Canada-headquartered metals recycler Cyclic Materials has signed a collaboration agreement with SYNETIQ, a UK-headquartered vehicle salvage and recycling company, for the recycling of end-of-life electric motors containing rare earth elements.
The motors to be supplied by SYNETIQ include hybrid and EV drive motors, as well as auxiliary motors found in all vehicles.
To help meet North American demand for domestic sources of mixed rare earth oxide, Cyclic Materials recently opened its Hub100 commercial demonstration plant in Kingston, Ontario, which employs the company’s proprietary hydrometallurgical technology, REEPure.
Cyclic’s Mag-Cycle and REEPure technologies separate magnets from products such as electric motors and then convert them into mixed rare earth oxides, cobalt-nickel hydroxides and other raw materials. Cyclic will process feedstock from SYNETIQ with Mag-Cycle and send it to the Hub100 plant for processing using REEPure technology.
“This agreement represents a notable step forward in our mission to advance sustainable solutions for rare earth recycling to drive the circular economy forward across the globe,” said Patrick Nee, Senior VP of Strategic Partnerships and co-founder of Cyclic Materials.
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The greatest hurdle to the widespread adoption of medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles is the most difficult to overcome: an underlying lack of trust and faith in ZEVs. While many fleet managers have this concern, few mention it publicly for fear that their company will be perceived as one that doesn’t support environmental sustainability.
In trucking, where profit margins are notoriously low, any kind of uncertainty is a concern — one major mistake can be the difference between a transporter being profitable or failing. Trucks are among fleets’ most valued assets, and their dependability and performance are paramount to companies’ success. A federal certification system that quantifies their capabilities would go a long way to assuaging these concerns.
Much is said about the more familiar obstacles facing broader adoption of ZEVs, such as cost, lack of infrastructure, limited range and more. All these issues coalesce to create the uncertainty swirling around ZEVs. Many fleet managers note that there are more questions and unknowns than answers. Add in the unstable political and global environment, and one can understand managers’ hesitancy.
Instability on the equipment side also creates uncertainty. While some original equipment manufacturers have EV trucks in serial production, others have faltered. The Tesla Semi — one of the most ballyhooed marketplace entrants — has yet to deliver on founder Elon Musk’s promises despite thousands of orders dating to 2020. Several other electric truck manufacturers — Lightning eMotors, Volta Trucks and Lordstown Trucks among them — have shuttered.
Against this backdrop, creating confidence in the medium- and heavy-duty ZEV sector is not easy. Some ZEV manufacturers have contributed to this credibility problem by failing to make available basic information relating to the performance of their vehicles. Obtaining data like vehicle weight, range and charge requirements from some manufacturers is akin to trying to acquire top-secret information from the Pentagon.
RELATED: Report Finds Opportunities, Obstacles for Electric Vehicles
So how do we bridge this trust and credibility gap? I suggest establishing a path that instills greater confidence in these vehicles, leading to more rapid adoption.
One way would be for an entity like the Environmental Protection Agency to step in and verify ZEV manufacturers’ data. The idea is not unprecedented.
Years ago, trucking faced a similar dilemma when a flood of fuel-efficient and emission-reduction products came to market. Some proved their value, such as trailer skirts and fins, tractor fairings, auxiliary power units and low-rolling-resistance tires.Fleets welcomed these products because they helped reduce fuel consumption and companies’ environmental footprint.
Other products did not deliver, and complaints and questions arose from operators who purchased them.
Transtex CEO Mathieu Boivin discusses the environmental sustainability of auxiliary power units. Tune in above or by going to RoadSigns.ttnews.com.
EPA realized the importance of these advancements in reducing emissions and the value in quantifying their effectiveness. It recognized that for quicker adoption, there was a need to instill confidence in the marketplace. At that point, EPA and its SmartWay program stepped up.
SmartWay established standards that must be met for verification by the program and created a clearinghouse where manufacturers can submit their products for verification. These days, many trucking companies won’t consider adoption of any emission-reduction advancements unless they are SmartWay-verified.
Initially, EPA accepted manufacturers’ data for verification. But some products’ performance fell short of what was promised. To ensure greater integrity, EPA enacted a more independent process, whereby technologies must be tested using uniform procedures.
A higher level of trust in ZEVs is needed and could perhaps be realized through a program like SmartWay. Medium- and heavy-duty ZEVs could be tested under common protocols. Those that meet certain criteria could receive verification and appear on EPA’s website with test data available. Customers would then have a better idea of ZEVs’ performance and whether they’d fit their applications.
Trucking supports the ZEV transition and believes these vehicles will improve. In the interim, though, greater transparency and accountability are needed from ZEV manufacturers about the performance and capabilities of these vehicles. And some quantifiable standards would help.
Greg Fulton is president of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association, which represents more than 600 companies involved with trucking in the state.
When Ritu Narayan, CEO and co-founder of Zum, looks at the 74 electric school buses and chargers her startup has deployed at a former industrial site in East Oakland, California, she sees a future where clean transportation and a clean and reliable grid come together.
“Today marks the next phase in our evolution,” Narayan said at an event last week marking the official launch of the country’s first all-electric school-bus fleet. By financing and installing thousands of electric school buses for the Oakland Unified School District, and tapping their spare battery capacity to support the power grid, the San Francisco–based, transportation-as-a-service startup plans to “become a fully fledged energy company,” she said.
Zum already provides transportation services and technology for school districts across the country, including some of California’s largest districts, such as those serving San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino. It hopes to electrify 10,000 school buses over the coming years, a move that will cut carbon emissions and reduce air pollution from diesel engines that harm students, drivers, and communities.
The 74 electric buses in Zum’s Oakland fleet, which serve the district’s special-needs students, will “eliminate 25,000 tons of harmful emissions, improving air quality and health outcomes for students and families,” Narayan said. Swapping out the roughly 500,000 diesel school buses in the U.S. for electric buses could slash an estimated 8.4 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
But electric school buses are two or three times more expensive than their diesel-fueled counterparts. Though federal, state, and utility incentives help school districts and transportation providers like Zum cover those costs, as of mid-2024 less than 2 percent of the total U.S. school-bus fleet has gone electric, up from just over 1 percent in mid-2023.
That’s where vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology comes in. Electric school buses can charge with low-cost power and discharge spare capacity at times of grid stress, when power is both more expensive and more likely to be generated by fossil-fuel-fired power plants.
That’s good for the economics of electric school buses. And it’s also good for the grid, said Patti Poppe, CEO of Pacific Gas & Electric, the state’s biggest utility and owner of the grid that’s delivering 2.7 megawatts of power to the Zum site in Oakland.
“PG&E was able to step up to the challenge and deliver the energy to power these buses — and we were able to do it a year early,” Poppe said at last week’s event. That’s a quick turnaround for a utility that’s been criticized for not expanding its grid fast enough to serve its rapidly electrifying customers. In the case of the Oakland electric-bus depot, PG&E gets not only a big new customer but also a resource to provide relief “for the grid’s most constrained days,” she said.
Making electric school buses work as grid assets
A dream of EV enthusiasts for decades, vehicle-to-grid charging is something for which electric school buses are particularly well suited. Unlike cargo trucks or city buses, they operate only a few hours per day while picking up and dropping off students. That leaves plenty of time for them to plug in and soak up off-peak electricity in the middle of the day — including the surplus solar power that floods California’s grid when it’s sunny out — and discharge it in late afternoons and evenings, when California’s grid faces its most severe imbalance of supply and demand.
California’s roughly 25,000 school buses could provide more than a gigawatt of electricity if converted to battery power, according to the California Energy Commission. The agency has issued grants for hundreds of electric school buses, as well as ones to support school-bus V2G pilots involving charging companies such as Nuvve and Fermata Energy.
But Zum’s Oakland fleet represents a much larger grid resource than the smattering of electric school buses that have been equipped for V2G service to date. Each of the 74 buses, manufactured by Chinese EV giant BYD, has its own bidirectional charger, built by California-based manufacturer Tellus Power Green. Each bus can discharge up to 50 kilowatt-hours on a working day and up to 111 kilowatt-hours — 80 percent of the battery capacity — on a nonworking day.
PG&E CEO Patti Poppe, Zum EV Program Manager Pallav Prakash, and Zum CEO Ritu Narayan (from left to right) examine the bidirectional chargers that will allow the electric school buses serving Oakland Unified School District students to return power to the utility grid. (Jeff St. John)
It’s hard to predict how much money could be made by discharging power from plugged-in EVs, however. So far, most of the V2G projects in the country have been structured as pilots, rather than as commercial endeavors. The utility programs and energy market structures that could allow school districts and transportation providers to earn steady and predictable revenues from V2G remain in their early stages of development.
In California, V2G charging sites can access the Emergency Load Reduction Program, created by the California Public Utilities Commission in 2021 in response to the state’s summer grid emergencies. ELRP offers highly lucrative compensation of $2,000 per megawatt-hour for power users that can quickly reduce power demand or inject power. But it’s hard to build a business case around the complex process of signing up for a program that earns money only during occasional grid emergencies.
Zum and PG&E are developing plans that could bring more certainty to the V2G revenue proposition, however. “We’re working on a pilot dynamic rate that would reward them for charging when rates are low and discharging when rates are high,” Rudi Halbright, PG&E’s product manager of vehicle-grid-integration pilots and analysis, said at Tuesday’s event.
The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 sports bigger batteries, more range, and a Tesla NACS charge port
The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 will be made in Georgia
Hyundai didn’t say how much the 2025 Ioniq 5 will cost when it arrives
The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 receives a number of notable updates, including bigger battery packs, a Tesla North American Charging Standard (NACS) port, and more rugged XRT variant. It will also be the first Hyundai EV built at the automaker’s new manufacturing complex in Georgia, dubbed the “Metaplant.”
Battery-pack sizes grow from 58.0 kwh to 63.0 kwh for Standard Range models and 77.4 kwh to 84.0 kwh for Long Range models—with expected increases in EPA range for both. The change was hinted at with the raucous 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N performance model, which debuted earlier this year with the 84.0-kwh pack.
Hyundai estimates a 20-mile boost for the single-motor SE Standard Range, to 240 miles. Single-motor SE, SEL, and Limited models with the bigger pack get a smaller bump from 303 miles to 310 miles. Dual-motor versions of those models should get 250 miles to 280 miles of range, depending on the specific trim level and wheel/tire size, up from the previous 260 miles.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5
A new XRT grade also joins the lineup for 2025, marking the first time this off-road-inspired trim has been applied to a Hyundai EV. The Ioniq 5 XRT receives a 0.9-inch suspension lift, new suspension tuning, all-terrain tires on 18-inch wheels, and exterior cladding with a digital camouflage pattern. It’s only available with the dual-motor powertrain and larger battery pack, but Hyundai did not have a range estimate at press time.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5
The Ioniq 5 will be the first Hyundai EV with a built-in Tesla NACS charge port, which Hyundai says will open up access to more than 17,000 Tesla Supercharger stations without requiring an adapter. Hyundai will instead sell an adapter for the Combined Charging Standard (CCS) port the Ioniq 5 previously used. All new or refreshed Hyundai EVs will come exclusively with a NACS port starting in the fourth quarter of this year.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5
Like some other 2025 Hyundai models, the Ioniq 5 finally offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard equipment on all models. A parking collision-avoidance assist feature and sensors to detect whether the driver has their hands on the steering wheel are new, while the lane-centering and remote automated parking assist features are updated.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5
Exterior styling changes include new front and rear bumpers, a new rear spoiler, and new wheel designs Hyundai claims are more aerodynamic. Under the skin, the body shell, front and rear doors, and parts of the B-pillars have been reinforced to improve side-impact protection. Inside, the Ioniq 5 features a redesigned center console and climate controls, as well as a new steering wheel design.
As confirmed by Hyundai earlier this year, the Ioniq 5 will be the first EV built at the automaker’s new Georgia factory. This will help 2025 models qualify for a $3,750 federal tax credit, but Hyundai will continue to offer a $7,500 discount to lease customers through a loophole in the rules. Actual pricing information will be released closer to the 2025 Ioniq 5’s arrival at dealerships.
Source link by Green Car Reports
Author news@greencarreports.com (Stephen Edelstein)
#Hyundai #Ioniq #U.S.built #adds #Tesla #NACS #port
The car rental industry is kicking into high gear, with the global market poised for significant growth. According to areport by Technavio, the market size is projected to expand by $157.34 billion between 2024 and 2028, achieving a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 20.47%. This surge is driven by technological advancements, a focus on sustainability and evolving consumer needs. As the industry accelerates, car rental companies face the challenge of keeping up with these trends while navigating an increasingly competitive landscape.
There are tools to help streamline a car rental business
To stay ahead of the curve, car rental companies must streamline their operations and reduce costs. Leveraging new tools and software can be a game-changer, enabling businesses to boost efficiency and deliver superior service.
In this article, we’ll explore three tools that can help car rental businesses streamline operations and remain competitive.
Fleet management software
Fleet management software is designed to address the complexities of managing a diverse and dynamic vehicle fleet. These systems provide businesses with comprehensive data in an easily digestible format, covering everything from vehicle locations and diagnostics to driver behavior. The recent integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in modern fleet management software further empowers businesses to quickly identify and rectify anomalies, ensuring optimal fleet performance.
One such tool is Autofleet, a fleet management system enhanced by thenew Nova language model. This advanced system enables businesses to better manage fleet operations, automating routine tasks and providing actionable insights. The Nova language model supercharges Autofleet’s capabilities by understanding and processing natural language queries, making it easier for businesses to access and interpret crucial data. From predictive maintenance to real-time tracking, Autofleet helps car rental companies minimize downtime, reduce costs and improve overall fleet efficiency.
Contract renewal management software
For Business-to-Business (B2B) car rental companies, managing contracts with corporate clients can be a daunting task. Unlike consumer-oriented services, B2B car rental businesses cater to the specific transportation needs of corporate clients, often involving complex agreements and long-term contracts. Managing these contracts is vital to maintaining revenue streams and ensuring client satisfaction.
SOFTRAX’s robust contract renewal management software simplifies this process, automating contract renewals and lifecycle management. The software can generate lists of contracts and subscriptions up for renewal, applying configurable rules based on date, product, location or customer. It can handle both automatically renewing contracts and those requiring negotiation. This comprehensive approach helps B2B car rental companies reduce revenue loss and gain quick access to data needed for timely renewals, ensuring that no opportunity for revenue generation is missed.
Battery management can be a business tool
Battery management systems
As car rental companies continue to incorporate electric vehicles (EVs) into their fleets, managing battery performance becomes a critical concern. Inthe case of Hertz, driver complaints and battery-related problems (among other issues) led the company to sell off a fifth of its Tesla fleet. This highlights how battery management can make or break your business.
A battery management system (BMS) monitors and optimizes the performance of EV batteries, ensuring that they meet the demands of daily rental operations. Companies like Qnovo are leading the way with a BMS that bridges the gap between battery capabilities and performance demands, addressing issues related to range, charging and cost. As of 2023, Qnovo has unveiled SpectralX, a battery management software that reduces charging times to ~20 minutes, improves range by up to 10%, extends battery life cycle to nearly 1M kilometers and targets zero battery thermal events in electric vehicles.
The car rental industry is undergoing a period of rapid growth and transformation. To stay competitive, businesses must adopt tools that streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance service quality.
The post Tools for Streamlining Car Rental Business Operations first appeared on Clean Fleet Report.
Source link by Clean Fleet Report
Author Michelle Sanders
#Tools #Streamlining #Car #Rental #Business #Operations
Kia introduced the updated EV6 for the UK on Monday with an enhanced design, longer range, and more. The EV6 joins Kia’s new electric vehicle lineup, showcasing the brand’s fresh new look.
Kia introduces the new EV6 for the UK market
The EV6 was launched in 2021 as Kia’s first dedicated EV based on Hyundai’s E-GMP. Since then, Kia has sold over 210,000 EV6 models. Three years later, Kia fine-tuned the electric car to align it with its next-gen models.
We got our first look at the new EV6 after Kia launched it in Korea in May. The EV6 has “returned in a more perfect form,” according to Kia. The new EV6 is now being introduced in Europe.
The most noticeable change is upfront. You will notice the updated EV6 features Kia’s new daytime running lights and signature Star Map lighting.
Kia also added new wheels and touched up the rear bumper for a more sporty, modern look.
The new EV6 GT-Line gets even more dynamic front and rear bumpers, an LED lighting bar, and optional 20″ wheels.
New Kia EV6 (Source: Kia)
The interior has been revamped with added ambient lighting, a redesigned steering wheel, and an updated charge pad. Each variant includes different upholstery. The GT-Line has a black and off-white color scheme.
Outside of design upgrades, the EV6 gains Kia’s fourth-gen batteries. With up to 84 kWh battery capacity, up from 77.4 kWh, the new EV6 gets up to 361 miles (582 km) WLTP range.
New Kia EV6 interior for the UK (Source: Kia)
It also includes up to 258 kW peak charging, enabling up to 213 miles (343 km) in 15 minutes. The new EV6 can fast charge (10% to 80%) in 18 minutes.
Kia also improved the EV6’s stability and drive with upgraded frequency selective suspension dampers.
Kia new EV6 trim (UK)
RWD
AWD
Air
£45,575
GT-Line
£48,575
£52,075
GT-Line S
£53,675
£57,175
Kia EV6 update prices by trim in the UK
The new EV6 is available in the UK with Single-Motor (RWD) and Dual-Motor (AWD) powertrains, starting at £45,575 ($60,000), including VAT.
Kia is expected to launch the new EV6 in North America by the end of the year. Check back for more details.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Source link by Electrek
Author Peter Johnson
#Kias #EV6 #sleek #frontend #design #makeover #longer #range
The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) has opened a procurement bid opportunity under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program.
NDOT has issued request for proposal (RFP) Number R231-24 for the selection of one or more qualified contractors to build, own and operate DC fast charging stations at seven sites along the I-80 corridor.
The charging stations will be funded by the NEVI Formula Program and will be required to meet all program requirements for a minimum of five years after becoming operational.
Interested vendors must submit proposals by November 4, 2024.
Does every new version of a car have to be bigger than the one before it? Smart seems to think the answer is, “Yes!” And it’s launched a new, five-passenger electric crossover in Australia that it thinks will be able to take the fight to Tesla’s best-selling Model Y.
Smart arrived on the automotive scene as a joint-venture between funky plastic watch brand Swatch and Mercedes-Benz that hoped to sell ultra-compact city cars with swappable plastic body panels that would, in theory, make it easy for young urbanites to customize their cars.
Despite its first cars being objectively terrible (seriously, that 1-2 shift would nearly put you through the windshield), the company seems to still be around, and its latest vehicle – the all-new smart #5 Summit Edition and #5 Premium+ models that made their world premiere in Byron Bay, Australia, this weekend – has ditched the funky microcar concept entirely in favor of more conventional styling, a high-tech interior, and its sights set firmly on the automotive mainstream.
The new #5 features room for five adults, some cargo, and an approachable, chunky off-road style that’s sure to be popular, if not groundbreaking. And, for their part, the smart guys seem pretty proud of the thing.
“We are delighted to present our first-ever mid-size premium SUV, the all-new smart #5, to the world,” says Dirk Adelmann, CEO smart Europe. “With this new vehicle, we are expanding into a new market segment, reflecting our commitment to quality, innovation, and addressing the evolving needs of our customers … this vehicle represents not only a new level of premium for smart but also an opportunity to explore new possibilities in the realm of electric mobility.”
Adding to the off-roader aesthetic, the smart #5’s exterior features a roof light bar, an electric trailer hitch, and an optional “Adventurers’ Collection” package that includes underbody protection, a roof-mounted carrier basket, running boards, a side bag, and even an fire escape-style ladder to reach your overland gear more easily.
Gotta have a ladder
The #5 is nearly five feet tall, making a ladder mission-critical; via smart.
Smart is really selling the outdoorsy lifestyle with the new #5, too. Beyond the Adventurers’ Collection, the #5 offers buyers the ability to adjust all seats to create a king-size, queen-size, or single sleeping space inside the cabin. The smart #5 also offers 34 storage compartments, a 72-liter frunk, and up to 1,530 liters under the hatch to help you feel at home while you’re camping out, too.
While I absolutely hate the fact that every carmaker is turning its iconic brands into five-passenger crossovers (and if you don’t think that’s happening, ask yourself what a Mitsubishi Eclipse or the latest “Mach” Mustang looks like these days), I fully understand that the car business is a business, and if you want to move the metal in today’s market, you need to be selling crossovers.
I don’t like it, but it is what it is. Smart will sell more of these than they did the OG ForTwo.
Designers of power conversion systems in EVs strive for maximum power density. Component packaging and cooling mechanisms become increasingly important in achieving this goal.
Infineon and Silicon Austria Labs (SAL) collaborate to push the boundaries by going beyond current design requirements. Together, they develop new cooling concepts that can improve power density, simplify manufacturing, and reduce system costs.
In this webinar, we will explore the innovative concept of top-side cooling packages and how to use them in your designs. On top of that, we will provide an exclusive overview of future-forward concepts that are on the horizon.
Reserve your spot—it’s free!
Other sessions at our Fall Virtual Conference include:
Battery Enclosure Manufacturing Cost Reductions Using Efficient Mica Shield Adhesives
Discover how Lean Manufacturing principles are revolutionizing the development of novel adhesives and sealants for electric battery assembly.
This webinar will highlight the significant benefits achieved beyond cost reduction, including enhanced cycle times, reduced scrap, and improved overall performance.
Join us as H B Fuller introduces its latest innovation in electric battery technology: an advanced adhesive specifically designed to bond mica shields to a diverse range of battery enclosures. Learn how this breakthrough product is setting new standards in the industry and driving efficiency and reliability in battery assembly.
Reserve your spot—it’s free!
See the full session list for the Fall Virtual Conference on EV Engineering here.
Broadcast live on September 16-19, 2024, the conference content will span the EV engineering supply chain and ecosystem, including motor and power electronics design and manufacturing, cell development, battery systems, testing, powertrains, thermal management, circuit protection, wire and cable, EMI/EMC and more.
Source link by Charged EVs
Author Charged EVs
#Webinar #Innovative #cooling #concepts #enhanced #power #density #electric #vehicles
The 2024 Monterey Car Week, which included the 73rd Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, the Quail Motorsports Gathering and the Rolex Motorsports Reunion cargasmic celebrations, was located on the picturesque Monterey Peninsula. This year’s event, August 9-18, entertained and wowed attendees with several world new car debuts, but also classics, including a stunning 1934 Bugatti Type 59 Sports that came all the way from Zug, Switzerland, to take the overall honors (our featured image).
Many of the new cars were making their North American debuts as concepts that will never make it to market in their current form, but some are near production-ready. This mash-up of dream and realistic cars is what makes Monterey Car Week so much fun. Here are a few, alphabetically, to whet your automotive taste buds!
Acura Performance EV Concept
Future Acura EV?
Acura revealed the Performance EV Concept. With a teardrop cabin, this SUV gives a hint at the styling direction for what Acura calls its “electrified future.”
This isn’t the first EV from Acura, the premium division at Honda. With 500 horsepower (hp) and 544 pound-feet (lb.-ft.) of torque driving all four wheels, that’s the 2024 ZDX Type S.
The Performance EV Concept (or whatever it will be called then) is scheduled to go into production in Marysville, Ohio, in late 2025, and to be at dealers in early 2026.
Hybrid Bentley drop top
Bentley Continental GT Speed Coupe and Convertible
The fourth generation Continental GT Speed pairs a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 and an electric motor for 771 hp and 738 lb.-ft. of torque, producing the “most powerful Bentley yet.” This hybrid performance powertrain zips 0-60 in 3.1 seconds with a top speed of 208 mph, all while being able to travel an estimated 50 miles on electric power.
Bespoke production has begun with an estimated base price of $300,000.
Bugatti Bolide
Old & New Bugattis
The Bugatti Bolide (le bolide means “the racing car” in French) is a track-only sports car, the last to be made with the company’s 8.0-liter W16 engine with four turbochargers. A whopping 1,825 hp and 1,364 lb.-ft. of torque drives all four wheels through a 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. This 2,733-pound exotic covers 0-60 in 2.2 seconds with an electronically controlled top speed of 236 mph. Only 40 will be produced at an estimated $4 million each.
So what’s the big deal? Bugatti rolled-out a 1 of 1, 100th Anniversary model to commemorate the iconic Bugatti Type 35, both of which took to the world famous WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca during the Monterey Car Week.
Future Caddy EV?
Cadillac Opulent Velocity EV Concept
The next step for Cadillac’s V-Series of performance gasoline-propelled cars, the Opulent Velocity is a designer’s dream. With minimal ground clearance and a very low roof height, the steeply raked front and rear convey the velocity in the name. The butterfly doors lead to a cocoon of a cabin festooned with artistic brushed metal finishes, torched painting and 3D-printed linear two-toned embroidery that Cadillac says “demonstrates the evolution of Cadillac’s revered sense of opulence, while envisioning a zero-emission expression of performance and modern luxury.”
No production plans were announced, but the possibilities for where the premium division of General Motors is going with the Opulent Velocity are intriguing.
Already taken
Hennessey Venom F5
Hennessey Special Vehicles showed its trio of Stealth Series Venom F5 hypercars. Just three of the carbon fiber body and chassis 6.6-liter twin-turbo, 1,817-hp cars will be built as part of a 99-car total Venom F5 production run. All three models were sold before being shown at the Quail during Monterey Car Week.
Each Venom F5 is bespoke with customer specifications pushing the final build price to exceed $3 million.
Karma Kaveya EV Coupe
Karma’s future top-of-the-line Kaveya
The Kaveya coupe will be the halo EV from Karma. With 1,000 hp and 1,270 lb.-ft. of torque, it is said to go 0-60 in under 3 seconds. If Karma wants to claim impressive speed the Kaveya will need to go in the mid-2 seconds to top the Tesla Model S Plaid and Lucid Air Sapphire. Karma estimates the all-electric range at 250+ miles, which may be conservative.
The carbon fiber body sites on an aluminum spaceframe, sports butterfly doors and seats four. It will be sold alongside the 3rd generation Revero (a range extender model), the upcoming Ivara GT-UV (Grand Touring Utility Vehicle) and the Gyesera “electrified” SUV.
The Kaveya on-sale date and pricing were not announced, though it is speculated to arrive in 2026 at a price of around $300,000.
A new, electrified Lamborghini
Lamborghini Temerario PHEV
The Temerario replaces the Huracán that debuted in 2014 and went on to be the best-selling Lamborghini car. The Temerario is powered by a mid-engine 4.0-liter biturbo V8 with a plug-in hybrid system that adds three electric motors driving all four wheels. Rated at 907 hp, the electric torque vectoring increases the car’s agility in narrow cornering as well as its stability in high-speed cornering, distributing torque optimally to each wheel. It can reach a 10,000 rpm, has a top speed of 210 mph with 0-60 in 2.7 seconds.
Rouven Mohr, chief technical officer at Lamborghini says: “Combining a high-revving V8 biturbo with three electric motors will impress Lamborghini fans all over the world.”
The Temerario is the third full hybrid in the Lamborghini line, joining the flagship Revuelto and Urus SUV. The Revuelto features a mid-engine 6.5-liter V12 with 1,000 hp and a top speed of 217 mph. The Urus SUV features a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine, which delivers a total output of 789 hp, reaching a top speed of 194 mph.
Production plans and pricing were reported to be a Q3 2025 launch starting at around $350,000.
Lexus LF-ZC and LF-ZL Concepts
Lexus’ digital interior
The LF-ZC (Lexus Future Zero-emission Catalyst) and the LF-ZL (Lexus Future Zero-emission Luxury) are concepts “emphasizing Lexus’ vision of the future as the brand strives to make luxury personal through next-generation battery electric vehicles.” Both will have the next-generation fully digital intelligent cockpit for intuitive, quick access to essential controls. The concepts also provide a peek at the new Arene Operating System that will learn and anticipate a driver’s needs.
Production plans and pricing were not announced.
Polestar Concept BST
Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar ceo, said “The aim with Concept BST is to demonstrate just how far we can push our performance brand, while also exploring how this might look on other Polestar models.”
Production plans and pricing were not announced.
A Maserati for the road–and track
Maserati GT2 Stradale
Maserati has combined its racing prowess with mass production, introducing “the GT2 Stradale…(as)…the most incredible track cars there is, with the opportunity to make the best of it on roads all over the world.” The 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 fire-breathes 620 hp with 531 lb.-ft. torque for 0-60 times of 2.8 seconds, driving the rear wheels through an 8-speed dual clutch transmission.
The on-sale date and price will be announced sometime in 2025.
Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series
Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series
How about a drop-top Maybach? Daniel Lescow, head of Mercedes-Maybach AG, says: “Our customers love something special. The Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series adds a sporty two-seater for the ultimate open-air pleasure.”
This luxury convertible sports a 4.0-liter biturbo V8 that pumps out 577 hp and 590 lb.-ft. of torque, with the 9-speed automatic driving the 4Matic variable all-wheel drive. Estimated 0-60 is around 4.0 seconds. Agility is helped by the rear axle steering making for a 40.5-foot turning circle.
The Mercedes-Maybach SL Monogram Series on-sale date is slated for the second half of 2025. Pricing was not announced.
Rimac–readty to fly
Rimac Nevera R
Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Sveta Nedlja, Croatia, Rimac showed the Nevera R, a single-seater developed to be the fastest car in the world. The 2,107 hp electric hypercar hits 0-60 in 1.74 seconds, is claimed to hit 300 km/h (256 mph), and was designed for cornering. With a carbon fiber low and sleek body, the large fixed rear wing and a large diffuser, Rimac says the “Nevera R is ready to bend physics like never before. Every element, crafted through a performance-driven design philosophy, has been rethought for agility and handling.”
Clean Fleet Report has one request: Please hand us the keys!
There will be a production run of 40 worldwide at a starting price of $2.3 million euros ($2.56M USD).
Wrapping-up Another Great Monterey Car Week
Whew, the auto manufacturers outdid themselves this year in Monterey. They should all take a collective bow and a victory lap. The assortment of concepts and production-ready cars was the best it has been in years. Of course, don’t forget about the classics residing on the fairways of the Pebble Beach Golf Course.
The auctions (RM Sotheby’s, Broad Arrow and Gooding & Company) sold a minimum of $392 million collectively. See Top 10 sales below. These cars carry a hefty price tag, but owning, or even driving one, would be on many a bucket list. Heck, what’s wrong with dreaming!
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Story by John Faulkner. Photos by the manufacturers.
The big ticket–a rare 1960 Ferrari 250 California SWB Spider
1. 1960 Ferrari 250 California SWB (Short Wheel Base) Spider: $17,055,000 (RM Sotheby’s) 2. 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider: $14,030,000 (Gooding & Company) 3. 1955 Ferrari 410 S Spider: $12,985,000 (RM Sotheby’s) 4. 1969 Ford GT40 Mk I Coupe: $7,865,000 (Mecum Auctions) 5. 1997 Porsche 911 GT1 Rennversion Coupe – $7,045,000 (Broad Arrow Auctions) 6. 1959 Ferrari 250 California LWB (Long Wheel Base) Spider: $5,615,000 (RM Sotheby’s) 7. 1995 Ferrari F50 Coupe – $5,505,000 (RM Sotheby’s) 8. 1955 Ferrari 857 S Spider – $5,350,000 (Gooding & Company) 9. 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Alloy Coupe: $5,285,000 (RM Sotheby’s) 10. 1958 Ferrari 250 GT TdF Coupe: $5,200,000 (Gooding & Company)
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Author John Faulkner
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