Stellantis, the giant automotive group, is betting big on extending the range of both its hybrid and fully electric vehicles (EVs).
Last month, the company, which owns the Jeep, Dodge, and Ram brands in the U.S., invested nearly $30 million into an advanced wind tunnel at its research center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The goal is to study airflow around a vehicle’s wheels and tires to further optimize its EVs and boost their range.
And now Stellantis is launching a new platform, called STLA Frame, that’s made for full-size trucks and SUVs. The platform is designed to deliver driving range of up to 690 miles for extended range electric vehicles (EREVs) and 500 miles for battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
“With full EV and extended-range EV tech coming soon, we’re bringing ‘no compromise’ solutions to buyers who may be hesitant on trying their first electric vehicle,” Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said in a statement. “We’re proud of this engineering marvel and look forward to seeing it come to life in our upcoming product blitz on Jeep and Ram.”
Stellantis’ new Ram 1500 Ramcharger, expected to go on sale in early 2025, already uses the new platform.
A number of manufacturers are increasingly betting on extended range EVs.
The likes of Scout Motors, Hyundai, and Ford have all announced plans to launch their own versions in the near future.
EREVs are powered by an electric motor. They also have a smaller combustion engine used for charging the traction battery.
Vehicles coming out on Stellantis’ new platform are also engineered to haul or tow heavy loads of up to 14,000 pounds over extended distance without sacrificing range, the company says. They can also withstand water fording of up to 24 inches, making them ready for challenging environments.
As for the battery EVs, they will have an 800-volt architecture, allowing drivers to add 100 miles of range in just 10 minutes, Stellantis says.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.