Mercedes tech may enable EV batteries with mixed cell types

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November 24, 2024

Mercedes tech may enable EV batteries with mixed cell types

Mercedes-Benz has its eyes on solid-state batteries with its partnership with Factorial for battery cells, but the automaker’s already thinking one step beyond that.

In the future, Mercedes envisions mixed battery packs with different types of cells all wired in parallel rather than today’s series arrangement. The enabling factor to this is a new micro-converter the automaker’s developing in-house to replace today’s electrical inverter systems.

In Germany, Mercedes engineers showed working prototypes to Green Car Reports of the programmable micro-converters. The converters are about the length of a stick of gum and twice the width. They looked light and were encased in black plastic, but engineers were sure to keep us from touching the (presumably expensive) prototypes.

Mercedes-Benz micro-converters

The micro-converters can be connected directly to any number of cell pairs. This enables engineers to program and control individual cell pairings independently regardless of the state-of-charge. Engineers demonstrated this on a workbench, putting the mixed test cells under load and then independently turning on and off certain cell pairings.

Engineers said the new micro-converters open the possibility to mix-and-match cell types, chemistries, and more for various situations. The converters could enable a pack to have LFP cells, NMC cells, and solid-state cells all together, and they could call upon different types of cells for different conditions and situations to work in their optimal operating windows. That could open a new door for performance vehicles for the automaker’s AMG division.

Mercedes-Benz micro-converters

The new approach could translate to faster charging rates, longer driving range, and more flexibility in pack design, according to Mercedes’ engineers.

Mercedes-Benz paid for travel and lodging for Green Car Reports to bring you this information.

Source link by Green Car Reports
Author news@greencarreports.com (Joel Feder)

#Mercedes #tech #enable #batteries #mixed #cell #types

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Kempower, Proviridis partner on novel electric semi truck charging solution

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November 24, 2024

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Kempower, Proviridis partner on novel electric semi truck charging solution

Proviridis develops underground electric truck charging solution

French infrastructure specialists Proviridis have partnered with EVSE manufacturer Kempower to deliver a novel, underground charging solution for electric semi trucks designed to easily integrate into existing truck depots.

By installing its high-powered charging cabinets underground and integrating the charging cables into a solid metal pipe, Kempower and Proviridis have been able to make room for high-powered charging points in an existing truck depot that didn’t have enough space to install either conventional EVSE or overhead “drop lines.”

For the pilot, the metal pipe is painted in a striking yellow color to make it easier to see while maneuvering the lot, and keeping the dispensers themselves more protected than conventional concrete bollards. The 600 kW power cabinet is positioned a few yards away – a typical space-saving Kempower solution – and connected to the charge points by underground cable.

Proviridis believes their solution provides enough of a competitive advantage that fleet buyers looking to electrify will be eager to give it a try.

“The product is durable across a wide spectrum of temperatures and conditions, requires minimal ventilation, and can cater for a wide range of customer needs,” explains Olivier Verdu, Technical Director at Proviridis. “These are features which perfectly place the Kempower solution for this type of charging configuration in a logistics environment.”

Electrek’s Take

While traditional charging equipment can cause up to 20% of an existing truck depot’s parking capacity to be lost, the Kempower products have already gained recognition for the efficient size footprint of its overground Satellites. If this underground version proves to be even better, you can expect to see a lot more Kempower installations near you.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Kempower.

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Source link by Electrek
Author Jo Borrás

#Kempower #Proviridis #partner #electric #semi #truck #charging #solution

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News: 2026 Genesis GV70

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November 23, 2024

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The Next Generation GV70 Keeps a Split Personality

North American automotive journalists were invited to Culver City, California, for the reveal of the 2026 Genesis GV70 gasoline and all-electric models that will be on-sale in mid-2025. This is what we know so far. Clean Fleet Report will write detailed reviews of the GV70 when we get behind the wheel early in 2025.

The exterior redesign is subtle, but adds further refinement to these Genesis premium compact SUVs. Both get a redesigned G-Matrix Crest Grille with multi-lens headlamps retaining the two-line design and featuring a micro-lens array. Other design changes up front are to the skid plate and air intake grilles, out back the tail lights have been redesigned to match the front two-line design. The 19-inch and 21-inch wheel designs are also new for 2026.

The interior features an all-new 27-invh OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display for the instrument cluster and an optional Bang & Olufsen sound system that comes with 16 speakers. The new adjustable interior lighting, tri-zone heating and air conditioning system, digital key and optional Nappa leather complete the new passenger experience.

Electrified GV70

Convenient and helpful changes for the Electrified GV70 (which is an all-electric model) center on charging. The charge port door (still on the left front of the grille) now has an electric motor so it can be opened and closed more easily. Genesis added a heating element to aid charging port access in the cold and new lighting for the charging port location to help at night or in darker environments like parking garages.

The Electrified GV70 comes exclusively with a North American Charging Standard (NACS)

charge port and a Combined Charging System (CCS) adapter. This combination and flexibility opens a nationwide network of more than 36,000 NACS and CCS DC fast chargers.

Lastly, the Electrified GV70 is equipped with a larger 84kWh battery that will offer more range, providing customers with greater flexibility. Here’s the summary:

Dual electric motors driving all four wheels
Horsepower: 429 total; 483 in Boost Mode
Torque: 516 pound feet
All-electric mile range: TBA
Charging: Maximum of 10% to 80% in 18 minutes
North American Charging System (NACS) standard

GV70 Gasoline

The gas version has two powertrain options.

2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder

Horsepower: 300
Torque: 311 pound-feet
Fuel Economy: 22 mpg city/28 highway/24 combined

3.5-liter turbocharged 6-cylinder

Horsepower: 375
Torque: 391 pound-feet
Fuel Economy: 18 mpg city/24 highway/20 combined

Pricing

Pricing has not been announced. For reference, the 2025 base price for the GV70 gasoline is $45,700, and for the Electrified GV70 it’s $66,950. All prices are before the destination and delivery fee.

Observations: 2026 Genesis GV70

John Krsteski, senior chief designer for Genesis Design California, told us: “The importance of the GV70 to Genesis is we know our consumers are pretty divided, as there are many that still prefer an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) but there are also people that have and need to move into EVs. We don’t have a hard line, so the GV70 offers them to choose what they want.”

Clean Fleet Report is not a stranger to the Genesis Electrified GV70 having reviewed it in 2023 and 2024, both times coming away from it thinking this is one of our favorite all-electric premium SUVs. We anticipate the redesigned GV70 gasoline and electric iterations will continue to be among the best SUVs roaming the highways.

Make sure to opt-in to the Clean Fleet Report newsletter (top right of page) to be notified of all new stories and vehicle reviews.

Story by John Faulkner. Photos by John Faulkner and Genesis.

The post News: 2026 Genesis GV70 first appeared on Clean Fleet Report.

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Author John Faulkner

#News #Genesis #GV70

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Ben Maclean adds second CAT D6XE electric drive dozer to his fleet

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November 23, 2024

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Ben Maclean adds second CAT D6XE electric drive dozer to his fleet

A Surrey land reclamation company has bought its second Cat D6 XE dozer just months after its first.

Ben Maclean is the 24-year-old owner of a land reclamation business called Down to Earth Developments that specializes in transforming unusable or degraded land into more productive plots that can be put to residential or agricultural use – and Ben is using these hybrid machines to make reclamation an even more sustainable enterprise.

Maclean is bucking the trend of young people avoiding construction and agriculture and making a name for himself throughout the UK. Soon after becoming the youngest customer to order one of Caterpillar’s first D6XE electric dozers earlier this year. Ben was so impressed with the big electric drive CAT that he ordered another one.

It’s just arrived – and Ben seems pretty excited about it.

“It’s not just the electric drive using less fuel, but the all-round technology package you get with CAT machines that saves costs in quite a few ways,” explains Maclean. “We also have two CAT 323 hydraulic excavators and their grade assist and payload technology help us get the job done that little bit quicker.”

The electric drive CAT machines operate much the same way that range-extended EVs (or “EREVs“) do. Onboard batteries send power to electric motors while an ICE generator works to keep them topped off. The arrangement delivers superior power, torque, and control compared to diesel drive, with a 35% improvement in fuel efficiency and, according to CAT, 20% fewer harmful carbon emissions compared to the conventional 3 speed D6T Tier 4 Final.

“Sustainability is quite literally what they do,” says Ryan Trafford, manager at CAT’s UK distributor, Finning. “Customers like Ben are the first generation to have grown up understanding the importance of making responsible decisions, with sustainability being at the heart of that.”

Here’s hoping more young people bring their sustainable priorities to the various trades as they come up.

CAT D6XE electric drive dozer

SOURCE | IMAGES: Down to Earth Developments.

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Source link by Electrek
Author Jo Borrás

#Ben #Maclean #adds #CAT #D6XE #electric #drive #dozer #fleet

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Mercedes developing solar paint for EVs

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November 23, 2024

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Mercedes-Benz is developing a solar coating for EVs
In ideal conditions it could provide many miles of additional EV range per day
Mercedes wouldn’t say how the solar paint would be applied to a car

Mercedes-Benz is trying to come up with any and all new ways to increase efficiency, which it believes is the new currency as it enters the EV era.

In Germany, the automaker showed Green Car Reports working prototypes of a new solar coating, which the automaker views as solar paint that could cover future EVs.

Mercedes-Benz solar paint coating vs. a solar cell

Some EVs, hybrids, and even gas-powered cars have featured various arrangements of solar cells. These are usually mounted on the roof and are wired in a series array actuated by a single central control unit. The solar cells aren’t flexible and can shatter under stress.

Mercedes is developing a solar paint that could cover the entire body in solar-active material. Mercedes said the coating is thin at only 5 micrometers thick and weighs 50 grams per square meter, and that it can be applied to any material. It can also be applied to any surface, from wheels to curved fenders and hood creases.

The solar paint can be any color, but darker colors are better because they absorb more light whereas lighter colors like white and silver are more reflective. Mercedes engineers said the solar paint has an efficiency of 20%, which matches today’s solar cells used on vehicles.

The energy recovered by the solar paint can be transferred to the vehicle’s high-voltage battery pack. The paint is active at all times, whether the vehicle is on or off, and always provides energy to the battery.

The average customer in Los Angeles drives 29 miles per day, the brand says. But according to its engineers, an EV with the solar paint could produce up to 34 miles worth of energy per day.

Mercedes noted the paint is a paste-like substance, but the automaker wouldn’t say how it would be applied—only confirming it wouldn’t be painted on.

Mercedes-Benz paid for travel and lodging for Green Car Reports to bring you this information.

Source link by Green Car Reports
Author news@greencarreports.com (Joel Feder)

#Mercedes #developing #solar #paint #EVs

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Mercedes Wants EV Battery Packs With Both NMC And LFP Cells

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November 23, 2024

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Mercedes Wants EV Battery Packs With Both NMC And LFP Cells

Mercedes is experimenting with multiple-chemistry battery packs that have more than one type of cell.
A new type of micro-converter and hooking up the battery cells in parallel not in series makes this possible.
This innovation will improve battery pack performance, modularity and space efficiency.

While the details surrounding the impressively efficient new electric CLA were the most important news we obtained while in Stuttgart last week, Mercedes-Benz also gave us a glimpse at what it’s cooking up for the future. Among the many innovations we were shown at the event called Mercedes Future Experience was a new type of power converter that allows for much more control over a battery pack than ever before.

Its programmable micro-converter can be wirelessly controlled and embedded into the battery pack and controlled wirelessly. This allows for control on an individual cell pair, allowing for much finer adjustment of the charge that goes into each one. For this system to work, the cells need to be connected in parallel, not in series, which unlocks new possibilities.

For instance, a vehicle with this system could balance the charge in its cells far better than today’s EVs. It could detect and isolate damaged cells without affecting the entire battery pack, and it would also allow for a much more accurate battery health check, which would easily be able to pinpoint problem cells and check their individual parameters.

This new type of micro-converter can also keep the total battery pack voltage constant regardless of the state of charge. It typically varies with the state of charge.

Mercedes explains that “research results show it is possible to provide a constant HV output of 800 volts, regardless of the state of charge and the state of health of the individual cells. The output voltage of this vehicle battery is no longer dependent on the number of cells connected in series. The number is determined purely by the desired performance and capacity class.”

If this makes it into production, it would also allow for much more modular battery packs than what we have in today’s EVs, resulting in more efficient use of space. It could help automakers cut costs by applying increased standardization and modularization when applied on a large scale.

During a round table talk with Mercedes’ Chief Technology Officer Markus Schäfer, we asked about the possibility of using multiple chemistries within the same battery pack, specifically both LFP and NMC cells. Schäfer told us “Yes, this is exactly the idea, to mix and match,” and he confirmed that the possibility of an LFP and NMC pack is in the cards. He did not say when we could see such a pack in a production car given that this innovation is still in the very early stages of testing.

LFP (short for lithium iron phosphate) batteries can better take regular fast charging all the way to 100%, exhibiting less degradation than NMC (nickel manganese cobalt) batteries. They also have better thermal stability and are more affordable. However, NMC batteries can store more current and are preferred for large-capacity battery packs that power long-range EVs. Having both in the same battery pack would have multiple advantages, taking advantage of both their strengths.

Source link by Battery Tech – News and Trends | InsideEVs

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#Mercedes #Battery #Packs #NMC #LFP #Cells

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How simulation and model-based approaches enhance the design, safety and efficiency of batteries

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November 23, 2024

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How simulation and model-based approaches enhance the design, safety and efficiency of batteries

At the backbone of EV performance, battery technologies have earned the spotlight when it comes to accelerating the industry toward increased adoption of profitability. Faced with pressure to achieve range, safety and cost targets, engineers must address the challenges of battery modeling, manufacturing and vehicle integration while accounting for both mechanical performance and thermo-electrical effects.

By leveraging integrated, multidisciplinary engineering simulation, the optimal combination of safety, energy density, and battery life can be achieved through virtual product development of battery and battery management systems (BMS). Through simulation, engineers can collaborate, innovate and optimize processes to improve power density, charge/discharge cycling and operational life while meeting design requirements, industry standards, and safety regulations.

Learn how you can improve your battery development with expert insights on design, BMS, thermal management, and more in our e-book “Leveraging Electric Mobility: Battery and BMS”.

Source link by Charged EVs

Author Charged EVs

#simulation #modelbased #approaches #enhance #design #safety #efficiency #batteries

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Electric Chrysler Pacifica minivan plays with flexible interior

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November 22, 2024

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Electric Chrysler Pacifica minivan plays with flexible interior

The Chrysler Pacifica lineup will gain an electric variant
Electric Chrysler Pacifica interior will feature flexible interior packaging
Pacifica will be refreshed in 2026 with the electric variant to follow

Chrysler’s inching closer to an electric minivan, and now we know what it will be called.

On Thursday at the 2024 LA Auto Show, Chrysler CEO Christine Feuell confirmed to Green Car Reports that the upcoming electric Chrysler minivan will bear the Pacifica name.

“There’s so much equity in the market, consumers have a favorable opinion about Pacifica and very high awareness. I see no reason at this point to change the name,” Feuell said.

In 2022 at the New York Auto Show, Feuell told GCR the automaker was rethinking the minivan for the electric era. That future is coming quickly.

Chrysler Portal concept, 2017 Consumer Electronics Show

In 2026 the Pacifica will receive a refresh, according to Feuell. The updated design will set the stage for the electric Pacifica that will follow, likely a year later.

Chrysler will not use the design direction set by the Airflow electric SUV concept. Feuell said the brand’s design identity will take design cues from the Halcyon concept shown in February. “Modern” and “futuristic” were the design terms Feuell used for Chrysler’s design direction.

Feuell wouldn’t commit to whether the Pacifica Hybrid with its plug-in hybrid powertrain will coexist alongside the electric Pacifica. The executive also wouldn’t comment on whether an electric Pacifica with a range extender, like the Ram Charger EREV pickup truck, would make sense.

Chrysler Portal concept, 2017 Consumer Electronics Show

Electric Chrysler Pacifica getting flexible seating

Feuell was quick to note that with the VW ID.Buzz–the first electric minivan to hit the U.S. market–you have to remove the seats entirely to create an open space.

The Chrysler team’s been working up creative ways to reimagine the automaker’s patented Stow ‘N Go seating system with a BEV powertrain. Feuell noted one option is pushing the front seats forward to create a clever cargo space under the front seats to store the second row. The executive also mentioned looking at the outboard seating positions in the second row and perhaps putting them on rails to slide sideways.

No final interior configuration for the reconfigurable seating has been locked in yet, according to Feuell. But the planning stages are advanced enough that suppliers are now involved in the discussion to understand what’s possible.

Feuell said the team’s looking at the use cases and how customers will want to use the space. From lounging while waiting for their kid’s soccer practice is done to camping or having a picnic or tailgating, it’s all on the table. There’s also a focus on how to load and unload cargo along with ingress, egress, and cargo liftover height.

Source link by Green Car Reports
Author news@greencarreports.com (Joel Feder)

#Electric #Chrysler #Pacifica #minivan #plays #flexible #interior

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No, BYD is not taking over NIO as fake rumors claim

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November 22, 2024

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No, BYD is not taking over NIO as fake rumors claim

A rumor spreading like wildfire on social media claims BYD will be taking over NIO (NYSE: NIO) as the EV giant gobbles up market share in China. The rumor was posted by a suspected BYD employee, but NIO is denying the claim.

BYD acquiring NIO would be a massive move as China’s leading EV maker continues to dominate the market. But that’s not going to happen.

According to CnEVPost, NIO’s assistant vice president for branding and communications, Ma Lin, denied the rumors that BYD is taking over the company on Friday.

Ma posted a screenshot on social media asking BYD’s general manager of branding and PR, Li Yunfei if the person who posted the fake rumor was an employee.

Earlier today, the suspected employee claimed BYD and NIO were setting up a joint venture. In a Weibo post, the suspect said BYD would have majority control of the partnership with a 51% share while NIO would get the remaining 49% ownership.

Ma told Li that if it was, in fact, a BYD employee, he needed to issue an official clarification and apologize. If not, they can get the police involved together. Li also denied the rumors, saying the claim was seriously untrue.

BYD-taking-over-NIO — NIO Onvo L60 electric SUV at the 2024 Guangzhou International Auto Show (Source: NIO Onvo)

NIO denies rumors that BYD is taking over the company

This is not the first time rumors surfaced that BYD will be taking over NIO, but because it is a suspected employee, the post has garnered more attention.

BYD is on a major hiring spree as it ramps up production to meet the higher demand. The EV giant now has over 900,000 employees, making it by far the largest A-share listed company in China.

After selling over 500,000 vehicles for the first time in a single month in October, BYD’s surge is heating up as the EV giant expands overseas for growth.

October was BYD’s fifth consecutive record sales month as it closes in on auto leaders like Ford in global deliveries.

NIO is also gaining momentum, with sales topping the 20,000 mark for the sixth straight month in October. With output of its new lower-priced Onvo L60 electric SUV ramping up, NIO expects to continue seeing higher demand.

Ma said on Friday that NIO’s “recent situation is quite good.” The company’s head of PR added, “Cash flow turned positive in the third quarter, gross profit improved in October, earning an extra RMB 100 million, and Onvo (deliveries) will exceed 10,000 in December.”

NIO is launching its third brand, Firefly, with deliveries kicking off in the first half of 2025. The company expects sales to double next year as it works to become profitable by 2026.

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Source link by Electrek
Author Peter Johnson

#BYD #NIO #fake #rumors #claim

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Lasers could help cut CO2 emissions from Maine’s paper and pulp mills

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November 22, 2024

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Chart: Steelmaking is starting to go electric

Testing on food products has shown that the technology can work. Now, researchers need to learn more about how the laser energy affects different materials to ensure the product quality is not compromised during the drying process.

“For paper, it’s important to make sure the tensile strength is not degrading,” Yagoobi said. “For food products, you want to make sure the color and sensory qualities do not degrade.”

Therefore, before the system is ready for a commercial pilot, the team has to gather a lot more data about how much laser energy is present on different parts of the surface and how deeply the energy penetrates different materials. Once gathered, this data will be used to determine what system sizes and operating conditions are best for different materials, and to design laser modules for each intended use.

Once these details are worked out, the laser technology can be installed in new commercial-scale drying equipment or existing systems. “This particular technology will be easy to retrofit,” Yagoobi said.

Industrial sources were responsible for about 1.3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States in 2023, about 28% of the country’s overall emissions, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Heating processes, often powered by natural gas or other fossil fuels, are responsible for about half of those emissions, said Evan Gillespie, one of the co-founders of Industrious Labs. Many industrial drying processes require high temperatures that have traditionally been difficult to reach without fossil fuels, giving the sector a reputation as hard to decarbonize, Gillespie said.

“The key challenge here is: How do you remove natural gas as a heating source inside industrial facilities?” said Richard Hart, industry director at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. “The scale of what is happening in industry is enormous, and the potential for change is very powerful.”

To make the new technology effective, industry leaders and policymakers will need to commit to reinvesting in old facilities, Gillespie noted. And doing so will be well worth it by strengthening an economically important industry, keeping jobs in place, and creating important environmental benefits, he added.

“There’s often this old story of tensions between climate and jobs,” Gillespie said. “But what we’re trying to do is modernize these facilities and stabilize them so they’ll be around for decades to come.”

Source link by Canary Media

Author Sarah Shemkus

#Lasers #cut #CO2 #emissions #Maines #paper #pulp #mills

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Submit EV Event

Electrek’s Take

The Next Generation GV70 Keeps a Split Personality

Electrified GV70

GV70 Gasoline

Pricing

Observations: 2026 Genesis GV70

CAT D6XE electric drive dozer

Electric Chrysler Pacifica getting flexible seating

NIO denies rumors that BYD is taking over the company

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