The audience put on their HTC Vive headsets, which allowed everyone to see each other at their tables with color-coded avatars. A virtual mini slot car track appeared, and each person grabbed a single Vive controller and competed with others at their tables. Little Jaguar slot cars flew around and off the virtual track. Conversations erupted and interactions flourished as the audience played and waited. Soon, a presenter via live local video feed arrived, and the virtually-enhanced room suddenly filled with the avatars of all 66 people present, interconnecting everyone through virtual reality (VR).
The video feed switched everyone’s attention. It outlined Jaguar’s journey from its founding as the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, to this moment in time prior to the 2016 LA Auto Show, with the flashy reveal of a concept version of its I-Pace all electric sport utility vehicle.
The Jaguar I-Pace Concept is essentially a direct competitor to Tesla’s Model X P90D, with a dual motor design and 90 kWh battery that puts out an equivalent of about 400 horsepower and 700 ft. lbs. of torque. The Jaguar model is 12″ shorter, 3″ narrower, and a tiny bit taller than the Tesla product. It will feature a 90 kWh battery that should give the car approximately 300 miles of range using the U.S. testing standard. The battery should be able to recharge to 80% in just an hour and a half. The Jaguar electric powered SUV is purported to be capable of going from 0 to 60 mph in roughly four seconds. Jaguar is hoping to bring the vehicle into production sometime in 2018.
Yes, the Jaguar I-Pace is supposed to compete against the Tesla Model X. But the Jaguar VR press statement experience, using presenters, 3D models, diagrams, animations, and designs — generated through a Jaguar partnership with the Imagination Agency and help from REWIND, HTC, and Dell — far exceeded any hard-to-hear Tesla press conference or Elon Musk live appearance with poorly supported PowerPoint in the background.
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- The Jaguar I-PACE.
Photo credit: caradvice.com.au
Early into Jaguar’s virtual reality press statement, Ian Callum, Jaguar’s famous designer, was introduced. He shared a think-aloud about the I-Pace design. True to Callum’s mantra that “It’s about beauty of line and purity of form,” he displayed interactive sketches, wire meshes, battery packs, motors, and other parts of the I-Pace vehicle that will work together in a gestalt. Each member of the audience fully interacted with the same 3D models as he discussed them. Because all headsets were interconnected, two groups of people participating from the UK were able to join in through virtual connecting. While users peered inside a finished Jaguar I-Pace prototype, an actual, real-world version of the vehicle was rolled into the room.
-->According to audience members present, the overall design, implementation, and explanation of the Jaguar I-Pace was nearly perfectly executed in VR and offered a never-before-experienced sense of product engagement and immersion. Many people left the Jaguar VR press statement convinced of the vehicle’s attributes, design, and performance as well as its capacity to compete fully against Tesla.
And they never learned the price of the Jaguar I-Pace.
[Shout out to Anshel Sag for sharing his VR experience]
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News
Blue Origin announces Super-Heavy New Glenn 9×4 to Rival SpaceX Starship
The announcement followed the company’s successful NG-2 launch on November 13.
Blue Origin has revealed plans to develop New Glenn 9×4, a “super heavy” rocket designed to deliver 70 metric tons to low-Earth orbit and directly compete with SpaceX’s Starship.
The announcement followed the company’s successful NG-2 launch on November 13, which deployed NASA’s ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration Dynamics Explorers) Mars mission and landed the first stage.
Upgraded engines and reusability
As noted in a Universe Today report, Blue Origin will roll out upgraded BE-4 engines producing 640,000 lbf each, up from 550,000 lbf, starting with NG-3. This should boost the New Glenn rocket’s total first-stage thrust to 4.5 million pounds. Upper-stage BE-3U engines are expected to improve from 320,000 lbf to 400,000 lbf over the next few flights as well.
“These enhancements will immediately benefit customers already manifested on New Glenn to fly to destinations including low-Earth orbit, the Moon, and beyond. Additional vehicle upgrades include a reusable fairing to support increased flight rates, an updated lower-cost tank design, and a higher-performing and reusable thermal protection system to improve turnaround time,” Blue Origin noted.
New Glenn “Super Heavy” 9×4
The super-heavy New Glenn 9×4, with nine BE-4s on the booster, four BE-3Us on the upper stage, will feature an 8.7-meter payload fairing. Blue Origin expects New Glenn 9×4 to be capable of transporting 70 metric tons to LEO, 14 tons to GSO, and 20 tons to trans-lunar injection, as noted by the company in a blog post. This is very impressive, as New Glenn 9×4’s capacity exceeds Falcon Heavy, SpaceX’s largest rocket available to consumers today. Falcon Heavy is capable of carrying up to 64 metric tons to low Earth orbit in a fully expendable configuration.
-->That being said, SpaceX’s Starship’s capacity is extremely impressive. As per SpaceX, Starship is designed to be capable of carrying up to 100-150 metric tonnes to orbit in its fully reusable configuration. At its expendable configuration, Starship’s capacity enters unheard-of territory, with SpaceX stating that the vehicle could transport 250 metric tonnes of cargo.
News
Tesla FSD approved for testing in Nacka, Sweden, though municipality note reveals aggravating detail
Nacka, Sweden, a municipality just a few miles from Stockholm, has given its approval for FSD tests.
Tesla has secured approval for FSD testing in an urban environment in Sweden. As per recent reports from the Tesla community, Nacka, Sweden, a municipality just a few miles from Stockholm, has given its approval for FSD tests.
A look at the municipality’s note regarding FSD’s approval, however, reveals something quite aggravating.
FSD testing approval secured
As per Tesla watcher and longtime shareholder Alexander Kristensen, Nacka is governed by the Moderate Party. The shareholder also shared the municipality’s protocol notes regarding approval for FSD’s tests.
“It is good that Nacka can be a place for test-driving self-driving cars. This is future technology that can both facilitate mobility and make transportation cheaper and more environmentally friendly,” the note read.
The update was received positively by the Tesla community on social media, as it suggests that the electric vehicle maker is making some legitimate headway in releasing FSD into the region. Sweden has been particularly challenging as well, so securing approval in Nacka is a notable milestone for the company’s efforts.
-->Aggravating details
A look at the notes from Nacka shows that FSD’s proposed tests still met some opposition from some officials. But while some critics might typically point to safety issues as their reasons for rejecting FSD, those who opposed the system in Nacka openly cited Tesla’s conflict with trade union IF Metall in their arguments. Fortunately, Nacka officials ultimately decided in Tesla’s favor as the company’s issues with the country’s unions are a completely different matter.
“The left-wing opposition (S, Nackalistan, MP and V) voted no to this, referring to the fact that the applicant company Tesla is involved in a labor market conflict and does not want to sign a collective agreement. We believe that this is not an acceptable reason for the municipality to use its authority to interfere in a labor law conflict.
“Signing a collective agreement is not an obligation, and the company has not committed any crime. The municipality should contribute to technological development and progress, not work against the future,” the note read.
News
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y named top car buys in Norway
Despite growing competition from European and Korean brands, both models stood out for their balance of price, performance, and everyday usability.
Norway’s annual roundup of the best car purchases featured Tesla’s two main sellers this year, with the Model 3 and Model Y securing top positions in their respective segments.
Despite growing competition from European and Korean brands, both models stood out for their balance of price, performance, and everyday usability. The verdict comes as electric vehicle adoption remained above 95% of new vehicle sales in the country.
Tesla Model 3 strengthens its value position
Among compact EVs, the Tesla Model 3 maintained its position as the best overall buy thanks to its strong blend of performance, efficiency, and updated features. Reviewers noted that every trim offered compelling value, especially with the all-electric sedan’s improved cabin ergonomics and the return of the turn-signal stalk, which was one of the few previous complaints among drivers.
The Model 3’s mix of long-range capability, low operating costs, and responsive handling has continued to set the benchmark for compact EVs in Norway. While competitors from Hyundai, Volkswagen, and Peugeot have narrowed the gap, Tesla’s price-to-capability ratio has remained difficult to beat in this segment, Motor.no reported.
“The Model 3 clearly offers the best value for money in the compact class, no matter which version you choose. Now it also gets the turn signal lever back. This eliminates one of the few flaws in a driving environment that many believe is the best on the market,” the publication wrote.
-->Tesla Model Y claims its crown
The Tesla Model Y emerged as Norway’s top family-car purchase this year. The latest refresh introduced improvements in ride quality, styling, and interior materials, allowing the Model Y to deliver a more premium driving experience without a substantial price increase.
Reviewers praised its spacious cabin, strong safety profile, and practical range, all of which reinforced its appeal for families needing an all-purpose electric crossover. The Model Y remains especially notable given its continued popularity in Norway even as Tesla faces declining sales in other global markets.
“The Model Y is back as the winner in the family class. The upgrade in the new year was even more extensive than expected. It is a slightly more elegant and significantly more comfortable Model Y that solidifies its position as Norway’s best car purchase in the most important class,” the Norwegian motoring publication noted.
Blue Origin announces Super-Heavy New Glenn 9×4 to Rival SpaceX Starship
Tesla FSD approved for testing in Nacka, Sweden, though municipality note reveals aggravating detail
