electric car – Michmutters
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2022 Mercedes Benz EQB price and specifications

This could be the best electric car option for Australian families.

Based on the Mercedes-Benz GLB, the new Mercedes EQB crossover combines green credentials with seven-seat versatility.

It’s the only seven seat electric car on sale, as Tesla is not currently accepting orders for its Model X, and Korea’s Hyundai Ioniq 7 and Kia EV9 duo are not available yet.

Which means the electric Mercedes-Benz EQB is the only option for electric car customers who need more than five seats.

Priced from $87,800 plus on-road costs as a five-seater, the new Mercedes EQB 250 is available with an extra for of seats for a further $2900.

The EQB 250 drives the front wheels with a 140kW/385Nm electric motor linked to a 66.5kWh battery delivering 371 kilometers of range.

That’s the same hardware found in the slightly smaller EQA, which costs $11,000 less. The electric EQB costs $27,900 more than a petrol-powered two-wheel-drive GLB 200, or $13,900 more than all-wheel-drive GLB 250.

Customers who want more power can pick the all-wheel-drive Mercedes-Benz EQB that uses two motors to deliver a combined 215kW and 520Nm, which delivers a 6.2-second dash to 100km/h at the cost of a slightly reduced 360 kilometers of range.

The all-wheel-drive model costs $106,700 plus on-roads and is not available with seven seats.

Both variants have twin 10.25-inch displays, artificial leather, multi-colour ambient lighting and dual-zone climate control.

A comprehensive array of driver aids includes active cruise control, auto emergency braking, lane keeping assistance and a 360-degree camera.

The EQB accepts charge at a maximum rate of 100kW, which is a little slower than rival machines sold by Tesla, Kia and Hyundai.

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Nurburgring lap record for Porsche Taycan Turbo

The German manufacturer says the Porsche Taycan Turbo S completed a lap of the 20.8 kilometer track in 7min 33.3sec, making it the fastest electric car in production.

That effort, recorded by development driver Lars Kern, undercuts the 7min 35.sec mark of Tesla’s Model S Plaid by more than two seconds.

The 2023 model year Taycan Turbo S benefited from a new performance kit including lightweight 21-inch wheels, high-performance Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tyres, and a software update allowing its electronically controlled suspension to make the most of the new rubber.

The 560kW sedan reached 268km/h during the lap, benefiting from a two-speed transmission that gives it a performance advantage over most electric cars.

But it fell short of the fastest times set by petrol-powered V8 sedans, including the 7min 29.8sec mark of Porsche’s V8-powered Panamera, the 7min 29.5sec of BMW’s latest M5, or the 7min 27.8s of Mercedes-AMG’s GT 63 S .

While the Porsche runs out of puff just shy of 270km/h, the nine-speed transmission in Mercedes’ heavy hitter allows it to reach 298km/h on the Nurburgring, or 315km/h if you can find a longer straight.

Expect the electric car performance battle to heat up in the near future, powered by fresh metal such as the Tesla Roadster, Lotus Evija, Pininfarina Battista and Porsche’s electric successor to the Cayman GT4.

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Hyundai Ioniq 6 electric car first drive

Like a stone worn smooth by the sand and sea, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 is shaped by its environment.

Promising to exceed the claimed range of any sub-$100,000 electric car, the Ioniq’s distinctive silhouette helps it slide through the air with minimal resistance – and onto shortlists for electric car customers.

The arching silhouette of its roofline helps the Ioniq claim aerodynamic efficiency that is not only the best in its class, but among the best of any car on sale. Only the lowest-drag version of Mercedes’ EQS electric car can claim to be slipperier.

Drag coefficient data is rarely the subject of bar-room bragging.

But people will boast about an electric car with more than 600 kilometers of range, particularly one that does not rely on an enormous battery to do so.

The Ioniq 6 offers the same 77.4kWh battery and choice of rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive electric propulsion as the hatchback-shaped Ioniq 5.

While the boxy Ioniq 5 offers 481 kilometers of range, Hyundai expects the aerodynamic Ioniq 6 to claim 610 kilometers of range using the same test format.

It also expects the new car to be a sell-out success in Australia when it arrives next year.

While we don’t know exactly how much the car will cost, it’s likely to be a similar proposition to the Ioniq 5. That car is offered locally in relatively limited numbers priced from $69,900 plus on-road costs, suggesting the Ioniq 6 should start from less than $80,000 on the road. Range-topping versions will be closer to $90,000 drive-away.

We sampled the Ioniq 6 in camouflaged pre-production form at Hyundai’s Namyang proving ground in Seoul.

The banana-shaped roof is no less arresting in the metal, particularly when surrounded by conventional-shaped hatchbacks and SUVs at the Korean giant’s proving ground.

It’s much more familiar on the inside, where Hyundai’s design team has stayed in safer territory.

Though crude prototype plastics make it impossible to assess the quality of its interior, time in the back seat reveals that its slightly shorter wheelbase and dramatically swept roof result in less rear passenger room than the Ioniq 5.

Twin 12-inch screens curve across the dashboard in front of you, a familiar and effective if less-than-revolutionary combination for Hyundai fans. The brand took a note from Tesla’s book by keeping physical buttons to a minimum but dedicated climate controls are a victory for common sense.

Powered by twin electric motors with 239kW and 605Nm of combined power, the all-wheel-drive Ioniq 6 feels like it can match a claimed 0-100km/h time of 5.1 seconds.

Effortlessly brisk and near-silent when accelerating, the Ioniq 6 has no problem getting its power to the ground.

Special Pirelli tires developed for the new model trade ultimate cornering grip for reduced rolling resistance necessary to maximize its long-range potential.

We didn’t have the opportunity to assess the car’s cornering characteristics but a short drive on public roads showed that the Ioniq 5 is a refined machine, with a quiet motor, smoothly managed energy harvesting and well-controlled road noise.

We can’t say whether that slippery body reduces wind roar – low-speed running in a canvas-clad prototype isn’t the right test environment – ​​but can confirm the digital mirrors work well, even if your eyes need an extra moment to re -focus.

Accurate steering and well-modulated brakes work in its favour, and we suspect slightly tauter suspension than the comfort-focused Ioniq 5 delivers improved cornering control.

A full verdict will have to wait until we’ve had a chance to assess the car on local roads but early indications are that the Ioniq 6 backs up its intriguing looks with clever technology, giving electric car customers an impressive new option.

HYUNDAI IONIQ 6

PRICE About $90,000 drive away

ENGINE Twin electric, 239kW and 605Nm

RANGE About 600 kilometers

0-100km/h 5.1 seconds

FAST CHARGERS

Hyundai has built a high-performance Ioniq 6 pitched at enthusiasts. Powered by the same 430kW/740Nm motors found in Kia’s EV6 GT, the machine promises three-second 0-100km/h sprints, along with sideways fun made possible by clever torque vectoring. The Ioniq 5 is first in line to receive Hyundai’s go-fast “N” treatment, but we wouldn’t’ be surprised to see the sedan get special attention, too.

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