Connect with us

News

Goodwood hosts the introduction of many new EVs

Goodwood Festival of Speed Electric Avenue (Credit: Goodwood)

Published

on

This week, the Goodwood Festival of Speed is happening in West Sussex, England, and many manufacturers are showing off production and concept electric vehicles.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed has been an annual event showing off many different cars since 1993. Since its inception, Goodwood has been the chosen location for many manufacturers to reveal their new cars, especially those who are looking to impress and allure the European market. This year is no different, and electric vehicles have become more of a part of the festival than ever before with the introduction of the Goodwood “Electric Avenue.”

For those unable to attend the event this year, this article will be a culmination of all the new electric vehicles being shown at the event, production, concept, racecar, or otherwise.

Polestar –

Polestar brought multiple vehicles to the Goodwood festival of speed; the Polestar 2, Polestar 3 SUV, and even their prototype Polestar 5 GT sedan. The Polestar 5 was the star of the show, and according to their press release on the vehicle, the Polestar will have a new 800-volt architecture and will be paired with a dual-motor 884 horsepower and 663 pound-feet of torque motor system. Range information, release date, and pricing have not been released for the vehicle yet.

Polestar has been documenting the process of the transformation of the Polestar Precept concept car into the Polestar 5 that we see today on their YouTube channel. More specific details about interior and exterior design can be found there.

Advertisement
-

No specific specifications have yet been released for the Polestar 3 SUV. However, in the most recent press release on the SUV, the company claimed it was aiming for a 372-mile WLTP range and would partner with computer chip manufacturer Nvidia to implement a LIDAR system on the vehicle.

Ford –

While headlining their ever-popular Mach E, Ford also revealed their “Pro Electric SuperVan.” The concept of the SuperVan originated, according to MotorTrend, in the early 70s as a cargo van’s body was wrapped around a GT40’s internals. Ford made two generations of Supervan after its first appearance, but in this fourth generation, it is going electric. This proof-of-concept vehicle took the vague body shape of the new Ford E Transit, lowered it to the ground, and introduced massive flying buttresses to the typically tame utility van. In MotorTrend’s interview with Ford, they say that the van can go from 0-60 in just under 2 seconds and that the vehicle has roughly 2000 horsepower. Hopefully, this vehicle, much like previous SuperVans, is not planned to race or be sold. It does highlight some of the amazing electric technology Ford is working to bring to consumers and may even pique the interest of more combustion-minded car enthusiasts.

Lexus –

Lexus first revealed its LFA lookalike EV back in December of last year, but other than the claim that the vehicle will be able to do 0-60 in the mid-2 seconds, little to nothing is known about the vehicle. From what is listed on the Lexus website, the brand states the vehicle may use solid-state batteries and will hope to achieve a range of 430 miles per charge, a number certainly capable of competing with Tesla if released.

 The other vehicle brought to Goodwood by Lexus is the recently revealed RZ 450e, the Lexus variant of the BZ4X/Soltera. Similarly to the other all-wheel-drive variants, the vehicle will have ~226 miles of range, feature an all-wheel-drive setup via dual motors, and will be able to fast charge at 150kW, allowing 20%-80% in roughly half an hour. Where the Lexus differs from its Toyota and Subaru siblings is in its power, the vehicle will produce 312 horsepower compared to the 215 on the Subaru and Toyota.

Advertisement
-

More broadly, Akio Toyoda announced in December of last year that the Lexus EV coupe and new RZ 450e will be part of 16 new electric vehicles that Toyota plans to bring to the market. These electric vehicles are a key part of Toyota’s carbon neutrality strategy.

Lotus –

With the acquisition of the Lotus brand in 2017, the brand has been doing a lot of work to rejuvenate itself. Its most recent attempt to do so comes in the form of two electric vehicles. The Lotus Evija is the brand’s newest quad motor electric hypercar; making 1972 horsepower, weighing only 3703 pounds (making it the lightest production EV according to Lotus), and maintaining a WLTP range of 215 miles.

The other EV shown by Lotus at Goodwood is their new Eletre SUV. This electric SUV is set to compete with the likes of the Tesla Model X Plaid, the Rivian R1S, and perhaps the future Mercedes EQG. The 4wd SUV uses a dual motor setup paired to an over 100kwh battery, is capable of up to 900 horsepower, and claims the first-ever “deployable LIDAR system” in a production EV.

McMurtry –

The startup McMurtry Automotive has designed and built a single-seater electric racecar that they hope will be able to achieve 0-60 in 1.5 seconds; the Speirling. According to the company’s website, the car will supposedly be able to achieve this due to a vacuum system that sucks air from under the car, essentially giving the car downforce even while stationary. On top of that, the car weighs under 2,205 pounds and has a power-to-weight ratio of 1,000 horsepower per ton.

Advertisement
-

Porsche –

Perhaps one of the most eye-catching vehicles at Goodwood this year is the Porsche 718 Cayman E-Performance. Porsche took one of their GT4 Cayman ICE vehicles but replaced the engine with a dual motor setup and a battery that is designed to allow for 30 minutes of track use, or what Porsche says is the exact length of a Carrera Cup Race. Porsche says the motor system can produce 986 horsepower peaks but produces 603 horsepower in the effort of maintaining power throughout the 30 minutes. Matthias Shultz, a Porsche Racing project manager, comments as part of an accompanying Porsche press release that “we’ve shown how Porsche envisages sustainable customer motor racing in the future. The 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance now demonstrates that this vision works impressively on the racetrack.”

According to Car and Driver, this prototype vehicle comes before the anticipated next generation of Cayman and Boxster vehicles that will be adopting an electric drive train that will be released in 2025. These models will be a key part of Porsche’s plan to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Kia/Hyundai –

Kia and Hyundai are no longer new to the EV industry, especially after their successful launches of the EV6 and Ioniq 5, respectively. At Goodwood, Kia and Genesis showcased a combined four production electric models and will supposedly also show their Speedium Coupe concept car.

The Kia EV6 GT was on display and will be the high-performance version of the current EV6 on the market. The new EV6 will have 576 horsepower and 545 pound-feet of torque, propelling the vehicle to 60 in 3.5 seconds and achieving a top speed of 161 miles per hour. However, with competition from its own Genesis brand for other powerful electric crossover vehicles, it is unclear how much attention the GT will receive.

Advertisement
-

 The Genesis vehicles, the GV60, GV70, and G80 are the more upscale versions of the EV6 platform. Looking at the Genesis website, each of them offers impressive specifications, but each is going after quite a different clientele. For the performance luxury sedan lovers, the G80 will offer 323 miles of WLTP estimated range, will be capable of “22-minute ultra-fast charging” (from 10%-80%) via Hyundai/Kia’s new 800-volt architecture, and feature a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system delivering 364 total system horsepower.

Crossover customers will have the choice of either the GV60 or the larger GV70. The GV60 will offer slightly better performance than the G80 in many different ways; it will have a max of 321 miles of WLTP estimated range (front-wheel-drive model), will be capable of “18-minute ultra-fast charging” (from 10%-80%) and will offer a max of 483 total system horsepower from a dual-motor setup (all-wheel-drive model). The GV70 has not had full specs announced as of yet but will likely be very similar to its GV60 counterpart; ~18-minute fast charging, ~490 horsepower, etc. What Genesis has said is that the GV70 will be capable of vehicle-to-load use.

Finally, Genesis will supposedly reveal their Genesis X Speedium Coupe, which was first introduced as a concept car titled the X Concept. However, Goodwood is the first place the vehicle has been seen in the real world. If the looks and the other vehicles released are anything to go by, its specifications may be incredible.

Fisker

Fisker is part of a smaller group of startups that made an appearance at the festival, however, with news that they recently hit over 50,000 reservations, Fisker may now be worthy of the attention of many looking for an affordable EV SUV. There is still only limited information in terms of specifications, however, the brand plans on a starting price of $37,499. The brand’s website does state that the top-of-the-line Ocean SUV will be able to achieve 350 miles of range and will have a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system.

Perhaps more striking is the many interior quirks they list on the website. A pivoting center screen and rolling down rear window are listed prominently while they also highlight the Ocean’s many “terrain modes.” According to Motor1, more detailed specifications will be announced in November.

Advertisement
-

Renault

While the Renault 5 has been stuck in concept car purgatory for nearly a year now, there is still reason to keep hope. In an interview with Top Gear last year, the CEO of Renault group, Luca de Meo, stated that Renault was significantly shaken when he took charge. One of the first things the CEO did was cancel 7 new ICE products and replaced them with 8 EVs that will hopefully appear in Renault or Nissan’s lineup within the next few years. One of those cars was the Renault 5, a vehicle that de Meo promised would “democratize the electric vehicle.” As of now, no specifics have been revealed about the vehicle, but this hasn’t stopped many from speculating.

With the recent release of the electric Renault Megane, many believe that the five would use a similar platform and hence, achieve similar specifications. The Megane tops out at 217 horsepower from its front-drive system, achieving 220 miles of range via a 60kWh battery, and starts at 36,000 pounds in England.

E-Go

E.GO is an EV startup from Germany looking to bring another small electric hatchback to Europe in the form of their Life and e.wave X models. According to the company’s website, both are available for pre-order. However, it is unclear how competitive their vehicle will be, considering it will have a goal starting price of 25,000 euros. The vehicle features lackluster specs compared to many of the other models shown at Goodwood; charging at only 11kWh, capable of a “city miles” range of 150 miles, and while only using a single motor front-wheel drive 100hp setup. This car will likely have to compete with larger brands by competing on price, but it is unclear at this time if the 25,000 euro price tag is low enough.

Formula E

Advertisement
-

Formula E also made an appearance at the Goodwood hill climb. The Mahindra racing team introduced their new livery and a third-generation racecar that will compete in the upcoming season 8 of Formula E. The Formula E website lists many upgrades coming to the new car; the new open-wheel racer will be capable of 200mph top speeds, will use 40% regenerated energy throughout the race, will ditch rear hydraulic breaks in exchange for a regenerative front and rear motor system, and will feature 600kW hyper-fast charging (allowing for short charging pit stops mid-race). These incredible upgrades over the previous generation may change the sport significantly in the upcoming year.

What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!

Will is an auto enthusiast, a gear head, and an EV enthusiast above all. From racing, to industry data, to the most advanced EV tech on earth, he now covers it at Teslarati.

Advertisement
Comments

Investor's Corner

SpaceX’s biggest earnings test yet lands Tuesday, and Tesla shareholders should be watching

SpaceX reports earnings Tuesday as Wall Street watches AI spending, Starlink growth and Tesla merger

Published

on

By

SpaceX reports third quarter results after the market closes Tuesday, with a webcast at 4:30 p.m. ET streamed on X, and Tesla follows a day later. Bloomberg consensus, cited by Pepperstone, calls for revenue of $12.89 billion, adjusted EBITDA of $6.62 billion and adjusted EPS near $0.15. That would be about 65% growth from the second quarter and SpaceX’s first profitable quarter since its IPO. Analysts expect roughly $6.4 billion from AI and $4.9 billion from Starlink, which is projected to reach 14.3 million consumer subscribers. Capital spending is forecast at $19.6 billion, leaving free cash flow near negative $11.6 billion.

The numbers matter because SpaceX has spent months trying to win over a skeptical market. It priced its record IPO at $135, spiked to $225.64, then sank near $105 in early August. Friday’s close of $146.03 sits about 28% below the June high. The Q2 report beat on revenue at $7.8 billion and put Starlink at 12 million subscribers, but $18.4 billion of capex hurt the stock. Since then SpaceX reached orbit on Starship Flight 14 with 26 Starlink V3 satellites, agreed to buy 800 MHz spectrum for about $8 billion as part of its Starlink Mobile push, and signed a fourth compute hosting deal in four months worth roughly $13 billion a year from December. Management is targeting more than 2 gigawatts of compute by year end and a $100 billion annualized revenue run rate. Evercore ISI, which raised its target to $275, said the quarter may be judged more on those targets than the reported figures

All of this sits under the Tesla merger question. Barclays analyst Dan Levy expects an all stock deal in which SpaceX buys Tesla at a premium, using reference values of $2.1 trillion and $1.5 trillion, and said an announcement would need to come by late October or early November to be voted on at Tesla’s December 6 annual meeting. Barclays estimates Musk would hold about 37% of the combined company and 56% of the votes. Musk said in July that combining companies cannot be discussed on an earnings call, but an investor question asking when SpaceX will merge with Tesla is sitting on SpaceX’s Q&A platform, and Teslarati has tracked how the Roadster demo revived the talk.

If a deal happens, Tuesday’s result would effectively set the price Tesla holders would receive. Their shares would convert into SpaceX stock, along with exposure to a company with a heavy investment on AI, while Tesla itself expects 2026 capex above $25 billion. A strong quarter and calmer spending would make that exchange easier to sell. Another round of heavy capex and a falling stock would make it harder.

Continue Reading

News

SpaceX’s Gwynne Shotwell just made a quiet gesture toward Tesla

SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell quietly followed Tesla on X, and merger watchers noticed right away.

Published

on

By

SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell has started following Tesla’s official account on X, a small change that landed in the middle of a very loud merger conversation. Whole Mars Catalog joked about it on Sunday.

A follow is not an announcement, and neither company has said anything about a deal. What gives the moment weight is the timing. Barclays analyst Dan Levy has told clients that an agreement could come before Tesla’s annual meeting, which must be held by December 6, with SpaceX as the buyer in an all stock deal, as we reported after the Roadster unveiling. Wedbush’s Dan Ives has stuck with a 2027 timeline.

Shotwell is the executive most worth watching if the two companies do move closer. When Musk was asked at the All In Summit why Tesla and SpaceX remain separate, Shotwell sat next to him and said SpaceX personnel had already moved into xAI to fill leadership and engineering gaps. The businesses were integrating “faster than I thought,” she said, though “not fully integrated yet.” Her responsibilities have also grown since SpaceX absorbed xAI, and she now oversees operations that include Grok and the company’s AI compute buildout.

The financial links are already there. Tesla’s $2 billion xAI investment turned into a stake of less than one percent in SpaceX, the two share the Terafab chip project in Austin, and Musk exercised his 2018 Tesla options a week after SpaceX began trading, a sequence analysts flagged as giving SpaceX public shares to use in a deal. Musk holds about 20 percent of Tesla and controls 85.1 percent of SpaceX’s voting power, according to our earlier breakdown.

Advertisement
-

The next test is close at hand. SpaceX reports its second earnings as a public company on Tuesday after the close, and Tesla follows on Wednesday. Musk told analysts in July that “we can’t talk about combining companies and that kind of thing on an earnings call,” so a direct answer is unlikely from either stage. Tesla shareholders can still submit and vote on questions through the Say portal until 4 p.m. EDT on Monday, and the merger is a recurring theme in the queue.

Continue Reading

Elon Musk

Tesla Roadster owners to get “Flying Stunt Mode” and looping track access

Musk says Roadster owners can command the unveiling stunts autonomously, with a Texas looping track.

Published

on

By

Elon Musk says owners of the new Tesla Roadster will be able to ask the car to perform the stunts Tesla showed at its unveiling, with the car doing the driving itself. Musk made the comment Saturday in a reply on X to tech blogger Robert Scoble, and he added a promise of a looping track at Tesla’s Texas headquarters.

Scoble had argued that the person in the Roadster is not really driving it. In his description, the driver operates a computer that tells another computer what to do, with steering, braking and acceleration all handled by wire. Musk answered, “True. You will be able to ask the Roadster to perform any of the tricks shown autonomously, as it will be sentient. Also, we will have a wild looping track (crazier even than Hot Wheels) at our Texas HQ where you can test out your Roadster.”

Advertisement
-

At the October 15 event outside Waco, the car drove up a curved ramp until it was upside down, flew off on cold gas thrusters, flipped and landed. It also hovered over a Cybercab, Cybertruck, Semi, Model Y and Model 3 while moving. As we noted in our breakdown of the three Roadster configurations, Musk said at the event that the car “literally is just going to puff itself up” to perform the maneuvers whenever an owner wants. Saturday’s reply adds that the car would run them on its own.

Tesla has described some of the hardware that would make that possible. The Roadster uses steer by wire with a yoke, and its cold gas thrusters rely on electric actuators for small adjustments in flight. A fan system under the car creates suction, which Tesla says is strong enough to hold it upside down, a setup we covered in our look at the Roadster’s fan system and thrusters.

Musk did not say when an autonomous stunt feature might arrive, how it would work, or what he means by sentient. He also gave no size, location or opening date for the Texas track. Production is planned for Giga Texas in 2027 or 2028, and Tesla says the car is not approved for public road use. The Rocket version, the one built to fly, is invite only.

The comment follows a week of Musk teasing the event, including his claim that the demo would be a banger, which we covered before the stream. Tesla reports third quarter earnings on October 21, and shareholders can submit and vote on questions through the Say portal until 4 p.m. EDT on October 20, according to our earnings Q&A preview. A question about autonomous Roadster stunts and the Texas track would be a quick way to get specifics from management.

Continue Reading