Unveiling of new models, as well as car models from new car brands such as Zeekr and Lucid.
A lot of Chinese
Just before the start of 2021, I wrote an article called "The Chinese are coming!". At the time, a couple of new Chinese car brands had just arrived on the market, among other things MG ZS – a Chinese-looking car with small wheels and XPeng G3 with a strange growth on the roof. BYD was to sell passenger cars, and it was not yet known who would take in NIO. In China, the DongFeng group had started a new electric car-based car brand, called Voyah. Now, just three and a half years later, Voyah is on display eCarShow with electric cars in the premium class. NIO is established - also as a premium brand. XPeng presents new models that compete with established German models. MG was not represented at the fair, but has now started to get a turn on its car design.
One of the seminar topics was entitled: China is on its way to becoming a leading nation in the automotive industry – a success without complications? In a panel debate, everyone agreed that Chinese car brands no longer face the same negative attitudes as in the past - the same development that Korean cars have had. One important argument that did not come up was that the European car industry is dependent on China as a subcontractor for the production of electric cars. They are still a major supplier of batteries and electronic components. In other words, there is significant Chinese technology in German cars as well.
News! BMW i5 Touring
For those of us who have lived for a while, it is good to see that BMW's 5 series has not been removed from BMW's electric car venture. It is also good to see that the appearance has been retained in a – for BMW – conservative style with normal kidneys in the front. One of the biggest attractions at the fair was this BMW i5. It's a BMW M60 xDrive Touring with 601 hp, 4-wheel drive, 0-100 in 3,9 seconds and a claimed range of 505 – 449 km WLTP. According to BMW's website, prices for this variant start at NOK 1.116.601 before extras.
Government car? BMW i7
Not everyone likes BMW's new style of full-height kidneys, but in this case it has to be okay. The new all-electric BMW i7 has a front that screams "Out of my way, peasant!". You could probably say that the i7 is not a typical family car, but rather a company car for ministers and business leaders. Drivetrain and performance are taken from BMW's electric drive lines, from eDrive50 (NOK 1,1 million), xDrive60 (NOK 1,6 million) and M70 xDrive (just under NOK 2,0 million).
lotus eletre
As you know, Lotus has moved to China, but retains activity in the car brand's home country, England, where, among other things, the Lotus Emira sports car is assembled. The electric cars still belong to an exclusive segment where Lotus has always been. The Lotus Eletre has sporty characteristics, which the beautiful rear spoiler reveals. 0-100 is stated to be between 2,95 and 4,5 seconds, range between 410 – 610 km WLTP. The car on display is a demo car in colour Solar Yellow which is currently for sale for NOK 1.076.540. Full price for this car with air suspension and extras is over 2 million. According to the fact sheet, the full price for Eletre is NOK 1,75 million - before adding additional equipment.
News! Lotus Emeya
Emeya is a brand new model from Lotus that I did not get to study in detail, and unfortunately the Norwegian websites are still incomplete. You can configure and perhaps order - but not know the specifications and price. Maybe Lotus Cars Norway want to follow the old principle: If You Have To Ask, You Can't Afford It. Price range and performance are probably on a par with Lotus Eletre - i.e. high price range. Emeya has a fantastically good look - which makes the car look like it's in motion even when it's stationary.
High class! Lucid
This is the car the motoring press has been writing about for 10 years, but which few have seen in reality. Lucid has now arrived in Norway. The brand has its origins in the USA and will have very advanced driver assistance systems. The car pictured is an entry-level model in Norway. Air Pure costs NOK 1.140.000 before extra equipment. Then you get a car with four-wheel drive 487 hp, a range of 725 km, 0-100 in 4,0 seconds. The top model in the Air series, Dream Edition Performance, is fully equipped and costs NOK 2,2 million, has four-wheel drive, 1131 hp, 0-100 in 2,7 seconds and a range of 799 km. Notice how sober the interior is.
News! Mini Countryman
The new Mini Countryman has grown significantly compared to its predecessor. The car on display has similarities with the new Land Rover Defender. The legacy of the British Mini legend is made clear by the fact that the central infotainment screen is still round, despite all the information on the screen being rectangular. The car on display is Mini Countryman SE ALL4 Favored trim with 4-wheel drive, 313 hp, 0-100 in 5,6 seconds and a range of between 399 – 432 km. The price is NOK 530.800 before extra equipment, but with a smaller drive unit with 204 hp and front-wheel drive you can save NOK 70.
News! Polestar 4
One of the biggest news at eCarExpo was the unveiling of the Polestar 4, although most people had seen pictures of it before. Something special about this model is that it lacks a rear window. By replacing the rear view with cameras, you can make room for more luggage. Maybe this will become a new trend? Cars with dual motors and 4-wheel drive are most relevant for Norway. Price before extra equipment is NOK 649.200, range 580 km, 544 hp and 0-100 in 3,8 seconds.
New concept cars! Toyota
Toyota unveiled two concept cars. One is a compact SUV called Urban SUV Concept, the other is a sedan-SUV body, Sport Crossover Concept. Aesthetically, the latest one looks absolutely fantastic, and it will be exciting to see if Toyota dares to put it into production. One might not think SUV at first glance, but the wheels on this car have 22 inch rims. Toyota's chairman, Aiko Toyoda, has stated that the spread of electric cars is unlikely to reach more than 30% worldwide. Toyota is therefore unlikely to go "all in" for electric cars in the first place.
Full size! Voyage Dream
A giant van from Voyah that can either be delivered as a 7-seater or 2-seater van. The car on display is a van. And believe it or not – it is the van that is the most expensive! It costs NOK 987.000 as a van, or NOK 939.000 as a 7-seater. Van gives the opportunity to use this beautiful car as a commercial vehicle with VAT deduction. The car on display has 4-wheel drive, 435 hp, 0-100 in 5,95 seconds with a range of 482 km WLTP.
Norwegian car? XPeng G9
XPeng showed off two G9 cars. The pictured car with a roof box has a special matte paint called Kaitoke Green. With 4-wheel drive, adaptive air suspension, towbar - 1500 kg, 551 hp, 660 liters of luggage space and 71 liters of boot space, this is an excellent family car or motor home.
New car brand! Zeekr
This car brand has appeared in a short time and received promising mention in the motoring press. In any case, it is easy to like the cars based on their appearance, and they also gathered a lot of visitors at the fair. The car at the very top of the post is Xeekr 001 Privilege AWD. It has a 100 kwh battery with a range stated at 580 km WLTP, 0-100 in 3,8 seconds and a top speed of 200 km/h and active air suspension. The car is large – 5 meters long with a wheelbase of 3 metres.
The picture above is a compact Zeekr X Privilege AWD with a length of 4,43 metres. It has a battery capacity of 69 kwh and a stated range of 425 km.
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