EV Canada Newsletter: Lyriq Tour, Project Arrow, Polestar 3, + more.

Weekly Recap Issue #36 - Tuesday, October 18th, 2022

(1 day late!)Thanks for checking out the newsletter this week. I had the opportunity to check out the Cadillac Lyriq while its on it’s Signature Tour. Here’s a walkaround video - edited slightly as I talked too much! First time doing this type of thing so please let me know if you have any suggestions/comments.

Opinion:

The Cadillac Lyriq: I’ve had this EV reserved since about February 2022. Haven’t heard much about potential delivery dates but to be honest, I am not sure if this is the EV for me. The Lyriq is next level luxury. The details and technology in this vehicle is astonishing and priced at just over $67K, the price is decent when you compare it to the currently available used 2018 Tesla Model 3 LR - a nearly 5 year old vehicle for $65K.

Why isn’t the Lyriq for me? Well I have young kids and a brand new puppy who would absolutely destroy the inside of the Lyriq in a matter of hours so there’s that, but also I am very used to AWD drive vehicles and currently only the RWD is available. The AWD version (coming in 2023) also comes with a towing package where the RWD version does not. I feel like the Lyriq is perfect for the nearly retired couple looking for an EV that gets them from point A to point B in style and with the latest technology in hand.

I haven’t had the opportunity to drive this amazing machine but when I do, I will make sure to share the experience with you all.

Canada

Project Arrow Preview on Wednesday October 19th 2022.

Canada's Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association has been developing an electric vehicle called Project Arrow and it will be previewed during the association's annual conference on October 19th. The development of Project Arrow was conceived to demonstrate the capabilities of Canada's automotive suppliers and comes complete with an advanced autonomous driving system. Over 400 Canadian suppliers have expressed interest in the project.

Speaking with Auto News, Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association president Flavio Volpe noted that the vehicle may not be fully unveiled on October 19 and that currently, it is little more than a chassis and a body. However, APMA is eager to show the progress it has made on the project.

“We think there’s a lot of interest in seeing its progress,” Volpe said. “And, we can also demonstrate it is what we said it was. It’s not a clay model or science experiment. It really is put together without shortcuts. It will be in an advanced stage of assembly. It won’t be a walk around. We’re going to be a bit guarded. You’re going to get to see it from a respectful distance.”

The Canadian government is investing $3.9 million in the project. It features an advanced 3D-printed polymer chassis and the engineering phase of the project is due to wrap up in December 2022 with a public showcase in January 2023 at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

“The vehicle is not meant for production. So, unlike an OEM program launch, we’re not trying to hide it,” Volpe added. “We remain on budget and on schedule, but we’re also not naive. We have contingencies on contingencies. But I’m confident we’re going to get there. We’ve had a confident anxiety for two years now.”

The Polestar 3 has been revealed.

The Polestar 3 has officially been revealed as the company’s first all-electric SUV. The SUV has some impressive specs with an exterior to match. The Polestar 3 has a good mix of futuristic, modern and sporty aesthetics. The Polestar 3 has a front aerodynamic element that intakes air through the width of the grille and then flows over the hood and roof of the vehicle, where the airflow meets the rear spoiler.

Polestar 3

The base version of the Polestar 3 will have a dual-motor all-wheel drive system which will product 489hp (360 kW) and 620 lb-ft (840Nm) of torque which allows the vehicle to achieve a 0-100km/h time of 4.9 seconds. The base configuration has an estimated range of 482 km. The base version costs $114,885 CAD according to the online configurator.

The Performance Pack enhances the dual-motors to produce 517hp (380 kW) and 671 lb-ft (910 Nm) of torque for a 0-100km/h time of 4.6s. The Performance pack version will have a reduced range of 434 km and will cost $122,935 CAD.

Both trims will have a 111kWh batter pack with 107kWh of usable capacity. The battery pack will be made up of 203 prismatic cells from CATL, all grouped in 17 modules with a peak voltage of 400 volts. Using a DC fast charger will allow users to go from 10% to 80% charge in 30 minutes.

Polestar 3
Polestar 3

The Polestar 3 will be manufactured in two locations: Polestar factory in Chengdu, China and Volvo’s South Carolina plant starting in mid-2024. Production will first begin in Chengdu mid-2023 and first deliveries are expected to begin in the final months of 2023.

EV Around the World 🌏

Audi EVs of the future could clean the air while driving and charging.

Audi has begun work on a pilot project for an innovative air filtration system that would allow EVs to clean the air. EVs are already considered greener in terms of emissions in comparison to internal combustion engines. With that said, vehicles generate other pollutants that come from areas other than their exhaust such as brake dust and tires from friction with the road.

Audi filter

That is why Audi has started a pilot project to develop a new particulate filter for EVs that would collect pollutants from the EVs surrounding environment. The filter would be installed on the front of the vehicle where minimal modifications would be required.

Currently, the filtration system has two modes for when the vehicle is in motion and when the vehicle is stationary. While the vehicle is moving the filter passively filters the air as air flows through the filter and small particles are captured. While the vehicle is stationary and charging, the a fan will pull ambient air through the filter.

The project will be run until the end of 2024 where results and data collected will be reviewed. Currently, tests of the new filter are being performed on E-tron test vehicles. Current results of the project show that all E-tron test vehicles were able to completely filter out its own particles.

Sony and Honda join forces to sell electric vehicles in the US starting in 2026.

Earlier this year, Sony and Honda announced that they would be collaborating on a new venture, named Sony Honda Mobility. The partnership was created to unite Honda's automotive manufacturing expertise and Sony's software, sensors and entertainment strength and next level technology. Together, the companies will focus on manufacturing EVs to take on Tesla and BYD in the global market.

Sony Honda Mobility has selected the US as their first market, then vehicles will be made available to Japan. Pre-orders for their vehicle offerings will be open in 2025.

“The first delivery [of vehicles] is expected to be in North America in the spring of 2026. In Japan, delivery is planned to begin in the second half of 2026,” says Yasuhide Mizuno, chairman of Honda Mobility.

Manufacturing of Sony Honda Mobility EVs will start at Honda's facilities in the US. Honda currently has 12 manufacturing facilities in the US. No details have been made available and it has been reported that the first few iterations of the company's EVs will not be produced for mass sales.

Sony executive Izumi Kawanishi has indicated that the development of their EVs will have a focus “on the value of mobile space, not only as a physical means of transportation, but also as an entertainment and emotional space.” Therefore, we could expect in-vehicle software and entertainment systems to be a key selling feature.

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