Important Innovations

  Ram, Volvo, Sony/Honda Among New Car Concepts                                                                 Source: New Car Concepts: MB, Sony, Ram Plus, Exciting New Automotive Technologies The world's top electronics trade show, CES 2023, opens in Las Vegas in early January.  Global automakers are planning to make important new EV presentations and breakthrough technology announcements.  Examples include Ram unveiling a concept of its upcoming electric pickup truck that is designed to compete against the Ford Lightning pickup.  The Ram e-truck is expected to have huge horsepower, range and hauling capabilities.  Dodge Ram is now owned by Stellantis.  Their new electric pickup, 2024 RAM 1500 EV, is expected to draw lots of interest. Sony/Honda Infotech & Infotainment Car Another big announcement is being teased by the Sony/Honda EV partnership for CES 2023.  No one is 100% sure what the announcement will be but there is a lot of informed buzz that a new, highly technologic

  New All-Electric Volvo Is Loaded with New Technologies                                                  Source:  Volvo Volvo's Tech Leader on Wheels Let's just say there is so much to say about the new, fully electric Volvo EX90 SUV.  The 2024 EV is Volvo's flagship and moves the automaker forward to an electric future in which, in 2030, it will sell only fully electric cars.  The 2024 EX90 is Volvo's first fully electric vehicle that has no tie or connection to a gas-powered motor. The 7-seat SUV has an entirely new electric powertrain platform.  And Volvo claims this is by far the automaker's safest car that it has ever made. Let's delve into some details. Volvo Moving Full Speed to an Electric Future Volvo intends to introduce a fully electric vehicle every year to reach its all-electric sales goal.  The new EX90 has a brand-new powertrain and brand-new technologies.  It looks very similar to and has 3 rows of seats like Volvo's best seller, the gas-pow

  New All-Electric Volvo Is Loaded with New Technologies                                                  Source:  Volvo Volvo's Tech Leader on Wheels Let's just say there is so much to say about the new, fully electric Volvo EX90 SUV.  The 2024 EV is Volvo's flagship and moves the automaker forward to an electric future in which, in 2030, it will sell only fully electric cars.  The 2024 EX90 is Volvo's first fully electric vehicle that has no tie or connection to a gas-powered motor. The 7-seat SUV has an entirely new electric powertrain platform.  And Volvo claims this is by far the automaker's safest car that it has ever made. Let's delve into some details. Volvo Moving Full Speed to an Electric Future Volvo intends to introduce a fully electric vehicle every year to reach its all-electric sales goal.  The new EX90 has a brand-new powertrain and brand-new technologies.  It looks very similar to and has 3 rows of seats like Volvo's best seller, the gas-pow

  Polestar 5: More Powerful Than Porsche's Taycan Turbo S Source:  Polestar 5 Concept & Prototype Likely to be Polestar's Most Powerful Electric Car Sweden's Polestar EV manufacturer has a new ace of a car up its sleeve.  It's called the Polestar 5 and is designed to be the company's flagship and most powerful vehicle. The EV is a large, grand tourer (GT), 4-door sedan-hatchback with a whopping 884 horsepower.  It is considerably more powerful than a Porsche Taycan Turbo S and that is saying something significant about the power this electric car will deliver. New Technologies The EV will hit the market in 2024.  The company says the powertrain that they are developing for the vehicle will set new performance levels for their high-performance cars.  It combines highly advanced, new electric motors that are coupled with advances in lightweight car technologies to create "stunning cars". It has a new, bonded aluminum chassis.  It's a chassis type tha

  Polestar 5: One Powerful EV                                                                 Source:  Polestar Concept & Prototype Likely to be Polestar's Most Powerful Electric Car Sweden's Polestar EV manufacturer has a new ace of a car up its sleeve.  It's called the Polestar 5 and is designed to be the company's flagship and most powerful vehicle. The EV is a large, grand tourer (GT), 4-door sedan-hatchback with a whopping 884 horsepower.  It is considerably more powerful than a Porsche Taycan Turbo S and that is saying something significant about the power this electric car will deliver. New Technologies The EV will hit the market in 2024.  The company says the powertrain that they are developing for the vehicle will set new performance levels for their high-performance cars.  It combines highly advanced, new electric motors that are coupled with advances in lightweight car technologies to create "stunning cars". It has a new, bonded aluminum chassis

  Sports Coupe That's Very Retro & Very Modern                                                  Source:  Cyan Racing Driving Blast From the Past With Up-to-the Minute Technologies The Swedish engineering firm Cyan Racing will debut and offer its $700,000 Volvo 1800 Cyan sports coup in August 2022 at the Monterey Car Week in California.  Built by the 5 time and current World Touring Cars Champion, Cyan Racing, the Cyan 1800 exquisitely combines classic styling with the best in motorsports technology.  This classic racing car dates back to 1960 and was created by Swedish and Italian designers.  Volvo stopped production of it in the early 1970's. It was reintroduced to rave reviews in Europe in 2020.  The car is being called "retro-mod" meaning it has the retro styling of 1960 but with ultra-modern technologies.  Beginning in August, it can be bought in the US starting at $700,000. Tech Specs & More This classic vehicle has an Italian inspired design which makes

  Sports Coupe That's Very Retro & Very Modern                                                  Source:  Cyan Racing Driving Blast From the Past With Up-to-the Minute Technologies There's a "new-old" car that originated with Volvo more than five decades ago that's being called by automotive experts one of the most exciting cars in years.  The Swedish engineering firm Cyan Racing will debut and offer its $700,000 Volvo 1800 Cyan sports coup in August 2022 at the Monterey Car Week in California.  Built by the 5 time and current World Touring Cars Champion, Cyan Racing, the Cyan 1800 exquisitely combines classic styling with the best in motorsports technology.  This classic racing car dates back to 1960 and was created by Swedish and Italian designers for Volvo.  Volvo stopped production of it in the early 1970's. It was reintroduced to rave reviews in Europe in 2020.  The car is being called "retro-mod" meaning it has the retro styling of 1960 but

  Polestar's Latest Electric Convertible Concept & Drone                                                  Source:  Polestar Car With Flying Drone Launches to Videotape the Drive Sweden-based electric car manufacturer Polestar has a new all-electric convertible sports car concept that comes with its own flying drone.  The EV called O2 is a stunning sports car convertible with 2+2 seating, meaning 2 seats in the front and 2 snug seats in the back.  O2 is a highly advanced piece of automotive engineering with a bonded aluminum body.  It is totally electric, zero emissions with the added advanced technology of a flying, built in "cinematic drone".  The drone is engineered to launch from the rear of the car, while the car is moving, and then videotape the driver's journey along the road for later cinematic viewing. Tech Specs The O2 is Polestar's second concept car and follows Precept which debuted in 2020 and is now being manufactured as Polestar 5.  O2's smoo

  Concept Recharge - Volvo's E-Car of the Future                                                                  Source:  Volvo's Concept Recharge EV Battery with a 625 Mile Range Sweden based Volvo has very ambitious electrification plans.  It intends to have an all-electric vehicle lineup by 2030.  It has developed a new EV battery with a staggering range of 625 miles on a single charge.  And it has developed the "Concept Recharge" car, which is a model for what Volvo EVs will look like in the future.  Volvo plans to sell 600,000 EVs by 2025.  Volvo is owned by China based Geely. Concept Recharge The Concept Recharge vehicle is an electric SUV designed for maximum comfort and space.  It has a unique, vertical infotainment tablet, an open space, comfortable interior design and reverse hinge rear doors.  A version of the concept will be on the road by 2024. 625 Mile Range Volvo is far ahead of other global EV makers on battery range.  The only vehicle that even comes

  LIDAR Standard Equipment in Electric XC90 SUV in 2022                              Source:  Volvo & Luminar Technologies                    Volvo's Long Standing Commitment to Life Saving Technologies Sweden based Volvo, now owned by China's Geeley, has a long history of being the first with life saving automotive technologies.  It was the first automaker to make side impact airbags standard equipment.  It was also the first to make 3 point seatbelts standard.  Now, it is the first to make LIDAR sensors standard, no extra cost equipment, starting with its next generation electric XC90 SUV in 2022.  This is a major commitment by Volvo to automated and autonomous driving.  LIDAR uses laser light pulses to provide precise images of the environment surrounding the car to avoid obstacles, pedestrians, other vehicles and potential collisions. The LIDAR is embedded into the roofline of the vehicle as seen in the above image. Strategic Safe Driving Decision The decision to includ

  LIDAR Standard Equipment in Electric XC90 SUV in 2022                              Source:  Volvo & Luminar Technologies                    Volvo's Long Standing Commitment to Life Saving Technologies Sweden based Volvo, now owned by China's Geeley, has a long history of being the first with life saving automotive technologies.  It was the first automaker to make side impact airbags standard equipment.  It was also the first to make 3 point seatbelts standard.  Now, it is the first to make LIDAR sensors standard, no extra cost equipment, starting with its next generation electric XC90 SUV in 2022.  This is a major commitment by Volvo to automated and autonomous driving.  LIDAR uses laser light pulses to provide precise images of the environment surrounding the car to avoid obstacles, pedestrians, other vehicles and potential collisions. The LIDAR is embedded into the roofline of the vehicle as seen in the above image. Strategic Safe Driving Decision The decision to includ

  Autonomous Luxury Car Concept                                                             Source:  Volvo Concept Car by Roman Zenin Driving Into the Future The autonomous concept car is called the Volvo Think Inside the Box.  It's a very edgy concept car designed for Volvo by UK creative designer Roman Zenin while doing his thesis at a University in Germany.  The vehicle's interior is the big differentiator.  The designer has created a luxurious lounge zone that can be used for office work, resting or leisure time and entertainment with the family while travelling.  It is a fascinating example of driving into the future in an autonomous lounge car. A Living Room On Wheels This vehicle is like a living room on wheels.   The two-seat version comes with big, plush sofa-like seating.  There is a huge entertainment display where the windshield is that allows the travelers to enjoy their favorite entertainment as they are driven to their destination.   A lever provides easy access

Tech Communicating Using Body Language, Sounds & Lights Source:  Volvo 360c Incorporating Origins of Human Communications  Volvo's vision of the future of autonomous driving is based on the origins of human communications, going back 10,000 years.  The Sweden based company is developing technology to enable autonomous cars to communicate with each other, other drivers and pedestrians.  The techniques include body language, basic sounds and light pulses.  Volvo said today that it believes the long term solution to avoiding accidents and safer driving is autonomous, self-driving vehicles. Volvo 360c Autonomous Car Concept The Volvo 360c is Volvo's proprietary, autonomous concept car, leading the autonomous way.  The vehicle communicates with other vehicles, bikes and pedestrians on the road.  It uses external lights, sounds and even subtle "body language" movements to communicate what the vehicle is about to do.  Volvo researchers aim to give self-driving cars a for

Daimler and Volvo's New Fuel Cell Joint Venture Source:  Daimler Toyota's Hydrogen Powered Smart City Volvo and Mercedes' parent company Daimler have announced a joint venture to develop and make hydrogen fuel cell systems for big, heavy duty trucks - the biggest polluters on global highways. Daimler's truck division is spearheading the effort.  Volvo is pouring in $652 million for a 50% stake in the venture.  This new JV is an important look at the future of greener highways. Hydrogen's Advantages Electric vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells have significant advantages.  They provide much longer range, quick refueling times and emit water, not noxious carbon dioxide pollution.  In Japan, both Toyota and Honda are selling fuel cell Electric Vehicles.  In fact, Toyota, in particular, is betting the future will be driven by hydrogen fuel cells.  At the base of Mount Fuji, Toyota is building a sm

Volvo Owned Company Debuts at 2020 Geneva Auto Show The Polestar Precept is a highly advanced, all electric vehicle that's being called "the EV of the Future".  Polestar is a Volvo owned company that is just starting to establish its brand,  The Polestar Precept will be unveiled at the upcoming 2020 Geneva Auto Show.  The 4-door grand tourer concept contains eye tracking technology, a highly advanced digital interface and a uniquely sustainable interior. Environmentally Correct The all electric vehicle has interior panels and seat backs made of a flax based natural fiber. The fiber results in a 50% reduction in weight and an 80% reduction in plastic waste.  The car seats are made from 3D knitted recycled plastic bottles.  The carpets are made from recycled fishing nets. Digital Interface There's a 15 inch touchscreen in the center of the cabin.  And, there's a 12.5 inch display in front of the driver. Smart sensors monitor the driver's eyes a