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Weeks after officially unveiling its all-electric Countryman in Germany, MINI has brought the EV overseas for its North American debut. In correlation with Climate Week in New York City, MINI has debuted the new Countryman alongside parent company BMW Group ahead of initial US deliveries set for next year.

The MINI Countryman is a subcompact SUV that currently sits as the automaker’s largest model, although it’s easily the smallest SUV in its respective segment. Initially debuting in 2010, the Countryman has seen a facelift as well as a second-generation refresh in 2017.

Until recently, the subcompact SUV was only offered as in gasoline and diesel models, despite MINI vowing to become an entirely electric brand with new EV models like the Cooper SE and the upcoming Aceman.

However, the BMW sub-brand took a major step toward an all-electric lineup, with the 2024 Countryman Electric debuting on September 1, 2023, at IAA Mobility in Germany. Advertised as being longer and higher than any other MINI before it, the third-generation Countryman now comes all-electric and will be available in the US next year.

Before then, however, MINI brought its new subcompact SUV across the pond to showcase it during Climate Week NYC. Check it out.

MINI’s new Countryman Electric makes its way to the US

Following the world premiere to kick off the month, MINI is providing an encore with the US debut of the Countryman Electric at Newlab in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The event featured panels led by URBAN-X – a platform created by MINI in 2016 that partners with startups to develop technology solutions that help enable a more sustainable planet.

MINI describes the third-generation Countryman as an “evolution” of its largest vehicle and a clear step toward its goal of becoming an all-electric brand by the end of the decade. As we learned at IAA Mobility, the 2024 Countryman Electric is now 4,433 mm long, 1,843 mm wide, and 1,656 mm high and features a wheelbase that has been increased to 2,692 mm.

When it arrives, the all-electric subcompact SUV will come available in two trims:

  • MINI Countryman E
    • Output: 150 kW/204 hp
    • Torque: 250 Nm
    • Range: 462 km (287 miles) (provisional estimate)
    • 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph): 8.6 seconds
    • Top speed: 170 km/h (106 mph)
  • MINI Countryman SE ALL4
    • Output: 230 kW/313 hp
    • Torque: 494 Nm
    • Range: 433 km (269 miles) (provisional estimate)
    • 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph): 5.6 seconds
    • Top speed: 180 km/h (111 mph)

There’s no word yet on pricing in any market, let alone in the US, but BMW Group did share that the 2024 Countryman Electric will be the first MINI built in Germany, a distance from EV production being set up in the UK, where the aforementioned Cooper SE and Aceman will be manufactured.

We are sure to learn more later next year as the new Countryman is expected to reach US consumers in the fall of 2024.

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Volvo’s new ES90 electric sedan is ‘one of the most technically advanced cars’ on the market

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Volvo's new ES90 electric sedan is 'one of the most technically advanced cars' on the market

Volvo’s flagship electric sedan is almost here. With its debut just weeks away, Volvo previewed the new ES90, boasting it’s “one of the most technically advanced cars on the market today.” Packed with two high-tech NVIDIA computers, it will also be the most advanced Volvo car yet.

Volvo teases new ES90 EV ahead of its debut

The ES90 is Volvo’s first vehicle to feature dual NVIDIA Drive AGX Orin computers, making it the company’s most powerful in terms of computing capacity.

NVIDIA’s new in-vehicle computer platform delivers around 508 trillion operations per second (TOPS). To give you a better idea, the most powerful PlayStation (PlayStation 5 Pro) has 16.7 trillion, or around 3% of the computing power. It’s even an eightfold improvement from Volvo’s previous models.

Combined with Volvo’s Superset tech stack, the electric sedan is a “truly software-defined car,” making it more efficient and safe than ever.

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Anders Bell, Volvo’s chief engineer, claimed, “The Volvo ES90 is one of the most technically advanced cars on the market today. It will also improve with regular OTA updates that are now standard on all Volvo models based on the Superset.

The new EV is loaded with an array of sensors, including a lidar, five radars, eight cameras, and twelve ultrasonic sensors, for advanced safety and driver assistance functions.

Volvo’s safety system, called “Safe Space Technology,” is designed to detect and avoid other vehicles, bystanders, and objects, even in the dark.

Volvo ES90 teaser (source: Volvo Cars)

The ES90 is Volvo’s second EV, following the three-row EX90 SUV, built on the Superset tech stack. Volvo also plans to upgrade the EX90 with dual NVIDIA Drive AGX Orin computers as it improves the lineup. Existing EX90 customers will get an upgrade free of charge.

In the preview, you can see that the ES90’s profile resembles that of its hybrid S90 sedan. The teaser hints at a more modern design, with elements pulled from the EX90, including upright tail lights.

Volvo will unveil the ES90 on March 5, 2025. You can watch the live-stream event here. Check back for the full details.

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Tesla to finally launch Supercharger wait queue after fight broke out

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Tesla to finally launch Supercharger wait queue after fight broke out

Tesla announced that it would finally launch wait queues at Superchargers, a feature long requested by Tesla owners after a fight broke out at a station between owners arguing about who is next to charge.

For years, Tesla owners have been asking the automaker to implement a system to queue at Supercharger stations when they are full.

It doesn’t happen often — in fact, we now learn that it happens about 1% of the time — but when it does, it can be problematic.

When a Supercharger station is full, and more Tesla drivers arrive, they generally try to form a physical queue at the station. However, the parking lot can sometimes be limited, leading to issues with people cutting ahead.

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We reported that this would become a bigger problem after Elon Musk fired Tesla’s entire charging team last year. This slowed down Tesla’s Supercharger deployment, which was already expanding at a lower rate than Tesla’s fleet.

A simple solution would be for Tesla to include a system to queue through the Tesla app or in-car system for people as they arrive at the station.

This week, Tesla finally announced that it is going to pilot a virtual queue at some sites next quarter:

Virtual queuing pilots starting in Q2 at select sites. Goal is a net customer experience improvement for the ~1% cases of a wait time. Wider rollout this year if feedback is positive. We also continue to expand the network 20%+ year-over-year, closely tracking site-level demand.

What did it take for Tesla to move forward with that finally? A fight.

The above message from Tesla’s charging team about launching a queue system was in response to this video of a fight between Tesla owners at a full Supercharger station that has been going viral:

While this is the first time I have seen a video of such a fight at a Tesla Supercharger, there have been many reports of such incidents over the last few years.

It’s good to hear that Tesla is finally addressing the issue. Now, the question is: will this virtual queuing system also work with non-Tesla vehicles, which Tesla is onboarding on Tesla’s Supercharger network – contributing to the crowding issue.

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Kia unveils first look at its new PV5: This is the electric van we’ve been waiting for

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Kia unveils first look at its new PV5: This is the electric van we've been waiting for

Kia just pulled the covers off its new electric van, the PV5, giving us our first look at the futuristic model. The mid-size model is the first in Kia’s upcoming lineup of purpose-built electric vans that’s expected to shake up the growing market. From the first look, the PV5 will rival the Volkswagen ID.Buzz and Ford E-Transit. Check it out below.

Here’s our first look at the Kia PV5 electric van

We first saw the PV5 concept at CES last January after Kia introduced its “game-changing” Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) platform.

The PV5 was showcased alongside the larger PV7 and smaller PV1 models. Unlike Ford’s E-Transit, Kia’s electric van rides on a dedicated EV (PBV) platform. The flexible modular architecture will underpin the entire lineup as part of Kia’s plans to secure a leadership role in the electric van market.

After teasing the production model last week, Kia unveiled the exterior design for the first time on Thursday. The PV5 will be available in several configurations, including Passenger and Cargo models.

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Kia said it will introduce another model during its upcoming EV Day on February 24. As you can see, Kia went all out with this one.

Like its newest EV models, the PV5 features a bold, almost futuristic-like design. In Kia’s words, the electric van’s “contemporary design transcends traditional light commercial vehicles.”

Kia-PV5-first-look
Kia PV5 Passenger electric van (Source: Kia)

Massive windows that span the entire Passenger model add to the modern look, but also make it easier to see when driving.

Added black geometric wheel arch claddings and rocker panels give the PV5 a slightly rugged, off-road feel, “confidently linking the high-tech upper cabin with the more rugged and purposeful lower body.”

Kia-PV5-electric-van-first-look
Kia PV5 Cargo (Source: Kia)

Although the Cargo model has a similar design, the boxy profile enables more interior space for delivery and other business uses (and don’t forget the camp lifers). Kia also included twin side-opening tailgate doors, making it easier to load and unload.

Kia will reveal additional info, including powertrain specs, seating setups, and more, during its EV Day next week. The event will be held in Tarragona, Spain, on February 24. Official details will be released on February 27. Check back next week for more on the Kia PV5.

Kia-PV5-electric-van-first-look
Kia PV5 Cargo electric van (Source: Kia)

At the event, Kia will also introduce the EV4 electric sedan and hatchback models alongside a smaller, more affordable EV2 concept.

With its official debut coming up, the PV5 was spotted testing in the US this week (check them out here). Images and a video sent to Electrek by Alex Nguyen reveal a Volkswagen ID.Buzz-like design.

Kia’s PV5 Cargo Compact concept, the most basic model, is 177.2″ long, 74.8″ wide, and 74.8″ tall. However, that’s the “Compact” model. The regular Passenger and Cargo variants will be bigger. To give you a comparison, the US-spec ID.Buzz (LWB) is 195.4″ long, 78.1″ wide, and 76.2″ tall, while Ford’s E-Transit is 237.6″ long, 81.3″ wide, and 83.9″ tall.

What do you think of Kia’s mid-size electric van? Do you like the look better than the ID.Buzz or E-Transit? Let us know in the comments below.

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