Success and Failure

Last week's good and bad car news

Saturday morning, having breakfast with a fresh orange juice and...., ready for some exciting car news. At Greenchoicess we look back on a week in which the new Hyundai Ioniq 9 positively surprised and the poisoned chalice for Ford still appears not to be empty. Good news, bad news. Success and failure.

Success - Hyundai Ioniq 9 positively surprises

Hyundai has unveiled the new Hyundai Ioniq 9. It must have been a huge one, because the 7-seater SUV is 5.06 meters long. This makes the Ioniq 9 slightly longer than its sister model Kia EV9.

Larger battery

The Hyundai Ioniq 9 has a 110.3 kWh lithium-ion battery. A big one. The battery of the Kia EV9 is also large, but with a maximum of 99.8 kWh it has to let the Hyundai go first. Furthermore, both SUVs are equally wide (1.98 m), but the Ioniq 9 is a centimeter higher at 1.79 meters. The wheelbase of the Hyundai is also larger: 3.13 versus 3.10 meters.

Hyundai Ioniq 9 has more range

Hyundai gives a range of 620 kilometers (WLTP) for the Ioniq 9. That is from the Long Range with rear-wheel drive and 19-inch wheels. The Kia EV9 comes up to a maximum of 563 kilometers, also with rear-wheel drive and 19-inch alloy wheels. Both the Hyundai and the Kia are also available with AWD.

Sleek design

It remains a matter of taste, but we think the Hyundai Ioniq 9 looks better than the Kia EV9. 'A bold look and futuristic lines', says Kia about the EV9. Hyundai calls the design of the Ioniq 9 'groundbreaking' and 'sleek'. We especially like the latter word. The Ioniq 9 seems calmer and more stylish to us. When we are overtaken by an EV9, we still get a bit scared.

16 colours

We'll stick with the design for a moment: the Ioniq 9 is available in no fewer than 16 different colours. That is a remarkable number for an electric SUV. With the EV9, you can choose from 'only' 10 shades. And to mention another electric 7-seater SUV: the Volvo EX90 only has 8. Both the Kia and the Hyundai can also be ordered with a matte paint.

Digital wing mirrors or not

We are not fans of digital wing mirrors. It feels unnatural to look at a screen in the corner of the dashboard instead of a normal wing mirror. In addition, mirror cameras often offer poor rearward visibility in the rain. But the Ioniq 9 is streamlined partly because of those small digital mirrors, says Hyundai (Cw value: 0.259). Whether they are standard or optional remains to be seen. "In some markets, digital wing mirrors replace traditional mirrors," says Hyundai. They are optional in the Kia EV9 and only for the GT-Line.

What about the frunk?

A frunk is handy, because you can store the charging cable here. Or your dirty wellington boots, whatever you want. Both the Ioniq 9 and the EV9 have one. But the Hyundai's is slightly smaller, 88 instead of 90 liters for the EV9. So you have to store those two cartons of Korean milk somewhere else. If you go for the AWD version, you will still have 52 liters left in both cases.

Hyundai Ioniq 9 is more of a pack mule

1323 liters of luggage fits in the Hyundai Ioniq 9 if you only fold down the backrest of the third row of seats. With the EV9 you can only get no further than 828 liters. If your whole family is traveling and all 7 seats are occupied, you can still take 620 liters of luggage behind the Hyundai, which is more than in the Hyundai Tucson. With all seats in use, you can only take 333 liters in the Kia. The real pack mule is the Hyundai.

Sterilization function (...)

Hyundai has built in a sterilization function in the Ioniq 9. Anyone who still wants children can safely get in, because this is about the air purification system. That disinfects the bacteria that cling to, for example, telephones and wallets. We did not find the sterilization function in the Kia. But perhaps that is a reason for you to choose the EV9. You never know.

Hyundai Ioniq 9 delivery time

The Kia EV9 is already in the showroom and you can throw it in your online shopping cart as we speak. You will have to wait longer for the Hyundai Ioniq 9. In the first half of 2025, it will first be launched in South Korea. And then it will be available in the country where the large SUV is best suited: America. Only then will it be Europe's turn. So count on the fall of 2025 at the earliest.

Success - This battery solves one of the biggest problems of EVs

Cold is one of the biggest enemies of electric cars: the range decreases and charging is slow. One of the world's largest battery manufacturers has a battery that can solve this problem.

The Chinese CATL has developed a new battery that can withstand extremely low temperatures. It has never been this cold in the Netherlands. The secret is a different battery chemistry - instead of the usual lithium-ion battery, this is a sodium-ion battery.

Extreme temperatures

Although a sodium-ion battery has similarities with a lithium-ion battery, the former offers two enormous advantages. First of all, batteries with sodium are better suited for extreme temperatures, because the sodium ions are more resistant to them. For example, the new battery from CATL could work without any problems in temperatures of -40 degrees Celsius. The sodium-ion battery does not lose any range and charging is also smooth.

Sodium-ion vs. lithium-ion price

The second major advantage is the low cost of sodium hydroxide - the main raw material of a sodium-ion battery. The prices are much lower than those of lithium ions. In the long term, this could ensure that the prices of batteries and therefore of electric cars can continue to fall.

However, this is not yet the case: because lithium-ion batteries have been in mass production for much longer, they are built more efficiently and with greater economies of scale. However, this could change due to investments in sodium-ion batteries.

BYD is also a major player in the battery field and expects that the production costs of sodium-ion batteries will be equal to those of lithium-ion batteries next year. In the long term, the Chinese car manufacturer expects that batteries based on sodium can be produced up to 70 percent cheaper than lithium-ion batteries.

Introduction and mass production

CATL's new sodium-ion battery will be introduced next year, although the battery will probably not go into mass production until 2027. It will be interesting to see how the new battery stacks up against the usual options of lithium-ion and LFP at that time. And then there is the solid-state battery coming.

Success - Updated Kia EV6 offers mainly advantages

With the Kia EV3 as a shining centerpiece, you could almost forget that the Kia EV6 (2024) has also been renewed. The range has been increased and you can charge even faster. But where did Kia buy the new shock absorbers?

What stands out about the Kia EV6 (2024)?

If Kia starts a museum about its model history in about 50 years, the EV6 deserves a place of honor. Before the EV6 era, Kia was as modest as a bass player, but since the EV6, the brand has acquired the allure of the tough, woman-devouring drummer.

The appearance was more confident and technically Kia made its European competitors gasp for breath. The combination of that striking appearance, the unprecedentedly fast charging times in combination with the large range and the excellent driving characteristics made the EV6's entrance grand. The EV6 won numerous awards.

The icing on the cake was the 585 hp GT, which completed the sprint from 0 to 100 (still a favorite peeing contest among car brands) faster than a Porsche 911 Carrera. It does it in 3.5 seconds.

After three years, Kia is renewing the EV6. You can only see it if you look closely. The bumpers (now wing-shaped) and the lighting (3D) in particular have been tinkered with. Nothing has changed in terms of the engine; the Kia EV6 is available with 170, 229 or 325 hp, just like in 2021. Kia does not want to say anything about the changes to the powerful GT (585 hp).

What's good about the Kia EV6?

Advantage 1: the range was already a strong point of the EV6, but now that it has new batteries, it's even better. Thanks to the higher energy density, the capacity has increased in all versions: from 58 kWh to 63 kWh for the Standard Range and from 77.4 kWh to 84 kWh for the Long Range. The Standard Range (63 kWh) now has a range of 428 km (was 394 km), while the Long Range goes 582 km (was 528 km).

It was mainly the charging speed that set the EV6 apart from its competitors and that has also been improved. That brings us to the second advantage. 800 volt technology is once again standard and the peak power has increased from 240 to 258 kW. After a quarter of an hour of charging, you can go another 343 kilometers.

And what a good car it still is (advantage 3). Comfortable seating position, communicative steering (certainly for an EV), excellent sound comfort: the list of plus points is long. Depending on your mood, you can choose the Eco, Normal or Sport driving program. Especially with the 325-strong, four-wheel drive Kia EV6, it is fun to wrestle on winding mountain roads in the Sport mode. Fortunately, it never becomes a real fight; the car does not give you mean knees and will never poke you in the eyes.

What could be improved on the Kia EV6?

We drove the EV6 on the same day that we were on the road with the Kia EV3. And after the comfortable little Kia, it is striking how rock-hard the EV6 is sprung. You hardly notice it on the highway, but it seems as if the EV6 takes pleasure in passing on speed bumps and bumpy asphalt to the occupants extra firmly. Very strange, because Kia just reported that the shock absorbers of the EV6 have been renewed 'to further refine the ride comfort and further increase stability on uneven road surfaces.' Well.

What is the price of the Kia EV6 (2024)?

For 44,995 euros you get the key to the entry-level EV6 (63 kWh, 170 hp, rear-wheel drive). The large 84 kWh battery pack (229 hp) is available from 49,495 euros. The EV6 with 84 kWh battery is also available with four-wheel drive. This 325 hp variant is available from 55,495 euros. A heat pump is not standard on all versions, 800 volt technology is.

No prices or specs are yet known for the GT, the top model that is faster than a 911.

Failure - European brand misses chance to outdo Chinese

The designers of the SM Tribute would go into production. Unfortunately, the top of DS puts a stop to that. In this way, the brand misses the chance to trump Chinese car brands.

Maserati has had many owners in its 110-year history, from the founder himself to Stellantis today. Between 1968 and 1975, the Italian brand fell under Citro?n, which led to a remarkable project: the extravagant Citro?n SM. In the Netherlands, the Italian Frenchman gained a lot of fame because football icon Johan Cruijff owned one.

Johan Cruijff's car

This front-wheel drive sports coupé became Citro?n's top model and combined French flair and a hydropneumatic suspension with an Italian engine. The result? A charismatic and progressively designed car, but also one with a lot of technical misfortune.

That spoiled the image and ensured that only about 10,000 copies of the Citro?n SM were sold. Nevertheless, 'Johan Cruijff's car' lives on in the hearts of car enthusiasts.

DS SM Tribute is an ode to an iconic model

That love is so great that DS recently presented a concept version: the SM Tribute. A large coupé with elegant lines, designed by DS design director Thierry Metroz, in honor of the 10th anniversary of DS Automobiles. Metroz openly dreamed of a small edition for collectors. But alas, his wish remains a pipe dream.

Italian Motor1 smelled news and contacted DS for more details. What engine would the Tribute get? Perhaps Maserati's V6 Nettuno? That would give the French supercoupé extra cachet. But DS was immediately clear: the SM Tribute will not go into production, not even in a limited series. In any case, we considered an electric drivetrain to be much more likely for a production version of the SM Tribute.

DS misses opportunity

Unfortunately, parent company Stellantis currently has other things on its mind than making models for collectors. After all, many of the group's brands are in dire straits. Too bad, because by giving their electric cars a retro design, European brands can distinguish themselves from the Chinese competition. After all, they have no heritage at all from which they can draw and attract European and American buyers.

Affordable EV

But why limit yourself to expensive collector's items? Renault shows that you can build fun affordable EVs with a retro design. The electric Renault 5 and Renault 4 are good examples of this. And the number of pre-orders for the Renault 5 is promising and Renault expects even more from the practical 4 E-Tech.

DS will not follow the example of fellow countryman Renault. Nevertheless, the SM Tribute was not built for nothing. Elements of the design could find their way into future DS models.

The DS8 as heir

The upcoming DS8, a mid-range car with fastback styling, could borrow some styling cues from the SM Tribute, such as a streamlined silhouette partly inspired by the 2020 Aero Sport Lounge concept car (see right photo below).

Based on Stellantis’ STLA Medium platform, the DS8 will roll off the production line in Melfi, Italy, alongside the new Jeep Compass, DS 7 and – perhaps most noticeably – the Lancia Gamma. The latter, due in 2026, will feature a similar coupe-like profile.

Failure - Watch out for Teslas!

An American study shows that Teslas are surprisingly often involved in fatal accidents. This is striking, since cars of the brand are packed with safety systems and are seen as modern and safe. What is going on here?

The study was conducted by iSeeCars - an American car search engine and research agency. For this study, the company analyzed the data on fatal traffic accidents between 2017 and 2022 in the United States. iSeeCars specifically looked at the brands of cars involved in these fatal accidents.

Tesla the most dangerous brand

This led to a striking conclusion: Teslas have been involved in the most fatal accidents, giving it the dubious honor of being the most dangerous brand on American roads. Converted (from miles to kilometers), Teslas are involved in approximately 3.5 fatal accidents per billion kilometers traveled.

That is twice as many as the average number for a brand. Incidentally, Kia is in second place, and the podium is completed by the American Buick.

Dangerous models

In addition to brands, the study also specifies which models are most often involved in fatal accidents. Tesla is also represented on this list. The Tesla Model S is involved in fatal accidents more than twice as often as average, for the Tesla Model Y this is even almost four times as often.

However, the Teslas were not the deadliest cars in the study: that was the unknown Hyundai Venue (a compact SUV), which was involved in almost five times as many fatal accidents as average (8.6 per billion kilometers). The Chevrolet Corvette and Mitsubishi Space Star/Mirage (both 8.5 per billion kilometers) also scored ‘high’.

Not the car, but the driver

The study clearly states that the results do not mean that Tesla cars are inherently unsafe or poorly designed. In fact, the American safety institute Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has even named the Tesla Model Y the 'safest car of 2024'.

The 'blame' should therefore not be sought with the cars but with the drivers, as analyst Karl Brauer explains: "The models on this list likely reflect a combination of driving behavior and driving conditions that lead to more accidents and fatalities." In other words: it could be that Tesla drivers drive more antisocially than average, which means they cause more fatal accidents.

Failure - Shocking price increase for second-hand Volkswagen Polo

“As soon as you drive out of the showroom, it’s worth thousands of euros less.” That’s true for most new cars, but it’s not always true for used cars. For example, a second-hand Volkswagen Polo is a lot more expensive than it was four years ago.

Driving is becoming very expensive. Due to the high new prices and the high costs for petrol and road tax, most buyers often choose compact cars above average. For most buyers of second-hand cars, low monthly payments are usually even higher on the wish list. So the demand for young compact used cars has always been high. This also keeps the depreciation within limits. Nice for trade-in, less nice if you are going to buy your first (compact) car.

Why are used cars so expensive?

However, the depreciation of new cars was still considerable. Especially in the first four years after the car had rolled off the production line.

But with the corona pandemic, the traditional depreciation changed. Car factories were sometimes closed for months and the supply of parts was also problematic. New cars had extremely long delivery times, so many car buyers preferred to look for a relatively fresh used car.

This led to a shortage of young used cars in no time. Car dealers and their trade associations already signalled this development in 2021. It did not go unnoticed by aspiring car buyers either: they saw prices skyrocket on all sales platforms. Even for large expensive cars such as the BMW 5-series and the Mercedes C-class. And certainly also for compact models. The Volkswagen Polo, number 3 of the most sought-after cars, is a good example of this. The used prices of the Polo went through the roof at all providers.

Bonus - Tesla makes Superchargers faster: current Tesla drivers have little use for them

Tesla's development train is chugging along steadily. For example, in 2025 the charging speed of the fourth generation Supercharger (V4) will be increased from 250 to 500 kW. But current Tesla Model 3 and Y drivers will have little use for this.

The V4 Supercharger has been around for a while. In 2023, the first fourth-generation fast charging stations were installed in Harderwijk, and the rest of the world followed suit. The longer charging cables make it easy to plug in electric cars from other brands. The peak power remained 250 kW.

In 2025, the charging speed of the V4 Supercharger for passenger cars will increase to 500 kW. Tesla's electric truck will soon even charge with 1200 kW or 1.2 MW. The increase in charging capacity is thanks to a new type of charging cabinets - the rectangular power boxes from which the stylish charging stations draw their power.

Only useful if you drive a Tesla Cybertruck

Fast charging with 500 kW sounds great, but the only Tesla passenger car that benefits from it is the Cybertruck. It has 800V architecture and will soon be charged 30 percent faster. All other Tesla models will continue to charge with a maximum of 250 kW. In order to take maximum advantage of the V4 Supercharger, Tesla will have to reinforce the on-board electrical system in future versions of the Model 3, Y, S and X. A good reason to give them a facelift ...

The new charging cabinets have another advantage: they make it easier to provide a Supercharger location with many charging points. The old charging cabinet could supply four charging stations with power, the new one can supply up to eight. This makes installation simpler and saves space.

Supercharging with an EV from another brand

We are curious whether the V4 Supercharger with the new charging cabinet will soon be the place to test the charging speed of new EVs. The new setup can handle battery packs from 400 to 1000 volts, so the Lotus Eletre should reach the promised 355 kW there. With Ionity we did not get further than 310 kW.

More interesting car news next time!

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