Good morning and welcome to our weekly digest of automotive news from around the globe, starting with…
President Biden has signed an executive order that will see the U.S. government’s federal fleet of more than 645,000 vehicles transition to zero-emission vehicles by 2035, with light vehicles switching sooner. After the switch, the federal government’s fleet will be the largest zero-emission vehicle fleet in the country. The current ICE fleet accounts for 7 billion pounds of greenhouses gasses and 400 million gallons of fuel. The White House stated that the transition is already in motion, with several light police vehicles already swapped for EVs. The Department of Homeland Security, meanwhile, will begin field-testing the Ford Mustang Mach-E for use in law enforcement early next year. That department requires 30,000 vehicles.
Mercedes is now officially the first company to be granted approval for Level 3 autonomous driving. There’s a catch, though: it’s only available in Germany. However, it remains on the horizon for countries like the U.S. and China. What does this mean? Well, unlike the prevailing level 2 systems in existence (including the confusingly-named FSD Beta from Tesla), the system in the S-Class can actually let the driver do something else, like watch Netflix for example.
Pictures posted on Chinese social media seem to show what could be the next-generation MINI Hatch completely undisguised in its production-ready form. The pictures that were shared by numerous online users including Wilcoblok and journalist Greg Kable were reportedly taken in a facility in China. They reveal the design of the new MINI from every angle, including the interior.
Audi has announced that it will axe the RS version of the Audi TT in the States after 2022, and will offer a special ‘Heritage Edition’ Model limited to just 50 examples. The Heritage Edition will come in five colors (10 examples of each) and will give buyers an array of interior options previously unavailable to the U.S. market. The limited TT RS will still have the same 2.5-liter turbocharge engine but with an increased top speed of 174 mph (280 km/h), up from 155 mph (250 km/h).
For those of you hoping that the Concept XM’s styling would be confined to a single model, we have disparaging news: BMW M boss Frank van Meel told Driving that some of the Concept XM’s design features will be used by other BMW models, including its illuminated kidney grilles. Is it just ahead of its time, or just plain ugly? Well, what say you?
The magic 200 mph (320 km/h) mark may mostly be for bragging rights, but it does signal a car’s capabilities straight off the bat. That’s why, when the Tesla Model S Plaid’s top speed of 200 mph was announced, it turned a few heads. However, Car and Driver think it needs more than just a software update to hit such high velocities. In addition to concerns over the braking capabilities of the car, the Model S’ high-speed handling was also heavily criticized.
Chrysler’s product lineup has been pretty uneventful lately, with nothing more than the 300 and Pacifica. Stellantis has confirmed that there will be no new model for 2022 or 2023, but their latest EV crossover that was introduced in July is rumored to drop in 2024. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said that the Chrysler EV Concept was more than “just a concept” and the official preview of the architecture suggests that the crossover will have a range of 440 miles (708 km) thanks to a battery capacity between 87-104 kWh.
After multiple sneak peeks by spy photographers, Chinese authorities have unveiled the upcoming BMW i3. The electric sedan is apparently based on the 3-Series Long Wheelbase and will inherit an electric motor capable of producing 335 hp, the same as the i4 eDrive40. The i3 will also be equipped with an 89.3 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, giving the vehicle an estimated range of around 300 miles (483 km). An official unveiling date is yet to be announced, although a surprise appearance at the Beijing Auto Show in April could be a possibility.
What Else Is Making The News
CEO Fires 900 Employees During A Zoom Call
The Better CEO who fired 900 people over a Zoom call is taking time off https://t.co/oxq0k68dcw pic.twitter.com/15bUHc4ALu
— The Verge (@verge) December 10, 2021
“If you’re on this call, you are part of the unlucky group being laid off. Your employment here is terminated effective immediately.” Not the words you would want to hear going into the holiday season, and yet 900 employees (9 percent of the company’s workforce) of Better.com were dismissed by a three-minute Zoom call. The company’s CEO, Vishal Garg, who made the announcement during that Zoom call, has since announced he’s taking time away from the company, while multiple managers have quit since the incident.
A scary multicar accident was caught on video in California late last month. A total of six vehicles were involved but thankfully, most of the drivers appeared to have escaped unharmed as only two people were taken to the hospital.
Keyword: Federal Fleets Go EV, New Mini Leaked, And Merc Beats Tesla: Your Weekly Brief