The 2022 Subaru WRX Is Fuel Efficient As...a Ford F-150?

"What'll be the 0-60-mph stat of 2036?" That question was posed during multiple brainstorming sessions for the launch of our InEVitable project. My response was that having served us for a half-century, 0-60-mph will surely survive another 15 years. But its relevance is clearly fading. At one end, hypercars are bumping into the physical limits of tire traction in the barely sub-2.0-second realm, while the heart of the market has sort of decided that anything in the 6-to-8-second range is plenty quick enough for purchase consideration. Not surprisingly, that represents the average 0-60 time of every stock vehicle we've tested over the last five model years (6.2 seconds) plus one standard deviation (1.8 seconds). Autonomy will undoubtedly dull 0-60's luster even further. When anyone else is driving, folks prefer gentle launches. Of course, ubiquitous autonomy is way further out than 15 years.So, what can we test or research and report that you might be more interested in over the next 15 years? We considered the current barriers preventing wider adoption of battery electric vehicles. Range and charging are the two biggies. Charging infrastructure is gradually improving across the country, but some 60 percent of Americans (and an even larger slice of our readership) can utilize a Level-2 charger at home or at work to meet their daily commuting needs. And with the 52 separate BEV models on the EPA's 2021 and 2022 data sheets averaging 266 miles of official range, we reckon our audience faces little or no legitimate "range anxiety" around town.Longer trips are problematic. Most EVs run out of juice before their combustion counterparts and then take longer to "juice up." So we thought, let's come up with a number that tells folks how much longer it would it take to make a trip, of say, 1,000 miles (the farthest most folks would consider driving in a day). And we're optimistically assuming that within 15 years, the frustrations we experience today with inoperative or unavailable chargers, payment hassles, etc. will be relics of the past.So we rounded up range and charging info for all 52 of those EPA-rated EVs along with similar info for a the top-selling combustion, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid vehicles to compute the difference in time it would take to cover 1,000 miles traveling 70 mph between stops (a legal, or at least prevalent and non-felonious speed on most interstate highways).We assumed a fixed 10-minute time required for every vehicle to slow down, exit, enter a filling station, hook up, pay, stow everything, and return to traveling 70 mph. For combustion refueling we had drivers stopping with 5 percent of fuel remaining and a refueling flow rate of 10 gallons/minute. The combustion fleet averaged 14.7 hours to make the trip (68.4 mph). At the top were vehicles with either a high enough EPA highway rating or a large enough gas tank to require only one stop, resulting in a total trip time of 14.5 hours for an average speed of 69 mph. At the bottom sat the range-extended BMW i3, with a 2.4-gallon tank that would require 12 fuel stops, stretching the trip to 16.5 hours for a 60.7-mph average speed.Then we computed travel times for every BEV the EPA has tested, using DC fast-charging information provided by manufacturers or measured by reputable third parties. These times generally represent charging from some minimum to 80 percent state of charge, above which the charging rate slows considerably. The savviest EVs come with navigation aids that optimize trip planning by suggesting charging locations that align with these suggested max/min battery charge levels.Beyond two outliers, every EV needs between 15.3 hours (Lucid Air, 65.4 mph average) and 23.5 hours (Mini Cooper SE, 42.6 mph). That means driving a kilomile in that Lucid only takes 4 percent longer than in a combustion vehicle, whereas in the Mini you'll spend 60 percent longer on the road. The average of the DC fast-charge vehicles was 18.2 hours/55.5 mph, or 24 percent longer than the average combustion vehicle. Numbers that are sure to improve greatly over 15 more years of continuous progress in battery chemistry, EV powertrain efficiency, and charging speeds. Those outliers? The Chinese Kandi city car features a tiny battery and no DC fast-charging, so it would have to stop 19 times for a 7-hour charge each time, resulting in a 6.6-mph average speed. Road-trip torture. Similarly, a Nissan Leaf S lacking the $1,690 Quick Charge option would take 35 hours to make the trip, stopping five times for a four-hour charge, averaging 42.6 mph.Will 1K LTS become the next 0-60? Doubtful. Might it better inform your perception of an electric vehicle's viability for road trips? Let us know at [email protected],000-Mile Legal Trip Speed How long does it take to drive 1,000 miles traveling 70 mph between stops? EV Charging Time Information* Vehicle EPA hwy range (miles) DC fast-charge time, X-Y% charge (min) X (lower state of charge) Y (higher state of charge) Time to first stop, 100-X% (hours) Time between stops, Y-X% (hours) Number of stops required Total time at stops (min)** 1,000-mile trip time (hours) Average speed (mph) Percent longer than combustion vehicle*** Audi etron 221.9 30 5% 80% 3.0 2.4 5 40 17.6 56.8 20% Audi etron Sportback 221.5 30 5% 80% 3.0 2.4 5 40 17.6 56.8 20% BMW i3 136.4 34 0% 80% 1.9 1.6 8 44 20.2 49.6 37% BMW i3s 136.4 34 0% 80% 1.9 1.6 8 44 20.2 49.6 37% Chevrolet Bolt EUV 222.9 69 4% 80% 3.1 2.4 5 79 20.9 47.9 42% Chevrolet Bolt EV 235.1 69 4% 80% 3.2 2.6 5 79 20.9 47.9 42% Ford Mustang Mach-e AWD 193.7 36 20% 80% 2.2 1.7 8 46 20.4 49.0 39% Ford Mustang Mach-e AWD Ext Range 249.2 36 20% 80% 2.8 2.1 6 46 18.9 53.0 28% Ford Mustang Mach-e California 281.8 36 20% 80% 3.2 2.4 5 46 18.1 55.2 23% Ford Mustang Mach-e RWD 215.0 36 20% 80% 2.5 1.8 7 46 19.7 50.9 34% Ford Mustang Mach-e RWD Ext Range 277.1 36 20% 80% 3.2 2.4 5 46 18.1 55.2 23% Hyundai Ioniq 153.3 54 2% 80% 2.1 1.7 8 64 22.8 43.8 55% Hyundai Kona EV 226.0 47 10% 80% 2.9 2.3 6 57 20.0 50.0 36% Jaguar i-Pace EV400 221.0 40 2% 80% 3.1 2.5 5 50 18.5 54.2 26% Kandi K27 (Level 2 only) 51.6 420 2% 100% 0.7 0.7 19 430 150.5 6.6 923% Kia Niro Electric 213.6 60 2% 80% 3.0 2.4 5 70 20.1 49.7 37% Lucid Air Dream P (19" wheels) 471.0 20 15% 80% 5.7 4.4 2 30 15.3 65.4 4% Lucid Air Dream P (21" wheels) 451.0 20 15% 80% 5.5 4.2 3 30 15.8 63.3 7% Lucid Air Dream R (19" wheels) 520.0 20 15% 80% 6.3 4.8 2 30 15.3 65.4 4% Lucid Air Dream R (21" wheels) 481.0 20 15% 80% 5.8 4.5 2 30 15.3 65.4 4% Lucid Air Grand Touring  (19" wheels) 516.0 20 15% 80% 6.3 4.8 2 30 15.3 65.4 4% Lucid Air Grand Touring  (21" wheels) 469.0 20 15% 80% 5.7 4.4 2 30 15.3 65.4 4% Mini Cooper SE 101.9 36 2% 80% 1.4 1.1 12 46 23.5 42.6 60% Nissan Leaf (40 kWh) 131.3 40 5% 80% 1.8 1.4 9 50 21.8 45.9 48% Nissan Leaf (62 kWh) 202.2 60 5% 80% 2.7 2.2 6 70 21.3 47.0 45% Nissan Leaf (62 kWh, No Quick-Charge Option) 226.0 240 5% 80% 3.1 2.4 5 250 35.1 28.5 139% Nissan Leaf SV/SL (62 kWh) 192.5 60 5% 80% 2.6 2.1 6 70 21.3 47.0 45% Polestar 2 222.1 20 20% 80% 2.5 1.9 7 30 17.8 56.2 21% Porsche Taycan 4S Performance Battery 201.4 22.5 5% 80% 2.7 2.2 6 33 17.5 57.0 19% Porsche Taycan 4S Performance Battery Plus 237.7 22.5 5% 80% 3.2 2.5 5 33 17.0 58.8 16% Porsche Taycan Performance Battery 210.7 22.5 5% 80% 2.9 2.3 6 33 17.5 57.0 19% Porsche Taycan Performance Battery Plus 239.8 22.5 5% 80% 3.3 2.6 5 33 17.0 58.8 16% Porsche Taycan Turbo 218.4 22.5 5% 80% 3.0 2.3 5 33 17.0 58.8 16% Porsche Taycan Turbo S 203.9 22.5 5% 80% 2.8 2.2 6 33 17.5 57.0 19% Rivian R1T 314.0 50 2% 80% 4.4 3.5 3 60 17.3 57.9 18% Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD 333.8 31 20% 80% 3.8 2.9 4 41 17.0 58.8 16% Tesla Model 3 Performance AWD 299.0 20 20% 80% 3.4 2.6 5 30 16.8 59.6 14% Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus RWD 234.7 30 20% 80% 2.7 2.0 6 40 18.3 54.7 24% Tesla Model S Long Range 387.7 20 20% 80% 4.4 3.3 3 30 15.8 63.3 7% Tesla Model S Performance (19" Wheels) 373.2 30 20% 80% 4.3 3.2 4 40 17.0 59.0 15% Tesla Model S Performance (21" Wheels) 323.2 30 20% 80% 3.7 2.8 4 40 17.0 59.0 15% Tesla Model S Plaid (21" Wheels) 341.0 27 20% 80% 3.9 2.9 4 37 16.8 59.7 14% Tesla Model X Long Range Plus 356.3 30 20% 80% 4.1 3.1 4 40 17.0 59.0 15% Tesla Model X Performance (20" Wheels) 332.2 30 20% 80% 3.8 2.8 4 40 17.0 59.0 15% Tesla Model X Performance (22" Wheels) 289.0 30 20% 80% 3.3 2.5 5 40 17.6 56.8 20% Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD 305.5 30 20% 80% 3.5 2.6 5 40 17.6 56.8 20% Tesla Model Y Performance AWD 289.0 30 20% 80% 3.3 2.5 5 40 17.6 56.8 20% Tesla Model Y Standard Range Plus RWD 222.1 30 20% 80% 2.5 1.9 7 40 19.0 52.8 29% Volkswagen ID4 1st 230.2 38 5% 80% 3.1 2.5 5 48 18.3 54.7 24% Volkswagen ID4 Pro 237.1 38 5% 80% 3.2 2.5 5 48 18.3 54.7 24% Volkswagen ID4 Pro S 230.2 38 5% 80% 3.1 2.5 5 48 18.3 54.7 24% Volvo XC40 Recharge 188.0 40 20% 90% 2.1 1.9 7 50 20.1 49.7 37% *Charging time info taken from manufacturer data or test data reported by third parties. AVERAGE (excluding Level-2 vehicles) 18.2 55.5 24% **Includes time spent slowing, parking, charging, paying, accelerating back to 70 mph: 10 min ***The average of many combustion, HEV, and PHEV vehicles was 14.7 hours to travel 1,000 miles (68.4 mph). These charge times are were quoted from 0 percent, but our calculations involve pulling over at 2 percent. Trip time may be reduced by charging from 5 or 20 percent. Show All

California electric luxury vehicle manufacturer Lucid is launching a new performance subbrand called Sapphire. This might seem like an odd, even unnecessary move from a company that currently sells the Air Grand Touring Performance, a 1,050-hp sedan that runs the quarter mile in 10 seconds flat. But here we are. The first vehicle to fall under the Sapphire umbrella has three motors and will be known as—big surprise—the Air Sapphire.Lucid is being tight-lipped about the actual numbers, and things will undoubtedly change before the first Sapphire is delivered about 10 months from now, but here's what's being claimed: more than 1,200 horsepower, 0-60 mph in less than 2 seconds, 0-100 mph in less than 4 seconds, a sub-9-second quarter mile, and a top speed in excess of 200 mph. You read all that right. Gulp.How much above 1,200 horsepower are we talking? Seeing as how Lucid's already sold customers the 1,111-hp Air Dream Edition P, and the Sapphire has an extra motor, we're thinking much more than 1,200 horsepower. As stated, Lucid wouldn't give an exact figure; when pressed, chief engineer Eric Bach said the limiting factor in terms of output is the battery. After all, we know a single Lucid motor can produce up to 670 hp, and 670 times 3 is 2,010. However, even though the Air Sapphire has an "evolved" version of the brand's battery management software, it still cannot supply that much peak power. Bach also pointed out it's likely the number will continue to rise before the Air Sapphire is locked for production. If we had to guess the final number, 1,350 has a nice ring to it and makes some sense in the context of the performance claims. Alas, it's just a guess. Time will tell.Big Power—With Big RangeTime will also reveal what the Air Sapphire's range is. Lucid says it will still be "more than 400 miles" but less than the 446-mile range delivered by the Air Grand Touring Performance. Knowing the Tesla Model S Long Range is rated for 405 miles on a single charge, and knowing Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson the way we do, we can all but guarantee the Air Sapphire will beat the best Tesla has to offer. If Lucid's Sapphire claims are true, this thing would beat the Plaid in a straight line, too. In this case, 425 miles feels like a safe bet for range.Also, and although they're probably not to everyone's liking, the Air Sapphire comes with easy-to-install aero discs. These are wheel coverings—quite like what you see on the front wheels of the McLaren Speedtail—and vice president of design Derek Jenkins says they "add tens of miles of range." The idea is that you install them at your home, drive to the track, remove them, and then go tear up some pavement. We don't know whether the aero discs will be factored into the EPA's range rating.Adding a third motor obviously increases weight, although not as much as it could seeing as how a single motor weighs 163 pounds. However, the sapphire-blue-colored Megawatt Drive Unit (as Lucid is calling the dual-motor assembly that fits between the rear half shafts) weighs less than two motors on their own. The car's larger tires also add weight, as does the girthier body—the Air Sapphire's track grows by nearly an inch up front and almost 2 inches at the rear. That said, the wheels and carbon-ceramic brake calipers do shed a little. We'd guess, all in, the Air Sapphire will be 200 pounds heavier than a standard Air.  (The Grand Touring Performance weighed 5,256 pounds on our scales.)Stopping PowerIf your head is still spinning from the claimed acceleration and top speed numbers, know that the brakes on the Air Sapphire are pretty special. Up front you'll find massive, 16.5-inch Lucid-branded and Akebono-developed carbon-ceramic rotors gripped by 10-piston calipers. The rears measure 15.4 inches in diameter and utilize four-piston calipers. Also, the brake rotors "use a woven continuous carbon fiber rather than the discontinuous [chopped] carbon fiber" featured on most carbon braked road cars. The major benefit of a continuous carbon-fiber weave is three times more heat conductivity. Which, for a 2.5-plus-ton car capable of cresting 200 mph, is critical.Lucid maintains that the Air Sapphire, as well as future Sapphire products, will be more than just  a straight-line juggernaut. Rather, Sapphire vehicles will be fully developed performance cars. First and foremost, as the two motors that make up the Megawatt Drive aren't mechanically linked, the car has the capability to spin one motor (on the outside wheel) forward, while the other (inside wheel) begins regenerative braking. That latter part means the wheel effectively tries to spin backward, i.e., torque vectoring. Also, this next part is a little tricky, but let's say each rear motor makes on the order of 400 horsepower (to be clear, that's just a random figure, not an actual specification). When one motor goes into regen, the energy it was using is now free to flow into the forward-spinning motor, creating as much as 670 hp. Nuts, huh? Lucid claims this sort of two-motor torque vectoring is both quicker and more effective than rear-wheel steering.Special Rubber, Special SuspensionThe Air Sapphire comes on special Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires stamped with LM1 to signify Lucid Motors. Bach claims the unique compound is a special mix of low-rolling-resistance rubber and Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber. Sounds too good to be true, but here we are. The tires grow in width compared to those found on the GTP: 265/35-ZR20 front, and 295/30-ZR21 rear.The Air Sapphire's suspension is completely reworked, as well. Stiffer springs, stiffer bushings, new dampers, recalibrated anti-roll bars, reprogrammed stability and traction control, new power steering control, and new ABS logic are all part of the program. Sprint mode has been replaced with Sapphire mode, Lucid's equivalent of, say, Porsche's Sport Plus. Within Sapphire mode, there will be additional features such as a launch mode, a track mode, and maybe a time attack mode. The submodes are similar to how Rivian has different options within its Off-Road menu: All-Terrain, Rock Crawl, Drift, etc.Why Sapphire? Lucid explains that first and foremost it's a luxury brand. Sapphires are precious. Second, per international racing tradition, American cars are blue. (Think the Cobra Daytona Coupes at Le Mans in 1964.) Third, Lucid is a California car company, and the official state gem of California is … benitoite! Which would be a terrible name for anything. As it happens, people initially thought benitoite gems were sapphires because they are visually almost identical. So, Sapphire it is.As it happens, the Air Sapphire will only be available in Sapphire Blue. For now. We think. The car features a few more aerodynamic tricks than the standard Air, but it's hard to tell what they are from looking, especially as the Sapphire comes complete with Lucid's new Stealth treatment. The interior is basically the same, with added Sapphire Blue contrast stitching, as well as Alcantara-wrapped seats and steering wheel.How Much Is the Lucid Air Sapphire?How much is one of these? $249,000, says Lucid, about $70K more than an Air Grand Touring Performance. A small price to pay for the most powerful sedan in the world, no? Consider perhaps that a Bentley Flying Spur Mulliner W12 stickers for $309,000 and only makes a paltry 626 horsepower. When will you be able to purchase an Air Sapphire? Lucid says within days of reading this story and adds that deliveries are slated to start during the first half of 2023. When is MotorTrend going to test one? A little bit before that. Stay tuned. 

ram 1500-trx Full OverviewTime slowed to a standstill by the point our long-term 2021 Ram 1500 TRX was about 50 yards into what I can only describe as a small lake. The initial forward momentum I'd enjoyed at the beginning of the mud bog dwindled into a crawl. The front end of the TRX slowly drifting towards the deep, mucky waters in the middle of the flooded field. Surrounded by the desolate flatlands west of Moab, Utah, and only on my third day of our 43-day epic electric trip across the Trans-America Trail, now was not the time nor place to get stuck. Or worse."No, no, please no, not that way!" I screamed into the empty cabin. In this frozen moment, my mind started to whirl with worst case scenarios. "If you're sinking in water, you're supposed to roll down the windows so you can swim out right?" "I'd better close my mouth if I need to swim out—who knows what kind of brain-eating amoeba lives in this cesspool?" "How are they going to get the truck out? A bulldozer? A crane?" "Should I bring my camera? My luggage? Whose fault is this? How did I eff this up?"As time froze, my mind went to how I got myself into this predicament.I've been a photographer with MotorTrend since 2008, and in my mind the Ram 1500 TRX represents the high water mark for gasoline powered truck. Powerful, capable, great to drive on-and off-road, and just an all-around badass of a vehicle. All of that being said, during the early stages of planning our Trans-America Trail Rivian R1T adventure, I was the most outspoken critic when it came to the idea of using our long-term TRX as our photography and video support vehicle.The Trans-America Trail was originally explored by Sam Correro on a motorcycle, and having done my fair share of off-roading, I can tell you that most trails are just not that wide. The TRX might be one of the best trucks ever made, but with a width of 88 inches, it's also one of the widest. I honestly thought that it just wouldn't fit on most trails— that'd we'd litter the trail with TRX mirrors, fender flares, and paint flecks as we made our way off-road from North Carolina to Oregon.At the time that we were planning the trip, the TRX was also new to the market. Sure, it might be based on a standard Ram 1500, but if we ended up breaking something on the trail, would a random dealership in rural America have the parts to get us back on the road? Would the technicians be trained to work on it? For me, questions like this sowed the seeds of doubt about bringing the TRX along.On top of that, there's the simple fact that photographers like myself prefer to use SUVs as our support vehicles. When photographers and videographers do action shots, it requires us to ride and shoot out of the back of a vehicle, and we like the open hatch of an SUV because it provides more shelter from the elements than the bed of a truck. Trucks also tend to have stiffer rear-suspensions than SUVs, which makes shooting out of the bed very uncomfortable.As the weeks rolled by and the plan congealed, it became more apparent that a truck was needed to support the two Rivian R1Ts. Other than hauling the photographer, videographer, and our accompanying gear, we would also need to bring luggage, and camping and off-road recovery gear. There is just nothing quite as useful as a pickup truck, and so the decision was made to bring our long-term TRX.It turns out, that was the right decision. My initial concerns about the TRX not fitting on some trails was proven correct with a couple of tight squeezes, but it ended up being a non-issue. It may have been the widest vehicle to ever tackle the perilous Black Bear Pass in Colorado, but it made it just the same. While early legs applied a layer of paint protection in the form of a hardened "candy shell" of mud that kept small branches at bay, before the third leg of the trip started, we applied a roll-on paint protector product to help minimize scratches. As you'll read in a future update, our Ram TRX didn't come through unscathed, but considering the terrain we encountered, and the abuse it weathered, the TRX took it like a champ.It also turns out that the same compliant suspension that makes the TRX such a monster off-road, provides a cushy ride for the photographer and videographer riding in the bed. Did it rain? Of course it rained. It also snowed, hailed, and the truck basically endured two months in a dust storm, courtesy of our position at the rear of the convoy, but we would've suffered those indignities no matter what vehicle we were in.Speaking of, that's how I found myself piloting the TRX towards our two R1Ts on the other side of the flood plain.Back in the truck, the seconds seemed to last minutes, my mind filled with images of disaster. In that moment of hopelessness, as the truck was sucked towards the mucky deep, the front wheels of the Ram grabbed a submerged but solid patch of ground. As the front-end bit, the TRX started to right itself. Reanimated by a spark of hope and adrenaline, I rolled into the throttle and the engine exploded to life with a bellicose roar. As the tires found traction, a rooster tail of mud shot skyward, and I started to make some headway. I wasn't out of the woods—err, water—yet, but as I slowly clawed forward, time restored itself to a normal speed.I floored the gas pedal, and I gripped tight on the steering wheel as the TRX's 702 horsepower uncorked. I won't say that I resorted to chanting, "I think I can, I think I can" like Thomas the Tank Engine, but every fiber of my soul was willing the TRX to dry land and the trail on the other side. As the water gave way to slick mud and grass, I started to breathe easier. I was wrong to doubt the TRX. In fact, I have never been happier to be so wrong. The TRX was the right vehicle to bring, and I will always be thankful that I didn't have to go for a swim.Looks good! More details?More on Our Yearlong 2021 Ram 1500 TRXAn Unusual Start For Our Ram 1500 TRXWhat's Faster: SRT Charger or the TRX That Towed It to the Track?If a Car Journalist Cuts Down a Tree in the Forest … ?Ram 1500 TRX vs Rivian R1T: The Impromptu Drag Race