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UK electric motor maker YASA expands production 50-fold for EVs

LONDON — British electric motor manufacturer YASA said on Thursday it was increasing its production capacity from 2,000 to 100,000 units with a new factory to tap into growing demand from carmakers for greener technologies. Automakers are racing to build greener vehicles and improve charge times in a bid to meet rising customer demand and air quality targets but Britain lacks sufficient manufacturing capacity, an area the government is building up. Last year, the government picked a site in central England to house a new automotive battery development facility, which will develop the processes required to manufacture the latest battery advancements. On Thursday, YASA, based near the English city of Oxford, said it had raised another 15 million pounds ($21 million) as part of its expansion. "Our customers are looking to adopt innovative new technologies such as YASA's axial-flux electric motors and controllers in order to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding hybrid and pure electric automotive market," said Chief Executive Chris Harris. The firm exports 80 percent of production and has worked with companies including Britain's two biggest carmakers Jaguar Land Rover and Nissan as well as Aston Martin. JLR will decide this year whether to build electric cars in its home market, previously citing factors such as pilot testing and support from science and government as pre-requisites. Reporting by Costas PitasRelated Video:

2021 Jaguar F-Type arrives, and it still looks spectacular

The 2021 Jaguar F-Type is officially here, and proportionally, it looks a whole lot like the current F-Type. There’s nothing wrong with that, as the F-Type is still one of the best looking cars on sale today. Jaguar didnÂ’t want to mess with that winning formula, so it took a light brush to the British sports car. Despite the silhouette remaining largely unchanged, the finer styling points are significantly different. Jaguar gave the F-Type a larger grille, slimmer horizontal headlights, a new clamshell hood and reshaped side air intakes. Its taillights are smoothed out, but they feature JaguarÂ’s “Chicane” light graphic from the I-Pace. Thankfully, the V8Â’s menacing quad exhaust design remains for the high-performance R trim. “F-Type has always had great proportions and stance, and our latest design is all about enhancing those key Jaguar values. Our aim was to make the car more contemporary, more purposeful, and even more dramatic,” said Adam Hatton, Jaguar exterior design director. When it comes to engines, Jaguar is staying the course for the most part. The base engine is still the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 296 horsepower. Jag took the manual transmission away for the 2020 model year, and the eight-speed automatic transmission remains the only option for 2021 as well. The upgrade engine is still the supercharged V6 that makes 380 horsepower, though the 340-horsepower version is no longer available. Jaguar promises it still sounds spectacular. If you want maximum performance, the F-Type R is the way to go for the time being. Power is up to 575 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque in the R — these figures happen to be exactly the same as the SVR, but 25 horsepower and 14 pound-feet of torque more than the previous R.  Jaguar didnÂ’t reveal plans for a SVR version of this new F-Type down the road, but we assume one must be in development. Expect even more horsepower from that car if/when it arrives. As of now, Jaguar claims the R will hit 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, the same time as the SVR. Top speed is electronically limited to 186 mph. Every engine configuration comes with an active exhaust system as standard or optional. The R features a new “Quiet Start” mode thatÂ’ll help you maintain a friendly relationship with your neighbors. Jaguar made some handling improvements to the new F-Type, too. New springs and anti-roll bars complement recalibrated continuously variable dampers.

Jaguar I-Pace sets Laguna Seca record, virtually matches Tesla Model S P100D

Jaguar has announced that the I-Pace crossover has set the Laguna Seca lap record for production electric vehicles. With racing driver Randy Pobst behind the wheel, the I-Pace HSE completed a lap in 1 minute and 48.18 seconds. Jaguar was adamant to stress that the record-setting vehicle was bone stock with "no modifications whatsoever." As Jalopnik reports, a bit of a dispute arose about the lap time, as a Tesla Model S P100D is said to have completed a lap in 1 minute, 47.62 seconds. However, the Tesla in question had received brake upgrades, unlike the factory specification Jaguar. The I-Pace's two electric motors are good for a combined 400 horsepower and 513 pound-feet, propelling the SUV to 62 mph in just 4.8 seconds. Jaguar has also released video footage from the Laguna Seca run, above. Look for the slide at the 30-second mark! Pobst must have been enjoying himself, as you can hear him guffawing after the famous Corkscrew section. While this record was all about the prowess of a production EV, there will be a racing series featuring the I-Pace, as the I-Pace eTrophy begins in the fifth season of ABB FIA Formula E. View 3 Photos Related Video: