{also piping hot}
The new iX electric vehicle is built on a new BMW platform intended to underpin other future EVs. PHOTO: BMW
BMW iX is the first in a new line of EVs: he automaker is adding an electric vehicle to join the similarly powered i3 hatchback. The iX, which launches for 2022, is about the same size as the X5 utility vehicle but is built on a dedicated platform designed for a line of electric vehicles. BMW has not released the expected battery range (or pricing), but it states the iX’s two electric motors will collectively produce about 500 horsepower and propel the vehicle to 60 mph from rest in about 4.5 seconds. Using a commercial fastcharge station (found at dealerships), the water-cooled battery pack can be recharged to 80 percent capacity from 10 percent in less than 40 minutes.
Electric commercial vans make good sense because they can provide remote power for tools without carrying a supplemental generator. PHOTO: FORD
Ford enters the electric-van business... for businesses: The automaker is introducing a line of eight electric commercial vehicles under the E-Transit banner. The new models, arriving for the 2022 model year, will be available in three different lengths and heights. Both chassis cab and cutaway cab versions will allow buyers to attach custom enclosures behind the front seats. Ford claims E-Transit’s 67-kilowatt-hour battery will provide up to 126 miles of range. It feeds an electric motor rated at 266 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, which drives the rear wheels. Recharging is expected to take 10 minutes for each 30 miles of range using a commercial-grade fast-charge outlet. Base E-Transit pricing is estimated at $45,000.
• Mazda’s future powerplant plans revealed: The automaker recently took the wraps off its new gasoline and turbo-diesel lineup that will arrive over the next few years (an electric system is also in the works for 2022). An inline six-cylinder engine will be part of the next-generation Mazda6 midsize sedan, which will also become a rear-wheel-drive platform. The Sleuth is also hearing that Mazda is planning some premium models of the 6, which makes sense since Mazda has no upscale division (like Honda has Acura). A new turbocharged four-cylinder engine combined with a 48-volt electric motorgenerator is also in the works. It will also use Mazda’s Skyactiv-X compressionignition technology that functions somewhat like a diesel engine. A new turbo-diesel was also announced, but it’s unclear if it will be installed in Mazdas destined for North America.
The Sleuth hears that the upcoming Subaru WRX and STI sedans will be heavily influenced by the 2017 VIZIV concept. Expect horsepower to top 400.
PHOTO: SUBARU
• BThe WRX and STI will get some concept-car influence: set for release in mid- to late-2021 as 2022 models. Both the WRX and hotter STI will be fitted with turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines. In the WRX, that means 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque (currently 268/258). In the STI, expect at least 400 horsepower and 361 pound-feet (currently 310/290). There’s also speculation that both vehicles will be styled after the 2017 VIZIV Performance Concept. As in previous years, the WRX is expected to come with a continuously variable transmission, while a six-speed manual gearbox will be the STI’s sole offering. Prices are expected to begin at $35,000 for the WRX and $45,000 for the STI.
The Meyers Manx brand has been sold: The dune-buggy company founded by 94-year-old Bruce Meyers in 1964 has been purchased by the head of an investment firm that plans to launch new Manx models, including electrics, as well as more traditional versions using traditional Volkswagen Beetle engines.
Saudi Arabia is on the F1 calendar for 2021: The desert kingdom becomes the 33rd country to play host to a Formula One race next year. The street-course event, one of 23 scheduled F1 races, will be staged in the city of Jeddah in November 2021. Saudi Arabia’s state-owned Aramco Oil Company will be the official sponsor.