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Without a question, one of the most well-liked trend aspects of contemporary smartphones is the fast charging capability. That makes sense because charging your phone during the day is more convenient and doesn’t require an endless wait.

The situation has gotten to the point where manufacturers are now competing with one another to produce the strongest and most advanced charging technologies. Xiaomi showcased its amazing charging technique during the previous year’s MWC. In only five minutes, a Redmi smartphone with a 4,300 mAh battery could be fully charged using a powerful 300 watts of power.

Even while the aforementioned statistics are fascinating, a growing number of smartphone users are growing apprehensive. I mean, is this really good for the battery on a cell phone? It’s a valid question, and this article answers it. Learn what happens to your phone when it is quickly charged and whether the battery can be ruined.

What transpires when the battery is being charged

Lithium-ion or lithium-polymer (abbreviated LiPo) batteries power all contemporary cellphones. Cell chemistry, however, is the same in both cases. Electrolytes, a positive electrode (anode), and a negative electrode (cathode) are present. When the negative lithium ions move through the electrolytes to the positive side, energy is produced that powers a mobile phone. This flow ends when the battery runs out of power. The lithium ions are transferred back to the negative side during the charging phase to restart the cycle.

Because batteries work somewhat like sponges, the charging process is not strictly linear. When they are nearly filled, they absorb less energy than when they are empty. Therefore, the charge is less efficient and the charging curve is flatter the closer it gets to saturation. In contrast, the charging voltage drops off rather quickly after reaching its maximum power.

Cell phone batteries deteriorate.

All batteries eventually run out, quick charging or not. This is due to the fact that the movement of lithium ions constantly generates some heat, to which the chemical reactions are extremely sensitive. Because of this, you shouldn’t charge your phone when the battery is still mostly full because doing so will cause it to overheat.

Consequently, the primary cause of battery deterioration is heat. Many customers notice that the “fast charging function” causes excessive heat to be produced in proportion to the amount of electricity flowing into the battery. Even the electrolytes crystallising and total failure of the ion current between the electrodes might result from acute warming.

However, and this is crucial, manufacturers are aware of this. Because of this, there are some crucial safety measures to take in order to avoid producing excessive heat when fast charging.

New technologies are needed for fast charging.

A number of quick charging standards have been established recently to improve power supply units’ gearbox performance. One often used protocol is Qualcomm’s Quick Charge. Version 5 allows charging at 100+ watts for just 5 minutes, from 0% to 50%.

WarpCharge, a feature of OnePlus, can handle 65 watts. Another standard is Oppo’s VOOC Flash Charge, which, since the two firms joined the same group, has also taken the place of OnePlus’s Warp Charge technology. For instance, a 150 watt SUPERVOOC power supply is included with the OnePlus 10T that was previously reported. Other standards include Motorola’s TurboPower, Samsung’s Adaptive Charge, and USB Power Delivery.

These days, there are numerous choices and methods for safeguarding cell phone batteries. The most popular fixes consist of…

Integrated circuits are found in the power supply modules of many smartphones that feature quick charging capabilities. These make sure the heat energy can release itself before it approaches the smartphone. The larger-than-normal adapters that come with this solution are a drawback.

Parallel charging is an additional choice. The concept is straightforward. The current is divided into two parallel cells rather of being sent into a single battery cell. For the optimal charging performance, the two solutions are now often combined. This charging technology’s slightly reduced overall capacity is a drawback. This is merely due to the fact that two battery cells’ volume, including their housing and hardware, requires extra room.

There is always a way to control the growth of heat using cooling devices. More power can be added to the device without risking overheating it with an improved cooling mechanism. There are many methods available to protect the batteries from high temperatures, including vapour chambers, heat shields, and even whole fans (particularly on gaming devices).

which returns us to the original query. Is it true that quick charging destroys cell phone batteries? Are the listed solutions effective? How soon after degradation does a battery become “ruined”?

For the latter, Xiaomi assures that, with its 11T Pro (with 120 watt fast charging), 80 percent of the original battery capacity is still available after 800 full charging cycles. These are even recognised industry standards. Apple claims that after 500 charging cycles, the capacity will reach 80%. Oppo is the next in line. The Chinese company unveiled two new rapid charging standards at the start of February 2023: 150W SuperVOOC and 240W SuperVOOC technology, which reach 80% battery capacity after a minimum of 1,600 charging cycles. We can’t wait to see what innovations this year brings.

Is the battery of a mobile phone ruined by quick charging?

It is impossible to provide a definitive response to this topic without doing long-term research, however the evidence available to date suggests that quick charging does not hasten a battery’s typical deterioration.

It is also true that fast charging uses more power, which means the phone needs to be protected from the increased heat. In order to achieve this, manufacturers employ a variety of strategies to enhance energy management, including sensors to control temperature variations, parallel charging, optimised power supply units, and smart hardware.Does your phone’s battery suffer from fast charging?

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Even though winter may still be in its last stages, Jeep has revealed two beach-themed special edition models for 2024, kicking off the summer season. The firm has chosen to give the Gladiator pickup the “Jeep Beach” edition treatment for the first time ever.

Gladiator Jeep Beach edition will be even more unique, with only 250 built, following in the footsteps of the Wrangler Jeep Beach model, which will only be made in 500 instances for 2024.

Based on the Willys model, the Gladiator Jeep Beach edition has unique Jeep Beach decals, a spray-in bedliner, a sunrider fliptop, a hardtop headliner, and a body-color hardtop. It has steel rock rails, a rear-locking differential, 32-inch mud-terrain tyres, and the Off-Road+ mode to assist it manage sand.

Inside, passengers can enjoy a 12.3-inch touchscreen, Mopar Katzkin leather seats embroidered with the Jeep Beach logo, and a number of cutting-edge safety features like trailer tow, adaptive cruise control, and forward collision warning. The starting price for the truck is $52,390, which includes a $1,895 destination charge.

Similar changes are made to the Wrangler Jeep Beach 4xe, which is likewise based on the Willys trim (but in this instance, it is a plug-in hybrid). Instead of the Gladiator’s 32-inch all-terrain tyres, it has 33-inch ones.

The rest of the improvements are essentially the same and include Jeep Beach decals, a headliner, a sunrider fliptop, and a body-color hardtop. Along with these features, it also has Mopar Katzkin leather seats, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, steel rock rails, a locking rear diff, and Off-Road+ mode. The 2024 Jeep Wrangler Jeep Beach is priced starting at $62,290.

Orders for both models will be accepted this month in a few states in the Southeast, and they will come in the entire spectrum of paint colours.

Although you really don’t need an excuse to celebrate the beach, the carmaker claims that these vehicles were created especially to pay homage to Jeep Beach 2024. This year’s annual enthusiast exhibit is scheduled for April 19–28 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

One of the largest gatherings of Jeep enthusiasts in the United States is Jeep Beach Week, held in Daytona Beach, Florida. According to Bill Peffer, the head of Jeep brand for North America, “the event is set to be even bigger this year.” Last year, more than 225,000 Jeep lovers and 25,000 Jeep SUVs and trucks attended. Delivering these two brand-new, factory-customized beach-ready Jeep 4x4s during this unique week-long event is an excellent opportunity.

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Even after 25 years, the Maruti WagonR, which has been a household name in India for more than 20 years, still wins people over. Because of its enduring appeal, digital artists who enjoy recreating classic cars find the Maruti WagonR to be a highly desirable subject. We explore a fascinating idea today: the Maruti WagonR X makeover.

Inspired by the daring “X” variations of Maruti Suzuki, the SRK Designs YouTube channel has created a very special rendering of the Maruti WagonR. The WagonR X and the CelerioX share a similar design ethos.

The front undergoes the most noticeable change. The WagonR’s rounder headlights have been replaced with angular, rectangular tri-beam LED ones that coordinate with the DRLs. The factory little grille gets replaced with a large, glossy black grille that has strength and a sense of purpose.

Functionality is enhanced by the LED fog lamps on either side, and the car’s ability to travel on any road or no road is demonstrated by the sturdy skid plate that rests beneath the sleek bumper. The WagonR’s new look radically changes the car’s personality and gives it off-road capability.

The tall boy attitude that has come to be associated with the WagonR X is still present. As a result, the automobile has a commanding perspective of the road and plenty of headroom. Nonetheless, the WagonR X’s blacked-out roof rails and side pillars enhance the vehicle’s aesthetic appeal. The standard wheels are swapped out for sleek black alloy ones that offer better traction and a more aggressive stance.

On the roof is a huge luggage carrier with a separate, covered compartment that is a highly conspicuous addition. This modification enhances the car’s sense of adventure and makes it more utilitarian by offering plenty of room for luggage or other items. The WagonR X concept automobile envisions the standard WagonR as an all-arounder that can be utilised for weekend excursions as well as daily transportation.

The overall look of this car is striking, even though the back is hidden. It demonstrates the incredible inventiveness of auto designers and how they can turn everyday cars into things that nobody could have imagined. The WagonR X, while only a concept, raises interesting questions about how consumers’ requirements are evolving and potential future product offerings from automakers.

The WagonR X idea raises the question, “Do people want a car that’s good for adventures as well as the city?” There’s probably no easy answer. Although this may not be the precise vehicle that Maruti Suzuki builds next, it does demonstrate the growing need for vehicles that are both practical and enjoyable. These concept cars are like intriguing ideas that help us anticipate what future cars might be like — cars that are both practical and adventurous – as automakers continue to make modifications.

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Customers need to have a Tesla Powerwall for home storage and a Tesla Wall Connector for wall box charging in addition to a Tesla vehicle (all models are supported). And of course the roof-mounted photovoltaic system. Since Tesla only discusses using its own hardware in its statement, it is likely incompatible with home storage systems from other manufacturers when it comes to the surplus charging feature.

“With Charge on Solar, your Tesla vehicle can charge using only excess solar energy produced by your Tesla solar system. Using excess energy to charge your electric vehicle maximizes the value of your home’s solar system. Use the Tesla app to set Charge on Solar limits and have your vehicle charge using extra solar energy,” But in Europe, Tesla does not sell solar panels or solar roofs of its own. Since the feature is also being offered in this nation, if the Tesla Powerwall is available, it probably works with solar systems from other manufacturers.

Customers will be able to set the minimum charge level they need to utilise by utilising the “sun slider” feature in the app, which is akin to the charge limit slider. For instance, the user can effortlessly finish their typical driving trip by setting the “sun slider” to a 40% charge level. You can adjust the charging limit slider to ninety percent. In the event that the PV system’s excess energy is insufficient, the system will use grid electricity to charge the automobile to 40%. The range between 40 and 90% is only charged with excess solar energy; in this scenario, the charging process ends entirely at 90%.

According to Tesla, the feature itself will be free to use (as long as the required hardware is available) and will be available with software version 4.30.5. The following European nations have plans for this: Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The function will be implemented outside of Europe in Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand.

For this to work, the vehicles’ software version must be 2023.32 or higher; according to Tesla, the Powerwall with Solar requires software version 23.12.10 or higher.

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Google Maps now provides on-the-wrist transit instructions for the Galaxy Watch and Pixel Watch. Additionally, boarding passes, gym membership cards, concert tickets, and other goods from your smartphone can now be accessed using the Google Wallet smartwatch app.

You can utilize on-wrist transit directions to navigate a city while taking buses, trains, ferries, or other kinds of transit. Google Maps gives you compass-guided directions and departure timings for every place you want to go. This feature is still restricted to specific cities; it was first introduced in the Google Maps mobile app.

The “passes” function of Google Wallet is likewise transit-focused. During boarding, you can access documents and tickets on your smartwatch, doing away with the necessity to take out your phone. Naturally, a variety of passes, tickets, membership cards, and other goods are supported by this capability. You should be able to save your membership card to Google Wallet when you launch the gym app. The email receipt you receive after purchasing an event ticket can also provide this option.

Be aware that you only need to take a screenshot to add any barcode or QR code to Google Wallet. If this option doesn’t show up when you take a screenshot with your phone, go to Google Wallet and select “Add to Wallet” from the menu at the bottom of the screen.

Along with a number of other new AI innovations, Google Maps and Wallet updates were revealed at MWC 2024. A brand-new “hybrid interface for bridged notifications” for Wear OS is also being introduced by Google. The OnePlus Watch 2’s 100-hour battery life is a result of this redesigned interface, which also lowers power usage by shifting notifications and messages to a co-processor. Nevertheless, manufacturers who have not yet updated their smartphones with the new UI include Samsung and Google.

Smartwatches using Wear OS, such the Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch, are starting to receive these additional functionalities. It’s interesting to note that Wear OS 3 is the minimal system requirement listed by Google for the new functionality. Google hasn’t officially confirmed this, but watches that aren’t able to install the Wear OS 4 update—like Fossil watches—should get the Maps and Wallet updates.

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Chevrolet Canada has made pictures of the Chevy Silverado EV Trail Boss available on its Instagram account. Front and rear photos of the all-electric pickup truck version are also displayed here.

The Silverado EV Trail Boss model year has never been revealed by GM before, and the trim level is anticipated to debut with the 2025 Chevy Silverado EV model year.

The exterior paint colour of the 2025 Chevy Silverado EV Trail Boss depicted in the pictures is Habanero Orange. The last time this paint colour was seen on a Trail Boss was in February 2023, both in Super Bowl advertisements for the electric pickup and on another picture of the Trail Boss trim.

The Silverado EV Trail Boss, which will eventually join the Work Truck (WT) and RST trim levels as part of the electric pickup’s portfolio, is still unknown. Pictures of the Trail Boss show that it sports a RST-like grey lower bumper part combined with a matte black front fascia. In addition, the trim features red tow hooks, a taller stance, and robust off-road tyres.

The BT1 truck chassis from General Motors serves as the foundation for the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV. A relatively strong version of the truck’s dual-motor arrangement, producing 510 horsepower and 615 pound-feet of torque, powers the base WT model. In contrast, the RST First Edition’s Wide Open Watts mode produces an incredible 754 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque.

This maximum performance, increased from initial projections as Chevy engineers improved the architecture, is sufficient to accelerate the RST from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 4.5 seconds. The vehicle can pull up to 10,000 pounds and has a top payload capacity of 1,300 pounds.

With the use of Ultium Drive motor technology and Ultium batteries from General Motors, the Silverado EV can travel 400 miles between charges. The Silverado EV Trail Boss’s range is probably going to be lower.

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Bluetooth Music

Tesla has recently included a ‘Set Up Bluetooth Audio’ option in the Security & Drivers part of the app, which instructs customers on how to pair their phone with their car in order to play music via Bluetooth.

Fee for Solar Availability

Numerous nations, including many in Europe, now offer Tesla’s Charge on Solar feature.

Tesla owners may use the excess solar energy produced by their home’s solar panels to charge their automobiles thanks to the company’s revolutionary Charge on Solar function. Users are provided with two car charge limits: a minimum limit that permits the vehicle to be charged using any available energy, and an additional, higher limit that the vehicle will only be able to charge with clean, solar energy.

Options for Communication

‘News and Events’ has been renamed as Communication Preferences by Tesla. Currently, Tesla sends you to your web Tesla account where you may choose to receive news by email and app notifications, rather than just having a toggle to do so. Additionally, it allows you to choose to receive info about investors.

Membership Without Tesla Charging

The membership for non-Tesla charging has been renamed to just “Membership” and is now included in a new category called “For Your Other EV.”

With Tesla’s Supercharging Membership, you can use certain Superchargers to charge non-Tesla vehicles at the same speed as a Tesla. In the US, the subscription costs $12.99.

Conversation Partner

Tesla has incorporated a virtual assistant that provides answers to frequently asked issues under the help area of the app (located under the question mark symbol in the new menu).

Prior to the most recent app version, a server-side configuration change was made to allow this feature.

Fresh Menu

Tesla has unveiled a new menu that more logically reorganises its numerous account and product settings. The user’s avatar is replaced with the menu in the upper right corner of the screen.

Additionally, Tesla has included a new menu that appears next to the name of your home or car and allows you to flip between each product without having to swipe to the side.

Prior to the most recent app version, a server-side configuration change was made to allow this feature.

Release Notes for Tesla App 4.30

Demo of Tesla Energy

Tesla has included a Tesla Home demo to the app so that users may experience what it’s like to have these features even if they don’t have Tesla Solar or a Powerwall.

There can see all the information related to these items as well as a demonstration house equipped with solar and a Powerwall. The interface is interactive and allows you to use the app as if you had these goods installed, even if the data is static and never changes. You may see graphs showing your energy impact, solar generation, Powerwall consumption, and even an off-grid simulation.

To see the Powerwall demo, first tap the image of Order Now from your profile. Then, swipe to the final card, which should say Demo Powerwall, and scroll to the bottom of the screen.

Despite being somewhat hidden, this function is fantastic since it provides consumers with a thorough understanding of what owning a Powerwall is like and enriches the Tesla app with detailed information.

Graphs with Wall Connectors

Tesla has updated the Wall Connector’s Energy component. Tesla will now display comprehensive charging graphs with the Wall Connector v3, also known as the Universal Wall Connector, that resemble the graphs used for solar and Powerwall.

You can download the graph data as a CSV file and view the graphs on a daily, monthly, or annual basis. Complete charging information will only be accessible after January 16, 2024.

The Charge History section still has access to the daily tabular data.

omprehensive Final Charge

You may now see a detailed view of your most recent Supercharger experience on the Tesla app. Now that you’ve selected Profile > Account > Charging, Tesla will show the specifics of your most recent session at the top, including energy, time, and cost information.

Tesla will show you more information if you hit View Details, including the address and map of the Supercharger station, along with the name of the location, the date, and the time of the charging session.

Section of Services

The help sections that were previously accessible under Profile > Help are now linked from the service section.

With this version, the newly launched ‘Ask a Question’ service has been eliminated, and users will now have to select a topic in order to submit a service request.

Tesla and Powerwall Solar Widgets

There are newly updated Powerwall and Tesla Solar widgets for the iPhone and iPad. Customers of Tesla Energy get access to two additional widgets. The car widgets are still the same from the prior version.

The big energy widget adds a model of the house and shows the daily electricity consumption, while the little energy widget shows the amount of solar energy produced and the Powerwall’s current charge.

App Shortcuts Enhancements

One can now enable or disable Tesla’s phone key using scripting in the iOS Apple Shortcuts app. This enables you to design automations that change the phone key’s usability according to factors like location or other variables.

Tesla has updated the Shortcuts app recently, adding features exclusive to the Cybertruck, like power outlets, bed lights, and tonneau cover opening and closing.

Messages about Powerwall Status

With this upgrade, Powerwall system status messages have been improved, according to Tesla.

Release Notes for Tesla App 4.29

Cards with Keys

Tesla updated the Drivers & Security section. A list of every feature has replaced the huge image at the top.

Additionally, Tesla has made it possible to use the app to add a new key card or reset your phone’s key.

Reminiscent Cards

Tesla teases the introduction of commemorative cards in an upcoming update. These could be accolades or collecting cards for completing tasks or hitting particular mileage or car milestones, like driving 50,000 miles or activating pre-conditioning for the first time.

Tesla_App_iOS found the card layout in the source code of the app. Though they don’t give any indications as to what will be on each card, they do tell that there will be common versions and rare variants (gold) of each card. It might have emblems of exceptional success or particular Tesla items, like to Apple Watch fitness badges.

It’s unclear, though, whether China would be the only country to use this feature—the pictures are only available in Chinese.

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nearly the course of the last week, nearly 600,000 Toyota SUVs and pickup trucks in the US were voluntarily recalled due to various problems that may raise the risk of collisions, according to the automaker.

About 280,000 vehicles, including Toyota Tundra, Tundra Hybrid, and Lexus LX600 models from the model years 2022–2024, as well as Sequoia Hybrid vehicles issued from 2023–2024, were recalled in response to a first announcement made on February 21. According to a statement from Toyota, “certain parts of the transmission may not immediately disengage when the vehicle is shifted to the neutral position.”


According to Toyota, The flaw “can allow some engine power to continue to be transferred to the wheels and can allow the vehicle to inadvertently creep forward at a low speed when it is on a flat surface and no brakes are applied, leading to an increased risk of a crash,” 

According to a defect information report that was published on the website of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, cars that are in question may “inadvertently creep forward at a low speed (up to approximately 4 m.p.h.).”

The business stated that around 381,000 Toyota Tacoma pickup trucks from 2022 and 2023 were impacted by the second recall, which was issued on Tuesday.

According to a statement from Toyota, welding debris left on the ends of the rear axle assembly may eventually cause the nuts to come loose and fall off, which might lead to a section separating from the axle.

According to Toyota, “If separation occurs, this can affect vehicle stability and brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash,” 

Toyota spokeswoman Amanda Roark stated in an email that the Tacoma models from 2022 and 2023 are the only ones that are “affected by this recall.”

According to her, “If the vehicle is operated with loosened nuts, the driver may experience a vibration, hear an abnormal noise, and/or observe leaking of differential oil,”

Regarding whether any of the problems that sparked the recalls had resulted in any collisions or injuries, Toyota declined to answer.

By late April, owners of the impacted cars will receive notice of the recalls, according to Toyota, and they should visit their nearby dealerships to get the necessary repairs done.

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Consumer Reports, a reputable product testing organisation, revealed its 2024 top vehicle rankings on Tuesday, with hybrid cars ranked first.

Six of the top 10 choices made by the nonprofit consumer organisation were “electrified” cars, including plug-in hybrid models. The all-electric Tesla Model Y crossover and three gas-powered cars without hybrid versions completed the list of non-hybrid autos.

Seven fully electric or electrified vehicles have made it into Consumer Reports’ top selections for the second year in a row. This is due to automakers producing a large number of these vehicles to suit consumer demand and comply with increasing federal fuel economy rules.

Of all the automakers, Toyota Motor had the most top picks—four—followed by Subaru with two. One vehicle each from Tesla, Ford Motor, Mazda, and BMW was included in the list.

All four of Toyota’s cars in the top ten rankings were plug-in or hybrid models.

“The markets are changing. There’s a lot more powertrain choices today than there have really ever been,” Fisher told CNBC. “When we’re looking at the top vehicles, the top picks, a lot of them turn out to be electrified choices, because they just tend to do the things that people really want from a car.”

Plug-in hybrids and hybrids both use EV technologies in addition to a conventional engine. Conventional hybrids, like the Toyota Prius, have electrified components, including a small battery, to help the engine achieve greater fuel economy. In order to enable all-electric driving for a certain amount of miles until an engine is required to power the vehicle or electric motors, plug-in hybrids often feature larger batteries.

According to Fisher, plug-in hybrid cars, which fall in between an electric vehicle and a standard hybrid, are a “dark horse” in the American auto industry that many people are only now starting to learn about.

Three plug-in hybrid cars are ranked in this year’s Consumer Reports rankings, which is a record for the annual list.

“What’s really surprising and what we’ve learned this year is that plug-in hybrids are important,” Fisher stated.“They’re not well understood, but depending on what your situation is, it can be kind of the best of both worlds of electric vehicle and gas.”

Consumer Reports tests new cars and chooses the best models across a range of pricing points and categories. Every year, the company tests roughly fifty new cars.

This is the complete list:

  • Mazda 3 is a small automobile.
  • Toyota Camry Hybrid is a midsize car. Toyota Prius/Prius Prime plug-in hybrid is a plug-in hybrid vehicle.
  • Subaru Crosstrek is a subcompact SUV.
  • Small SUV: Subaru Forester
  • Toyota Highlander Hybrid is a midsize SUV.
  • luxury SUV: BMW X5/X5 Plug-in
  • Ford Maverick/Maverick Hybrid small truck; Toyota RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid SUV; Tesla Model Y electric vehicle

Last year, the Tesla Model Y ruled the American market and beyond. It looks to knock Tesla’s base Model 3 sedan out of the top 10 after it was included on the list the previous year.

A Cox Automotive subsidiary, Kelley Blue Book, reports that 1.1 million battery-electric cars were sold in the United States in 2017. 394,497 of the Tesla Model Y were among the nearly 655,000 Tesla EVs that were sold, in part due to domestic tax incentives and discounts.

Even while sales of battery-electric vehicles are continually rising, hybrid electric vehicles are still a popular choice among American consumers, in part because charging infrastructure is not as developed or dependable as it is in countries like Norway where the usage of completely electric vehicles is more widespread.

Based on internal testing, owner polls of reliability, safety, and general happiness, Consumer Reports compiles annual auto brand report cards that include the top picks.

The Tesla Model Y dominated the American market and other markets last year. It appears to remove Tesla’s entry-level Model 3 vehicle from the top 10, having been on the list the year before.

According to Kelley Blue Book, a Cox Automotive subsidiary, 1.1 million battery-electric vehicles were sold in the US in 2017. Among the almost 655,000 Tesla EVs sold were 394,497 Model Y vehicles, partly as a result of domestic tax breaks and rebates.

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Rumour has it that Mahindra’s highly anticipated 5-door Thar, code-named “Thar Armada” internally, will launch in the Indian market in the middle of 2024. However, Rajesh Jejurikar, executive director and CEO of Mahindra & Mahindra, has now verified this on an earnings call. A wider range of consumers who desire a proper off-road vehicle without sacrificing the utility of a regular automobile will be served by this enlarged version of the legendary Thar 3-door off-road vehicle.

Mahindra has also taken steps to alleviate the lengthy 1.5-year wait period for the 3-door Thar. Jejurikar has verified that an independent production line will be utilised to construct the Armada. This specific production line is an indication of the company’s dedication to meeting the demand for the five-door model. Thus, the introduction of the 5-door Thar Armada won’t lengthen the 3 door Thar’s waiting period.

With a wheelbase that is 22% larger than the current Thar, the Thar Armada is expected to offer more cabin room and practicality than the 3-door variant, making it a more family-friendly choice. The Armada will now only have a metal roof with a soft roof liner, something the three-door Thar lacks, and will no longer be available with the soft convertible top and hard fibreglass roof choices that the three-door Thar had.

It’s expected that the Thar Armada will have more potent engine options than the current Thar. anticipated to be powered by the 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol and 2.2-liter diesel engines seen in the Scorpio-N. The diesel engine will provide 172 horsepower and 370 or 400 Nm of torque, while the petrol engine will create 200 horsepower and 370 or 380 Nm of torque. Six-speed torque convertor automatic and six-speed manual transmissions will be available. It is anticipated that the vehicle would debut simultaneously with both 4×4 and 4×2 options.

The 5-door Thar differs from the 3-door Thar in that it has a more feature-rich cabin with a new 10.25 infotainment system, wireless phone connectivity, and automated climate management. Unlike the three-door Thar, which is all black, the interior of Armada has a beige and black theme.

The Thar Armada is anticipated to carve out a distinct place for itself in the Indian market by providing an appealing blend of contemporary amenities, off-road prowess, and practicality. The future 4X4 doesn’t have any direct competitors, but because of price overlap, it may compete indirectly in terms of features and cost with small SUVs like the Creta and Seltos. The advent of the 5 door Thar Armada could also affect sales of the Maruti Jimny, whose main selling point is its practical 5 door configuration compared to the 3 door layout of the Thar.

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