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Donald Trump wins a second presidential term, and BMW’s CEO Oliver Zipse came out with some quick remarks – amid what is likely panic among European automakers – that BMW will be fine because of its “very, very large footprint in the US.” Meanwhile, BMW’s profit margins hit a four-year low.  

European automakers are now assessing the Trump victory and what that may mean for their businesses, as shares plummet today due to fears over escalating trade disputes. It’s no secret Trump’s stance on electric vehicles – despite bringing Elon Musk into the fold – and foreign goods, and his second term will likely see an unraveling of Biden’s investments in green energy, a rolling back on EV mandates and other policies aimed at cutting CO2 emissions alongside stricter tariffs on foreign-made vehicles, and a total abandonment of US involvement in the Paris Climate Accords. Of course, the news this morning hit hard for some automakers in Europe, adding to a mountain of problems amid low sales in key markets, both at home in Europe and in China.  

But Zipse says BMW can likely breathe a sigh of relief since the company has even “more of an advantage” despite what will be higher tariffs due to having a huge footprint in the US, Reuters reported.

The remarks came this morning central Europe time after Trump proclaimed he had taken the win, with Zipse presenting BMW’s third-quarter results. “In this respect, we shouldn’t be too nervous about what might happen,” Zipse said.

BMW has the group’s largest factory in Spartanburg, South Carolina, in addition to 30 locations around the country in 12 states, the report said.

BMW’s third-quarter profit fell 61% to 1.7 billion euros ($1.82 billion) due to lagging sales in China, the US, and Europe, Reuters reported. Bloomberg also reported that “BMW AG’s main measure of profitability fell to the lowest in more than four years in the third quarter,” the fallout from the massive recall of 1.5 million vehicles due to a faulty braking system supplied by Contential and weak demand in the Chinese market. Still, despite these hardships, BMW has said that it increased its sales of fully electric vehicles by +19,1% in the first nine months of this year, with a total of 294,054  BEVs delivered. BMW added that sales of BEVs rose by +22.6% to 266,151 vehicles, with the Mini brand seeing its fully-electric vehicle sales grow by +54.3% in the third quarter.

We’ll likely hear some response from other automakers on Trump’s win soon. “We’re expecting that it will be difficult for car makers and exporters this morning,” Nicolas Forest, chief investment officer at Candriam, told Reuters. “Trump could implement tariffs through executive orders, so for German carmakers or French luxury groups, everything Europe exports, it’s a risk.”

The election news is extremely fresh, but Trump has suggested a 10% or more tariffs on goods imported into the US, while giving him the option to set higher tariffs on certain countries that have put tariffs on US imports. He has suggested imposing as high as 200% tariffs on some imported cars, and wants to keep cars from Mexico out of the country. China’s BYD, for one, has paused its plan to build a factory in Mexico, which would be a key production site for access into the US, until after the election. BMW plans to start building its next-gen BEVs dubbed the “Neue Klasse” in Mexico in 2027.

Trump of course has China in his crosshairs and plans to phase out Chinese imports during his second term, while also prohibiting Chinese companies from owning US real estate and infrastructure in the energy and tech sectors.

Photo: BMW  


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Mercedes unveils new entry-level CLA EV design details and it’s looking sleek [Video]

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Mercedes unveils new entry-level CLA EV design details and it's looking sleek [Video]

Mercedes-Benz says its upcoming entry-level CLA will set the bar for EV range, charging speed, and efficiency with advanced new tech. Ahead of its arrival, Mercedes is giving us a closer look at the sporty electric car.

“With the CLA, we are ushering in a new era at Mercedes-Benz,” CEO Ola Källenius said after driving the new EV at its Immendingen site for the first time.

The new model will be the first of a new family of vehicles, kicking off “a new chapter for the entry-level segment at Mercedes-Benz.” Mercedes said the new electric CLA “is designed to set new standards in range, efficiency and charging speed.”

Based on Mercedes’ next-gen MMA platform, the CLA integrates tech from its ultra-efficient Vision EQXX concept and brings it into mass production.

Mercedes said it developed a new electric drive unit in-house to ensure high performance and efficiency.

Källenius showed off the “secret” CLA EV during the event, revealing new features and details, including the new headlight design.

Mercedes previews new entry-level CLA EV

With the headlights being the first thing you see at night, Källenius said the design had to be perfect. One of the coolest design details is the Mercedes star logo integrated into the headlights. Although it looks pretty, Källenius said the design is also about safety and not blinding others on the street.

After hopping into the new EV, you can hear Källenius talk to the vehicle, and Mercedes’ virtual assistant responds. It’s “like you have a butler in your car,” Mercedes CEO explained.

Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius takes a first drive in the new CLA EV (Source: Mercedes-Benz)

The new entry-level model will be loaded with Mercedes’ latest software and connectivity tech. It will be the first to be equipped with the new MB.OS, or “the brain” behind its next-gen vehicles, as Mercedes calls it.

During the test drive, the new model shows off its sporty design and dynamic driving as it rips around the test track. “This is not even the AMG version,” Källenius said.

Mercedes-entry-level-CLA-EV
Mercedes-Benz entry-level CLA EV (Source: Mercedes-Benz)

With a two-speed transmission, “we can perfectly calibrate at every speed that you are driving how the electric motor works” to maximize efficiency, Källenius explained.

Mercedes leader said the CLA EV will have “incredibly fast” charging. With a new high-powered charging system, “charging almost becomes like fueling.”

Mercedes will officially unveil the new entry-level CLA EV next year, with deliveries expected in 2026. The new model will rival Tesla’s Model 3 and BMW i4, with expected prices around $50,000. It will also be available in a hybrid version.

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Tesla Model S Plaid becomes world’s quickest police patrol car

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Tesla Model S Plaid becomes world's quickest police patrol car

Unplugged Performance has unveiled its UP.FIT Tesla Model S Plaid police patrol car at Sema – becoming the world’s quickest police patrol car.

The Tesla tuner, through its UP.FIT division, has unveiled several new police vehicles based on Tesla vehicles, but this one is the first to be based on Tesla’s top performance vehicle: Model S Plaid.

This groundbreaking vehicle is designed to meet the high-performance demands of first responders, showcasing the future of electric police vehicles – albeit being a bit of an overkill with a 0-60 mph acceleration in 2 seconds.

Built on the Tesla Model S Plaid platform, the UP.FIT Plaid Pursuit brings a host of modifications and advanced technologies aimed at enhancing high-speed pursuits and traffic patrol operations. The vehicle will be delivered to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Motorsports community outreach program, underscoring a pivotal shift towards electric vehicles in public service roles.

The UP.FIT Plaid Pursuit model incorporates a proprietary electrical wiring harness designed specifically for UP.FIT Tesla vehicles, allowing for the integration of custom forward- and rear-facing warning lights into the front and rear glass.

According to UP.FIT, this enhances visibility compared to traditional rooftop light bars. Additionally, side skirt lighting and a push-bumper equipped with further warning lights and integrated high- and low-frequency emergency sirens ensure that this vehicle is fully compliant with Title 13 regulations in California.

To complement its exterior modifications, the UP.FIT Plaid Pursuit features performance upgrades from Unplugged Performance, including enhanced braking components and UP Forged lightweight wheels. These enhancements not only boost durability but also provide superior handling in pursuit scenarios. UP leveraged its experience building performance kits for performance-oriented Tesla owners.

This electric patrol car is not only duty-ready but also represents a zero-emission alternative to conventional patrol vehicles. With rapid acceleration and an impressive range of 345 miles, the UP.FIT Plaid Pursuit offers law enforcement agencies a powerful and sustainable option for their operations.

Ben Schaffer, CEO of Unplugged Performance, commented

“The UP.FIT Plaid Pursuit embodies everything we value in electric police vehicles. From outstanding acceleration and range to reduced maintenance and fuel costs, this platform equips law enforcement with the latest tools to enhance their mission while saving taxpayers’ money and promoting a cleaner future.”

The UP.FIT Plaid Pursuit will be displayed at the SEMA FutureTech Studio this week.

Electrek’s Take

This looks incredible. However, I think the Model S Plaid is a bit of an overkill. The Model S Long Range is $15,000 cheaper and the difference is an extra second 0-60 mph and 130 mph top speed rather than 200 mph.

A 3-sec 0-60 mph will smoke most cars, and while the top speed could technically be useful in high-speed pursuits, many police departments abandon pursuits when they reach high speeds because it is deemed too dangerous.

I’m not saying there are never any pursuits above 130 mph, but it is fairly rare.

UP’s Model Y police patrol vehicle is also an cheaper option that reduces the total cost of ownership when accounting for gas savings.

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XPeng 2024 Tech Day: AI chips, L4 autonomy, eVTOLs, humanoid robots, and… range extenders?

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XPeng 2024 Tech Day: AI chips, L4 autonomy, eVTOLs, humanoid robots, and... range extenders?

XPeng Motors celebrated its annual Tech Day event in China earlier today, which was renamed “AI Day” for good reason. The topic of artificial intelligence dominated the Chinese mobility company’s incoming technologies, which were abundant. We got updates on a new in-house AI computing chip, a new Xpeng platform to support Level 4 autonomous robotaxis, flying cars, and eVTOLs, a new humanoid robot called “Iron,” complete with an existential launch video, and a surprising adoption of combustion-powered extenders that deliver up to 970 miles of additional range.

Today marked XPeng Motor’s sixth consecutive Tech Day event – something we look forward to each fall as it is sure to be filled with exciting updates and debuts from a mobility company that continues to expand and dabble in a little bit of everything, not just passenger EVs.

Last year, we saw the debut of XPeng’s X9 MPV, a humanoid robot called the PX5, and plenty of AI-centric software upgrades. Since then, we’ve seen the X9 officially launch in China along with a rollout of OTA updates to XPeng’s operating systems, including its XNGP ADAS.

This past April, during the Beijing Auto Show, XPeng gave the public a preview of some of the technologies explained further during today’s Tech Day event. That included AI-centric chips, Level 4 autonomous robotaxis plans, and a new neural network called “XNet.” We also saw some fresh updates, including a new humanoid robot, an eVTOL, and a new gas range extender that could deliver some of the farthest-driving vehicles in the world. Let’s dig in.

  • XPeng Tech Day
  • XPeng Tech Day
  • XPeng Tech Day

XPeng shares flying car update during Tech Day 2024

There’s a lot to unfold here, but we’ll start with a mainstay in XPeng news, flying cars through its air mobility entity, AeroHT. Today’s talks were led by the “Land Aircraft Carrier” – an eVTOL/vehicle combo that debuted last year.

As we previously reported, the revolutionary land and air vehicle is slotted for scaled production in 2026, and AeroHT recently broke ground on the facility in China that will build them. There is not much of an update here. Still, XPeng founder and chairman He Xiaopeng reiterated that the Land Air Carrier will showcase its first public flight demonstration later this month before pre-orders open in December.

In September, AeroHT founder and president Zhao Deli said the modular eVTOL/van combo would be priced at no more than RMB 2 million ($279,200).

In addition to its modular Land Air Carrier and eventual plans for a bonafide flying BEV with propellers on its roof, Xiaopeng shared that AeroHT is also developing a dedicated full tilt-rotor eVTOL featuring six seats and hybrid power. The aerial vessel will have a maximum range of 500+ km (311 miles) and reach a top speed of 360 km/h (224 mph).

These flying cars and eVTOLs will be powered by a new AI “Turing” chip developed in-house by XPeng.

XPeng Tech Day
Source: XPeng Motors/AeroHT

In-house AI chips and a new platform

XPeng renamed its Tech Day event “AI Day” this year for a reason. Artificial intelligence was at the forefront of most of He Xiaopeng’s conversations on stage, and the debut of the mobility company’s new Turing chip was also a part of the event.

The company showcased a new Turing AI Intelligent Driving System, powered by XPeng’s proprietary Turing AI chip, described as “a world-first chip designed for AI vehicles, robots, and flying cars.” The new chip features a 40-core processor and supports models with up to 30 billion parameters, delivering the power of three high-performance chips in one.

Xiaopeng explained that the Turin chip has already completed over 2,700 functional verifications in a mere 40 days and has achieved three times the industry standard for development efficiency during that time.

  • XPeng Tech Day

In addition to powering XPeng’s flying cars and humanoid robots (more on that below), Xiaopeng used the 2024 Tech Day event to unveil a new Canghai Platform that will enable full Level 4 autonomous driving. XPeng has already been promising fully autonomous robotaxis by 2025, and we now have a better idea of the technology that will support that, again, centered around its new Turing AI chip.

The company explained that the new platform would act as the previously teased neural network for XPeng’s new line of AI-centric vehicles, supporting driving (with or without a human in the driver’s seat) with enhanced safety features, 33x bandwidth, and 12x faster camera image processing, thus creating “a foundation for full-scenario AI-enabled driving experiences.”

The “Hawkeye” pure vision ADAS system can see the world around it at 720 degrees without blind spots. Per XPeng during Tech Day:

XPeng’s Turing AI system marks a pivotal step toward L4 autonomy, with continual model updates from cloud-based models, ensuring a highly responsive, ever-evolving smart driving experience.

In addition to autonomous robotaxis, XPeng’s Turing AI chip will power a new humanoid robot called “Iron” which made its official debut at Tech Day.

XPeng introduces a new humanoid robot called “Iron”

One of the stars of today’s event was Iron, a serious upgrade to the robots XPeng has debuted at Tech Days in the past. With today’s debut, XPeng becomes the latest tech company developing and implementing impressive robot technology that could one day take over full assembly of its vehicles.

Per XPeng, the Turing AI chip enables the Iron bots to think and remember like humans (spooky) and also enables its hands and feet to move autonomously. The robot’s hands also use a 1:1 human hand size, with 15 degrees of freedom.

The debut included an interesting video in which Iron steps into a room and admires famous sculptures like Rodin’s “The Thinker” and “Discobolus” by Myron. Iron even copies the Discobolus pose, as seen in XPeng’s video below:

XPeng’s Tech Day event includes a new gas range extender

Perhaps the biggest surprise from XPeng’s 2024 Tech Day was the news that it is shifting its business strategy from all-BEV to include some combustion with a new gas-powered range extender.

On the stage in Guangzhou earlier today, He Xiaopeng unveiled XPeng’s Kunpeng Super Electric System. Xiaopeng says this next-generation solution “brings together XPeng’s advancements in latest AI-defined mobility innovations to deliver an unparalleled charging and range experience.”

XPeng Tech Day

The system consists of an 800V platform powered by XPeng’s battery technology, which supports 5C fast charging and can charge from 10% to 80% in 12 minutes. New to the party is a hybrid silicon carbide coaxial electric drive, which, according to XPeng, will offer industry-leading efficiency and reliability. The range extender is also extra quiet, outputting noise levels as low as 1 dB.

The automaker has also once again integrated AI into the power optimization system, which enables a seamless transition between pure electric and range-extended driving modes. As you can see from the Tech Day image above, XPeng’s new system offers 430 km (267 miles) of all-electric range and a combined range of over 1,400 km (870 miles).

That’s a lot to take in, but it’s all for now. Check back with Electrek soon as we await the official launch of XPeng’s next BEV model, the P7+. In the meantime, you can watch the full 2024 Tech Day presentation on XPeng’s Weibo page.

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