This Is What Volkswagen's Electric Pickup Truck Will (Probably) Look Like

If you've ever wanted to get an idea of just how American your truck really is, you'll want to take a look at the American University's Kogod School of Business Made in America Auto Index study. We've gathered the 10 "most American" pickup trucks from this study.Kogod looks at more than just domestic parts content; it examines several areas that have to do with keeping profits and the supply chain in North America. The rankings take into consideration where profits flow to, where the car is actually assembled, the origin of the engine and transmission, and where the body components are assembled. You'll want to note that many "foreign" truck makers have significant American operations—local factories and workers that support a domestic supplier network—and rank quite high on the list. Conversely, some "domestic" trucks don't crack the top ten.Read on to see which American trucks make the cut.

The Tesla Model S was a two-year-old car when Chinese auto execs Heng Xia and Tao He got together with tech billionaire Xiaopeng He in 2014 to found the electric vehicle manufacturer XPeng. Five years later, at the 2019 Shanghai Show, Guangzhou-based XPeng unveiled its homegrown Model S rival, the P7 EV sedan.The latest XPeng P7 is one of three EVs the automaker now has on sale in China, all built on the company's own platforms and featuring its own end-to-end software architecture. The P7 is already being marketed in Norway, and XPeng plans to launch the sedan in Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands in the second quarter of 2023.A fourth XPeng model, a midsize SUV called the G9 that will feature a fast-charging 800-volt electrical architecture and a Lidar-supported autonomous drive system, is due to go on sale in China this fall. The G9 is widely believed to be under consideration for launch in the U.S.Xpeng X7 Power, Range, and a Porsche Co-Developed Platform Move fast and break things—Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's motto is one Silicon Valley's tech bros love to invoke to explain why Tesla deserves to be worth more than any run-of-the-mill automaker like Volkswagen or Toyota or Hyundai. But Tesla needed 17 years to get four models into production and into showrooms. Eight-year-old XPeng is moving so fast it makes Tesla look like General Motors.The XPeng P7 is built on a bespoke EV platform, known internally as "Edward," that was co-developed with Porsche. It's a conventional skateboard design, with multi-link suspension front and rear and an 80 kWh battery pack between the axles. Behind the standard 19-inch alloy wheels, which are shod with 245/45 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires, are Brembo brakes.The entry-level P7 RWD Long Range is powered by a single rear-mounted e-motor that develops 263 horsepower and 288 lb-ft of torque. Our tester, the P7 4WD High Performance, packs a total system output of 424 hp and 483 lb-ft, thanks to the addition of a 161-hp e-motor that drives the front wheels.The P7 is 5.6 inches shorter overall than the Model S but rolls on a wheelbase that's 1.6 inches longer. The XPeng is also slightly narrower and taller than the Tesla, and, unlike the Tesla, it's relatively light for an EV of its class—XPeng claims the single motor RWD Long Range weighs 4,380 pounds, while the dual motor 4WD High Performance is claimed to tip the scales at 4,623 pounds. That's almost 200 pounds less than a dual motor Model S.XPeng claims a range of up to 329 miles on the WLTP test cycle for the RWD Long Range, and a 0-60 mph acceleration time of less than 6.9 seconds. Claimed WLTP range for the 4WD High Performance is up to 292 miles, with a claimed 0-60 mph acceleration time of less than 4.5 seconds. (Note: EPA range is usually 20-30 percent lower on average than the WLTP quoted figure.) The P7's 80 kWh battery pack will accept up to 90 kilowatts on a DC fast charge, which allows it to go from five- to 80-percent charge in about 51 minutes, according to Xpeng.The P7's Overall Refinement ImpressesNeither version of the P7 threatens the Tesla Model S in terms of outright range or performance. But to airily dismiss this Chinese EV because of that is to miss the point. Entirely.It may not be a world-beater, but the XPeng P7 is one of the most impressive new cars we've driven this year. It has, of course, the punchy, silent acceleration you expect from a contemporary electric car, but what makes it stand out is how refined everything else about it feels, both at low speeds around town, and when cruising on the highway.Noise levels—wind, tire, and mechanical—are impressively low. The ride is good, though in truth the well-maintained roads of our test drive hardly exercised the suspension, other than over the occasional speed hump in the suburbs near XPeng's Dutch headquarters, which elicited some mild secondary body motions. Choppy surfaces induced occasional pattering from the tires, but impact harshness was well-suppressed.The steering is reasonably accurate and well-weighted, and the transitions between regenerative and mechanical braking are smooth. The P7 has just two regen modes —high and low. High regen delivers near-one-pedal driving capability, while low regen gives the car a slowing effect similar to lifting off the gas in a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle with an automatic transmission.P7 Price, Equipment, and Fit and FinishIn Norway, the XPeng P7 4WD High Performance costs less than two-thirds the price of a dual-motor Tesla Model S Long Range. In U.S. dollars, using the conversion rate current at the time of writing, that would make it a $53,000 car.You get a lot of EV for that money. Standard equipment includes a panoramic roof, heated front and rear seats, and the choice of black, beige, or red Nappa leather trim. The digital dash is a 10.25-inch screen, and the central touchscreen is a 15-inch unit. Standard driver assistance systems include adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, forward collision warning, and autonomous emergency braking.It's easy to see the influence of the Model S in the XPeng P7's design. One area where the Chinese automaker has followed Tesla's lead a little too closely is the HVAC system, where all the functions—right down to setting the direction of the air vents— are controlled via the central touchscreen. As in Teslas, this requires taking your eyes off the road to go through a menu to do something that's easily done without looking or thinking in a HVAC system with physical buttons.The fit and finish throughout is superior to the Model S, though. Exterior panel gaps are more consistent and trim pieces better aligned, and the interior looks and feels plusher. But what makes the XPeng P7 perhaps more of a threat to the Tesla is not the hardware, but its software.It's All About the Software-Defined Vehicle"This is a software-defined car," says Piotr Chmielewski, XPeng's head of EV Charging in Europe, who points out that company co-founder Xiaopeng He—XPeng is a contraction of his name—made his fortune in software before deciding to get into the auto industry. Sound familiar, Elon?A Polish software engineer, Chmielewski says XPeng is the only automaker other than Tesla to use an end-to-end software architecture. The architecture is used on all XPeng models, and Chmielewski believes this software stack will give the company's products a competitive advantage over the long term.As on its other models, XPeng's XSmart operating system (initially Android-based but now highly evolved and unique) controls the P7's driver assistance systems, dubbed XPilot. The XSmart OS also controls the car's connectivity functions, infotainment systems, and its nascent AI capabilities, including a "Hey XPeng" voice activation function and smart navigation setup. It also allows for a wide range of over-the-air updates and remote vehicle diagnostics.It's Tesla-level stuff, though some of the P7's standard XPilot functions, most notably the lane keep assist, don't feel quite as well-resolved in terms of their operation. It's all in the software tuning, said Chmielewski, who noted our test car was running Chinese-spec software. He added that a team is already at work on tweaks to suit European operating conditions. XPeng Represents a New Age of AutomakingThe XPeng P7 is a graphic example of the new reality of the auto business in the EV age. In the past, the cost and complexities of developing and optimising internal combustion engines and suitable transmissions meant newcomers faced huge challenges in terms of delivering vehicles that performed as well as those from companies with long experience building automobiles—look how many years it took Toyota and Honda and Hyundai and Kia to become established in the U.S. as legitimate alternatives to GM, Ford, and Chrysler.However, EV powertrains are inherently smooth and quiet, and deliver plenty of easy driving torque. There are no pesky calibration issues in terms of driveability or to meet emissions and fuel economy targets. Making a car that's instantly competitive with mainstream rivals from established automakers has never been easier.The XPeng P7 proves the point. The way it looks and feels and drives means it would be right at home on any driveway in America right now, with no excuses needed. Were the P7 to be launched here, with software updated to suit the U.S. operating environment and American consumer tastes, and priced as competitively as it is in Norway, it would shock the automotive establishment. Tesla included.

honda hr-v Full OverviewWe rather liked the old Honda Fit-based HR-V, even if it was pretty poky. More power, a bit more space in the back, and a richer-feeling interior were all the little SUV really needed. On paper, the all-new Civic-based 2023 Honda HR-V resolves all those issues. But do the improvements elevate the experience overall?Step InsideAs much as there is to like about the new HR-V small SUV, most folks will appreciate the interior upgrade most of all. Basically an adaptation of the wonderful Civic interior, it looks far more upscale than before and brings a great deal more functionality. The hidden vents in the decorative honeycomb trim are classy, the infotainment system is massively improved, and the center console's been rearranged for far greater functionality.We really want to drill down on the center console and armrest, because it was one of the least-liked aspects of the old model. Honda moved the cupholders from under your elbow to forward of the shifter, making them easier to reach and increasing the real estate for elbows. The passthrough shelf that was by your knees has been moved behind the shifter by your thighs, where it's easier to reach. The USB ports, which were a massive pain to access, have been relocated to much more ergonomic positions. Pity there still isn't a single USB port in the rear seat, and even the 12-volt outlet is gone.We're equally disappointed to report the folks in the back still don't get air vents, either, but they're not totally left out of the cabin updates. Legroom was never a problem, but the new platform and body opened up more hip-, shoulder-, and headroom in the back row, so it's a more comfortable space to be. And although the trick-folding "Magic Seats" are gone, Honda makes up for the deletion with a larger cargo area behind the second row.Go for a DriveHonda's decision to switch to the new global platform pioneered by the latest Civic sedan and hatchback was a smart move. We like the Civic an awful lot, and the HR-V compact SUV benefits mightily from the association. One turn of the wheel, and you immediately appreciate how good the chassis is. The HR-V rides nicer than most cars at this price point and handles better than most of them, too. The excellent body control resists pitch and dive and lean, and it handles bumps quickly and neatly, even when the suspension is already loaded up in a corner. Few people go looking at inexpensive compact SUVs for good driving dynamics, but the HR-V delivers anyway and is genuinely pleasant to drive.Life in the Slow LaneFor as much as Honda got right on the new HR-V, the engine choice is all wrong. This 2.0-liter four-cylinder is a little more powerful on paper, but it's pulling a larger, heavier vehicle. It should be no surprise, then, that the acceleration is abysmal. An unscientific stopwatch test showed we needed more than 11 agonizing seconds to reach 60 mph from a stop; if that result holds when we get to strap in our official timing equipment, the new HR-V would be at least 1.5 seconds slower than the old—and already slow—HR-V. Getting to 60 requires the CVT to run the engine up to nearly redline and stay there, which is a noisy place to be. People who live at altitude will spend a lot of time with their foot on the floor and the engine screaming like a giant blender.The only good news here is that you don't really notice the dearth of power as much when you're moving. Our same unofficial stopwatch said the new HR-V is about as quick to execute a 45-65-mph passing maneuver as the old one, so the difference is in the launch. Getting around town and driving on the highway, the CVT reacts very quickly when you ask for more speed. Some people like to bag on CVTs, but this one is a hero. It gets every last bit of performance out of this underperforming engine.It's worth noting we were only able to drive loaded HR-Vs with all-wheel drive. A base front-drive model will accelerate differently, although it's impossible to say if it'll be quicker or slower until we test one, as it will depend on how much the all-wheel-drive system contributes to the initial launch from a stop.More Fuel to the FireBeing a bigger and heavier vehicle (by 100 to 300 pounds) with a larger engine means the HR-V's fuel economy wasn't going to go up, but it didn't go down an awful lot on the EPA test, either, losing 2 mpg pretty much across the board. In the real world, though, you'll be lucky to hit the official 26/32/28 mpg ratings given the heavy pedal required to keep pace with traffic from a stop.For its part, Honda says it knowingly sacrificed a bit of fuel economy for more power and space, but given the performance we'll call it a bad deal. The company refuses to say if there will be another engine option in the future, but we're hoping like hell for the Civic's 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder or a hybrid powertrain.The Road Less TraveledAs this is ostensibly an SUV and it does have all-wheel drive, we felt compelled to test whether it can actually leave the pavement, and the result was a surprising yes. None of the HR-V's off-road stats are impressive, but take it somewhere its ground clearance can handle, and the all-wheel-drive system will get you back. Honda has reprogrammed the setup to send more power to the rear wheels sooner, and combined with solid traction control programming, we couldn't get the new HR-V stuck on miles of muddy forest service roads. Sure, we scraped the bottom splashing in and out of some of the biggest mud puddles, but the SUV never struggled for grip in the slippery stuff.The Tech StuffThe AWD system isn't the only piece of technology Honda upgraded. Now, all versions of the HR-V get the Honda Sensing package of active and passive safety technologies as standard equipment. In addition to collision avoidance features, you also get fancy convenience items such as adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance that does a very good job of keeping the car in the center of the lane.Inside, there's now a half-digital instrument cluster that can be configured to show nearly a dozen different information screens. The other screen—the main infotainment display—has attendant knobs for volume and tuning, and they're connected to a much-improved onscreen experience. It isn't the best user interface on the market, but take some time to learn the system, and you'll find an appreciable level of customizability.Let's Talk MoneyAll the extra stuff you get in this new model ain't free. The base price has gone up, and with fuel economy going down, running costs will also increase a little (about $200 per year, according to the EPA). That's a bit of a bummer, but the silver lining is you' get a much nicer vehicle than before. It drives better, it has more space, it has a better interior, and it has a lot more tech. Inflation being what it is right now, it's hard to get excited about an affordable car getting more expensive, but the 2023 HR-V delivers more than enough value to make up for the price increase.Looks good! More details?2023 Honda HR-V Specifications BASE PRICE $24,895-$30,195 LAYOUT Front-engine, FWD/AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 2.0L/158-hp/138-lb-ft DOHC 16-valve I-4 TRANSMISSION CVT CURB WEIGHT 3,150-3,350 lbs WHEELBASE 104.5 in L x W x H 179.8 x 72.4 x 63.4-63.8 in 0-60 MPH 11.5 sec (MT est) EPA FUEL ECON 25-26/30-32/27-28 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB N/A ON SALE Now Show All