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Top 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E hits 300-mi EPA range
Ford Motor Co. announced that the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has certified range numbers for several variants of the all-electric 2021 Mustang Mach-E. The company says it has met all its targeted EPA-estimated range ratings for variants tested by the EPA to date. The premium extended-range rear-wheel-drive model meets its targeted range of 300 mi, while the extended-range all-wheel-drive version hits its 270-mi range. The standard-range rear-wheel-drive Mach-E meets its targeted range of 230-mi, and the standard-range all-wheel-drive model exceeds its targeted 210 mi at 211 mi. “This validation by the EPA comes at a perfect time as the Mustang Mach-E is gearing up to take on the open road,” said Darren Palmer, Global Director, Battery Electric Vehicles, Ford Motor Co. The California Route 1 has a targeted range of 300 mi, which will be confirmed once EPA officials complete their tests. Customer deliveries for the Mustang Mach-E start in December in the U.S. For more info on the Mach-E, visit https://www.ford.com/suvs/mach-e/2021/.
Xpeng reveals limited-edition P7 Wing at Auto Guangzhou
Chinese electric vehicle company Xpeng Inc. unveiled a limited edition of its P7 sports sedan at the 2020 Auto Guangzhou show. The P7 Wing, the new flagship model, adds a pair of scissor-style front doors that are traditionally only available in Lamborghinis and other more exotic cars. The limited-edition model is available in four-wheel-drive high-performance and rear-wheel-drive super-long range versions in the Chinese market. Equipped with XPilot 3.0 hardware and software and an 18-speaker Dynaudio sound system, the P7 Wing brings extra exclusivity for its customers, who can personalize the opening angle of the doors. Two obstacle-avoidance radars are installed on the left and right sides, which automatically identify obstacles and control the door movements during the opening process. The electric scissor-style doors can be unlocked in multiple ways—via car key, Bluetooth/NFC digital key, mobile phone app, or in-car voice assistant. For more information, please visit https://en.xiaopeng.com.
New IDTechEx report forecasts the etruck market
In June 2020, the California Air Resources Board adopted new standards that mandate that 75% of new Class 4-8 ridged truck and 55% of new tractor truck sales must be zero-emission by 2035. With 11.6% of the U.S. truck fleet (1.7 million trucks) in California, the legislation will be a significant driver not only for the Californian electric medium and heavy-duty truck market, but act as a catalyst for the U.S., while setting a benchmark for the rest of the world, says IDTechEx. Its new report provides a COVID-19-adjusted, 20-year outlook for both the medium- and heavy-duty truck markets, with separate forecast lines for electrified trucks, both at the global scale and for key regions of China, the U.S. and Europe. China leads the way in etruck deployment. Much of the eTruck press has been reserved for Tesla, though its Semi long-haul truck for 2021 is two-years behind the original schedule. But, if Tesla can deliver the vehicle with the 500-mi range and at the price of $150,000, then it has the potential to significantly disrupt the industry, say researchers. Daimler has set a target for 2039 of tank-to-wheel CO2 neutrality for all new vehicles it sells in the U.S., European, and Japanese markets. To meet this aim, it is developing electric trucks, from a 7.5-t eCanter to a 40-t Freightliner eCascadia. In addition, Scania, Volvo, Renault, IVECO, DAF, Paccar, and Navistar are all conducting etruck trials, with several models in limited production. For more information on this report www.IDTechEx.com/etrucks.
Radar pioneer Lunewave closes $7M in new investments
Lunewave, manufacturer of 3D-printed Luneburg lens antennae and radar technology, has announced $7 million in Series A investment led by FM Capital, with new investors including Proeza Ventures, Blue 9 Capital, Tsingyuan Ventures, and Intact Ventures. Lunewave is also funded through National Science Foundation grants. The company continues “to actively work with Tier 1 suppliers to establish strategic partnerships to jointly deliver a mass-produced Lunewave radar sensor,” said John Xin, Lunewave Cofounder and CEO. The company’s goal is to offer significant enhancements for ADAS and autonomous vehicle applications for automakers and ride-hailing companies as well as the last-mile delivery, commercial trucking, and construction industries. The third-generation 3D printed Luneburg lens offers broad bandwidth, high gain, and capability of forming multiple high-quality beams in all directions. The company says that two Lunewave radar sensors could replace 20 radar sensors used today, while providing greater resolution and performance across a wide field-of-view. It also claims its radar offers a 180-degree field of view in the azimuth (horizontal) plane and can detect objects surrounding a car with six times the resolution available today, even at long range and in poor weather, capabilities that are normally only achievable with multiple sensors. For more info, visit www.lunewave.com.
FAA moves forward to enable safe integration of drones
The FAA published airworthiness criteria for the proposed certification of 10 different unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones as special class aircraft. This is a crucial step to enabling more complex drone operations beyond what is allowed under the small, unmanned aircraft rule (Part 107) including package delivery. “Type certification will help increase both public and regulatory confidence in drone technology as operations become more advanced,” said Dr. Michael C. Romanowski, FAA Director of Aircraft Certification Service Policy and Innovation. The airworthiness criteria provide a level of safety equivalent to that provided by existing airworthiness standards applicable to other categories of aircraft and establish a defined path to type certification for specific drones. Airworthiness criteria notices are published in the Federal Register for the following applicants: 3D Robotics, Airobotics, Amazon, Flirtey, Flytrex, Matternet, Percepto, Telegrid, Wingcopter, Zipline. Their drones range from 5 to 89 lb and include several types of vehicle designs, including fixed wing and rotorcraft, and are all electric powered. Each notice outlines the applicant’s proposed UAS for certification and the airworthiness criteria proposed by the FAA. The public has 30 days to comment on each applicant’s airworthiness criteria, and deadlines are specified in each individual notice.
