Car innovations 2023, part two: What the auto industry is planning

Inhaltsverzeichnis

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More China, fewer conventional cars - that is roughly the direction in which the new releases of 2023 are moving. However, the share of electric cars is still at a vanishingly low level, even though the rates at which they are contesting market share with conventionally powered cars are rising considerably. In terms of subsidies, hybrid models with charging plugs have fallen by the wayside, at least when it comes to purchasing, but politicians have not dared to tackle the market-relevant lever of taxing company cars. Battery-electric cars continue to be promoted, with the German government aiming to put at least 15 million battery-electric cars on Germany's roads by 2030. So far, there are around one million electric cars.

The model range is unbalanced due to supply bottlenecks and tends towards "expensive". The fashion with bulky cars is much older and this trend seems unbroken. Nevertheless, inexpensive entry-level models or small electric cars are not in the program, or only to a very limited extent. The shift to the used car market is bringing sellers unimagined revenues. Although the upcoming models will not yet provide a remedy on a broad front, "ever bigger - ever more expensive" will not be sustainable in the long term. The automotive industry will have to come up with something. All this has already become apparent in the first part of this section. The second part of the outlook for 2023 starts here.

BYD

BYD's new top model is called Seal and is expected to compete with the Tesla Model 3 in Europe from mid-2023 - first in Germany and Sweden. As an entry-level model with rear-wheel drive, the Seal has 150 kW and is said to be capable of up to 550 kilometers with a 61.4-kWh battery pack; with all-wheel drive (160 kW at the front, 230 at the rear), it has a total output of 390 kW and a stated range of around 650 kilometers with an 82.5 kWh storage unit. The values are taken from measurements in the Chinese driving cycle, which measures longer ranges than the WLTP. A long-range variant has a 230 kW rear-wheel drive and the large battery. The maximum charging power is limited to up to 150 kW.

Thanks to cell-to-body ("CTB") technology, the battery as part of the body is expected to improve handling, driving dynamics and comfort with higher torsional stiffness, and the crash structure is also expected to benefit. The battery cells are combined into so-called blades, which should facilitate temperature control. The lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cell chemistry avoids the use of cobalt.

Fiat

Fiat is one of the brands currently selling a comparatively large number of electric cars. Fiat sold 29,635 units of the 500e in Germany last year, despite truly ambitious prices. To give you a rough idea, that's more than Opel and Peugeot sold of the Corsa-e and e-208 combined. But success is on narrow soles, because Fiat currently only has the one electric car in its lineup. That is set to change in 2023, although not much is known yet other than the fact that it will likely be marketed as the Fiat 600e. A possible date for the presentation could be the third quarter.

Porsche

Porsche will launch a new Panamera in 2023. Despite the long model cycles, we can again expect only a gentle change in design and even more powerful engines. Mild hybrids will become standard, so to speak, and plug-in hybrids will remain in the lineup, as will the station wagon, which will also be marketed here as a Shooting Brake. It is not yet known when the new Panamera will actually be in dealerships, but it is not expected before the end of the year.

It will probably take a similarly long time for the electric Macan to make its debut. Porsche promised that it would be at the top of its segment in terms of driving dynamics. At its peak, that should translate to at least 500 kW. As in the Taycan, the voltage level will be 800 volts, which promises rapid charging times. Nothing is revealed yet about the energy content of the battery, but here, too, we expect Porsche to offer at least 100 kWh. After all, the E-Macan will be in a price segment where it is no longer necessary to fight for every kilowatt hour.

Renault

The Renault Clio has been on the market since 2019 - time for a makeover. It will change the small car, especially at the front. It is uncertain whether Renault will take the big - and expensive - step of converting the Clio's infotainment system to Android Automotive. This would make it the leader in its class. On the other hand, it is fairly certain that the hybrid drive with multimode transmission and 103 kW system output will remain in the Clio's lineup.

Citroën

Stellantis will have to revise the Citroën C3 small car for 2023 anyway. It will keep its tried-and-tested 1.2-liter three-cylinder, but lose the diesel engine. Visually, the ë-C3 is to be inspired by the "Oli" study, which probably sounds more exciting than it is.

On the technical basis "e-CMP", the C3 will also be built in a variant as an electric car ë-C3. The Opel Corsa-e and Peugeot e-208 models from the same group have so far used the technical platform with 100 kW output and around 360 kilometer range thanks to a 50 kWh battery. An upgrade brought a minimally enlarged battery with the same charging power and slightly increased engine output. The ë-C3 is likely to compete from the outset with 115 kW and a 51-kWh battery. It is not yet known whether the ë-C3 will go on sale in 2023.

Wey

Wey is one of the few Chinese brands that still offers a model with an internal combustion engine at launch in Europe. In the Coffee 01, the latter is only offered as part of a plug-in hybrid, with Wey pushing the limits of what is otherwise usual. The driver can draw on up to 350 kW, which a combustion engine and two e-motors produce together at peak power. The manufacturer promises five seconds in the standard sprint. Unusual for a plug-in hybrid is the nearly 40 kWh battery, which can also be charged with direct current. In the WLTP, an e-range of 146 km should be possible. The large SUV is expected to cost around 56,000 euros, including extensive standard equipment - a fair price.

The Coffee 02, which is about the same size as the VW Tiguan, is expected to be significantly cheaper. It will also be a plug-in hybrid, but not quite as powerful. The battery will also be less large, although a promised e-range of 126 km indicates that this PHEV will also have above-average storage. Launch is scheduled for the first half of the year, and the price will be under 40,000 euros.

Nio

With the EC7, Nio presents a luxury SUV with the dimensions and aspirations of an Audi Q8 e-tron, BMW iX and Mercedes EQE SUV. Two e-motors bring an output of 480 kW, and the range is said to be around 509 kilometers. With 75 kWh (391 km range), it costs 74,850 euros plus 169 euros battery rental per month, otherwise 86,850 euros. With 100 kWh (509 km range), it costs 74,850 euros plus 289 euros rent or 95,850 euros if purchased outright.

Ora Cat

The Ora Cat was presented about one and a half years ago, but deliveries will not start until this year. At that time, a base model was announced for around 30,000 euros. The rounding up was unusually lavish, because the 4.24 m long Ora Cat will not be available for less than 38,990 euros. The base model offers 48 kWh in the battery, the top version 63. The DC charging power of a maximum of 67 kW is meager - Ora will have to improve in this respect if they want to be a long-term contender in this class.

Dacia

Dacia will also offer its Jogger family station wagon with hybrid drive and a system output of around 103 kW from March 2023. According to Dacia, WLTP consumption will be 4.9 to 4.8 l/100 km. The range is thus increased to over 900 kilometers in combined WLTP. The powertrain with a clutchless, automated four-speed transmission and an electric motor as the starting element comes - like the combustion engines - from Renault, where it is called "E-Tech" and was launched in the Renault Clio at the end of 2020.

Thanks to recuperation (with its own mode for predominantly single-pedal driving), energy can also be stored back in the 1.2 kWh battery during braking. The Jogger Hybrid 140, which will be available at dealers from March 2023 at a price starting at €23,800 excluding delivery, can already be ordered. Dacia provides a warranty of eight years or 160,000 kilometers on the battery of the Jogger Hybrid 140.

The electric car Spring is to get a second motorization; instead of 33, up to 48 kW will be available there. For some, a slightly larger battery might have been more important, but nothing changes in this respect.

Fisker

The U.S.- Austrian e-SUV Fisker Ocean is also to be sold in Europe in 2023, where it will cost between 41,600 and 70,000 euros. As drive options, a version with all-wheel drive and 405 kW will be available from fall 2023, the rear-wheel drive version offers 202 kW, the ranges are 440 and a maximum of 630 km according to WLTP depending on the version and equipment, an optional solar roof is supposed to contribute additional kilometers. You shouldn't expect too much from it, but in the best case it's enough for a small increase in range or stationary air conditioning.

Honda

The Honda Civic Type R gets a revision of its snappy VTEC turbo four-cylinder engine with the model change, which now produces 242 kW, or about 14 kW more. It retains its rear wing and is expected to cost from 55,500 euros. The fine-tuning of the powertrain and chassis should translate into better performance than the power increase suggests.

Land Rover

Land Rover is expanding its Defender range with a third body variant, the 130. At 5.36 meters, it is 34 centimeters longer than the 110 and thus offers up to eight seats. However, since the wheelbase does not grow with it but remains the same as that of the 110, the space gained is mainly for the benefit of luggage. With three rows of seats, 389 liters of trunk volume remain. The P400 runs on a three-liter gasoline mild hybrid with 294 kW, the six-cylinder diesel as the D250 offers 183 kW or as the D300 221 kW. The V8 gasoline engine and the entry-level diesel (D200) are not offered.

Die "130" und die kleineren Zahlen bezogen sich in der vorangegangenen Defender-Baureihe auf den Radstand in Zoll, damit begeht der moderne 130er regelrechten Etikettenschwindel. Trotzdem kostet er mindestens 87.300 Euro. Land Rover versteht sich als Premiummarke und dokumentiert dies durchweg mit einer ambitionierten Preisgestaltung. Die Zielgruppe zieht bislang mit.

Rolls Royce

"The electric car is silent and clean. There is no smell or vibration. They should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be established," said Sir Charles Stewart Rolls, co-founder of Rolls-Royce, as early as 1900. In fall 2023, the first battery-electric Rolls Royce to arrive will be the Spectre, with prices expected to start at around 400,000 euros.

With more than 100 kWh, the electric range of the colossus weighing just under three tons is expected to be 520 kilometers. The standard consumption of the drive system consisting of two electric motors with a combined output of over 430 kW and 900 Nm of torque is 21.5 kWh per 100 kilometers according to WLTP. The Rolls Royce Spectre accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in just under 4.5 seconds, with the electronic governor at 250 km/h. The car's power consumption is also reduced.

(mfz)