to $220 – a 9% drop.

people say elon isn’t funny but most of us will never even come close to doing anything as hilarious as tanking stock prices because you made a car too pointy pic.twitter.com/B6G5hdz646

— soul nate (@MNateShyamalan) October 19, 2023

For more Tesla news, read up on what’s to be expected with the 2025 Tesla Model 2 and a look into the new push being made for Tesla Semi production. Then maybe, I don’t know, subscribe to our newsletter?

General Motors took notice of the recent slowing of EV sales, including Ford’s current struggles with its F-150 Lightning, and announced Tuesday it will delay the planned upgrades to the factory set to make the highly anticipated Silverado EV and the GMC Sierra EV. 

The affected plant is in the Orion Township in Detroit, Michigan. General Motors is using the factory in its current configuration to finish off Bolt and Bolt EUV production. Once all of those happy little cars are finished, GM was planning to invest 4 billion dollars in retooling the factory to produce its new electric pickups on the Ultium platform to help meet its ambitious plan to make 400,000 electric vehicles by 2024.

2024 Silverado EV: learn more at CarGurus

One thing on everyone’s mind, does this have to do with the ongoing UAW strike? According to General Motors Senior Director Kevin Kelley, it doesn’t. They’re just figuring things out, I guess.   

“General Motors today confirmed it will retime the conversion of its Orion Assembly plant to EV truck production to late 2025, to better manage capital investment while aligning with evolving EV demand. In addition, we have identified engineering improvements that we will implement to increase the profitability of our products.” 

At the moment, the plan is to produce the Silverado EV and its GMC counterpart at Factory Zero, which sits in Detroit and the city of Hamtramck, Michigan.  It is currently used for the production of the GMC Hummer EV and is GM’s first dedicated electric vehicle factory. The workers from the Orion Township plant will be able to transfer to Factory Zero when the Bolt ends production at the end of the year.

The Japan Mobility Show is fast approaching, and Toyota is ready to showcase what they have in mind for the “future of mobility” with a duo of BEV concept cars. While there’s not a lot of information surrounding these vehicles yet, or if they’ll even enter production, there are some key takeaways that hint towards what Toyota has planned. It’s also worth noting that Toyota says these vehicles share “major components.”

The FT-3e is a low-slung vehicle with sharp lines and an aggressive angle to the rear window with wrap-around taillights. The side profile shows off an almost box-flared look to the fenders and rear quarter. A display on the lower part of the body displays information to the driver as they approach, including charge status, interior air quality, and cabin temperature. Dare I say it? This could be a battery-electric wagon. 

The other one, which Toyota calls the FT-Se is a sports car that is reminiscent of the early days of the GR Supra concept, with a long hood and aerodynamic shape. Complete with the integrated spoiler. However, it looks wider, and the lines are more pronounced. A shot of the interior shows a trio of screens, all driver-facing, and a yoke-style steering wheel. There is a prominent GR badge affixed to the front fender, which helps drive home the claim that the FT-Se is part of their vision for the next generation of performance driving.

These two concepts represent a bright future. In a future where Toyota hopes vehicle ownership will become more than just a point A to point B appliance, it will become a bond between the owner and the machine.

Toyota has over 20 million hybrids worldwide, more than any other automaker. So, no one can question that Toyota has been at the forefront of hybrid electric vehicle production, which was an important step in the electrification of the automobile. But as the world moved towards battery electric vehicles (BEVs), Toyota began to fall behind. However, in recent months, Toyota has made numerous announcements about its commitment to producing more BEVs across its product line. They have even said they plan to have 30 BEVs across their product line and up production to 3.5 million globally by 2030.

Anyone can see that this is a lot to get done in a short amount of time, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s Toyota. And they’ve just made a major move to help solidify that goal by signing a deal with LG Energy Solution to produce NCMA battery modules at LG’s facility in Michigan. Investing 3 billion dollars to fit their factory with the needed assembly lines to meet their 2025 goals of producing 20 GWh annually. The modules will then be shipped off to Kentucky, assembled into complete batteries, and find their way into Toyota’s planned 3-row electric SUV.

“Having secure supplies of lithium-ion batteries at scale with a long-term relationship to support Toyota’s multi-pathway approach and growth plans for BEVs in North America is critical to achieve our manufacturing and carbon reduction plans,” states Tetsuo “Ted” Ogawa, Toyota’s North American president and CEO. “Working with LG Energy Solution, we are excited to be able to offer products that will provide the performance and quality our customers expect.”   

LG, like Toyota, has a long history of supplying quality products to companies and consumers around the world. This is their largest agreement with an automaker for battery production and also means they now supply batteries to the Top 5 global automakers. And if all goes as planned, this partnership should help to push Toyota to the upper echelon of the BEV market. Soon, it won’t just be hybrids like the Prius making headlines, but a Toyota-branded electric car as well.

Earlier this year, Tesla announced an expansion to the Gigafactory in Nevada in order to bring production of the Tesla Semi electric truck to a higher volume. It appears those efforts are reaching further with the addition of ten new job postings to the Tesla career page — each relevant to the Tesla Semi.

Back in August, a new manufacturing leader had been hired to spearhead the Gigafactory Nevada expansion. As it stands, reportedly only about 70 Tesla Semis have been built since the beginning of the year. The new jobs related to building and designing the production line could get the wheels turning on this gargantuan project.

The new Tesla job postings are as follows:

• Sr. Architect, Semi
• Structural Modeling Lead, Semi
• Factory Design Engineering Leader, Semi
• Lead Plumbing Engineer, Semi
• BIM Manager and Virtual Design Coordinator, Semi
• Staff Iot Network Engineer, Infrastructure Network Engineering
• Electrical Construction Project Mangement, Infrastructure Programs – Semi
• CAE & CFD Thermal Engineer, Battery Engineering, Semi
• CAE Analysis Engineer, Structures & Durability, Semi
• Mechanical Design Engineer, Structural Design, Semi

We are still likely months or even longer away from seeing work begin on the Gigafactory expansion. Our best estimates would suggest not to expect new Tesla Semi production until the back half of 2024.

Behold the most star-studded write-up about what’s seemingly the most lazily hashed-together roadside solution to ever come with any new car or sit on shelves at your nearby Autozone. But! I insist it’s worth talking about. Hey, you clicked on this, didn’t you? You made that choice. Now sit here and read about me rambling all about tire sealant and tire repair kits.

Story time!

You know, those gimmicky little toy chests that come under the back seat or in the trunk of your shiny new car? Or perhaps you’ve seen them collecting dust on shelves at stores. They’re those things you read about in dealership brochures or press releases and think, “Oh geez, I really wish you just included a damn spare tire at that point.” But turns out, at least for anything short of your tire exploding or being straight-up stolen, we shouldn’t underestimate tire sealant.

While we’re on this, allow me to also state that road debris should not be scoffed at, no matter how small. If they weren’t, I wouldn’t be writing this stupid article. But no. Some missing chunk of someone’s crap-pile jalopy at a turnout in Angeles Crest Highway chose me as its lucky winner and dressed the tire of my Integra Type-S loaner as Venom Snake from Metal Gear Solid V. There was a triangular shard in the center tread block, which would have been repairable if not for its size creating a big enough slash for America’s Tire to deem it as a must-replace.

Thankfully, the Acura press fleet manager notified me that they had full replacement wheels and tires on hand and could swap out the impaled rubber so long as I could make it from my friend’s place in Palmdale to their HQ in Torrance. So I made the journey the morning after the puncture after having already racked up 50-ish miles and was about to rack 80 more. As sketchy as that was, it was a trip I couldn’t have completed if the tire sealant kit in the trunk didn’t do such a commendable job at, well, its job.

People always taught me sealant kits were gimmicks and to never bother with them. And to a degree, which we’ll discuss at the end, they’re kind of right. But man, in a pinch, these can save you from being stranded waiting for a tow atop a mountain or the annoyance of working a shitty car jack to mount some shitty spare donut. The bag-o’-goo sloshed inside the tire, made its way to the puncture, and sealed just enough to hold air pressure for the following evening and morning until I could limp it to an America’s Tire and the press fleet HQ in Torrance, totaling well over 100 miles on the still-impaled tread block. Tire sealant works. It’s not the best nor the most permanent. But it works.

It spared me a weekend of headaches and can work for you, too. Yes, this is propaganda. Here are some preemptive solutions to any future tire woes you may or may not have, followed by the facts on what’s the deal with tire sealant.

Tire sealant kits for sale

Fix-a-Flat Tire Sealant 2-Pack

What’s better than one can of Fix-a-Flat? Here’s a perfect pick for a multi-car garage or if you’re just unlucky enough to keep having this problem. This two-pack of aerosol cans can come in larger quantities or be changed to a six-pack if you’d like.

See it for $21 at Amazon

STP Tire Fix Sealant and Inflator

Presenting yet another gift from a household name in car-care goodies. STP, also known for its filters, fuel additives, and oil treatments, delivers a quick and easy way to have some peace of mind on the road. This 16-ounce aerosol touts its ability to create a proper seal for punctures up to a quarter-inch wide for up to three days.

See it for $16 at Amazon

Slime 2-In-1 Tire & Tube Premium Sealant 1-Gallon Jug

Now, here’s a fun one for owners of off-highway toys or trailers. Or maybe you’re just especially unlucky, and the tire gods hate you. Either way, this one-gallon unit is great for tending to tire impalements for non-car applications like motorcycles, ATVs, or trailers. Because yes, even the tow rig needs a hand from time to time. Keep an air compressor handy, however, as there’s no method of inflating the tires with what’s essentially a repurposed Fast Orange jug. 

See it for $29 at Amazon

FAQS

Q. Is tire sealant a permanent fix for a punctured or flat tire?

• No. Absolutely not. So don’t even think about filling your tire with that sticky slop and calling it a day for the next 10,000 miles. If anything, tire sealant kits are the least “permanent” and most volatile method for fixing a tire. Like my situation, it’s best in a pinch, and even I pushed it much farther than the generally recommended maximum of three days or 100 miles. After use, it’s best practice to hurry to a tire shop for repair or replacement. So don’t be me and push your luck.

Q. Is tire sealant and a tire repair kit the same thing?

• Kind of. Technically, tire sealant is a type of tire repair kit. Tire repair kits can generally be anything from a patch kit or plug to that gooey stuff in a can that auto stores and automakers love so much. But no, a tire repair kit is not exclusively a tire sealant kit, but a tire sealant kit is definitely one of many forms of tire repair kits. 

Q. What are the disadvantages of tire sealant kits?

• A big reason for tire sealant’s lack of permanence is that the formula can dry out and harden over time, reducing its ability to maintain its seal over the puncture. It’s also easy to use improperly. Additionally, failure to properly distribute the sealant evenly around the tire could possibly result in a weight imbalance that causes slight wheel vibration. So use with care and follow those instructions, folks. 

There is some good news for future Rivian buyers and electric car fans in general. At long last, the Max pack battery launches for the Rivian R1S electric SUV and R1T electric pickup. As expected, it gives the twins a healthy jump in energy capacity, resulting in a handy range boost to further quell the range anxious out there.

According to Rivian, the new Max pack battery sits atop the food chain as the flagship variant of the dual-motor electric utes. Capacity jumps from the Large pack’s 135 kWh to a stout 149 kWh, notably lower than the originally quoted 180 kWh. Range leaps from an already-commendable 352 miles in both the dual-motor R1T and R1S to 410 and 400 miles, respectively. Note that this is with the most efficient, road-oriented wheel-and-tire package. Stepping to a 20-inch wheel package with beefier all-terrains slashes the range considerably, knocking the Rivians down to roughly 350 miles. In accordance with their configurator, pricing rings in at $16,000 over the Standard battery and $10,000 over the Large.

We must also note that this is the maximum range variant, meaning it’s only available in a dual-motor configuration. Quad-motor Rivians with the Max pack battery is a combination we’ll have to wait for, but it’s not currently in the cards. But one can dream.

You can say it’s about time these Max batteries finally arrived, as it’s reportedly one of many hot features promised for the Rivian twins that have faced delays for one reason or another. Despite the hiatus, anticipation and hype for the long-range Rivians stood strong, having been tossed around from headline to headline for months.

Interestingly, some aren’t impressed by the debut of the new pack, citing the exuberant cost and potentially longer charge times. But that’d be partly ignoring how the Rivians stack up against its peers, now being among the highest-range electric trucks on sale, far exceeding the best figures from the F-150 Lightning, Tesla Model X, Kia EV9, or Hummer EV and being just as competitive as them when equipped with all-terrains. Only the upcoming Silverado EV, with a promised range of 450 miles, can best them. How this new battery option actually performs in the real world is yet to be seen.

R1Ts can be specced and delivered with the Max pack battery now, while R1S models will begin deliveries in the fall.

Let us preface our inaugural Hot Take by exclaiming we love pickup trucks! The commanding driving position and rugged finger-tingle driving a big truck make owning one a no-brainer, not to mention the obvious advantages in off-road shenanigans or IKEA hauls. Whether you need one or not, trucks are cool. Say it. Trucks. Are. Cool. There’s a reason almost everyone in the great Red-White-And-Blue owns one. We built our world around them. But, and it’s a fair “but,” there needs to be some sort of change on the horizon.

Pickup trucks aren’t going anywhere, and attempting to demonize them is counterintuitive. However, the dramatic increase in pedestrian fatalities warrants a conversation about these oversized pickups. The environmental impact and worsening traffic congestion necessitate it. The problems are real and need practical solutions. There is also a larger conversation around transport infrastructure and personal responsibility.

The Chicken Tax

Well, wait. Why is this even an issue? Don’t we have small trucks? Or at least we used to, right? So where did the small truck go? Look decades into the past to the age of Vietnam on national news and Ken Miles tearing up circuits behind the wheel of a Ford.

It’s 1960, and European Farmers have a problem. U.S. farmers have mastered the art of breeding chickens and are now exporting their surplus to Europe. European countries need to protect their farmers. So, West Germany and France implemented tariffs, preventing American chicken from being priced lower than their chicken. 

Negotiations between the two parties failed, and in 1964, U.S. President at the time, Lyndon Johnson, placed a 25% “Chicken Tax” tariff on certain imported goods in response to European tariffs on American poultry, including foreign pickup trucks. This tax does three things:

• Gives American truck companies a pseudo-monopoly on the pickup truck market.
• Priced small Japanese trucks out of the market.
• Classifies American pickup trucks as “light trucks,” exempting them from safety standards

This essentially killed any market for import trucks save for the minuscule, not-so-truckish trucks, like the Subaru BRAT, meant to dodge the tax by being classified as “passenger vehicles” instead of light trucks.

Americans killed the small pickup truck.

Car manufacturers live and die by consumer demand. In 2018, Ford announced it would stop production of all its cars except the Mustang in favor of better-selling SUVs and pickup trucks.

It isn’t an “American problem,” either. The Chinese auto market is in a similar phase to the American market in the 1980s. Most vehicles sold in China are Long-Wheelbase luxury vehicles or SUVs. The modern Chinese car buyer craves to be seen as successful. The modern American seeks utility, ruggedness, and, most importantly, road presence, which a small pickup truck can rarely, if ever, provide.

The Pedestrian Safety Crisis

That brings us to the next point. The Chicken tax meant that American car manufacturers were free to make whatever trucks they desired, and with it came a rise in pedestrian fatalities.

From 2009 to 2019, fatalities increased by 50%. If you find that number alarming, congratulations. You’re not a psychopath. Still, there was a further 18% rise in pedestrian fatalities from 2019 to 2023. Mind you, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) decreased by around 430.2 billion miles in 2020. 

The rise in pickup truck sales is a contributing factor to the increase in pandemic pedestrian fatalities. It is not the sole cause. The NHTSA found that many drivers who remained on the roads during the pandemic drove riskier than normal. 

Crash compatibility

In 2003, Senator John McCain called a hearing to discuss SUV and pickup truck safety. Vehicle safety advocates, Joan Claybrook and Dr. Jeffery Runge, found that if a car collided head-on with a pickup truck, the car occupants were over six times more likely to die. Side impact fatalities are even deadlier at 26 times more.

Even with those facts, another item in this hearing would be the focus: rollovers. In 2011, new legislation would mean manufacturers would need to fit all new pickup trucks with electronic stability control (ESC). This would be to prevent rollovers caused by the higher center of gravity. No new crash compatibility regulations would be implemented.

Nobody wants to be in a car accident. Still, around 40,000 Americans will lose their lives this next year in this way. To reduce this number, manufacturers have to meet certain safety standards. It sounds obvious, right? Safety features absent from pickup trucks include:

• Crumple zones
• Pedestrian collision protection
• Frame force dissipation

Now, I’m no physics professor, but the idea behind crash protection is to prevent damage to vehicle occupants. Forgoing these features increases the risk of serious injury or death… Not that we need more of that nowadays.

“The purpose of crumple zones is to minimize bounce by dissipating kinetic energy to thermal energy and to reduce collision force by extending the distance over which that dissipation work is done,” says Lawrence Davis, Associate Professor of Science at Umpqua Community College, in his book, Body Physics 2.0. “Rigid frames bounce more than crumple zones, which further increases the force on occupants.”

As much as pickup trucks are a bane to pedestrian safety, they are also anti-people in a way. If you’re more likely to die as a driver or passenger of a pickup, an occupant of another vehicle, or as a pedestrian, then the truck exists to protect itself.

Poor Visibility and Maneuverability

Nobody enjoys mowing down their kids in the driveway on the way to work. Turns out, that might be what you get with your Ford Maverick. Pickup trucks have much poorer visibility than cars. At this point, you’re riding a small tank around. A modern pickup truck is bigger than a WW2 British Sherman tank. 

It is possible you don’t have kids and like driving a tank through downtown New York. We’re not judging! But one thing we know you don’t like is lawsuits. Technologies like Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) will help prevent a parking lot accident, but they will not prevent collisions at medium-to-high speeds. In fact, if you read the fine print in the advertising for AEB or any ADAS feature, you’ll find this:

“Driver assistants are not a substitute for driver focus.”

This is one of the first things you learn when taking the written driver’s test: defensive driving. You’re supposed to drive to foresee, avoid potential obstacles, and always be aware of your environment. Again, pickup trucks go against a fundamental principle of driving. You should not be on the road if you can’t perceive your environment or make it difficult for others to judge theirs.

Pickup trucks’ correlation to climate concerns

The consensus is that we must tackle climate change with consumer and corporate changes. Driving a 4,000-pound truck takes a toll on your wallet and the environment.

Where you would get 53 mpg in a Toyota Corolla Hybrid, you get 43 mpg in a Ford Maverick Hybrid. The utility of a truck bed makes it worth sacrificing ten mpg and the better deal. However, the Ford Maverick lacks one climate-saving feature: resource efficiency.

In a perfect world, they make your truck, you drive it around, and then, when it is no longer useful, its components are recycled. A circular economy. For a hybrid vehicle, energy comes from electricity and petrol. You need to use some of the fuel to get to your destination. If you’re hitting 43 mpg to carry only yourself, that’s an inefficient use of resources.

America alone uses 369 million gallons per day. 166 million pickup trucks are registered, and the average commuting distance is 41 miles. Assuming the perfect conditions (every pickup on the road every day hitting the Maverick’s golden 43 mpg), pickup trucks would make up around 45% of that fuel usage. Increasing access to public transport by even 5% would make a significant dent in fossil fuel use and carbon emissions.

Pickup trucks are not the enemy

I know you expected a grand waffling about how great public transport is, and after all the effort to point out every flaw in pickup trucks. But nope. Once more, we iterate that trucks are cool and trucks are useful. They’re just flawed. And that’s not necessarily all to blame on the products alone.

Pickup trucks are symptoms of a larger problem. 

Most people don’t buy products solely on efficiency or merit. Personal preference and marketing play a huge role. “Big truck strong.” It’s simple. Currently, there is no active deterrent to purchasing or manufacturing pickup trucks. Road infrastructure is car-centric. Pickup trucks are exempt from safety standards, which saves manufacturing costs.

Our country is built for cars and not people.

Now that we’ve established the problem, how can we find its solution? Is it even worth building a people-centric country? 

Reduction in pedestrian fatalities

This is the most obvious one. Low-density roads can become walking areas and green zones. Reducing the number of lanes in medium-density areas can make way for cycle lanes, trees, and larger sidewalks. Most pedestrian fatalities are disabled, older people, children, or otherwise impaired folks. Allow for zones where larger vehicles, like pickup trucks, are not allowed.

Quality of life improvements

Of course, there will be a natural reduction in carbon emissions with fewer vehicles on the road. The real kicker will be a major noise, air pollution, and smog reduction. Californian cities rank among the highest for poor air quality, exacerbating health issues like asthma. Taking the eight to ten-lane highways away and reducing road traffic will improve the quality of life for millions of Americans (and also open the roadways for the casual enthusiast’s Sunday cruise).

Lead fuels were once thought to be irreplaceable. Robust legislation in the 1970s meant that by the 1990s, leaded fuel was gone. People-centric American cities could be a reality.

People-centric pickup trucks

Yes, it is possible, and it starts by further bolstering the mid-size pickup. Check out these pickups that aren’t sold in the U.S.:

• Nissan NP200
• Chevrolet Ute
• Toyota Hilux
• Isuzu D-Max
• Mitsubishi Triton
• Mazda BT-50
• Volkswagen Amarok

Bringing these vehicles to the U.S. is not a pipe dream either. In 2019, Ford brought back the Ranger pickup, which was pulled from the U.S. market in 2011. The Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon have entered new generations too, and don’t forget the Honda Ridgeline! All were positively received for bringing car-like dynamics and comfort to the world of utility vehicles. We’re not hurting for Hiluxes either, as the ye ol’ Toyota Tacoma never left us. Although these vehicles are still large compared to cars, they offer much better visibility and efficiency.

Pickup trucks and E-Fuels

The European Union will ban the production of new gasoline vehicles in 2035, but there is space in this legislation for synthetic fuels. Synthetic fuels or E-fuels are made from carbon captured in the atmosphere and are produced with renewable energy. In fact, Porsche aims to become a leading producer of these carbon-neutral e-fuels, having begun development and implementing them in their race cars.

We love trucks and don’t want the gasoline engine to die. Hearing a big pickup go brrrr or a Porsche 911 RSR whizz by gives you a feeling that electric vehicles just don’t, as much as we admire the technology. There’s a charm to these big, burly bricks that E-fuels will allow us to keep the way the gods intended. 

The enjoyment of driving is people-centric.

Work trucks for the working folk

Of course, we must insert that we don’t necessarily wish to abolish all trucks from roadways. After all, there is a glaringly obvious demographic for half-tons and heavy-duty leviathans. What, you thought a Maverick Hybrid would yank that stump from the ground or move that RV toy hauler across the Mojave? Sheesh, we’re not that sadistic.

A Hot Take like this must also be followed up with the statement that it’s perfectly fine for fleets and tradesmen to have their goliaths. They literally cannot work without them. It’s simply a matter of not having excess vehicle wasting space on our roads when your usual haul is a hundred pounds of mulch, or your work site is the sixth-floor office.

The electric pickup truck will not save the pickup truck

Unfortunately, another scenario is very plausible. Synthetic fuels fail, and all gasoline vehicles are banned in a panic. You are forced to buy an electric pickup truck because corporate lobbying meant that people-centric infrastructure never came to fruition.

The truth is we are at a crossroads. If we choose the path of a pickup-truck-centric world, we may experience a dystopian reality not imaginable today. If we choose a people-centric world, we may avert this crisis and be able to enjoy our world for centuries to come.

A huge thank you to Myles Russell (@FreckleEars) for the great conversation and the truck visibility graphic. And to Derek Bradley (@Dellboy) for international info on taxes and pickup trucks and for being an amazing source of ideas.

The 2028 Lamborghini Lanzador concept tells no new story. At least not new to us. It seems once in a generation, a famed marque embarks on yet another cash-grab quest to line their pockets with fresh moolah to fund their next generation of sports cars, and that’s exactly what Lamborghini must have planned for this all-electric, four-seat leviathan. Behold their latest vision and enter a new age for the artisans at Sant’Agata Bolognese as they ford new waters and enter the EV arena.

Weight? I don’t know. Range? Good Question. Okay, performance? Beats me. But it’ll surely be as quick as a Lamborghini and certainly look like one too.

Little hard facts are known about the Lanzador, and even less is known about what production model will spawn from it. But knowing Lamborghini’s trend with concept cars over the past decade or so, it’s safe to say this will be a clear look at what’s their take on a mass-market, all-electric Lambo, with swagger and speed to match. 

Lamborghini Lanzador price & specs

There’s so much up in the air for the Lanzador, a concept still in gestation that isn’t due until 2028. But one thing is certain: It will be a ferociously quick luxury charm, with asphalt-tearing, rear-end-puckering speed and acceleration.

Price	TBA: $200,000 – $300,000 USD est.
Battery Capacity	TBA: 80 kWh – 100 kWh est.
Electric range	TBA: 300 – 400 miles est.
0-60 acceleration	TBA: quick enough
Horsepower	TBA: 1,340 horsepower (concept)

The concept car presented during this year’s Monterey Car Week boasts 1,340 horsepower. For anyone coming from our EVs Explained corner of the house, that’s 1,000 kW or one whole-ass megawatt. That far exceeds the output of the Lucid Air Sapphire, Porsche Taycan Turbo S, or Tesla Model S Plaid, and matches the Koenigsegg Agera One:1.

Being of that maniacal breed of mega EV, it wouldn’t be delusional to believe the production Lazandor can easily clock a 300-mile range, minimum. Maybe 400 with a special long-range model while managing zero-to-sixty times of three seconds or below. Also, expect MPGe to be fairly average given its expected size and weight but charging rates to be rapid like other premium Volkswagen Group electric vehicles.

If Lamborghini’s current money-maker, the Urus SUV, is anything to go by, expect a production Lanzador to hover between $230,000 and $300,000, depending on trim and motor/battery configuration. Lamborghini’s exuberant collection of option packages will easily add tens of thousands of dollars on top of that.

Lamborghini Lanzador interior and tech

We know little about the tech Lamborghini will implement, but we can easily speculate what sort of ultra-fast, ultra-luxurious electro barge will come.

“With the fourth model concept, we are opening a new car segment: the Ultra GT. This will offer customers a new, unparalleled Lamborghini driving experience thanks to pioneering technologies,” claims CEO and Chairman, Stephan Winkelmann.

Expect the production Lanzador to be as opulent and well-appointed as any Lamborghini. The concept appears a bit ergonomically questionable, but what concept car isn’t? Think heated and vented bucket seats with multi-function steering wheels and digital displays galore. There will likely be a push-button starter with a red fighter jet-style flip cover, a digital gauge cluster, and a suite of simple safety goodies, from parking sensors to adaptive cruise and semi-autonomous driving. 

The concept bears no centralized touch screen like the Huracan, Aventador, Urus, or all-new Revuelto. But expect the production version to follow suit and incorporate some sort of interface into the Lanzadaor’s interior design language. Given the relatively cavernous interior layout, something that will easily carry over could be the concept’s passenger display screen and the multi-color ambient lighting that turns the Lanzador from a sports sedan to a VIP nightclub. 

An interior fit for the badge

The Lanzador Concept is poised as a “2+2 Gran Turismo” and the brand’s “Ultra GT,” with two massive doors and four thin but elegantly styled buckets. While I expect the four seats to remain, if not replace the rears with a three-across arrangement, the final product will most likely be a sedan, much like the now-15-year-old Estoque concept car of 2008. 

The concept sports copious trunk space and a decent frunk. All of that grocery-getting capability will be afforded by a typical skateboard-type battery pack comprising the Lanzador’s floor. This design seems to have worked, as you can now store, uh, not one but two Lamborghini-branded designer luggage sets in the ass end. Can’t say that about the Revuelto.

If this formula sounds familiar, well, that’s because it is. Lamborghini is ready to join the pantheon of luxury EVs, hoping that affluent commuters will fund their future projects. As such, it’s unsurprising that the Lanzador Concept follows this now-common practice, albeit a new frontier for the brand itself. However, it can still differentiate itself from its peers by capitalizing on the tricks Lamborghini knows best.

One. Whole. Megawatt.

Tricks like speed! Power! Rage!

However, is this level of performance really that surprising in an age where Rimac exists? Perhaps not, but the fact you can let your kids experience black-out g-forces on the way to school is still one hell of a flex and the kind of batshittery that will undoubtedly be expected of the production Lanzador. Chances are that kind of speed won’t be that old in 2028.

The concept has been snatching headlines for its still-impressive 1,340 horsepower, which equates to one megawatt of power, a feat matched or beaten by few cars. Trims will also vary in performance for the production car, but we all know Lambo doesn’t know slow. Expect base models to push 500 or even 600 horsepower, with neck-snapping torque to match. All models will certainly have some degree of ultra-high-performance pretense, so expect dual motors as standard with tri or quad-motor setups in the highest tiers.

Leave it to Italy to build a driver’s EV

Further differentiating the Lanzador will be proper handling chops, at least for its size and weight, which we expect will be on the portlier side, perhaps rivaling or exceeding the Urus. It shouldn’t be a difficult feat for the brand, given their experience with magnetic suspension and active aero, which the Lanzador will certainly receive, as well as the battery’s low center of gravity and the electric motors’ infinitely adjustable torque vectoring.

One thing Lamborghini seeks to pride itself on will be the immense amount of sensors and actuators going into the Lanzador. They seek to make this tremendous level of hardware and tuning capable of delivering a more precise driving experience, broaden the range of characteristics between drive mode presets and individual modes, and improve driver feedback.

With beauty and grace (sort of)

Secondly, you can’t put off that punch-in-the-face Lamborghini styling. Visual swagger and all that’s dapper is the Raging Bull’s signature.

Well, you know. Naturally aspirated screamers would be the other, but strip that away from the Lazandor, and you must take the other half of the brand’s soul and run away with it. Whether you love or hate the concept, it’s certainly worth talking about. 

The two-door design will likely give way to a four-door sedan, but the concept certainly radiates lifted Koenigsegg Gemera vibes. Although, I wouldn’t be surprised if Lamborghini kept it and sought to emulate such a design with Italian flair. As with the interior, the exterior is a wonderful blend of extroverted excess, straddling the line between gaudy and really gaudy. The 23-inch wheels are a bit much, but they contribute to the raised height, elevating this EV’s appeal on battered highways, steep driveways, and dirt roads near the winter cabin. 

The overall design is a hodgepodge of Lamborghini and (insert miscellaneous EVs). The ride height and black cladding are plucked straight from the Huracán Sterrato and vaguely remind me of a Polestar 2. The profile resembles a concept sketch of the offspring between a Huracán and a Cybertruck with a bed cap. And the taillights are definite callouts to the Sian and Aventador.

Is the Lanzador actually coming?

Yes. The Lanzador will soon grace the garages of rich people, even if it bears a new name or face. This concept is very much a serious announcement of the direction Lamborghini will take for electrifying the lineup, culminating in a mass-produced production car in 2028. 

By then, the Revuelto will likely be due for a mid-cycle refresh, and we’ll have had the Huracán successor for a few years. And the purists can cry all they want, but they’d be missing the point.

While the supercars carry the torch for high-revving tomfoolery, it will be the Lanzador EV and the Urus – if it’s still around – that will draw maximum profits and fuel development for potential hybrid powertrains to keep their naturally aspirated engines on life support. Even if you disagree with its existence, the Lanzador will contribute heavily to ensuring a future for Lamborghini supercars as we know them and for the company as a whole.