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Audi apprentices put an electric spin on an iconic classic car. The team “awoke” an NSU Prinz 4 from 1971 from its sleep, charging it up with technology from the Audi e-tron EV.

In honor of the 150th anniversary of its Neckarsulm site, Audi put its apprentices to the task of restoring a classic car with an all-electric drive train.

The Audi Neckarsulm site has produced several of the brand’s top-selling models and began building its first fully electric model, the Audi e-tron GT quattro, at the end of 2020. Over the years, Audi has transformed the site for the electric era with upgrades, including AI and 3D printing, to enhance efficiency and high-voltage battery production.

To commemorate the anniversary, “We wanted to build a car that was not only fast and looked cool,” explained Dean Scheuffler, an apprentice at the site. The NSU Prinz 4 was the perfect match, as it’s been off the road for decades.

The team revealed the NSU Prinz 4 EV, now called the Audi “EP4,” at Audi family day this week. The “E” stands for electric drive, while the P4 is in honor of the NSU Prinz 4, a classic car produced in Neckarsulm by NSU Motorenwerke from 1961 to 1963.

Meet the NSU Prinz 4 EV, or Audi EP4

Trainees from the mechatronics, bodywork, vehicle construction mechanics, and painting courses unveiled the restored electric car. As the body and paint specialists worked on the chassis and exterior of the vehicle, the mechanics tackled the powertrain, battery, and suspension.

Audi-NSU-Prinz-4-EV
Audi NSU Prinz EV (Source: Audi)

Fitted with a 240 hp (176 kW) electric motor from a 2020 Audi e-tron at the rear, the EV is eight times more powerful than the NSU Prinz 4’s original two-cylinder gas engine that had 30 hp.

In addition, the team placed a battery from the Audi Q7 TFSI e-quattro plug-in hybrid under the front hood, once home to the fuel tank. The EV “breathes” through an open-air intake at the bottom bumper, while heat can escape through the opening in the hood.

The electric classic car’s tailgate can be fixed into a half-open position to highlight the “electric power plan,” reminiscent of the iconic racing cars based on the NSU Prinz 1000.

The NSU Prinz 4 EV conversion took significant modifications to the chassis and body. Its modified floor plan includes an Audi A1 as a base, including the brakes and axles. Adding muscular fenders from a 3D printer, the team mounted the modified (and significantly widened) body on top.

Audi-NSU-Prinz-4-EV
Audi NSU Prinz EV (Source: Audi)

Apprentice auto painter Cynthia Huster explained, “The eye travels with you! We wanted the EP4’s performance to be visible from every angle.”

The inside has been stripped down to the bare essentials, with all other surfaces painted black, common among racing cars. A single-board computer and screen feature the instruments and displays.

Audi says NSU vehicles made history and continue inspiring car enthusiasts to this day. The automaker claimed, “With its charm and electric drivetrain, the EP4 stirs anticipation for the coming all-electric chapters in the continuing story of Audi’s Neckarsulm site.”

The project gave the apprentices a chance to learn more about how electric cars work and the development process while allowing them to showcase their talent.

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Meet Cadillac’s new $80,000 Lyriq-V, the quickest Caddie (EV or gas-powered) so far

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Meet Cadillac's new ,000 Lyriq-V, the quickest Caddie (EV or gas-powered) so far

With 615 horsepower, the Cadillac Lyriq-V is the quickest Caddie to date. Cadillac’s first V-Series EV will outsprint a CT5-V Blackwing, and it can be yours for under $80,000.

The 2026 Lyriq-V EV is the fastest Cadillac ever

We knew it was coming soon. Cadillac teased the Lyriq-V for the first time in late October, giving a sneak peek at its first electric V-Series vehicle.

Cadillac’s performance brand is known for iconic sports cars like the CT5-V Blackwing, but the new EV pushes the “V-Series sub-brand to new heights,” boasted John Roth, vice president of Global Cadillac.

As the first EV to wear the V-Series badge, Cadillac promised the Lyriq-V would be powerful, but we didn’t know it would be this fast.

Cadillac officially introduced the 2026 Lyriq-V on Thursday, revealing additional specs, prices, and more. With an estimated 615 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque and a standard dual motor AWD powertrain, the EV is expected to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds, making it the quickest Cadillac to date.

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2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V (Source: GM)

At that speed, it would outrun the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing with a 0 to 60 mph sprint time in 3.4 seconds. Although the CT-5 packs slightly more horsepower (668 hp), the Lyriq-V’s EV powertrain unlocks more powerful, instant acceleration.

The added power is enabled by an added Velocity Max feature, which “unleashes the vehicle’s full performance capability” with a surge of power and acceleration.

Cadillac-Lyriq-V-EV
2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V (Source: GM)

Interior and exterior design, prices, and features

The V-Series model differs from the traditional Lyriq with a lower center of gravity and custom front and rear bumpers. It also features V-Series badging on the rear doors and tailgate, V-pattern mesh on the lower grille, and 22″ wheels with the logo etched into the side.

Inside, the performance EV borrows features from the Lyriq, such as a panoramic fixed glass roof, a 23-speaker AKG sound system, and a massive 33″ LED display screen.

Cadillac distinguishes the V-Series from the traditional Lyriq by adding the V-Series logo, a V-mode button, and a sports rim with hand grips. Other unique features include a custom infotainment experience with a “V-Series persona,” a signature V-Series illuminated sill plate and V-pattern detailing on the seatbacks.

A 102 kWh battery pack is expected to provide a range of up to 285 miles. The 2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V starts at $79,990, including the destination fee.

Cadillac-Lyriq-V-EV
2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V (Source: GM)

In comparison, the Tesla Model Y Performance starts at $51,490 and has an EPA-estimated range of up to 277 miles. It also includes AWD and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds.

Cadillac’s new performance EV will be sold in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Other markets will be announced closer to launch. GM will begin producing the new Lyriq-V at its Spring Hill, TN, manufacturing plant in early 2025.

What do you think of the Cadillac’s new performance EV? Would you buy one for $80,000? Or are you sticking with the Model Y Performance? Drop us a comment below to let us know.

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Trump says he will approve power plants for AI through emergency declaration

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Trump says he will approve power plants for AI through emergency declaration

U.S. President Donald Trump makes a virtual address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. 

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

President Donald Trump said Thursday he will approve the construction of power plants for artificial intelligence through an emergency declaration.

“We’re going to build electric generating facilities. I’m going to get the approval under emergency declaration. I can get the approvals done myself without having to go through years of waiting,” Trump said in a virtual address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

“They can fuel it with anything they want, and they may have coal as a backup,” he said of the plants.

The president declared a national energy emergency on Monday, directing federal agencies to use whatever emergency authorities they have at their disposal to expedite energy infrastructure projects.

Power demand from artificial intelligence data centers is forecast to surge in the coming years. The tech companies building the centers that support AI have primarily focused on procuring renewable energy to meet their climate goals, though they have shown a growing interest in nuclear power to meet their growing energy needs.

While the tech sector has focused on carbon-free power to meet their climate goals, analysts believe natural gas will play a pivotal role in powering AI because it’s in plentiful supply, is more reliable than renewables and can be deployed much faster than nuclear.

Trump said he wants power plants to connect directly to data centers rather than supplying electricity through the grid.

“You don’t have to hook into the grid, which is old and could be taken out,” Trump said. This setup, called co-location, has faced opposition from some utilities who are worried about losing fees and have warned taking power off the grid could lead to supply shortages.

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Tesla announces giant price hikes to all electric cars in Canada

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Tesla announces giant price hikes to all electric cars in Canada

Tesla has announced some important price hikes across its entire lineup in Canada amid incentives going away and a struggling Canadian dollar.

The Canadian EV market is already having problems amid announcements that the federal incentive program will be eliminated. The same thing is happening to Quebec’s own program, which was the most generous in the country—making the province the leader in EV adoption in Canada.

Now, Tesla, which sells more EVs than anyone in Canada, announced that it is increasing prices on all its lineup.

Here are the price increases for each Tesla model:

  • Model 3:
    • Long Range RWD: $4,000
    • Long Range AWD: $8,000
    • Performance: $9,000
  • Model Y: $4,000
  • Model S: $4,000
  • Model X: $4,000

Buyers can still get $1,300 CAD off of new Model Y, Model S, or Model X purchases with a referral code.

Tesla never comments on price changes and therefore, we don’t know the official reasons for these specific price increases, but we can make some educated guesses.

First off, the Canadian dollar has crashed in comparison to USD over the last few months:

Furthermore, the timing of announcing that the price increases will take place on February 1st has led some to link this to the upcoming tariff wars that President Trump signaled against Canada.

The US President said that he plans to impose 25% tariffs on any goods coming from Canada, and Canada said that it would retaliate.

Electrek’s Take

Obviously, this is not good for the EV market in Canada.

The removal of incentives is already hurting the market, and now the base price of the most popular EVs in the country, Tesla vehicles, is also going up before incentives.

This will be a bad year for EVs in Canada.

Hopefully, things will settle down and we will get more clarity once the tariff war actually starts.

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