EPA Rips New Oshkosh Mail Truck Over Horrible Fuel Economy

The investment in automotive electrification has ramped up sharply in recent years, with new advances in battery chemistry, motor and controller technology, and charging infrastructure being announced almost weekly. We've generally spared our readers the chemistry lesson required to describe every new battery electrolyte formula to come along, but we've passed along the most novel, interesting, and promising of concepts that promise to advance electrification. Here are highlights from just the past two years.Maybe Pair Capacitors and Batteries?Chemical batteries are great at storing energy. They just can't do it extremely quickly. Capacitors can accept and release huge amounts of energy quickly but can't hold this energy for very long. Capacitors on cars aren't new—Mazda introduced its i-ELOOP energy recovery capacitor on the 2014 Mazda6 sedan. But in November 2019 we reported on a joint research effort by Lamborghini and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to triple the energy storage capacity of ultracapacitors, by replacing the porous activated carbon used in most capacitors with a new powder composed of metal-organic framework compounds comprising primarily of nickel, copper, and molecular carbon that effectively doubles the surface area inside the same volume/mass of powder, which is how it doubles the energy density. Research continues, and although ultracapacitors will likely never replace chemical batteries, this Lambo/MIT ultracapacitor could greatly reduce the mass of the energy-storage battery required, guaranteeing both nimble handling, ferocious acceleration, and track-worthy regenerative braking.Mine the SeafloorA perennial and legitimate argument against complete electrification is the question of ethical and environmentally sensitive sourcing of the various metals and other materials required. So in June 2020 we reported on the discovery of naturally occurring polymetallic nodules that line the Pacific Ocean's abyssal deep seafloor in the Clarion-Clipperton zone (lying roughly between Mexico and Hawaii). These potato-sized blobs are typically composed of 29.2 percent manganese, 1.3 percent nickel, 1.1 percent copper, and 0.2 percent cobalt. They form naturally and sit in the silt, where they can be fairly easily scraped up using a drag bucket of sorts. This area is recognized as the planet's largest known source of battery metals and is thought to be capable of supporting production of 280 million EVs. But the metals supply and mining industries are awaiting a green light from various organizations studying environmental impact on fisheries, etc.The State of the Solid-State BatterySolid-state batteries promise to solve myriad nasty battery problems: Liquid or gel electrolytes are flammable and can freeze, so they need costly warming, cooling, and safety monitoring. Additionally, fast charging can result in the formation of lithium metal spikes that can pierce the battery's permeable "separator," short-circuiting the cell. One downside of solid-state is that lithium formation on the anode causes the cell to physically expand, which must be accounted for in the pack design. In December 2020 we reported on California-based QuantumScape's promising new solid-state battery, which claimed to boost range by 80 percent and to function at temperatures ranging from -20 to 80 degrees C, all of which attracted a huge investment from the Volkswagen Group. In the months since, we've reported on Toyota's in-house solid-state battery program, which is likely to see production in hybrid vehicles first, and on Factorial Energy of Massachusetts inking a development deal with Hyundai-Kia, claiming its battery can boost range by 20-50 percent.Gallium-Nitride Semiconductor Chips to Speed ChargingIf the long Chipocalypse, currently still crippling auto sales as we write this, has any silver lining, it might be that as the industry tools up to produce more chips, some of that new production can be dedicated to gallium-nitride, rather than silicon-based chips. This semiconductor material, which enabled the first white LED lights and powered Blu-ray disc readers, is able to simultaneously withstand higher voltages and present a smaller resistance to electric current flow relative to either the silicon (Si) or silicon carbide (SiC) materials. Lower resistance means less heat buildup, which can allow smaller devices to deliver greater power flow and faster switching, which in the case of an EV's onboard power inverter can equate to faster charging and/or greater range. Our July 2021 coverage of Texas Instruments and Odyssey Semiconductors GaN chips noted that engineering samples were to be available in late 2021, which should mean production might commence after a few years of development."Cylinder-Deactivation" for Electric MotorsIt's hard to believe, but the same concept that boosts fuel economy of a piston engine by shutting several cylinders down and making the functioning cylinders work harder can be applied to electric motors, as well. Tula Technologies, the folks who pioneered the Dynamic Fuel Management system in use on more than a million GM trucks and SUVs, has introduced Dynamic Motor Drive. During certain high-speed light-load conditions, where electric motors are not quite as efficient, DMD pulses brief bursts of higher torque to meet the steady-state need, which conserves energy by reducing heat buildup in the rotor core and the power inverter. The power savings are minimal on mainstream permanent-magnet and AC-induction type motors, but they're significant on the cheapest synchronous reluctance motors, which are only used in industrial applications today. The technology promises to eliminate some of the noise and "torque-ripple" vibration that currently disqualifies these motors from EV use. It could also make them more efficient than AC induction and sidestep supply-chain worries inherent in permanent-magnet motors.Lower Cost Via Simplified ManufacturingThis tech story ran in conjunction with our 2022 Lucid Air Car of the Year coverage, describing the nascent Tesla Model S fighter's many innovations aimed at efficient, lower-cost manufacturing. The battery pack, for example, consists of two injection moldings. One incorporates the sides, top, and all power-delivery busbars, and the other includes the cooling plate. Because this only needs to contact the ends of each cylindrical cell, dramatically less heat-conducting glue is needed than in the radially cooled Tesla packs. The Lucid packs can be robotically assembled in a dark plant. The motor's hairpin-style square-section winding consists of just 24 individual wires that are woven for ease of assembly into the stator and the need for only 24 solder connections. And extreme downsizing of the power inverter, final drive units, and more yield impressive weight savings that pay off in cost and range improvements.Lithium-Sulfur Triple ThreatSilicon Valley battery-tech company Lyten came out of stealth in September and revealed a battery chemistry boasting triple the traditional lithium-ion batteries' energy storage per pound. That's because a sulfur atom can host two lithium ions, while a typical NMC-oxide cathode can only manage 0.5-0.7 ions. But during charging, those lithium ions sometimes bring sulfur atoms along with them when they migrate to the other electrode, and this depletes the battery. Lyten's secret is to cage each sulfur atom in one of the millions of tiny boxes afforded by their proprietary 3-D graphene sheets. And because carbon is more conductive than sulfur, power flows better than in previous lithium-sulfur batteries. The company says it has demonstrated 1,400 charge/discharge cycles (sufficient for EV use) and that it plans to select a factory site in Q1 of 2022 to support incorporation of LytCells for use in vehicles by the 2025 or 2026 model year. Most experts we spoke with find that timing to be overly optimistic, but perhaps looming local content requirements the USMCA trade agreement calls for in 2023 will inspire overtime development, as all LytCell materials are abundantly available in North America."Massless" Structural BatteriesOne way to get weight out of battery electric vehicles is to force the batteries to "multitask," by serving as part of the vehicle's structure. Raw, uncoated carbon-fiber strands are great electrical conductors, and because they typically include tiny voids that can easily accept lithium ions, they function well as a battery's negative electrode. Apply a lithium-iron-phosphate/graphene-oxide coating to said fibers, and you've got a structural cathode. Now researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden think they've found a suitable polymer electrolyte with a cross-linking monomer that enhances the material's structural rigidity while still conducting lithium ions. The team is targeting an energy density about one-third that of mono-tasking dead-weight lithium-ion. Still, studies indicate that replacing roughly 70 percent of the interior and exterior panels and 60 percent of the body structure of a Tesla Model S (85 kWh) or BMW i3 with SBC, should lower mass by 26 and 19 percent with range dropping by 36 and 17 percent, respectively. Alternatively, doubling the thickness and mass of these SBC panels to bring the cars back to mass parity should boost range by 20 percent in the Tesla and 70 percent in the BMW (while adding foot room). Cost estimates for this brand-new technology are not yet available.Lead image: Mina De La O/Getty Images

It's time to present the finalists for the inaugural MotorTrend Performance Vehicle of the Year. Yes, after running through our contenders—those rides that missed the cut for the final round of voting the PVOTY honors, we're introducing those that did make the finalist cut. One of these vehicles earned our Golden Calipers, having excelled in all six of our criteria (safety, value, advancement in design, engineering excellence, efficiency, and performance of intended function). The weighting of some of those criteria may differ slightly from our Car, Truck, and SUV of the Year competitions—after all, when outright performance is our focus, efficiency is perhaps graded on a curve—but every single one is considered when choosing our winner.Read on to meet the first four members of our finalist field—the rest will be unveiled tomorrow—to represent the cars that made it out of our initial round of voting following evaluations at Hyundai's Proving Ground outside of Los Angeles. The finalists then went on to road drives on Angeles Crest Highway and, later, grueling track tests at Willow Springs Raceway. Come back on Monday, February 14 to see which one emerged with the title!

lamborghini huracan Full OverviewAge has not wearied it, nor the years condemned. The 5.2-liter V-10 that powers the 2023 Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica may trace its origins back to a time when the iPhone was an idea and Amazon a work in progress, but one full-throttle acceleration run, one hot lap of a racetrack, one flat-out blast along a challenging back road is enough to convince you: It's one of the all-time greats. An engine for the supercar gods.It roars and bellows and shrieks and snarls, this engine, performing a heroic horsepower opera that's neither muffled by turbos nor synthesized by electric motors, and it punches harder than Tyson Fury in a bad mood. It's the reason the Tecnica will be wistfully remembered when we're all whooshing around in mega-horsepower EVs.But it's not the sole reason.The genius of the Huracán Tecnica is simple, though its execution is rather more nuanced. The Tecnica combines the 631-hp and 417-lb-ft version of the V-10 from the edgy, track-focused Huracán STO with a rear-drive, rear-steer chassis that's been tuned for all-around road work. The cabin can be trimmed with the most luxurious materials in the Lamborghini catalogue and offers all the connectivity and functionality expected in a modern car—from Apple's CarPlay to Amazon's Alexa—controlled via a redesigned user interface that will also call up arcane nuggets of performance data on demand.All that is wrapped in bodywork massaged to give the Tecnica a longer, lower profile, a visually wider stance, and more sophistication to its menace. Think Tyson Fury in a Zegna suit.There's a new front bumper with the black Y-shaped graphic derived from the wild Terzo Millennio concept. The revised greenhouse riffs on that of the limited-edition, track-only Essenza SCV12. At the rear is a reshaped bumper and diffuser, and the lower edges of the rear fenders have been pulled inward to expose more of the rear tires. Two massive hexagonal exhaust outlets hint at the bellicose ferocity lurking in the engine bay.Both the front and rear hoods are carbon fiber, the latter with a clear section that exposes the top of the V-10, and both contributing to a 22-pound reduction in weight over the Huracán Evo RWD. A vertical rear window nestles between the flying buttresses that extend rearward over the air intakes.There's improved function in the new form, too. The new front bumper design incorporates an air curtain and directs air through the front wheel wells to increase downforce and improve brake cooling. The fixed rear wing is a major contributor to the 35 percent increase in rear downforce compared with the Huracán Evo RWD, along with a 20 percent reduction in drag.Compared with the manic STO, it only takes a mile or so behind the wheel to understand that the Tecnica is a kinder, gentler Huracán. The revised suspension means the ride won't shake the fillings from your teeth and it's nowhere near as noisy at cruising speeds on the freeway, especially with the car in the softest of its three drive modes, Strada, and the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission left in Auto. But that's just the velvet glove over the iron fist.Thumbing the little button at the base of the third spoke on the steering wheel into Sport mode gives the powertrain a triple shot of espresso. Throttle response is sharper, and shift times shorter. And the electronics that control the car's adaptive shocks and the rear-steer, traction control, and torque-vectoring systems get a revised set of orders from the Lamborghini Dinamica Viecolo Integrata (LDVI) system, with its accelerators and gyroscope sensors at the Tecnica's center of gravity that monitor lateral, longitudinal and vertical loads, as well as body roll, pitch, and yaw.The result is a car that feels more urgent, more focused, and yet more playful; willing to oversteer if you want to showboat on the track, but still possessed of terrific traction and stability when you need it.Corsa mode isn't quite the Spinal Tap experience it is in the Huracán STO, but the Tecnica with its race-face on is still a weapon on the track, especially when equipped, as our test cars were for the lapping sessions, with the optional Bridgestone Potenza Race tires, which are treaded and street-legal but, as Lamborghini engineers coyly put it, "are for dry roads."In Corsa, the powertrain is calibrated to provide optimized track-oriented throttle response and the fastest gearshifts, and the omniscient LDVI instructs its electronic minions to deliver maximum lateral and longitudinal grip. Part of the Corsa protocol includes locking the rear-steer system. Shutting down what is pitched as a dynamic driving aid might seem slightly counterintuitive, but it delivers purer, more precise handling at the limit.If you're good enough.That's not to say the Huracán Tecnica will throw you under the bus if you get things wrong. It won't; this is as sweet a Lambo at the limit as has ever been built. But as in the Huracán GT3 race car, nailing a truly quick lap time means finding the balance between the vivid front-end response and the rush of power and torque to the rear wheels when get on the gas.Yes, the LDVI is there, working furiously in the background to support you, and it's nowhere near as fine a balancing act as in the race car. But this subtly analog element to taming the Tecnica; the sense that extracting the last little bit of the car's performance is down to you, is a big part of this Lambo's appeal.You can use Corsa mode on the road, of course, but Sport is the best all-round setup for a blast through the twisties. There's a little more support from the traction and stability control—useful when you can't see that greasy patch around the next corner—and the rear-steer system delivers both agility and stability. The direct ratio steering, uncorrupted by a driven front axle, is a joy; precise and communicative, with just the right amount of weighting.Priced at $239,000, the Tecnica is the sweet spot of the Huracán lineup. It gives you nearly all the thrills of the borderline silly STO in a mature, grown-up supercar you can realistically drive every day. This Huracán is a feel-good Lamborghini, one that makes you smile every time you hit the gas.It's also a Lamborghini that feels like the end of an era.An all-new Huracán replacement is scheduled to appear at the end of 2024. It's rumored to be powered by a mild-hybrid twin-turbo V-8. Oh, it will undoubtedly be better supercar than the Tecnica by any objective measure; quicker, with even more confidence-inspiring handling. But we'll miss the 5.2-liter V-10's sound and fury. Especially the sound.Looks good! More details? 2023 Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica Specifications PRICE $239,000 LAYOUT Mid-engine, RWD, 2-pass, 2-door coupe ENGINE 5.2L/631-hp/417-lb-ft DOHC 40-valve V-10 TRANSMISSION 7 -speed dual-clutch auto CURB WEIGHT 3500 lb (MT est) WHEELBASE 103.2 in L x W x H 179.8 x 76.1 x45.9 in 0-60 MPH 3.2 sec (mfr est) EPA FUEL ECON, CITY/HWY/COMB N/A ON SALE Now Show All