Category: Lifestyle

Carscoops 

While there’s no denying the growing appeal of electric vehicles, the stark reality remains that many regions are plagued by inadequate charging infrastructure, posing a major hurdle for owners. Enter Stella Terra, the world’s first solar-powered off-road EV that could be the game-changer that addresses this challenge.

A road-legal prototype of the Stella Terra recently completed an impressive 621-mile (1,000 km) journey across the challenging terrain of North Africa without recharging solely, relying instead solely on the power of the sun.

Developed by students at the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, it showcases the potential of smaller and more lightweight batteries, combined with solar technology, in extending the range and capabilities of electric vehicles, even in rugged off-road conditions.

According to Wisse Bos, Solar Team Eindhoven’s team manager, the technology featured in Stella Terra, which marries a lightweight structure with incredibly efficient solar panels, positions it a full decade ahead of anything you’ll find on the current market.

“Stella Terra must withstand the harsh conditions of off-roading while remaining efficient and light enough to be powered by the sun,” he told The Guardian. That is why we had to design almost everything for Stella Terra ourselves, from the suspension to the inverters for the solar panels. We are pushing the boundaries of technology.”

Read: Scania’s “Solar-Powered” Semi Could Get Up To 6,214 Miles Of Range From The Sun

Photos Stella Terra

And the Stella Terra proved to be a success after driving more than 621 miles (1,000 km) in Africa. Starting on Morocco’s north coast, the team took the SUV over mountains, and all the way to the Sahara desert, where their trip ended. Throughout the journey, the SUV proved to be reliable, with only its steering system breaking along the way (it was fixed with the help of a local shop).

The street legal SUV has a top speed of 90 mph (145 km/h), and thanks to its small battery pack, weighs just 2,645 lbs (1,200 kg), which makes it lighter than a Subaru BRZ. On its trip, the Stella Terra also proved to be more efficient than they thought.

Before the test drive, they expected the EV to be capable of going just 391 miles (630 km). However, on sunny days, it proved to have a range of up to 441 miles (710 km) on the road, and 342 miles (550 km) off the road. Meanwhile, on less sunny days, the vehicle is capable of driving around 416 miles (670 km).

The impressive range and self-sufficiency of the Stella Terra make it ideally suited for remote regions with underdeveloped roads and unreliable energy grids. Bosman also aspires to see the concept serve as an inspiration to automakers all around the world.

 “We hope this can be an inspiration to car manufacturers such as Land Rover and BMW to make it a more sustainable industry” he told the British outlet. “The car was actually very comfortable in the off-road conditions as it is very light and does not get stuck.”

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Carscoops 

Audi Sport GmbH is celebrating its 40th anniversary by looking into the future. As part of the festivities, the company published an interview with Marc Lichte, who is Audi’s head of design.

In it, Lichte said “the muscles, the blisters, the extra wide fender flares, can be found on every current [RS model]” and “will be found on every future RS model” as well. He went on to say these elements are “so deeply anchored in Audi’s DNA” that they can keep reinventing them without ever diluting their essence.

Lichte didn’t go into many specifics, but noted aerodynamics will play a more important role in the future as Audi embraces electrification. He also said future RS models will have more differentiation from their base vehicle as well as a further reduced design “without gimmicks.” The designer added his aspiration is for “every RS model, in a purely aesthetic sense, … fit any situation in life and any setting.”

More: Audi’s Electric RS6 E-Tron Caught Hiding Bulging Fender Flares

The changes will be more than skin deep as Audi is adopting a new philosophy that calls for vehicles to be designed from the inside out. This reflects the idea that the interior is a focal point and the place where owners truly experience a vehicle.

Lichte said “We’re already specifically working on the new RS interior and I can share with you that it radically differs from what people today are familiar with in an RS model with an IC (internal combustion) engine. In other words, how the driver will be sitting, what the seats are going to look like, and how the entire ambience is perceived.”

He added the company started working on the RS interior before the interior of the base vehicle and hinted it will be “highly unique.” While specifics were few and far between, Lichte said future interiors will embrace sustainability and incorporate partly recycled materials. He went on to say we can expect a “warm atmosphere” with “maximum quality.”

Speaking about electrification, Lichte noted that, in the future, they’re “going to mainly build cars using two platforms – the PPE (Premium Platform Electric) platform for electric vehicles and the PPC (Premium Platform Combustion) platform for vehicles with conventional powertrains.” He said this has them asking a lot of questions about how they can bring RS excitement into the electric age. The RS e-tron GT provides some hints and we’ve already gotten a glimpse at the upcoming RS6 e-tron.

Spy photos: SH Proshots for CarScoops

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Carscoops 

The Toyota Supra returned for 2020 and the lineup has grown over the years thanks to the introduction of a manual as well as a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. However, the biggest news is yet to come as spy photographers have caught what appears to be a Supra GRMN.

Spied testing on and around the Nürburgring, the prototype wears distinctive camouflage that is reserved for GR variants. However, it’s not hiding much as we can see the car has been equipped with canards and a sportier front lip.

More: 2025 Toyota Supra GRMN Could Use The BMW M4 CSL’s 543 HP Engine

The modest changes continue out back as the prototype wears a sizable rear wing. While it appears to resemble the one found on the GR Supra 45th Anniversary Edition, a closer inspection reveals unique tips as well as lightweight brackets.

The rest of the car appears to largely carryover, but the prototype rides on lightweight wheels that are backed up by a beefier braking system. The latter is far more aggressive than what’s found on the regular model as we can see drilled discs as well as what appears to be larger calipers.

Those aren’t the only changes as the car appears lower to the ground. This suggests the model has a sportier suspension as one would expect from a GRMN variant.

There have been countless rumors about a Supra GRMN over the years and the latest have suggested the car could debut later this year with a twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six sourced from the BMW M4 CSL. While the engine produces 543 hp (405 kW / 551 PS) and 479 lb-ft (649 Nm) of torque, that rumor sounds like wishful thinking.

Instead, we wouldn’t be surprised if the coupe was powered by the M4’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter engine that produces 473 hp (353 kW / 480 PS) and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm) of torque. It’s connected to a six-speed manual and we expect that transmission to also be offered in the Supra GRMN.

Regardless of what’s under the hood, the current Supra offers a twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six producing 382 hp (285 kW / 387 PS) and 368 lb-ft (498 Nm) of torque. It enables the car to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 3.9 seconds when equipped with the eight-speed automatic transmission. A six-speed manual is also available, but it tacks an extra 0.3 seconds onto the dash to 60 mph (96 km/h).

Pictures: Baldauf for CarScoops

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Carscoops 

A Scottish couple is letting the world know about their discontent after being quoted £17,374 (equal to around US$21,200 at current exchange rates) to replace their Tesla Model Y crossover’s batteries. The reason their EV’s power supply needed replacing? For driving while the weather was bad, they claim.

Johnny Bacigalupo and Rob Hussey said the trouble started after they went out to eat dinner earlier this month. Admitting that it was quite rainy in Edinburgh, where they were dining, they said that their Model Y was fine on the way to the restaurant, but refused to start when they tried to leave.

They waited nearly five hours for a tow truck to reach them from Tesla support, they told Edinburgh Live. From the beginning, then, they claim that the automaker’s customer service department was less helpful than they believed was reasonable.

Read: Tesla Acknowledges That Model 3 Rear Bumpers Can Fall Off In The Rain

“After a few annoyingly difficult further calls, and one failed collection attempt, our car was collected by a firm suitable for Tesla collection and delivered to Tesla Edinburgh about 1 a.m.,” said Bacigalupo. “After complaints from me, we received a call at 5:30 p.m. on the Wednesday saying the battery was damaged due to water ingress and it was unfortunately not covered by the battery’s 8-year warranty and so the repair would be around £17,500. Did I wish to proceed?? I was flabbergasted and couldn’t really find my words.”

Bacigalupo said that he was expecting a £500 or £1,000 ($610 to $1,220 USD) bill at worst. Although he was in shock, he managed to get a manager on the phone to explain how the bill could be so large.

“He told me it had water in it due to the fact the weather in Scotland has been so bad. That was the issue. They said it’s not necessarily my fault, but it’s not Tesla’s to pay under warranty,” said Bacigalupo. “I pushed him on this and said I’ve never heard or something like this happening. He said it can happen with Range Rovers and Mercs, but I’m just not buying it.”

Although the couple admit that some parts of Scotland were under a special weather advisory last week, they say that the rain in Edinburgh was not unusual for the area. Bacigalupo says that his experience has been so bad that it’s making him question his decision to buy a Tesla.

“To date, it’s been a disaster of a service and the stress and worry of this is excruciating. I said to the manager, ‘so, my understanding is, Teslas are unfit for purpose in Scotland?’” he said. “If I had known the customer service would be so bad I’m not sure I would have bothered buying the car.”

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Carscoops 

The West, and Western carmakers like Stellantis, are getting nervous about the coming influx of cars from China. But here’s one Chinese car that shouldn’t cause any sleepless nights because its appeal is definitely lost in translation.

The L5 is the flagship of FAW’s Hongqi line, and a direct descendant of the 1960s and 1970s Hongqi limos used to ferry Communists party stars like Chairman Mao around. The front end design with its peaked wings and upright headlights sticks to the design template laid out by the original Hongqi CA72, and the word ‘Hongqi’ is picked out in Chinese script on the trunk lid, apparently in Mao’s handwriting, Car News China reports.

But if Mao would recognize the 20-ft (6 m) L5’s exterior design, he would be left dumbfounded by both the price and the interior technology. The Rolls Royce-rivalling sedan costs a staggering 5,000,000 yuan ($680,000), equivalent to 98 years pay for private sector workers in the less wealthy north east of the country, making it the most expensive Chinese-built car available in the state. It also features a sophisticated triple-screen dashboard display in an interior with definite Bentley overtones.

Related: Hongqi S9 Hybrid Supercar Steals The Spotlight At Villa d’Este

Fortunately the interior design, despite the presence of all that digital tech, has as much an eye on tradition as the exterior does – there are plenty of physical buttons both on the console and the two-spoke steering wheel, and a classically-styled circular analog clock located between the two central air vents.

Unlike almost every Chinese car we’ve written about lately, the L5 is not an EV. Under the bonnet is a 4.0-liter V8 engine developing 382 hp (388 PS), which doesn’t seem like much to pull a car that weighs 6,945 lbs (3,150 kg) before you’ve added a chauffeur, personal assistant and owner. But then this is a sedan for cruising slowly (ideally past huge displays of nuclear missiles and thousands of adoring soldiers), not for thrashing through country bends or maxing out (at 137 mph / 220 kmh) on the freeway.

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Food52 

We’re teaming up with our friends at Finish, the #1 recommended detergent in America by dishwasher brands*, to share some of our Test Kitchen’s best tips for reducing mess while hosting this holiday season.

So, you’ve decided to host this holiday season. After carefully curating your menu, picking out the perfect playlist, and finalizing (and re-finalizing) the guest list, there’s little to no time to think about the dreaded aftermath: the cleanup. Though thinking of the inevitable pile of dishes may make you want to scrap the holidays entirely, don’t let it faze you. We at the Food52 Test Kitchen have compiled some of our favorite tricks, tips, and methods for cutting down—and simply navigating through—the holiday hosting mess.

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Carscoops 

Both a potential customer and a McLaren sales representative had an unpleasant end to their weekend, as the $232,000 (£190,715) Artura they were test-driving went up in flames. It is not yet clear how the fire started, but the good news is that both occupants managed to escape unharmed.

The incident occurred on Sunday, October 15 at around 2:30 p.m. local time in Stourton, Leeds, U.K. The mid-engine hybrid supercar was being driven by the potential customer when it suddenly caught fire. The driver managed to get it off the road, and both occupants exited the vehicle before suffering any injuries. A passerby managed to take a video of the incident and shared it on YappApp.

“We received a call from the driver regarding a hybrid McLaren which went up in flames during its demo drive in Leeds, on the roundabout near the M1 at junction 44,” a West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson told The Sun. “We sent crews from Hunslet, which arrived on the scene at 14:35. We also sent a Hazardous Material Officer to dispose of the electrical battery. The fire was put out at 15:02 with no report of injury.”

Read: The Problem-Plagued McLaren Artura The Subject Of A Fire-Related Recall In The U.S.

The Artura is McLaren’s latest plug-in hybrid supercar, and has a 94 hp (70 kW/95 PS) electric motor that is powered by a 7.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Fires that reach such batteries are notably difficult to put out, and are considered noxious.

Although it has been well-received by critics, the Artura has had a difficult development process. Initial deliveries were delayed due to software troubles, then again due to pandemic supply issues.

Recalled in America over fire risk

Then, in December 2022, the Artura was the subject of a recall in the United States. In that instance, McLaren found that a loose nut could compromise the connection of the direct injection fuel pump, allowing gas to leak, and potentially causing a fire. However, it remains unknown how this fire started.

In addition to the electric motor, the Artura also has a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6. Together, the engine and motor churn out a handy 671 hp (500 kW / 680 PS) and 531 lb-ft (719 Nm) of torque, which allows it to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 3.0 seconds.

THIS is the moment a £190,000 luxury sports car burst into flames during a test drive.

The #McLaren Artura – the supercar manufacturer’s first electrified car – was engulfed while being taken out for a spin in Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Images show the scorched wreckage of the… pic.twitter.com/dn0vQMUhu5

— YappApp (@YappAppLtd) October 16, 2023

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Food52 

We’ve teamed up with Le Creuset to share our favorite no-fuss, one-pot technique for the crispiest, juiciest roast chicken. Psst: We’ve got other ideas for cooking in their signature Dutch oven, too.

There are two things we look for in a roast chicken—a burnished, golden exterior and meat that’s juicy and thoroughly seasoned. It sounds relatively simple, but achieving both of these benchmarks can be a challenge, especially if you’re relying on conventional roasting techniques.

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Carscoops 

An intriguing study has found that it’s difficult to keep EV owners exclusively committed to electric vehicles. Indeed, with the exception of Tesla owners, almost half of EV-owning households will purchase an internal combustion vehicle next.

A study from S&P Global Mobility reveals that the fuel type loyalty rate for mainstream brand EV households was sitting at 52.1% through July this year. While some may consider that sobering news, the study notes that its data doesn’t mean that roughly half of EVs are going to be replaced by a combustion vehicle. Instead, a household’s next purchase could be a replacement for a different vehicle they already have.

The study found that 63.2% of those who own a Nissan EV will purchase another EV as their next vehicle. This placed the Japanese carmaker just ahead of Chevrolet which scored a loyalty rate of 60.6%. When looking at individual models, S&P Global Mobility found that 37.3% of Ford Mustang Mach-E households purchased an EV as their next vehicle, while 45.8% went with something that had a gas engine, many of which were other Ford truck and SUV models with ICE and hybrid powertrains.

Data also reveals that 60.7% of Chevrolet Bolt owners jump into another EV as their next car and those didn’t typically opt for a Chevrolet SUV or truck. EV loyalty rates among luxury vehicle buyers have jumped significantly over the past three years, nearing or sometimes even eclipsing the 60% mark.

Read: Study Suggests EVs Could Account For Up To 86% Of All New Vehicle Sales By 2030

For example, 56.6% of Mercedes-Benz EV buyers will buy another EV as their next vehicle, a massive increase from 24.3% in Q2 2020. EV loyalty rates at Jaguar have also jumped from 25% to 56.5% while Audi is up from 25.5% to 50.1%, Porsche has gone from 23.3% to 36.8%, and market-leader Tesla has increased from 51.8% to 76.7%. Interestingly, EV loyalty among BMW EV owners has dropped from 46.6% to 45.9%.

“The OEMs are spending huge amounts of money to develop EVs,” associate director for loyalty solutions and industry analysis at S&P Global Mobility, Tom Libby said. “So the last thing they want is for an EV owner to go back to ICE.”

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