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Thanks to VW, BMW's 2017 diesels will be delayed

BMW confirmed Monday that US sales for its model-year 2017 diesel vehicles will be delayed because US regulators are taking longer than expected to certify the models. Bimmer, which sells diesel-powered 3-Series, 5-Series, X3, and X5 vehicles in the US, didn't give a timetable of when such domestic sales would start. Autoguide had previously reported of the potential delay for sales of US diesels, which account for about six percent of BMW's total sales in the US. "The product certification of all MY2017 BMW diesel models (328d Sedan, 328d Sports Wagon, X3 xDrive28d, X5 xDrive35d) has been delayed due to testing logistics," BMW spokeswoman Rebecca Kiehne wrote in an e-mail to Autoblog. "As a result, production of these models will commence once homologation has been finalized." US regulators appear to be taking a more deliberate approach to certifying diesel vehicles in the wake of the Volkswagen diesel-emissions scandal, which broke last September. Late last month, VW reached a settlement with US regulators that will cost the German automaker about $15 billion. With about a half-million impacted VW vehicles on US roads, the company will repurchase cars, end leases early, maybe fix some vehicles, and improve zero-emission vehicle technologies. Additionally, last week, VW reportedly told US dealers that they'd be compensated an undisclosed amount for their troubles. Some 2016 BMW diesel models were already subject to more stringent US testing procedures because of the VW situation. The BMW X5 xDrive35d was among the models that underwent more rigorous testing from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) late last year. Other diesel models that received the additional scrutiny included General Motors' 2016 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. Related Video:

Volkswagen considering a four-door, four-seat XL1

According to a report in Autocar, Volkswagen might have more in mind for the XL1 than mining it for advances to grace the next-generation Golf. Aiming to fight the Honda FCEV due for public consumption next year, we're told VW executives have put a four-door, four-seater version of the XL1 - it could be called XL2 - on the drawing board. The impetus is said to come from the top, with VW Group chairman Ferdinand Piëch intent on staying in the deep end of "super-efficent vehicles."
Autocar suspects the necessary changes could raise the weight of the car from 1,749 pounds to 2,068 pounds, which would make it four pounds less than the 2,072-pound Up! we drove a few years ago. Crucially, however, the mag thinks the extra capacity wouldn't change the two-seater's 310-mile-per-gallon rating, with tech tweaks and the aerodynamic benefit of a longer car offsetting the weight. Speculation is that the back seats would be staggered like the fronts in order to maintain the XL1's overall profile.
We recently heard about another XL1 variant that's gone off the radar entirely, the Ducati-engined XLR that we thought we'd see at the Geneva Motor Show and that was said to be going into production, so this one could go the same way. The biggest hurdle to making such an idea a reality, though, could be the price: the current XL1 costs 110,000 euros ($146,116). If VW really is going to compete with the Honda FCEV and the Toyota FCV - $70,000 in Japan - that might be where it wants to start.

Will VW's rumored 186-mile EV battery be enough?

Just as there continues to be a horsepower war in the realm of performance cars, there's an ongoing battle over driving range among electric vehicles. Both the Tesla Model 3 and Chevrolet Bolt are promising around 200 miles for a relatively affordable price in or around 2017. Plus, Nissan is reportedly nearing a 250-mile Leaf for about the same time and Ford might be joining the game, too. Volkswagen might be the latest potential challenger with some extra distance possible from its future EVs. According to Hybrid Cars, Volkswagen Chairman Martin Winterkorn tells Bild in Germany that the company is developing a new generation of battery tech with major gains, and it could reportedly provide a range of around 186 miles. That's more than double the current 83-mile EPA certified range for the e-Golf but falls short of the projections from competitors. Winterkorn didn't indicate exactly when this innovation would be ready for production, though. Especially in recent months, the German automaker is making serious moves towards big advancements in battery tech, and the company's platforms are largely already prepped to become EVs. The entire VW Group is reportedly considering moving to a single, unified lithium-ion cell design, and that switch could cut component costs by as much as 66 percent. In late 2014, the German automotive giant also bought five percent of the US-based startup QuantumScape. That business has claimed a staggering 430-mile range from its fireproof, solid-state lithium batteries, but the proof will need to be seen on the road – and in whatever the competition is able to accomplish whenever a car is finally available.