on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Hyundai Group invests $90 million in Rimac to develop electric halo cars

The Hyundai Group is the next large automaker to make pilgrimage to Croatia, all for the purpose of investing 80 million euros ($90 million) in Rimac. Hyundai has chipped in 64 million euros ($72 million), while Kia added 16 million euros ($18 million). The tie-up puts a much faster spin on the South Korean automaker's electrification goals, with current plans to get 44 "eco-friendly models" on sale by 2025. Developing products with Rimac means working up two proper halo models to lead the charge. The press release stated Hyundai's intent to "to lead the high-performance electrified vehicle market and enhance its status as a game changer in Clean Mobility." According to Thomas Schemera, EVP of the group's product division, "Our goal is to popularize electric vehicles and to create social value through world-class technology and innovation in performance." The Hyundai Kona Electric, Ioniq and Nexo, and the Kia Soul EV and Niro EV have all won praise, but won't be enough in their current forms to garner the attention Hyundai and Kia desire. We'll see first fruits as soon as next year. Two high-performance electric prototypes are expected to debut, one being a battery-electric vehicle, the other a hydrogen fuel cell EV. The battery-powered offering will be a zero-emission version of Hyundai's mid-engined sports car for the N division. This has been in the works for seven years now, with three concepts put on show starting with the Veloster Midship in 2014. The RM15 followed a year later, the RM16 N (pictured) a year after that. The automaker didn't indicate what the FCEV would be. The aim, however, is to bring both to marker "at a later time." On Rimac's side, the investment helps the small Croatian on its quest for Tier 1 Supplier status. Only ten years old and employing about 500 people, Rimac has supplied technology to Aston Martin for the Valkyrie, Jaguar for the E-Type Zero, Koenigsegg for the Regera, and Pininfarina for the PF0. Porsche bought a ten-percent stake in Rimac last year, following a 30-million-euro investment from Chinese battery maker Camel Group to take a 19-percent stake. The Eastern European concern remains focused on its own bowtie-inspired hypercars as long as founder Mate Rimac leads, though. As he told Motor Trend in April, "Of course I'm very passionate about helping other manufacturers build their cars. But if the shareholders decide it doesn't make sense to produce our own cars, they we'll have to find another CEO."

Driving the Aston Martin DBX, Audi SQ5 and Hyundai Palisade | Autoblog Podcast #670

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder and Contributing Editor Joe Lorio. First, they talk about driving the Aston Martin DBX, Audi SQ5 and Autoblog's new long-term Hyundai Palisade. They discuss the news, including the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, the BMW i4 and iX, and the Kia EV6. Last, but not least, they dig into the mailbag to help a listener choose a replacement for a long-serving Honda Pilot. Autoblog Podcast #670 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars We're Driving 2021 Aston Martin DBX 2021 Audi SQ5 Long-term 2021 Hyundai Palisade News 2022 Jeep Wagoneer is here: gigantic, luxurious and packing big V8 power BMW EV news BMW Group announces an armada of EVs that includes the full Mini range BMW i4 revealed as the 3 Series' EV sidekick BMW iX xDrive50 isn't just greener on the road, but from the get-go Kia EV6 electric car revealed with curvy sheetmetal Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related Video: Aston Martin DBX in Stirling Green | On road, off-road and on the track

Teacher gets free car for his role stopping Indiana school shooting

Jason Seaman, the seventh-grade science teacher who was shot three times but was credited for helping avert a worse tragedy in a school shooting last month in Indiana is the recipient of a new 2018 Hyundai Elantra, courtesy of a local dealership. The Ed Napoleon Automotive Group is also donating money to the 13-year-old girl who was shot seven times in the May 25 shooting, saying it plans to donate $25 for every car sold between Memorial Day and Father's Day at its four Indianapolis-area dealerships to Ella Whistler's medical expenses and therapy. "As I read more and more about Jason, I heard him say he didn't think what he did was that heroic because it was the only acceptable action to take," Brian Napoleon, director of Midwest operations at the dealer group, told TV station Fox 59. "In my mind that way of thinking is what makes him a hero to me." The shooting took place on May 25 at a middle school in Noblesville, Ind., when a student asked for permission to leave the classroom and then returned armed with two handguns and opened fire. Students in the classroom said Seaman, a 29-year-old seventh-grade science teacher, tackled the boy to the ground and yelled for students to call 911. Whistler remains hospitalized in stable condition and reportedly faces a long recovery. Seaman underwent surgery after being shot through the abdomen, in the hip and forearm but was released the next day. Seaman was in court earlier this week to attend the hearing for the accused shooter, one of his students, whose name is not being released because he is not being charged as an adult. The boy, who is 13, faces 11 charges. "People just want to say thank you and be nice," Seaman told the Indianapolis Star. "I don't like the attention. It's not that I'm not receptive to it. I'd rather be the guy who just moves around and nobody notices. But it's just people being nice, so I think I can be OK with that." He said he's visited Whistler in the hospital every week since the shooting. Several other organizations are organizing fundraisers to assist in her recovery. Related Video: Image Credit: Fox59 Auto News Hyundai Sedan shooting