electric

The upcoming 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS – which is effectively an all-electric alternative to the standard S-Class luxury sedan – has entered production at the brand’s high-tech Factory 56 in Sindelfingen, Germany. Parent company Daimler claims the €2.1 billion (AU$3.3B) 220,000 square metre site – which began building the S-Class late last year – is "100 per cent carbon neutral," thanks to a large collection of solar panels and 1400kWh energy storage systems.

An all-electric Porsche Boxster concept is set to preview the future of the sports car, company insiders have revealed. According to Car and Driver, news of the 718 Boxster electric vehicle (EV) concept has come directly from Porsche executive board member for development, Michael Steiner. The battery-powered Boxster is expected to preview a future production version of the convertible, as well as its coupe sibling, the Cayman.

A fully-electric 2023 Porsche Macan SUV is undergoing testing in Germany, the company has revealed. Porsche released images of the battery-powered Macan being driven at its development facility in Weissach, Germany, which will share its underpinnings with the Audi Q6 E-Tron, due in late 2022. The company also showed how it's using digital simulations to help test aerodynamics, energy efficiency, sound, and user operation.

British start-up Viritech has previewed images of what it claims will be the world’s first hydrogen-powered hypercar, known as the Apricale. Developed at the MIRA Technology Park in Warwickshire, little is currently known about the vehicle's powertrain. However, the design team claims the finished product will send approximately 820kW to the road – significantly more than almost any contemporary internal combustion production car not built by Bugatti.

A Suzuki electric sports concept – known as the Misano – was unveiled overnight. The two-seater's unusual off-centre seating layout places a single passenger directly behind the driver, while power and steering comes via a motorcycle-themed “control stick” handlebar which, according to the design team, “merges the adrenaline rush of two wheels, with the driving experience of four.”