GM’s new electric motors, Mercedes-Benz EQS pricing announced, more Bond Bikes

GM shows off a trio of electric motors

Intake: GM has given us our first peek at three new electric motors that the company plans to use in a wide swath of upcoming products. These three motors are planned for Ultium-based EVs like the upcoming GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq and all use “similar tooling and manufacturing techniques.” The family thus far consists of two permanent magnet motors at 180 kW and 255 kW (or 241 and 342 horsepower, respectively) and one induction motor at 62 kW (83 hp). Shown above are the stators of all three motors. GM added that the 180-kW motor is intended for FWD or AWD vehicles, the 255kW version is for performance AWD or RWD applications and that both were developed, “with the aim of minimizing reliance on heavy rare earth materials.”

Exhaust: Although it doesn’t look as exciting, these components may end up being as revolutionary to General Motors as the debut of the small-block Chevy for 1955 as these motors will soon power the majority of new vehicles unveiled GM over the next several years. The 62-kW motor is described as an “AWD assist” motor which could add rear-wheel power to more easily turn a front-wheel-drive vehicle into an AWD hybrid, or possibly the reverse if it’s used in, say, the mid-engine Corvette.

The Mercedes-Benz new EQS starts at $103,360

Intake: Pricing is out for Mercedes’ U.S.-bound EQS luxury sedan, ahead of its arrival at U.S. dealerships this fall. Starting at just $103,360 (including destination) for the EQS 450+, the Silver Star faithful will have three smartly-packaged trims to choose from: Premium, Exclusive, and Pinnacle. The price mentioned above is for the single-motor Premium. The dual-motor EQS 580 4MATIC Premium will run you $120,160, but you’ll net the swanky 56-inch curved-glass infotainment screen as standard. Moving to the Exclusive trim, the EQS 450+ and EQS 580 4MATIC will begin at $106,760 and $123,560, respectively. The range-topping Pinnacle trims will start at $109,560 and $126,360 for the EQS 450+ and EQS 580 4MATIC, respectively, netting fancier heated and cooled power rear seats and other goodies along the way. EQS customers will enjoy 24 months of free fast-charging via Electrify America, for when that 484 miles of range runs dry.

Exhaust: How serious is Mercedes-Benz taking the EV revolution? Well, the EQS is also priced a few thousand lower than its gas-powered S-Class competition. An S500, the base S-Class, begins at $110,850, and the higher-tier S580 starts at $117,350. This lozenge-shaped EQS is even more nondescript-looking, but what’s going on inside is a swanky package indeed.

007 Edition Tiger 900 is a tie-in Triumph

Intake: Another day, another license to print money. That could almost be the title of the next Bond movie, but we digress. The latest brand to bond with the 007 franchise is Triumph, which is set to release a run of 250 Tiger 900s as featured in No Time To Die, having already sold all 250 Scrambler 1200s it had ready for the film’s original release date. The Tiger 900 Bond Edition is based on the Tiger 900 Rally Pro, finished in black and gold. Every bike is individually numbered and comes with a certificate of authenticity along with a special 007-themed startup screen for the TFT instrument panel. The bikes are available worldwide with the U.K. price of £16,500 ($22,512).

Exhaust: The Tiger 900 really proved its ability in No Time To Die as stunt coordinator Lee Morrison can confirm. “We were riding them at high speeds and bouncing off the sides of cars during the Norway chase scene! It was amazing being able to ride behind and direct my lead stunt rider, constantly telling him to get in there, I want you alongside Bond, hitting the side of his door, cutting behind. There was a point where we jumped the Tiger over a car and under a helicopter. To have the confidence in a motorcycle to do all those things, on the move, while directing through an earpiece shows you how good that bike is,” he said. 

This one-of-a-kind Comet by Ant Anstead could be yours

Intake: Before he linked up with Jenson Button at Radford, Ant Anstead founded the Dowsetts Classic Car Company, which handcrafted classic-looking machines based on modern running gear. This 2018 Comet was one of the company’s creations and, in fact, is the only example made. Finished in Porsche Crayon Grey, the curvaceous composite bodywork sits atop a steel box frame, and power comes from a 6.2-liter LS3 V-8 mated to a five-speed Tremec transmission. Inside there are acres of Alacantara and quilted leather, plus a Motolita steering wheel. The car, which has covered just 2,500 miles, is heading to the block at Silverstone Auctions in November.

Exhaust: Dowsetts planned to sell the Comet for around $190,000 when new; Silverstone Auction says it’s “very sensibly guided and is now available at around half its build cost.” That sounds like quite a bargain for a one-off build like this.

Ford inks partnership with Redwood Materials for advanced battery recycling

 
Intake: In an effort to drive down battery costs, up the sustainability of EVs, and shore up supply chains for these complex chemistry projects, Ford has announced a $50 million investment and partnership with Redwood Materials to expand its battery recycling efforts. The Blue Oval says that by using Redwood’s recycling tech, it expects to recover up to 95 percent of the rare elements like nickel, cobalt, lithium, and copper from old batteries and turn them into useful components for new batteries.

Exhaust: The battery recycling industry is going to be interesting to watch over the next few decades. We’re huge fans of the notion of closed-loop supply chains here in the United States to accomplish such feats. Shoring up that cycle helps improve supply chain issues across the globe and helps to reduce the environmental footprint of the whole EV industry.

Honda Passport TrailSport adds rugged looks to highlight its off-road aspirations

Intake: The new TrailSport trim on the 2022 Passport adds fender flares, a rear bumper with larger exhaust cutouts, and unique front sheet metal and grille. It still has the 8.1-inches of ground clearance as other AWD Passports, but it does add new 18-inch wheels with more aggressive 245/60R18 tires.

Exhaust: It seems that Honda wants to remind us all of the inherent off-pavement capability of every AWD Passport, but truly show said acumen off with the new TrailSport. Most of the package’s additions, besides the wheel/tire combo, are appearance-based. The guts of its AWD system, plus the added traction of actual off-road tires, should help the TrailSport conquer the kind of rocky and rutted trails its owners would likely tackle.