Hi guys and welcome to another jam-packed edition of the electric car news roundup! As always, there’s lots happening in the world of EVs, so let’s get straight into it.
Kicking things off, this week Alfa Romeo unveiled the new 33 Stradale at a swanky event. This retro-inspired sports car takes cues from the iconic 1960s original, with signature design touches like upward-opening doors. Now here’s the crazy part – Alfa is producing just 33 units, and they’ve already all been sold, despite the $1 million+ price tag. Even wilder, the 33 will be available in both gas and electric versions. Yes, some madlad actually paid seven figures for an electric homage to a 60s Alfa. I guess when you’re that rich you can throw money around willy-nilly. Chapeau, eccentric millionaire, chapeau.
Shifting gears (see what I did there?), Hyundai has officially started production of the new Kona Electric facelift, dubbed the Kona IV. In the first year, Hyundai is aiming for 120,000 units, increasing to 50,000 annually after that. Seems a fairly low target to me – surely the demand is there for more Konas? Initial specs look promising though, with two battery options (48 or 65 kWh) delivering ranges of 377-514km WLTP. Bring on the long-range version I say!
In other news, Chinese tech giant Xiaomi has been granted a license to start manufacturing cars. We’ve seen concepts of the Xiaomi car before, but now it’s full steam ahead. No word yet on when we’ll actually see a production model hit the streets. But the company is clearly serious about getting into the EV game. Considering Xiaomi’s expertise with tech and gadgets, I’m excited to see what they cook up. Hopefully something affordable to really shake up the market.
Meanwhile in the UK, Fiat has revealed the new 500 Gelateria edition. As the name suggests, this quirky variant ditches the rear seats for built-in freezers holding up to 300 ice creams! The windows are topped with soft serve whip dispensers, and there’s even scoops attached to the doors for easy serving. It’s a Deliveroo driver’s dream! No word on flavors yet sadly. Mint choc chip would seal the deal for me.
In other Fiat news, check out this latest render of the Panda as an EV. Showing a 50 kWh battery pack, around 350km range and a 100hp motor, it’s slated to cost a reasonable €25-27,000. Affordable, practical and zero emissions? This could be the electric city car we’ve been waiting for. Make it happen Fiat!
Jumping back over the pond, Ford continues cooking up clever charging tech. They’ve just patented a trailer that can transfer charge to the vehicle towing it. So you could top up your EV’s battery while hauling stuff around – genius! C’mon Ford, get this bad boy to market ASAP.
Meanwhile, Mercedes has unveiled the new 2024 EQC facelift. Sporting some styling tweaks like the new light signature, it also likely gets the amazing Hyperscreen interior option. A refresh was overdue, so nice to see Mercedes bringing the EQC up to date.
If massive luxury SUVs are more your thing, Volvo has teased the all-electric EX90 launching later this year. Tipping the scales at 3 tonnes, the rapid version reportedly does 0-100km/h in around 5 seconds, despite the bulk. Up to 822km of range is also promised. Safe to say the EX90 will be an absolute beast of an EV.
And wrapping up this week’s news, GMC has revealed the interesting new Hummer Earth Cruiser. It’s a mini motorhome built into a Hummer EV chassis, with a 6kWh battery for off-grid camping. The solar panels on the roof can charge both the Earth Cruiser’s and Hummer’s batteries. So you can adventure way out into the wilderness for up to 7 days! It’s the ultimate electric overlanding machine.
Well amigos, that’s a wrap for this week’s roundup. Let me know your thoughts on the stories, and stay tuned for more EV action soon! Don’t forget to check out my new Tesla Model 3 Iceland review if you haven’t already. That curvy rear end blew my mind. All right, ciao for now!
