The all-electric XC90 Recharge will get lidar sensors. We take an up-close look at the Kia EV6—yes, the one with the numbers that rival the Model Y Performance. And the Sono Sion solar EV is getting a bigger battery before advancing toward production. This and more, here at Green Car Reports.
Volvo on Thursday announced some very sophisticated safety and driving-assistance hardware for the fully electric version of the next-generation XC90, expected to be called the XC90 Recharge, will get standard lidar sensors from California’s Luminar and will be part of a sensor suite feeding to an “AI-driven super computer” with Nvidia chips. Expect something to rival GM Super Cruise and Tesla Navigate on Autopilot.
The Sono Sion solar-supplemented EV hasn’t been delivered yet, but it’s already getting a boost to both driving range and its fast-charging rate with the substitution of a larger battery pack. The 54-kwh LFP pack replaces a 35-kwh lithium-ion pack and will deliver about 189 miles of range—with this model’s solar claims and attributes essentially unchanged.
We recently got an up-close look at the Kia EV6 electric car near Los Angeles. With a completely different design statement versus the closely related Hyundai Ioniq 5, the EV6 captures a futuristic look that’s not dependent on retro cues.
And over at Motor Authority: A report from Europe suggested that the E-Tron SUV and Sportback are due to get more range as part of a big mid-cycle updates in late 2022—including new batteries and other efficiency improvements. No word yet on whether this will be coming to the U.S.
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