Vehicles 136

• Porsche unveiled the Taycan GTS Sport Turismo back in November and has now added base, 4S, Turbo, and Turbo S models for the low-slung wagon.
• A spokesperson for Porsche confirmed to Car and Driver that the U.S. market will only receive the Sport Turismo in GTS guise.
• Porsche says the Turbo S can hit 62 mph in 2.8 seconds, while the 4S has the longest range in the lineup at 309 miles on the European WLTP testing cycle.

At the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show, Porsche took the wraps off a new bodystyle for the electric Taycan called the Sport Turismo, essentially a Cross Turismo wagon without the “off-road” plastic cladding. At the time Porsche only showed a Taycan Sport Turismo in GTS trim, but now the German automaker has unveiled four more versions of the Sport Turismo: base, 4S, Turbo, and a top-dog Turbo S. Sadly, these new variants will not reach our shores.

A Porsche spokesperson told Car and Driver that “the Taycan Sport Turismo will continue to be offered solely as a GTS in the United States,” citing its “optimal blend of performance and utility.” Still, we wish Porsche would bring us more gorgeous electric wagons, especially the all-wheel-drive 670-hp Turbo and 750-hp Turbo S variants. The base model, which sends 375 hp to the rear wheels with the optional Performance Battery Plus, would also be welcome stateside.

Porsche claims the Taycan Turbo S Sport Turismo will hit 62 mph in 2.8 seconds, slightly behind the 2.4-second 0-60 mph run we recorded in our testing of a standard Turbo S. The 4S model, meanwhile, achieves the best range of the lineup, traveling 309 miles on a charge based on the European WLTP testing cycle. The full Sport Turismo lineup will arrive in March for European customers, but we will have to make do with the 590-hp GTS Sport Turismo when it goes on sale in the U.S. in the first half of this year.

• Porsche has created a special edition of the 911 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Porsche Design, which sells luxury Porsche accessories.
• The 911 Edition 50 Years Porsche Design is based on the Targa 4 GTS and will come exclusively in black with Satin Platinum accents.
• The special edition will cost $197,200, and each car will be sold with an accompanying special edition watch.

2022 marks the 50th anniversary of Porsche Design, the German brand’s product design studio which will sell you everything from a custom “Porsche Design” television to a $2000 leather jacket. The studio was originally founded by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche—best known for penning the 911—and put out its first product, the Porsche Design Chronograph 1 watch, in 1972. Now five decades later, Porsche is celebrating the anniversary with a special version of the 911 Targa called the Edition 50 Years Porsche Design.

Using the 911 Targa 4 GTS as its base, every Edition 50 Years Porsche Design is painted black, referencing the Porsche Design Chronograph 1, which Porsche says was the first all-black watch. The special edition rides on staggered 20/21-inch 911 Turbo S wheels finished in Satin Platinum, with the same shade decorating the targa bar and the Porsche Design logos on the doors. The brakes are painted gloss black, while a “50 Years Porsche Design” emblem adorns the engine grille.

Inside, F.A. Porsche’s signature is emblazoned on the center console lid and a silver, numbered badge signifies the limited edition’s rarity. The 50 Years Porsche Design logo appears on the headrests of the black and Cool Grey Sport-Tex seats, and the center marker on the GT Sport steering wheel and seatbelts are Slate Grey. The special edition also gets 18-way adaptive seats and the Sport Chrono package as standard.

Using the 911 Targa 4 GTS as its base, every Edition 50 Years Porsche Design is painted black, referencing the Porsche Design Chronograph 1, which Porsche says was the first all-black watch. The special edition rides on staggered 20/21-inch 911 Turbo S wheels finished in Satin Platinum, with the same shade decorating the targa bar and the Porsche Design logos on the doors. The brakes are painted gloss black, while a “50 Years Porsche Design” emblem adorns the engine grille.

Inside, F.A. Porsche’s signature is emblazoned on the center console lid and a silver, numbered badge signifies the limited edition’s rarity. The 50 Years Porsche Design logo appears on the headrests of the black and Cool Grey Sport-Tex seats, and the center marker on the GT Sport steering wheel and seatbelts are Slate Grey. The special edition also gets 18-way adaptive seats and the Sport Chrono package as standard.

• Microlino 2.0 production is slated to start in March 2022 in Turin, Italy, with the first deliveries expected in April or May.
• The bubble car will go on sale in Switzerland first, before spreading to other western European markets.
• With an estimated top range of 143 miles when equipped with a 14.0-kWh battery, the Microlino 2.0 could prove to be a popular alternative to other small EVs as well as scooters and e-bikes.

The bubble-shaped Microlino 2.0 is headed into production in a matter of weeks, despite delays and disruptions prompted by the pandemic. Micro Mobility Systems has revealed that production will begin in March 2022, following the model’s favorable debut at the Munich IAA Mobility show last fall.

The Isetta-styled EV, designed and engineered by a Swiss company, is slated to be produced in Turin, Italy, and to go on sale in Switzerland later this year before a wider rollout in Europe. The two-seater will feature a 25-hp engine drawing power from a choice of three batteries, offering 6.0-, 10.5-, and 14.0-kWh capacities, which are expected to be good for 60, 109, and 143 miles of range, respectively.

Micro Mobility Systems says that it is already producing pre-production examples for testing and process optimization, despite some component shortages. The company projects that the first customer examples will be delivered in April or May. The configurator is expected to go live in February, with the company reporting more than 24,000 reservations in fall 2021.

“Our goal was to deliver the first vehicles to customers within the end of the year [2021], but the worldwide supply-chain chaos is affecting us like many other carmakers,” the company indicated. “Despite our preparations to order crucial parts way in advance, the situation has gotten much worse and is now affecting more and more parts. Now, even commodity parts like simple connectors for the wiring harness have become scarce and have lead times of up to 50 weeks!”

The company has shared short videos, including the prototype drive below and a clip revealing some of the production hardware for the Microlino, including a stamping press and assembly robots.

The bubble car won’t actually be classified as a car in the EU but rather as a quadricycle, allowing for more liberal licensing, but its 56-mph top speed will also keep it off the autoroutes. With a starting price of around $14,000, the Microlino 2.0 could be a popular alternative to other low-ranged EVs and electric scooters, as well as some actual electric cars with similar ranges.

For example, the longest-range 143-mile trim level could eclipse the ranges of some larger EVs like the Mini Cooper SE and the Mazda MX-30, but it will be far cheaper to purchase and use for in-town driving, while taking up far less parking space than even something relatively small, like a Volkswagen ID.3. These range numbers are unofficial for now, but given its modest power requirements, a small and light vehicle can stretch its range past larger EVs even with a smaller battery.

“The long-anticipated online configurator is almost ready and will be launched in February, with the first test drive events following soon afterwards,” the company added. “Apart from the three editions Urban, Dolce, and Competizione that we already unveiled, we will introduce the exclusive limited-edition for the first 500 Microlinos ever produced, called Pioneer Series.”

Micro Mobility Systems does not have plans to offer the Microlino 2.0 in the U.S. at the moment, and given the reception that small electric hatches have received, that may seem quite logical. The main constraint for its maker at the moment is production capacity in Turin, given the demand in Europe. It will be quite some time before the Microlino could be ready for other global markets, ones friendlier to small EVs, with the company prioritizing western Europe first.

• VW has released details on both the 2022 ID.4 and the 2023 model that will begin production in the U.S. later this year.
• The 2022 model will have a higher EPA range estimate and a few new features.
• Eventually VW aims to sell a cheaper version of the ID.4 with a smaller battery pack that will start at around $35,000.

VW’s ID.4 electric SUV is entering its second model year with a few changes, including increased range and a few new features to improve charging. Volkswagen has also confirmed that it will begin building ID.4 models in the U.S. later this year and detailed some differences between the current Europe-built vehicles and the 2023 ID.4 models that will soon be built at VW’s plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. VW of America CEO Scott Keogh also said that the company aims to eventually launch a cheaper version of the ID.4 with a smaller battery pack that will start at around $35,000.

2022 ID.4

For now, prices are up by $765 across the board for the 2022 VW ID.4, ranging from $41,955 for a rear-wheel-drive Pro model up to $50,135 for an all-wheel-drive Pro S model. The 1st Edition trim from the 2021 ID.4 is gone and the powertrain remains the same, with RWD models having a single electric motor producing 201 hp and AWD models upping that number to 295 hp thanks to its dual motors.

VW hasn’t said exactly how much more range the update will provide but claims that EPA figures will be higher than the current estimates of between 240 miles and 260 miles on a charge, depending on trim. 2022 models also receive a more powerful onboard charger that’s able to charge at 135 kilowatts, up from 125 kilowatts, at DC fast-charging stations. An over-the-air update is coming later this year that will also introduce an auto-hold feature and a Plug & Charge system that makes it easier to charge at VW’s Electrify America fast-charging stations.

2023 ID.4

After building ID.4 models only in Germany so far, VW will start up production of the ID.4 in the U.S. later this year. The U.S.-built cars will arrive for the 2023 model year and will feature some differences from the current models according to Keogh. The battery pack will come from supplier SKI rather than LG, although it will have similar chemistry, and the center console will be revised to be more “American-style,” though we’re not exactly sure what that means.

Keogh said VW would initially keep pricing the same for U.S.-built 2023 ID.4 models but did claim that a cheaper ID.4 is in the works. This entry-level model will have a smaller battery pack, meaning it will offer less range, but will start around $35,000. The company won’t say when this new trim will arrive but we think it could go on sale sometime in 2023.

• Mercedes-Benz revealed its Vision EQXX concept as part of the CES technology show this week.
• The powertrain is notable for promising 620 miles of range thanks to a compact, energy-dense battery and motor, both of which Mercedes developed in-house.
• With 201 horsepower and a top speed limited to 87 mph, it diverges sharply from the Mercedes flagship image of the past.

Mercedes has released more details about the pioneering powertrain in the Vision EQXX concept that was shown earlier this week, with the company confirming that the first car to use a version of the long-range EV powertrain will be in production by 2024.

“This is more than a concept car; it is a technology program,” chief technology officer Markus Schäfer told journalists in an online call after the unveiling. “All the elements on this car will make it into series production. The battery, for example, is an early prototype of the chemistry that you’re going to see in the new generation of concept cars.”

The new battery’s enhanced energy density is thanks to next-generation silcon carbide anodes that Mercedes has developed in-house, allowing the EQXX to store similar energy to the range-topping EQS’s 107.8-kWh pack in a space 50 percent smaller. Mercedes is planning to use the same technology for smaller capacity packs as well, which will be lighter and cheaper, but the company’s engineers also insist that the EQXX’s claimed 620-mile range will be achievable under everyday conditions rather than just simulated testing. “It is 1000 km on real streets, so the WLTP range [the way Europe measures electric range] will be even higher,” Eva Greiner, the drive system’s chief engineer, said. We’re promised that the Vision EQXX will be sent into the real world to prove its ability to deliver those numbers.

Mercedes-Made Motor

We’ve also learned that the ultra-efficient 201-hp motor that turns the EQXX’s rear wheels is a radial flux unit that has been developed in-house by Mercedes based on the technology that it is already using. Work on it predated the company’s recent acquisition of Yasa, a British manufacturer of high-performance axial flux motors. Merc’s next generation of compact EVs will use this newly developed radial flux unit, with Schäfer confirming the plan is to also offer all-wheel drive by adding a second motor; we presume axial flux motors will therefore be reserved for higher-performance models. The EQXX (and production cars that will share its powertrain) have been designed for efficiency rather than outright speed, but even using a single motor Greiner says it can run from zero to 62 mph in a respectable 7.0 seconds, although the concept’s top speed is limited to just 87 mph.

The relatively modest output of the new motor is also what allows the battery pack to use air cooling rather than liquid cooling. This might look technically retrograde compared to the wider EV market, where almost all cars now use liquid cooling (the Nissan Leaf being the notable holdout). But careful temperature management through what is described as a cooling plate on the base of the cell pack means the EQXX can do without the use of a more energy-intensive cooling system, part of its impressively frugal six-mile-per-kWh consumption. That’s about 50 percent better than the longest-range Tesla, the 405-mile Model S, which gets roughly four miles per kWh.

Despite air cooling, Schäfer promises the new powertrain can still support respectably rapid charging speeds, with the targeted ability to support rates that will able to add at least 186 miles of range in 15 minutes by the time production versions reach the market. He also makes the point that if you have a 600-mile plus battery pack, you won’t need to worry about charging it nearly so often.

• BMW’s iX Flow concept, shown at CES this week, can change colors, as long as it is a shade of gray.
• The iX Flow is covered in E Ink, the same material used in e-readers like the Kindle.
• The tech allows instant personalization and can help the iX Flow be more energy efficient.

At the 2022 CES technology show, BMW revealed two new products due to reach customers in the near future: the 2023 iX M60 electric SUV and a 31-inch screen with integrated Amazon Fire TV. But BMW also showed off its wild imagination by unveiling a radical concept called the iX Flow. Based on the iX SUV, the Flow is wrapped in something called E Ink—the material used in the displays of e-readers like the Kindle—which allows it to change color in the blink of an eye.

At the moment, the iX Flow can only shift through shades of white, grey, and black, but BMW suggested that adding vivid colors isn’t out of the realm of possibility. The E Ink wrap consists of millions of microcapsules containing negatively charged white pigments and positively charged black pigments. This microcapsules—which have a diameter equal to the thickness of a human hair—can be stimulated by an electrical field to bring different amounts of each pigment to the surface of the microcapsule, changing the shade of the car.

BMW sees a few use cases for the E Ink technology in future BMWs. First off, the color-changing wrap would allow the driver to adjust their vehicle’s appearance based on their aesthetic preferences. E Ink could also make the car more efficient—in hot, sunny settings, the iX Flow could turn white to reduce the amount of heat absorbed by the body of the car and decrease the reliance on the air conditioning. In cold weather, the iX Flow could switch to black to absorb as much heat as possible and lessen the energy required for the heating system. Having the climate control systems using less juice from the batteries would help an EV maintain a longer range in more extreme temperatures. BMW also suggests applying the material to the interior to prevent certain surfaces, like the dashboard, from heating up too much when left in the sun.

The E Ink technology is also very energy efficient itself, only using energy during the quick color-changing phase, since the E Ink does not require a current to maintain the chosen shade. BMW has not elaborated on the production possibilities of the E Ink technology seen on the iX Flow, but suggested that applying the material was not unrealistically expensive and that we could see E Ink eventually making its way onto production vehicles.