Performance EV Update

There was a lot happening in performance EV land last week. Here is a quick summary:

Lotus Reveals Name Of EV Hypercar

Lotus will call its BEV hypercar "Evija", which is pronounced "Ee-vi-ya". Here is a very teasy teaser video:

BMW CEO Fired Over Slow EV Progress

Current BMW CEO Harald Kruger won't seek another term, which is German polite-speak for "you're fired!" The issue is BMW's slow adoption of electric powertrains. European rules in particular demand that OEMs shift aggressively toward EVs starting in 2020, and BMW's recalcitrance, coupled with the progress of upstart Tesla, has turned up the seat heaters in the corner office. Balancing the needed investments in EVs and autonomous vehicles can't be easy.

Mini Launches BEV Mini

Mini will begin producing a pure EV Mini in November called the Mini SE. The battery pack is expected to be good for 150 miles. Pricing is expected to be in the low to mid $30k range. With 200 lb-ft of torque, it should be fun to drive, but no rocket.

Porsche Taycan In Action At Goodwood

Porsche showed off the Taycan making a run up the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, driven by Mark Webber: