AD #2901 – BMW Shares New M4 Details; Kandi Wants Plant in North America; Subaru Shows Off New Levorg

This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.

EXPERTS PREDICT TENFOLD INCREASE IN EV SALES
Are electric cars going to dominate the American market in just a few years? Powertrain experts in the auto industry believe sales of EVs will grow tenfold during this decade, but will only achieve about 13% market share by 2030. Even so, that would probably translate into sales of 2 million EVs a year. The study of 110 powertrain experts was conducted by a think tank called Automotive Futures and by Wards Intelligence. They also see hybrids losing market share due to President Trump easing off fuel economy standards. 

KANDI WANTS PLANT IN NORTH AMERICA
Last month, Chinese EV company Kandi Technologies, announced plans to sell small, inexpensive commuter cars in Texas. And now the company says it wants to open a manufacturing plant in North America to help keep costs down, but we say it also protects them politically. It’s very likely that the U.S. will raise tariffs on Chinese made cars. The U.S. currently charges 2% while China has 25% tariffs on U.S. made vehicles. You can place your order right now for Kandi’s K23 or K27 if you want, which cost between $10,000 and $20,000 including the federal EV tax credit. Deliveries will start in the fourth quarter this year.

TESLA DEVELOPING NEW REAR SEAT REMINDER SENSOR
In order to make sure you don’t forget a child in your car, many vehicles have dashboard warnings that pop-up to remind you. But it’s easy to tune those out after a while. That’s why Tesla is developing a system that can more accurately detect if someone is left in the car. It’s asking the FCC for permission to use millimeter wave-sensors that would operate at higher levels than is currently permitted. Tesla says they’re better than camera based or in-seat passenger detection systems because they can provide depth perception and can “see” through soft materials like a blanket. They can also detect micro-movements like breathing and heart rates and more accurately determine when to turn on seat belt reminders. Tesla says this will help cut false alarms. If you’d like to share your opinion, the FCC is taking public comments through September 21st.

LEXUS ES NOW AVAILABLE WITH AWD
The sedan segment is a fierce one right now. More players and models drop away every year, which narrows the scope of options, but there’s also the massive shift to crossovers, SUVs and trucks. So, automakers are doing everything they can to remain competitive. And have you seen how many sedans offer all-wheel drive now? It’s a great marketing tool for any area that gets snow and a way to make a sedan look more attractive when it’s cross shopped with a utility vehicle or truck. Lexus is jumping on that bandwagon and will offer all-wheel drive on the ES for the very first time. The setup is paired with a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine, which makes 203 horsepower. Up to 50% of torque can be sent to the rear wheels or the rear can be fully disconnected via an electromagnetic coupling on the rear axle, which helps return 28 MPG combined. And the system doesn’t encroach on interior space. Look for the AWD ES in dealerships early this fall.

BMW SHARES NEW M4 DETAILS
I’m sure many of you can’t forget the grille on BMW’s new 4-Series, but in case you have, here’s our first look at the performance M4 version. While most of the styling is covered by camo, BMW did share a little news about its powerplant. A turbocharged straight six will come in two outputs; 480 horsepower and 510 horsepower. The more powerful version is paired to an 8-speed auto, while the other gets a six-speed manual. There is more information to come next month when the official premiere is planned.

ROLLS-ROYCE DAWN SILVER BULLET
Abracadabra. With a quick sleight of hand Rolls-Royce just converted the 4-seater Dawn convertible into a 2-seat roadster, called the Silver Bullet. It was a quick transformation. They yanked out the back seats and covered up the opening with a cowl. Not just any cowl, mind you. Rolls-Royce tells us that this is a genuine rakish Aero Cowling. And it’s trimmed in what they call vapor-blasted titanium. Well, that’s a new one on us, so we had to look up what vapor blasting is all about. It’s a process used in manufacturing to clean a metallic surface that is much gentler than sandblasting and so it leaves a very smooth and fine surface. This treatment will only be offered to the most discriminating customer. Rolls is only going to make 50 of these cars. Pricing hasn’t been released, but we figure you better have about $400,000 burning a hole in your pocket.

MERCEDES OFFERING CONNECTIVITY RETROFIT
In 2016, Mercedes launched the me Adapter, which gave customers from as far back as 2002 some connectivity features, like vehicle information and a parking spot locator that they can access right from their phone. Recently the 500,000th adapter was activated and now Mercedes is making the service easier to activate. Previously the device had to be installed at a service center, but now customers are able to set it up on their own in just a few minutes thanks to a new Bluetooth dongle. Not only is Mercedes expanding the service into more markets, it will reach 36 by the end of the year, but it’s adding new features like automatically contacting the dealer when service is required. Mercedes says this is the beginning of blending its physical retail spaces with digital channels. By 2025, Mercedes expects 80% of all service appointments will be booked online and that 25% of its passenger car sales will be completed online as well. 

SUBARU SHOWS OFF NEW LEVORG
Subaru showed off the redesigned Levorg at the Tokyo show last year and now it’s going in production in Japan. While station wagons don’t sell very well anywhere except maybe Europe, Subaru has done a decent job selling the Outback, which is a station wagon, though they’ve done a good job to make it look like a crossover. The Levorg, in contrast, sits lower, does not have blacked out wheel lips, or roof-rack rails. And it has a front-end splitter instead of a simulated skid plate. So, while the Outback is aimed at outdoorsy types, the Levorg has a sportier look that is aiming at a different demographic.

That’s a wrap for this week. Have a good weekend and we’ll see you right back here again on Monday.