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Volvo-based Futuricum electric truck sets Guinness range record

There is a new Guinness World Record for the longest distance traveled by an electric truck on a single charge. Swiss-based firm Futuricum built a Volvo-based delivery truck that drove for 683 miles on a closed test track. Although the prototype used to set the record has reportedly been in regular service on Swiss roads since early 2021, the record was set on a 1.7-mile high-speed oval operated by Continental near Hanover, Germany. The truck set off with a full charge and coasted to a stop 392 laps later; two drivers split their schedule in 4.5-hour shifts. Reaching the 683-mile threshold took about 23 hours, so the truck traveled at an average speed of 31 mph. Futuricum calls this a realistic average value for the truck's intended use — it's certainly not designed for long hauls. Whether it was empty or loaded with cargo wasn't specified, and we've reached out to the company for more details. What we do know is that the drivetrain was not modified, meaning the 680-horsepower truck is equipped with a 680-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. That's over six times bigger than the battery in a Porsche Taycan. Driving at a constant speed on a closed track is very different than delivering parcels in real-world conditions, which is what the Futuricum truck normally spends its days doing. In more normal use cases, the model (whose speed is electronically limited to about 55 mph) has a driving range of around 250 miles, according to the manufacturer. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

A car writer's year in new vehicles [w/video]

Christmas is only a week away. The New Year is just around the corner. As 2014 draws to a close, I'm not the only one taking stock of the year that's we're almost shut of. Depending on who you are or what you do, the end of the year can bring to mind tax bills, school semesters or scheduling dental appointments. For me, for the last eight or nine years, at least a small part of this transitory time is occupied with recalling the cars I've driven over the preceding 12 months. Since I started writing about and reviewing cars in 2006, I've done an uneven job of tracking every vehicle I've been in, each year. Last year I made a resolution to be better about it, and the result is a spreadsheet with model names, dates, notes and some basic facts and figures. Armed with this basic data and a yen for year-end stories, I figured it would be interesting to parse the figures and quantify my year in cars in a way I'd never done before. The results are, well, they're a little bizarre, honestly. And I think they'll affect how I approach this gig in 2015. {C} My tally for the year is 68 cars, as of this writing. Before the calendar flips to 2015 it'll be as high as 73. Let me give you a tiny bit of background about how automotive journalists typically get cars to test. There are basically two pools of vehicles I drive on a regular basis: media fleet vehicles and those available on "first drive" programs. The latter group is pretty self-explanatory. Journalists are gathered in one location (sometimes local, sometimes far-flung) with a new model(s), there's usually a day of driving, then we report back to you with our impressions. Media fleet vehicles are different. These are distributed to publications and individual journalists far and wide, and the test period goes from a few days to a week or more. Whereas first drives almost always result in a piece of review content, fleet loans only sometimes do. Other times they serve to give context about brands, segments, technology and the like, to editors and writers. So, adding up the loans I've had out of the press fleet and things I've driven at events, my tally for the year is 68 cars, as of this writing. Before the calendar flips to 2015, it'll be as high as 73. At one of the buff books like Car and Driver or Motor Trend, reviewers might rotate through five cars a week, or more. I know that number sounds high, but as best I can tell, it's pretty average for the full-time professionals in this business.

2023 Volvo XC90 Review: Design that stands the test of time

Pros: Classy, clean, minimalist design; powerful PHEV powertrain available; robust standard safety and driver assistance suite Cons: While we like the design, it’s due for an update; upgrading to PHEV is costly The 2023 Volvo XC90 is a three-row, full-size SUV that we like for its tasteful design, comfortable interior space and excellent safety. For 2023, the standard powertrains become mild-hybrid designs based on a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. The plug-in-hybrid XC90 Recharge version raises the price considerably, but provides a generous amount of all-electric range while being the most powerful and fun XC90 by far. It wonÂ’t provide the sporty driving dynamics like some of the performance models from BMW and Mercedes, but thereÂ’s plenty to like about VolvoÂ’s flagship crossover. What Volvo does offer is oodles of safety, with excellent crash test results year after year, and a robust suite of safety and driver assistance technology that doesnÂ’t feel like itÂ’s working against you while youÂ’re driving. The XC90 is also comfortable and roomy, seating six to seven passengers in an interior thatÂ’s comfortable and interesting to look at without feeling overwrought or ostentatious. The XC90 is getting a little long in the tooth as itÂ’s now in its eighth year since a complete redesign, but its unique, crisp design and modern technology hide its age well. If you want something all-electric, though, youÂ’ll have to wait just a little longer. Volvo will release its full-size EX90 as a battery-electric successor to the XC90, expected to go on sale in 2023 with an all-new design and more safety tech than ever before. Interior & Technology   |   Passenger & Cargo Space   |   Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive   |   Pricing & Trim Levels   |   Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2023? The 2023 XC90 switches to mild-hybrid powertrains as standard, complete with integrated 48-volt battery and an integrated starter/generator added to the existing 2.0-liter engines. The new B5 and B6 mild hybrids therefore replace the outgoing T5 and T6 engines. The XC90 Recharge remains a plug-in hybrid option. The XC90 switches to Google-based infotainment software for 2023, incorporating Google Maps, Google Play and Google Assistant voice control. The XC90 also gains over-the-air update capability, which means Volvo can send remote software updates to the vehicle, improving features over time.