JANUARY 24, 2022

2021 Wards 10 Best Engines & Propulsion Systems Quick Hits

A pro-and-con summation of all 39 powertrains evaluated in the 2021 competition. Many comments come directly from editor scoresheets.

Automakers Banking on Advanced Combustion Concepts for ICE Efficiency

For Wards Intelligence Subscribers
As the automotive industry hurtles toward an electrified future, the internal-combustion engine remains a significant part of the mix. Our industry survey indicates a handful of technologies are expected to improve ICE efficiency in the coming decade, with advanced combustion concepts leading the way.

Global Survey: Internal Combustion Favored Over Battery Power

Among findings in the 2022 Global Automotive Consumer Study, U.S. consumers expect fully charged EVs to travel upwards of 500 miles, while a range of about 250 miles is acceptable to those in China, Japan and India.

Eat Your Heart Out, Detroit: Autonomous Volvo SUV With Ride Pilot to Debut in California First

For Wards Intelligence Subscribers
Volvo Cars plans to debut its new unsupervised Ride Pilot system in California with testing to begin in 2022, and will offer the feature as a paid subscription to consumers after it is validated.

Could ICE Have a Greener Future?

Keynote speaker at Automotive Tech Week, Frank Abkenar, global engineering director at Ford, spoke about clean and efficient propulsion technology developments.

VinFast’s Batteries-Not-Included Plan Questionable

For Wards Intelligence Subscribers
There are many reasons why no automaker in the U.S. has rented their BEV batteries, as Vietnamese automaker VinFast wants to do.

GM Expanding Applications of Fuel Cell Technology

GM’s Hydrotec-based mobile and fixed power systems are designed to charge EVs, power worksites and data centers, support the military and even provide emergency power.

Blink, Wallbox Make Charging News at CES, While Upstarts Reveal 2022 Plans

For Wards Intelligence Subscribers
Blink and Wallbox introduce new chargers for home and commercial use at CES, WirelessCar wants to alleviate range anxiety, while upstarts REE and Lightning show off commercial BEV platforms.

BMW Unveils 610-hp iX M60 at CES

Power for the Tesla Model X Plaid-rivaling CUV comes from an upgraded version of the iX xDrive50’s dual-electric-motor drivetrain developing peak power of 610 hp in Sport mode.

AutoTech Check: ’21 Ford Bronco and ’22 Maverick

For Wards Intelligence Subscribers
Ford’s Maverick compact pickup and Bronco off-roader show off the automaker’s engineering capabilities across two widely different light-vehicle segments.